When the fire spreads too far, even the innocent burn.
---
6:00 A.M.
Public Classroom Video – Viral Footage
A man is kneeling.
Middle-aged. A teacher. Hands bound, sobbing.
Behind him: three masked students.
Red paint on their uniforms. Hollow symbols drawn in blood.
> "This man silenced reports of abuse for five years."
He shakes his head violently.
> "No—I didn't—I reported them—"
But the gun goes off anyway.
The camera shakes.
One of them says:
> "He was guilty of silence."
---
8:15 A.M.
Silas's Studio – Watching the Stream
Kai paces.
He's livid.
> "They're killing the wrong people."
Silas watches, silent.
> "They're using your name to justify mistakes. This was never the plan."
Silas stands.
> "It's not a mistake."
> "What?"
Silas turns toward him.
> "It's an evolution."
---
10:07 A.M.
Naomi – Phone Call with a Survivor
She speaks to a teacher — beaten and bloodied, left for dead by a copycat group calling themselves "Children of Hollow."
> "I supported Sora. I helped girls come forward. But they didn't care. I had the wrong face, the wrong name."
Naomi hangs up, hands trembling.
She writes two words in her notebook:
> "He's lost control."
Then crosses it out.
> "He let go on purpose."
---
12:46 P.M.
Subway Graffiti – City District 6
A message sprawled across the walls:
> "SILENCE IS COMPLICITY. INNOCENCE IS A LUXURY."
"HOLLOW SEES ALL."
---
1:32 P.M.
Underground Meeting – Copycat Cell HQ
A dozen teenagers. Most not older than 17.
Weapons. Dossiers. Targets.
One girl, Marika, leads them.
> "Forget whether they 'meant' to hurt people.
Did they stop it?
Did they report it?
Did they make it harder to speak?"
> "Then they die."
No discussion.
Just nods.
A name goes up on the board:
> Mr. Hayato Ishii.
Math teacher. Never convicted. Never even accused.
But he once told a girl to "toughen up."
That's enough.
---
3:08 P.M.
Silas and Kai – Walking Through a Riot
Students are marching.
Some are holding banners with Hollow's truths.
Others wear masks not even Silas designed.
Kai stares at the chaos. Sirens. Smoke. Fear.
> "This wasn't justice."
> "It's truth now," Silas says.
> "No. It's ego. It's children pretending to be gods."
> "That's how gods are born."
Kai turns.
> "Then what are we?"
Silas smiles.
> "The first. The loudest."
---
5:55 P.M.
Naomi – Watching the List Grow
She sees a new post online:
> "Teachers Who Need to Pay – Vol. 3"
100 names.
Only 4 have any proof of wrongdoing.
She tries to contact them.
One is already dead.
Another fled the country.
She prints the list, hands trembling.
Under her breath:
> "You made monsters. And they're not yours anymore."
---
7:00 P.M.
Children of Hollow – Live Execution Stream
Mr. Ishii pleads.
Cameras roll.
The girl, Marika, smiles behind the mask.
> "He told us to scream."
"Now we scream with blood."
Gunfire.
Comments flood the stream:
> "Was he really guilty?"
"Doesn't matter."
"The old world never cared either."
---
10:01 P.M.
Silas – Watching the Fire Spread
Kai turns to him one last time.
> "You could stop this."
> "Why would I?"
> "Because it's not justice anymore."
Silas looks out the window.
The city glows red.
> "It never was."
---
Final Scene
Naomi receives a message on an old encrypted channel.
No name. Just words:
> "There will be a purge.
Not to cleanse —
But to purify."
The sender ID is untraceable.
But Naomi knows.
> "It's not Hollow anymore," she mutters.
"It's the belief that kills now."
---
Final Line:
> "When justice dies, belief becomes the bullet."
---