The wind blew through his hair as he stepped outside of the chopper to peer down at Mother Base. Another successful mission. The two prisoners were captured and fultoned to Ocelot, ready to go under whatever persuasive methods the man had for them. Venom Snake patiently waited for the chopper to land before stepping off, which felt like hours. To his surprise, as soon as he got off, he was greeted by several saluting soldiers.

"Welcome home, Boss!" They all saido simultaneously. New recruits, he thought. They always kissed the most ass. Snake cared for all of his men, but he was starting to notice a pattern. He stepped forward slightly and caught one of them hesitate. Odd. He then got close to another soldier's face. The man back away quickly, confirming Venom's suspicion. These men were different from the rest that came here. Their eyes were clouded with fear.

He noticed some were slightly trembling. Was it in fear of him? He began to worry. Fear wasn't the way to run a nation. What new methods has Ocelot been using? In fact, it it was about time have a talk with him. The man was starting to act outside of orders. He began began to bring in items and new materials without a care for the cost. He noticed some of his men were missing, which was caused by Ocelot firing them. He needed to ensure him who was the boss around here. Just because you are second-in-command doesn't mean you have full control over how things work.

Snake barged in the man's office, only to find it empty with objects scattered everywhere. This was strange, usually Ocelot was the cleanest person on this base, so why did this room look as if it were ransacked? Whoever was in here, they probably needed to find something- and fast.

Deciding to check what was toppled over, Venom headed toward an open file cabinet. Each folder contained a soldier's information not including their previous alliances. He searched through the files- nothing was missing. Thinking this was suspicious, he checked the two remaining drawers- but there was nothing missing again. He closed the drawers and proceeded to check the desk, finding a case full of cassette tapes. These weren't the mission briefing files- Venom already has those. These are new. Or rather, he wasn't given these. But why? What made them so special?

He quickly stepped outside and called over a nearby soldier. "Do you know when Ocelot is coming back?"

"Umm… if I do recall correctly, commander Ocelot is still busy with the prisoners."

"And how long ago was that?"

"He actually started as soon as you arrived, Boss."

Probably because he didn't want to get caught slacking off, he thought as he chuckled to himself. After dismissing the man Snake went back inside, locking the door and closing the curtains so nobody could see what he was doing. He grabbed his earpiece and hooked it in the cassette player. Opening the box, he began to go through the tapes and randomly selecting the ones with only numbers.

"1" was the one he started with. As soon soon as he hit play, he heard a familiar voice.

"From now on you are going to be referred as Naked Snake."

"Naked Snake?"

"What, haven't you tried snake before?"

I was Major Zero. And… him, but younger. The tape continued to play the whole conversation before ending. Why was this recorded? He continued to play the numbered tapes in order, which all contained the main codec calls in every mission he was in. Odd, why were these all in tape? He moved on to the titled ones. One in particular was named, "A True Patriot", but he already knew what it was and moved on, couldn't bear to hear the sorrowful speech. He came across one tape about Paz talking to… Major Zero? Another tape was a recorded of him and Skullface talking as well! He began to feel confused. He never recalled any of those extra conversations, not even the Santa Claus one. He only remembered the mission briefings. Was his memory manipulated? Something told him these tapes were the key to unlocking a dark secret. And he found one that fit the hole: "From the Man Who Sold the World"

At first, he thought it would be about The Boss or Zero, but what he heard clearly said otherwise.

"Now do you remember? Who you are? What you were meant to do? I cheated death, thanks to you. And thanks to you I've left my mark. You have too - you've written your own history. You're your own man. I'm Big Boss, and you are too... No... He's the two of us. Together. Where we are today? We built it. This story - this "legend" - it's ours. We can change the world - and with it, the future. I am you, and you are me. Carry that with you, wherever you go. Thank you... my friend. From here on out, you're Big Boss"

His body froze completely, staring at the screeching noise at end of the recording. He shut off the player and slowly removed the headphones, dropping them on the floor. His world had just shattered.

"I'm…." No, he refused to finish it. There must have been a logical explanation to this. There had to be. It was his own voice, it was him… But, at the same time, it wasn't.

There is two Bosses? Two of them? That meant that one was fake, the phantom. But he already knew the answer to that. It was already obvious.

My life… is a lie? Everything I have built… was it all for nothing? If that was true, then what was his real identity? Who was he before he became Big Boss?

Suddenly, Venom felt the whole world turn against him like a tide. I wasn't supposed to know about this, he thought. This was meant to be saved for later, when the time was right. Venom began to worry. He doesn't know anyone, at least not anymore after listening to the tape. Kaz, Ocelot, and everyone else could easily turn on him. There's no one to trust.

No one at all.