The neon glow of the medical bay bathed the faces of Unit 009 in soft light. The tension that had rendered them pale moments ago slowly ebbed away, replaced by a radiant relief as the eyes of their dearest companion on the gurney finally flickered to life.
"AMAE!"
All three girls of Unit 009 surged forward, observing the disheveled youth as he struggled to open his eyes.
"Nu... gia... a-are you still a-alive?" Amae rasped. The foolish boy, who had been lying rigid and helpless, had finally regained consciousness. His voice was thin and brittle, like a low-tuned violin string on the verge of snapping.
Nugia stepped closer immediately.
"Amae, don't try to speak! We are all fine," Zila asserted, taking charge of the atmosphere. The corners of her eyes shimmered as she fought back the tears threatening to spill down her tan cheeks.
"You idiot, Amae! Did you really think I would allow your reckless stunt, huh?! If you died, who would wash my clothes?!" Meyra snapped. The beautiful, hot-tempered girl vented her emotions, her eyes already soaked in tears. Her left arm, which had been broken, was now clenched into a tight fist—a testament to the incredible, near-instantaneous regeneration granted by Lady Scarlett's medicine.
"Enough, enough... the important thing is that we're all safe now," Zila said with a warm smile, while Reyna continued to sob silently beside the gurney, pouring out all her pent-up worry without a word.
"Amae... I am still here, I'm still breathing. Why would you ask such a thing?" Nugia replied innocently. The boy sometimes possessed a way of thinking that defied all logic.
THWACK!
A sharp strike landed squarely on the back of Nugia's head.
"Why did you hit me, Mey?" Nugia asked flatly. The oblivious boy held his head with an innocent face, entirely unaware of any wrongdoing.
"Is your head empty, huh?! Is there nothing inside it?!" Meyra growled, glaring at him with eyes still puffy from crying.
Witnessing the ridiculous antics of her companions, Amae's lips slowly curled. His eyes closed softly, and his mouth formed a genuine smile. Seeing that smile return, the others let out small laughs through their remaining tears.
Meanwhile, Nugia merely looked at them one by one with a bewildered expression, still blissfully unaware of why he had just become the target of Meyra's outburst.
ZZZT!
The steel door of the isolation medical bay hissed open, instantly shattering the warm atmosphere they had just created.
"Unit 009!"
The booming command came from Instructor Jean. The man, with a face as flat and stoic as a concrete wall, stepped inside with rigid precision.
"It is fortunate that you all survived the The Hollow Rim exam."
"Sergeant Jean!" Zila replied instinctively. The lingering traces of their laughter vanished, replaced by an alertness that neither she nor the other members of Unit 009 could hide.
"Congratulations on your success," Jean said, his voice heavy and absolute. "For today, you are dismissed to rest."
The members of Unit 009 exchanged glances, a ripple of relief washing over them.
"Tomorrow, there will be an ether distribution for your achievements in The Hollow Rim," Jean continued. He stared at each of them, ensuring his orders were fully understood. "Once you have recovered, you will be deployed again immediately."
Jean then shifted his gaze toward the gurney.
"For now... Nugia, Reyna, and Zila. You may return to the dormitory!"
"YES, SERGEANT!" they replied in unison, offering their best salute.
After ensuring the medical bay was secure, Sergeant Jean departed, followed by Nugia, Reyna, and Zila. As they walked down the corridor, Jean's gaze remained sharp, piercing straight into the back of the oblivious boy walking at the front.
This child... he didn't react at all. His movements even outperformed the Bim X-50 subject, nearly invisible to the naked eye, Jean muttered to himself. The rigid man's steps suddenly felt heavier. Lady Scarlett... you ordered me to guard a sleeping monster?
The sound of their footsteps echoing through the corridor only deepened the heavy sense of caution Jean felt toward the boy from Unit 009, Nugia.
***
Meanwhile, in a different part of the city, the atmosphere in The Whispering Ruins was far more suffocating and heavy. Tiger's body creaked violently as he struggled desperately to withstand a massive gravitational pressure—a force capable of crushing an ordinary human in an instant. This lethal pressure was unleashed by Vincent, a handsome man from The Abyss Glosum faction who held the position of one of the Ten Shadows.
"Where did your arrogant words go, Tiger?" Vincent taunted. The man, with his aquiline nose, thick eyebrows, and sharp jawline, narrowed his eyes, displaying a dismissive sneer as he laughed at his opponent's suffering.
Vincent leaped down from the rooftop of The Silent Stage. "I have been waiting for you, Tiger! Has your mouth finally lost its ability to speak?" he mocked. The spectators who had been scrambling had all long since vanished, leaving only Tiger and Vincent in the courtyard.
Vincent walked slowly, each tap of his boots on the rocky ground of The Whispering Ruins sounding like a death knell. The smile on his thin, red lips widened, savoring the horrific scene before him. Under the power of his gravity, the ground around Tiger's feet cracked and sank several centimeters.
"Is this really the extent of the legendary faction everyone keeps talking about?" Vincent scoffed, his tone as smooth as silk yet laced with poison. He waved one hand lazily, and instantly, the invisible pressure crushing Tiger's body doubled.
CRACK!
Both of Tiger's knees slammed into the ground with enough force to cause new fissures. Cold sweat began to drip from his forehead and temples, soaking the dust and debris clinging to his face. His breath came in ragged gasps, feeling as suffocating as if a massive concrete block had been placed directly onto his chest. Every muscle in Tiger's neck strained, turning bright red as he fought to keep his bones from being crushed into powder.
Yet, amidst the cracking of his strained bones, the corners of Tiger's lips slowly curled upward.
"Finally, it's just the two of us," Tiger smirked.
The arrogant smile on Vincent's handsome face instantly froze. His thick eyebrows knitted together as he realized something was wrong. Under the weight of a Gravity Wall capable of shattering an ordinary man, Tiger's eyes suddenly flared, radiating a cold, murderous aura. Vincent realized too late: the man before him wasn't dying—he was luring him into a trap.