After a short while, Hank, Yato, and Mikasa entered the room together.
"Jax, water," Mikasa said softly as she handed me a cup.
"Thank you," I replied. I took it carefully and drank in small, steady sips.
Hank looked at me for a long moment before speaking. His expression was serious, almost heavy. "Jax, I owe you more than I can put into words. Mikasa told me everything. If you had not stepped in, the consequences would have been unimaginable. Thank you."
"Uncle, it was nothing," I said quickly. "It was the least I could do."
Hank did not respond with words. Instead, he bowed deeply.
I froze, caught completely off guard. To be honest, this was far beyond anything I had expected.
Yato cleared his throat and smiled, breaking the tension. "Hank can be stiff sometimes. We are family. And Jax is right. It is only natural for a brother to protect his sister, isn't it, Jax?"
I nodded without hesitation.
Hank let out a small laugh, scratched the back of his head, and stayed silent.
After a brief pause, Yato sat down on the edge of my bed and gently took my hand. "You were unconscious for a full day and night, Jax. The doctor said that aside from the external wounds, you also suffered serious internal injuries. Do you feel uncomfortable anywhere now?"
I closed my eyes and focused, carefully checking my body. Most of the internal pain was gone, and aside from the aching wounds on the surface, nothing felt wrong.
Then my stomach growled loudly.
I opened my eyes and answered honestly, "I feel very hungry."
Yato and Mikasa both burst out laughing.
"Wait here," Yato said with a chuckle as he rubbed my head. "I'll go cook something."
Hank stood up as well. "I'll try my luck in the forest. If things go well, we might have meat tonight." He glanced at Mikasa. "Stay here and watch over Jax."
Mikasa nodded and sat down beside me after they left.
For a while, neither of us spoke. We simply looked at each other in silence. After about thirty seconds, Mikasa was the first to break it.
"Thank you… for this time, Jax."
I reached out and gently rubbed her head. "You're welcome."
She did not pull away. Instead, her eyes lit up. "You were amazing. Can you teach me?"
I paused, then smiled. "Teach you what?"
"How to fight," Mikasa said immediately, her voice full of excitement. "You're really good at it."
I could not stop my mouth from twitching slightly. She really was different. Most girls her age would never be interested in something like this.
Looking at her bright, determined expression, I fell into thought. I did not rely only on strength or speed. Plenty of people surpassed me in those areas. What truly set me apart was technique, efficiency, and understanding how to end a fight quickly.
Still, not every method suited Mikasa.
There was one style I relied on the most, one built around precision, balance, and decisive movement. It was not flashy, and it was never meant for sport. It existed solely for survival and killing blows. Considering what awaited her in the future, it suited her better than anything else I knew.
I rubbed her head again and said calmly, "How about I teach you a fist technique?"
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