Everyone was teleported to a large, well-lit hospital. The air was sterile, but not cold—it felt like a breath of peace after a storm. A floating holographic screen appeared in front of every participant:
> RECOVERY TIME
Congratulations on successfully clearing the first part of the exam! Take this time to rest, heal your wounds, and prepare for the second phase.
— Thank you.
Jerry was carrying Ren (and Kento), and Otakun with her, limping slightly. They made their way inside the hospital.
---
Several hours later...
Ren's eyes fluttered open, blinking slowly. His head rested comfortably on something warm.
He tilted up slightly and realized—he was lying on Jerry's thighs. A flush crept across his cheeks, and he sat up straight with a jolt.
His sudden movement caught the attention of everyone in the room. Nurses and even the doctor were staring curiously at them.
The doctor stepped forward with concern.
Doctor: "Are you alright? Are you feeling anything strange? Pain in any part of your body? Dizziness? Nausea?"
Just then, a loud growl came from Ren's stomach.
Ren (groaning): "Wait... so many questions at once? I'm fine! But yeah, I'm starving."
The doctor blinked, clearly surprised. Many participants had come back with missing limbs or worse—and here Ren was, hungry.
Doctor: "I-I see... Nurse! Please, bring him all the food he asks for!"
Nurse: "Hai!"
She ran off to the kitchen.
Ren glanced around—and quickly realized something was off.
Ren: "Hey, where's my sword? Did anyone see it?"
Doctor: "Oh, your strange talking sword? There it is."
He pointed to a corner where a nurse cradled Kento like a child. She was feeding him grapes, one by one. Kento looked euphoric.
Kento (thinking smugly): "This... This is heaven. Beautiful nurses with... generous assets feeding me like royalty!"
Ren (shouting): "OI, KENTO!!"
Kento snapped out of his fantasy and scowled.
Kento: "WHAT?! Can't you see I'm in heaven?!"
Ren: "You're supposed to be with ME! Why are you acting like this?!"
Nurse (giggling): "He told us to hold him like this."
Ren: "💢 What the hell?!"
Kento (blushing): "Ehehe... it's nothing."
The doctor scratched his head.
Doctor (thinking): How are they unharmed despite being unconscious for so long?
Meanwhile, Otakun stirred awake. He sat up slowly, mind swirling.
Otakun (thinking): I only remember that black figure beating me into unconsciousness... Jerry—is she okay?
His eyes searched and landed on her. She had a faint scar but no visible injuries.
Otakun (relieved): "Ohh... she's safe."
Moments later, the nurse returned with a full tray of food.
Ren and Otakun dug in. Ren devoured four bowls of rice and vegetables before noticing something.
Ren: "Jerry, why aren't you eating? Don't worry—we'll pass the second phase too."
Jerry: "I... I know that... but..."
Ren: "Well, if you're not gonna eat, then let me take some—"
Otakun (punching him): "They have unlimited food here, idiot. Let her eat."
Ren (rubbing his head): "Alright, alright!"
The doctor stepped forward.
Doctor: "What would you like to eat next?"
Ren: "Two small buckets of biryani, some salad, and a big glass of lassi."
Doctor (blinking): "As you wish, sir."
Otakun looked like he'd seen a ghost.
Otakun: "You're gonna eat all that?!"
Ren (grinning): "Yup."
Jerry (thinking): This bastard used to eat fifteen bowls of rice just for breakfast...
The nurse brought back the biryani and lassi. Ren's eyes sparkled like a child's as he devoured it with joy.
Once he was done, the doctor addressed Otakun.
Doctor: "Sir Otakun, you'll be retaking the trial tonight. Since you didn't kill a single Null in the previous phase, your score didn't qualify."
Otakun: "Sir, there weren't any Nulls left to kill..."
Doctor: "Yes, we know. We also know who was responsible for that."
Jerry's eyes narrowed and she glanced at the doctor.
Doctor: "It was our honorable participant, Sir Ren Shizaki."
Ren blushed and gave a small nod.
Doctor: "And Miss Jerry Elowen, who killed 29/30 Nulls. But we've rounded that up as 30 for the record."
Jerry (thinking): Ren? He killed them all? No... that black figure was the one who did that. Arastu took over Ren's body... it wasn't him.
Jerry (thinking): How did they count the kills as his?
Ren leaned over and teased her.
Ren: "Looks like I got more kills than you."
Jerry stood up and grabbed Ren's hand.
Ren: "Wait! Let me finish my food—"
Jerry: "You can eat later."
She dragged him outside. Now alone, they stood under the open sky, facing each other.
Jerry: "Tell me, how did you make so many kills?"
Ren (thinking): Damn...
Ren: "Umm... I forgot!"
Jerry: "Really? Then what's that eye mark on your back?"
Ren froze.
Ren: "Huh? Eye mark?"
Jerry: "Yeah. That glowing eye tattoo. I saw it open. And someone named Arastu took over you."
Ren (thinking): Arastu? Did you tell her?!
Arastu (in his mind): Yes. I trust her.
So Ren told her everything—how he died, met Kento, how he got Arastu, and how the mark formed.
Jerry: "You were hiding all this from the start?"
Ren: "...Yeah."
She looked at him again.
Jerry: "And what was that black figure that went into your body afterward?"
Ren: "Huh? What figure?"
Just then, a familiar voice cut in.
Otakun: "Hey! At least he told me everything from the start."
They both turned.
Jerry: "YOU?! What are you doing here, jerk?!"
Otakun: "You grabbed Ren's hand like you were about to confess or something! I just came to celebrate the moment!"
Jerry (punching him): "Repeat that again, I dare you."
Otakun: "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"
Ren: "Oi, don't tell anyone about this, okay?"
Otakun: "Yeah, yeah. I won't."
---
The three of them returned and finished their meals.
Later that evening, Ren and Jerry were fast asleep, side by side. Otakun, meanwhile, had gone for his retest.
He returned about 30 minutes later, covered in scratches but smiling, alive and well.
> TO BE CONTINUED...