The steady beep of the monitor was the only sound in Hiruzen’s room. His eyes fluttered open to the dim white light of the infirmary ceiling. For a moment, he lay still, unsure if he had really woken, or if he was still trapped in that snowy void with the towering demon.

  Hiruzen: “Man… was that even real? Me, a vessel? Sharing a soul with that thing… Iskarth…”

  His thoughts spiraled, but before he could ground himself, a sharp, searing pain shot down his arms. He bit his lip to keep from crying out. His frostbitten flesh—black and lifeless only hours ago—began to crack like brittle ice. Steam hissed from his skin as pale-blue veins pulsed beneath, knitting muscle and flesh together. Slowly, the blackness receded, fading into healthy skin. The pain numbed, leaving his arms whole again, though faint white scars curled across them like frozen rivers.

  Hiruzen stared at his hands, chest rising and falling rapidly.

  Hiruzen: “So… it wasn’t just a dream.”

  The door banged open.

  Emma: “HIRUZEN!!!”

  Before he could react, Emma barreled into him, nearly knocking the wind out of his recovering lungs. She wrapped her arms around him tightly, trembling as if afraid he’d vanish again.

  Hiruzen: “Ack—Emma—can’t… breathe—”

  Emma: sniffling but smiling through tears “Don’t you dare scare me like that again, you idiot!”

  Reito leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, a relieved grin on his face.

  Reito: “Jeez, kid. You gave us one hell of a scare. Honestly thought we were gonna lose you for a minute there.”

  Hiruzen opened his mouth to respond, but the memories came crashing back—Adam’s mocking grin, Jonathan’s desperate yell, the blinding explosion. His eyes went wide, his chest tightening.

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  Hiruzen: “Jonathan! Where’s Jonathan? Is he okay!? And Adam—did he—did he get away!?”

  Reito’s expression darkened. He raised his hand slowly, gesturing for him to calm down.

  Reito: “Easy, kid. Easy. Jonathan’s alive. He’s in surgery right now—multiple fractures, internal injuries, but Mrs. Zinc says he’ll make it. As for Adam…” he cast a glance at Emma “…Emma said he escaped.”

  The tension in Hiruzen’s shoulders loosened slightly. He slumped back against the bed.

  Hiruzen: “…So Jonathan’s alive. Thank God.”

  Reito’s eyes narrowed as he noticed Hiruzen’s arms. Hours ago, they had been ruined, beyond any normal recovery. Now they looked… whole. Too whole.

  Reito: “…Strange. Before you woke up, your arms were completely frostbitten. Black as ash. No sign of healing. And now…” he stepped closer, voice low “…they look brand new.”

  Hiruzen stiffened, quickly pulling the sheets over his arms. For a moment, silence stretched between them—Reito’s sharp gaze, Hiruzen’s guarded stare. Both of them knew what was left unspoken: Iskarth. Neither dared to voice it aloud.

  Hiruzen forced a weak laugh.

  Hiruzen: “Yeah, I… I don’t know what happened. I just woke up, and they were like this. As long as I can still use ‘em, I’m not gonna complain.”

  Emma, oblivious to the tension, squeezed his hand with a bright smile.

  Emma: “Well, as long as you’re okay, that’s all that matters!”

  Reito exhaled through his nose but said nothing more. Instead, he straightened up, slipping back into his usual commanding tone.

  Reito: “Alright. Once you’re cleared for release, it’s time for you and Emma to start preparing for the mid-term examinations.”

  Emma blinked, eyes wide.

  Emma: “Wait—it’s already that time of year?”

  Hiruzen: “Mid-terms!? Are you kidding me? I haven’t even been here two months!”

  Reito smirked.

  Reito: “Yeah, well, you got enrolled at a weird time. Don’t complain—you already passed the placement trials, and your entrance exam was literally a fight against me. You’ll be fine.”

  Hiruzen groaned, running a hand through his hair.

  Hiruzen: “Easy for you to say…”

  Then his expression hardened.

  Hiruzen: “…What about Jonathan? He’s part of our team too.”

  Reito nodded.

  Reito: “His surgery should be done by tomorrow. Recovery will be tough—physical therapy, strength training. But the mid-term is a month away. With Mrs. Zinc overseeing him, he should be battle-ready in three. He’ll join you again soon enough.”

  Hiruzen lowered his gaze, the weight of it all pressing down. Emma noticed and, without a word, hugged him again, resting her forehead on his shoulder.

  Emma: “Don’t worry. Jonathan’s too stubborn to let this stop him. He’ll pull through. And when he does, we’ll make sure he’s shocked at how much stronger we’ve gotten.”

  That finally coaxed a small laugh from Hiruzen.

  Hiruzen: “Yeah. If he catches me moping, he’ll just yell at me for being soft.”

  Emma: grinning “Exactly.”

  Reito checked his watch, then motioned toward the door.

  Reito: “Emma, we need to go. I’ve got a meeting, and I’ll need your help with prep. Hiruzen—the nurse says you’re cleared to leave tomorrow morning. Be ready. The North Sector training room is brutal… but if you survive it, you’ll see results.”

  Hiruzen’s eyes lit with determination.

  Hiruzen: “Yes, sir!”

  As they left, the room fell quiet again. Hiruzen leaned back, staring at the ceiling. The faint scars on his arms glowed for a moment, like veins of ice, before fading away.

  Hiruzen: “Mid-terms, demons, vessels… all of it. I’ll master this power, no matter the cost. I promise, Mom… Yuzu… I won’t let any of my new friends die. Not ever again.”

  The monitor beeped steadily, but his resolve burned louder than the sound.

  End Chapter