An Unexpected Hospital Visit (1)
Six in the morning.
"Khhhrrr—phuuu…."
"…."
…Or rather, about thirty minutes before that.
An unfinished abandoned factory that barely even had walls, of course, had no soundproofing whatsoever. Hope's snoring came through crystal clear, which was why I'd woken up a little early.
Dizzy.
My head was still spinning and my joints ached with a dull stiffness—probably because I hadn't fully recovered yet.
…Hmm.
Thinking I should at least put on a cold compress, I threw on some comfortable clothes, planted my crutches under my arms, and headed straight outside.
Fortunately, the convenience store wasn't far from the base. It wasn't some abandoned factory sitting in the middle of empty plains—there was a residential neighborhood nearby. I'd chosen the location specifically so I could get around New York quickly, so that much was only natural.
Before long, I arrived at the convenience store with my slow, careful steps.
"…! J-Jun…!"
"…Ah, yes. Good morning."
"I really saw how you resolved that incident…! H-hey, I'm sorry, but could I get an autograph—ah, thinking about it, you're injured—"
"—No problem. Hand me the pen."
After giving an autograph to someone who was either the store owner or a part-timer—
"Yes…! Payment complete! This protein bar is a small token of my appreciation…!!"
"…It's people like you who let heroes keep doing their jobs. Thank you."
I bagged a few sports drinks, disinfectant pads, cold packs, and a large coffee, then headed back toward the base.
…Or rather, I was about to.
"—That shorty, that bitch, that crazy bitch has a filthy mouth."
"…Oh-ho?"
Until I heard a rather familiar voice.
…Hmm?
I immediately turned toward the sound. When I peered into the alley where the argument was coming from, sure enough—there they were. Napalm and Eclipse, facing each other like they were about to throw down.
…What the hell are these two doing here, and why are they like this?
Heroes who were supposed to maintain their public conduct—though few actually did—arguing on the street was pretty absurd.
"…Napalm. Eclipse. What are you two doing there?"
I called out as if to break it up.
"Uh, uh…!"
"I-I was just checking the defense magic…!"
Both of them looked equally flustered. But Napalm reacted more intensely.
"I-I just took a wrong turn while on my morning run!"
"You? Running?"
"Don't you know heroes have to take care of their figures? This is something you obviously have to do!"
"…."
Napalm used fire, so her calorie consumption was extreme. She ate like a competitive eater with enormous meals, but even so, her body structure was so inefficient that using her ability burned through calories with ridiculous ease. As far as I knew, she had no need to go running.
More importantly—
…Full makeup, and her clothes aren't workout clothes either.
What kind of person went running in full makeup? Well, considering Napalm's tendency to wear makeup even when deploying because she was conscious of people's reactions, it wasn't completely impossible. But looking at her crop top and short shorts—outing clothes—claiming she'd come out for a run made no sense at all.
And when my gaze shifted from Napalm to Eclipse—
"M-me too…! I came to check if the defense magic was properly installed, for inspection…!"
She spoke while looking down, as if trying not to meet my eyes—no, as if trying not to look at me at all.
"…Then what's that?"
But she was holding a fruit basket, so it was equally unconvincing.
"…! A v-visit, a visit g-gift…!"
Seeing her tongue-tied and flustered, it clearly wasn't the truth.
"…Just both of you be honest and say you came for a hospital visit. It's not like you'll die from saying that."
I said that and turned around again, planting my crutches.
"Let's go together. I have no intention of turning away people who came to visit me while I'm injured. If anything, I should be… grateful."
At those words, both their expressions froze at the same time.
"…."
Both of them said nothing and did nothing. Looking at them, I was briefly confused.
"…What's wrong?"
"…You're pretty badly hurt, huh?"
"What?"
"You're not usually like this… It's weird…."
And then both their gazes went to my leg—to the crutches.
"…Your body is really okay, right?"
"…Healing magic isn't my specialty. Sorry."
"I'm fine. Korean awakeners recover quickly. I'll be better in a few days."
I said that and slowly walked toward the base.
"…."
Strangely, they said nothing as we entered. They just watched me walk with their own eyes.
The moment I opened the fence gate and stepped into the base, the sizzling sound of something cooking came from the kitchen, along with the fragrant smell of bacon and eggs.
"……What."
And there, Hope looked at me with a face that suggested she'd pulled an all-nighter. Dark circles sat under her eyes, and her hair was pressed flat on one side. The moment she saw me, she immediately turned off the stove.
"I was wondering where you went—looks like you hit the convenience store. Anyway, something decent to eat—"
The moment her gaze went behind me—
"—Hey."
Hope's eyes went wide.
"You crazy bastard!!"
Her booming voice echoed through the abandoned factory.
"Fine, so the address got leaked! But what the hell are you thinking bringing PAX first-stringers into my workshop one after another!!"
"…When did you wake up?"
"Just now!"
Hope raised the spatula. She looked ready to throw it, so I slightly lifted my crutch into a defensive stance, but—
"…Ugh!"
Of course she didn't actually throw it.
"…You slept here?"
Napalm asked in a low voice. Her gaze swept over Hope's wrinkled T-shirt, messy hair, and the blanket roughly spread in the corner of the workshop.
"Yeah."
Hope answered with an irritated face.
"I stayed up all night watching that crazy bastard's condition. What of it."
"…Why are you so brazen about it?"
"Should I have said I slept here in secret?"
Napalm's eyebrows twitched. Beside her, Eclipse also quietly narrowed her eyes.
"Looks like a deeper relationship than I thought…?"
"Deeper relationship?"
Hope snorted.
"This guy and his gear are rolling around here. If I don't watch them, who will? They're all things that explode if you touch them wrong."
"……."
"And you."
Hope's gaze turned to Eclipse.
"Mage. The magic circle you laid down—tone down the noise. It's louder than my snoring."
…She knew she snored?
"That's a rather insulting comparison."
"Yeah. Apologize to my snoring."
"…."
Eclipse's smile stiffened slightly, and Napalm smirked at that. Then Eclipse's gaze turned back toward Napalm.
"Something funny?"
"Yeah. A bit."
"You're in no position to talk—you were loitering outside someone else's base first thing in the morning with a get-well gift."
"I said I wasn't."
"So you just happened to end up here while running? In full makeup."
"You've got a real talent for getting under people's skin, you know that?"
"I'll take that as a compliment."
I sighed and set the convenience store bag on the desk.
"Both of you, sit down. Unless you came here to fight."
"I didn't come to fight."
"I came for an inspection too. …You just asked me to fix the noise, after all."
"Then sit."
The two glared at each other for a moment, then finally sat on the old folding chairs. Looking at them, I thought for a moment.
Why on earth had they come for a hospital visit? Today wasn't even a weekend—it was a weekday. They should have been busy with events and appearances, yet they'd shown up first thing in the morning. I was wondering if they had something to say or something they needed to do when—
—Ding-dong.
The call bell from the base's front gate rang. Hope's expression crumpled.
"…What is this, a grand opening today?"
"…Yeah. Why so many visitors today."
I turned my gaze to the monitor. In front of the factory gate, a black sedan had stopped. Getting out of the car was a middle-aged man in a neat suit. And behind him stood an East Asian man with a shaved head like a monk.
"…Huh."
Looking at that East Asian man, I immediately knew who they were.
…Aegis Global?
That monk was probably Wang Chen. A superpowered individual who'd awakened abilities like something out of a martial arts novel. In my previous life, he'd climbed to the upper ranks before I died…
Why were they visiting here? I was quite curious about that.
"Let them in."
"…What? Are you serious?"
So I decided. The combat power here was sufficient right now. Napalm was here, Eclipse was here, and the internal defense facilities were pretty well set up. If needed, I could push myself and move my body.
"The fact that they came all the way here means this isn't just a hospital visit."
"…Hah, fine. Got it."
Hope pressed the entrance button and allowed them in. Before long, the man in the suit entered the base.
"…Hmm."
He surveyed the unfinished walls, exposed wiring, and equipment under maintenance, then politely bowed his head.
"I apologize for the sudden visit. Raymond Cole, chief scouter of Aegis Global."
"I'm Jun."
I asked without accepting the handshake.
"Is this an official visit, or unofficial?"
Raymond's eyes narrowed.
"Starting from there, I see."
"It's important."
There were three PAX-affiliated heroes here including me. And he was from a rival company. This wasn't a situation that could just be brushed off as a courtesy call. So Raymond smiled faintly.
"Officially, it's a hospital visit."
"…'Officially'?"
"Yes. Unofficially… it's a proposal for cooperation."
At that moment, a small spark jumped from Napalm's fingertips.
"…Hey, are you seriously trying to poach someone right in front of PAX heroes?"
"The term 'poach' isn't appropriate."
Raymond was unfazed.
"I have no intention of violating the contract with PAX. However, now that Mr. Jun has established an independent base, wouldn't external cooperation be beneficial?"
He pulled out a thin document envelope and placed it on the table.
"Equipment support, medical support, information sharing, guaranteed independent operational authority, priority negotiation rights upon future contract termination."
Inside the envelope was a draft contract. Some items were blank… probably meaning I should fill in the conditions myself.
"PAX is an excellent PR company."
Raymond said.
"But what Mr. Jun needs is authority, isn't it? Your field judgment is far too valuable to be used for cleaning up after Great America or polishing Napalm's image."
"…! My image—"
"—With all due respect, Ms. Napalm. You are certainly capable. However, since your ability itself is combat-focused, you're relatively disadvantaged in passive hostage rescues or accident cleanup, aren't you. This is an extension of that discussion."
"What kind of bullshit—"
"—Wait, Napalm."
Napalm was about to snarl, but I raised my hand to stop her.
"First of all, I am affiliated with PAX. Listening to evaluations and criticisms of Great America or Napalm is unpleasant."
"…That was… I apologize. I was out of line."
"Then let me ask again. Do you have a card attractive enough for me to betray PAX?"
"We do."
This time, the East Asian man who had been standing behind Raymond stepped forward. He looked at me for a moment, then closed his eyes and quietly pressed his palms together.
"I am called Wang Chen."
Then he stood before me.
"If you permit it, I shall put your body in order for a moment."
"Healing type? As far as I know, you don't have that kind of ability."
"Indeed. It is closer to tuning than healing. Looking at the flow of the dantian, refining it by adding or subtracting."
I looked at him for a moment, then nodded.
"…."
He soon approached behind me as I sat on the sofa. He placed both hands on my back and infused a faint golden light from his fingertips.
"…!"
—Gooo….
As that energy brushed past my shoulders and legs, the throbbing pain subsided a little. It wasn't completely healed. But there was a sensation of the creaking inside my body being temporarily ordered—a Qi Tuning.
"If you overexert yourself, it will collapse again."
When everything was finished, Wang Chen calmly withdrew his hands.
"…Huh."
—Crack.
When I moved my body as if stretching, I could tell it had become considerably easier to move. Then Raymond spoke as if he'd been waiting.
"That is our small gift. Though it is meager for someone who has protected New York."
"…I'll gratefully accept it."
"Then let us move on to the main topic. Well, according to Mr. Jun's words, this would be the unofficial discussion."
Raymond then opened an additional file.
"The Director's capture is merely a prelude."
Photos, fund flows, and black market equipment distribution routes were connected with red lines.
"Contact among high-risk villains is increasing in New York's underground. It's still too early to call it an organization, but there are signs of a loose coalition."
…Contact among villains. Certainly threatening.
"PAX has yet to even grasp the substance of it."
Raymond spoke with a confident face.
"But Aegis is different, Mr. Jun. A storm will soon descend. To survive that disaster, won't you need information?"
He looked at me.
"And information—we have it."
I looked at him for a moment… then picked up the large coffee I'd bought from the convenience store. The cold coffee didn't taste good, but it was enough to wake me up.
"A coalition of villains."
I continued with a short laugh.
"Is that all you have?"
Raymond's expression froze for a moment.
"……What?"
I pointed to one of the photos on the file with my finger.
"The Director has only made 'contact' with them so far—it's hard to say he's accomplished anything. This incident was probably closer to a demonstration for them. Self-PR showing he can draw attention, create a stage, and gather people."
My finger moved to the next photo.
"Funding is 'Black Carnival.'"
Next.
"Transport is 'Arachne.'"
Next.
"Communications is 'White Noise.'"
The color drained from Raymond's face.
"White Noise is still only a codename even within our—"
"—And the one who will bind those three together hasn't moved yet."
"…."
Napalm, Eclipse, Hope—and even Wang Chen—were looking at me.
"…Mr. Jun, just how much do you know?"
I didn't answer. I simply set down the coffee and said,
"If you want to buy me… at least bring information I don't already know."
At that moment, Raymond Cole could no longer smile.