"Then continue, as long as you can bear the pain."
Dan Kuroto took out the Gashacon Bugvisor and pressed a button on the man before him.
A large amount of Bugster virus surged into his body. Orange data lightning flashed around him, and the excruciating pain caused him to utter a few groans.
But for him, the pain was merely something he could endure by gritting his teeth.
The Bugster virus eroded his body, and after an accelerated infection process, it evolved into a fully fledged Bugster—Dan Kuroto's tried-and-true method of 'rebirth.' However, without Dan Kuroto's intervention to change the final outcome, an ordinary person infected in this way would inevitably end up as a regular fully fledged Bugster, not a Bugster that retains its previous memories, personality, and thoughts, indistinguishable from the original.
"Phew... it still hurts a lot..."
Sensei stood up from his wheelchair, felt his body move again, and bowed gratefully to Dan Kuroto. "Thank you so much, Mr. Dan Kuroto."
Dan Kuroto gave Sensei a second glance; few could truly impress him. "Not everyone can withstand the Bugster virus's erosion," he said. "You managed to endure this severe injury until the process was complete; that's quite unexpected."
Sensei gave a bitter smile. "After all... Hoshino-kun is still suffering. I simply can't just leave like this."
He reached up and tore off the bandages, his expression hardening. "So, even if it takes every means at my disposal, I will bring Hoshino-kun back."
Sensei's body had not actually been healed. Even Dan Kuroto understood this. This state could not be hidden from Dan Kuroto's divine talent.
As Sensei said, his body had been bound by the 'Seven Laws' the moment it connected to the Shittim Chest; no matter how it developed, it could only lead to predetermined chaos and destruction.
"Is there some rule destroying your body that even transforming into a Bugster can't stop?"
Dan Kuroto stared at Sensei's body before him.
After being transformed into a complete Bugster by he Bugster virus, Sensei had fully regained his ability to move, but his body was still under a constant bleeding effect, disintegrating itself every second.
"The mysteries within you are protecting your body, but is it still unable to withstand the weakening from above..."
Dan Kuroto's gaze swept over the scene; he could already see Sensei's data being continuously broken down and dissipating into the air, while new data was being generated from within the body, stubbornly replenishing the damaged areas—but even this could not keep up with the rate of dissipation.
"That's enough." Sensei laughed. "Becoming a Bugster allows me to block out pain, which is great. Otherwise, screaming in pain in front of the students would be really embarrassing."
"Mr. Dan Kuroto, what are you dawdling about outside..."
From the helicopter behind them, an impatient Serika leaned out. "You were the one who called us up first, so why aren't you up yourself—wait?"
Serika blinked incredulously, seemingly unable to believe her eyes. "S-Sensei?"
"Who?"
Upon hearing Serika say 'Sensei,' Shiroko's ears perked up immediately, and she sprang from her helicopter seat. "...Sensei?"
Wasn't Sensei supposedly transferred to Trinity's hospital for emergency treatment? How could he be here?
Peeking out of the helicopter cabin, Shiroko saw Sensei—whom she had only spent a few days with but who had left a deep impression on her—standing there unharmed. She even wondered if she was dreaming.
"Sensei... is that really you?"
Shiroko's voice held a hint of uncertainty. She did not know if this was her imagination, but seeing Dan Kuroto before her, the wheelchair beside Sensei, and the bandages that had just been removed, Shiroko felt relieved.
'So, it was another miracle created by Mr. Dan Kuroto?'
Having witnessed the many miracles Dan Kuroto had created and the many impasses he had broken, in Shiroko's mind, Dan Kuroto was synonymous with 'miracle.'
Just like how this 'Kimewaza' healed Ayane, that divine touch had left an indelible impression on Shiroko, allowing her to naturally believe that this was yet another instance of Dan Kuroto breaking the impossible.
"Shiroko-kun... it's been a while."
Sensei gave her a gentle smile. "You've had a tough time lately."
It felt like a dream.
Everything she had lost was gradually being taken back.
This time, Shiroko did not shed tears. Instead, she forced a smile. "Yeah, Sensei!"
"Alright, we can talk about the sweet stuff later."
Dan Kuroto clapped his hands, slightly breaking the tense atmosphere. "We don't have much time to waste. The lab in the middle of the desert is waiting for us."
"That's true. We can catch up later." Sensei nodded slightly. "Shiroko, Ayane-san, Serika, and Hanemi, let's... rescue Hoshino-kun."
Back on the helicopter, Dan Kuroto ordered the armored vehicles, tanks, and some attack helicopters to return to Abydos for defense. The attack helicopter squadron carrying Dan Kuroto and his group immediately took off, roaring toward the lab in the middle of the desert.
The reason for sending the armored vehicle unit back to the school was simply that if these vehicles ran out of fuel and broke down in the middle of the desert, they would not be easy to salvage and reuse.
With Dan Kuroto present, there was no need to worry about insufficient firepower in the ground battle. Therefore, they only needed to maintain an attack helicopter squadron for support and transportation.
On the helicopter, the students adjusted their weapons and checked their ammunition, striving for peak condition.
The two adults, however, moved to the other end of the helicopter, lowering their voices slightly.
"Mr. Dan Kuroto, this body is dissipating rapidly. Even though the Shittim Chest mitigated some of it, the lost life force cannot be fully replenished."
Sensei's voice remained calm, without a trace of panic.
"Time is a bit tight. There's no extra time for me to investigate the mystery surrounding you."
Having deactivated his transformation, Kuroto Dan clicked his tongue.
Even a skilled cook cannot cook without ingredients.
Without time to study it, a mere glance would not suffice to analyze it. Moreover, Dan Kuroto vaguely sensed that the mystery troubling Sensei seems to be the highest level of mystery in this world.
Although reluctant to admit it, Dan Kuroto was currently helpless against it.
"It's alright. I was just a dying body being forcibly kept alive anyway. Being able to hold on a little longer than I expected is already enough."
Sensei smiled gently, then his expression turned serious.
"Right now, let's focus on rescuing Hoshino-kun. If it's a 'reversal' experiment, we might need to prepare for the worst."
Sensei turned to Dan Kuroto. "Are you confident you can bring back those who have already vanished, Mr. Dan Kuroto?"
"It's a bit difficult, but—" Dan Kuroto raised his chin, his arrogance undisguised.
"Who do you think I am?"