The hospital room was quiet.
Soft light filtered through the windows, casting a calm glow across the white walls. Machines hummed faintly in the background—steady, controlled.
Reika sat upright on the bed.
Alive.
Stable.
Lyra sat beside her, already there long before the others arrived.
"You should rest more," Lyra said softly.
"I'm fine," Reika replied. "Better than I should be."
And that was the truth.
It hadn't even been twenty-four hours.
The door opened.
Lucan and Takeshi walked in, followed shortly by Warden Minato.
Reika looked up.
"…You're here."
Takeshi folded his arms slightly.
"How are you feeling?"
"Fine," she replied calmly. "Strangely fine."
Lucan didn't say much.
He simply looked at her for a moment.
"You'll be discharged tomorrow," Lyra added.
Takeshi raised an eyebrow.
"…Already?"
Lyra nodded.
"The high-rank healers handled it."
Takeshi let out a short breath.
"You've gotta give it to them… those people are something else."
Minato stepped forward slightly.
His expression was calm, but firm.
"You recovered faster than expected," he said.
Reika gave a small nod.
"I'll be ready."
Minato studied her for a second longer… then turned.
"Good."
A brief pause.
"Don't fall behind."
And just like that
He left.
Silence lingered for a moment.
Then
Reika looked at them.
"…What happened?"
Takeshi blinked.
"You don't remember?"
She shook her head slightly.
"…No."
So they told her.
The mission.
The Fiend.
The moment it returned.
As they spoke, her expression didn't change much.
But her eyes…
They sharpened.
"It evolved…" she repeated quietly.
Lucan didn't respond.
They continued talking after that.
Small things.
Light conversation.
The kind that comes after surviving something you weren't supposed to.
Then
A knock.
The door opened slightly.
A staff member stood there.
"Lucan. Takeshi."
They both looked over.
"The President is requesting your presence."
Silence.
"…The President?" Takeshi repeated.
Lucan stood up.
"Let's go."
They followed.
The deeper they went into the headquarters… the quieter it became.
Fewer people.
Stronger security.
Areas that didn't feel like they were meant to be found.
Then they arrived.
A door.
Different from the rest.
No markings.
No signs.
Nothing.
It opened.
The room inside was vast.
Minimal.
But powerful.
Everything about it felt… intentional.
Controlled.
At the center sat a man.
Calm.
Sharp.
Watching.
Akihiko Mori.
"…Lucan."
The moment he spoke, Takeshi's eyes shifted slightly.
Lucan didn't react.
Akihiko leaned forward slightly.
"How are you?"
A pause.
"…I'm fine," Lucan replied.
Akihiko studied him.
Closely.
As if searching for something.
"Good."
He leaned back.
"Explain the mission."
They did.
Everything.
From the first encounter… to the end.
No details left out.
Silence followed.
The officials in the room exchanged glances.
Tension.
Unspoken.
"…A demon that evolves after death," one of them muttered.
"That shouldn't be possible."
Akihiko didn't speak.
He just watched Lucan.
Then—
"You're dismissed."
Lucan and Takeshi turned.
And left.
But as Lucan walked out—
Akihiko's gaze remained fixed on him.
Unmoving.
The door closed.
Immediately—
The room erupted.
Voices.
Questions.
Concern.
"This changes everything."
"We've never seen anything like this."
"If this spreads—"
Akihiko raised his hand.
Silence.
"…Prepare."
His voice was calm.
But heavy.
"Train more hunters."
His gaze hardened slightly.
"Because this will happen again."
A pause.
"…And next time…"
His voice dropped.
"People will die."
Silence filled the room.
Then, quietly—
Almost to himself—
"…This is bad."
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"I have a bad feeling about this."
Later
Lucan and Takeshi returned to the hospital.
Reika was still awake.
Lyra still beside her.
"You're back," Lyra said softly.
They stayed for a while.
Nothing serious.
Just presence.
Then it was time to leave.
Lyra stayed behind.
Outside—
The night air was cool.
Quiet.
They walked side by side.
For a moment… silence.
Then—
Lucan spoke.
"…Nice work today."
Takeshi blinked.
Slightly surprised.
"You're strong."
A pause.
"…Thanks."
No sarcasm.
No pride.
Just… genuine.
They stopped.
Different paths.
"…See you tomorrow," Takeshi said.
Lucan nodded once.
Then walked away.
Alone.
And somewhere in the distance…
Something unseen…
Was already beginning to move.