Chapter 35: The Gathering at the Hospital

The sun rose slowly over the Aether Coast

District, casting golden light across the shimmering waters and the sleek,

modern skyline. At exactly 6:05 a.m., a ship broke through the morning mist,

gliding smoothly toward the port. Its polished hull gleamed in the early light,

its design unmistakable — streamlined and imposing, a vessel built for both

speed and power.

As the ship docked,

the port came alive with activity. Officers rushed forward, their eyes widening

when they saw the insignia etched into the side of the ship — the unmistakable

mark of the UNA.

One of the guards

froze, his hand going to his earpiece. "Sir!" he shouted, his voice trembling

with urgency. "It's the UNA! It's the Main Escort!"

The words sent a

shockwave through the port. The UNA's Main Escort rarely appeared outside of

critical missions — and its presence here could only mean one thing.

The Port Officer

didn't hesitate. He grabbed his communicator and patched through a direct line

to the Neo-Kyoto Emergency Command (NKEC). "We have a UNA Main Escort arriving

at the Aether Coast District. I repeat — UNA Main Escort. We need immediate medical

support at the port. Send the best hospital team available."

The response was

immediate. Within moments, the wail of emergency sirens broke the morning calm,

and a fleet of medical vehicles raced toward the port. Medics and security

personnel moved quickly, boarding the ship and emerging moments later with

stretchers — and on one of them lay a figure shrouded in bloodstained armor.

Kyrin Vyvron.

The convoy sped

through the gleaming streets of the Aether Coast District, cutting through

traffic with an urgency that left no room for delay. By the time they reached

the district's most advanced medical facility, the hospital staff was already

waiting, ready to receive their critically injured patient.

As the medical

team rushed him inside, another vehicle pulled up behind the convoy. The doors

swung open, and three figures stepped out. Zyher, Okiname, and Rael — warriors

in their own right, their faces set with grim determination.

They exchanged no

words. They didn't need to. The weight of what had just begun hung heavily in

the air.

And they knew this was only the beginning.

The sterile scent of antiseptic filled the air as

Zyher, Okiname, and Rael walked briskly through the gleaming corridors of the

hospital. The tension that had been coiled in their chests since they'd arrived

was finally beginning to ease, but the weight of unanswered questions still

pressed heavily on them.

As they reached the

special medical wing, the door slid open with a soft hiss, and they were met by

a familiar face. Dr. Selena Vortez stood waiting — her sharp, calm demeanor a

steadying presence in the chaos. She was well-known for handling the most dangerous

and complex medical cases, especially those involving assassins.

"Zyher," she said, a

slight smile breaking through her otherwise serious expression. "They're fine

now."

The three of them

let out a collective sigh of relief. Zyher ran a hand through his hair, his

voice filled with gratitude. "Oh, thank goodness! But… what exactly happened to

them?"

Dr. Vortez's smile

faded, replaced by a grim look. "They've been injected with a very powerful

poison — one fused with Dark Ripple Energy."

The room went

still.

Okiname's eyes

widened. "Dark Ripple Energy? But… how? That kind of power shouldn't even be

able to take a physical form like that!"

Dr. Vortez shook

her head, her tone measured but worried. "I don't know. But it's clear someone

has found a way. This poison shares the same destructive characteristics as

Dark Ripple Energy — fast-spreading, corrosive, and nearly impossible to

contain."

Before anyone

could respond, the door behind them opened, and one of Dr. Vortez's

co-assistants stepped into the room, his face alight with urgency. "Doctor!

Kyrin is awake!"

Rael immediately

turned toward Dr. Vortez. "Can we send them back on missions?" he asked, his

voice hopeful but cautious.

But the doctor's

answer was swift and firm. "No," she said, shaking her head. "The poison had

already begun spreading through their bodies. We were just barely able to

remove it in time. They'll need at least a month of rest before they're fully

stable again."

Zyher nodded

reluctantly. "Alright… as long as they're safe. But can we see Kyrin now?"

Dr. Vortez's face

softened. "Yes, absolutely. Follow me."

As they walked down the hall toward Kyrin's room, the air

grew heavier with anticipation. The mysteries were piling up — and they were no

closer to understanding who had unleashed this dangerous new weapon… or why.

The room was quiet, filled only with the soft hum

of medical equipment and the occasional beep of monitors. As the door slid

open, Kyrin's eyes snapped toward the entrance. The moment he saw them, he

stood up immediately, his posture straight despite the clear exhaustion still

weighing on his frame.

"Sir Zyher!" Kyrin

said, his voice respectful but tinged with surprise. "What brings you here?"

Zyher smiled, his

expression calm but thoughtful. "Nothing serious," he said, stepping closer.

"We just wanted to check on you. And once you and your team are discharged, can

you come to the NKEC Headquarters?"

Kyrin nodded without

hesitation. "Yes, sir! We'll be there."

Zyher nodded in

return. "Good. Get some rest, Kyrin. You'll need it."

With that, the group

— Zyher, Rael, Okiname, and Dr. Vortez — quietly left the room, the door

sliding shut behind them. As they walked down the hallway, Dr. Vortez broke the

silence.

"Zyher," she began,

her voice low and serious. "The poison they were attacked with… it's still a

prototype."

Zyher's brow

furrowed. "A prototype?" he repeated. "How do you know that?"

Dr. Vortez sighed,

her face lined with concern. "Because the poison's effects were only partial.

The fusion of the Dark Ripple Energy is incomplete. If it had been fully

developed…" She shook her head. "The results would have been far more

catastrophic."

Okiname's eyes

narrowed. "But how did the poison enter their bodies in the first place?" she

asked.

"That's what we

need to find out," Dr. Vortez replied. "The delivery method is still unclear,

and if they've created a substance like this… it means whoever's behind it is

getting closer to perfecting something truly dangerous."

The weight of her

words hung heavy in the air.

"When will they be

discharged?" Okiname asked after a moment.

"Tomorrow," Dr.

Vortez said. "They'll need time to recover, but they're stable enough to leave

by then."

Zyher exhaled

slowly, his mind already turning over the implications. "We'll be ready for

them," he said.

With that, the three of them stepped out of the hospital,

the early morning sun casting long shadows on the ground — and the feeling that

something far darker was waiting just ahead.