Ryuji remembered very clearly what the woman named Kiri looked like. In fact, any player of Dungeon Fighter Online would never forget her appearance.
From the two large hairpins stuck in the back of her head to the cheongsam-like outfit, and the single lace glove worn only on one arm—everything about her confirmed one thing:
This woman was Lady Kiri.
However, the other woman was different. Ryuji couldn't see her face clearly. She wore something resembling a kimono and had been trembling ever since landing, as if she were completely terrified.
"Is her mental fortitude really this weak?"
Even so, Ryuji wasn't about to take any risks. He remained seated on his platform, gripping his gun while trying to recover his strength, waiting for them to notice him.
Yet, he had underestimated Lady Kiri's sharp instincts. It didn't take long before she looked directly at him. The moment she spotted the gun in his hands, her demeanor shifted—but just as quickly, she relaxed again, flashing him a confident smile.
Then, she waved at him energetically, causing her ample chest to jiggle with the motion, as if a little more movement would reveal something even more enticing.
When she spoke, Ryuji immediately recognized her voice—that unmistakable accent, brimming with confidence and a hint of playfulness.
"Hey there, buddy. You look like you could use some help. Got separated from your group? Also, if you don't mind me asking… where exactly are we?"
Her voice carried the same smooth yet slightly roguish tone that he knew so well.
Now that he had a clearer view, Ryuji noticed the two uniquely designed revolvers holstered at her waist.
If this really was Lady Kiri—the Lady Kiri from Arad Continent—then Ryuji had no doubt that even if he fired first, she'd still be able to put a bullet through his skull in an instant.
He took a deep breath, kept his gun trained on her head through his game's aiming system, and answered her questions cautiously.
"I don't know where this place is either. But I can tell you—it's extremely dangerous…" He paused, then added, "And yes, I do need help. But how do I know I can trust you?"
The moment he spoke, he realized just how hoarse his voice had become. A wave of dizziness washed over him, and even nausea began to creep in.
Internal injuries, he thought grimly. And there's nothing I can do about it.
Lady Kiri, however, just sighed, shaking her head. Given his current state—covered in blood and barely able to stand—there wasn't much she could do to reassure him. She only had basic battlefield first aid knowledge, and more importantly… she didn't have any medical supplies on her.
If she had, she wouldn't have been forced to jump into the ocean in a desperate attempt to survive.
"Well… even if I wanted to help, I don't have any meds on me," she said, spreading her hands in a helpless gesture. "By the way, is this Arad? Looks kinda like the Empyrean, except with way more corpses and gunpowder smoke. But don't worry—so long as you don't shoot at me, I won't shoot at you. I, the great Lady Kiri, have no need to do something so dishonorable."
She jabbed a thumb at herself with a smirk.
Just then, the other woman—who had arrived with Lady kiri—finally spoke. Holding her stomach and taking deep, shaky breaths, she managed to force out a few words.
"I… I'm a medic. Patch up his external wounds first… I can heal him."
With that, she tossed a bundle of bandages and gauze toward Kiri before collapsing onto her knees, clutching her chest as she tried to steady her breathing.
Ryuji finally got a clear look at her face.
She was… beautiful. Stunning, even.
Her chest size was unparalleled—even Erina couldn't compare. And like Kiri, her outfit left just enough exposed to make one wonder if a single careless movement might reveal even more.
But as Ryuji studied her golden hair, he struggled to recall if there was ever a character in the game who fit the description of a sickly doctor.
Because from the looks of it, she was just as unwell as he was.
"Well, then, buddy, don't go shooting, alright?" Kiri said, waving a hand dismissively. "Once we patch you up, I'm sure you'll be willing to tell us everything you know. Hold on—I'll go look for something to use as a ladder."
She turned to search the surroundings for anything useful, but Ryuji shook his head.
"No need… I can come down myself…"
Coughing twice, Ryuji forced himself to stand. He moved toward the wooden blocks he had set up earlier. Most of them had been destroyed, so he had to take a more tedious approach—
Constructing a spiral staircase down the pillar.
Piece by piece, wooden blocks appeared in his hands, stacking into a descending path.
Below, Kiri watched, dumbfounded.
To her, it was as if Ryuji was simply waving his hand and making solid wooden planks materialize out of thin air, forming a staircase right before her eyes.
"Holy crap… are you a mage or something?"
She stared at him in shock while also keeping an eye out in case he lost his balance and fell.
But Ryuji just coughed again and waved a dismissive hand, unwilling to speak.
Step by step, he descended. Every movement drained what little strength he had left. Each step felt like he was inching closer to death.
By the time he was near the ground, his body could no longer hold out. He finally collapsed, falling forward.
The world blurred as the ground rushed toward him—
Then suddenly, something soft cushioned his fall.
His face pressed against an unbelievably plush, warm surface, accompanied by a faint scent of gunpowder… and an even fainter trace of cigarette smoke.
Ryuji froze for a moment before realizing that the woman—who seemed to be Kiri—had just saved him. It was only then that he finally lowered his guard, allowing himself to relax.
His body instinctively leaned against Kiri as she supported him, guiding him toward a relatively clean and flat section of asphalt where he could lie down and rest.
But something felt off.
Both of them noticed that the blonde woman—who had introduced herself as a doctor—was still trembling, making no move to come closer.
Ryuji glanced at Lady Kiri, then tried to move his arm, only to find it completely unresponsive. Even lifting his head sent a wave of dizziness crashing over him.
There was no time to waste.
Gritting his teeth, he pulled out his makeshift scrap-metal machine gun along with a few rounds of ammunition, pointing toward the back of the gas station.
"There are guns and ammo here. Over there, there's a pond and some tools to boil water. But be careful—this world is crawling with zombies. The only way to kill them is a shot to the head."
As soon as he finished speaking, another wave of dizziness hit him. His vision blurred, then went black.
Lady Kiri watched as Ryuji collapsed again. Her gaze flickered to the suddenly appearing machine gun and bullets, and she scratched her head in confusion.
Then, she turned toward the still-trembling blonde doctor.
She had been about to ask why the woman wasn't doing anything when she noticed how hard she was trying to maintain a composed expression, as if forcing herself not to completely break down in fear.
"Hemophobia?" Lady Kiri muttered to herself.
With a sigh, she decided not to press further. Instead, she picked up the machine gun and gathered a few scattered rounds before heading toward the back of the gas station.
Fortunately, the pond behind the station hadn't been contaminated. Though its surface was covered in ash and plant debris, that was the least of their worries. Kiri used a section of her own clothing to filter out the worst of it before filling a container and carrying it back to Ryuji's side.
She dipped a cloth into the water, gently wiping the blood and grime from his face. Then, without hesitation, she tore apart his already-ruined clothing to inspect his injuries.
"This guy is ridiculously lucky…" she muttered, clicking her tongue.
His body was covered in deep cuts and bruises, and several of his bones were clearly dislocated. One of them was frighteningly close to piercing his lung—just a few millimeters off, and he wouldn't have survived long enough for them to find him.
Hell, by all rights, he shouldn't have even made it this far.
After cleaning away most of the blood, Kiri turned back to the trembling blonde woman, who still hadn't moved.
"I've done what I can, but there's still more that needs to be treated," she said bluntly. "Can you actually heal him or not?"
She had already guessed that the woman was dealing with some kind of trauma, but Ryuji's condition was too severe to wait.
The blond women hesitated for a moment, then clenched her fists.
"I… I'll try. Just take my hand and place it on his chest. I can heal him."
She turned away, squeezing her eyes shut. But even without looking, Kiri could still see her body trembling.
Kiri wanted to ask how the hell she planned to heal someone without even looking at them, but then she remembered the strange abilities Ryuji had already displayed.
Maybe this woman had her own kind of power too.
The blonde woman, guided by Kiri, slowly approached Ryuji and placed her hands on his wounds. Every time she touched the blood, Kiri could feel her hands trembling.
Then, something incredible happened.
A bright green glow suddenly radiated from the woman's palms. As the light seeped into Ryuji's body, his wounds began to heal right before their eyes. His breathing, once weak and unsteady, gradually became calm and even.
But there was a cost.
Beads of sweat formed on the woman's forehead, and her body trembled more violently. Her movements became unsteady, as if she was on the verge of collapsing.
"M-my chakra… Why is there so little of it?"
Her voice was weak and confused. As she continued healing Ryuji, she could feel her own strength draining at an alarming rate—something that had never happened before.
Then, just as Ryuji's eyes fluttered open, the woman lost her balance and collapsed—straight onto him.
The first thing Ryuji saw upon waking was the bright sun overhead. The second was a blur of white softness crashing into his face.
His breath caught.
His brain, already deprived of oxygen, short-circuited once again. And before he could even process what had happened—darkness swallowed him whole once more.