"Hmph, that guy failed." A voice echoed from the shadows.
"He just barely managed to infiltrate the academy as a student, and he's already been caught?" Another voice scoffed.
"Not just caught. He's been severely—no, catastrophically—wounded. Honestly, I'm surprised he's not dead yet."
"Let me see what he looks like."
Hearing this, one of them stepped forward, channeling mana into a strange gemstone. Immediately, an image projected into the air for all to see.
"!!"
"..."
"...You call this 'still alive'?"
Silence filled the room as they all stared at the gruesome sight.
Both of his eyes were gone. His jaw was shattered, with several teeth missing. A massive stab wound marred his right eye, taking up nearly half of his face. His forehead had a deep indentation, exposing the bone beneath.
"...Who did this to him?"
"From what I've gathered, it was a new student. And according to another one of our informants, his stats are abysmal… His skills are only ranked F."
"We need to bring him into our ranks."
"?!"
All eyes turned toward the man who had just spoken. He stroked his aged beard thoughtfully, his gaze sharp and calculating.
"For someone to be so ruthless, to defeat an opponent far stronger than themselves… that's not normal. And in this organization, we need people who aren't normal."
He shifted his gaze toward one of his subordinates.
"Eru, I'm assigning this task to you. Keep an eye on him. If he proves useful, find a way to bring him to our side."
Upon hearing this, Eru nodded silently before vanishing into the darkness.
"Sir… you're really giving her this mission?" Someone questioned hesitantly.
"Is there a problem? She's perfect for the job."
"But… she's only skilled in assassination."
"Exactly."
The man picked up his cup of coffee, taking a slow sip. His voice was calm, but his eyes carried a chilling certainty.
"If that student turns out to be a disappointment… his head will belong to Eru."
***
A strange ceiling...
...Wait a second, haven't other reincarnators said this line before? I can't just copy them.
"AHH!! OW OW OW!!"
I clutched my stomach, jolting upright.
"Goddamn it! That hurts like hell!!"
Looking down at myself, I saw my entire body wrapped in bandages, dressed in a patient's gown.
'…Wow, the medical treatment in this world is amazing. I took that kind of hit and I'm still alive?'
I pressed my stomach, and a wave of pain surged through my entire body.
"UHOH!!"
It hurt. It hurt a lot.
"What the hell are you doing?"
Huh?
I looked up, only to see Aura placing a plate of fruit on my bedside table before sitting down on a nearby chair.
"…Were you the one who found me?"
"Yes, dear reckless idiot named Kai."
"…Since when did you know my real name?"
"It's written on your medical records. You've been fooling me for quite a while, huh?"
"Well... teehee?"
Okay, stop looking at me like that. And definitely stop clenching your fist like you're about to deck me.
"…By the way, I'm curious—how did you survive? You're ridiculously weak, yet you made it out alive. It's almost a miracle."
That's... hard to answer.
"It's adrenaline," I said like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "It lets me keep moving even when I'm heavily injured."
Because, you know, adrenaline is basically a human cheat code.
"…Adrenaline? The hell is that?"
"You don't know? It's what suppresses pain for a while and boosts your muscles, making you practically a superhuman."
"What the hell are you talking about? I swear I've never heard of that in my life."
Huh? Does this world not know about adrenaline?
Before I could think further, a sudden knock on the door startled both me and Aura.
"You're awake! Thank goodness!!"
A handsome man walked in, grabbing my face with both hands.
"Are you in pain?! Are you okay?!"
"???"
Who the hell is this guy??
"He's the teacher of F-class. Also he's the one who called for medical help, covered your hospital fees, and took care of everything else. Basically, you're alive thanks to him."
Wait, what? A teacher this nice exists?
I took a closer look at his face.
He was smiling brightly, practically radiating light. His golden hair was silky smooth, and his blue eyes shone with warmth.
…He looked familiar.
"What's your name?" I asked.
"Me? I'm Tyler! Nice to meet you!"
...Tyler?
Wait a minute… Isn't Tyler—
My eyes widened as I stared at the man in front of me.
'Isn't he supposed to be a villain?!'
"What's wrong, Kai?" Aura asked.
"Huh?? Oh, uh, nothing."
"Are you sure?" Tyler asked worriedly, still holding my face.
Hey, you're scaring me. Stop acting like an overprotective mom.
"Aura, the guy who attacked me—what happened to him?"
"Him? He was badly injured. Honestly, I'm surprised he's still alive."
"I see." I reached for a glass of water and took a sip.
"We should thank the student council for handling him! They're so reliable," Tyler said, peeling an apple for me.
…Huh?
"What did you just say?" I looked at Tyler in disbelief.
"Oh, right! I forgot to explain. After you lost consciousness, that guy moved elsewhere and got caught by the student council. They dealt with him. Then Aura found you and called me."
…Huh??
What?? I remember being the one who took him down.
"Oh! You're awake?"
A doctor walked in. He was on the heavier side…
But he had a mustache. That was enough for me to trust him.
"You're healing quite fast. You were hospitalized just a week ago, yet you've already recovered most of your injuries."
"R-Really?! No joke?!"
"I may be fat, but I'm impotent! That means I don't lie!"
Hearing good news right after waking up, I let out a relieved sigh, pushing aside my lingering questions for now.
I turned to look out the window, planning to admire the beautiful sky…
Only to see a girl with gray eyes staring straight at me.
"..."
Maybe waking up from a week-long coma is making me hallucinate.
…At least, I hope that's the case.