I remember a time, from when I was very young. The first time I went down a slide. That dizzying(?) speed and gravity, the first I'd ever felt in my life.
As I slid down the dark passage, I was reminded of that distant memory.
Thump.
Of course, there were differences. The end of this slide wasn't a soft sandpit, but a cold concrete floor. Though my body was enhanced by Black Ether, I couldn't fight the inertia and tumbled onto the ground.
“Agh… damn it.”
If I'd had my weak body from before my Awakening, I might have already been on my way to the other side. I barely managed to push my aching body up and survey my surroundings. A pitch-black, square room without a single light.
Opposite the slide(?) I had come down was a large iron door. If I open that door, can I get inside?
I walked over to the door and grabbed the round handle, which looked like a ship’s helm.
Creeak.
I put a fair bit of strength into it, but it wouldn't turn. It seemed it wouldn't be easy to open unless someone opened it from the outside.
“Hmm…?”
Unlike its smooth appearance, the handle had fine ridges on it. It didn't seem like it was designed that way, but rather as if some impurity had dried onto its surface. It didn't take me long to realize what that impurity was.
“Blood…!!”
Clinging to the handle of the iron door was dark red blood, like the cries of the dead. I hadn't thought this was a friendly place to begin with, but the thought of the situation that would lead to someone turning this handle with blood-soaked hands sent a chill down my spine.
Hey, Kiril.
Why on earth did you send me to a place like this? Giiiing- As if in answer to my thoughts, I heard a small mechanical sound from above my head. I looked up to see a small nozzle aimed at me.
And soon, black gas began to spew from the nozzle. Shhhhhhh- Judging by the color and smell, it was clearly a harmful gas.
“Son of a bitch.”
First the ground gives way. Then they spray poison gas. Even for an uninvited guest, this welcome was legendary.
I reflexively raised my sleeve to cover my nose, but I soon realized there was no need. I was someone who could withstand the poison of a Poison-type Monster. If a poison of this level could harm me, I would have died ten times over by now.
“……”
As expected, there was nothing particularly wrong with my body. Far from anything being wrong, it actually felt somewhat welcoming.
‘Should I….’
At first, I wanted to show them I was perfectly fine, just to spite them, but I quickly changed my mind.
“Ugh…!!”
I clutched my chest and fell to my knees. Then, with trembling arms, I pressed my face to the floor. There was no need to fake my expression.
Just remembering the pain I often felt before my Awakening was enough to make my face contort on its own. How much time had passed?
Swoosh.
The surrounding air was ventilated, and I heard a ‘clank’ from the direction of the iron door. At the same time, bright lights turned on.
Gotcha.
You fell for it. Creeeak- With my eyes barely open, I watched a figure walking toward me. It was a man of a rather stout build.
He was wearing a gas mask, likely because of the residual poison in the room. An old-fashioned checkered shirt covered his thick frame, and his curly hair was grown out haphazardly, reminding me of a wild beast. He said he was a ‘doctor’ living alone?
He was truly different from the image one typically has of a doctor.
Poke, poke.
He must be a cautious person. He nudged my body with his foot, as if to check if I was really dead.
“Is he dead?”
Only after checking for a while did he take off his gas mask. The face of a middle-aged man, who looked to be in his fifties. His chubby cheeks perfectly matched his physique.
So that’s Dr. Jin. He crouched down and examined me from all angles, and I sensed that the time was right. Even if I was an uninvited guest, how could he spray such a dangerous gas?
I suddenly shot up and roared at the man.
“ROAR!!!”
“Hiiik!!”
Surprise.
It felt a bit weak as payback for the poison gas, but considering the man’s(?) age, I decided to keep the prank at this level.
“Ugh… Ughh!!”
“Huh?”
The problem was, the man’s reaction was far more intense than I had anticipated. Dr. Jin, having fallen backward, was flailing on the ground, his limbs twisting. The whites of his eyes were showing, and foam was bubbling at the corners of his lips.
It was certainly surprising, but I didn't expect such an extreme reaction. Sensing that things had gone wrong, I hurriedly approached Dr. Jin.
“Mister. It’s a joke. A joke!”
“Aaaah!! Help me!! Kiril!! Save me!!”
His crazed eyes were looking at me, no, at something behind me. It was only then that I realized the source of his terror wasn't me. What on earth happened between him and Kiril in the past?
For now, calming him down was the priority.
“Mister! Get a hold of yourself! Kiril told me to come here!”
“Hiik!! Get away!! Help me!!”
The panicking Dr. Jin swung his hands wildly. They didn’t touch my skin, but the hood I was wearing was knocked back.
“Ah…?!”
Dr. Jin’s flailing and screaming suddenly subsided. I didn’t know what caused the sudden change, but it was a relief. I had almost sent a man to his grave with a single surprise.
“Kiril…!! It’s you, Kiril!!”
Shit.
What is this now? I tried to ask the man, but Dr. Jin threw his arms around my body and started bawling, so I missed the timing to ask my question.
“Waaaaah!! I missed you, Kiril!!!”
It didn't seem to be just because he was mentally unstable. Dr. Jin seemed to have seen ‘something’ in my revealed face and concluded that I was Kiril. Dr. Jin sobbed like a child, belying his age.
His shoulders suddenly seemed so small.
“……I’m sorry, mister.”
I patted Dr. Jin’s shoulder for a long time.
“……So that’s what happened. Kiril….”
After he stopped crying, Dr. Jin soon came to his senses, and I explained the events that had transpired. After hearing the whole story, Dr. Jin told me something unexpected.
“Your name is Hae-seon, right? You really resemble Kiril when he was young.”
“Pardon?”
“Kiril looked just like you right after his Awakening. His entire body was covered in red and purple spots.”
“……!!”
I had heard quite a bit from Kiril, but I had never heard anything like this.
“It must not have been easy living with that appearance. You must have gone through a lot.”
Having recovered from his panic, Dr. Jin treated me like a warm neighborhood uncle. Seeing him like this made me feel even more sorry about what happened earlier.
“The spots were one thing, but my body was periodically in poor condition, so I couldn't attend school.”
“I can imagine. An ordinary person would have passed away long before they could even Awaken. But it’ll be fine now. Your spots will soon disappear, just like Kiril’s did.”
Dr. Jin patted my shoulder once and then gestured with his head toward the door.
“Let’s go in. That’s my home over there.”
As we opened the iron door and went inside, a scene completely different from the previous room appeared.
“Wow……”
I couldn’t hold back my gasp of admiration. Alloy gauntlets that looked sturdy just by looking at them. Various weapons that sent a chill down my spine and electronic devices of unknown purpose.
The walls were adorned with all sorts of magnificent devices, and a large table was lined with equipment that looked like cutting-edge technology. It was an environment that looked even better than most of the Guild research labs I had seen on YouTube.
“Though it’s more of a collection of my nasty hobbies than a home.”
Dr. Jin gave a bitter smile and guided me toward the sofa.
“It’s been five years since anyone has visited my home. Occasionally, unwelcome guests targeting me would come, but they lost their lives in that room just now. Oh, by the way, the floor doesn't open for civilians. I can’t have innocent people getting hurt, so it’s set up to determine if they’re an Awakened before the trap activates.”
So the blood on the helm-like handle belonged to those ‘unwelcome guests.’
“There are people targeting you, Dr. Jin.”
“Yes. I modified the Black Ether Kiril had to create poison gas. There's no better weapon for dealing with unwelcome guests.”
Ah.
So that's why the poison gas felt so welcoming. There was a reason Kiril hadn't given me any specific warnings. I was never in any danger of dying in that room in the first place.
“Who on earth is targeting you, Dr. Jin?”
“……To tell that story, we’d have to go back a very long time. But for now….”
A slight twitch appeared on Dr. Jin’s cheek. It seemed just bringing up the story triggered his PTSD.
“It’s okay. You don’t have to tell me if it’s difficult. You can tell me later when you have the chance.”
“Really? Thank you.”
Of course, I was curious. What had happened between Kiril, my savior, and Dr. Jin? And what exactly were these beings called ‘Poison-type’?
But right now, there was something more important.
“My sister was poisoned by a Poison-type Monster. Kiril said I could get an antidote if I met you, Dr. Jin.”
“Really?”
Dr. Jin grinned widely. There was a strange nuance in his smile.
“Can’t you get it?”
“No. I can make it right now. After all, I’m the one who designed the MMPT—Multi Monster Poison Test.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yes. I can make as many antidotes as you need. But……”
Was he picturing Kiril? Dr. Jin smiled like a mischievous boy.
“It seems your sister has probably already been cured.”
“Pardon??”
What was this all about? If she was cured, why would he tell me to get an antidote…
Wait.
Could it be, then…?
“To make me meet you, Dr. Jin?”
“It seems so. Curing the symptoms of poisoning has nothing to do with the person's physical condition. He probably healed her injured body and her poisoned body at the same time.”
“That damn liar, again…”
“Hahaha. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen his face, but Kiril seems to be the same as ever.”
Dr. Jin laughed heartily and clapped his hands. This seemed to be his true personality.
“Why would he do that? I don’t understand why Kiril would go so far as to lie to send me here.”
“It seems Kiril wanted you to meet me as soon as possible.”
“Pardon? Why?”
Instead of answering, Dr. Jin asked an unrelated question.
“The Hunter test. You haven't taken it yet, have you?”
“Uh… No. It’s only been a few days since I Awakened.”
“That’s it exactly.”
“Pardon?”
“From the moment Kiril became an Awakened until now. I'm the one who brought out his abilities.”
Oh?
That was quite an interesting piece of information. Dr. Jin’s story didn't end there.
“Kiril and I have gotten along very well for a long time. He would know exactly what kind of life I'm leading.”
“What kind of life…”
“Yes. In preparation for the day I would meet Kiril again, I was making devices that were perfectly suited for him.”
Devices suited for Kiril. In other words, devices suited for a ‘Poison-type.’
“Ah, then…”
“It would have been better if you came with Kiril, but it seems the reason he sent you here, even alone, is because of these things.”
Dr. Jin pointed over his shoulder with his thumb. The countless high-tech devices hanging on the wall. If I understood Dr. Jin correctly, it meant he was going to give me that equipment.
“The poisoning symptoms may be cured, but your sister will still be worried, so I won't keep you for long. Just stay here for two days.”
“……I will, once I confirm that my sister has recovered.”
“During that time, I plan to give you two things.”
“Two things?”
“Yes. First, I'll set you up with a device that suits you well. And the other is……”
Dr. Jin looked at me with a face that seemed years younger.
“I'll teach you the training regimen Kiril used.”