Lancer had lost—and lost miserably. Not only was he currently covered in wounds and rushed into the emergency room, but his heart, too, had suffered a crushing defeat.
Undoubtedly, the final strike that injured Kamishiro Rize was his doing—his previously hidden Secret Technique, Last-Resort Strike, had pierced clean through Rize's Kagune and left a gaping wound on her abdomen so deep it revealed bone. Yet he had still lost—lost so pitifully.
A spear demands unwavering courage—though thousands may stand before me, I shall charge forward without hesitation!
But what about him? When launching that final strike, his heart wasn't filled with certainty of victory, but rather terror toward his enemy and hysterical despair at realizing his own cowardice.
He had unleashed that attack without reservation precisely because he knew backup was nearby to protect him...
Pathetic…
"Investigator Lancer, your wounds have all been stitched up. Though they might look frightening, they're mostly superficial. Just avoid strenuous activity and take care to replenish your blood over the next few days… Investigator Lancer?"
The doctor, report in hand, noticed Lancer lying on the hospital bed, blankly staring at the ceiling, and gently called out. Hearing the doctor's voice, the previously dazed Lancer nodded slowly in confusion.
"You've probably lost too much blood—rest a while longer. If anything happens, just press the buzzer next to your bed, and a nurse will come."
Seeing Lancer's vacant expression, the doctor shook his head helplessly and quietly exited.
This hospital was under the CCG's jurisdiction, and as a doctor here, he'd seen far too many similar patients—some were shaken by their own injuries, others shattered by the loss of comrades. He'd learned that at such times, rather than offering pointless comfort, it was better to let them process things alone.
Slowly, Lancer drifted off into an uneasy sleep...
When he next opened his eyes, the entire room was stained a deep crimson by the setting sun. Blinking groggily, he turned his head and noticed a slightly hunched figure sitting quietly by his bedside, flipping through some papers. Beside the visitor stood a fruit basket.
"You're awake earlier than the doctor predicted."
The voice was still slightly raspy and blunt, without much courtesy—but after spending over a month by his side, Lancer was long used to Mado-san's mannerisms and didn't take offense. He simply responded with a helpless smile.
"Maybe it's because I have good physical fitness?"
After speaking, he quickly fell silent, lowering his head. Undoubtedly, Lancer's mind was still haunted by memories of the previous battle. However, Mado Kureo appeared oblivious to Lancer's shifting expression, continuing casually as if nothing unusual had happened.
"Indeed, you don't look as strong as Amon, yet your strength isn't inferior to his. You did well in this mission—we captured or killed more than forty ghouls thanks to you. It's just unfortunate we didn't draw out Jason; instead, we got the Binge Eater. Still, it's surprising you survived against someone like that."
Mado's "praise" stung Lancer's ears.
Survived?
She'd toyed with him like a cat teasing a mouse. If she'd truly intended to kill him, he doubted he would've lasted even ten minutes.
"Mado-san, the only reason I survived is because she didn't intend to kill me outright. I'm really not qualified to accept your praise…"
"Who the hell do you think you are? Arima, maybe? You're just a chick who's been out of training camp less than two months. Surviving an encounter with a S-rated ghoul is already something to be proud of! Or are you saying you wanted to take her down alone? When the day comes that you surpass me, become a Quasi-Special or even Special Class Investigator, then come back and tell me that!"
Mado's merciless words caused even Amon Koutarou, waiting outside the door, to blanch slightly. After all, Lancer had just narrowly escaped death—was it really appropriate to stimulate him like this right after waking up?
Yet, what Amon failed to see from his position outside was that Lancer's originally gloomy expression first froze in surprise, then gradually relaxed into a bitter yet oddly relieved smile.
Yes—who did he think he was? Just a newly promoted Rank 2 Investigator, facing a potential S-rated ghoul like the Binge Eater, who had evaded the CCG for years. Was defeat really so unexpected?
I'm not special. Even if I come from another world, strength never lies. Weakness is weakness, strength is strength. On the battlefield, only the present matters.
"Thank you, Mado-san…"
Toward this strange man, Lancer felt a genuine, heartfelt gratitude.
When he had faced death during his first ghoul attack, it was Mado who saved his life. When he was uncertain about his path forward, it was Mado who brought him to the CCG's training academy. When he fell into self-doubt, again, it was Mado who woke him from his despair…
Hearing Lancer's sincere thanks, the slightly hunched, oddly-voiced man offered no response, simply standing up slowly.
"If you want to thank me, just kill more ghouls."
Typical Mado Kureo. His hatred for ghouls had already become instinctive.
Only after Mado Kureo had left did Amon finally enter the room. Yet, before speaking, he cautiously glanced outside the door, visibly relaxing upon confirming that Mado was truly gone. Such caution, coming from someone as tough as Amon, made him seem comically awkward.
Though Lancer deeply respected Mado, he couldn't deny feeling tense around this intimidating senior. Now, seeing Amon appear instead, he involuntarily sighed in relief.
"How are things back at the branch?"
"What do you think? With two Rank 2 Investigators hospitalized at once, the workload's piled up dramatically. We're pretty short-handed. But the silver lining is, after capturing so many ghouls, the 20th Ward's become quieter than usual. So, overall, it's balanced out."
"That's good…"
Though he muttered "that's good," Lancer's expression remained clouded. He wasn't sure if encountering Kamishiro Rize might change the story's trajectory, but he suspected that "event" was rapidly approaching.
Seeing Lancer's downcast mood, Amon quickly shifted to some good news to lift his spirits.
"Ah, right! Earlier, Mado-san and I found a pair of large pliers. Mado-san believes they're Jason's tools. It'll probably take some time before we locate him, though. So, hurry up and recover, Lancer. When the time comes, we'll hunt Jason together!"