Koji and Takeshi headed toward a nearby hospital to treat his arm. The closest one was about one kilometer away from the bank where they had met.
"Are you sure the hospital will be open?"
Takeshi asked Koji while they walked down a street lit by tall glowing poles.
"Yes. The hospital we're heading to stays open 24 hours."
Takeshi stared at those glowing poles with curiosity, then asked:
"How do these poles shine?"
It was a fair question, since electricity didn't exist in that era to power such lights. But Koji quickly answered:
"Through Rod Crystals—"
"Rod Crystals?"
Takeshi had never heard of something called Rod Crystals. But he remembered the crystals embedded in Yamikaiji's glove—the ones that glowed whenever they touched the sword.
Koji continued:
"During the day, the Rod Crystals on top of the poles absorb sunlight and store it as energy—well, as aura, technically. Then at night they provide the lamps with the power they need to shine."
He took a breath and continued:
"And there are some giant buildings like the bank we were in earlier—those have their own internal lighting system, but if they're closed the whole area becomes dark. There are different types of crystals too: Rod Crystals for lighting, others used in hospitals, travel, and so on…"
Takeshi placed his hand on his chin.
"This is the first time I hear about any of this."
Koji was surprised. These things were taught in schools and even found in basic external books. But Takeshi had never attended a normal school, and every one of his books that burned had nothing to do with crystals.
Koji gathered his courage.
"Takeshi, can I ask you something?"
Takeshi looked at him and nodded.
"What?"
Koji scratched his hair, trying to phrase his question properly, then asked:
"A while ago, one of the gang members—his name is Yamikaiji—brought a sword to the gang. It was a strange sword with a terrifying aura…"
After hearing that, Takeshi understood the reason his sword was stolen, though many other unclear questions still circled inside his mind.
Koji continued, his voice tense:
"I… I really don't know much about the sword's aura! I only heard some gang members talking about it. I'm talentless—I can't control my aura at all…"
Takeshi fell silent for a moment. He had been called talentless many times before, yet he managed to learn part of aura sensing in just two weeks. So he wondered:
'Are two weeks really that long?'
He inhaled and answered Koji's question:
"Yes… that sword is mine. Do you have any more information about it or about Yamikaiji?"
Whenever Yamikaiji came to mind, disgust and hatred surged within both Takeshi and Koji.
Koji clenched his fist and stared at the ground.
"I don't know exactly where your sword is, but that bastard uses it sometimes. He also has a rank close to the deputy's rank. And he has the second-highest bounty in our gang—around 1300 gold coins—because of his vile actions and his huge reputation."
Hearing such a massive amount would shock anyone… but Takeshi's reaction was cold; he simply looked at Koji.
'Compared to old Orphen's bounty… even if you multiplied it by a hundred, it wouldn't reach one percent of that.'
Takeshi thought calmly, then asked:
"And who has the highest bounty?"
Koji sighed when he saw Takeshi's cold reaction. Then he took out a wanted poster from his pocket. It showed a massive man with sharp eyes, coarse spiky black hair, and a wide, disturbing grin despite his pale face. Under the picture was the name Garmond, with a bounty of 1977 gold coins.
"This man… Also, both the boss and his deputy work from the shadows, so they have no bounties on their heads. It's just the two of us against a huge gang full of wanted criminals. And I'm weak and useless, so basically you're alone…"
Koji said that while holding the poster with trembling hands.
"Don't worry. The information you gave me counts as the contribution of ten men. Thank you, Koji."
The burden concerning this matter finally eased a little from Koji's heart, leaving only the worry of treating his younger sister Hana.
For the rest of the walk, neither of them spoke. Each was lost in his own thoughts—especially Takeshi.
'Full of strong members… I really want to attack right now but my hand… and that shadow man said the sword won't be sold… I am progressing, but all of it at my own cost…'
Takeshi remembered the feeling that washed over him during his fight with Shido—the feeling of excitement.
'I left my isolation to seek an adventure, to accomplish my goals… but I didn't want to fight—I didn't want to enjoy fighting just because I had no choice!'
Takeshi and Koji passed through a street filled with tall luxurious buildings, bustling with people despite the late hour—unlike the empty streets they had walked through earlier.
As they turned around a corner at the end of the street, they found a huge, modern-looking building ahead. Its doors were open, glowing with bright white light from inside.
"We've arrived at the hospital."
Koji spoke, still drowning in his worries. They stepped inside, inhaling the thick scent of medicine and illness. Despite the late hour, the hospital was crowded.
They reached the reception area and were handed a paper labeled 73.
"Number seventy!"
The receptionist shouted, calling the patient. A man wrapped in bandages all over his body stood up, limping heavily and breathing roughly.
"I heard a group of thieves ganged up on him."
"Good thing my work area is far from the dark districts."
"Are the dark districts really that dangerous?"
Whispers spread among the people. With the city crawling with criminals and gangs, the risk was naturally higher—especially in some neighborhoods called "the dark districts," due to the concentration of criminals there.
"Number seventy-one!"
"Number seventy-two!"
"Number seventy-three!"
It was Takeshi and Koji's turn. They left the reception hall and entered a long corridor lined with many rooms.
"Yui Koji…"
Takeshi whispered in Koji's ear.
"I don't have any money to treat my arm."
Koji gave a faint smile.
"Don't worry, I'll pay for you."
Money wasn't an issue for Koji; he had taken a large sum after stealing from the Scorpion. The real problem was the hospitals themselves—known for scams and fraud.
At the end of the hallway, a blonde girl walked out. She had bright eyes despite their darkness, wore a nurse's uniform, and had a beautiful face with a mix of sharp and gentle features.
"My shift is finally over!"
She walked toward the exit, heading straight in their direction. The moment her eyes landed on Takeshi, she didn't look away. And the same happened with him. The two of them kept staring at each other until they met side by side—and both stopped walking.
Their eyes filled with old memories carrying a miserable past. Koji watched them silently, confused but not daring to speak.
Takeshi broke the silence in surprise:
"L-Lـoren?!"
Loren pointed her finger at him and shouted:
"Takeshi!!"