A few hours later...
I slowly open my eyes.
My body feels light.
The exhaustion from before is gone.
I feel... good. Really good.
I try to move, and my limbs respond with effortless ease; the residual stiffness, the ache in my muscles—all of it has vanished.
I sit up on the bed and look around the room.
Still in the infirmary...
(Did that really happen?)
...There's a strange warmth in my chest.
I place my left hand over my heart. It's not my own Ki, nor is it the familiar demonic energy that flows through my veins. It's something… else.
The warmth is familiar in a way I can't explain, not remembered, but inherited.
It's the same sensation I felt in the void, the same comforting presence that pulled me back from the brink of nothingness.
I glance down at the sigil on the back of my left hand.
What is it? What did that light—that woman in the void do to me?
And most weirdly… It's powerful. More powerful than anything I've ever felt.
I bring my left hand closer.
I focus on it, trying to draw out that warm energy, to understand it.
It doesn't burn like my demonic energy. It's… pure. Serene. It's the complete opposite of demonic Ki.
The door to the infirmary opens with a soft swish, and Haruka steps inside.
"Ah, you're awake," Haruka says, her jade-green eyes sparkling with interest.
"And already experimenting with your new 'upgrade,' I see."
I quickly lower my hand, my face flushing slightly.
"Upgrade?"
Haruka chuckles and looks towards my side.
"Seems she's taken a liking to you," Haruka says softly, lingering over the sleeping Kotori.
"I haven't seen her this relaxed around a newcomer… ever."
I turn my head to the right and realize Kotori is sleeping next to me.
Her head rests on the same pillow as me.
She… she was here the whole time? Sleeping next to me?
"H-How long has she been here?"
"I wonder," Haruka says, her smile turning a little more thoughtful.
"Since you fell asleep, I suppose."
I can't tear my eyes away from Kotori's sleeping face.
She looks so peaceful...
Was Kotori always this beautiful?!
I stare at her bright green hair as it falls against the soft curve of her cheek. The blue lines on her face, usually lit, are now pale. I can hardly see them against her skin.
She's truly beautiful.
(And she… She touched me… like that…)
I quickly shake my head, trying to banish the thought. I can't be thinking about that now. Not when I have so many questions.
Turning back to Haruka, I realize with a sudden rush that she's a stunning woman herself...
Her bright green hair… Her jade-green eyes… The confident way she carries herself… And her… chest… It's so big.
"Want to touch them?"
I jump at her question.
"Wha—No! That's not—!"
Haruka laughs. It's not mocking; it's genuinely amused.
"Relax, Horikita. It's just a data-based observation. Your ocular focus has lingered on my chest for precisely 3.7 seconds. The statistical probability of random fixation is low, suggesting either aesthetic appreciation or comparative analysis. So, which is it?"
"N-Neither!"
Haruka walks towards the bed.
"Now that you're awake, can you give me your left arm for a moment?" Haruka asks, her tone shifting from playful to serious.
I hesitate, looking at my left arm.
What does she want with it?
Haruka notices my hesitation, and her expression softens.
"It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you,"
"I just want to check something."
I slowly extend my left arm toward her.
She carefully unwraps the bandage from my arm.
The gauze falls away, revealing the healed skin beneath. The skin is perfect. Not even a scar remains.
Haruka leans in close, her eyes narrowing slightly as she studies the skin where the cut had been. Her fingers, cool and professional, trace the unmarked skin.
"Remarkable," Haruka mutters, her focus absolute.
"Not just healed. Regenerated. The cellular structure is completely restored. No scar tissue, no residual inflammation. The Divine Ki didn't just purge the corruption; it overwrote the damage at a fundamental level."
Haruka looks up from my arm, her gaze locking with mine. The intensity in her eyes is startling.
It's not the playful, teasing curiosity from before, but the sharp, piercing focus of a predator that has just spotted its prey.
"Do you know what this means, Horikita?"
I stare at her, trying to catch up.
"No…" I shake my head slowly.
Haruka places her hands on my shoulders, her grasp firmer than I expected.
"Let's go on a date!"
Her words are a form I don't recognize. There's no opening stance, no readable intent—just a direct blow to my composure.
"W-What?!"
A date? With *her*? What is she even talking about?!
That's… a human custom, right? From one of the books I skimmed. Two people… doing things… together. Romantically. Why would she—?
"Wh-What is it with you people?!"
"First Kaito, then Kotori, and now you! Do you all just... do whatever you want?!"
"...Is that a no?" Haruka asks, genuinely perplexed by my outburst.
I stare at her, utterly speechless. She… She asked that question so earnestly. Like it was the most natural thing in the world.
"You… You asked me on a date!"
"There's something I want you to test for me, Horikita~"
"Test?" I repeat.
"What are you talking about?"
"It's about your new 'upgrade',"
"What you drank—the liquid in that bottle Kotori gave you."
I tilt my head.
"Bottle?"
My gaze turns to the table beside the bed.
The empty bowl of udon sits there, along with the glass bottle topped with a pink flower.
"That?" I ask, pointing to it.
"Correct," Haruka confirms, her smile returning.
"I found it in the facility months ago. A single bottle, perfectly preserved, filled with pearlescent white liquid. I've been analyzing it, but I still don't fully understand what it is."
Haruka's eyes gleam with scientific curiosity.
"I took a small sip myself to test for toxicity. Nothing harmful, but I felt rejuvenated. Sharper. My Ki flow improved for several hours."
She gestures to my healed arm.
"Initial analysis suggested it might accelerate cellular regeneration and stabilize Ki at a fundamental level. But I couldn't be certain without a proper test subject."
"Why give me *this*?" I ask, confused.
Haruka chuckles.
"I was hoping it would help you recover. Stabilize your system. Your Ki was dangerously unstable after the corruption was purged from your system."
"And it seems to have worked even better than I anticipated!"
I look at my left hand.
Well, my Ki is stable, and I feel energized, more so than ever before.
But, there's still this other energy.
I think Haruka must know something about this other energy... This Divine Ki that she and Kotori mentioned.
What is this new phenomenon, what did they do to me, and what in the world is this 'date' really about?
I eye her a bit before saying,
"Are you serious about wanting to go on a date with me?"
Haruka takes a step closer to my face.
As she does, her breasts give a slight bounce with the movement, and her twin hair flaps sway gently.
"Yes!" Haruka confirms.
"Fine," I mutter, forcing my eyes anywhere but her chest.
If this is the fastest way to get answers about this 'thing', then so be it.
Haruka's face lights up with a genuinely delighted smile, and she pulls away.
"Excellent! Optimal decision-making. Your processing speed is impressive, Horikita."
"B-But…" I say, pointing at her accusingly as a fresh wave of heat rises to my cheeks.
"It's just for the 'test'! And… And that's it!"
"Tsundere~" Haruka sings, a smug grin pulling at her lips.
"Hmph," I grunt, crossing my arms over my chest and turning my head away, pointedly refusing to look at her.
"Whatever," I mutter.
"So when and where is this… 'test'?" I ask her, turning my head.
"Right now, of course!"
"Right now? There's no way..." I say, caught off guard.
"I just woke up! I'm not... I can't just..."
"Details, details," Haruka dismisses with a wave of her hand.
"It's ten in the morning."
"We can begin immediately." Haruka pushes back some stray strands of her vibrant green hair.
"First, we need to get you properly attired." She inspects my current kimono with a critical eye.
"W-What's wrong with what I'm wearing?!" I say, defensively clutching the front of my kimono.
Haruka gives me a look that is part amusement, part pity.
"Nothing's 'wrong' with it, technically," Haruka replies, tapping a finger on her chin in a theatrical thinking pose.
"However, it's not suited for our date. For optimal mobility and data collection, a more modern, efficient outfit is required."
I stare at her, my mouth opening and closing uselessly. What is she—
Before I can protest, Haruka claps her hands together once.
"And I have just the thing!"
Haruka grabs my left hand, pulling me off the bed with surprising strength.
"W-Whoa!" I yelp, stumbling to keep my balance as she drags me towards the door.
Kotori, still peacefully sleeping on the bed, doesn't even stir.
"Let's go, Horikita!" Haruka says brightly.
"Operational parameter: 'Cute Date Outfit,' is now active!"