Chapter 21: Kyoka's Discharge from the Hospital

Jin had no idea what that system was that suddenly echoed in his mind during the final moments of his showdown with Peginela.

Afterwards, he had tried to summon this so-called system, but unfortunately, there was no response whatsoever, as if it had never existed in the first place. Yet deep within Jin's mind, some inexplicable intuition told him that he was intimately familiar with this system.

It felt as though it had been a companion that had always stayed by his side...

He had forgotten everything from his past, as if his memories prior to waking up had been completely wiped clean, leaving behind only the memories of the ocean and the lingering, suffocating sensation that still haunted his mind.

Who on earth had he been in the past? What kind of relationship did he share with that system?

Everything remained completely unknown...

Perhaps there was still a chance to meet that system again, or perhaps he would have to wait until he encountered an opponent on the scale of an entire race like Peginela, because relying on Ultra Seven X alone was simply not enough to fight against an entire civilization.

Only by activating the [DEUS Mode] would he possibly stand a chance in battle.

When that time came, he would certainly look forward to it...

From the initial confusion upon waking up, to being hypnotized by the "Ship," leading up to his awakening and right until the present moment—though the layers of fog shrouding his eyes had not yet completely dispersed, Jin could already sense that the truth was seemingly not far away.

All he needed to do was wait and explore, exploring while waiting for that day to arrive.

Behind him, S trailed like a little tail, following Jin's every step and occasionally glancing at him while stuffing chocolates into her mouth.

Seeing Jin turn around, she put up a stubborn front like a little girl, glaring at him with a guilty conscience.

It was hard to imagine what kind of visual impression it was for S—who always acted like a violent amazon in front of Jin and K—to display such an expression...

Anyway, Jin thought it was still rather cute...

Wait... cuteness shouldn't really be associated with this queen of agent combat...

"Why do you keep following me...?"

Meeting Jin's eyes, S tucked the hand holding the box of chocolate behind her back with a guilty look, rolled her eyes, and said with a cunning smile,

"The broad road belongs to everyone, doesn't it...?"

"To be honest..."

A trace of hesitation flickered across S's face, but under Jin's steady gaze, she finally had to blurt out, "Um... I want to ask you... how did you know I was going to steal SHINER-5 from K?"

Jin smiled, pulled open the car door, turned back to look at S, and asked, "Want to know?"

Nodding eagerly like a chick pecking at rice, S looked at Jin with hopeful eyes.

A smile crept across Jin's face, and he couldn't help but reach out to pat S on the head as he said,

"You want to know...? But I'm just not going to tell you!"

With that, he quickly retracted his hand, hopped into the car, and slammed the door shut, wondering if this violent woman might grab his arm the next second and throw him with a shoulder toss.

However, S's face seemed to flush slightly, and during her brief hesitation, Jin had already safely settled inside the vehicle.

Watching Jin smiling brightly from inside the car, S pounded angrily on the car window.

"You bastard!"

Through the glass, Jin flashed a smile, waved goodbye, and then stepped heavily on the accelerator, driving away into the distance.

Staring blankly as the car pulled away, S wore a delicate, bashful expression reminiscent of a young girl, frowning as she muttered under her breath,

"He actually... he actually patted my head..."

Naturally, Jin remained completely unaware of S's reaction. He was headed to the Delta Medical Center; today was the day Shimazaki Kyoka was being discharged, and that fatty Yoshikawa Hiroshi had already called several times to urge him.

As the image of that adorable little girl surfaced in his mind, Jin felt a wave of warmth wash over him, mingled with a lingering trace of sorrow.

In order to pay for his sister's medical treatment, Shimazaki Yuji had taken a job under Tamaru, trading his own lifespan in exchange for the money that allowed Kyoka to successfully undergo surgery. For Kyoka, though she was finally free from the torment of her illness, she had lost the brother who loved her dearly.

As for her parents, they had already departed from this world long ago.

The little girl had become an orphan and was forced to face the harsh reality of the world on her own. Because of this, Jin was willing to hold up the sky for her, taking over Shimazaki Yuji's baton to protect her forever.

He couldn't quite pinpoint what exact emotion had driven him to make this decision...

Deep down, he had always harbored the notion that he was merely a passerby in this world. Perhaps everything he was doing now was meant to strengthen his connection and understanding of this reality; once you have someone you are willing to protect, you become willing to protect the entire world.

Just like the Little Prince, who had his rose on a certain star in the starry sky, making the entire universe infinitely beautiful in his eyes.

Random thoughts flashed through his mind, and before he knew it, the car had arrived at Delta Medical Center.

Sure enough, Yoshikawa Hiroshi and Shimazaki Kyoka had been waiting for quite a while. Seeing Jin arrive in a rush, the little girl wore an unhappy expression on her small face, pouting her lips in mild dissatisfaction.

Yet she was only a little child, so Jin simply coaxed her gently and promised to buy her toys along the way, which finally brought a smile back to Kyoka's face.

Kyoka's complexion was still somewhat pale, the lingering aftermath of the surgery. Jin carefully listened to the doctor's instructions, preparing to cook some nutritious meals for the little girl once they got home.

Carried in Jin's arms as they left the Delta Medical Center, no longer needing to lie in a hospital bed all day or smell the scent of disinfectant, Kyoka's mood had clearly improved a lot.

She thoroughly enjoyed the feeling of being held in Jin's arms, her tiny body clinging to his chest like a koala as she relished a long-lost warmth—she had stayed in the hospital for far too long.

Shooing the chubby Yoshikawa Hiroshi into the back seat, Jin placed Kyoka in the front passenger seat, then walked around to the driver's side, ready to open the door and get in.

Suddenly, a hand rested upon his shoulder.

Jin's eyes narrowed sharply. With a sudden spin, he raised his arm and slapped down against the intruder's hand, while simultaneously pivoting behind the opponent, intending to pin their head against the car roof.

At that moment, the newcomer smiled helplessly and said, "Jin... you're too sensitive..."

Jin raised an eyebrow and released his grip.

R turned around to face Jin and said with a helpless sigh, "Your combat skills are truly exceptional..."

Jin shrugged nonchalantly. "I just didn't know your identity and remained on guard—taking advantage of being prepared against someone unprepared."

Pausing for a moment, he asked, "So, R, is there something you need?"

Pointing toward Kyoka in the car, Jin smiled and said, "I'm taking my little sister home..."

R turned serious. "I believe you've already noticed it too... Therefore, I still hope you can join us."

Jin knew what he was referring to, but offered no reply.

R continued, "The expansion of the Nano-Cybertech organization, the promotion of Shiner-5—all of these have the government backing them up behind the scenes..."

However, Jin waved his hand to interrupt him. "On the surface, these are just normal commercial activities, aren't they? I don't see anything wrong with what the government is doing in this regard."

"If that's all this is about, then I'm sorry, I need to send..."

R waved his hand to cut Jin off, staring fixedly into his eyes as he asked, "Then... what about Tamaru?"

"Tamaru hires street thugs and builds invasion weapons, but their ultimate clients are actually the government!"

Jin felt a jolt in his chest. Locking his gaze onto R's face, he asked cautiously, "Evidence... do you have evidence?"