A few days later.
Leon felt a gentle touch on his face. Slowly, he opened his eyes.
It was his sister. Her hand rested on his cheek as she slept, sitting on a chair with her head leaning against the bed he was lying in.
He slowly pushed himself up. His body felt light. He touched his chest - no pain, no wounds.
"I remember... I got hurt pretty bad." He glanced around, and his eyes widened in shock.
The room wasn't gothic like the rest of the world he knew. It was modern - filled with medical instruments, a proper hospital bed, monitors displaying his health condition, and machines placed neatly beside him. The walls were clean white, and two wide windows let warm sunlight pour into the room.
What the hell is this?
How is a proper hospital with the same technology as my world even possible here? Same room, same machines, everything... how?
Suddenly, a sharp pain struck his head.
That man from his dreams appeared again, standing right in front of him. His face was still hidden beneath layers of dried blood.
The man raised a hand and slowly reached toward Leon.
"ZVJLASHS SL UVWV."
That same phrase echoed violently in Leon's mind, again and again.
His body started to convulse.
It felt like he was being torn apart, just like in the dream.
It started devouring him again.
Everything around him turned dark. The light vanished. Faces, twisted and unnatural, began smirking at him. Their voices echoed in his ears, overlapping, growing louder.
"Die! Die! Die!"
"You killed us! You killed us!"
"What did you get from that? Are you happy? ÆÆÆÆÆÆÆ!"
His ears throbbed in pain. The noise was unbearable.
Knock! Knock!
"Can I come in?" A male voice came from outside, snapping Leon back to reality.
The pain was gone. The man from his dream had vanished.
Leon cleared his throat and replied, "Yeah, you can."
The door opened, and Arthur stepped in. He held a tray filled with delicious-looking food and a bowl of porridge. His expression was calm and professional. Without saying much, he closed the door behind him, walked over, and placed the tray on the table beside Leon's bed.
"Who are you, sir? And what is this place? Why is it so different?" Leon asked.
"Too many questions at once," Arthur said. "Let me start with the easiest. I'm Arthur Gravestone - an Entity Hunter from the Special Squad of Division A, East Regiment, of the Entity Hunters Organization."
Leon raised a hand and waved for him to stop. "Wait! Wait! Wait! That's too much. I don't even know what a special squad is, or what Division A or East Regiment means. I don't even know what this Entity Hunters Organization really is. Can you just start from the beginning? And first, what is this place? Why is it so different from the outside world? And... what are these strange square boxes beside me?"
He glanced at the monitors and said, "Then let me start from the beginning. These are called monitors. They're used to observe a patient's health condition."
He looked back at Leon. "This place feels different from the outside world because there's a huge technological gap between the general world and the EHO. The world hasn't advanced much because the Entity Hunters Organization has restricted most forms of technology. All advanced tech is reserved strictly for us hunters and the organization. This hospital is just one example of that difference - that's why it's a private facility, exclusive to Entity Hunters."
"Does that mean there aren't enough medical facilities for the outside world?" Leon asked.
Because if that's the case, then this organization is seriously messed up.
Arthur looked out the window. "No, it's not like that. The organization has provided essential medical facilities to the outside world to prevent unnecessary deaths caused by lack of proper care."
They're smart.
Leon nodded to himself. "What about that East Regim—"
"Have some food," Arthur interrupted, cutting off his question.
Leon didn't argue. He reached out to pick up a plate of pancakes, but—
"Stop. That's not for you." Arthur grabbed the bowl of porridge and handed it to him. "This is yours. All the other stuff is for your sister."
He glanced at her still sleeping by the bedside.
"When she found out about your condition, she got extremely worried. Kept asking if you'd recover or not. She's very sweet... and definitely deserves this food as a treat."
Leon smiled and took the bowl. Gently, he placed a hand on his sister's head, softly caressing her face. Then, without saying a word, he began to eat.
Arthur stood by the window, quietly staring outside, lost in thought.
I don't know what Captain is thinking... letting this guy, Leon join the EHO, and even allowing his sister inside a hidden private facility of the organization. But I trust her.
Arthur glanced at Leon, who had just finished his food.
"Entities are unknown beings roaming the world. They drain the life force energy from humans, and because of that, people were dying."
He paused, then walked over to the bed. Pulling a chair from the side, he sat down.
"In response, we humans created the Entity Hunters Organization, where warriors like me and the Captain are trained."
He looked Leon in the eyes.
"That's what the EHO does. And we call it: Fight Back. That's all you need to understand for now."
Arthur stood up and began walking toward the door.
"Starting now, you'll begin training for the entrance exam held by the EHO. It will determine whether you're chosen or not. The exam takes place seven months from now, on New Year's Day."
He opened the door slightly and added, "You'll be trained by one of our professional instructors. It'll be both mental and physical. So... train hard."
"He just explained everything in an instant... but at least now I have a basic understanding of this organization and those entities," Leon muttered to himself. "They're definitely not demons or monsters."
But there's one thing I still don't get...
If there's going to be a test, then why did Miss Alexia make it sound like I'd be accepted the moment I chose her option?
Maybe there's a rule that someone with low mana, or someone like me with no mana at all, isn't normally allowed in.
Also, that "Captain" Mr. Arthur was talking about... I guess that's Miss Alexia, since she's the Captain of East regiment.
Nina, who had been sleeping, slowly stirred and opened her eyes. She saw Leon sitting up, safe and awake.
Her lips trembled.
"I'm fine, see—" Leon began to say, but before he could finish, she threw her arms around him and burst into tears.
"I... I was so worried. I don't want to lose you, brother."
He gently patted her head, smiling softly. But soon, his expression turned neutral.
I can't just sit here smiling... I have to pass that entrance exam. I have to become an Entity Hunter for the sake of my sister's future. I just have to kill... just kill.
His hand, still resting on her head, began to tremble. Slowly, he lifted it slightly, careful not to let her notice.
It's not that hard... right?