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Chapter 52 - Seventy-First Floor
🕑 Added 2024-10-24 02:12:24 +0000 UTC“Damn. Can you imagine how much force that girl used?” one of the nurses said. “Look at this! She made two holes right through the boy. I can see my hand on the other side.”
While Oliver was frozen and unable to move, he was carried on a stretcher that floated a few meters above the ground. Both nurses were taking the boy to one of the treatment rooms.
The first nurse managed to stick his entire arm through the boy's stomach.
“Cut it out, damn it,” the second nurse exclaimed. “He's frozen in time, but that doesn't mean he can't feel or see what's happening.”
“Really?!” the first nurse asked. “So... how is he frozen in time?”
“No idea. It's a Boon from one of the Founders,” the second nurse replied.
As they talked, the three arrived at one of the recovery rooms. It was very similar to the hospital where Oliver had stayed at the Academy, but this room wasn't just for him. A few other people were being treated at the same time.
“Doctor, we've got another one,” the second nurse informed. “This one has two punctures in the abdomen. Doesn't seem to need the VAT; your ability should be enough.”
A woman wearing a lab coat approached the boy on the stretcher.
“Hmm. This one seems quick. Part of the stomach is lacerated, maybe part of the intestine,” the doctor commented while observing the paralyzed boy.
'Stomach! Intestine! That girl wanted to kill me,' Oliver thought nervously.
“Alright. Let's try just with injections,” the doctor explained.
She removed the glove from one of her hands and began to palpate and feel Oliver's skin. Searching for the best place to start, she found the spot just below the center of his ribs.
The doctor then pulled her fingertips back a few centimeters before forcefully pushing them against the boy's skin. Oliver could feel her fingertips piercing his skin and entering his body.
‘What the hell is this?!’ the boy grew even more nervous; however, he soon felt his body numbing.
“Alright. Injecting anesthesia,” the doctor said. “Let's see. Injecting rapid regeneration cells.”
She continued explaining the steps she was taking to the two nurses.
“There's something strange about him. What's the patient's date of birth?” the doctor asked.
“Unknown,” one of the nurses replied.
“Nameless? Could he be some kind of NEA experiment?” the doctor murmured. “I can sense that he has cells over a hundred years old.”
The two nurses shrugged. If he were some kind of experiment, they'd rather not know.
As soon as she finished commenting, it was already possible to see the two holes closing due to the high regeneration.
“Great, he responded well to the cells. I thought that because of his age, maybe I wouldn't be able to use all my power,” the doctor commented.
She removed her hand from inside the boy and walked to one of the nearest sinks. While washing her hands, she gave the final instructions: “Do the bandages, and you can release him.”
--
--
Outside the infirmary, Nico was leaning against one of the walls, waiting for the boy to be discharged.
“Aaah,” he sighed as he thought about everything that had happened in recent days.
'These have been some of the best days in recent years,' Nico thought with melancholy. He had even managed to go an entire week without drinking.
Since he'd left the squad, he'd been carrying guilt on his shoulders.
Before he could continue reminiscing about the past, the room's door opened. Oliver walked out slowly, examining the bandages on his stomach.
“I-I think I died,” the boy said in a low voice to Nico.
“That's the impression everyone gets when they go to the infirmary for the first time,” the man explained, a smile forming as he saw the boy's concern.
“Everyone who has a critical injury is taken to the infirmary. The Trial Tower wouldn't survive if every time there was a fight, one or both fighters died,” Nico explained.
“Makes sense, but—” Oliver paused as he got used to walking. “It's really strange, being frozen in time and suddenly someone does something to you.” The boy shuddered at the memory of his experience.
“You get used to it,” Nico replied.
“What was the result?” Oliver asked. During his entire time in the infirmary, he had been worried. He remembered defeating Helena but didn't know if it had been before or after he was eliminated.
“You came in second,” Nico replied. “Both of you were eliminated at the same moment. However, she had eliminated more competitors than you.”
“Damn,” Oliver exclaimed.
'If only I'd eliminated Taser—' he started to think. 'Ah! But I wouldn't have been able to defeat Helena and Pollux together.'
“A week ago, would you have been able to beat who you faced today?” Nico asked.
“No chance. Especially without using a Ranger Weapon,” Oliver replied without hesitation.
“Then you achieved what was most important when you decided to come here. You've advanced leagues ahead of many people who are at the Academy,” Nico commented.
“Yes.” Oliver clenched his hands as he thought about how rich his experience had been, especially by facing all kinds of different opponents. “Thank you very much, Nico. If—”
“Relax. You can thank me after my fight.” Nico patted the boy on the shoulder and began to pull him along.
The infirmary was on the first floor of the Trial Tower; to return to the main hall, they had to walk through the back corridors.
Although there were no fights at the moment, the hall was packed. All the elevators were crowded, and there were huge lines.
“What time is it?” Oliver asked.
“Hmm, there should be about thirty minutes left until my fight. Something like that,” Nico explained.
“B-but how can I get to the fight? I only have access to the eleventh floor,” the boy asked.
“Don't worry. While you were recovering, I bought a bettor's pass,” Nico commented. “Now you should have access to all the floors, as long as it's for betting.”
“Great.” Oliver was happy to know he could watch the next fight until he remembered a critical detail Nico had explained. “Wait. Wait. Betting? But I don't have any money!”
“Now you do. You have the victories from the first to the ninth floor and second place in the Coliseum. Besides, I used part of those winnings to bet on you. So you should have some cash to access the other floors,” Nico explained.
Oliver raised his gauntlet to look at his profile.
--
--
Status Page
User: Oliver [Nameless]
Level: 3 [Pawn]
Experience: [66/300]
Credits: 7.200
Stats
Strength: 7 [Pawn]
Agility: 14 [Knight]
Constitution: 6 [Pawn]
Energy: 14 [Knight]
Boons
Insight [Pawn][Growth]
[Use 200 Experience Points to Upgrade]
Observation [Pawn][Growth]
[Use 200 Experience Points to Upgrade]
Left Eye of Learning [Knight]
Right Eye of ■■■■■ [Knight]
[Evolve to Unlock]
Skills
Ranger Weapon Handling [Knight]
Ranger Weapon
Energy Pistol
--
--
“Wow!” Oliver said upon seeing how much money was in his account. “H-how did I earn this much?!”
“I think I just explained that,” Nico replied. “Do you really think an illegal fight club would pay its fighters—or worse, its bettors—poorly?”
“I just didn't imagine it would be this much. What's this? Almost a captain’s salary in less than a week,” Oliver commented.
“More or less,” the man remarked.
Oliver stood there, stunned by the amount of money he had received. At the same time, a weight lifted from his shoulders.
'If I can't become a soldier, at least I won't have to go back to living on the streets,' he smiled as he embraced his new reality.
“Let's go. Our elevator has arrived,” Nico called the boy to one of the elevators.
As soon as they entered, he pressed the seventy-first floor.
“Seventy-first?” Oliver asked.
“Yes, my last fight was in a coliseum. This time, it'll be just one-on-one,” Nico explained.
The elevator ascended rapidly, floor by floor, until it reached its destination.
A huge hall, much larger than the coliseum itself, appeared before them. Unlike the floors below, there were no tables and chairs scattered around.
Although there was still a service area, the entire floor was like a stadium. Hundreds of bleacher-style seats faced the center of the arena.
As soon as Nico stepped out of the elevator, hundreds of flashes started going off. Several reporters approached them without giving them space to exit the cabin.
“Is this your pupil?”
“Are you prepared for today's fight?”
“When will you apologize for the incident?”
“Why didn't you join any of the Houses?”
Oliver and Nico couldn't understand the questions as so many reporters were talking over each other. With microphones pointed at their faces, they tried to move away from the lobby.
Quickly, the two androids in the lobby began to separate the reporters from the fighters.
“Please step back; Mr. Nico wishes to pass,” they repeated in unison as they prevented the reporters from continuing to bother them.
Nico didn't seem surprised by the press's behavior; the same couldn't be said for Oliver.
“You're famous?” the boy asked.
“Hmm. I think it's more like infamous.”
