"Doctor Lenny, you called for me?"
William's voice carried down the hospital hallway as he walked up to Dr. Lenny.
Fresh out of training at Unit Zero, he looked anything but presentable. His ranger uniform was caked with dirt, his hair in a mess, and his red eyes showed nothing but exhaustion.
Compared to the William he remembered, Dr. Lenny could hardly recognize him.
"It's been hard for you, huh, William."
"Oh, yeah, I guess."
William brushed off the comment, barely processing the words.
Dr. Lenny sighed, but let it go. "Have you been following the progress on Toxcarver's poison?"
William froze, eyes wide.
"I guess not, then," Dr. Lenny said, reading his reaction. "Well, good news. The cure for the Toxcarver poison has been made. We even used the first batch to treat Zenith."
"How is she now?" William cut in quickly.
"She's cured. All the poison has been removed, and her body has been restored. But—"
"She's in a coma?" William finished.
"Yes. We healed her injuries, but now it's up to her whether she wakes up or not."
They walked the hall until they reached a wardroom. Through the window, Zenith lay unconscious on the bed. Her head was free of bandages, showing a fragile yet beautiful face. Two elderly people sat on either side of her, each holding one of her hands. One cried openly while the other fought back tears.
"Her grandparents?" William asked.
"Yes. We kept them in the dark for long enough. It was time they knew."
"I see." William stared silently into the room.
Dr. Lenny spoke gently. "Do you want to go in and talk to them? We'll get you clean clothes first."
William exhaled. "No need. I was only her caregiver for a short while."
Turning from the window, he looked back at Lenny. "Doctor, if you'll excuse me, I have something else to attend to. I'll take my leave now."
He bowed respectfully and walked away, leaving Lenny watching his back in thought.
From the hospital, William headed straight to the Monster Hunting Unit. He had received a notice that General Isaac would be giving a speech about the Toxcarver Expedition.
By the time William arrived, a podium was already set up and soldiers were gathering. In the crowd, he spotted Aeris, Drakna, and Lina.
Instead of relief, guilt hit him. Seeing them reminded him of Tonto.
He approached. "It's been a while, everyone."
"William?! What happened to you? Did you go through another expedition?" Drakna shouted when he saw him.
William's black-and-red ranger uniform already made him stand out, but the dirt and scratches on him drew even more attention.
"No. Just training."
"Training? What kind of training—wait."
Drakna grabbed his sleeve, feeling the fabric. His eyes went wide. "This uniform—where did you get it? The quality's way too high for a training outfit. Where did you get this?!"
He shook William by the collar, drawing stares from nearby soldiers.
Dizzy, William answered quickly. "I got it from Unit Zero."
At those words, Drakna froze and let go. "Unit Zero. You? YOU got into UNIT ZERO?!"
"Um… yes."
"How? How the hell did a pipsqueak like you—"
"Technically, anyone can join," Aeris cut in. She studied William. "The question is whether you can pass their endurance test. Did you really pass?"
"Eh… I don't know about that. One of the examinees kind of killed me by accident, so… I think I slipped through by error?"
The group went silent.
"I guess that makes sense," Drakna muttered, rubbing his forehead. "So it was just luck."
"Where's Cain? Is he still in the hospital?" William asked.
Again, silence fell. Before anyone could answer, Isaac's voice boomed across the area.
"Brave warriors of the expedition. Every one of you today has returned victorious…"
Isaac's speech carried on for another thirty minutes. He honored the fallen, praised their victory, and promised rewards.
When it finally ended, the crowd erupted. Some roared, some cried, others wept quietly.
At the same time, William's bracelet beeped, as did Aeris's, Drakna's, and Lina's. The message told them to meet the general in his office after the speech.
They obeyed.
In the office, they stood at salute.
"Do you know why I called you here?" Isaac asked, hands clasped behind his back as he looked out the window.
No one spoke.
"Your group made a major contribution to this expedition by discovering the Eclipse Orchid. I've decided to reward you personally."
"It's unfortunate not all of your group can be here, but their rewards will still reach them—or their families—when the time is right."
He handed each soldier a box with a firm handshake.
"Glory to Gorgon City."
"Thank you, General!"
"It's an honor, Sir."
When William's turn came, Isaac added, "Ah, almost forgot. Earlier, I gave one soldier special admission into Unit Zero. To my surprise, he passed their test. To be fair, I'll extend the same offer to each of you. Whether you join or not is your choice."
He handed William the box with a smile.
William accepted, his face blank. "Appreciated, Sir."
But even as he spoke, his grip trembled slightly. He forced it still, hiding the weakness behind his stiff salute.
The group left the office together.
Drakna smirked. "Special admission, huh? So that's how you got in, you sneaky brat."
William gave no reaction, eyes forward, steps steady—at least on the surface.
"Hey, are you even listening to me?!" Drakna pressed, voice louder.
William's pace slowed. His shoulders drooped. His eyes, usually sharp, looked cloudy and unfocused.
"Stop it. We're still near the General's office," Aeris cut in, punching Drakna's shoulder.
Drakna grumbled, but William still didn't answer. He dragged his feet, each step heavier than the last.
His vision blurred. The voices around him grew distant.
Then, with no warning, his knees buckled. He lurched forward and crashed face-first onto the floor with a loud bang.
The world went dark.
***
Light forced its way into his eyes. William flinched at the sharp headache and shut them again. After a few seconds, he tried reopening them. The pain returned, but was bearable this time.
The blur cleared, revealing white walls and ceiling.
A doctor noticed him awake and approached.
"Why am I here?" William asked.
"You fainted while walking. Your squadmates brought you in."
"How do you feel?"
"Dizzy."
"Have you had any recent head injuries?"
William thought of Jack's punch and the sharp headaches from firing the sniper, but no words came out.
The doctor didn't press him. He already had his own conclusion after hearing that William was from Unit Zero.
"Normally, I'd keep you for a few days to watch for a concussion. But since you're with Unit Zero, I won't hold you here. Still, get follow-ups with their doctors."
"I understand."
William stood. His uniform had been cleaned. With a polite bow, he left.
"Ah, right. Don't forget to take the box with you," the doctor reminded
As he walked the halls, déjà vu hit him. Before long, he found himself outside Zenith's ward. The light was still on. She lay alone, motionless.
He stared through the window, frozen.
A nurse passed by and noticed him. She opened the door and waved him in. "Do you want to see her?"
William stayed silent.
Thinking he was just shy, the nurse smiled. "Come in, don't be nervous."
She pulled him into the room, sat him in a chair, set his box on the table, then left.
For a long time, William sat, unsure of what to do. He shifted, glanced around the room, then finally let his eyes rest on Zenith.
Her skin was pale, almost too pale, but smooth and unblemished—the regeneration potion was still doing its work.
A cloth covered her head, hiding the hair she had lost. She lay in a patient gown, motionless, fragile.
Yet even in her stillness, she gave off a quiet strength, as if her will refused to break.
William stared. His mind drifted, then snapped back. Drifted again.
For minutes, he sat there, shoulders slumped. His hands trembled slightly from fatigue, his body heavy as if the air itself pressed down on him. He looked drained—like someone running on nothing but nerves.
At last, he spoke.
"I don't even know what came over me back then. Was it inspiration? Hope? Courage? Or just madness?"
His voice was low, almost a whisper.
"When you smiled at me at my lowest, I wanted to give everything. Even my life. Just to save you. And now look at me." His throat tightened. "More miserable. More helpless. More useless than ever."
The words grew louder, his control slipping.
"Honestly, I don't even know why I enlisted. THINKING I COULD… SOMEHOW SAVE YOU!!"
The shout echoed in the room. Zenith lay still, unchanged. William's chest sank. Guilt hit him at once.
He leaned forward, hands covering his face. His voice shook. "I'm sorry. I'm just… going through a lot. I joined Unit Zero, thinking it would make me stronger. But I've never felt weaker."
"I don't know what's going on half the time. I can't keep up. I can't even fire a gun right. It's just… I…"
His words broke apart. He let out a heavy sigh and lowered his head.
"Will I ever… be strong?"
Silence filled the room. William sat with his head lowered, waiting, though he expected no reply.
Then, cutting through the stillness, a voice answered. Soft, but clear.
"Yes. I believe you will."
William's eyes snapped open.
Zenith was awake. She was sitting up, weak but steady, and looking right at him. A small, warm smile spread across her face.
He froze, staring back.
Their eyes met and held. Neither looked away.