"Oh my god, Mika! That guy's still alive?"
"His luck is insane!"
"Luck? Just look at that wrecked taxi! That's not luck—it's a miracle!"
"Is he Superman or something?"
Fenric paid no attention to the shocked stares around him. Without a word, he turned and resumed walking toward the mental hospital.
The horizontal bar on his wrist had returned to green—he was safe, for now.
No need to keep using Armament Haki constantly.
The hospital wasn't far; in fact, he could already see its sign up ahead.
—
Soon after, Fenric arrived at the entrance.
His tattered appearance immediately drew attention. The nurse at the front desk stood up in concern.
"Sir, can I help you?"
"Of course." Fenric nodded seriously. "I believe something's wrong with my mind. I suspect I'm mentally unstable. Please assign me a room."
The nurse frowned. "Sir, we don't allow jokes here."
Without hesitation, Fenric pulled out a thick wad of U.S. dollars and placed it on the counter. "Is this enough for a room?"
He still had tens of thousands left from his untouched fortune—likely around $30,000 to $40,000.
The nurse froze.
Money talks. When Uncle Rich wants a room, he gets one.
Ten minutes later, Fenric was assigned Room 600.
"It's a bit basic," the nurse said hesitantly. "Would you like to add some furniture?"
"No need. This is perfect."
Fenric surveyed the bare psychiatric ward with satisfaction.
Psychiatric wards were intentionally sparse to prevent self-harm—usually just a single bed and nothing else. Even more secure than prison cells.
The walls were reinforced, the windows sealed tight with only a small vent left open. Once the door shut, it became a sealed chamber.
Fenric glanced at the green bar on his wrist and smiled.
"I'm going to sleep. Please shut the door behind you."
"Certainly, sir. Good night."
Once the nurse closed the door and left, Fenric immediately dragged the bed over and wedged it against the door, creating a makeshift barricade.
Now, there was virtually no danger—at least nothing that could take him out instantly.
In the original storyline, there had been a character who survived by hiding in a mental hospital for years.
But Fenric knew that Death paid special attention to Samsara candidates. He had no intention of staying long.
He just needed to stall for a few days—long enough to earn a Super God evaluation before leaving.
In that same plot, there had also been a mysterious black man who retrieved corpses.
His identity sparked endless debate on Earth's forums.
Some claimed he was a powerful being evading Death itself. Others theorized he was Death incarnate.
Fenric didn't care.
That night, everything remained quiet.
But he didn't dare fall asleep. Every so often, he'd jerk awake and check the wrist bar.
The Samsara System's horizontal bar was incredibly reliable. It gave early warnings if Death's presence was detected.
Clearly, the Samsara System was at least a dimension above this so-called omnipotent Death.
—
By the fifth day, Fenric had survived unscathed.
The sixth day began.
Early morning.
Fenric calmly ate the hospital-provided breakfast.
Thanks to his poison immunity, he had no fear of being poisoned—one of the perks of his evolved constitution.
Just as he finished, a frown crossed his face.
The bar on his wrist suddenly turned red again.
"Interesting… What's the fatal threat this time?"
Just as the thought crossed his mind—
Clink!
A tear gas canister was tossed in through the air vent.
The gas exploded immediately, filling the room with smoke in seconds.
Fenric spotted the letters "POLICE" on the canister.
"The police? They found me this fast? Looks like Death really is supernatural."
He sighed and rushed to the door.
Outside, fully-armed officers had already taken position.
"Don't move!"
"Get down! Hands where we can see them!" the squad leader barked.
Fenric raised his hands obediently. "Officers, may I ask what crime I've committed?"
"You're suspected of terrorist activity. You're currently wanted. We're here to take you into custody. Cooperate, or force will be used."
Fenric lowered his arms slowly, a flicker of anger flashing in his eyes.
"You want to play games? Fine. I'll play with you!"
He spoke as if addressing the air itself.
Then—BOOM—!
With a wave of his hand, the nearest officers were hurled into the wall like rag dolls, dead or critically injured.
With his current Telekinesis strength, ordinary humans were nothing.
Without hesitation, Fenric strode out of the hospital.
Outside, the building was surrounded.
The moment he appeared, the police commander shouted, "Open fire!"
Da-da-da-da!!
Gunfire erupted like thunder.
Fenric didn't even bother using his Telekinesis shield. Instead, he activated Armament Haki and charged into the crowd like a demon unleashed.
He'd been hunted even during breakfast. His frustration had reached a boiling point.
"AHHH!"
"Damn it, he's a monster!"
"Requesting backup!"
"Help!!"
Screams rang out amid the chaos.
Within a minute, the ground was littered with corpses.
At his current level, Fenric was a genuine superhuman monster. One touch, and ordinary humans simply couldn't survive.
The remaining officers fled in terror.
Fenric stopped and glanced at his wrist—the bar was still glowing red.
He sneered.
Armament Haki was more than enough. He'd just wait for the next wave.
Ever since reaching the "Superior & Mastered" level of Armament Haki, Fenric noticed it consumed significantly less energy.
With his current physical and spiritual stats, he could sustain it for three days and nights without issue.
Suddenly—
Bang!
A gunshot rang from the distance.
A high-caliber sniper round slammed into Fenric's forehead.
But the expected gore never came.
Clang! The bullet flattened against his skin like it had struck reinforced alloy, the warped shell clattering to the ground.
Fenric's head tilted slightly from the impact.
Then he looked toward a distant rooftop.
"!!!"
The sniper locked eyes with him—and immediately broke into a cold sweat.