——Black Steel International, Victoria A City Training Base.
It is now Christmas Eve, and the originally bustling base has become deserted due to the departure of many staff and trainees.
Normally, this time would be the most crowded time in the training room. There will always be many operators and trainees with different responsibilities spending a lot of time on equipment in order to improve their skills and abilities.
The training room is deserted now - almost no sound.
There was only the sound of one person's heavy breathing.
He was carrying a staggering weight of full-body equipment and competing against the stair-climbing machine. This duel had been going on for a long time——
He was already covered in sweat.
With difficulty, he freed up a hand to push up his glasses, and the Caprini looked up at the data pad.
"Finally...two floors!"
He struggled to lift his legs. This was not a pain that could simply be described as the weight of lead - he had already passed the stage where he could still feel it.
How to lift legs without feeling?
He couldn't tell clearly either.
The sweating seemed to be worse than before - sweat flowed out from the gap between the underwear and the body armor. This was sweat squeezed out of the clothes by the weight.
Doesn’t it seem like new sweat?
Am I dehydrated?
He ignored his own rational questions.
——There is another layer.
Realizing that there was only the last bit of distance left and the key point was right in front of him - this didn't make him feel any better. On the contrary, it made him feel even more painful.
——Because he no longer has even the last bit of strength.
Breathing sound.
Stop slowly.
There was a sound like something hitting the ground.
The lights are off.
——————————
Drop, drop, drop, drop...
What's going on with this beeping sound?
It seems a bit familiar...
Ah, yes, the sound of the ECG monitor...
Hank slowly opened his eyes.
The first thing you see is the snow-white ceiling.
Pure white decoration, single bed, blue curtains...
There is also an electrocardiograph and infusion bottle next to it.
There is no doubt that he is in the ward.
Just as he was looking for the button to call the nurse station, a familiar voice stopped him.
"Are you awake?"
Hank turned his head and looked at it, and it looked a bit familiar... Oh, by the way, this is Anna, the medical operator trainee of the second team - they met a few days ago.
"Am I in...the hospital?" Hank felt his head was dizzy: "What happened?"
"It's true that you were in the hospital. As for what happened...do you still remember it? You were last in..."
I ended up... Hank vaguely had the answer.
"I ended up training." Hank finally figured out what happened.
He fainted.
In order not to collapse, I had prepared enough supplies and put them aside today, but I didn't expect...
Hank gritted his teeth - he couldn't hold on until the end.
"Thank you, Miss Anna, it was you who brought me..."
A rich male voice interrupted him: "It looks like you're awake, Hank. I'm glad that you can still maintain a clear memory when you wake up - at least we don't have another amnesia patient."
Anna quickly stood up and greeted: "Instructor Connor."
"...Connor?" Hank recognized the owner of the voice.
The man with the terrifying horns on his head nodded: "It's me. And, I was here just now - it seems that Anna is more able to attract your attention."
Connor was sitting opposite Anna - on the other side of the hospital bed. It looked like he had been sitting for a long time.
"...You brought me here?"
"That's right." Connor nodded and admitted.
"……Thanks."
Connor stared at Hank for a long time without saying anything.
PS: I'm a little watery today...Sorry, I'm too tired.
Next we are going to look back on Hank’s background. Friends who are interested can take a guess.
Of course, since he had almost no foreshadowing before, no one might be able to guess what he was doing.
Let me give you a little tip - there are many connections between the names and identities of the original characters that appear in this game.