The Compensation

There was darkness all around, and his body was burning as if fire seeped into his blood and ignited every part. Azuma's heart was shaking uncontrollably.

But those sensations gradually faded into a distant echo.

His thoughts left reality and were clouded by senseless memories of the past that he barely comprehended. Azuma heard whispers and caught fleeting glimpses of the past.

He saw fluttering cicadas around a man who wore a gilded kimono.

Azuma blinked his heavy eyes, the daze of sleep slipping like sand from fingers. His heart was still racing but now there was an odd calmness in his mind.

There was a white ceiling facing him, a faint odor hung in the air, and he became aware of his surroundings. It was an infirmary.

He frowned.

Was he dreaming?

Azuma didn't feel like he had recently faced a life-threatening situation, or that he bled until he couldn't feel anything. His body felt too light to have been driven to the verge of death.

He felt as if he had simply woken up from a deep undisturbed sleep.

Azuma glanced at the holographic clock near his bedside table.

『 08:32 PM 』

『 Friday, 30th October — XX19 QE 』

Azuma jolted from the bed, wincing at a sharp pain in his head. The peace of his mind was disturbed greatly by what he saw.

XX19??

"You are awake."

Doctor Tenma entered the room, his fingers tapping and sliding through a black and red tablet. He was a man in his thirties who has been overseeing Azuma's health ever since the latter entered Genesis.

Azuma forced himself to remain calm, but things were not adding up. He looked at the absent-minded doctor with troubled eyes.

"I was in a coma for two years?"

"Technically," Tenma mumbled, "No."

"What?"

"You were brought here three days ago."

Doctor Tenma poured a glass of water and offered it to Azuma who blankly stared back.

"That makes no sense…" Azuma muttered.

"I suppose your head is not completely healed yet," Tenma deeply sighed, "Time and space distorts in Abyss the deeper you descend—"

Azuma devoured the water in a deep gulp making Tenma frown but just as the doctor was about to add something, Azuma interrupted.

"I am pretty sure I almost died back there," he stared at the empty glass, "And Haru has grave injuries too. There was no one who could have brought us here! And what are you doing with my tablet?"

Unofficial expeditions seldom get help from Genesis. It was highly unlikely that a rescue team was sent for just one seeker, some hunters, and a failed trooper.

"You had a severe brain injury so you won't be able to use the NAB for some time," Doctor Tenma gave the tablet to Azuma, "Is there anything you remember?"

Azuma narrated vaguely, about the strange underground statues, berserk hunters, the parasite, and those hundred scarlet eyes gazing him down.

For some reason, he didn't feel like mentioning the hidden module even though it was completely random given the circumstances.

All latest updates can only happen under an internet connection and that was clearly not present inside the Abyss.

"What you found was most likely an anomaly," Doctor Tenma said thoughtfully, "It was certainly a higher level, but we don't have much information. Maybe you guys entered some wormhole of sorts."

"But…" Azuma asked, "How did I get here?"

"It was a hunter named Gus, he said he found you and a seeker girl. Then he alone brought you two out of the Abyss. By the time he reached the surface, two years have passed."

Azuma had a hard time understanding that. He remembered Gus to be both older and taller than him and Haru. But ascending with two injured people seemed way too impossible.

"How…" he muttered.

"He should be coming here," Doctor Tenma narrowed his gaze, "You can ask him yourself, Azuma. But I have some important news for you."

Azuma opened the tab and randomly checked notifications as he pretended to be oblivious.

『 Failure to report: Beta Tester job deactivated. All perks are frozen. 』

'Well,' he thought, 'that was to be expected since I had not really told anyone about the expedition besides the ghost fleet commander.'

『 Your insurance has expired. 』

This made Azuma frown.

Tenma continued flatly, "You're penalized for not returning beta testers' equipment in time, trespassing red zone, skipping the crucial neuro tests, and ignoring your doctor's summons for three weeks."

"Oh, that…" Azuma awkwardly opened his mouth then closed it again.

The neuro tests left him feeling dizzy and lost. They were mandatory for him but Azuma had grown to hate the feeling of someone messing up with his brain. They were too intrusive.

There was silence for a while before the doctor asked, "Do you remember why you were restricted from entering the Abyss?"

"No," Azuma lied.

"Er, those restrictions are lifted."

Azuma widened his eyes and looked at Tenma in disbelief. The response was a shrug.

"You can try to become a seeker now."

Azuma swallowed hard but he had barely registered those words when he received another shock in the notifications.

『GENX: Thank you for your remarkable efforts. Your account has been credited with + 600,000 KCN 』

His face warmed as he glanced at Tenma with disbelief.

"Compensation," Tenma averted his eyes, "you discovered an uncharted area."

The faint throb of Azuma's head faded away after hearing those words. That was an insane amount, he had never seen so much money in his life.

He was now feeling alive and fresh.

That is, until he noticed the following notifications.

"Okay I need to leave now," Doctor Tenma strode away from the room, "Make sure to catch up to your friends! They have been worried."

『 We Care Association: Thank you for using our services, we wish you a quick recovery. Your account has been debited with - 599,000 KCN » View Full Receipt « 』

He was now feeling dreary and mortified.

"Doctor Tenma!" Azuma exclaimed, "What treatments did you do? I am broke even before I became rich!"

The doctor has already left by then.

Azuma grudgingly opened the receipt, his heart filling with dread as he continued to read on. Besides the scans and medicine charges, there was a detailed list of his injuries and treatments.

Fractured ribs, punctured lung, severe head trauma, excessive internal bleeding, and bed charges amounted to more than half a million. Azuma received a discount of twenty percent for being a frequent patient.

He muttered a curse under his breath and closed his eyes to steady his thoughts. It was alright even when he lost so much money. At least the compensation amount was there to cover it, otherwise, he would have to take a loan.

And the remaining money should let him live peacefully for a month at least.

Azuma forced a smile.

In the end, everything turned out right so there was no need for him to worry. He will simply work hard to be accepted as a seeker and then he won't have to worry about things like medical bills.

Seekers enjoy a life of ease on the surface.

Azuma entered the home screen of the tablet and decided to order some ramen. There was a sickly aftertaste in his mouth and he wanted something to divert his mind and satisfy his increasing hunger.

『 Alert! Your credits are frozen. Reason: Penalty for avoiding mandatory medical checkups. 』

"..."

Azuma's smile twitched as he gripped the tablet tightly and controlled his urge to break some plates and cry.

Ding!

He tiredly glanced at the new notification.

『 Congratulations! The module [Codex Zero/Lucifer] has been completely installed. Tap to check new features. 』

Azuma stilled, his eyes narrowed suspiciously.

Lucifer?