The steady beep… beep… of the infirmary's heart monitor was the only sound in the room.
White curtains fluttered slightly from the soft breeze, and the afternoon sun poured gently through the half-drawn blinds, casting long lines of gold across the sterile floor.
Samantha Solaris lay unconscious on the bed.
Seated beside her, Kael Vernier leaned back on the chair, arms crossed. A white bandage was wrapped diagonally across his left cheek, covering the shallow slash she'd landed on him her only hit, but one that earned his full respect.
He sighed softly.
"She passed out from exhaustion," he murmured.
He stared at her sleeping figure.
So much talent. So much strength.
And that final move Solaris Sword Art: Fifth Form—Luminous Severance it had been more dangerous than he expected. Even though he had held back, he had to tap into Vanta Edge for a split second to counter it properly.
He narrowed his eyes.
"She's not supposed to be this strong this early… is she?"
That technique it wasn't something her character should've had access to until well into the mid-arc of the original story. In the novel, Samantha Solaris was gifted, yes but not this fast.
And she wasn't alone.
Cynthia. Matthew. Even Jace and Elira.
"They're all stronger than they were supposed to be…" Kael muttered.
He closed his eyes for a moment.
"Did my presence change things this much? Or… was the story always wrong?"
But then he smiled to himself.
If they were stronger, then maybe.
"There'll be less catastrophes in the future. Fewer deaths. Fewer regrets."
He leaned forward, elbows on his knees, glancing at Samantha again.
"Maybe I'll have to step it up too…"
Just as he was lost in thought, the temperature in the room seemed to drop slightly. Not from cold, but from pressure.
A dense, commanding aura entered the infirmary like a silent storm.
Kael's instincts immediately flared.
He turned his head and locked eyes with Jin Eldraven.
Snow-white hair. Piercing blue eyes. Calm, sharp, unreadable. The kind of presence that didn't shout for attention but demanded it. Like a mountain hidden behind a curtain of clouds, only visible when it chose to be.
The Reincarnator.
The main character of the story.
Kael met his gaze evenly, uncrossing his arms.
For a moment, the two just stared at each other.
Power. Understanding. Curiosity. Wariness.
A quiet silence filled the space between them, and even the sound of Samantha's monitor seemed distant.
Then Jin stepped fully into the room, his expression unreadable.
"...So you're the one who fought Samantha," he said.
His tone was neutral, but Kael could feel it the weight behind the words.
Kael stood up slowly.
"Yeah," he replied simply.
Jin's eyes drifted to Samantha, then back to Kael.
"You're strong," Jin said, voice still calm. "And I don't remember you."
Kael raised an eyebrow. "Should I be concerned?"