Still on that same night, Zaboru was inside the Emergency Room, surrounded by doctors and medical staff who were urgently assessing his condition. They were at Tokyo Medical University Hospital, one of the best facilities in the city, and every available specialist was focused on stabilizing him. Outside the emergency ward, his entire family had already gathered, waiting anxiously for any update. The hallway felt heavy with tension.
Zanichi was doing his best to calmly assess the situation. Though worry weighed on him, his face remained composed as he spoke with one of the medical staff members who had accompanied Zaboru in the ambulance. He asked precise, controlled questions, trying to understand the severity of the impact and the treatment being given.
Nearby, Keiko stood quietly, holding Arumi gently in her arms. The little girl was still asleep, unaware of the turmoil surrounding her, her small breaths steady against her grandmother's chest. Ayumi sat on a nearby bench, clutching Zenshin close to her while gently caressing his head in an attempt to soothe both him and herself. Her eyes were fixed on the emergency room doors, fear lingering beneath her composed expression. Sanika stood beside her, offering quiet encouragement and whispering reassurances, trying her best to keep Ayumi from falling into despair.
"So what happened? Do you know anything?" Zanichi asked, his voice steady despite the tension in the hallway. The medical staff member nodded quickly and replied, "From the looks of it, it was an accident. Zaboru was hit and crushed by a car. It was a sports car… most likely a drunk driver."
Zanichi remained calm on the surface, though his eyes sharpened slightly at the confirmation. He absorbed every word without panic, processing the information logically instead of emotionally. Before he could ask anything further, hurried footsteps echoed down the corridor.
The father of the little girl Zaboru had saved arrived at the hospital, having followed the ambulance with his own car. He wasn't alone—his entire family had come as well. His wife walked beside him, holding their children close, including the daughter whose life had nearly been lost that night. Their faces were pale, filled with guilt and gratitude as they approached the waiting family.
He introduced himself nervously. "Are you Zaboru's father?" he asked, his voice trembling slightly. Zanichi studied the man carefully, then glanced at the family standing behind him before replying calmly, "And you are?"
The man straightened himself and bowed deeply. "My name is Takuya Manami," he said. "My family was involved in the accident as well. I came here to explain everything properly."
Zanichi gave a small nod, signaling him to continue. The rest of Takuya's family stepped forward too—his wife holding their children gently, their expressions filled with lingering shock. The Renkonan family also gathered clearly wanted to know what happened as well.
Takuya swallowed hard before beginning to recount the story. "Basically… our family was just taking a night walk," he said slowly, trying to steady his voice. "My daughter, Tsuki, saw a store selling beautiful clothes and ran ahead toward it. At first, nothing seemed wrong. The street was calm, the light had just turned, and we didn't notice any danger."
He paused, inhaling sharply as the memory replayed in his mind. "Then suddenly I saw it—a sports car coming at high speed. It wasn't slowing down. It was heading straight toward my daughter." His fists clenched unconsciously. "I ran as fast as I could when I realized what was happening… but I knew I wouldn't make it in time."
His voice cracked slightly. "And then… a miracle happened." He took a deep breath, struggling to contain his emotions as he prepared to explain what Zaboru had done next.
"Zaboru… he saved my daughter," Takuya said, his voice trembling uncontrollably. "Somehow he noticed the danger much earlier than any of us. He ran so fast—faster than I've ever seen anyone move—when he realized something was wrong. Before I could even reach her… he was already there." His breathing became uneven as the memory overwhelmed him. "And then he… he threw my daughter toward me. He aimed her straight in my direction so I could catch her. While he… while he was the one who got crushed by the car instead."
Takuya lowered his head, his shoulders shaking. "I… I don't know what would have happened if he hadn't done that. I would have lost her. My family would have been destroyed tonight." Tears gathered in his eyes as his voice cracked completely. "I'm really… truly sorry… about what happened to him because of us."
He bowed deeply, unable to lift his head. His wife followed immediately, bowing with equal sincerity as tears streamed down her face. "Thank you… and I'm so sorry," she said through sobs. Their children, still shaken but understanding enough, bowed as well, their small voices trembling as they said together, "Thank you… and we're sorry!"
Zanichi let out a slow sigh and closed his eyes for a brief moment, as if carefully gathering every piece of information he had just heard. When he opened them again, the sharp tension in his expression softened. A faint smile appeared on his face—not one of denial, but of quiet confidence. "It's okay," he said calmly. "Lift your head. You're speaking as if Zaboru is already dead. No way. My son isn't that weak, you know."
He glanced toward the emergency room doors before continuing, his voice steady and reassuring. "And honestly… this sounds exactly like him. Saving others before thinking about his own life. That's just who he is."
Zanichi gently patted Takuya's shoulder in a friendly gesture meant to ease his guilt. "So don't carry all the blame on your shoulders. Let's just wait for good news, alright?"
With that, he turned and walked back toward Keiko, Ayumi, Sanika, and Zenshin, who were watching him anxiously. He gave them the same composed smile. "Don't worry. Zaboru will be safe. He's not that weak—I'd bet my life on it."
Ayumi forced a small smile and asked softly, "How do you know, Dad?" Part of her believed Zanichi was simply trying to stay positive for everyone's sake, holding the family together with confidence alone. She wanted to believe him—but fear still lingered in her chest. Zanichi glanced at her and gave a faint smirk. "Heh… I just know," he replied casually.
In truth, Zanichi had already activated his ability—the unique power of the Zagashira bloodline known as "Machine Talk." Quietly and without drawing attention, he reached out with his consciousness toward the machines inside the Emergency Room. To him, they were not lifeless tools but silent witnesses capable of answering his call. The heart monitors, the scanning equipment, the ventilators—he could hear them in fragments of mechanical whispers.
He asked them about Zaboru's vitals, about the rhythm of his heartbeat, about the oxygen levels in his blood and the stability of his brain waves. The machines responded clearly within his mind. So far, Zaboru's condition was stable. His vital signs were not in life-threatening danger. His body was injured, yes—but it was fighting.
That was how Zanichi knew. Not from hope. Not from blind optimism. But from confirmation. And because of that, he could stand there with genuine confidence and say that his son would survive.
Then, after what felt like an eternity—though it was only about thirty minutes—the emergency room doors finally opened and the doctor stepped outside, removing his gloves as he prepared to deliver the news. Zanichi immediately approached him, his composure steady but his eyes intense. "So, Doctor… how's my son?" he asked.
The doctor offered a reassuring smile before answering. "He has multiple fractures," he began carefully. "Several broken bones, especially in his fingers and arms. There are also a number of cracked ribs and minor fractures in his legs due to the impact. The most concerning issue was the amount of glass shrapnel lodged in his head, which is why he lost so much blood at the scene."
He paused briefly, then continued in a calmer tone. "However, the good news is that none of it penetrated deep enough to cause brain damage. Zaboru has exceptionally strong bone density—particularly in his skull. His cranium absorbed most of the force and acted as a natural shield. The glass shards pierced the skin but did not injure the brain. From a neurological standpoint, it's only a severe surface injury. There is swelling and trauma, of course, but nothing that suggests permanent neurological impairment."
The doctor allowed himself a small, lighthearted smile to ease the tension. "Maybe his skull is really that hard to protect that brilliant brain of his," he joked gently. "And not just that—his body works wonders. He's practically at the peak of human condition. His heart is very healthy, his overall bone structure is unusually strong, and his muscle density likely helped absorb part of the impact. It's honestly quite impressive."
He then continued more formally, "We've successfully removed all visible shrapnel," the doctor added. "To do so, we had to shave his head completely to ensure no fragments were left behind and to properly disinfect the wounds. So… yes, he's bald for now. But that is purely temporary. His hair will grow back once he recovers."
Zanichi smiled faintly, though his eyes were still sharp. "So he is okay?" he asked once more, wanting absolute confirmation. The doctor nodded firmly. "Yes, he is okay," he reassured them. "However, he will likely not regain consciousness for approximately three to five days. His body has entered what we often describe as a deep recovery state. The concussion he suffered was quite severe, so his brain and nervous system need time to stabilize and heal. It is not life-threatening, but it does require careful monitoring. We will soon transfer him from the Emergency Ward to the Observation Ward, where his condition can be closely supervised. In about thirty minutes, once everything is prepared, you will be allowed to visit him."
Relief swept through the hallway like a powerful wave crashing against the shore. The suffocating weight that had been pressing on everyone's chest since the accident seemed to loosen all at once, as if the air itself had finally become breathable again. Ayumi's legs nearly gave out beneath her as tears streamed freely down her face, her hands trembling as she clutched Zenshin closer. "Thank God… thank God…" she repeated softly, over and over, her voice shaking with overwhelming gratitude and lingering fear that had not yet fully faded.
Keiko pulled Sanika into a tight embrace, holding her daughter firmly as if afraid to let go. Both of them began to cry quietly—tears of fear, exhaustion, and immense relief blending together after the long, agonizing wait. Zenshin, sensing the emotional shift around him, began to cry as well, his small hands gripping Ayumi's clothes as he tried to understand the heavy atmosphere. Even Arumi, startled by the sudden wave of emotion and raised voices, woke up in Keiko's arms and started crying too, her soft wails echoing through the hallway. It was a chaotic yet deeply human moment—fear giving way to gratitude, despair dissolving into fragile hope.
Zanichi only smiled quietly before deciding to step away from the hospital ward for a moment and head outside. He felt like he could really use a cigar right now—not out of celebration, but to steady his nerves after everything that had happened to his son. The relief was there, yes, but so was the lingering shock. As he walked toward the exit, a thought crossed his mind. 'Is outside the hospital crowded right now?' After all, it was Zaboru who had been in the accident. The media would definitely be desperate for information.
When he reached a window and looked outside, he let out a slow sigh. "As expected…" he muttered under his breath. The area in front of the hospital was already packed with reporters, camera crews, and news vans lined up along the street. Bright lights flashed intermittently as journalists tried to gather any scrap of information they could. Fortunately, security had restricted access, and none of them were allowed to enter the hospital premises.
Even though it had only been a little over an hour since the accident, the news had already spread like wildfire. Headlines were being written, speculation was circulating, and Zaboru's condition had become the top story of the night. Zanichi understood very clearly that once Zaboru regained consciousness, the world outside would be waiting for answers.
To be continue
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