With swift fingers, Luis adjusted the radiation therapy system.
Chuckling under his breath, he muttered with a challenging grin, "Adiós, you damn parasite!"
"Begone—once and for all," Rian replied, standing not far away while holding Ashley in his arms. His eyes were fixed on Leon, now lying motionless on the bed.
Luis let out another short laugh, his tone dark and mocking. "Go to hell, you disgusting parasite!"
With one deep breath, he pressed the main switch. The machine roared to life. The procedure had begun.
***
"Hng…" Ashley's eyelids twitched faintly. Her hand rose weakly, brushing against her temple. "Ugh…"
Her eyes fluttered open, vision still blurry—shadows and harsh laboratory lights blinding her for a moment.
But within seconds, everything became clearer. The first figure she saw was someone she knew.
Rian Andromeda.
More than that—Ashley realized she was being carried.
Not just any way of being carried—Ashley was being held princess-style by the narcissistic man who never missed a chance to praise himself.
Rian noticed her eyes had opened and gave a faint, confident smile.
"Welcome back to this cruel yet surprisingly entertaining world, My Princess," Rian said in a deliberately dramatic tone.
"Had a nice nap, didn't you? Well, of course you did—who wouldn't have sweet dreams when held by a handsome man like me?"
Ashley's cheeks flushed bright red. She quickly turned her gaze away, trying to calm her suddenly racing heartbeat.
"U-um… Rian…" she murmured softly, almost in a whisper. "C-could you… maybe put me down now?"
Rian raised an eyebrow, pretending to consider her request as if it were a matter of great importance. Then, finally, he smiled and tilted his head slightly.
"If that's a direct request from the lovely girl who just recovered," he said gently, his tone still teasing, "then of course I'll oblige."
With a careful, almost theatrical motion, Rian gently lowered Ashley until her feet touched the cold metal floor of the laboratory.
Ashley stood upright, though a bit unsteady at first, before quickly regaining her balance.
"Thank you…" she murmured softly, still embarrassed but unable to hide the small smile tugging at her lips.
Rian merely grinned, eyes half-lidded in smug satisfaction. "No need to thank me. This handsome man is always ready to hold a sweet girl like you—anytime."
Across the room, Luis leaned casually against the wall, a half-burned cigarette resting between his fingers. His eyes narrowed slightly as he watched their exchange with amused interest.
Chuckling quietly, Luis said, "Heh… Amigo, I'm not sure which one's more dangerous—the Plaga parasite or your damn flirting."
He raised the cigarette to his lips, taking a slow drag between his index and middle fingers.
A thin trail of smoke drifted upward as he exhaled smoothly, adding with a teasing tone, "Keep that up, and don't blame me if the Princess ends up having a heart attack."
Meanwhile, Leon sat at the edge of the medical bed. His right hand was wrapped around his injured left arm—the aftermath of his brutal duel with Krauser still evident. Though his face showed traces of fatigue, his eyes remained sharp and alert.
His gaze flicked toward Rian, who—as usual—was shamelessly flirting with Ashley, who had only just regained consciousness.
With a dry, cutting tone, Leon remarked, "Should I add this to the mission report for her father? That the President's daughter seems to have taken an interest in one of our agents… a rather narcissistic one at that?"
Behind the dark lenses of his sunglasses, Rian glanced between Leon and Luis before shrugging casually, as if the comment didn't bother him in the slightest.
In his calm, easygoing voice, Rian replied, "If the Princess ends up having a heart attack because of this handsome man's charm, well… at least she'll go with a smile on her face."
He then turned to Leon with that same teasing tone, "And as for Ashley's father… let's not tell him just yet."
Rian looked at Ashley beside him, offering a small, confident smile. "It's better if this handsome man pays him a visit in person—formally introducing himself… maybe while bringing a box of martabak manis. Much more polite, don't you think?"
Both Leon and Luis tilted their heads slightly at the same time.
Their expressions were a perfect blend of confusion and uncertainty—unsure whether they should laugh, sigh, or question what on earth "martabak manis" even was.
For a brief moment, silence filled the room before Luis finally raised an eyebrow, took a slow drag from his cigarette, and muttered, "Martabak manis…? Is that some kind of new anti–bio-weapon device?"
Leon sighed and ran a hand down his face. "I'm starting to think you're not a special agent at all… just a lost comedian."
Rian merely grinned, completely unfazed. "Laughter's a cure too, my friend."
Meanwhile, Ashley—still standing beside Rian—let out a short breath. Her face flushed pink with embarrassment, yet a faint smile tugged at her lips until it bloomed into soft laughter.
Rian glanced at her briefly, his expression shifting to something more serious before he turned his gaze toward Luis and Leon in turn.
"Alright… back to business," he said flatly but firmly. "I've got a plan. You interested in hearing it?"
Luis slid the cigarette to the corner of his mouth, Leon gave a slight nod, and Ashley looked up at Rian with curious eyes. All three of them were now fully attentive.
"This plan still follows our original course," Rian continued, adjusting his dark sunglasses, "but with a few… revisions."
Rian took a slow breath before speaking firmly, "I'll face Saddler… alone. Meanwhile, you all get out of here. Leon, your top mission priority is Ashley's safety, isn't it?"
His gaze then shifted toward Luis. His tone remained steady, yet carried a note of sincerity.
"Luis, as per our original deal… though the situation's changed a bit. Listen, you go with Leon and Ashley. Protect them."
For a moment, silence filled the air before Luis took a step forward.
"Amigo, are you serious?" Luis asked anxiously, narrowing his eyes. "That's… suicide, you know?"
Leon followed with a firm tone. "I agree. Even if you're a special agent, Rian… taking him on alone is reckless. You know what that means, right?"
Rian only gave a faint, calm smile, as he always did. "Of course I know. But that is my top mission priority. And you guys… have you forgotten how strong I really am?"
In truth, Rian's claim about his mission priority was only half the truth — a diplomatic line meant to keep Leon and Luis from opposing him.
The truth behind it all was far simpler: Rian wanted to know just how far his limits could reach.
It wasn't because he was a battle maniac. But Saddler… Saddler was an intriguing opponent — far more challenging than Pesanta.
Rian understood that the further he advanced, the more unnatural his enemies would become.
Regenerative bodies, abnormal biological power, creatures that defied human logic — Saddler was only the beginning.
Though Rian called this a "test of limits," that didn't mean he planned to take the fight lightly. On the contrary, he had no intention of letting his guard down for even a second.
In the coming battle, Rian would fight as if his life depended on it — because even a single moment of carelessness, and Saddler would make sure he never rose again.
"If possible, in this fight, I'd like my face to remain a top priority," Rian muttered quietly, yet seriously.
Meanwhile, as silence settled over the room, Luis and Leon said nothing — but their faces made it clear they remembered exactly who Rian was.
They still remembered — Rian's physical prowess in battle, the way he made rapid, precise decisions without hesitation.
Meanwhile, Ashley stepped forward slowly, her hand trembling slightly as she reached out to touch Rian's shoulder. Her lips parted, ready to say something…
But before she could speak, Rian removed his black trench coat — the long one he always wore, complete with a walkie-talkie tucked in the left pocket — and gently placed it over Ashley's shoulders.
Because of the size difference, the coat was clearly far too big for her. The sleeves hung loose, and the shoulders sagged awkwardly.
Even so, Rian carefully adjusted it, making sure the communication device was secured properly.
"Don't lose that," he said softly. "One day, I'll come back for it. In short — I'll find you."
Ashley bit her lower lip, saying nothing… but her expression spoke volumes.
"The handsome guy here's pretty perceptive," Rian said lightly, a small grin tugging at his lips. "He knows when a sweet girl's feeling worried."
"But don't worry… this handsome man's survival rate is about as tough as a cockroach — the handsome version, of course, not the disgusting one."