Ring... Ring... A phone began ringing in the stillness of the early morning. Rika reached out from under the blanket and picked up the phone on the table.
"Hmm. Who is calling this early in the morning?" Rika muttered, waking up half-asleep.
"Ma'am, I am sorry to call so early in the morning, but an S-rank devil suddenly appeared on the radar," the staff member reported.
"What are you talking about?" Rika asked, suddenly alert.
"Grandmaster Yuki has already neutralized it, but Kirito and his team are in a very bad situation. Kirito has just been airlifted to Bhopal. Grandmaster Yuki has asked you to leave for Bhopal with Allya as soon as possible".
Rika's eyes flew wide open. She was shaking from toe to head. She quickly called Sam.
"Yes, Rika, what happened?" Sam asked, waking up to the call while still half-asleep.
"Brother, a big incident has happened. I could not save him," Rika started crying.
"What happened?" Sam demanded.
"Kirito has fought with an S-rank devil. His condition is very critical. Yuki had him airlifted and called me to the hospital with Allya, but Allya..." Rika could not stop her tears.
"Everything will be alright. Just keep your mind in one place," Sam said before dropping her call and placing another call.
"Hmm, yes?" Sherry answered.
"I have a request," Sam said as Sherry woke up from the bed.
6:00 A.M.
"Hello, Allya, are you ready?" Sherry called out.
"Yes, just a sec," Allya replied as she closed and locked the door. "Why is it always me who has to go to the hospital to see them?".
"Sorry cutie, but I have lied to you. Please forgive me," Sherry thought to herself. Allya sat in the car and they both left for Bhopal.
Half an hour earlier, Rika had questioned Sherry. "Huh? What have you said to her?".
"Besides you being his aunt, you don't know his bad habit," Sherry had replied.
"Bad habit?" Rika asked.
"He has a habit of rash driving and overspeeding. In the past, he suffered three deadly accidents at speeds higher than 150—one by car and two by bike".
"So you said to her that he got into another accident?" Rika asked.
"Yup," Sherry confirmed.
"And how can she believe it?" Rika wondered.
"Knowing her brother got hit by a pole is more acceptable than telling her that her brother was beaten till death by a devil," Sherry noted.
"Did Allya trust you? You will be a stranger to her," Rika said.
"You are wrong here; we have known each other for a long time," Sherry replied before dropping the call.
Meanwhile, Sam entered his mother's room to tell her the situation of the siblings.
"Mom, it's me," Sam said, knocking on the door.
"Oh, Shinkai, come in," Fatuba said. Shinkai went and sat next to Fatuba, who had just woken up from sleep.
"Mom, I have to go back now," Sam said.
"Why? What happened?" Fatuba asked. Sam was afraid to speak. "Shinkai, say what happened," Fatuba asked again.
"The thing is, the mission where Kirito and his team were sent was attacked by an S-rank devil, due to which he was seriously injured. Kirito's condition is critical. Yuki had airlifted him to the state capital, due to which it is very important for me to be there right now," Sam explained.
"I understand. You should not delay," Fatuba said, gripping the blanket too tight. "Everything will be fine." Sam left the room as Fatuba whispered, "Yes".
10:00 A.M. | At Bhopal
Sherry and Allya reached the hospital. Sherry told Allya to wait at reception and went to see Kirito.
"Grand master, she is here," Sherry reported to Yuki.
"You don't need to be formal, Caretaker Sherry Roselia," Yuki replied.
"Did he not wake up yet?" Sherry asked.
"No, not yet," Yuki answered, watching Kirito from outside the room.
"How much did he get hit?" Sherry asked.
"Broken skull, ribs, and shoulder. Most of the muscle got torn, and the worst part—blue-green patches took over half of his face and body. We still don't know what kind of infection this is," Yuki said.
"Those patches..." Sherry murmured.
"You know about that?" Yuki questioned Sherry.
"Yes, he has had that infection since his childhood. As far as I know, his treatment was ongoing in Japan, but I don't know what that is," Sherry explained.
"Thanks for the information. We will take care of that too," Yuki replied.
"And what about the others?" Sherry asked.
"Prgyanjali is fine," Yuki said. "As for Lucious and David, they got injuries. David's magic was able to fool the devil, but thanks to him, they are fine".
"Ansh got an arm broken and dislocated, with three muscles torn. Lucky got an arm, shoulder, and leg broken, with eight broken bones and extra blood loss. Reno's head got badly hit, with thirteen damaged muscles," Yuki continued.
"And what about Asuna?" Sherry asked.
"Twelve fractures, burns in several places, and blood loss," Yuki said.
"That is terrible. It means everyone's condition is as bad as hell," Sherry sighed. "By the way, how are you going to tell the truth to Allya without hurting her?".
"God knows," Sherry replied.
Suddenly, Allya stood in front of Sherry with tears in her eyes. "Why did you lie, Sis?".
"What? Why would I lie to you?" Sherry asked.
"Why did you say that brother had a car accident and he is completely fine? Why did you hide the fact that he was hit by a devil during a fight?" Allya hugged Sherry and started crying.
"I am sorry. Everything will be fine," Sherry comforted her. "Which idiot told her the truth? He probably wants to die," Sherry thought angrily.
On the other hand, Yuki picked up Sam's call. "Did you find out anything?" Sam asked.
"Talking about the S-rank?" Yuki asked.
"Yes, I don't think I have to explain it to you," Sam said.
"Yes, I know," Yuki replied.
"Do you think he was behind this?" Sam asked.
"There is a chance," Yuki said. "There was a mask and gloves. But first, it is time for the surgery".
"I have given you the report from the doctor," Sam added.
"Yes, I got it. We have already started the treatment," Yuki concluded.