Rain, after watching the memories of both his clones, sighed deeply. Exhausted from eight straight days without sleep, he decided to take a much-needed nap. As he drifted into rest, elsewhere in the city, a tense scene unfolded in a quiet room.
A man and a woman, both distressed, sat across from another woman behind a desk.
The man, Sam, spoke with desperation in his voice to the woman seated before them. "Doctor Myra, is there no way to save my son and daughter?"
Neera, the woman beside him, was on the verge of tears. "Please, Doctor, there must be a way."
Doctor Myra's expression was solemn. "Sam, Neera, your son, and daughter are not ill in the conventional sense. Radiation energy has transformed 30% of their cells. If they were genetic warriors, this wouldn't be an issue—they could control the radiation energy, and their bodies would handle the genetic changes. But as ordinary people, they lack the strength to withstand it."
Neera broke down in tears, and Sam hugged her tightly, his face filled with anguish. Doctor Myra hesitated briefly, then decided to share a potential solution that might save their children.
"There is a way," Doctor Myra began, "but it may not be easy for you."
Sam immediately looked up, his hope rekindled. Neera wiped her tears, her attention riveted on the doctor.
Doctor Myra continued, "Your children could be saved if you take them to a hospital designed for genetic warriors."
Sam's face fell again. "We don't know anyone close to us who is a genetic warrior."
Neera's expression mirrored her husband's despair, but Doctor Myra wasn't finished. "Sam, Neera," she said gently, "your son and daughter are not your only children. You gave birth to the eldest son as well, didn't you?"
Both Sam and Neera nodded slowly. Seventeen years ago, they had relinquished their firstborn to the city to be raised under its care. They had never hidden this from anyone, and Doctor Myra, working closely with the city, had access to such information.
Sam and Neera exchanged glances, waiting anxiously for what Doctor Myra would say next.
Doctor Myra leaned forward slightly and asked, "May I know why you gave up your eldest son for the city to raise?"
Sam and Neera shared another look before Sam began to explain. "When we had our eldest son, Noel, we had just graduated from high school. Both our families were struggling financially, and we weren't exactly gifted. At that time, we were only mid and initial E-rank genetic warriors. While our written test scores were decent, they weren't enough for full scholarships."
Neera added softly, her voice tinged with regret, "Back then, our future looked so uncertain. We could barely see a way forward for ourselves, let alone raise a baby in such difficult circumstances. So, we decided to relinquish our parental rights to Noel and let the city raise him. We didn't keep it a secret. Even Sean and Neesa know they have an older brother. We've celebrated his birthday every year, to keep his memory alive in our hearts."
Doctor Myra nodded, understanding their struggles. She studied their expressions before continuing, "I see. You may have already guessed why I brought up your eldest son."
Both Sam and Neera's gazes turned sharper, filled with a mix of realization and apprehension.
Doctor Myra met their eyes steadily and said, "Yes, your eldest son is a genetic warrior. If you wish, I can contact him and explain your situation. If you two share your reasons for relinquishing him and the difficulties you faced back then, he might be willing to help his younger brother and sister."
Sam and Neera exchanged a long, hesitant look. The thought of reaching out to the son they had given up filled them with a mix of hope and guilt. They didn't want to disturb the life of the child they had once abandoned, yet the lives of Sean and Neesa hung in the balance.
Doctor Myra, observing their hesitation, said gently, "How about I give you some time to think?"
Sam and Neera nodded, rising from their chairs. They thanked the doctor before walking out of the room in silence, their hearts weighed down by apprehension. They made their way to the room where their son and daughter were staying.
Though they had managed to secure a private room for their children, their financial situation was far from sufficient to afford treatment at a hospital for genetic warriors—a privilege reserved for a class far beyond their reach. No amount of money could grant access without a genetic warrior relative to vouch for them.
As they approached the door, Neera wiped her tears and forced a smile onto her face. Together, she and Sam entered the room.
Inside, their son, Sean, was awake, staring at his bit device, while their daughter, Neesa, lay curled up in her bed, her small face twisted in discomfort. At only eight years old, the twins were enduring a level of pain no child—or even most adults—should ever have to face.
Sean looked up when they entered. "Dad, Mom," he said softly.
Neera walked over to him, pulling him into a warm hug. She asked gently, "How are you? Has the pain lessened at all?"
Putting on a brave face, Sean shook his head slightly. "I'm okay, Mom," he said, though his trembling voice betrayed the constant pain radiating through his body.
A soft whimper came from Neesa as she stirred awake. Opening her eyes, she looked at her parents with hope. "Dad, Mom," she asked, her voice fragile, "what did Doctor Myra say? Can we be cured?"
Sam and Neera exchanged a glance before both smiled reassuringly. Neera knelt beside her daughter. "Doctor Myra has a treatment plan for both of you," she said, her voice steady despite the storm in her heart. "You won't have to feel this pain anymore."
Neera gave Sam a meaningful look, and he nodded in understanding. He quietly excused himself from the room, stepping outside to call Doctor Myra.
A few moments later, Doctor Myra's calm voice emerged from his bit device. "Sam, do you need anything?"
Taking a deep breath, Sam steadied himself. "Doctor Myra," he began, his voice firm despite the weight of his words, "we've decided. You can contact our eldest son."
"Understood," Doctor Myra replied. "I'll proceed immediately."
The call ended, and Sam stood in the hallway for a moment, gathering himself. Taking another deep breath, he returned to the room, his resolve firm.
-----
Rain woke up, stretched, and got out of bed. After freshening up, he made himself a cup of coffee and settled on the balcony. The crisp morning air and the steaming cup in his hands made for a peaceful moment as he began checking messages on his B.I.T.
Most were congratulatory notes, including ones from Sky and Damian. Damian, in particular, had asked when Rain planned to return to fight in the Death Battlefield—a question Rain now found amusing, considering his strength had surpassed Damian's.
However, one message stood out. It was from an unfamiliar sender: a doctor requesting to meet him on the seventh floor of No. 2 Civilian Hospital. Rain frowned, puzzled by the unusual request. He didn't reply to ask the reason but instead commanded his B.I.T. to investigate.
Despite his clearance in Spark Technology still being C-rank, his local clearance in and around Martin City had been elevated to B-rank just yesterday. In less than 10 seconds, the B.I.T. provided the reason behind the message, deepening Rain's frown.
The message was related to his estranged parents, whom he had no desire to meet. Yet, the situation was more complicated—his younger brother's and sister's lives were at stake. Without his intervention, they would die.
Rain made his decision quickly. Without sending a response to Doctor Myra, he commanded the B.I.T. to arrange for his siblings to be transferred to the No. 1 Genetic Hospital on the sixth floor. With that matter handled, he pushed the thought to the back of his mind, refocusing on his priorities.
He began searching the server for resources: books and techniques related to sharp and blunt rules, as well as C-rank techniques aligned with vitality, life, poison, or fire rules.
The inspiration for the practice method Rain had created came from the vitality flames, but it lacked fire rules, as the fire rules of the Star Immortal World were vastly different from those of this one. Rain was determined to understand these differences and find a way to bridge the gap between the two systems.
While Rain immersed himself in his research, his estranged parents and siblings were having breakfast in their hospital room when a knock came at the door. Sam stood up to answer it and was greeted by four individuals. As he looked more closely, their bright blue eyes and precise movements revealed they were robots. Their lifelike appearance and advanced A.I. made them almost indistinguishable from humans.
The lead robot stepped forward and spoke, "I am Ryan. We are here to transfer Sean and Neesa to the No. 1 Genetic Warrior Hospital on the sixth floor."
Sam was confused. They hadn't received any news about a transfer. Just as he was about to ask further, he heard the voice of Doctor Myra and turned to see her approaching.
Sam asked, "Doctor, what are they talking about? Transferring Sean and Neesa?"
Neera, hearing the commotion, joined her husband at the door. She, too, was puzzled by the mention of a transfer and looked at Doctor Myra expectantly.
Doctor Myra addressed them calmly, "I received the news just a minute ago. Your son and daughter are being transferred."
"Why?" Neera asked, her voice tinged with confusion, not yet connecting the dots.
Doctor Myra explained, "I sent a message to your eldest son. His clearance must be high because he didn't need to verify the reason for my message. Instead, he arranged for Sean and Neesa to be transferred to a better hospital. However, he chose not to meet with you."
Neera and Sam's faces were a storm of emotions—happiness for their children receiving the treatment they desperately needed, yet profound sadness at their eldest son's decision to avoid them. They understood, though. If they were in his position, they might feel the same way.
With heavy hearts, Sam nodded to the robots, silently signaling his agreement. The robots immediately began preparing to transfer Sean and Neesa. Neera stood by, tears welling in her eyes, torn between relief for her younger children and the pain of realizing they would never meet their eldest son and ask for his forgiveness.