Kai woke up to the sharp sting of something acrid invading his nostrils, yanking him out of unconsciousness like a slap to the face. His eyes shot open, only to be blinded by an intense overhead light.
"OW!" he yelped, squinting and shielding his face. Before he could make sense of anything, his head smacked into cold metal above him. "Perfect," he grumbled, rubbing the sore spot.
"This day's off to a fantastic start."
As his vision adjusted, Kai scanned his surroundings. The room was stark and clinical—white walls gleaming under the harsh fluorescent light, machines humming quietly in the background, and a variety of instruments neatly arranged on sterile trays. He glanced down at the cold metal examination table beneath him and muttered,
"This doesn't scream 'cozy.'"
He swung his legs off the table, attempting to sit up, but misjudged his balance. With a loud thunk, he tumbled off the edge and hit the floor. "Seriously?" he groaned, sprawled out on the ground. "Who designs these places? Torture enthusiasts?"
The sound of footsteps approaching made him look up. A man in a pristine lab coat walked in, holding a clipboard. His calm, collected demeanor contrasted starkly with Kai's irritated state. His glasses caught the light, glinting faintly as he smiled.
"Ah, you're awake," the man said, his voice smooth and composed. "Good. I was beginning to think I'd need something… more persuasive to wake you."
Kai glared, still on the floor. "What did you already use? My nose feels like it's been violated."
The man smirked faintly. "Just a bit of smelling salts. Completely necessary."
Kai stood, brushing himself off. "Yeah, well, next time maybe try a polite wake-up call. 'Hey, Kai, time to get up' works wonders."
Before Kai could say more, a sudden splash of freezing water hit him square in the face. He froze, water dripping from his hair and chin, his expression shifting from shock to seething fury.
"What the hell?!" he yelled, wiping his face and glaring at the man, who now held an empty beaker.
"Also necessary," the man replied nonchalantly, setting the beaker down. "Consider it... insurance that you're fully alert."
Kai clenched his fists. "You've got to be kidding me."
"No, I'm not." The man adjusted his glasses and tossed a lab coat in Kai's direction. "Now, put this on and follow me. Oh, and don't touch anything."
Kai caught the coat with a scowl. "Yeah, great first impression," he muttered under his breath, slipping it on. He trailed after the man, who led him into a larger room filled with buzzing machines, glowing screens, and half-assembled devices that looked straight out of a sci-fi movie.
The man gestured to a simple chair and placed a clipboard on the table in front of it. "Sit."
Kai raised an eyebrow. "What is this? Some kind of quiz show?"
"An IQ test," the man said casually. "I'm curious to see where you stand. If you were assigned to me, there must be something special about you."
Kai smirked and sat down. "Well, glad someone recognizes my brilliance."
The man handed him the clipboard with an almost amused expression. "Alright then, begin."
Kai glanced at the questions, and his smirk vanished. His eyes widened as he scanned the page, his confidence faltering for the first time. These weren't just hard—they were insane.
Takashima chuckled, crossing his arms. "Honestly, if you get even one question right, I'll be impressed. That magic orb? It's overrated."
Kai gritted his teeth, his frustration bubbling over. "Oh, I'll show you," he muttered, gripping the pen tightly. "Nobody outsmarts me."
Minutes ticked by in silence, the sound of Kai's scribbling the only noise in the room. Finally, he slammed the clipboard down and shoved it toward Takashima. "Here. Read and weep."
The scientist arched an eyebrow, taking the clipboard. "We'll see about that." He flipped through the pages, his expression shifting from mild curiosity to shock. His eyes widened, and he adjusted his glasses as he read further.
"Incredible," Takashima muttered. "Your IQ… it's over 200."
Kai smirked, crossing his arms. "Told you."
Takashima placed the clipboard down with a grin. "Alright, it's settled. You're going to help me develop magical weapons and items."
Kai's smirk faded. "No."
Takashima blinked. "Excuse me?"
Kai's voice was firm. "I want to be on the front lines, fighting alongside my friends. That's where I belong."
For a moment, Takashima's expression was unreadable. Then, to Kai's surprise, he smirked. "Very well," he said casually. "You'll fight on the front lines."
Kai stared at him, confused. "Wait, really? That easy?"
"Of course," Takashima said with a shrug. "But you'll still assist me in developing weapons during your downtime."
Kai hesitated, then extended his hand. "Deal."
Takashima gripped it firmly, his smirk widening. "Good. Now, let's get to work."