Chapter 30: Condition Zero

The heavy rain that had drenched Kyoto Station slowly began to subside, leaving behind a biting cold. In the midst of the chaos, the special forces team secured the area. Pierson knelt beside Arata, who lay motionless. With a blank stare, he placed two fingers on Arata's neck, searching for a pulse. The seconds felt like an eternity.

Suddenly, a shock. He felt a very faint, almost imperceptible pulse, but it was there. There was still hope!

"Arata is alive!" Pierson exclaimed, his voice filled with shock and relief. He immediately gave an order. "Call the medics, now! Top priority!"

Alena, who saw Arata lying helpless, tried to get closer. But she was immediately held back by Natasha. "Stay back!" Natasha whispered sharply, holding back Alena who had started to cry. Alena could only scream, "SENSEI!" watching her teacher lie motionless.

The special forces team tried to stop the heavy bleeding from Arata's body, but he remained unresponsive. Not long after, an ambulance arrived, and Arata was immediately taken to the local hospital's Emergency Room, where he was declared to be in critical condition.

Far away in Tokyo, the tragic news reached the students. They had arrived in the capital and were now enveloped in a deep sadness. They were told that their teacher, Arata, had passed away. Most of them could only accept the news, but not Akari and Mei. They were both heartbroken and shattered to hear that their beloved teacher was gone. Chisa also cried, unable to accept that her childhood friend and colleague was no more. In their eyes, their hero had fallen.

Meanwhile, Arata was transferred to a special military hospital and was immediately taken to an emergency operating room.

Six hours felt like a lifetime, and Pierson, Natasha, and Alena waited anxiously. Finally, a doctor came out and gave them some good news.

"The patient suffered severe injuries and lost a lot of blood," the doctor explained. "But fortunately, we were able to save him. His condition is still critical, but there is hope."

At that same moment, Masamune Koyomi, Arata's sister, arrived at the hospital with Kazama and Commander Narada. Koyomi fell silent, seeing the tense expressions on Pierson and Natasha's faces.

"Koyomi, Arata is not dead," Pierson told her in a low voice.

Koyomi, who was so sad and filled with worry, was suddenly approached by Alena. With tears streaming down her face, Alena hugged Koyomi, as if conveying all her unexpressed fears and relief.

Seeing the scene, Pierson realized that while Arata was alive, to the outside world, he was dead. Only the few people in that room—Pierson, Natasha, Alena, Koyomi, Kazama, and Commander Narada—knew the truth. Outside, everyone, including the students who had returned to their lives, only knew that Arata had passed away.

Far from Tokyo, at his secret hideout, Collins heard the news of Arata's death.

"Arata, your son's squad leader, is dead," one of his men reported.

Collins smiled a smile of satisfaction, one that hadn't been seen on his face for a long time. "Good. Finally... He has met with my son."

He took a photo of Marvin Collins from his pocket, looking at it with affection. "Now you two are together, son. Justice has been served."

But in Collins's satisfied smile, there was one thing he didn't know: Arata wasn't dead. His tragic and heroic death was a planned lie. A trap.

Condition Zero. The state where a deadly game has just begun. With everyone believing Arata has fallen, he is now free to move in the shadows, waiting for the right moment to return, face Collins, and end the game.