Solnus 22. The Sealed; The Sick; The Good Shape; The Sturdiest, H, ij, The Jar

985 days, or 2 years, 8 months, and approximately 15 days before the Circumadversum Omatsuri, one early morning.

In an octagonal room with a white ceiling, walls, and floor, Guruh Dwi Cahyo sat cross-legged. His eyes were fixed on an object emitting light. It was one of the furnishings in the room: a television.

At that moment, the television was broadcasting a European soccer match. Guruh, watching the broadcast, wondered, "I remember this match was supposed to be broadcast about two days after I strangely found myself in this octagonal room."

Guruh's memory also retained the fact that most European soccer matches broadcast in Japan would take place late at night or early in the morning due to the time difference. The time difference between Japan and Europe was approximately seven to nine hours.

Guruh examined the time display beside the television. The device displayed a date and a clock indicating that it was early morning. However, Guruh didn't automatically believe what he saw.

Guruh wondered, "Is the time displayed on the device correct? Is what I'm watching on the television screen really a live football match? The two teams are wearing jerseys with logos and colors I know. The players and coaches of both teams are also consistent with my knowledge. But are they really playing like that, and with the current score?"

Meanwhile, in another octagon, Bành Đức Hải was doing something similar. He sat with his legs stretched out, his eyes glued to the television screen, which was broadcasting a live European football match.

Hải and Guruh wondered, "Is the time in this room the same as the time on Earth?"

(000)

985 days, or 2 years, 8 months, and about 15 days before the Circumadversum Omatsuri, one morning.

Daniel Lumanbatu was back creating content for his video channel. This time, he was showing something he had never done before. The incident was happening to two of his seniors, Bành Đức Hải and Guruh Dwi Cahyo.

Daniel knocked on Hải's door and asked, "Excuse me, senpai. May I take a video?"

Hải, from inside the room, said, "Yes. But just shoot me from the door. Don't get too close, or you might catch my illness."

Daniel replied, "Okay, senpai Hải-san." He complied with Hải's request, opening the door but not stepping into Hải's room at all. From the door, Daniel took a picture of Hai and commented, "Look, all my online friends. It looks like Hai-san senpai isn't doing well, right?"

Daniel then said, "Thanks, senpai. I hope you get well soon." Hai just smiled and nodded in response.

After that, Daniel closed Hai's door. He then repeated the same thing in Guruh Dwi Cahyo's room. Just like Hai, Guruh allowed Daniel to film from the door only.

After finishing documenting Hai and Guruh's situation, Daniel headed to the dining room of their apartment. He placed the camera on the dining table with the lens facing him. Daniel sat down in a chair and began to tell his story, "So, this is what happened since yesterday afternoon, guys."

Daniel shared, "So, at that time, I had just finished making some content around the hot spring where my colleagues from the company and I were soaking. When I arrived at the apartment, I saw that Guruh and Hai had just arrived. I immediately thought, 'That's strange. They'd left much earlier, but they arrived at the apartment with me.'"

Daniel explained what happened next. "So, when I got up close, my two seniors looked different. I started talking to them, and they were stuttering a bit, not speaking fluently. I asked them to touch their foreheads. Wow, it felt hot. After that, I immediately called Sacho. Minato-san immediately came by car to our apartment."

Daniel recounted, "After that, the boss immediately took them to the nearest clinic. They were examined immediately, and he said they did indeed have the flu and colds. I don't know why; maybe it was because they had soaked in the hot spring... But they've been to hot springs many times and never felt like this, guys. Could it be something they ate wrong or something, or a virus or something? I don't really know, guys."

Daniel continued his story, "Well, after being examined at the clinic, they were given medication and immediately told to rest, guys."

Daniel expressed his hope, "I hope Senpai Hải-san and Senpai Guruh-san can recover fully as soon as possible, guys. It would be a shame if they couldn't work and their salaries were cut. It would be a shame if the boss lost two of his experienced workers."

(000)

985 days, or 2 years, 8 months, and about 15 days before the Circumadversum Omatsuri, one morning.

Seira Ito Fotiou had completed her ferry journey. She has now arrived on an island still in Japan. She immediately took some photos and videos to save and send to her mother.

In addition to her personal collection, Seira also selected several photos to share publicly on her social media accounts. In her post, Seira chose the caption "Hello, World! I'm ready to contribute well. I'm ready to maintain my good shape while developing my artistic soul."

Seira's final sentence wasn't wrong. On the island, she will join a music group that requires its members to maintain strict health standards.

Those who join the group will undergo a rigorous training period to be accepted as members. In addition to playing music, they must also engage in many other activities, such as running ten kilometers every day, planting and harvesting their own rice for consumption, and so on.

(000)

985 days, or 2 years, 8 months, and approximately 15 days before The Circumadversum Omatsuri, one night.

About four years have passed since Yuukyuritoo Mitsuishi and Daan Batra Mizuguchi joined the Buriki kan no Barakku. During those four years, they have witnessed and experienced some things that remain unchanged and others that do.

Things that remain unchanged in the barracks include the G division symbol and the H division symbol, as well as the meaning of the letters in each symbol.

The G division symbol consists of two ginkgo leaves and the silhouette of the letter G. The ginkgo leaves were inspired by the university affiliated with Professor Hoshimu Kimura, Yuuichirou Hatoyama, and John Anatole Holland. The letter G can have several meanings, such as "groundwork" or "groping in the shadows."

The H division symbol is formed from an octagon. In the center of the octagon are the silhouettes of two imperfect circles facing each other. Yuukyuridoo and the majority of Buriki kan no Barakku members prefer to refer to the silhouette as two fans facing up and down.

Why the octagon and the fan? The octagon was chosen because Professor Kimura realized four years ago that the shape was related to what the Buriki kan no Barakku members were facing. Meanwhile, "fan" was expected to be important to them.

Just like the meaning of the capital G, the meaning of the H in the octagon symbol can also be interpreted in various ways. A capital H can mean "hedge fund," "husbandry," "heist," "hear," "hand of invisibility," and so on.

Meanwhile, unlike the two capital letters, the lowercase "ij" symbol has a single meaning. It means "Irregular Jarhands." Just like the octagon and the fan, Professor Kimura realized four years ago that he and his colleagues would have to deal with "irregulars" and "jarhands."

Furthermore, unlike four years ago, this symbol has undergone a slight change. An object has been added to the center of the ellipse, outside the lowercase "ij." This object resembles a circle or shield with a slight triangular depression in the center left and center right. This shape is the shape of a device created over a four-year period.

This device is one of the results of the work of the G division of the Buriki kan no Burakku (Crystal of the Demonic Beasts). Professor Kimura, the head of the G division, has worked tirelessly to test and create the device. Professor Kimura even used his own body as an experimental subject. Now, it has been confirmed that the device, dubbed the "jarhand," is 100% functional.

Tonight, Yuukyuritoo Mitsuishi and Daan Batra Mizuguchi will have something implanted into their bodies using this device. Their hands are ready to be inserted into a "jar" with a hole shaped like an imperfect circle in the ij division symbol.

If the process is completed and successful, Yuukyuritoo and Daan will certainly be among the “sturdiest” in human history.