Jin was in the hospital again. The hospital seldom was inactive, given just how many got injured in their training and injured fighting each other. He sat down next to Stevan. Stevan was still wrapped in the white bandages. Jin found it a trifle fruitless, because even if he were to recover, he would be in no radical condition to just participate in the Hunter's tournament.
Cliff appeared amidst the room. He leaned against a wall, jamming his hands in his pockets. He pulled out a pack of cigarettes. He opened the box, and pulled a cigarette out. Then, he placed it between his lips. Finally, he took out the lighter and lit the cigarette. He used his lips to pass it to the corner of his mouth. "Been a while."
"Yeah," Jin said.
Cliff looked at him. "How careless. Not even going to ask what I've been up to?"
Jin looked at him with apathetic eyes.
Cliff averted his eyes.
Jin continued to look at him for a while, until eventually looking away and giving his gaze to Stevan again. "How close is she?"
Cliff sighed. "She's off the radar. Must've found a way to hide herself somehow."
"That's possible?"
"Anything is, really," Cliff said.
Jin managed to form a smirk on his face. "Interesting. Can't wait to meet her."
Cliff blew smoke out of his mouth. "Of course you can't." Cliff then turned to Jin. "By the way, you're suffering Benji."
"Forgot about him," Jin said brusquely.
Cliff narrowed his eyes at Jin. "Have you any idea how many leveling opportunities Benji can get you? That thing's pretty strong man. You haven't even unlocked it's true power yet. It can help you get ferro kinesis. You'll be able to use the flames. Plus, just like you, Benji could evolve."
"I'll teleport him somewhere far and allow him to roam the outside world and kill who he wants to," Jin said.
"You better had," Cliff said. "You're losing opportunities, kid. And I'd also recommend that you get serious about your leveling again. You've slowed down."
"The tournament's around the corner," Jin said.
"That tournament ain't mean nothing," Cliff said, "you can't just stop your shit because of that. What if that other disciple attacks any moment now? You're only at level fourteen after all this time."
"It's only been three months of leveling for me," Jin said.
It was true. After the invasion of the Voids and Earthen creatures, Jin was shortly incarcerated after that for months. After freeing himself, he shortly found the Wizard's colony. And it hadn't even been a month since he'd found it.
"Waw," Cliff said, "you're actually right. But that ain't mean shit, fool. I've seen users of the system reach level fourteen in their first month."
"Not everyone gets to be in the same situation."
"I understand that you got betrayed and blah blah blah," Cliff said, "but that still doesn't mean anything to me. And wait a second, I've just realized that you completely stopped thinking about revenge on Nyx and the others."
"I never forgot," Jin said, "I remember Nyx, Krod, Baron, Alura, Sylvia, Dobby, Ashton—I remember them all. I especially remember Nyx and his gang. But revenge? I get revenge differently."
"Differently as in ..." Cliff trailed off.
"If a world is being burnt, wouldn't everyone in that world be ashes, including your enemies?" Jin smirked.
Cliff shook his head. "I guess all of the users of this system thinks like this. I'm heading out. Just remember to not slack off and leave yourself vulnerable. Also," he looked down at bandaged Stevan, "why don't you go kill West? I mean, you've always been so quick to kill. What's keeping you back?"
"Kaylie's the key to saving the kid," Jin said, "since her magic isn't healing. She reverses everything to a former state—including magic. But," he smirk, "I want him to be saved in ... another way."
"What might that other way be?"
"His brother," Jin answered.
"Makes no sense to me," Cliff heaved, "but I'm sure you've got it all figured out."
Jin regained his smirk.
Cliff leaned off of the wall. "Keep getting stronger Jin. This is important. And please don't let the kid die. He has great potential. See ya," he vanished.
***
Jin entered the Innkeeper's room in the hospital. He was also hospitalized. But luckily, he had them remove his leg. Most of the poison was in that leg. He was fast approaching his death because of the poison.
"Hey," Jin smirked.
The Innkeeper tried to turn his head to look at Jin but had failed miserably. He winced, and squinted. "Jin? Is that you?"
Jin simply sat down.
"I can recognize this ominous aura from anywhere. So you came to check up on me after all," the Innkeeper said.
"I just wanted something to eat, and you were the first to come in mind," Jin said.
"You destroyed my whole fucking Inn," the Innkeeper said.
Jin scratched behind his head. "I'll buy you a new one."
"You're ... an SS-Ranked Hunter ... and you still haven't made a penny here," the Innkeeper said with a husky voice.
The Innkeeper narrowed his eyes. "So you prefer free meals all the time? And begging?"
"Perhaps," Jin said.
"What are you gonna do now that my Inn is destroyed? Move on to the other one?"
"Nope," Jin said, "got a new cook."
"Kaylie's cooking for you again?"
"The spell worked like a charm."
The Innkeeper couldn't help but smile. He suddenly began to cough. It was quite a bloody cough. And had it not been for the blood, it would be quite a dry cough.
Strangely, the Innkeeper was not wrapped in bandages despite his skin shedding and swelling and decaying.
Jin looked him in the eyes. "Why aren't you bandaged?"
"I had a bad past with bandages," the Innkeeper said, "I fear them, really. Plus, they're irritating and fucking itchy as hell. I told Doc I'm allergic, and the guy believed me somehow. You don't get to take baths when your whole body's covered—and I can't go two days away from baths without smelling like a butthole."
Jin hadn't commented.
The Innkeeper frowned. "I'm ... dying, Jin." He closed his eyes. "I think my time has finally come. I want you to kill the Innkeeper for me, okay?"
Jin smirked. "I'll consider it if he refuses to give me free food."
"I tried ... my best to protect little Stevan. Nearly got myself killed in the battle. I'm not really a fighter. That kid was gonna be killed. Where ... is he now? How is he?"
"He's on the verge of death," Jin said.
The Innkeeper gasped. "You're telling me I gave my life for a fucking corpse?"
"Perhaps," Jin said.
The Innkeeper sighed. "Please, Jin. Don't let the kid die. My time has come, but he still has a whole life ahead of him. He very similar you in the sense that he likes getting what he wants.
"It was nice knowing ya, Jin. You're the most interesting lad I've ever encountered in my whole damn eventful life. You have an air of chaos, and an air of charm at the same time. Can't put a finger on it. But it's pretty damn interesting. I guess I won't be seeing you until we're both in hell."
"Yeah, probably not," Jin said. "Also, do you wish to live?"
"What do you mean?" The Innkeeper raised a brow.
"I can save your life," Jin said, "on one condition."
"What's the condition?"
"You promise to work for me. And," he smirked, "I get free food for life."
The Innkeeper gasped. "Free food for life? You wouldn't dare!"
"Free food for life. You heard me."
"Fine. But how on Earth are you going to save me?"
"Via using something that isn't from Earth," Jin said. He snapped his fingers.
Suddenly, a clone appeared with its arms clutched to Kaylie's hips. Kaylie looked around, until her roving eyes found sitting Jin. She then looked at the clone. She grimaced. "There's two of you?"
"That's a clone," Jin said.
Kaylie furrowed her brows. "You're telling me I lost my virginity to a clone?" Her blood boiled.
"To a clone with only one percent of my mind," Jin said, "half of that one percent is my very small storage of lust: that's basically all the lust I have. In other words, that was one horny clone, and I couldn't get you to bake what I wanted unless I complied with you and your sexual approach."
"How dare you!" Kaylie snapped.
Jin smirked.
"Why is Kaylie here?" The Innkeeper's asked.
Jin looked at the Innkeeper. "Someone's going to use her ability to reverse your body to a former state."
"When did I agree to do that!" Kaylie's eyes widened.
"Thank you for volunteering," Jin said.
"Get me out of this place for dead and sickly people," Kaylie snapped, "I'm not helping you
at all! Nuh-uh, no way. Your clone stole my virginity—a fake you!"
Jin snapped his fingers. "Get her, Sexy Jin."
The clone smirked as he inched toward her. He grabbed her face and smooched her for quite some time. Then, he grabbed her behind with both his hands, and pressed his chest against her breasts. Finally, he released her lips, and started licking her face.
"Heal the Innkeeper," Sexy Jin said.
Kaylie nodded, and broke away from Sexy Jin's embrace, starting toward the Innkeeper.