The Survival of the Third-rate Villain-Chapter 174 : 174 - After The Invasion [2]—Old Man Rey

"Raye... you were out for over a month."

Jerusha's voice was calm, but the weight of her words was anything but that.

And hearing her—

"..."

Raye froze.

For a moment, his brain refused to process it.

"Huh...?"

The word slipped from his lips before he even realized it. A quiet, confused sound—like his mind was struggling to catch up.

'Over a month?'

'That couldn't be right.'

He thought in his head, in denial.

Raye's brows furrowed as his thoughts raced.

"Wait… what?"

He looked at Jerusha, searching her face, hoping that she was joking.

"..."

But she wasn't.

Jerusha maintained a serious expression on her face.

Her eyes held no trace of amusement.

Just quiet, exhausted sincerity.

And that's when it hit him—

This wasn't a mistake.

He had really been unconscious for over a month.

"..."

Raye silently sat on his bed, his mind grinding to a halt.

'A month?'

"A month...?"

He couldn't believe it.

His memories felt too fresh—too immediate. The battle, the chaos, the pain—it all felt like something that had happened just yesterday.

And yet—

Fwip—

He clenched his fists. His arms were thinner than he remembered. His body felt stiff, like it hadn't moved in weeks.

His stomach twisted.

"What the fuck..."

Raye muttered, slightly shaking his head.

"I can't believe that I was out for that long."

He whispered under his breath, massaging the temple of his head.

"..."

Jerusha didn't say a word, she just looked at Raye in silence.

And instead—

"Hmn..."

Her lips pressed together.

A frown appearing on her face, deep with hesitation.

She was conflicted.

And Raye—

"Huh?"

He caught a glimpse of her face.

A bad feeling settled in his gut upon seeing Jerusha's expression.

He immediately felt that something was wrong.

Something else than this, and it was more dire.

Slowly—

Shiick—

Raye's fingers curled into the sheets beneath him. His breathing grew unsteady.

"...Jerusha"

He said, his voice quieter now.

And after a short pause—

And readying himself for the worst—

"What happened?"

Raye opened his mouth and asked that.

Jerusha's lips parted—

"..."

But no words came out of her mouth.

She hesitated.

And Raye—

He just waited.

His chest tightened with each passing second.

The silence between them—

Swoosh~

It was heavy and suffocating.

'How should I say it...'

Jerusha was thinking.

Choosing her words carefully.

And that alone—

"..."

Told Raye everything.

This wasn't just about him being unconscious for a month.

It was something else.

And it's worse.

"...Jerusha"

Raye repeated.

His voice was a lot lower and calmer now.

"Just tell me."

He mumbled, pleading.

Jerusha closed her eyes briefly.

"Fuuu..."

Inhaling through her nose.

And then, finally—

She opened her mouth.

Jerusha's lips trembled.

She lowered her gaze, hands tightening on her sleeves.

Raye noticed these.

His heartbeat quickened.

'This is bad...'

He could feel it.

The way Jerusha hesitated—

The way her throat bobbed as she tried to speak—

This wasn't just any bad news.

It was personal.

"…Raye."

Jerusha finally muttered.

Her voice was quiet. Strained.

Like the words physically hurt to say.

"..."

Raye didn't interrupt. He just watched her.

Waiting.

Dreading.

And then—

Jerusha inhaled sharply.

And forced it out.

"Old Man Rey... h-he..."

Her voice cracked.

And as soon as he heard that Old Man Rey was involved in this—

'No...'

Raye's stomach dropped.

"No, no, no, no, no...!"

He silently mumbled to himself.

Fwip—

Jerusha clenched her fists, shutting her eyes.

And forcibly—

"...He hasn't woken up either."

She declared that.

"Old Man Rey... He's been in a coma for over a month now."

Jerusha added, looking down on the cold wooden floor.

She got sad too as she remembers that.

On the other hand—

"..."

Raye became silent.

His breathing stopped.

"..."

Silence.

Absolute silence.

Jerusha bit her lip, her entire body tense.

And Raye—

"What...?"

He just sat there.

Frozen.

Raye's mind was a mess.

The words wouldn't stop repeating.

'Old Man Rey… hasn't woken up.'

'He's been in a coma for over a month.'

Each time, they sank deeper—they felt heavier.

"...!"

His breath hitched, stuck somewhere in his throat.

His chest felt tight.

Like something heavy was pressing down on him, suffocating him.

"...Old Man..."

The words barely came out.

His voice was hoarse, it has no energy.

"..."

Jerusha didn't say anything.

She just sat there, watching Raye, her gaze weighted with something unspoken.

Something painful.

She knew how he felt.

She wasn't just watching his reaction—she was feeling it too.

"...Ugh..."

Raye's body that was already weak felt even more unsteady.

His arms trembled. His legs felt numb.

And his heartbeat—

Thump—

Thump—

Thump—!

It pounded in his ears.

Louder.

Heavier.

And while stuttering—

"...Where is he right now?"

Raye asked that.

His voice came out rough.

"Umm..."

Jerusha hesitated for a moment.

Raye noticed that.

And for him—

'I see...'

This confirmed that Old Man Rey was really in a coma.

That Jerusha wasn't about to take her words back.

That this wasn't just a messed-up joke.

That Old Man Rey wasn't going to walk in the room any second now, scolding him for sleeping in so long.

That this wasn't just some horrible misunderstanding.

Raye felt a sting in his heart.

And then, at that moment—

"He's in the next room."

Jerusha finally answered his question.

"Right beside yours."

Her voice was steady.

And Raye—

"..."

His stomach twisted once again.

But not from hunger.

This was something else.

Something worse.

"Haaa... ha..aa..aa... haa...."

His breathing turned uneven.

Too fast. Too shallow.

His vision blurred—not from tears, but from the sheer weight of it all.

He needed to see him—Old Man Rey.

Right now.

Fwip—

His fingers dug deeper into the bedsheets as he forced himself to sit up properly.

"Please..."

His breathing was still uneven. His limbs weak, trembling.

But none of that mattered.

"Please take me to him."

He said, looking at Jerusha.

His voice came out raw and weak.

And at his request—

"..."

Jerusha hesitated.

She could see it.

The way Raye's body swayed. The way his muscles refused to cooperate. The way exhaustion was still weighing him down.

But even so—

"...Of course."

She responded to him while nodding her head.

A bitter smile rested on her face.

Fwip—

Jerusha moved closer, slipping her arm under Raye's to support him.

"Here."

FWISH—

She helped him up, letting Raye lean against her, his arm draped over her shoulder.

Tap—

Raye tried to move.

But—

Thud—!

"Urgh...?!"

His legs nearly gave out.

"Gh...!"

His entire body screamed in protest.

He has no energy... no strength.

His muscles felt like dead weight, like they had forgotten how to work!

But patiently—

"Be careful."

Fwip—

Jerusha quickly steadied his body.

"Easy now..."

"Don't push yourself too hard."

She muttered reassuringly.

Raye let out a shaky breath.

"Thanks, Jerusha..."

His voice was weak, barely more than a whisper, but sincere.

Jerusha didn't reply right away. She just shifted her weight, making sure Raye was steady against her—

"Mhm..."

Before giving him a quiet nod.

And with that—

Tap- tap- tap—

The two of them stepped forward.

Creak—

Thud!

And then they left the room.

Outside...

"..."

The hallway was silent. Too silent.

TAP—

Each of their steps felt heavier than the last one.

But neither of them stopped.

Tap- tap—

They just moved.

Straight to the room on the right.

Where Old Man Rey was...

And as soon as they reached the door—

"..."

Raye and Jerusha stood still.

Not saying a word.

Not moving.

Just standing there.

Like stepping forward would make this even more real.

'Can he take it...?'

Jerusha hesitated.

She glanced at Raye, as if to ask if he was really ready for this.

But Raye—

"..."

His jaw clenched. His fingers trembled slightly against her shoulder.

He wasn't going to waste another second.

"Hufffff..."

And with a sharp inhale—

B A M—!

He pushed the door open with his remaining strength!

And seeing what was inside—

"...!"

Raye froze.

He was speechless.

Because there—

Lying on a soft, white bed—

"..."

Was Old Man Rey.

"..... "

He didn't look like the Old Man Rey that Raye knew.

The Old Man who had always seemed so old, yet invincible—

The Old Man who had trained him, scolded him, and pushed him past his limits—

The Old Man that always acted rude, but deep inside, actually cares a lot—

Now...

He looked so... fragile.

It looks like he was withering!

His body had shrunk, his skin now clinging to his bones!

And his face—

It was pale. Hollow. Lined with exhaustion.

"ha..a...aa...a...aa.."

His breathing was shallow. Barely noticeable.

There were dark circles under Old Man Rey's closed eyes, like he hadn't rested properly in years.

His arms lay limp at his sides, unmoving.

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The blankets covered most of him, but even then, it was obvious—

His body was skin and bones.

Weakened.

Almost lifeless.

And seeing him like that—

"...!"

Raye felt like something had grabbed his heart and squeezed it.

It was the first time he had ever seen Old Man Rey look so... Weak.

Fwoosh~

The silence in the room was suffocating.

"hu...u..uuu..."

The only sound was the faint, breathing of Old Man Rey.

Proof that he was still alive.

Proof that his heart was still beating.

But—

It was so weak.

"...Ah..."

Raye's lips parted slightly, but no words came out.

And then, finally, after calming down for a bit—

"I'm sorry..."

Raye mumbled that.

"I'm sorry..."

Again.

"I'm sorry....."

And again.

His voice was getting weaker.

Then, slightly bowing his head with a frustrated frown—

"If only I arrived earlier that day....."

Raye mumbled that to himself.