Chapter 40: Chapter 9.2: Bathing Up "Before you finish that thought," Asha cut in, her digital voice laced with dry amusement, "I’m gonna have to point out that you haven’t bathed in five days. You’re basically approaching ’biological hazard’ territory here."
A sudden wave of self-awareness hit Jin like a splash of cold water. He shifted uncomfortably on the medical cot, the fabric of his uniform suddenly feeling scratchy against his skin. He brought the collar to his nose and recoiled slightly. "Oh," he muttered, horror dawning on his face. "Oh no."
He sniffed again, just to be sure.
Yep. He reeked. A potent mix of dried sweat, pipe grease, faint antiseptic, and desperation. No wonder Asha sounded smug.
Rosa was the first to notice his reaction, raising a single, perfectly shaped brow. "Wait—don’t tell me that face means what I think it means."
She leaned in slightly, her expression shifting from curiosity to concern... then leaned way back with an exaggerated grimace.
Rosa’s nose scrunched up as she leaned away. "Ohh~"
"I-I didn’t wanna say anything," Clara stammered, fidgeting with her glasses and suddenly finding the floor fascinating.
"You do smell kinda... um... Like a sweaty gym sock that’s been forgotten in a locker for a month," Sera said, not sugarcoating it in the slightest.
"Thanks for the honesty," Jin muttered, completely mortified as his face flushed crimson.
"I tried bringing it up earlier," Asha said dryly, "but you were too busy having your emotional breakthroughs to notice basic hygiene."
Rosa jumped off her crate with fresh energy, her black uniform accentuating her athletic movements. "Well, that settles it! Bath time for our fearless hero!"
"I can wait—" Jin started weakly.
"No," all three girls said at once, their voices overlapping in perfect unison.
"The hygiene facilities are working fine," Sera said, checking her tablet with clinical precision. "Clara got power back to that area yesterday. You’re going. Now."
"B-but what about planning?" Jin protested, grasping at straws.
"We’ll plan after you’re clean," Sera said firmly, her tone leaving no room for argument. "We’ll handle the initial stuff while you... handle yourself."
Clara pulled up the Vault schematics on her glasses, her fingers moving deftly across the holographic interface. "The b-bath module’s actually pretty advanced. The water recycling uses molecular filtration, and the temperature controls are accurate to like 0.1 degrees."
"Sounds fancy," Rosa grinned, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Maybe we should all—"
"Rosa," Sera cut her off sharply, though a faint blush colored her cheeks.
"What? I was gonna say... tour the facilities later," Rosa said innocently, though her smirk said otherwise.
"I’m picking up elevated stress hormones from everyone," Asha observed clinically. "Recommendation: get to the bath module before this gets more awkward."
"Right," Jin said, grateful for the out as he pushed himself to his feet. "I’ll... go clean up. Thanks for, uh, letting me know."
"We’ll be in the Command Lounge when you’re done," Sera said, her cheeks still tinged with pink. "Take your time."
As Jin grabbed some fresh clothes and headed for the door, Rosa called out, "Don’t forget to wash behind your ears!"
"Rosa!" Clara squeaked, her face now matching the color of a ripe tomato.
The hallway leading to the bath module had soft blue lights that brightened as he walked by, creating a gentle wave of illumination that followed his progress. The entrance had both Japanese and English writing: "Purification Chamber - 清浄室"
"The Vault’s designers definitely had some cultural appreciation," Asha noted as Jin approached. "This place combines traditional Japanese bathing ideas with high-tech purification stuff."
The door slid open silently, and what he saw made him stop in his tracks. The main room was huge and peaceful, with dark stone walls that seemed to glow warmly from within. The air felt different here, clean and humid, with a subtle mineral smell that reminded him of natural hot springs.
A big rectangular pool sat in the center, its surface perfectly still and steaming gently. One wall had a row of shower stations, each with multiple shower heads and control panels that looked more like spaceship controls than bathroom fixtures.
"Water’s at 104 degrees Fahrenheit. Mineral content is optimized for muscle recovery and skin health. The filtration is running, this water’s cleaner than most pre-collapse drinking water."
"It’s incredible," Jin murmured, setting his clean clothes on a polished wooden bench. The uniform he’d been wearing already felt too formal for this peaceful place.
He walked up to one of the shower stations, amazed by all the controls. There were settings for water pressure, temperature, mineral content, even something called "Therapeutic Massage Mode."
"I’d start with the standard cleansing cycle," Asha suggested. "You can play with the fancy features once you’re not actively offending people’s noses."
The water was perfect, hot enough to ease his sore muscles, but not uncomfortable. As he stood under the spray, letting five days of dirt and stress wash away, Jin felt something he hadn’t felt since waking up in the Vault—actual relaxation.
Steam rose around him, and with it came fragments of memory.
---
Steam swirled around him, bringing with it echoes of the past. He could hear a woman’s voice, soft yet resolute. "Jin, you need to understand that the sword isn’t merely a tool for fighting. It represents your spirit, your discipline, and your heritage."
The sound of wooden practice swords clashing in a sunlit dojo filled his mind, mingling with the scents of incense and polished wood.
"Your grandmother would be so proud of how far you’ve come. The Tsurugi legacy continues with you."
"But I don’t want to just be a corporate heir, Mother. I want to make a difference."
"Sometimes, making a difference means wielding power. And with power... comes sacrifice."
As the memory slipped away, it left Jin with more questions than he could answer. Yet one thing became clear: his past was far more complex than he had ever realized.
---
[MEMORY FRAGMENT RECOVERED]
Source: Neural Echo – Subject Reika Tsurugi
Context Tag: [Pre-Collapse Indoctrination]
"Sometimes, helping people requires power. And power... power requires sacrifice."
Integration Status: Successfully Synced with Core Memory Layer
Update:
Confirmed Link: [Tsurugi Zaibatsu – Direct Bloodline: Reika Tsurugi]
Implied Objective: Pre-conditioning for an unknown future role
[STATUS SCREEN – UPDATE COMPLETE]
[Jin - Subject-01]
Level: 6
EXP: 300 / 1000
HP: 392 / 392 Stamina: 392 / 392
Core Attributes:
STR (Strength): 16.00
DEX (Dexterity): 4.00
AGI (Agility): 11.50
END (Endurance): 14.00
RES (Resilience): 12.00
PER (Perception): 14.00
Skills:
Night Vision (Passive Lv. 1)
Stealth (Passive Lv. 1)
Tsundere Radar (Passive Lv. 1)
Basic First Aid (Active Lv. 2 → 15%)
Melee Weapon Mastery (Improvised) (Lv. 5 → 25%)
Sword Mastery (Passive Lv. 1)
Athletics – Basic Strength Feats (Lv. 1 → 5%)
Mutated Fauna Combat Basics (Lv. 1 → 5%)
Combat Art: Desperate Strike (Cooldown: 01:00)
Instinct Surge (Active Lv. 1)
Accidental Harem Magnet (Passive – Max Lv. 5)
Natural Leader (Passive)
Predator Instinct (Passive Lv. 1 – 5%)
Group Affinities:
Seraphina Valerius: 42 / 100
Clara Vance: 49 / 100
Rosalie Thorne: 40 / 100
Morale: 92%
---