Chapter 1623: -1604- Really grown up...
"Beep—beep—beep—"
In a simple, unadorned small room, the alarm clock rang on time, breaking the silence that had enveloped the room throughout the night.
"Snap!"
A hand stretched out from beneath the covers and forcefully slapped the snooze button on the alarm clock, silencing it before reluctantly getting out of bed.
"Why did I have to wake up when I could finally sleep in?"
Rozen complained as he stretched his limbs, but a satisfied smile lingered on his face.
"It's been so long since I've been able to sleep in."
Rozen seemed particularly pleased with his sleep from the previous night.
This was understandable. He could hardly recall how long it had been since he let everything go and peacefully enjoyed a lazy morning.
Here, Rozen didn't have to constantly worry about his research.
Here, he didn't have to consider how to deal with any enemies.
In fact, he didn't even have to worry about being late for class or fret over any predetermined plans.
Thus, he truly slept very comfortably last night, experiencing a long-lost sense of security.
"Perhaps it's also due to the environment?"
Rozen turned his head to look at the room he hadn't seen for many years.
The room was small, barely fitting a bed, a bookshelf, a desk, and a computer table, along with a wardrobe; there was nothing else at all.
The bookshelf was neatly filled with various books.
They were extremely ordinary—manga, novels, magazines, and textbooks.
On the desk lay an open notebook.
On the computer table was a high-performance desktop computer.
That was a computer Rozen had used for quite some time, and it still held all the games he had played.
Last night, Rozen had excitedly opened these games, temporarily setting aside all his responsibilities, fully immersing himself in play and nearly playing through the entire night.
"Thinking back, I haven't played games in such a long time; thankfully, my reflexes haven't diminished, and I've regained the feeling from back then."
Just the thought of this brought a refreshing feeling to Rozen.
He vividly remembered that he had once been a genuine gaming master, a top player in every game, even a professional, reigning supreme for what seemed like ages.
However, due to the different environments of worlds unlike this one, Rozen had really not touched games for a long, long time—at least several decades.
Now, back in this world where gaming technology was highly developed, and with no mysterious threats looming, Rozen felt a sense of relief. He could set aside all his research and training, free from concerns about safety, and truly relax and enjoy himself.
Though the exploration and pursuit of the mysterious had always been Rozen's greatest passion, just as any beloved job needs rest, he indeed needed to take a good break.
Fortunately, Rozen had successfully absorbed the power of Foreign Mana and entered a period of sublimation.
Transformation was merely a matter of time.
Thus, Rozen had decided to put aside all research and training in this world and truly take the time to relax.
"After all, sublimation is spontaneous, requiring no intervention from me, and even if I just lay around all day, the new magic circuits will operate on their own, continuously generating mana."
In other words, Rozen could grow stronger even while lying down.
So, even though he could research new techniques, he didn't plan to do so in this world; he was determined to rest properly.
Of course, in this world, Rozen still had some things to attend to.
Yesterday, Kikuoka Seijirou had already sent a message saying that Yuuki Shouzou had intentionally cleared his schedule, canceling all work and appointments, ready to meet Rozen today.
The location would be at the hospital in Tokorozawa.
Yuuki Shouzou planned to visit Asuna, and it just so happened that Rozen would meet him.
"Hopefully, everything goes smoothly."
Recalling the girl who still lay asleep in her hospital bed, seemingly locked in a struggle, Rozen's relaxed mood slowly faded.
Following that, Rozen got out of bed, opened the door, and stepped out of his room.
...
"Click..."
As the door opened, Rozen stepped out of the room marked with his name in this world.
"Click..."
Almost simultaneously, another door opened nearby.
"Hm?"
Rozen turned his head to the source of the sound.
There, carrying a bamboo sword bag and dressed in a kendo uniform, a girl stepped out.
Who else could it be but Kirigaya Suguha?
"Good morning, Suguha."
Rozen greeted the girl.
This was something he often did when he was still in this world.
However, back then, Suguha would respond to his greeting with indifference, showing no joy or sorrow.
But now...
"Aoka-nii-san, you're awake already?"
Suguha looked at Rozen with a hint of surprise and joy, her demeanor no longer cold and detached as before.
Seeing Suguha like this, Rozen felt a deep sense of emotion.
His sister had finally come to her senses, becoming adorable again, no longer the bratty slightly annoyin… Ugh, what am I thinking?
As Rozen mentally criticized himself, Suguha had already dashed up to him.
This sudden move caught Rozen off guard.
Simply because, unlike in the past, Suguha had now grown into a middle school graduate ready to advance to high school; her body had developed considerably.
She had truly grown up, no joke.
In this moment, Rozen only had one thought.
(My little sister has really grown up...)
In every sense of the phrase.
Unaware of the kind of thoughts Rozen might be having, Suguha arrived in front of him.
"Are you okay getting up now?" Suguha asked, a hint of concern in her voice. "You haven't undergone rehabilitation like Kazuto-nii-san, and you've been missing for two months, so no one knows what has happened to you. Are you really alright?"
This was a concern shared by the entire Kirigaya family.
Because Rozen had insisted that he knew nothing, that he had woken up in his current state, they were all worried about whether Rozen's body might be facing any issues.
Only Rozen himself was unconcerned.
"I said it last night: I'll go for a full body checkup in a few days. As for now, at least I'm fine, so you all don't need to worry."
Rozen reassured her gently.
"Then what do you plan to do now?"
Suguha still seemed a bit worried, echoing the behavior of when she was younger—always asking where Rozen was going and wanting to stick by his side.
Sure enough, when Rozen mentioned he was just going out for a walk, Suguha immediately expressed her desire to accompany him.
"Perfect! I was just about to practice in the morning, so Aoka-nii-san, come with me."
Suguha said this and took Rozen's hand, leading him outside.
From the looks of it, she seemed determined to keep an eye on Rozen, ensuring he wouldn't do anything reckless.
With a resigned yet agreeable expression, Rozen allowed himself to be led by Suguha into the yard.
Here, it appeared that someone had already begun their morning practice.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone