The helicopter touched down gently on the rooftop, finding an empty space to land. Both of them made their way towards the rear of the helicopter. For Lisa, the back of the helicopter felt like home, given her background as an air assault unit. With the rooftop departure complete, the helicopter ascended into the sky. Lisa settled into her seat by the open door, securing herself with A's machine gun in her hands.

A broke the silence. "So, how's the job?"

Lisa responded with a simple nod.

A continued, "Right, you can't talk. I'll tell you what, once we've lowered the threat level, we can head over to the hospital."

Another nod from Lisa. She glanced at the threat level indicator in her peripheral vision. It started to flash as the helicopter gained altitude, signaling that they lost the cops. Perhaps the police wouldn't bother calling in the air force to intercept, or maybe the threat level functioned differently than she had assumed. In any case, she felt secure up there in the helicopter.

[30,000$ Has Been Transferred To Your Account. +8,000 FP]

A spoke up, "Alright, payment's been sorted, and I've thrown in a little bonus. I need a quick nap, if you don't mind. Honestly, Burns wouldn't want to join us on a high-risk mission like this."

Lisa nodded in agreement. She stowed the machine gun, then took out her phone to check her current status. She should have leveled up by now, right? Her assumption turned out to be correct.

[Diagnostic Menu] [Level 5] [FP: 1,800/2,900] [3 Skill Points Available] [Add Skill]

Name: Lisa Elenhard

General Health Status: Wounded

Status: Broken Jaw, Arm Laceration.

Skills and Proficiencies:

• Medical First Aid: Lv.10 (Enhanced Healing from Medical Items)
• Marksmanship: Lv.15 (Improved Accuracy and Extended Range for Scoped Rifles)
• Social Engineering: Lv.8 (Increased Persuasion and Intimidation Abilities)

Lisa decided to invest her skill points wisely and pressed the [Add Skill] button, revealing a list of available skills.

• Nanobot Medical Assistance Lv.1: Deploy nanobots that accelerate the healing of minor injuries. These microscopic machines work to mend wounds quickly, providing much-needed relief during combat situations.
• Subdermal Armor Lv.1: Implant basic armor beneath the skin to reduce damage from basic ballistic rounds. This subdermal armor acts as a protective layer, absorbing and dispersing the impact of incoming projectiles, improving overall durability.
• Vehicle Handling Lv.1: Enhance your grip and acceleration when handling vehicles. This skill grants improved control and swifter acceleration while driving or operating any type of vehicle.
• Piloting Lv.1: Acquire fundamental flight knowledge to operate aircraft. With this skill, user gains the foundational understanding of piloting, enabling her to handle basic flying maneuvers and control aircraft safely.

Taking a moment to weigh her choices, Lisa concluded that Subdermal Armor was the most sensible option. She had found herself in too many situations where an added layer of protection could have been a game-changer. Given her current injuries, the broken jaw in particular, the prospect of increased damage resistance seemed particularly appealing. With a few quick taps, she allocated all of her available skill points to the Subdermal Armor, hoping it would provide an extra layer of security in her perilous adventures.

A notification appeared on her phone screen:

[Subdermal Armor: Lv.3 Acquired.]

• Enhanced protection against ballistic rounds and melee attacks. Reduced damage from explosions.

A tingling sensation coursed beneath her skin as the skill activated. It felt unusual, yet oddly reassuring. Lisa flexed her arms and shifted around, testing the newfound resilience. Thus far, everything felt normal.

A, noticing Lisa's focused expression while she interacted with her phone, inquired, "So, what did you choose?"

Lisa glanced at A and pointed to her mouth, a reminder that she was currently unable to speak. A chuckled in response. "Right, I forgot," he admitted.

[Threat Level: Clear]

"We seem to be in the clear," A declared, his attention fixed on data displayed on his device. “Pilot, take us to the nearest hospital.”

The pilot acknowledged, responding with a simple, "On it."

Lisa gazed out at the landscape below, which was rapidly diminishing as the helicopter smoothly traveled toward their designated destination – her university hospital. Below, the clouds drifted lazily, their fluffy forms basking in the late morning sun.

For a brief moment, Lisa could almost forget the tension and danger they had just left behind. But one troubling thought lingered in her mind – the officer who had broken her jaw and managed to overpower A despite his smaller stature. She couldn't recall any officer in the ISB with such extraordinary abilities, but in the world of MireWorld, anything seemed possible.

A leaned back in his seat, closed his eyes, and sought a few moments of rest. His breathing slowed, and an air of tranquility seemed to envelope him. Lisa didn't blame him; they had both earned a well-deserved respite. Her body ached from the physical strain and the rush of adrenaline, her broken jaw sending sharp throbs of pain with every slight movement.

The helicopter started its descent, the buildings below getting larger and closer, until finally, the parking lot of the hospital came into view. As they touched down, Lisa felt a sense of relief, mixed with a lingering unease. Would A discover her identity? It was obvious that the pod would require you to be naked, at least. Well, she could find out about it later.

"We've arrived," A announced, rousing from his short rest as the helicopter's engines wound down. "Ready to get patched up?"

Lisa responded with a nod, unfastening her seatbelt and slinging her bag over her shoulder. As they disembarked from the helicopter, a team of medical personnel was already converging on them, clearly informed of their imminent arrival. A nurse took charge, placing A on a gurney and guiding him into the hospital.

"Would you please follow me, ma’am?" the nurse requested, addressing Lisa.

Navigating the empty ER, the medical team promptly ushered her into a treatment room. As the door closed, separating her from A, Lisa eagerly anticipated the repair of her injured jaw. Inside the room, she recognized the female doctor who was waiting.

"Please place your equipment on the table and enter the medical pod," Dr. Hwang instructed in a matter-of-fact tone, holding a tablet in one hand, with a stationary medical pod positioned nearby. "No clothing is allowed within the medical pod."

Lisa hesitated for a moment, recognizing Dr. Hwang from her university hospital. Ultimately, she decided there was no point in worrying about it now. Lisa complied, placing her equipment on the table as instructed and proceeding to disrobe, all while Hwang remained professionally detached and focused on her tablet.

Taking a deep breath, Lisa stepped into the medical pod, its interior lit by a soft, calming blue light. The door closed behind her, and she felt a slight vibration under her feet as the pod activated. The interface inside displayed a series of options and diagnostics, which seemed to interface seamlessly with the stats and skills on her own phone.

[Initiating Diagnostic Scan...]

The medical pod hummed to life, the soft blue light turning into a warmer shade of green, signaling the start of the diagnostic phase. A series of light beams swept over her body, scanning her from head to toe. It felt a little ticklish but otherwise unintrusive. A series of screens appeared in front of Lisa, showing real-time data about her physical condition, highlighting the broken jaw and arm laceration.

[Scan Complete. Administering Treatment.]

[Beginning Repair.]

Lisa felt a warm sensation envelop her, particularly concentrated around her broken jaw. Her stats updated in real time, the pain from her jaw fading as her status shifted from [Broken Jaw | Arm Laceration] to [None]. Another set of beams scanned her, this time focusing more intensely on her skin and muscle tissues.

She felt the tingling sensation again, similar to when she had activated her new skill.  A more concentrated beam of light focused on her jaw, the sensation warm but not unpleasant. She felt her jaw realigning, the bone knitting itself back together with incredible speed.

[Treatment Complete. All aliments cured. Overall Health Status: Healthy.]

The door of the pod hissed open, and Lisa stepped out, feeling better than she had in days. She quickly dressed, gathering her equipment from the table. She ignored Hwang, knowing that this was quite awkward for herself, even though this Hwang was not real.

"Well, the pod says you're in perfect health. Quite impressive healing, I must say. Whatever they're paying you, it's not enough."

Lisa offered a smile, finally able to do so without wincing in pain. "I appreciate your concern, Professor Hwang. I'm just glad the healing tech is as advanced as it is."

"As it should be," Hwang said, her expression becoming more serious. "But do take care. The human body is not as invincible as these medical pods might lead you to believe. This thing can’t revive dead body in an instant. Please remember that, alright?"

“I will, prof,” Lisa replied, before donning the helmet on top of her head. She opened the door outside of the office, into the emergency room. A wasn’t there yet, probably because fixing fracture might take longer than fixing a mere broken jaw, but she had no idea at the moment.

Lisa opened her phone, she then pressed a button.

[Store Items & Return To Original Position]