As a Hero, he was supposed to be prepared for any situation. The prevalence of NEXT criminals demanded it, and yet Barnaby had been utterly defeated before he'd even had much of a chance to fight. Now look at him. Although his abilities had allowed Barnaby to move freely after taking such an injury, the human body still wasn't designed for that kind of punishment. The limitations this place put on him didn't help matters, either.

There was no excuse for what happened. But then, they weren't exactly Heroes anymore, either.

They were still partners, though, and he hazily watched as Kotetsu set to work, relying on years of experience as he tore apart the room in an effort to find something useful. If there was one thing the man was good at, it was saving people while leaving a trail of destruction in his wake. To think that just a few days ago they would have had the best resources in Stern Bild. Now they were huddled together in this god-forsaken place, doing what they could to scrape by while they mopped up his blood with a spare hospital gown. Kotetsu may have had some grand hopes of saving other people, but in the end they could barely take care of themselves.

Even if the man tried to act like everything was under control, Barnaby could sense his anxiety. When his partner ran a rough hand against the pale skin of his thigh, he tried to lift his head enough to get a better look. "What is it?" he rasped.