"So... that was pretty much how my day was..."
"Isaac...!" Boss Maya gasped, her voice filled with shock and concern, clearly taken aback by everything I had just told her.
"Hmm..." The aged doctor, meanwhile, simply listened to my story with a calm and attentive demeanor, his expression betraying nothing as he absorbed each detail.
I had just finished recounting what had transpired today to my beautiful superior and the senior doctor—how I had somehow fallen into what I strongly assumed to be the entrance to a wild dungeon.
I also told them about my encounter with the one-eyed giant, a Cyclops... and how, through some inexplicable series of fortunate events, I was now an adventurer by slaying said Cyclops.
Of course, they were skeptical at first. Who wouldn't be?
But then, I showed them my floating 'Status' window, displaying my current stats as a 'Beginner Adventurer.'
And, naturally, I told them about the most significant part of this wild misadventure of mine—how I got my hands on a legendary relic that belonged to the ancient Greek god of lightning, Zeus...
"So... it seems you didn't fall unconscious from your encounter with the Cyclops," the senior doctor deduced, trailing off as he carefully examined me again with his eyes, "... but because the ancient relic you equipped might have either drained your energy to the limit... or overloaded your body with too much electricity, causing you to lose consciousness."
"Well, I guess either of those were the case," I confirmed to his suspicion, showing both of them the gold ring now snugly fitted on my right hand's ring finger.
With that being said, how did I get out of that Greek-themed dungeon anyway? Did it automatically eject me after I obtained the relic?
The doctor mentioned that they found me unconscious on Elysian Way...
If I'm not mistaken, I was pretty sure that was near the large LED billboard that had showcased the latest adventuring news about the hero party Brave Heart…
Well... either way, I was now here in this hospital bedroom, recovering from the wounds I sustained during that encounter.
Truth be told, I might also have been skeptical of myself, thinking maybe it was all just a bad dream or a delusion. But the fact that I could show them the 'Status' window and the gold ring that was now in my hand…
It was all real...!
And it was truly a dream come true for me. I couldn't help but feel excited at the very thought that I had gained not just a starting level up, but also a legendary ancient relic to boot.
I would definitely be the best adventurer with all of these... and in the near future, I might even gain the 'hero' title as well—
"Isaac, why are you acting so giddy about all of this?" Boss Maya snapped toward me all of a sudden.
"B-boss?"
"Listen here, Isaac!" She suddenly raised her voice and promptly closed the distance between us!
"Whoa, calm down, boss...!" I exclaimed, surprised by the sudden closeness, and I was taken aback. I could feel something within me rising again... and I wasn't sure if I could control it...!
"Do you even realize the danger that you got yourself into? You could've been killed!" Her eyes bore into mine, a mix of frustration and genuine concern. "This isn't some fantasy game, Isaac. You can't just brush off what happened like it was nothing!"
"B-boss..."
I couldn't say anything else to her scolding...
It was true, after all... I had almost encountered death in the form of that one-eyed giant.
I had been the luckiest and craziest human ever for even surviving the encounter with that thing when I wasn't even an actual adventurer with their stats system.
Not to mention the ring that was now in my hand. I had been careless with it... even though I knew that relics were extremely rare... and thus, everything about them was still shrouded in mystery.
The few things I did know were that their immense power could be catastrophic if mishandled, as some of them could grant power beyond normal human capabilities.
However, the full extent of their dangers was largely unknown, as relics were so rare that detailed information about them was scarce...
Only high-ranking adventurers would even have the chance to find one... or, in my case, the "luckiest" ones.
"Isaac," Boss Maya addressed me again, breaking me out of my reverie as I looked back toward her.
I saw concern etched all over her visage as she expressed her worry for me. She had paused her scolding, taking a breath and trying to steady herself.
"I know that you've been telling me all the time... about your aspiration to become an adventurer, but…" she continued, trailing off at the end as if to prepare herself, "...you're not invincible, Isaac, nor are any of those brave and bold adventurers who came before you. Death is always at each step they take... and I'm worried that you might not be so lucky next time."
I was stunned silent upon hearing her reasoning... as I began to contemplate her words carefully.
Everything she said was true... and I almost forgot how dangerous adventuring could be, even though I had just faced one such danger myself.
I shouldn't be too drunk with my own excitement. Even if I still want to be an adventurer, I would have to be more careful in the future...
"Uhm!" The senior doctor interrupted the moment between me and Boss Maya as he tried to catch our attention. "I'd like to excuse myself for now. However, Mr. Isaac, I want to inform you that your condition is stable. You're free to leave if you wish, but please take it easy and return for follow-up if needed."
"Really...?"
"Yes," the doctor confirmed with a nod. "It seems that due to your status as an adventurer, your body's natural healing abilities are somewhat enhanced."
"Oh, that's good, I guess..." I replied, feeling glad about the benefits of being an adventurer.
However, I was also trying to reel back the excitement, seeing that my caring superior, Maya, was still showing her concern toward me. I still needed some time to adjust myself to my new reality...
Either way, I would still need to express my gratitude to the good doctor.
"Thank you, doc."
"You're welcome, Mr. Isaac."
The doctor then turned to my superior, "Miss Maya, if you could follow me for a moment, I'd like to discuss Mr. Isaac's discharge with you."
Boss Maya nodded, casting one last worried glance in my direction... before following the doctor out of the room.
Now, I was left alone in this hospital bedroom... and I began to ponder what my life would be like from now on...
< | X | >
Boss Maya and I finally stepped out of the hospital's entrance. It was already evening as the sun was about to set.
Boss Maya stayed close by my side, her concern evident as she continued to check my condition.
"Are you sure you're fine about leaving home by yourself, Isaac?" Boss Maya asked, her voice laced with worry.
"I'm sure, boss," I replied, trying to reassure her. "My body feels a lot better now. Hell, I might even feel better than ever."
"But..."
"It's fine. Trust me on this, boss," I said again, though my words didn't seem to convince her as much as I hoped. "Look... I'm sorry for making you worry like this."
"Isaac...?"
"I know that it wasn't exactly my fault that I got into that mess, but..."
I looked her straight in the eyes, trying to convey my sincerity toward her.
"... I'm truly sorry..."
"Isaac..." she addressed me, her worried expression still evident. But then it softened into relief as she closed the distance between us... and patted my head.
"B-boss?!"
"You really, really made me worry there," she scolded—or rather, teased me—while continuing to rub my head in an adoring manner. "Please be more careful next time, alright?"
"Ugh... okay, boss." I responded, feeling a tad embarrassed by her treatment but also... deeply grateful.
Unfortunately, our heartwarming moment was once again interrupted.
Suddenly, a convoy of black cars screeched to a halt right in front of us.
The doors of the cars flew open, and a group of men in black suits emerged, their faces obscured by dark sunglasses.
"What the?!" I exclaimed, taken aback by their sudden appearance.
They moved with practiced precision, surrounding us in a tight formation! I instinctively shielded Boss Maya behind me, bracing for whatever these intimidating figures were about to do...!
However, one of them—a woman with black hair and the same dark sunglasses—stepped forward and addressed me in a stern tone.
"Mr. Isaac Hunter, you are coming with us."