The swirling objects slowed down and gently descended, followed by Ethan's limp body. Clara rushed forward and caught him before he hit the ground. The blue glow of the serpent's eye on his forehead faded back into a simple eye mark and then disappeared completely.
The serpent's head, still lodged in Ethan's shoulder, burst into tiny fragments, which dissolved into his body, leaving behind only a red crystal core. Miss Carmen joined them, quickly pouring Stabilizing Juice into Ethan's mouth, followed by Healing Juice. The latter partially mended the wound on his shoulder. Though the healing wasn't complete, the antidote was strong enough to stop the bleeding and neutralize the venom coursing through his veins.
---
DING!
Ethan jolted awake. He found himself lying in a hospital bed, dressed in a standard hospital gown. His head was groggy, but the sound that had just echoed in his mind cleared it instantly.
DING!
The ringing sound came again, and that was when he noticed a red floating message in front of him:
[System Awakening Successful]
"System?" Ethan muttered under his breath, still half in disbelief.
[Booting --- 1%]
[Booting --- 5%]
[Booting --- 15%]
[Booting --- 30%]
[Booting --- 70%]
[Booting --- 100%]
Ethan rubbed his eyes, trying to comprehend what was happening. It finally dawned on him—he had seen a similar message before losing consciousness. Before he could process it further, he felt something warm and soft on his lap. He glanced down and saw Clara Verna, the girl he had secretly admired for so long, sleeping peacefully with her head resting on his thighs. Her soft breaths tickled his hand, and next to her, at the foot of the bed, was her white four-tailed fox, also sleeping gracefully.
Ethan felt his heartbeat quicken. He made a move to sit up, but his right hand was pinned beneath something soft—Clara's chest. He blinked in disbelief, staring down at the soft curves of her body pressed against his hand. A jolt of shock ran through him, followed by another wave of disbelief. Was this real? Was he dreaming? And then, before he knew it, his fingers twitched involuntarily, gripping onto what they had found.
'So soft...' he thought, completely mesmerized by the sensation. His mind wandered into fantasies. Was this the pinnacle of life? The boy who had a crush on Clara now had his hand on her chest, her sleeping face so close to his own. Life couldn't get any better, could it?
Suddenly, Clara stirred. Her eyes fluttered open, revealing those beautiful blue orbs that Ethan adored. She blinked in confusion, and then her expression shifted from sleepy to pure embarrassment as she realized what was happening.
PAH!
Her hand landed hard across Ethan's face, leaving a stinging red mark. She scrambled off the bed, her face flushed a deep red. She looked at him with a mixture of embarrassment and frustration before running out of the room, her fox following closely behind.
Ethan was left stunned, one hand rubbing his sore cheek while the other still remembered the softness of moments ago. He stared at the door where Clara had fled, his mind in a fog.
"Did she like it? Or was I just imagining things?" he muttered to himself.
More messages flashed before him.
[Quest: Lay In A Very Cold Water For 5 Hours]
[Time Limit: 12 Hours]
[Penalty: Lose A Limb]
[Countdown Starts Now!]
[00:00]
"What the hell is this?! A system? Cold water for 5 hours? Lose a limb? What kind of insanity is this?!"
"What are you cursing about?" came a soft, amused voice. Miss Carmen stepped into the room, her eyes twinkling with curiosity.
Before Ethan could respond, another message appeared:
[Don't act stupid!]
"Huh? Oh, nothing, really. I'm fine," Ethan said, trying to act casual.
"That's good to hear. By the way, congratulations—you've awakened," Miss Carmen said, sitting down beside him.
'Yeah, right. A shitty system that only knows how to threaten me,' Ethan thought.
"What kind of affinity did I awaken with, Miss Carmen?" he asked, sweating nervously. The system's countdown had dropped to 8 hours, and he was starting to believe that the penalty might be real.
"If I had to guess, it's a variant of Psychic. Likely telekinesis, given the serpent you bonded with."
"Oh, okay. Um, Miss Carmen? I want to go home."
Miss Carmen smiled. "The doctor has already given the all-clear for your discharge. There's a surprise waiting for you at home. Here are your clothes—get dressed, and we'll leave."
"Thanks. Um, by the way, where's Trevor?"
Miss Carmen chuckled. "You'll find out soon enough. It's part of the surprise."
"Oh, okay... What about Clara?" Ethan asked, his mind still replaying the awkward moment.
Miss Carmen's eyes sparkled knowingly. "Let's just say she's happy to see you. That's all."
[+2 Hours]
[Don't test my patience again, boy!]
"Huh... Thanks a lot," Ethan muttered.
[You can talk to me telepathically.]
Okay...
---
Ethan sat beside Clara in Miss Carmen's car. Though they were seated together, Clara avoided looking at him, her face a mix of embarrassment and anger. Her cheeks flushed red every few moments, betraying her inner thoughts. Ethan wanted to say something—anything—but the words wouldn't come out.
Fifteen minutes later, they arrived at 4th Residence on Cigomia Street. The car pulled up in front of a cozy blue house, surrounded by pothos plants climbing the wooden fence. The neighborhood was eerily quiet, which struck Ethan as odd. Normally, this area bustled with activity.
On one side of the house was a flower garden, and on the other, a broken-down cage that once housed Bronze Rank Dingoes.
Miss Carmen led them inside, but to Ethan's surprise, the house was completely dark and empty. He turned to ask Miss Carmen what was happening, but she and Clara had both vanished.
"What the hell is going on here?" Ethan exclaimed, his voice echoing through the empty room.
"This is going on," a familiar voice answered as the room filled with thick white mist. The smoke was so dense that Ethan couldn't see more than a foot in front of him.
"Trevor? Is that you?"
"Really? That's all you have to say?" the voice responded as a crystal skull with glowing red eyes emerged from the mist. It spat a ball of smoke into Ethan's face, blinding him.
---
When Ethan opened his eyes again, he was outside in the backyard. The familiar scent of flowers filled the air. As soon as he regained his bearings, he felt himself pulled into a tight hug. The soft hair and comforting embrace were unmistakable.
"Mom?" Ethan asked in disbelief, his voice cracking.
"Yes, Ethan. It's me. I've missed you so much," came a sweet, soft voice.
Ethan looked up into the face of Madeleine Smith, his mother. Her angelic beauty took his breath away—her bright green eyes, her flowing dark red hair, her radiant smile. Even in her illness, she had remained beautiful, but now, seeing her healthy and vibrant, it was like witnessing a miracle.
Tears welled up in Ethan's eyes as he stammered, "Mom... you're alright? I... I..."
"Of course, I'm alright now," Madeleine said, brushing his hair gently. "I don't know how, but everything's going to be fine."
---
DING!
[09:50]
Ethan glanced at the timer, irritation flooding his mind.
Seriously? Right now?
[Like I care. It's either you do it, or you lose a limb. Haha!]
'Damn it...' Ethan cursed internally, but before he could finish the thought, another message appeared.
[#1 Warning!]
Great. Just great. Threatening me again.