Kai eyebrows moved when he saw the last message of the system, before he could comprehend the words. His eyes closed and he fell to the ground.
[Ongoing world configuration]
[World configuration complete]
Although Kai fell unconscious, he continued to hear the female voice in his head.
In his mind, his expression was deadly, of course, failure of any task should result in death, because he wouldn't failed to protect the people's lives that are on the line.
He didn't know what the task of missions would be like, but he knew his boss in the office or any other governmental authority wouldn't be the one deciding it now, the goddess nemesis would be the one deciding, and for sure, there would be no mercy for anyone.
Kai's eyes fluttered open, the harsh fluorescent lights above him blinding for a moment. His head throbbed with a dull ache, and the sterile scent of antiseptic filled his nostrils. As his vision cleared, he realized he was lying in a hospital bed, the steady beeping of a heart monitor echoing in the room.
He tried to sit up, but a sharp pain shot through his side, making him gasp.
"What… where am I?"
He muttered, his voice raspy and weak.
A nurse, who had been checking his IV, looked down at him with a mixture of relief and concern; she couldn't believe he woke up this quickly.
She said it with a calm voice.
"You're in the hospital. You were found unconscious in front of the hospital. You've been through a lot, but you're going to be okay."
Kai's mind raced at that moment, the events of the last few hours or was it days?—coming back to him in a rush. The betrayal, the gunshots, the voice of Nemesis offering him a chance at revenge.
He had accepted, and then nothing. Just darkness. And now, here he was, in a hospital bed, alive.
He closed his eyes, trying to make sense of it all.
The last message from the system before he passed out played over and over in his mind.
"Peace without justice is tyranny. Become the man who sets justice back where it belongs."
The words had shocked him, but they had also lit a fire within him. The system was right—he couldn't let what had happened go unanswered. If the system could truly grant him power beyond humans, he could use it to fulfill his mission and bring justice to the people that deserved it, he wouldn't fail.
He would hunt down those who betrayed him, those who think they are untouchable in society, and he's going to kill them all, starting with his partner.
"How long… How long have I been here?"
Kai asked, his voice stronger now.
"Just a day."
The nurse replied, adjusting the IV drip.
"Nobody what was wrong with you. they saw you collapsed in front of the hospital, but you made it and woke up quicker than the doctor had anticipated."
Kai nodded absently, his thoughts already moving ahead of him.
His partner must have known by now his body wasn't in the underground; definitely he must be looking for him now. Kai knows he can't stay here any longer. If his partner knows he's alive; he would come back to finish the job.
Kai knew he had to leave before that happened.
The nurse noticed the determined look in Kai's eyes, and she gently placed her hand on his arm to calm him down; she knew he's in shock.
"You should rest, sir. You're not fully recovered yet; it's not advisable to start moving. Please rest your back and get some sleep."
She was trying to help Kai rest his back.
"It's going to help you."
But Kai shook his head.
"I can't stay here. I have to go."
The nurse frowned, clearly concerned about what Kai said.
"You're in no condition to leave. The doctor hasn't even checked you properly yet."
"I'll be fine."
Kai insisted, slowly swinging his legs over the side of the bed, wincing as the movement pulled at his stitches on his body.
"I need to leave now."
Seeing that she couldn't persuade him, the nurse sighed and reluctantly helped him get dressed. Every movement was painful, but Kai gritted his teeth and pushed through it.
His mind was focused on one thing: getting out of the hospital and back to somewhere safe.
He needs to understand what is going on.
As he walked out of the room, he avoided making eye contact with anyone; his body was tense and ready to react at the slightest sign of danger.
His senses feel heightened, like he could hear and see things more clearly than before.
"Maybe it's the power of Nemesis starting to take hold, or perhaps it was just the adrenaline. Either way, I need to be vigilant."
he said to himself.
Finally, he came outside; the cool night air hit him like a slap in the face, waking him up even more.
He stood there for a moment, taking it all in.
The world around him seemed different now, sharper, and more dangerous. He felt exposed, vulnerable. But he also felt a strange sense of clarity and purpose now.
Knowing he doesn't have time to waste, he hurried down the street, keeping his head low and his pace steady, blending in with the few people still out at that hour. He knew he needed to get home, his family home, where he could figure out his next move without the immediate threat of his partner finding him.
The journey felt longer than usual; every corner he turned filled with the tension of being followed.
But finally, he reached the old, familiar house.
The sight of it brought a wave of conflicting emotions—relief and at the same time anger.
It was a place of comfort and safety because only he knew this place; it was closer to the jungle, and few houses were around.
Kai pushed open the front door and stepped inside.
The house was quiet. He crept up to his old room, each step feeling like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. But the moment he closed the door behind him, his attention shifted back to the system.
The power of Nemesis. He could feel it coursing through him—a constant, simmering energy just beneath the surface. It was like a second heartbeat, steady and insistent.
Kai sat down on the edge of his bed, trying to make sense of what had happened to him.
"Nemesis."
He whispered, he didn't know how else to trigger the power he felt yesterday.
Perhaps calling out the full name would work.
"Nemesis System"