Chapter 2:
It was 8:30 in the morning. Raiden was lying in his bed, leaning against the pillow, lost in thought. After the accident, his life had suddenly become complicated. The pain in his body after surviving an electric shock had combined with the questions in his mind. A knock on the door startled him and brought him back to reality.
"Come in," he called.
The door opened, and Eric entered, stepping into the room with a full bag in his hand. "Raiden! It's nice to see you still up and about. But you look like you haven't changed a bit since the electric accident," he said with a friendly smile.
Raiden nodded slightly with a faint smile. "It may seem that way from the outside. But believe me, things are a little different on the inside."
Eric walked over to the table and set the bag down. "You know how bad hospital food is. I brought you breakfast. This should give you some energy."
Raiden looked inside the bag and took in the aroma of fresh coffee and bread. Gratitude appeared in his eyes. "You're very thoughtful, Eric. Thank you, really."
Eric sat down on a chair, took a sip of his coffee, and turned to Raiden with a friendly expression. "They were talking about you at work today."
Raiden raised his eyebrows and looked at Eric. "About me? What did they say?"
Eric shrugged. "All sorts of things. Some said the accident was pure luck, while others declared you a hero. But the most interesting part was what the boss said. He speaks highly of you and still considers you the most reliable worker despite everything."
Raiden took a deep breath and leaned back against the pillow. "I don't care what people say. They'll talk, and I'll do my job. For now, I need to focus on recovering."
Eric nodded with a soft smile. "You're right, but there's one more thing." He pulled an envelope out of his pocket and placed it on the table. "This is part of last week's paycheck. But it's not just that. The other guys on the construction team also chipped in a little money. They've been thinking of you."
Raiden picked up the envelope and looked at Eric in surprise, his eyes reflecting both gratitude and embarrassment. "Eric, this... It's really too much. You didn't have to do this. You could've kept it for yourselves."
Eric spoke seriously. "Raiden, take it. We all want you to get back on your feet during this difficult time. That's what friends are for."
Raiden took a deep breath and looked at Eric sincerely. "I won't forget this, Eric. Thank you and the others so much. This really touched me. Knowing that you're all thinking of me is a very special feeling."
Eric placed his hand on Raiden's shoulder and smiled warmly. "That's what friends are for, Raiden. Now eat your breakfast and get some strength."
Eric said goodbye and left the room. Raiden carefully placed the envelope in the drawer beside his bed. As he ate his breakfast, he felt a deep sense of gratitude for Eric and his coworkers' support.
Shortly after Eric left, the room fell silent once more. But this silence was broken by a mechanical voice echoing in Raiden's head.
> System activated. Stats and skills can now be viewed.
Raiden froze for a moment. The voice was so clear that it almost felt real. Closing his eyes, he tried to focus. An interface appeared in his mind.
---
Skill Menu:
Clone Summoning (SSS)
Electric Resistance (E)
Stats:
Strength: 10
Agility: 10
Endurance: 10
Intelligence: 15
Luck: 8
---
Raiden focused particularly on the "Clone Summoning" skill. The "SSS" designation suggested that this ability was far from ordinary. His curiosity got the better of him.
Taking a deep breath, he whispered "Clone Summoning!" as if letting the command echo in his mind.
Suddenly, the room was filled with a bright light. The light flickered and began to take shape, soon turning into a human figure. Raiden stepped back in shock. Standing before him was a clone that looked exactly like him. However, the clone was completely naked.
Embarrassed, Raiden shouted, "Hey! What are you doing? Why aren't you wearing anything?" He quickly opened the drawer under his bed, pulled out an old pair of shorts, and threw it at the clone. "Put this on right now!"
The clone nodded silently and put on the shorts. Raiden took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. "Alright. Now I'm going to test you."
Standing across from the clone, he spoke decisively. "Do push-ups."
The clone got down on the floor and began doing push-ups at an incredible speed. Its movements were so flawless that Raiden watched in amazement. The clone's rhythm never slowed, maintaining consistent performance. Meanwhile, Raiden monitored the interface in his mind.
---
Stats:
Strength: 10.5
Agility: 10.5
Endurance: 10.5
---
The clone continued doing push-ups for an hour at a high tempo. During this time, Raiden's stats increased by a total of 3 points. Every 10 minutes, key attributes like Strength, Agility, and Endurance rose by 0.5 points.
The clone's movements gradually slowed. Its body began to fade and eventually disappeared completely. Raiden stared at the interface in disbelief. "A one-hour limit. I need to remember this for now."
---
At that moment, there was another knock on the door. Raiden took a deep breath and said, "Come in."
The door opened, and his mother Martha, along with his sisters Olivia, Irina, and Alice, entered. Olivia quickly walked over to Raiden's bedside.
"Brother! Are you okay? You're not going to leave us, are you?" she asked.
Raiden looked at Olivia's anxious face. Normally sarcastic and bold, his sister looked completely different in this state. Smiling, he said, "I'm fine, Olivia. I talked to the doctor, and I'll be discharged in two weeks. Don't worry."
Irina quietly sat next to the bed. "Are you really sure you're okay? You still look a little pale."
Alice, sitting in their mother's lap, reached out her tiny hands toward Raiden. "Brother, you're coming home, right?"
Raiden picked up Alice and hugged her tightly. "Of course, little princess. We'll have a great time together."
Martha, their mother, held Raiden's hand, her eyes filled with tears. "Son, it's so hard to see you like this. But I thank God you're alive."
Raiden squeezed his mother's hand and smiled. "Mom, don't worry. I'm fine, and I'll get even better."
---
Updated Stats:
Strength: 13.0
Agility: 13.0
Endurance: 13.0
Intelligence: 15.0
Luck: 8.0