"UGH!"
"AGH!"
Two pained groans mixed in the darkness.
Soren’s vision swam from the impact, but he didn’t let go. His arms locked around the intruder, pinning them against the broken wall. His mind raced even faster than his heart.
’Who the hell? Assassin?!’
However, the intruder recovered faster than he expected.
A knee drove into Soren’s stomach. Air exploded from his lungs. His grip loosened just enough for the figure to twist free and stumble toward the window.
Soren gasped, lunging forward again, but his foot caught the edge of the futon.
Half a second.
That’s all it cost him.
By the time he regained his balance, the window was open, and the figure was gone, swallowed by the night.
Soren stood there, chest heaving, staring at the empty frame.
The cold night air brushed his sweat-soaked skin.
Slowly, he turned.
Ethea was awake.
Her ice-blue eyes were fixed on him, wide for the first time since he’d met her. They were filled with complex emotions, difficult to read, though one stood out from the rest: shock.
She was staring at him like she was seeing him for the first time.
Soren opened his mouth to speak-
And the pain hit!
"!"
Every muscle in his body screamed at once.
He staggered, caught himself on the bed frame, and groaned.
"W-What the hell..." he muttered through gritted teeth.
His entire body felt like it had been put through a meat grinder. Muscles he didn’t even know existed were screaming in protest. That burst of speed from before had vanished completely, leaving behind nothing but agony.
But he forced himself to stay upright and meet her gaze.
"A-Are you ok?"
He asked worriedly.
"..."
Ethea’s eyes were still wide, still fixed on him with that strange expression. Shock, yes. But now something else as well. Something he couldn’t name.
Then her gaze dropped.
Her lips parted.
"...Your arm."
"My arm?"
Soren looked down in confusion.
"!"
He saw blood.
Dark and wet, soaking through his sleeve and dripping onto the floor.
He blinked. Only now did the sharp sting register.
A gash ran along his forearm, deep enough to hurt, messy enough to need stitches. The assassin’s blade must have caught him during the crash.
’Ah. So that’s why it hurts so much.’
But compared to the rest of his body screaming at him, the cut felt almost secondary.
He pressed his other hand against the wound.
Warm blood seeped between his fingers.
"I-It’s fine," he said automatically. "Just a scratch."
Ethea stared at him, at the blood, at the way it kept dripping no matter how much pressure he applied.
Yet, she didn’t say anything anymore.
The silence stretched.
Soren turned back to the window, leaning out carefully, scanning the darkness below.
There’s no movement or sound, just the shadows and the distant rustle of the trees.
Whoever it was, they were probably gone.
He pulled the window shut and locked it. The broken glass would have to wait until morning.
"I’ll be back," he said and quickly walked out of the room.
_____ ____ _
The bathroom was small and cold.
Soren flipped on the light, squinting against the sudden brightness, and opened the cabinet.
First aid kit. Where was the first aid kid?
He found it on the bottom shelf and quickly pulled it out. Set it on the counter and finally got a good look at the wound under deep light.
’Urgh.’
It was worse than he thought, deep and ugly.
Heck, he even suspected that he was poisoned!
He quickly grabbed the disinfectant and poured it directly onto the wound.
"Hss-!"
His vision went white, his teeth clenching. But he kept the disinfectant flowing until the bottle was half empty.
He exhaled shakily and reached for the gauze.
Wrapping one-handed proved to be more difficult than it seemed. The bandage kept slipping, kept getting blood-soaked before he could secure it. But eventually, after three attempts, before he could lose his consciousness, he managed to wrap it tight enough.
The bleeding slowed and eventually stopped.
"Hm.."
Soren leaned against the counter, still breathing hard.
’F-Finally...’
’It’s over.’
’We’re safe...’
’I am s-’
Ding!
Soren froze mid-thought.
That familiar sound echoed in his mind, sharp and clear.
Then words materialized in his vision, glowing and translucent.
[Investment detected.]
[Target: Ethea Morvain(Wife)]
[Analyzing investment...]
[Investment: You have directly engaged the lethal threat, shielding the target with total disregard for your own safety. During the confrontation, you sustained a grievous physical injury and were subjected to a Tier 5 toxin.]
[Analyzing target response...]
[Your actions prevented the target’s death.]
[Your determination ignited a faint ember of will to survive within the target’s broken spirit.]
[Evaluating investment significance...]
The messages finally paused.
Soren still stood frozen, staring at the glowing text dumbfoundedly.
[Evaluation complete.]
[Investment grade: SUPREME]
[Calculating returns...]
Dots floated in his vision as the process continued.
[Calculation complete.]
[Returns granted:]
A translucent list unfurled before him, each line appearing with a soft chime.
[1. Ice Emperor’s Legacy (Incomplete)]
[2. Grade 7 Ice Affinity]
[3. Heaven-Treading Flash]
[4. Accelerated Regeneration]
[5. Investor’s Eyes]
[6. Tether Bond]
[7. Fortified Body Constitution.]
[Integrating all returns...]
[Progress:10%...30%...50%...]
’Just what in the world is happening?’
Soren was too speechless to speak.
He didn’t know what those returns or the messages meant, but he was sure they were something beyond the scope of anything he had ever heard of.
’Is this related to that?’
He recalled his previous painful experience.
’Am I... an awakened now?’
’...Me?’
’...Did I... really awak-!’
Thought barely formed before his body seized.
"Guh!"
Soren’s hand shot out, grabbing the sink edge to keep himself upright. His knees buckled, his spine arched. He felt as if every nerve in his body lit up at once.
Then cold and heat, both at the same time.
They surged his veins like liquid fire and frozen steel, racing each other to every corner of his being. His muscles convulsed. His teeth clamped down so hard he thought they’d shatter.
’W-What’s-’
He failed to finish the thought.
The pain became frustratingly unbearable.
"Argh!"
Soren groaned out loud.
A few moments later, just as suddenly as it started, it came to a stop.
"Huf... Huf..."
Soren gasped, sucking in air like a drowning man.
Slowly, his vision cleared, and his muscles relaxed.
"Huf... Huf..."
[Progress:70%...80%...90%...]
"Agh!"