He blinked, slowly, painfully, his eyelids feeling heavier than iron plates. Blurry white lights sharpened little by little, until he finally realized he was lying on a hospital bed. The antiseptic scent, the soft hum of machines, the faint breeze of the room’s air purifier…
He was alive.
Beside him, sitting with her head resting on her arms, was Anya. Her eyes were swollen, her breathing uneven, clearly exhausted from staying at his side.
As Kael shifted slightly, she snapped awake.
“Kael…? Kael!” Her voice trembled, half-relief, half-disbelief. She immediately stood and rushed out the door. “He’s awake! Doctor, everyone, Kael’s awake!”
One by one, familiar faces entered the room.
Takeshi, his arm in a sling.
Kyle, head bandaged but grinning anyway.
Serafina, eyes puffy from crying.
Natalia, pale but conscious, her waist wrapped in clean bandages.
All of them looked hurt.
But all of them looked relieved.
Kael managed a small smile, just a twitch of his lips, because even that hurt.
The doctor entered next, scanning Kael with a portable device. After a moment, he nodded.
“You’re recovering well. Honestly… it’s a miracle.” He looked Kael in the eyes.
“You fought an evolving beast abberant one on one. With multiple fractures, deep wounds, and critical Spirit Energy depletion, you should’ve gone into Spirit Shock.”
Kael blinked sluggishly. “But I didn’t…”
“That’s what’s strange,” the doctor continued.
“Your bones are regenerating faster than normal. Your wounds are closing naturally. My theory? A passive ability from your Spirit Creature.”
His friends collectively sighed in relief.
The doctor smiled lightly and left the room. Once he was gone, they all gathered closer.
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Anya was the first to speak.
“Kael… how are you feeling?”
Kael took a breath.
“For a guy who fought a half-evolved beast on his own?”
He made a tired grin.
“I’d say I feel fantastic.”
Kyle snorted. “Still got jokes after facing death head-on. Typical.”
The group laughed, weakly, painfully, but genuinely.
That small moment of peace broke when two figures stepped into the room.
General Ryker.
And Lieutenant Cain.
Their expressions were stern, but proud.
Ryker, lowering his hat, spoke first.
“Kael Santos. For your bravery in eliminating a Mutated Rat-Type Beast Abberant on the verge of evolution, you will receive the following rewards:
- 10,000 Credits
- 5x Level 3 Critter-Type Abberant Cores
- 3x Level 2 Beast-Type Abberant Cores
- And the core of the abberant you personally defeated.
All rewards have been transferred to your Wristband Synchro.”
Kael blinked. “W-wow… thank you, sir.”
Cain then stepped forward, looking at the group as a whole.
“Since you’re all here, I’ll deliver the final announcement. The Hunting Ground activity… was officially a failure.”
Serafina stiffened. Natalia winced. Kyle looked ready to argue.
But Cain raised a hand.
“However, despite the chaos, despite the unexpected threats, you all fought bravely, protected each other, and displayed exceptional teamwork.” His voice softened. “Because of that… you all passed. With flying colors.”
A chime echoed inside Kael’s mind.
[SYSTEM UPDATE]
? OBJECTIVE COMPLETE — HUNT MISSION FINISHED
All mission targets have been eliminated.
REWARDS ISSUED:
?? +5 Spirit Energy Stability
? +10 EXP per kill
( Total EXP Added: 180 )
[PLAYER STATUS – KAEL SANTOS]
Level: 16
EXP: 200 / 380
HP: 70 / 110
Spirit Energy: 210 / 250
Status: Recovering
Kael let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding.
He lived.
His friends lived.
And for the first time since the abberants appeared.
He felt like he was truly becoming stronger.
Not just for himself…
But for every person he wanted to protect.
Ryker gave a curt nod and a brief farewell.
“Take care of yourselves,” he said, then turned and left the hospital room. The commanding presence of the man lingered for a moment before fading down the hallway.
Left behind, Cain shifted his stance, dropping the formal tone of an instructor. He now spoke as a peer, an ally.
“Alright,” he said, folding his arms. “Tell me everything that happened during the activity. Start from the beginning.”
The group exchanged glances and recounted the chaos of the Hunting Ground, the critter-type packs, the beast-type abberants, and the terrifying emergence of the Mutated Rat-Type Beast Abberant. They described the ambush, the desperate fight, and how Kyle and Takeshi had been thrown aside by the creature’s overwhelming strength, up to the moment it slammed Cain into the entrance of its lair.
Serafina’s voice trembled as she added, “Anya… she left to help… she said Kael might need it.”
Anya, her eyes wide and anxious, chimed in.
“When I entered the front of the cave… I only saw Kael unconscious. The field, everything, the trees, the ground… it was scorched. The abberant’s core… it was nothing but ash.”
Takeshi furrowed his brow, “How… how did the field get scorched? Kael’s spirit creature… it’s a light type.”
All eyes shifted to Kael. Their faces were questioning, expectant. The weight of their gazes pressed down on him.
Kael swallowed, feeling the tension coil around him. Then, silently, he communicated with Kawa. Change your appearance. I’m going to tell them the truth… but keep it subtle.
A shimmer radiated from the belt pocket where Kawa’s spirit card rested. Kael continued, At least take a form that reflects a red-aura spirit creature.
Kawa’s voice echoed, prideful and sharp. This isn’t… prime! I—
Before Kawa could argue further, Kylon intervened sharply, his tone firm. Lower your pride, Kawa. Do not give our holder problems now. This is not the time.
There was a pause, then a resigned sigh. The card floated gently from Kael’s belt pocket, hovering over the small coffee table beside the hospital bed. Slowly, the card glowed, and from it, Kawa materialized in a magnificent form, a radiant red macaw, feathers flickering with embers of fire.
Kael gestured to the creature, his voice steady. “Everyone… meet Kawa.”
The group fell silent, marveling at the appearance of the new spirit creature. Its presence radiated warmth and power, unlike anything they had seen. Anya, however, remained tense, her eyes flicking anxiously between Kael and Kawa. She didn’t speak, but Kael noticed, he noticed the worry hidden behind her composure.
It was subtle. Almost imperceptible. Yet, Kael understood.
Kawa, perched elegantly, ruffled its fiery feathers as if acknowledging the admiration and curiosity around it. Kael’s heart steadied, knowing that with this bond, he had the strength to protect those he cared about, even in the face of horrors like the Hunting Ground.
And for the first time since the battle, he felt the weight of responsibility settle not as a burden… but as a purpose.