I Can Extract Game Items

The city was silent at 4 a.m.

Its streets were bathed in a faint glow from streetlights and the occasional passing car headlights.

August pulled his hood tighter as he approached Faith Specialist Hospital. His footsteps muffled against the pavement as he did his best to walk silently.

The Fruit of Life which had been blended into a smooth liquid, rested securely in his inventory. He wasn't here as Aleman today—no extravagant outfit, no mask of confidence—just August Clementine, a man with a purpose.

Slipping through the hospital's side entrance with a quick dash, he avoided the watchful eyes of the night-shift staff.

The cool air of the sterile hallways pricked his skin as he navigated toward Tara's ward. He moved as quickly as he could, occasionally activating Dash. His figure blurred past multiple staff, keeping him hidden.

Soon he arrived at the room.

Inside the room, Tara lay pale and motionless. Her chest rose and fell softly beneath the thin hospital sheets. Machines beeped softly around her, increasing the grimness in the atmosphere.

August hesitated for a moment, standing at the foot of the bed. "Derrick doesn't deserve to lose you," he muttered softly. "You've got a baby on the way. He needs you. The kid needs you."

He pulled out the small container of the Fruit of Life juice. Its contents glowed faintly with a golden light. Sitting on the edge of her bed, he tilted her head gently and placed the container at her chapped lips.

"Come on, Tara," he murmured while carefully slipping the liquid past her lips. "Drink up. This isn't from around here, but I promise it'll do the trick."

As the liquid disappeared down her throat, a faint, golden hue spread across her pale skin.

Her breathing soon steadied and her complexion turned warm. Her eyelids fluttered ever so slightly confirming that the liquid had worked.

August leaned back with a look of relief.

Moments later, her eyes slowly opened, disoriented but undeniably alive. She turned her head and her gaze caught the faint outline of August's figure as he stepped toward the door.

"Wait…" Tara's voice was weak but audible. Her eyes searched the room, locking onto him. "Who…?"

August paused, his hand on the door handle. He turned slightly, just enough for her to catch a glimpse of his green hair and the faintest smirk on his face.

"You're okay now," he voiced softly. "Rest. Derrick's will come for you."

Before she could respond, the door clicked shut behind him.

The nurses had already been alerted by the machine upon Tara's awakening.

Out in the corridor, a nurse rushing by caught sight of him. Her eyes widened as she took in his distinctive hair and the way he moved, almost too fast for her to follow.

"Who's that?" she called out, alerting another nurse.

The commotion began to stir. Nurses rushed toward Tara's room in disbelief. Through the glass panel of the door, they saw her sitting up, confused but unmistakably conscious.

"She's awake!" one of the nurses exclaimed. "She was in a coma for nearly two months—how is this possible?"

Another nurse turned back toward the corridor, catching just the faintest glimpse of August's retreating figure as he disappeared around a corner. "It's him," she whispered. "It has to be. The miracle man."

August didn't stop, didn't look back. His smirk deepened as he rounded the last corner, activating his dash to slip through the shadows of the hospital's rear exit.

The night swallowed him whole, leaving behind only whispers and questions in his wake.

...

...

The morning sun was barely peeking over the horizon when Derrick burst into the entrance of Faith Specialist Hospital.

His boots echoed loudly against the polished tiles as he rushed through the corridors.

His shirt was wrinkled, and his hair was disheveled, as though he had thrown on the first thing he could grab in his rush to get here. His face was a mixture of disbelief, hope, and panic.

A nurse at the reception desk looked up, startled by his sudden entrance.

"Tara—Tara Henderson!" Derrick's voice cracked as he leaned on the counter, trying to catch his breath. "I just got a call that she… she woke up? Is it true?"

The nurse gave him a kind but professional smile, standing to guide him. "Yes, Mr. Henderson. She regained consciousness earlier this morning. She's stable and alert. Follow me."

Derrick barely heard the explanation... His legs already moved before she could finish.

When they reached the door to Tara's ward, Derrick froze, his hand hovering over the handle. Through the small glass window, he could see her sitting up in bed very much hale and hearty.

For a moment, Derrick couldn't breathe. Relief surged through him, overwhelming in its intensity.

"She's… she's really awake," he whispered in disbelief. The nurse nodded gently, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder before stepping back to give him space.

Derrick pushed the door open slowly and hesitantly as if afraid she might vanish if he moved too quickly. Tara's gaze snapped to him, and her eyes widened with recognition.
Experience tales with empire

"Derrick?" Her voice was soft, shaky, but unmistakably hers.

"Tara!" Derrick crossed the room in a heartbeat, sinking to his knees beside her bed. He took her hand as his fingers trembled upon intertwining with hers. "You're awake. You're really awake. I—" His voice caught, and he let out a shaky laugh with tears streaming down his face. "I thought I lost you."

Tara's lips quivered as she squeezed his hand weakly. "I… I don't know what happened. I was so tired, and then… I just woke up."

"It doesn't matter," Derrick shook his head. "You're here. That's all that matters."

He pressed her hand to his forehead, as though grounding himself in the reality of her presence. The moment was broken by the sound of the nurse quietly clearing her throat from the doorway.

"We'll need to run some tests later to make sure everything is stable," she said softly. "For now, she needs to rest."

...

...

The faint light of dusk filtered through the blinds of August's small apartment as he sank into his chair with a heavy sigh.

The air was still and quiet, giving the surroundings a cool feel.

He rubbed his temples with a look of exhaustion.

"It worked," he said aloud, almost disbelieving. "The Fruit of Life actually worked."

The thought of Tara sitting up, alive and well, brought a faint smile to his face. It confirmed what he had suspected.

There were probably more items that could work crazy wonders that he just hadn't considered yet but this was very good news.

"Fruit of Life for diseases," he muttered, leaning back in his chair. "Health potions for physical injuries. And the hospital's going to love the stash I'm planning to bring. That's one problem solved, at least."

But as he opened his planner and stared at the long list of tasks for the day, his smile faded.

"Alright," he said, tapping the edge of the planner with a pen. "Let's see what we've got today."

He read through the entries aloud. "First, check the AM coven internal designs. Almost done with that, so hopefully no major revisions." He jotted a note beside the task. "Next up, go through the applications for supernatural players as guards. I swear, if I get one more troll claiming to be a 'level 99 destroyer,' I'm blocking the whole forum."

His eyes drifted down the list. "Hire staff for the business. Accountants, cashiers, and... whatever else I'm forgetting. Right, pay for the new apartment. We'll need to move soon."

He glanced at the last entry. "And, of course, pack up a batch of health potions for Faith Specialist Hospital. Can't exactly leave them hanging after our agreement."

Leaning forward with a distraught look. "How am I supposed to do all this and still find time to grind in Enders Light? Not to mention, I gotta start checking up on Derrick's regularly, the business... I can't slack off with that at all and Sophia…" His voice softened as he thought of his younger sister. "Sophia's depending on me too."

He straightened, taking a deep breath. "One thing at a time, August. One thing at a time."

---

By the time the clock struck 6 a.m., August had packed everything he needed and decided to head to Remi's Café. It was one of his usual spots—a small, cozy café run by a spirited blue-haired and very attractive young lady who had a knack for understanding August's unusual quirks.

The perfect place to check his hiring post and catch a quiet moment.

The streets were still quiet as he walked as the city woke slowly under the rising sun. When he reached the Digital Haven café, the warm aroma of freshly brewed coffee and baked goods greeted him.

Inside, a few early risers were scattered across the tables, sipping coffee and reading newspapers.

"Morning, August," Remi called from behind the counter, her smile as bright as ever. "You're up early. Or haven't you slept?"

"A little of both," August replied with a grin, pulling out a chair at his usual corner table. "The usual, if you don't mind."

"Coming right up," she responded before disappearing into the back.

---

August pulled out his laptop and logged into the hiring portal, scanning the responses to the notice he'd posted the previous day. The headline flashed back at him:

[ Seeking Supernatural Guards – Enders Light Players with Real-Life Abilities Encouraged to Apply ]

The list of responses wasn't long, but the contents made him groan.

"Seventy thousand dollars? Seriously?" he muttered, scrolling through the demands. "I'm hiring guards, not building a football team."

One application in particular caught his eye: a self-proclaimed "Shadow Walker" who claimed to have consumed the Fruit of Corruption and could teleport short distances in real life. Their resume was impressive—background in private security, combat experience in-game and out—but their salary demand was absurd.

"I can't afford this," August muttered while pinching the bridge of his nose. "I barely have enough to pay rent, let alone throw money at supernatural mercenaries... Okay, that's a lie but still..."

Remi appeared at his table, setting down a steaming cup of coffee and a plate of croissants. "Rough morning?" she asked while leaning against the table.

"You have no idea," August said, closing his laptop with a sigh. "These people are demanding too much for a new business. How am I supposed to hire anyone when the going rate is seventy grand?"

Remi arched an eyebrow. "Seventy grand? What are you trying to hire, superheroes?"

"Close," August replied with a wry smile. "Supernatural Enders Light players. You know, the rare ones who got real-life abilities from consuming the Fruit of Corruption."

"Ah, that explains it," she said, crossing her arms. "Supply and demand. They're rare, so they charge a premium. What are you hiring them for, anyway?"

"Security for a new business," August said vaguely, taking a sip of his coffee. "It's… complicated."

"Well, good luck with that," Remi said, giving him a sympathetic pat on the shoulder. "Let me know if you need anything stronger than coffee."

August chuckled. "I might take you up on that."

---

He spent the next half-hour going through the rest of the applications, but the story was the same. High demands, lofty claims, and no one he could reasonably afford. As much as he hated to admit it, he'd have to rethink his strategy.

"Not even the bonus of getting in-game items is enough hmm?" August voiced out loud.

A sudden thought popped into his mind at this moment causing his eyes to widen in realisation.

"That's it... I'll just make my own supernatural guards..."