NOVEL NEXT Chapter 3: The Grand Reawakening.
[Ding! Player has been synchronized. REDEMPTION ARC CAN BEGIN NOW.]
[TIME LEFT UNTIL DAILY TRAINING PROGRAM, 25:02:17]
Michael's eyes peeped into life, and staring around the familiar room he was in, he realized this was his room. He had expected every other thing, the fact that his wounds had suddenly healed, the system screen interface that hovered in translucent form before his face. But what he hadn't expected was to find himself in the exact same world where he had been killed.
Why was he here? Usually, main characters died in their world and ended up to start another life, usually as a different person entirely.
But he was still him, the same Michael Alastair. And he was still stuck in this pathetic world.
Why?
"My goodness, I thought we were gonna have a funeral soon." A familiar gravy voice spoke behind him. It was his uncle Wilburt. "How are you alive?"
A Martial Arts master like him wouldn't care less about the death of his child, let alone his niece. He was a realistic person, and because of that Michael refused to be surprised at his mention of a funeral.
"How did you find me?" He rather replied with another question.
"You weren't home for two days so I guessed something had happened." His uncle said, scratching the white beards on his chin. "You got into it big this time, didn't you now? You were practically dead.
Well, not exactly. You weren't breathing, but I could still feel your mana (Mana; the core that is believed to keep the soul attached to the body.)"
"You could've just taken me to the hospital!" Michael yelled.
"Not everyone can see mana, if I had taken you to a clinic, these modern scientists... They could just conclude that you were dead and ask to send your body to the mourge." Wilburt explained.
[TIME LEFT UNTIL DAILY TRAINING PROGRAM, 24:59:59]
"What's a daily training program?" Michael flexed his chin, in the books he read, the characters that got reincarnated had their systems coercing them to undergo daily training.
These trainings usually included basic exercises like sprinting, push ups and sit squats, and they contributed greatly to the player's Stat build up.
Was this one of those?
[GOLD: 0. EXP POINTS: 15]
Michael's eyes revolved around the system as he keenly observed it. It was a black interface that was obviously only visible to him, command words were written at the side of its monitor, and he read aloud.
"Stat—" Before he could say another word, another screen opened up before his eyes, with the word "Player's status." written in bold lettering as the heading.
[NAME: MICHAEL ALASTAIR.]
[TALENT: WRITER'S LEGACY.]
[RANK: SSS RARE.]
[STRENGTH: 12 SPEED: 35 STAMINA: 09 SKILL: 00]
What low numbers for a powerful rank! And what the hell was a Writer's Legacy? He hadn't heard of such talent before, how was he supposed to use it?
"I'm still here you know?" Wilburt interrupted his thoughts, folding his arms. "I'm waiting for you to explain what's going on?"
Michael sighed in exasperation, how would start explaining to a realistic man that he died and woke up with a cheat system, and even more, all the broken bones and wounds he had sustained had all healed? There was absolutely no way he would believe.
Wilburt needed to read books if he was going to believe.
"It's not a summary you'd buy uncle." Michael picked to his feet, heading towards the door.
"I'm asking for exactly what happened, not some made up story." Wilburt formed a stern.
"You know what?" Michael opened the door. "I need to be somewhere now, I'll tell you once I get back home."
"Dont you dare leave—"
Before Wilburt could finish, the door closed shut behind him. The old man sighed, closed his eyes and nodded.
"He sure is acting suspicious." He concluded. "Did he join a cult or something?"
* * *
"I wish you'd tell me where I went wrong." Reyy was insistent, still trying to make his apologies known unto Lena, his ex girlfriend.
What else could the King of Wisteria High do when no one was looking? Earlier in the club he had managed to indulge her into a dance before things got steamy and his desires arose to the brink.
And his desires gave him confidence, that the girl who had abruptly broken up with him a fortnight ago would come begging for want.
He made to kiss her, but got a slap instead.
And now, in a solicited room where the bass of the club music buzzed faintly, Reyy realized his desperation had pushed him here, he loved this girl. And even if she broke up, he wouldn't acknowledge it, he wanted to make things right between them.
After all, what would happen to their high school reputation if the news got sorrounded that the King and Queen of Wisteria High broke up?
"You asked for a breakup, but wouldn't tell me anything. And you expect me to accept that?" Reyy's blue eyes met Lena's hazel, sympathy brimming fiercely from each orb.
"I told you so many times Reyy, it's not about you... It's me alright." Lena replied. "There's just so many things I've been thinking about lately."
"Why can't you tell me about it?"
"Because you wouldn't even relate." Lena remarked, earning a pause from Reyy. "I'm sorry alright, but I can't do this."
She turned and made for the exit, but Reyy grabbed her hands. "Call me when you need to talk, please?"
Lena's eyes glistened as she looked into his for a moment, and then she loosened off his grip and walked out the room.
Just immediately, another person walked in, not giving Reyy time to sulk in his sadness.
"Hey boss." Steven greeted with casualty as he walked in. "Were you and the Queen..?"
He stopped in his tracks after observing the sad look on his face. "Oh, I see."
"What are you doing here Steven?" Reyy walked towards a bar. He poured a glass of wine into a cup and gulped it pathetically rather than with sophistication.
"I just wanted to tell you that Michael Alastair... He has been taken care of." Steven said.
"The cripple?" Reyy's expression proved a bit of astonishment as his glass left his lips. "When?"
"Two days earlier, I just wanted to teach him a lesson and coincidentally, we were in a soliticed area, I had to take the perfect opportunity."
"And you came all the way here to say that without any evidence?"
"I couldn't leave or take any evidences boss." Steven argued, his voice lowering to a whisper. "This is a murder case we're talking about here, one lead and we're all screwed up."
Reyy got repulsive, he grabbed Steven by his collar and glared coldly into his eyes. "You and your guys are the ones responsible for this, so if you guys get caught, I trust you'd keep your mouth shut about the mention of my name!"
"We..we couldn't stab you in the back boss." Steven shuddered.
"Good." Reyy released his grip. He reached for his cup and took another sip. "Now I'm rest assured Wisteria High would return to it's glory once again as the school were everyone has a talent."