Dave stirred awake, his entire body aching with the lingering pain of the intense battle he had barely survived. He slowly opened his eyes, trying to make sense of his surroundings. The last thing he remembered was the overwhelming power of Lukan, the SSS-ranked superhuman, and how he had been on the verge of death. But now, as he sat up, something felt... off.
Aurora sat beside him, her innocent eyes wide with concern. "Are you okay?" she asked softly.
Dave rubbed his head, groggy but alert. "What... what happened? I thought I was a goner," he muttered, recalling how helpless he'd been. He looked at Aurora, hoping she had answers. "Did you see what happened? How am I still alive?"
Aurora blinked, her expression confused. "I... I don't know," she said, shaking her head. "One moment, you were unconscious, and then... here we are. I don't remember anything else."
Dave frowned, feeling an unease grow in the pit of his stomach. If Aurora didn't know, that meant something strange had happened. He had fought battles before, but this was unlike anything he'd experienced. He turned to his system, hoping it could offer some explanation.
'System, what happened while I was unconscious?' Dave asked inwardly, expecting a detailed report.
The system responded in a neutral tone, "Host, I was also disconnected when you lost consciousness. I have no record of events during that time."
Dave's frown deepened. This was unprecedented. The system had always been with him, guiding him through every challenge, yet even it had no clue what had transpired. He replayed the battle in his mind, the crushing defeat he faced at Lukan's hands, and now this mysterious recovery.
"How is that possible?" Dave muttered. He felt around his body, searching for the wounds he was certain he'd suffered during the fight. But there was nothing. No scars, no signs of injury. It was as if his body had completely healed without a trace.
'How am I healed then?' he asked the system, feeling more baffled by the minute. 'And what happened to Lukan?'
The system paused before answering, "I do not have information on how your injuries were healed, nor can I locate any trace of Lukan. The only thing I can confirm is that your rank has increased."
Dave blinked. "My rank?"
"Yes, Host. After the battle with Lukan, your rank has been raised to SSS."
Dave stood still for a moment, absorbing the system's words. His rank... had increased? That should have been impossible, especially without him being conscious or completing any specific challenge. His rank rising from SS+ to SSS was no small feat. It was a leap he hadn't anticipated making for a long time.
"But... how?" he asked, more to himself than anyone else. It didn't make sense. Not only was his body healed, but he had somehow grown stronger in the process. His power had reached a level that was unimaginable to him just days ago. Yet, here he stood, a newly-ranked SSS superhuman, without any clue how it had happened.
Aurora tugged at his sleeve, her innocent face full of worry. "Dave... is something wrong?"
Dave looked at her, still unsure. Could she be involved? Was there something about Aurora that he had overlooked? He couldn't shake the nagging feeling that something had changed, but if Aurora didn't remember anything, then questioning her was pointless.
'System,' he thought once more, 'is there any record of an external force that could have healed me or interfered with the battle?'
"Negative, Host. No external forces detected."
Dave sighed. If the system didn't know, then that left him with no answers. And yet, the truth was plain: he had survived, his rank had increased, and Lukan, the once-terrifying foe, was nowhere to be found. But he couldn't let this mystery cloud his judgment.
For now, he had to focus on the future. With his newfound strength, he was more powerful than ever. But this strange occurrence—it was something he would have to investigate further. There had to be answers somewhere.
"Alright," Dave muttered under his breath. He stood up, flexing his hands and testing his new strength. The power coursing through him was undeniable, even if the source was unclear. He glanced down at Aurora, who was still watching him with those wide, innocent eyes.
"I guess we move forward," Dave said, trying to put the strange events behind him. But deep down, he knew this was just the beginning of something far more complicated.
And whatever it was, he'd be ready for it.
Inside the POD, Emily was hard at work. She was in the middle of another intense training session, with her body glowing faintly as she focused on mastering her healing powers. The AI-guided her through intricate steps, showing her how to use her energy to restore not just others but herself as well. Every time she healed, she felt her energy replenishing more quickly, and her control over her powers grew stronger. Her stats were steadily increasing, allowing her to maintain her focus for longer periods and enhancing her abilities at a remarkable pace.
Each session in the POD pushed her limits, but she welcomed the challenge. The progress was evident—her stamina had doubled, her focus sharpened, and her healing capabilities were far beyond what she had started with. Emily now had the ability to heal wounds and even minor internal injuries, which was a significant leap from where she had begun. The AI spoke in its calm, measured voice, "Healing efficiency: 70%. Recommend further endurance training to extend healing duration."
Emily nodded, beads of sweat forming on her forehead as she continued the intense training session. She knew she still had a long way to go, but she was determined to push herself further.
Meanwhile, in the living room, Dave's parents sat across from him, a sense of unease hanging in the air. John, his father, was the first to speak.
"Dave," he started, his voice carrying the weight of concern, "how long are we supposed to stay here? I know this place is safe, but we can't be locked inside your house forever. We have a life outside—jobs, responsibilities. What should we do?"
Linda, his mother, nodded in agreement. "I know you want to protect us, but there has to be some kind of plan, right? We can't hide here for the rest of our lives."
Dave sat in silence for a moment, thinking about how to respond. He understood their concerns. The house had become a sanctuary for them, but they couldn't remain hidden forever. At the same time, the dangers outside were very real—especially for anyone who didn't have the kind of power he had.
"Mom, Dad," Dave began carefully, "I understand how you feel. And I don't want you to feel trapped here either. But things have changed… a lot. I'm doing everything I can to keep you both safe, but we can't just go back to normal life. Not yet."
His parents exchanged a worried glance.
John leaned forward. "Then what are we supposed to do? Hide here until it's over? What if it never ends?"
Dave sighed. He knew his parents weren't prepared to face the kind of reality he now dealt with. "There's another option," he said after a pause. "But it's a big one. I'm asking because I want to keep you safe. You don't have to stay locked up here… but the only way I can guarantee that is if you both had powers of your own."
John and Linda looked at him, startled. Dave quickly added, "I'm not asking you to decide right now, but I want you to think about it. If you had powers like Emily, you wouldn't need to hide."
Linda blinked, trying to process what Dave was saying. "Powers?" she asked, her voice uncertain. "You mean like the abilities Emily has been training with?"
"Yes," Dave confirmed. "But it would be different for each of you. If you choose to go through with it, you could have abilities suited to your strengths. It's not an easy decision to make, but it's the best way I can think of to ensure you don't have to stay in hiding forever."
His parents were quiet, clearly struggling with the enormity of the choice they were being given. Finally, Linda asked, "What kind of powers are you talking about? What would we even be able to do?"
Dave leaned back in his chair, choosing his words carefully. "That depends. You'd have to think about what would help you the most. There are powers for defense, healing, strength—different abilities for different needs. You wouldn't be invincible, but you'd be able to protect yourselves and others."
John rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "It sounds… unbelievable," he admitted. "But if it's real, we'll consider it. Just… give us some time to think about it."
Dave nodded. "Take as long as you need. I'm not asking you to make a decision lightly."
The conversation ended there, with a heavy silence lingering between them as Dave left his parents to contemplate their future.
Emily, still inside the POD, was wrapping up her training. Her body felt stronger than ever, and her control over her healing powers had reached new heights. But as the POD session concluded, she couldn't shake the feeling that this was only the beginning of something much larger.
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