Chương 12: CHAPTER -12 (A PLEASENT ONE)

PART-1

I awoke with heavy breathing and a tremendous surge of anguish that rendered me immobilized.

I can tell this is a hospital, or possibly a clinic, based on the familiar celling that I haven't seen in a long time.

Every breath I took felt like shards of glass tearing through my chest. I lay there, each heartbeat echoing in the searing ache, a question hanging in the air: how did life persist within this tortured frame?

Once I notice that no one is in the room, I open my status window in a light and quiet voice.

Checking my condition comes first; I can worry about other issues later.

**************************************

Status:

Name: Airen Shizua (Human)

Sub-species: Hobgoblin (Rank: E)

LEVEL: 20

Health: 7

Strength: 7

Wisdom: 7

Speed: 7

Mana: 6

Divine Power: 20

BONUS Points: 30

Skills >>>

*In the recovery process

highly damaged body

Under the effect "inconspicuous,"

Unable to be noticed or remembered by ordinary individuals or awakened beings below the rank of C,

**************************************

Observing the system interface once more, I inquired, "Why do your indicators keep fluctuating?" I inquired, aware that the system included some type of consciousness.

RECEIVING QUESTION SEARCHING FOR A POSSIBLE ANSWER

I waited patiently for a response, but there was none. The system looked to be looking for a suitable solution. Its sluggish performance could be attributed to a disconnect from the primary interface.

A voice abruptly came from my side as I waited for the system to respond. I jumped out of bed impulsively, only to quickly regret my decision, as agony ruthlessly sent me tumbling hopelessly.

As I looked around the room, my gaze was drawn to Zypher, who stood calmly at the foot of the bed.

I stared at Zypher helplessly, well aware of his murderous skills. The lack of an instant assault suggested that his presence was not motivated by a desire to hurt me at the time. However, the lingering doubt about his intentions made me nervous.

"End me now, because if you don't, you will," I began to say, but before I could finish, Zypher began approaching me.

I closed my eyes, completely expecting this to be the end of me.

I waited for what seemed like a lifetime, but Zypher's attack never arrived. I slowly opened my eyes, but the anticipated effect did not occur.

Zypher's normally formidable presence softened as he settled beside the bed. His posture conveyed a quiet contemplation, resembling a protective figure silently watching over, much like a guardian cherishing a precious charge.

The sight of a small angle, barely the size of my hand, weeping furiously caught me off guard. The minuscule hands clung to my shirt, trembling in the grip of an emotional storm. In those watery eyes, I glimpsed a mixture of fear, profound grief, and a fragile glimmer of hope, each emotion etched across the canvas of vulnerability. The emotional tableau perplexed me and made me wonder about the complexities of the issue.

As I reached out to comfort her, she quickly deflected it, breaking our connection.

This was unexpected, you bastard, but she persisted.

Do you realize how concerned I am, yet you still dare to die without my permission? Do you give a damn about me?

Sorry, but who exactly are you? I said it with an odd laugh to make it sound less awful, but her response was unexpected.

When she hears me, she runs near Zypher, tears welling up in her eyes, landing on her shoulder, and sobbing.

Zypher I raised a traitor; he was not even half his current size when I first saw him. Tiny Angle snorted and cried when she stated this.

Please relax. Shizu Airen is in adolescence. A child enters the rebellious stage at this age. Zypher stroked the little Shizu.

Zypher turns to face me.

Mom, this is the only thing I can say since everything else is sobbing.

Panic crept into Zypher's tone as the event evolved, displaying a depth of complexity beyond his previous experiences. The dynamics of the time were predicated on a delicate balance of life, identity, and the undiscovered area of familial relationships.

After some time, a month worth of tissues is lying on the floor.

Zypher remark Oh god, you, Mother-Son, cry a lot, don't you?

I grit my teeth as I am lying on the bed, immobilized.

Shizu's gaze landed on Zypher, making his smile disappear.

So, what happens after I collapse unconscious? I inquired, curious as to what had occurred.

This is what happened when Zypher began telling the story of what had happened.

As Airen's feathers begin to fall, a series of delicate winds drift downward, accompanied by the soft hum of returning mana. The numerical values representing his abilities gradually stabilize, corresponding to the fluctuating nature of revitalized energy.

"Is this the end of his story?" As he collapses from exhaustion, Airen murmurs, his voice a frail whisper.

I throw up, a violent expulsion of blood indicating the toll our battle has taken on my body.

My gaze, hovering above the fallen boy, reveals the extent of the harm done. Airen's once-stoic demeanor crumbles, betrayed by the pain etched across him.

"I may not know you," I grumble, acknowledging his formidable strength, but I am aware of your power.

The atmosphere thickens with an unmistakable scent, a tangible manifestation of growing bloodlust. My instincts, which are normally silent observers, now scream in defiance, their urgent warnings drowned out by the rising tempest of danger emanating from him. The impending threat obscures my judgment, making it as hazy and turbulent as the gathering clouds.

Unexpectedly, pressure takes hold—an unspoken order compelling me to act. It's not a rational understanding, but an emotional compulsion. I have to put an end to this kid's life. The reasons are hidden within the darkest parts of instinctual necessity.

Walking closer, as the blood lust is spreading in the air and my instincts are screaming, making my judgment clouded by the storm of danger that he will pose in the future, I must kill him. I don't know why, but I have to kill this kid.

As I walk, the space in front of me shrinks, and I begin to feel very heavy. It's not just my body; it's as if everything around me is making movement more difficult. As I get closer, this invisible force becomes stronger, making each step more difficult.

It's not just moving my legs; there's something in the air that makes everything feel strange. The closer I get, the more I feel like I'm bumping up against an invisible barrier. It's not just a physical issue; something is making me nervous and hesitant.

The heavy feeling grows stronger as I go, and it's not just about getting closer. There's a sense of nervousness and unwillingness in the air.

Even as the dimensions crumbled around me, the force unleashed was far greater than any B-rank dungeon could handle.

"Who are you?" I screamed with every ounce of strength I had left. Pain suffocated my body, each syllable echoing the toll exacted by the relentless assault. Blood, a testament to the harm done, was on the verge of escaping my damaged body.

I'm not in good shape for a fight, but if it comes to it, I'll make sure to bring them down with me, even if it means I won't make it out alive.

"Trying to go down with me and Airen, Zypher? You never change, do you?" The gentle voice echoes through the air.

"Who are you, and why are you trying to save Airen or whatever this boy's name is?" Don't you see how much of a disaster he can be? This kid isn't even a human; he's a monster." My gaze narrowed as I remembered the devastation Airen had caused and the destructive power lurking within him like a dormant beast. His appearance, which included goblin-like ears but also a human disguise, only added to the insecurity. A raging rage erupted within me, a tempest of rage that threatened to consume logic. "His presence brings chaos, and you seek to protect him." "Please explain yourself!" The question burned in the air, thick with my apprehension and the blistering heat of rage. I'm waiting for the unknown voice to respond.

"I don't know," the voice of the unknown being answered.

My rage began to dissipate as I fell silent. Despite my expectation of becoming even more enraged by the response, a wave of emotions washed over me—pity, guilt, love for the boy, and the frustration of helplessness. It was confusing to encounter such a vast contradiction of emotions within a voice. What exactly did it mean? I asked the unknown voice.

The unknown voice persisted, and a surge of mana created a white figure that gradually materialized.

I don't know what he did.

Each sentence added detail to the figure's form.

I don't know what he will do in the future or what he will become.

Eventually revealing pure white wings.

I don't know. how he became like this, but

The white light surrounding the figure dissipated, leaving behind a clear and surprising form that shocked Zypher.

As the mother of this foolish child, I can't help but protect him as a parent. Don't you agree, Zypher?

Shizu, how....

I attempted to engage Shizu in further conversation, but the urgency of the situation took over. "Shizu, we have to escape." With care, I lifted Airen, and we exited the dungeon. Its collapse seemed imminent due to the clash of their formidable strengths.

_________________

"And that's how Shizu and I reunite," Zypher said, his cheeks warming as a red hue spread.

I couldn't help but notice Zypher's obvious emotions as I looked at him. It was difficult to believe that this was the person with ice-cold eyes and a bloodlust beyond human comprehension.

As the conversation progressed, I glanced at the mom, seeing her sleeping by my side. It leaves me with a sense of relief every time I look.

Notice my gaze. Zypher faked the cough.

I am sorry, Zypher. I apologize.

I think I should go and report our safe return to the guild. Zypher told me.

What are you going to tell them? I asked him with a sense of insecurity. Even if he is my mother's friend, that does not mean he will help me. Don't forget, this is the person who tried to kill me.

Zypher smiles sweetly.

Don't worry, kiddo; as your future father, this is the least I can do. As soon as he finishes the sentence, he disappears without a trace.

I clamped my hand over my mouth, the urge to curse battling against my desire not to disturb my sleeping mother.

Suddenly, the long-awaited system's voice echoed through the air, breaking the silence of the moment.

As I read the message, a small smile spread across my face as, in a dim voice, I whispered, "STATUS OPEN."

~~to be continued