Chương 7: Family [1]

Rick remained seated, his eyes fixed on Ren with a look of both concern and curiosity. "Ren, do you remember how you came to have those spider-like legs? Anything specific that might have triggered this transformation?"

Ren's expression grew distant as he delved into his memories, the fragments slowly piecing together. "I... I think I remember," he began. "I was contained in a glass tube. It felt like I was a test subject. There were scientists... they injected me with some kind of serum. The pain was unbearable, and then everything went black."

Rick listened intently, not interrupting.

"When I regained consciousness," Ren continued, his voice trembling slightly, "there was a man... he was tearing something from my back. But then, he suddenly became paralyzed. I don't know why or how. I managed to escape, but I was cornered. The only way out was to jump off a cliff. That's all I remember."

Rick's brow furrowed in thought. "This is important information, Ren. It sounds like someone did this to you deliberately. We need to find out who and why."

Ren nodded, feeling a mixture of fear and anger. "Do you think they're still looking for me?"

"It's possible," Rick admitted. "But right now, our priority is to keep you safe and help you understand these changes. We'll investigate and find out who's behind this. For now, focus on recovery."

Ren took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. "Okay. What do we do next?"

Rick placed a reassuring hand on Ren's shoulder. "Tomorrow, we'll start with some tests to understand your new abilities better. In the meantime, I'll make sure you're protected. You're not alone in this, Ren. We'll get to the bottom of it."

Feeling a bit more reassured, Ren nodded. "Thank you, Rick."

Rick stood up, giving Ren a supportive nod. "Get some rest, kid. You've been through a lot, but we'll figure this out together."

Just as they delved into further details, Rick's phone rang, breaking the silence. He glanced at the caller ID before looking back at Ren. "I will come back; I just need to take this," he said in a apologetic tone.

Ren nodded, watching as Rick walked out of the room and closing the door behind him. The room felt eerily quiet in Rick's absence, the only sounds being the faint beeping of medical equipment.

Ren raised his hand slowly, staring at it in disbelief. "I totally transmigrated, huh?" he muttered to himself.

"And I even have powers at that," he added, glancing at the spider appendages that emerged from his back. With a thought, he instinctively made them move, the appendages responding to his will as if they were a natural part of his body.

He then turned his attention to his hands, specifically his nails. "Those talons... how do they come out?" he mumbled, focusing intently. He felt a strange sensation in his fingertips, a tingling pressure.

-shing~

Then suddenly, the talons extended, sharp and deadly.

Ren stared at them in awe and trepidation. "Amazing," he whispered, flexing his fingers and watching the talons retract and extend again. The power felt exhilarating but also frightening.

Ren then observed his talons carefully. Brushing his finger against it, he watched his blood drop to the ground. He didn't even feel the sensation of the cut, it was that sharp. He poked the talons inside the wall to the side, and though he felt some resistance it still pierced through easily.

'It's dangerously sharp.' Ren thought as he marveled at the talons that had manifested as a result of his newfound powers.

While Ren was examining his talons, lost in fascination, he didn't notice the door opening. As he scrutinized the sharp appendages, a voice broke his concentration.

"Ren... It's totally you," a woman's voice sobbed.

"Who—"Startled, Ren looked up from his hands to the door and saw a woman in her mid-thirties, and two teenagers standing there. He stared at them in confusion, then suddenly snippets of memories flashed through his mind. Unconsciously, he whispered, "Aunt Cass?"

Hearing Ren call her, Aunt Cass started crying a little as she approached him and sat on the bedside. She looked at him worriedly, her eyes scanning his face and the strange appendages behind him. "What happened to you, Ren? Are you okay? Did anyone hurt you? What did they do to you?" Aunt Cass barraged him with questions, her voice trembling with concern.

"Uhh..." Ren blanked out, unsure of how to respond. His mind was still reeling from everything that had happened. He glanced at the two people who came with Aunt Cass.

"Good to see you, brother," Tadashi said hesitantly, his eyes filled with a mix of relief and anxiety.

"Hey, bro," Hiro added in a subdued tone, looking both worried and glad to see Ren.

Ren felt a wave of emotions crash over him. Seeing this body's family there, concerned and supportive, was both comforting and overwhelming for him who didn't know what familial love is.

He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. "I'm... I'm okay, I think," he said slowly. "It's a long story, but... I'm glad you're here."

Aunt Cass wiped her tears and held Ren's hand gently. "We were so worried when we heard you were in the hospital. The police didn't tell us much."

Ren nodded, feeling the weight of their concern. "I don't remember everything, but there were scientists... they did something to me. That's how I ended up with these," he explained, gesturing to the spider-like appendages and his talons.