588 In the Depths of Agony



Ren emerged from the pod, feeling relatively fine at first. However, within moments, his body began to tremble uncontrollably. A throbbing pain coursed through his head while his skin felt scorching hot to the touch. Strangely, despite the intense heat, a chill crept through his bones, leaving him shivering.

His vision blurred, making it difficult to focus on his surroundings. Gasping for air, he struggled to remain upright, but the strength quickly left his limbs. Collapsing onto the floor, he reached out, desperately searching for someone.

"Evie . . . ," he rasped, his voice strained and barely audible.

As his consciousness began to fade, the room seemed to darken around him, engulfed in an unsettling stillness. The last thing he saw before succumbing to unconsciousness was the faint flicker of a distant light as if hope itself was slipping away.

----

Ren's eyelids fluttered open, revealing a sterile, white room surrounding him. His body felt heavy, restrained by the wires and tubes that connected him to various machines, their soft hum filling the air.

"Thank God! You're awake!" Leonel exclaimed, his voice trembling with emotion. A wave of relief washed over his face as he saw Ren regained consciousness. Tears even welled up in his eyes.

Ren's gaze shifted toward his friend, struggling to find his voice amidst the weakness that consumed him. He cleared his throat, attempting to speak.

"W-what . . . happened?" Ren managed to rasp, his voice barely audible.

Every word he uttered seemed to drain him further, his limbs devoid of sensation. He lay there, vulnerable and disoriented, awaiting an explanation that could shed light on the circumstances that had led him to this state.

"You just passed out," Leonel started. "When you didn't come to breakfast like you used to, I got worried. Good thing that I checked on you, and fortunately, you gave me access to every room, and I got you out.

"I was so shocked when I found you unconscious on the floor. I thought something had happened to you. Fortunately, the doctor said that it's only exhaustion."

As he listened to Leonel's explanation, a realization dawned on Ren.

"How long was I here?"

"One day," Leonel answered, his voice tinged with concern. "You've been here for a day."

A DAY?!

Ren shot out from the bed but found his endeavor futile when the wires restricted him. The second he exerted energy, his limbs weakened, and he was back in bed.

Leonel's eyes widened as Ren's sudden burst of energy sent him shooting up from the bed, only to be thwarted by the restraining wires. With a deflating thud, Ren collapsed back onto the mattress, frustration etching deep lines on his forehead.

Ren's hands clenched into fists, his muscles yearning to exert themselves once again. But with each attempt, his body rebelled, the weakness gnawing at his resolve.

Leonel was quick to restrain him when Ren tried to get up again.

"What are you doing?! The doctor said that you can't leave yet!"

"I have already wasted a day! I can't waste another here! I have to get back in the game!"

Ren couldn't believe this was happening. He thought that he would have enough days ahead of him to finish the world quest. But now this happened!

He couldn't afford to waste another day in here! If he did, then that meant he only had a day left to finish the world quest.

"Ren! Calm down! I know you're frustrated, but you need to give yourself time to heal," Leonel said urgently. "You can't exert yourself like this, or you'll–!"

Leonel didn't finish his words when Ren lost consciousness and fell back into bed.

Ren's vision was blurred, the room spinning as consciousness slipped away once more. The urgency in Leonel's voice lingered in his ears, echoing like distant waves crashing against the shore. His body felt heavy as if anchored to the bed, and each breath became a laborious effort.

"See, I told you . . ." Leonel sighed. "Wait here, and I'll get a doctor." He was concerned that Ren had suffered something when he exerted himself.

Through the haze, Ren caught glimpses of Leonel's worried face. The lines of concern etched deeply into his features, overshadowing his usual calm demeanor. The room seemed to sway, lights dancing in a surreal ballet of colors. Leonel's voice became distant, muffled by the fog that clouded his mind.

Time lost its grip as Ren drifted in and out of awareness, the ebb and flow of his consciousness matching the rhythm of his shallow breaths. Moments blended together, a fragmented tapestry of blurred figures and hushed voices.

Each flicker of clarity was fleeting, teasing Ren with glimpses of reality before plunging him back into the depths of unconsciousness.

Leonel's silhouette moved through the room. His footsteps echoed softly.

L-Leo . . . Ren wanted to call him back, so he could help him get out from here and go back to his pod, but his awareness failed him, and his voice was no more than a weak gasp.

Ren's mind fought against the oppressive weight of fatigue, his consciousness like a fragile vessel tossed in the tempest of his thoughts. The desire for sleep tugged at him, promising respite and escape from the throbbing ache that consumed his body.

However, within that longing, a determination flickered — a flame of unwavering resolve that refused to be extinguished.

With every ounce of willpower he could muster, Ren forced his heavy eyelids open, fighting against the overwhelming urge to succumb to the darkness that beckoned him.

The room swayed before him, a distorted tableau of blurred shapes and muted colors. The relentless pounding in his head threatened to splinter his thoughts, a relentless drumbeat of pain that reverberated through his entire being.

If he sleeps now . . . then it would really be over.

Who knew how long he would wake up again?

The weight of responsibility pressed upon him, his mind replaying the unfinished tasks that lay before him like an unrelenting chorus. The conquest of the Fey Realm, the opening of the Demon Realm, and the promises he had made to Evie — they all hung in precarious balance, waiting for his return.

Evie was waiting for her . . .

Pushing himself, Ren's head was splitting apart. His body felt like an anchor, dragging him down into the depths of weariness, but he refused to yield.

Ren gasped sharply as an intense, searing pain coursed through his limbs, causing his breath to catch in his throat. It was a torment unlike any he had ever experienced, far surpassing the bounds of mere discomfort. It felt as if his very bones were being gnawed upon, his nerves stretched to their limits, and his skin lacerated with each passing moment.

The agony relentlessly tore through him, inflicting wounds that seemed to reopen with every beat of his heart. The pain radiated deep within his being, piercing through his flesh and permeating every fiber of his being. Each breath he took felt like a struggle, as though he were inhaling shards of glass that scraped against his already tender insides.

'No one knows what would happen if you hasten your evolution.'

'Your body might not make it.'

Angelica's words resonated in Ren's head, and a silent scream of anguish tore through his throat.

<CONGRATULATION! Your body has successfully evolved to the 1st Stage!>