589 The First Stage



"Doctor, quick! My friend has awakened, but I fear something happened to him! You have to check him!"

Leonel quickly entered Ren's room, almost dragging the old Doctor with him. "I think something is wrong with his behavior, and I strongly insist that you inject some kind of a sleeping drug on him, or he'd escape his room."

Leonel expressed his concerns about Ren's unusual behavior and insisted on administering a sleeping drug to prevent any potential escape from the hospital.

Leonel muttered on and on until he arrived in Ren's room. As they entered, Leonel was taken aback. There sat Ren on the bed, his face remarkably calm, but it was the streaks of white interwoven with his black hair that captured his attention.

There was an undeniable change in Ren. His aura, once cold and distant, now emitted a silence that was impenetrable. Leonel could sense an unapproachable air surrounding him, yet he found himself inexplicably drawn to his presence, unaware of its magnetic pull on him.

"R-Ren?"

Ren's gaze fixed upon Leonel, radiating an eerie calmness that sent shivers down his spine. There was something in his silver eyes that seemed to penetrate deep into his soul as if Ren held knowledge of his innermost secrets.

"Doctor," Ren began, and both Leonel and the Doctor snapped to attention, their bodies tense.

"Y-yes?" the Doctor stammered, clearing his throat and adjusting his glasses nervously.

Ren's voice carried an unexpected authority, causing the room to fall silent in anticipation.

"I'm already cured. I see no reason why I should be detained here for another minute."

"What do you mean cured?" Leonel was quick to protest. "Your hair just suddenly changed color! That's not normal! What did you do?!"

Ren ignored him. "Just send me a waiver or something, and I'll sign it."

Without a second thought, Ren pulled the needle from his hand and the many bandages attached to his skin.

"Agh! What are you doing?!" Leonel almost went out of his skin. "Why are you being difficult? Doctor, do something!"

The Doctor was pressed in a hard place and was about to open his mouth when Ren spoke.

"You can't detain me here. The patient always has the last say regarding this matter. I am only diagnosed with exhaustion. I can very well recuperate in my own house." Ren stood to his feet and massaged his hands. "But of course, if you want to make things harder, I could always call my lawyer."

". . ." the Doctor clamped his mouth tight.

Leonel leaned over and whispered to the Doctor, "Maybe I could hold him down, and you can inject that sleeping drug."

Ren's piercing glare made Leonel jump on his toes.

"Leo."

"Y-yes?!"

"Pay the bill and get my things. I'm leaving."

Ren grabbed his clothes and went to the toilet without another word.

"Wait, why am I going to pay the bill? And why am I reduced to being a servant?"

"Because you're the one who brought me here," Ren answered inside the toilet. "And I'm weak at the moment. You shouldn't let a patient carry heavy things."

"Weak, my ass!" Leonel shouted and could only wryly sigh. "And now you're acting like a patient if it's convenient to you?"

"You really are impossible," he muttered in the end and grumbled as he started to pack their things.

====

On their way home, Leonel continued lecturing Ren incessantly, but Ren's attention was fixated on something else entirely.

A hologram appeared before him, visible only to him. It reminded him of the game, but this time, it was in the real world, captivating and intriguing him.

Ren felt a strong temptation to press the button that appeared within the hologram, but he hesitated, fearing that the others might think he was losing his grip on reality.

He might be losing his mind, and his brain was merging reality with the game, and he was going crazy.

However, with a quick command of his thoughts, the hologram transformed, displaying his own statistics. This gave him a glimmer of hope, suggesting that perhaps he was still sane and that there might be a rational explanation for what he was experiencing.

There was no HP, MP, and other stats, though, but only a word that seemed like his class and the abilities that centered around it.

[ R E N ]

● Crafter, Technomancer

● O Credit Points

● 1st Stage, Apex Evolution

PASSIVE SKILL

● Enhanced Endurance

You possess heightened stamina and can endure physical exertion for longer periods. You can run, fight, and perform tasks with reduced fatigue, enabling you to navigate harsh environments and escape dangerous situations more effectively.

●Enhanced Senses

You possess heightened perception, such as superior vision, hearing, and sense of smell. This allows you to detect threats or resources from a distance of ten meters.

● Quick Reflexes

You have accelerated reaction times, enabling you to respond swiftly to danger or unexpected events. You possess an innate agility and coordination that helps you evade attacks, dodge projectiles, and engage in combat with greater efficiency.

●Survival Instincts

This ability grants you heightened instincts and intuition, allowing you to make split-second decisions in life-or-death situations. You possess an uncanny ability to sense danger, locate resources, and adapt to changing circumstances, increasing your chances of survival.

●Enhanced Healing

You possess a heightened ability to recover from injuries and illnesses at an accelerated rate. Your body regenerates tissues and cells more efficiently, reducing downtime and increasing overall resilience in the face of adversity.

●Adaptability

You possess the capacity to adjust and thrive in various environments and conditions. You can quickly learn new skills, adapt to different climates, and utilize available resources effectively.

●Beginner Crafter

You possess the ability to create simple items with the right tools and materials.

●Generate Blueprint

You possess the ability to dissect objects and store their information in your brain.

ACTIVE SKILL

●Electrostatic Discharge (3/day)

You can release powerful bursts of electrical energy from your body, shocking and damaging nearby enemies.

[ E N D ]

Ren was clueless about these abilities of his, especially the [Beginner Crafter] and [Generate Blueprint]. He didn't know how they worked in real life.

Anyway, he tested it out with his mind first and was surprised at the prompt that soon appeared on his screen.