His eyes fluttered open. The bright lights of the hospital room stabbed at him. Kyn turned his head to the side, watching the window drapes dance as cold air slipped in.
Beep. Beep. Beep.
The steady sound of the monitor echoed in his head. His body felt heavy, pinned to the bed, while scraps of nightmare clung to him like frost. His shoulders trembled as the memories stabbed back to life.
Beep! Beep! Beep!
The machine screamed, just like the students had when they died. Kyn gasped, eyes wide, tears burning as the oxygen mask misted over. It felt like drowning.
The door banged open. People in scrubs rushed in, crowding his bed. A nurse pushed something into his IV line. His body flinched, a cold shiver racing up his neck. A faint screen flickered in the air.
'Notice! A non-threatening drug is being administered.'
'Status: Accepted.'
Warmth spread through his veins. His limbs went limp, breath falling back into rhythm. He heard someone sigh in relief. A young nurse, honey-skinned with calm olive eyes, leaned down and checked his mask.
"He's awake and responding," she said to the others. "Call the Bureau."
They filed out, leaving Kyn alone with the soft beep of the machine. He forced himself upright, testing his arms and legs. Not a single cut. He'd seen that monster rip him apart. He'd felt it.
And the voice. It told him he'd awakened.
Something inside him sparked. He grinned, shifting on the bed, eyes darting around like a kid trying to spot ghosts.
"System on," he whispered. Nothing happened. "System, open. System, start. Open system…"
He kept trying, face scrunching up each time, but nothing appeared. He even tried to tap and pinch different parts of his body in his attempts, but none of it helped. This led him to cross his arms and pout at the ceiling. For once, he'd wanted something good to happen.
Before he could continue, the door slid open again. Three strangers stepped in like shadows. The first was tall, thin, face was hidden behind dark sunglasses. He wore a dark blue suit with gold trim and black gloves that never left his pockets.
Two more followed— a man and a woman in matching suits, but with silver instead of gold. The second man set a slim, scratched silver briefcase at the foot of Kyn's bed. The woman wore a cheeky smile with her dark brown hair messily well-knit into a bun.
"Good evening, Mr. Moore," the tall man said. His voice was careful and smooth, but it was cold and sharp. "I'm Captain Bob Dylan from the Players Bureau, Player Affairs Division. We locate new Players and help them transition. This isn't forced, but your benefits will be beyond anything a normal civilian can earn."
Kyn stared at him. "So… I did awaken?"
Bob gave a small nod. "You did. And you're the only survivor of the Black Lion Tragedy at St. Clementine High School, besides Mr. Elliot."
Kyn's gut twisted when he heard the name. Kris. He could still feel the other boy's boots in his ribs. A flicker of fear mixed with another memory.
"What about Mr. Davis?" Kyn asked. He picked at the blanket, nails digging into the threads. "Did he make it?"
Bob's shoulders dropped. He placed a gloved hand on Kyn's arm, the boy feeling the silk material through the thin hospital gown. "He didn't. We recovered him at his office door. He tried to fight."
"There was a broom beside him," said the woman, Claire based on her nametag. Her voice was too gentle for her suit. "He probably tried to protect you."
Kyn's throat closed up. He forced out a laugh that died before it left his mouth. "Nobody likes me. He probably just wanted to save himself."
"That's not true," Claire said, sliding closer, trying too hard to maintain her smile. "At least Kris helped. He could've run but he told us there was another boy. That's how we found you."
"Claire," Bob warned, but she waved him off.
"It's fine," Kyn muttered. Empty words didn't reach him anymore. Nobody ever cared before. Not once. Eighteen years and no person tried. His heart was numbed and his brain fails to submit to the delusion of a helping hand.
Claire cleared her throat. "Anyway. Let's see what you've really got."
She looked at Bob, who stepped aside without a word. Claire popped the briefcase open, pulling out a sleek tablet with four wired probes. Two had suction cups, two were metal clips.
"Don't move. This checks your Player rank and sponsor," she said. She clipped the metal tips to his fingers and pressed the cups to his temples. Kyn's nose was invaded with the almost-burnt copper-like smell of the wires, but he kept his thoughts to himself. "If you're lucky, you've got a strong god on your side. Leveling up will be easier."
Kyn stayed still as numbers flickered across the tablet, the screen beeping in little jolts. After a few minutes, a slip of paper printed from a slot on the side. Claire read it, her face falling even as she forced a smile. She packed up the wires and handed the slip to Bob.
Bob clicked his tongue. "Looks like you did awaken, but your rank is unusually low. Your sponsor's name is hidden, too. Not unheard of, but odd."
"Or the god is so weak the system barely registers it," the second man muttered. Claire jabbed him in the side with her elbow. "What? It's true."
Claire leaned in, lowering her voice. "I really wish we didn't have to say this now, but we were hoping for an A-rank. Your reading is E-class. Which means…"
She hesitated. Then she pulled out her phone, tapped it, and held it out. Kyn's stomach lurched. The photo showed the Demon's corpse— shredded, scattered, a mess of black blood and snapped bone. Its head was the only thing still whole.
"Kris did this," Claire whispered. "He tore the A-Class Demon apart by himself."
When they left, Kyn stared at the window for a long time. The image burned behind his eyelids. But something else wouldn't leave his mind— Claire's hands shaking. The way she looked at him like she'd seen a ghost.
The door creaked open again. Kyn turned. His heart stopped. Kris stepped inside and closed the door behind him.
"Kris, I—"
"I want to make things right."
Kyn stared. The words didn't fit the boy who'd pinned him down and laughed as his friends kicked him bloody. There was no anger in Kris's eyes now. Just something heavy, like regret.
When they locked eyes, Kris avoided. He couldn't bear watching the boy he treated like garbage. His body trembled, but it wasn't fear. It was guilt and shame.
"I don't understand," Kyn managed. "What are you talking about?"
"I saw how you killed it," Kris said, voice low. He looked at the floor. "I only survived because I reawakened as Double-S, but when I woke up, it was already dead. You did that. Or whatever's inside you did."
Kyn shook his head. "The Bureau said you killed it."
"My father pulled strings. He needed me to be the hero." Kris clenched his jaw. "Status open. Look, I never got the kill notification. It wasn't me."
He looked at Kyn, waiting. Kyn's pulse hammered in his throat. He swallowed hard.
"So, that's the command." Kyn commented before saying. "Status open."
Screens flooded his vision like shards of light. His eyes darted over the flickering windows. One black notice caught his eye. He tapped it with a shaking finger.
'Notice! You killed the A-Grade Demon: Menacing Lion. Rewards will be sent to your inbox.'
A shiver ran through him. The buzzing machine beeped steady behind him. Kris was silent as he let Kyn read through all the messages.
"I'll leave you alone for now, but I can guarantee your anonymity from the media," Kris said. "I'm sorry, Kyn. But if the new guild will be established, I want to at least let your secret be kept safe. Consider it my gratitude for saving my life."
Kris left without saying another word, leaving Kyn alone in front of the screens that he read through. His throat was dry and his jaw was dropped open.
Kyn Moore
Level: 21
Grade: E
Sponsor: !ERROR!