Beyond Phantasia

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

“Doctor, the patient is destabilizing!”

"Quickly, apply the anesthesia and get me the EBS."

“Yes sir!”

The nurse swiftly grabbed the EBS and handed it to the doctor, who carefully positioned the device on the patient’s head, securing it in place. The doctor then activated the system, closely monitoring the patient's vitals as the procedure began.

"Let's begin immediately!" the doctor commanded, their voice sharp with urgency, as the medical team sprang into action.

Hours passed.

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

"Doctor, his condition is worsening!" the nurse called out. The vitals monitor beeped rapidly, reflecting the patient’s critical state. The doctor leaned in, checking the monitor before tightening the Emergency Bio-Stabilizer around the patient’s head.

“We need to stabilize him now,” the doctor said, grabbing a syringe from the tray. “Prepare to increase his dosage and monitor his vitals closely.”

The tension in the room thickened.

BAM! The doors to the surgery room flew open. A woman with jet-black hair strode in, her presence immediately commanding attention.

"Who—? Vice-Dean Kossi?!" The doctor looked up in shock, his protest already forming. "This is a medical room! You can’t just enter like that—!"

“Move,” Kossi’s voice was calm but carried an undeniable authority, her gaze cutting through the room. "I'll take it from here."

The doctor hesitated, looking between Kossi and the patient’s fragile form on the table. “But—”

"Now," she said, not needing to raise her voice. There was no room for argument.

The staff exchanged uncertain glances but ultimately cleared the space, trusting the Vice-Dean's judgment. She stepped forward, her hands glowing faintly with an ethereal energy. The room's atmosphere shifted.

"He’s more broken than I thought," she murmured, extending her hands above his body. A soft hum filled the air, waves of energy weaved through her fingers as she began.

<><><><><>

I blinked, my eyes adjusting to the harsh white light above me. It felt like I was waking up from the deepest sleep of my life, but my entire body ached, a dull throb in every muscle, as if I had been run over by something massive. Slowly, I turned my head and noticed the familiar white walls of the medical wing.

How long have I been here?

I tried to move, but a sharp pain shot through my side. Groaning, I gave up on the idea of sitting up and instead stared at the ceiling. My mind was sluggish, memories filtering back slowly. The sloakard. The fight. The bond with the socrix.

"You're awake."

The voice startled me, and I winced as I turned my head to see Instructor Kossi standing at the foot of my bed. Her expression was unreadable.

"How long?" I croaked, my voice raspy from disuse.

"A week," she replied. "You were in critical condition. It took a lot of effort to stabilize you."

A week. A whole week gone.

"You’re lucky," she continued, walking closer. "Your injuries were extensive — broken bones, torn muscles, severe internal damage. But you’ve managed to hang on.”

I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to process everything. "What about the others? Did they—"

"They’re fine," Kossi interrupted. "They’ve stopped by to check on you, but I told them you needed rest."

Kossi moved to the side of the bed, her hands hovering over a panel that blinked with medical readings. "You’ve pushed your body beyond its limits. You’ll need time to recover fully."

I nodded.

“I have lots to discuss with you, but that can wait until after your recovery. I’ll take my leave now.” Instructor Kossi’s voice was calm, but I could feel the weight behind her words.

“Thank you,” I managed to say, my voice still weak but laced with sincerity.

She gave me a small nod before turning on her heel, her long coat trailing behind her as she left the room. The door clicked softly as it closed, leaving me in the stillness of the white room.

I exhaled deeply, letting the quiet settle over me. There was so much to think about, but for now, I was simply grateful to be alive.

“Status plus,” I said.

==================

— {[Lucien Crow]} — -

Orphan

Sole Survivor of the Verita Massacre

???

Goal: Defeat the Primordial Giant of Destruction

Age: 16

Affinity: 7.5%

Silvion Academy (Year 6864): Rank 4000

Overall Rating: E

Affinity: E-

Combat: E+

Technomancy: E-

Stamina: E+

Skills:

Jack of All Trades Lvl 1

Allows the user to perform most tasks that they can’t perform at a moderate level.

Allure (Passive)

Your presence is alluring.

Rewards: (1)

==================

"Nice, looks like my affinity went up by quite a bit," I murmured. "Now, what's this reward icon?"

Despite the dull ache that still throbbed through my body, I couldn't help but feel a spark of excitement.

I clicked it.

[Congratulations! You’ve completed your first quest! Please select a choice of rewards listed below!]

=====

Random Skill

Random Stat Upgrade

Random Item

=====

Let’s see… Hypothetically, I could upgrade my stats naturally, so I could skip this option. Skill or Item?

I glanced over at my skills.

I really needed another skill; Jack of All Trades was too random, and Allure didn’t seem to benefit me at all. I also didn’t need an item, especially since that term was so broad.

I decided to click on the random skill option.

[Confirming Choice]

A wheel appeared on the screen with a sign that read "Spin." I clicked the spin wheel, eagerly waiting for my new skill.

[Energy Recovery (Passive) - Your body recovers energy faster over time, allowing you to regain stamina during prolonged battles.]

I sighed. “Well, it’s not bad. At least it'll be beneficial for me.”

[Player Reward Received. Please be ready for the next available quest!]

I sighed again.

Please no more quests.

“It seems you’ve awakened, human.”

“Huh?”

I looked down at the bed and saw a small black snake staring at me. Its golden underbelly shimmered in the dim light of the room, and its beady eyes locked onto mine. I couldn't shake the feeling that it was more than just a snake; it felt... familiar.

“Human,” it began, its voice smooth and almost playful, “you’ve awakened from your slumber. Ready to embrace your destiny?”

I raised an eyebrow. “Destiny?”

“Since you’ve formed a bond with the great and powerful me, we are destined to be targeted and hunted until we reach the top! Isn’t that exciting?” It proudly stated.

Great. My bond is a psychopath.

Still, I couldn’t shake the feeling that a strange bond was forming.

“Before we even start, we haven’t even introduced ourselves,” I said. “First off, my name is Lucien.”

“Name? I go by many throughout my grand life,” it pondered. “Hmmm…give me a name, human named Lucien.”

“Just Lucien is fine.”

I sat there for a minute, struggling to come up with something. I really wasn’t good at this. Nothing seemed fitting.

Well, maybe this could work…

“Urumi. Your name is Urumi…” I said.

It stared at me for a moment.

“Urumi? You’re naming me after the weapon you called out?” it asked, a hint of amusement in its tone. “I like it!”

“Haha… Then I’ll be in your care, Urumi.”

“As will I, Lucien." Urumi laughed.