NOVEL WEB Chapter 6: Reunion (2)
The room felt lighter, warmer now. Xavier and Anna sat across from each other, a silence of comfort settling between them after her initial outpouring of relief. For the first time in years, Xavier felt like the world wasn't closing in on him, and it was all thanks to the woman in front of him.
"So," Anna started, her emerald eyes glimmering as she leaned back in the chair, "you're still the same Xavier. Always finding yourself in trouble, huh?"
He chuckled softly, scratching the back of his head. "Yeah, some things never change, I guess."
Her smile grew as she reminisced. "You know, back in high school, you always had a knack for attracting the worst kind of attention." She folded her arms. "Remember those jerks who thought they could mess with you in gym class?"
Xavier nodded, his lips curving into a faint smile. "Yeah, I remember. You beat them up before they even got to me."
"That's right." Anna laughed, the sound light and nostalgic. "I don't think they expected the principal's daughter to throw punches. Dad was furious when he heard about it."
"Furious?" Xavier said, smirking. "He was grinning when he found out you broke that guy's nose. He just didn't want to admit it."
Anna shrugged, a playful grin on her face. "Maybe. Mom, though, she was horrified. She kept saying, 'Anna, you're a lady, not a brawler!'"
Xavier's laugh came naturally, something he hadn't felt in a long time. "She always did have a way of keeping you grounded."
The conversation shifted, and Xavier couldn't help but bring up the past. "Do you remember how I ended up staying with you guys?"
Anna's playful demeanor softened, her voice quieter now. "Yeah, I remember."
Xavier sighed, leaning back into his pillow. "It was right after my parents…" He paused, swallowing hard.
Anna nodded, her expression empathetic. "After the dungeon break. Dad came home one night and told us what happened. You were sitting in his car, staring out the window like the world had just… stopped."
"It felt like it had," Xavier admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "Losing them like that… I didn't know what to do. And then your dad…"
"Dad took you in," Anna finished for him, smiling softly. "He told us you were family now. That's just the kind of man he is."
"And your mom and you—you didn't treat me any differently," Xavier said, his gaze distant. "You made me feel like I belonged."
Anna's smile faded slightly, replaced by a faint frown. "So why did you leave, Xavier?"
His throat tightened, and he looked away. "You know why."
"Because of your rank?" she asked bluntly, her voice tinged with frustration.
Xavier nodded. "Your dad's an S-rank hunter. You're an A-rank. People look up to you. The last thing you needed was an E-rank holding you back. I didn't want to be the reason people questioned your family's reputation."
Anna leaned forward, her voice firm. "You think we cared about that? You think I cared about that?"
He didn't answer, his silence saying more than words could.
Anna sighed, leaning back. "You were always too stubborn for your own good."
They talked late into the night, sharing memories of the past and filling in the gaps of the years they'd missed. Anna told him about her work with a hunting agency, about her mom's latest hobby of gardening, and about how her dad still made terrible dad jokes.
Xavier listened, feeling both comforted and guilty. Guilty for leaving. Guilty for making her worry. Guilty for being the same pathetic E-rank he was when he left.
When Anna finally stood to leave, she gave him a stern look. "Don't disappear again, Xavier. You're still family, whether you like it or not."
He nodded, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "I'll try not to."
"Good," she said, softening. Her phone buzzed in her pocket, and she pulled it out, her expression quickly souring. "Work," she muttered, rolling her eyes.
Xavier chuckled. "Busy life of an A-rank hunter, huh?"
"Something like that." She glanced back at him as she headed for the door. "I'll visit again soon, okay? Don't do anything stupid while I'm gone."
"No promises," he joked.
Anna shook her head, smiling, before stepping out to take her call.
....
Xavier leaned back in his bed, staring at the ceiling. His thoughts were heavy, a mix of gratitude and guilt. Anna had taken time out of her busy life to see him, to take care of him. And for what? An E-rank like him wasn't worth her effort.
He sighed, turning his gaze to the strange red-and-white interface that still floated in front of him.
Suddenly, the once-distorted text on the screen sharpened, becoming clear and coherent.
[Welcome, Player].
Xavier's breath hitched as a memory surfaced—a flicker of the same screen he had seen in the final moments of his life in the dungeon.
The interface continued, a soft chime accompanying its words.
[You Have A Unread Notification In Your Mailbox].
His heart raced, equal parts anxious and curious. Hesitantly, he reached out and tapped the small letter icon.
The screen shifted.
Quest Completed: Cry Of The Weak
Rewards:
• Status Recovery (Used)
• Experience Points 10
• Passive Skill: Survivor's Instinct
Xavier's brows furrowed as he read the details, rubbing his head in confusion. "What the hell is all this?" he muttered, earning curious glances from a passing nurse and a doctor.
He waved them off, focusing back on the screen.
[Will You Accept Your Rewards?]
Yes / No?
He hesitated but ultimately chose "Yes."
The screen shifted again, displaying a detailed breakdown:
Status Screen:
Name: Xavier Mercer
Level: 1
Stats:
• Strength: 9
• Agility: 9
• Vitality: 9
• Sense: 0
• Intelligence: 0
HP: [100/100]
Fatigue: 0
Title: None
Job: None
A second screen appeared, displaying an inventory grid, currently empty.
Xavier chuckled dryly. "This is like something out of a video game. What's next? A quest log?"
As if on cue, the screen shifted again, revealing a new notification.
Daily Quest: Road To Becoming Strong
Requirements:
• 100 Push-Ups
• 100 Sit-Ups
• 100 Squats
• 10 km Run
Xavier blinked at the list. "What kind of quest is this?" he muttered, scrolling down.
At the bottom of the screen, glowing ominously, was a timer: Time Remaining: 23:59:57
Beneath it, a chilling line of text:
[Failure to complete this quest will result in a penalty.]
Xavier groaned, brushing it off as he laid back down. "Yeah, right. Like I'm doing any of that after what I've been through."
But as the timer ticked down, the faint glow of the quest notification grew brighter. The sound of a subtle yet insistent ticking filled the room.
And then, as Xavier began to drift off to sleep, the ticking grew louder.