Chapter 6.2 – I Need Rest
Kai stood in the bathroom, staring at his reflection. For a few seconds, he didn't blink—his eyes tired, dark circles visible under them. He looked like someone who'd been through something he didn't want to talk about.
He finally sighed, breaking the silence, and grabbed a towel. The fabric scratched slightly against his skin as he dried himself off. He pulled on a clean t-shirt and a pair of sweatpants, leaving the blood-stained clothes in the corner without a second glance.
"So, System," he asked quietly, "how did I survive that fall?"
[The system didn't. Your body saved itself.]
[Thanks to your honed physical condition, your body had stored a considerable amount of energy. I used that reserve for emergency healing. But then, *you* kept trying to move before the wounds had fully closed, which tore them open again.]
[That forced me to activate deep recovery, which burned nearly all your available energy. You've got about 50 mana left same for stamina. If you don't eat something soon, there's a high chance you'll black out again.]
Kai paused at the mirror, the system's voice still ringing in his head.
"…What happens if my mana hits zero?"
[Depends on your condition. If you're injured and out of energy, you'll bleed out. If you're not, your body will shut down and force you to sleep—about four to five hours to restore your mana naturally.]
[Note: There are other ways to recover mana, aside from waiting.]
Kai nodded slowly. "Okay. So… what's my condition now?"
[Status: Fine.]
[Note: "Fine" doesn't mean healthy. It just means stable. You're drained, but your body's structurally okay.]
"Good enough," Kai muttered, more to himself than the system. At least he was learning how this thing worked.
---
Back in the living room, Kai found his parents where he left them—his dad on the couch, typing out a message with a frown. Judging by the sighs and quick keystrokes, it looked like a heated argument. Probably work.
His mom sat on the armrest, phone in hand, her eyes locked on the food delivery tracker. She didn't say anything as Kai entered, but glanced up and gave him a soft smile. He returned a half-nod and flopped into a seat.
A loud thump echoed from Ray's room upstairs.
Their father glanced over. "Kai, check on your brother?"
Kai groaned but got up anyway. He knocked twice on Ray's door.
Ray opened it partway. "What?"
"There was a loud noise."
"I'm training. Leave me alone," Ray replied in a level, almost dismissive tone.
Kai gave a tired sigh. "Fine. Whatever."
He walked back down and dropped onto the couch again.
"Ray's training," he said. "Told me to leave him alone."
His dad just hummed in acknowledgment without looking up from his phone.
---
Fifteen minutes later, there was a knock at the door—sharp and quick.
Kai was already on his feet, heading over. When he opened it, a delivery guy handed him five plastic bags stacked high, with the top one holding a round box that clearly had the cake inside. Another bag had a pack of small candles bouncing inside.
"Thanks," Kai said and shut the door gently behind him.
He set the bags on the dining table and immediately rummaged through them. His eyes lit up when he spotted a container of curry. Without hesitation, he grabbed it, then pulled out two more and placed them in front of his mom and dad.
Somehow, the plastic trays landed softly—no clatter, no spill.
Then he walked back up to Ray's room, knocked lightly. "Food's here. Yours is in the kitchen."
Ray's voice came muffled through the door. "Thanks."
Kai carried the rest of the bags into the kitchen, placing them on the counter and leaving Ray's plate on a stool.
He took his own into his room, setting the tray on his small wooden desk. The second he opened it, the smell hit him. Without thinking, he started eating—fast.
By the time he looked down again, the tray was empty.
"Damn... I was starving," he said under his breath, letting out a deep breath.
[Mana 50/150 → 100/150]
As the food settled in his stomach, his energy began returning. But Kai didn't care about that right now. He threw the empty tray into the bin and flopped onto his bed, exhaling hard.
Just before sleep overtook him, he remembered what all of this was for. He blinked, checking his mana.
[Mana 150/150]
He smiled faintly and let his eyes close.
---
Kai jolted awake to the system's voice echoing crisply in his mind.
[Host, there are many types of quests.]
[Daily quests. Monthly quests. Yearly quests.]
[You must complete each within its time frame. Would you like to view your current quests?]
Kai groaned into his pillow.
"…Yeah, go ahead."