The laughter and warmth from the family reunion still lingered in the air as Rey slowly rose from the floor, wiping the last of his tears.
His mother returned to the kitchen, resuming her chores with a soft smile, while Emmy sat back down to finish her breakfast.
Rey, still catching his breath, took a seat at the table. He glanced at the system window, but before he could focus, his eyes locked onto the wall clock.
7:32 AM.
His heart dropped. He was late.
"Damn it! The last day before exams!" he muttered and dashed up the stairs, his muscles aching from the nightmarish trial he'd just left behind.
Today was important—one of the final school days before exams, and he had to start thinking about university applications soon. But before that—he seriously needed a shower.
Inside the bathroom, Rey turned on the water and stripped off his sweat-drenched clothes. As the warm stream hit his body, he sighed with relief, but something odd occurred when he reached for the soap.
Without touching it, the soap trembled… and then floated.
Rey blinked. "...Huh?"
He was using his mana control skill—effortlessly.
Object after object began floating around him. The toothbrush, towels, and shampoo bottles—all suspended mid-air like puppets on strings. In the mind realm, this had been almost impossible. But now? It was like second nature.
What Rey didn't yet realise was that the mind realm had imposed hidden restraints, suppressing about 60% of his control. Compared to that hell, the real world felt... easy.
"Impressive progress," said a familiar voice.
Rey startled. A figure floated upside down in front of him.
"Aiden," Rey groaned, yanking the shower curtain closed. "Dude, stop appearing when I'm naked."
"First: I forgot. Second: I don't care. Third: your progress is better than expected," Aiden said casually, snapping his fingers and causing all floating items to fall neatly back into place.
"Maybe, but that growth came from literal torture," Rey muttered. "And I doubt I'll keep improving like that. I'm no genius."
Aiden stared at him.
"You're wrong. Talent didn't carry you through that realm. Your will did. Even Victor sees it now. You're not a monster, you're not a prodigy—but you've got something they don't."
Rey raised a brow. "Like what?"
"Grit. You keep pushing even when everything says stop. A piece of iron can split a mountain—if the hand behind it refuses to let go."
Rey's eyes lit up briefly with pride… before fading.
"I still feel like a background character. A side note in someone else's story."
"Maybe. But even side characters can steal the spotlight—if they survive long enough," Aiden said with a grin, fading away just as Rey turned off the water.
After drying off and dressing in his school uniform, Rey descended the stairs with his bag, chatting casually with Aiden, who now floated beside him. His breakfast was already waiting, courtesy of his mother.
As Rey ate, his little sister Emmy came downstairs, dressed and ready.
"Going already?" Jasmine asked, preparing to walk her to school.
"Nope! My friend's picking me up. She's got a bike. From now on, she'll take me to and from school. I'm grown up now," Emmy said proudly, putting on her shoes.
"Did you take the house key?" Jasmine asked.
Emmy nodded and held up a cute keychain with a smile before stepping outside.
Rey looked at his mother. "Who's she going with?"
"Just a girl from a few streets over. They're close friends, don't worry."
"I'm not worried. Just asking. At least you don't have to walk that far anymore—you can head straight to work," Rey said, finishing his food and moving to wash his dishes.
"Why are you washing that? Let me do it. I've got time," Jasmine said, trying to push him aside—and failing.
"Whoa… Are you going to the gym or something? When did you get this strong?" she asked, stunned.
Rey chuckled. "Remember that old man who gave me the 'pill' that changed my body?" he said, reminding her of the fake story he'd fed them.
"Oh, right. That story… Well, I didn't believe it. And I've concluded," she declared dramatically.
Rey paused. "Uh-oh. What now?"
"You were kidnapped by evil scientists who did experiments on you. They failed, dumped you, and now that you've become the perfect creation, they'll come back to capture you—and destroy us all!"
He stared at her. "Mom, have you been watching sci-fi dramas again?"
She laughed. "Maybe."
Shaking his head, Rey checked the time. "Gotta go! James is throwing a party, so I'll be back late."
"Alright, take care!" Jasmine called after him.
As he stepped outside, the air felt lighter. He was alive. His family was safe. And for once, he felt like he belonged here.
--> To Be Continued...