With a final, confused thought, Hazel whispered, "Yes..."
In the darkness, Ivy's lifeless body shimmered and melted away, only to come together again, slowly rising from the floor. A glowing symbol pulsed on her chest. Her eyes snapped open, no longer empty but filled with an eerie light. She wore a dress of swirling black and bright pink, and a sword of the same colors appeared in her hand.
Then, the clean smell of antiseptic filled Hazel's nose. He was back in his hospital bed. The worried faces of doctors and police officers hovered above him. "Good morning, Mister Willow," a doctor said gently. A throbbing pain echoed in Hazel's head as he pushed himself up.
"My head..." he groaned, confused. The room came into focus, and the memory of Ivy, the Reaper, the impossible messages, all rushed back to him. "Ivy! Where is she? Is she alright?" Panic tightened his throat.
The doctors exchanged serious looks, telling him to calm down. Finally, the main doctor spoke, his voice soft with sympathy. "...I'm afraid Miss Ivy didn't make it, Hazel. We did everything we could. I'm so sorry."
A raw cry tore from Hazel's chest, and the world blurred through a film of tears. Grief, sharp and painful, consumed him.
"Come now," the doctor said, placing a comforting hand on Hazel's arm. "There's... well, there's one unexpected piece of good news. Your heart condition... it's gone. We can't explain it, but the tests are clear."
Just then, a voice boomed in the minds of everyone in the world, clear and undeniable: [GLOBAL ALERT: The world will face a catastrophic event in 24 hours. Prepare for the emergence of monstrous entities. A system will be implemented, offering occupational paths for survival. Choose wisely. This is not a drill.]
Chaos erupted in the hospital room, mirroring the wild confusion surely breaking out across the globe. "What in God's name was that?" the head officer exclaimed, his face pale with shock. He barked orders at his colleagues, and they rushed out of the room.
As the world struggled with the unbelievable announcement, a new notification appeared in Hazel's mind: [Occupational Selection Available.] But when he tried to open it, a clear warning flashed: [Warning: Player already possesses an occupation.]
Ignoring the growing feeling of dread, Hazel turned to the doctor, his voice thick with tears he hadn't shed. "Please... can I see Ivy one last time?" The doctor, understanding how deep their bond was, nodded sadly.
With minutes ticking down to the unknown apocalypse, Hazel stood beside Ivy's still body, a deep sorrow weighing him down. "I wish..." he whispered, his voice cracking, "I wish it was me."
Then, the world outside the hospital windows exploded in a crashing noise and bright light. The ground shook. Monsters, grotesque and terrifying, began to spill into the streets.
In Hazel's mind, the artificial voice returned: [Player has successfully acquired the Reaper Class.]
[Current Level: 10. New Skill Unlocked: Dead Summoning Lv1.]
[A corpse with significant power is available for summoning.]
The familiar prompt appeared: [Summon Blossom Queen?]
Without hesitation, Hazel thought, Yes.
And once more, Ivy's lifeless body shimmered and reformed, rising with an unnatural grace. The black and pink of her clothes and blade stood out sharply against the grim reality of the world falling apart. Hazel could only stare, a mix of grief, confusion, and a dawning sense of the strange fate that had been forced upon him.
"Your wish is my command, Master," said the woman who used to be Miss Ivy. Now, she was the Blossom Queen, her voice smooth and flat as she knelt before Hazel.
Hazel felt a rush of pure joy seeing her alive, truly real. "Ivy!" he cried, moving quickly to hug her. But his arms met only a cold stillness. Blossom didn't hug him back, and there was no hint of knowing him in her eyes. A cold feeling spread through Hazel, replacing his happiness with a confusing sadness.
He stepped back, his eyes searching her face for the warmth he remembered, the gentle spark in her eyes. Instead, he found a perfect, blank face, as unreadable as a polished statue.
"Ivy... what happened?" Hazel asked, his voice barely a whisper, filled with a growing worry.
"I am working perfectly, Master. Please, call me Blossom," she replied, her voice steady, without any feeling.
"Do you... do you remember anything? From before?" Hazel pushed, a tight knot of worry forming in his chest.
"No, my lord. My past memories seem to be locked away. If I cannot do what you brought me back for, then please let me return to nothing," Blossom stated, her hand moving with a quick, unsettling grace to the handle of the sword at her hip.
Hazel reacted at once, catching her wrist. "Do you... do you not want me to stop you?" he asked, his grip firm.
"No, my lord," Blossom repeated, her gaze fixed straight ahead, completely uncaring.
Something is terribly wrong, Hazel thought, his mind racing. I need to understand what happened to her memories, and fast.
Just then, another loud explosion shook what was left of the hospital. The sound echoed the chaos in Hazel's own mind.
He knew, with sudden clarity, that surviving in this new world depended on understanding the strange system that had appeared. If I want to live through this, I need answers. Starting with this 'system'.
Focusing his thoughts, he said the words aloud, "System window."
A see-through window appeared before him, showing plain, digital words:
Player Information
* Welcome, Player, to your system window.
* Name: Hazel Willow
* Age: 21
* Job Class: Grim Reaper
* EXP: 0/100
* Level: 10
* Souls Taken: 0/100
* Health: 25/25
* Strength: 20/20
* Speed: 15/15
* Stamina: 15/15
* Agility: 15/15
* Skill: Dead Summon Lv1
* Weapon: Scythe