The crowd around the crash site was in total chaos, people screaming, backing up, phones still filming like crazy.
As I ignored the pain and the stares, I pulled out the Island Ball. The purple sphere.
I tossed the Island Ball at Mirko's limp body.
The ball struck her gently. It opened with a soft click, releasing a swirl of violet light that wrapped around her. She vanished inside with a quiet snap. The ball beeped softly once, twice, then clicked shut in confirmation.
I went over, bent down, and picked up the Ball.
I straightened up and looked at the crowd with a bloody, swollen grin. My face was puffed up like a cartoon character who'd taken a sledgehammer to the nose.
Both eyes were black and almost shut, lips fat and split, cheeks ballooned out red and purple. I looked ridiculous, like a naked, beaten-up raccoon who'd lost a fight with a truck.
People gasped. Some laughed nervously. Others just stared in horror.
"I'm going now," I said, voice slurred and muffled through the swelling.
"System," I muttered, "take me back."
[ RETURN TO SECRET ISLAND INITIATED. PORTAL ACTIVATING. ]
A soft hum filled the air. Blue light wrapped around me like a glowing cocoon, starting at my feet and climbing up my body in shimmering waves.
The street, the crowd, the flashing phones, all blurred and faded into white noise. My skin tingled with electric warmth. In an instant, everything vanished.
One second I was standing naked and bloody. The next, I was back in the starting hub of the Secret Island.
The familiar sterile white room greeted me, the reception desk exactly where I left it, the blue screen hovering patiently nearby. The air here was calm, quiet, almost too clean after the chaos outside.
I stumbled forward, face throbbing like hell. My clothes were near me. I grabbed them, pulled on the pants and shirt fast, wincing with every movement.
Then the boost wore off. All at once.
The temporary power drained away like water down a sink.
Every bruise, every cracked rib, every torn muscle and cut hit me like a truck slamming into my body from every direction.
I felt the bones in my ribs grind and shift with sickening pops, sharp pain stabbing through my chest like knives. My arms trembled, fingers numb, as if someone had hammered nails into the joints. My face throbbed so hard it felt like my skull was cracking open.
Tears stung my swollen eyes, blurring everything.
I screamed, "ahhhhhhh! System! What's happening?!" doubling over, clutching my ribs, body shaking uncontrollably from the sudden flood of agony.
[ TEMPORARY BOOST EFFECT ENDED. HOST SUSTAINED SEVERE INJURIES. BONES CRACKED, MUSCLES TORN, MULTIPLE CONTUSIONS DETECTED.
RECOMMENDED: BASIC HEALING POTION.
COST: 1 GOLD COIN. ]
I gasped through clenched teeth, sweat pouring down my face, voice hoarse and broken. "Buy it... now..."
[ PURCHASE CONFIRMED: BASIC HEALING POTION ACQUIRED – 1 GOLD COIN
REMAINING GOLD COINS: 9 ]
A small green vial appeared in my hand.
I chugged it down, cool liquid sliding down my throat. Instantly, the pain eased. Bones knit, swelling dropped, cuts sealed. My face returned to normal, eyes opening fully, nose straight, lips no longer split. I exhaled in relief, standing straight.
I looked at the Island Ball in my other hand. A new screen popped up over it.
[ CAPTURED TARGET: RUMI USAGIYAMA (MIRKO)
AGE: 26
QUIRK/ABILITY: Rabbit: Enhanced strength, speed, agility, senses, powerful leg-based attacks [ON/OFF]
REPRODUCTION ABILITY: [ON / OFF] ]
I stared at the screen hovering over the Island Ball.
The QUIRK/ABILITY line was clear and active: Rabbit, with the [ON/OFF] toggle bright and ready. I had no idea what the ON/OFF meant yet, but it looked like something I could control.
Right below it, the REPRODUCTION ABILITY line was dim and grayed out, the [ON / OFF] letters faded and almost unreadable, like a locked option in a video game menu that you can't click.
I tilted my head, curiosity mixing with that dark excitement bubbling inside me.
"System, what does this ON/OFF feature mean?" I asked quietly.
[ QUIRK/ABILITY ON/OFF FEATURE: HOST CAN TOGGLE MIRKO'S RABBIT QUIRK ON OR OFF AT WILL. WHEN OFF, MIRKO LOSES ACCESS TO HER QUIRK'S EFFECTS. WHEN ON, MIRKO GAINS FULL USE OF HER QUIRK. ]
[ REPRODUCTION ABILITY ON/OFF FEATURE IS CURRENTLY LOCKED AND GRAYED OUT. THIS FEATURE IS UNAVAILABLE UNTIL THE TARGET IS FULLY TRAINED AS A WORKER FOR THE ISLAND AND THE BUSINESS IS OFFICIALLY OPENED. ONCE REQUIREMENTS ARE MET, THE HOST CAN TOGGLE IT ON OR OFF TO CONTROL WHETHER THE TARGET CAN REPRODUCE. UNAVAILABLE UNTIL REQUIREMENTS ARE MET. ]
[ RECOMMENDATION: TRAIN YOUR NEWLY CAPTURED FEMALE BEFORE OPENING THE ISLAND FOR BUSINESS. ]
I read the words slowly, letting them sink in. The quirk toggle made sense. I could turn her power on and off like a switch. But the reproduction line...
Wait, does the system want the clients to have babies with them? Or me to have babies with them? The thought hit me like a truck, and I immediately shut it down.
Nope. Not asking. No way. I could already picture the system giving me some sarcastic reply like, "Host, if a lonely client can't reproduce naturally, the island provides premium baby-making services, and bla, bla, bla…"
I shook my head slowly, still staring at the Island Ball cradled in my palm. The slow evil grin crept back across my face, wider than before, pulling at the corners of my mouth until it hurt in the best way.
"Oh, Mirko," I whispered, voice low and eager, thick with anticipation. "We're going to have a lot of fun. I swear. So much fun... because of you."
My mind raced ahead, already mapping out every second of revenge. She had beaten me bloody, naked, in front of an entire crowd. Humiliated me, laughed at me, turned me into a viral joke.
Now it was my turn. I would break her pride, her strength, her that cocky grin. Piece by piece. Until she begged. Until she learned who owned her now.
The grin turned sharp as I started walking toward the training room door.
Time to begin.
***
If you have any lonely characters in mind, you can tell me before the training part finishes, otherwise, I'll just make up a random one.
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