Adyr stood in front of the bathroom mirror, and the first thing he noticed was the absence of the scar on his lip. A fresh bruise from the punch had completely healed in just three hours.
His pale skin looked different, too. It now had a healthy sheen, smooth and clear, like someone who followed a strict skincare routine every day.
Curious, he flexed in front of the mirror, lit only by a single candle. His body had always looked fit, but in a lean, wiry sort of way. Now, his muscles appeared noticeably fuller. His abs and obliques, in particular, had taken on a sharper, more defined shape — as if sculpted from marble.
He had achieved more physical improvement in just three hours than most people could hope to gain in a lifetime. It was the kind of transformation only the rich and well-connected could normally afford.
For a moment, he considered using the second game helmet — the one Selina had sent — and diving back in for another three hours. But he knew the system's limitations: only one active connection per player and no way to create a second avatar.
With nothing else to do but wait for the power to return, he headed downstairs.
"Son, how was your day?" Marielle greeted him from the couch as he came down the stairs. Too tired to stand, she simply waved her hand lazily in his direction. Her black hair and sharp blue eyes were proof enough — no DNA test was needed to confirm she was Niva's biological mother.
"Exceptionally fruitful," Adyr replied with a slight smile as he found his way to the dining table, cluttered with textbooks and dimly lit by candlelight. He sat down beside Niva.
"Is that so? I heard you received an expensive gift today. Was it from Viktor?" Marielle's voice echoed again, weary, but laced with playful sarcasm.
She knew about her son's close friendship with Victor. And, of course, she knew exactly who Victor Bates was.
Adyr glanced at Niva, who gave a subtle shrug without looking up. He chuckled. "Yeah. A game helmet for the new release. Want to try it? I've got a spare."
"The spare one is from Selina White, in case you're curious," Niva added flatly, her eyes still glued to her textbook.
"Selina White?" Marielle paused for a moment. Then, with a smirk, she gave him a thumbs-up and said, "I'm proud of you, boy. Making friends with powerful people is the best kind of security for your future."
She knew that better than most. Having graduated from the same university herself, she understood all too well that for people like them, a degree alone didn't mean much. Her current job existed because of the connections she had built back then, and it was influence, not education, that truly opened doors.
"Also, I'm too busy and too old to play games," she added, closing her tired eyes.
"Okay," Adyr replied casually, without pressing the subject.
He chose not to mention that it wasn't just a game, but potentially a device capable of triggering genetic mutation. Not because of the promise he'd made to Victor, but because he still didn't fully understand the mystery surrounding it. The game was cloaked in unanswered questions, and he wasn't entirely convinced there was no malicious intent behind it.
He had no intention of letting the people he cared about play something so suspicious.
"Marielle, have you ever heard of a language called Latin?" He asked, hoping to shed some light on the biggest question still haunting his mind.
"Latin? No, I've never heard of it. Is it one of those old languages or something?" She replied, eyes still closed.
From his sister's expression, or lack of one, it was clear she was just as clueless.
"I guess so," Adyr muttered.
He briefly considered asking one of his history professors tomorrow, when suddenly, the landline phone on the wall began to ring.
For a moment, everyone froze.
Marielle's eyes snapped open wide with concern. Worry and fear were written clearly across her face.
During blackouts like this, landlines usually went dead. If the phone were ringing now, there could only be one reason.
An emergency line.
"The children!" Marielle gasped, suddenly throwing off her exhaustion and rushing toward the phone.
The only emergency call she could think of was from the orphanage where she worked as an assistant manager. The thought that something might have happened to the kids wrapped her in a wave of fear and urgency.
"Hello?" Marielle answered quickly, her voice sharp with urgency.
Adyr watched her closely as her expression shifted while she listened. The panic and fear on her face faded, replaced by irritation, then mild anger, and finally the exhaustion she had shown earlier returned.
She let out a sigh, turned to Adyr, and said flatly, "It's Victor."
As he stood up and took the receiver from her, Marielle sank back into the couch, relief softening her features.
"Victor?" Adyr asked, holding the handset to his ear. It was the first time Victor had called him this late, and he had a strong feeling it was game-related.
"Adyr, did you get the helmet I sent?" Victor's voice came through, tinged with curiosity.
"Yes."
"So… did you play the game yet?" This time, there was a hint of tension in his voice, like he was worried.
"Yes."
There was a brief pause.
"Tell me you didn't die in there," he said, now clearly anxious.
"No, I didn't. Why?" Adyr replied, his curiosity growing.
"Hell yeah! I knew it! You're among the 1%!" Victor's voice shifted instantly, all worry gone, replaced by almost childish excitement.
"One percent? What's that supposed to mean?"
"Didn't you check the internet? Everyone's talking about it on the forums," Victor said, clearly surprised by the question.
"Victor, we're in the middle of a blackout. There's no internet right now," Adyr explained, internally sighing. Of course, Victor hadn't considered that.
"Oh—right. So that's why I had to bribe the central station just to get connected through the emergency line," Victor muttered, as if something suddenly made sense.
"Anyway, you'll see once the power comes back. I just called to let you know—you only get one life in the game. If you die, it's over. You can't play again."
Then, after a brief pause, his tone shifted — more serious, more deliberate. "There's something else I need to tell you. But not over the phone. Meet me early tomorrow at the library. I have to go now."
He sounded rushed, and before Adyr could get a word in, Victor added one last thing. "Ah, and one more thing. Be careful when logging out. Your avatar stays in the game unconscious. If you leave it in the wrong place, it can still be killed. Find a safe spot before you exit. Bye."
With that, the line went dead, leaving Adyr staring at the phone, stunned.