Fear

'Yes'

(You have accepted Genfnil quest. Genfnil is now an unofficial member of your party. Genfnil is unable to grow as such; no exp will be parted to him. However, he can assist in your battle on his own accord. Be warned: Genfnil can perish, and he would not be able to revive. With his speed, the likelihood is low but not 0.)

Seeing the system introduction, Feng checked his party list to see Genfnil name within.

"Puny humans, find the switch to the door so we can get out of here as soon as possible," Genfnil commands, giving Feng an awkward feeling. Partly because he has not been commanded to do something, partly because no matter how much he tried, it was hard to match that voice and character to the cute kitten in his palms.

Glancing towards Hu Wei, Feng ask, "cough...where do you think we should search?"

"The statue? There is nothing else in the area." Hu Wei said.

'Haiz...his luck may be good, but he is a little too straightforward. Why would the system place a device in such an obvious place' Feng thought as Hu Wei searches the statue.

Creek~

Feng's eye widen.

Creek creek creek....rubbles.

'Holy!'

"You found the switch to the door?!" Feng asked Hu Wei, amazed.

"Well, nothing amazing about it. There really is nothing in the area." Hu Wei replied with his simple, earnest face once again.

'F... I should bring this guy on every quest and dungeon opportunity that I can get.' Feng left a mental note for himself as he places Genfnil to his head which Genfnil happily snuggles into like a nest.

"What are you waiting for? MOVE!" Genfnil gave the 2 of them a final command before closing his eyes.

As the eyes of Feng and Hu Wei met, they both knew that it is going to take time for them to match that voice to the harmless cute kitten.

'Perhaps it is best I keep him above my head,' Feng thought. 'If I can't see him, I would not feel that awkward.'

Walking past the door, the 3 of them arrive on a cliff looking into a cave.

"koaz, as expected, things are not that easy", Feng muttered beneath his breath.

Below them is an area filled with spiders. Covering almost every inch of the ground with barely any opening. The moment they jumped down, it would be an endless battle.

To make things worst, Feng is without a weapon now after losing it outside when falling earlier.

With his already low attack, he would be useless in any fight for the moment without his weapon. Looking up, Feng ask, "Genfnil is it possible for me to learn what you have to teach me now?"

"hmm..." Genfnil ponders as he shakes himself awake above Feng's head.

"well, I can give you a sneak preview, but still, there is a test to be passed. To say the truth, I am unsure if you can pass the test currently," Genfnil replied to Feng after a moment of pause.

"Sure thing. What is the test?" Feng replied confidently. After all, with his previous knowledge, if there is anyone who can be confident about their know-how in Gods Art, it would be him.

"Find a place to rest and close your eyes. This is going to take a while." Genfnil said as he stands on all 4 paws above Feng's head.

Finding a safe area, Feng looks at Hu Wei. Shaking his head, he took out the remaining ropes he still has with him as well as half of his basic HP potion.

"Here, take this. I know you will be going down to fight, and won't stop you. After all, it would be pointless for you to wait here for me. Still, try not to die. This is a challenge for yourself. Use these ropes to escape and always stay within a small distance from the rope," Feng told Hu Wei as he prepared himself for the quest.

Nodding in acknowledgement, Hu Wei puts his fist to his chest as a way of telling Feng not to worry.

Knowing there is nothing much he can do, Feng sat down on the ground with his back against the wall. Closing his eyes, "Genfnil, I am ready." he said.

Doki Doki Doki...

Feng could feel the excitement in his heart as it beats faster and faster. After all, not is he going to get a rare class, it would also be before the official class change other players would only get at level 10.

5 seconds passed, 10 seconds, 20 seconds, 1 minute, 1 minute 30 seconds...2 minutes...

'Wait, why is nothing happening' Feng wondered.

According to what he knows, the quest for the mage class would have them teleported to different dimension to undergo a test. However, he is just sitting still, eyes closed for the last 2 minutes with nothing happening.

3 minutes...still nothing...

4 minutes...nope, nothing!

As impatience builds in him, Feng is on the verge of raging. 'Is that damn kitten toying with me?!'

Having had enough, he opened his eyelids or rather, he tried to open his eyelids. However, they refused to budge as it remains shut close. 'Darn kitten', Feng cursed in his heart as he tries to ask it what is happening.

"....." 'F*ck!' His lips refuse to part too!!...his fingers, nope no middle finger opening up, his legs, nope not able to stand up.

He is basically isolated inside himself in darkness with no control over his body and only his mind working.

Wait....why does this feel so familiar?

Ahh...yes, his days in the hospital was precisely the same. Except instead of silence, he can hear the machines keeping him alive. Instead of the damp cave air, he would smell disinfectant. Besides that, it is the same feeling of being dead yet alive.

Being back in this state, Feng wonders if the last year was actually a dream? In reality, perhaps he is still lying on the hospital bed? Maybe just shifted to somewhere else?

Minutes become hours. Nothing changed as Feng tries his best to engage himself with his own thoughts. A part of him feared that everything had been fake, and he is still in his unconscious state.

After an unknown amount of time to Feng, he could feel the fear in his heart creeping at him, almost taking over. If the opportunity he is given to re-live his life is fake if the relationship with Xin Ru is nothing but a wet dream, what is he to do?

Feng felt a deep fear for the first time in this empty darkness in a long while. Unlike the first time, he fell into a coma where he felt anger, the anger at not being able to enjoy the fruits of his labour, this time, he felt fear, the fear of losing something important to him.

Feng felt helpless. Unable to change or do anything. Most of all, he craved power—the power to not be in this situation anymore.