Chapter 5: The Gift and The Trauma

*Blaargh!*

Evans was now surrounded by a mountain of trash and relics, his breathing heavy and stuttered.

He could not help but spit relentlessly on the ground as his visions swayed.

His body wanted to puke so badly, but his emaciated body could not offer any vomit as he has not consumed any food for days.

And so, only a mixture of his saliva and gastric juices were coming out of his mouth.

The sour taste on his mouth made him even more nauseated, the bugs that were splattered on his skin did not help as well. But he took a deep breath in order to calm himself down.

Evans looked around him, and he could not help but widen his eyes in shock.

"This is…"

Everything was so familiar to him. He was in a relic graveyard, where useless relics and other items were thrown away. Where the people looked dead, even as they go on about their daily lives, the only people that had life here were the thugs and the opium-filled populace. He was…

"...home?"

But how?

All he could remember was that he ran and he ran. Running away as far as he could from the academy.

When he went to the academy, it took him almost 2 days of continuous walking. But now… it felt like it didn't even take him half an hour.

...Was he hallucinating or was he really home?

Evans started walking around, his steps woozy and his feet sore from running. And after a few minutes of walking, there it was.

His house. It was a tiny house built from the scraps of the relics, loosely stacked on top of each other, with a roof made of leaves and haystack. The other houses beside it were made of similar materials.

He… really was home. But how?

'Wait…', he juggled his memories. His System…

He had already unlocked his System!

A stinging pain then crawled up to his skull as his vision blurred. He could not help but hold his head tightly while looking at the words and windows that popped up in front of him.

[Base Lv. 1 EXP: 2/100, System Lv. 2 EXP: 0/200

HP: 46/46 | SP: 1/28

STR: 7 | (Atk: 14+0)

AGI: ??? | (Speed: ???)

VIT: 15 | (Max HP: 46, Def: 8+0)

INT: 3 | (Max SP : 28, MAtk: 4+0)

HP Regen: 3 | SP Regen: 1

Status Points left: 0]

[Active Skills

Air Step Lv. 1 | SP Consumption: 1

Basic Info: Able to create an invisible platform below your feet. Disappears after 3 seconds.

Time Perception Lv. 1 | SP Consumption: 1 per Second

Basic Info: Able to slow down your perception of time. ]

[Passive Skills

Gift of Hermes Lv. ?

Basic Info: Harness the speed and durability of the Messenger of the Gods by will.

Conductor of Souls Lv. ?

Basic Info: Able to gain EXP by sending a soul to the afterlife. ]

"!!!"

His eyes moved uncontrollably as he stared at the words that popped out in front of him. He was still unable to read due to his illiteracy, but for some reason, he could somewhat understand the words that were written on it.

Evans completely forgot the nausea that was clouding his mind as an excited expression formed on his face.

This is it… he was officially a System Holder. He would finally be able to leave his home and start his career as an Explorer. Gain lots of crystals and money from the Portals. Build a huge house for himself, eat whatever he wanted.

Imagining all of this put a smile on Evans' face.

"Evans? Is that you!?"

But his stupor was easily disrupted by the sound of a voice.

"Andrea?"

The owner of the voice was Andrea, an older friend of Evans. They were not particularly close, but unlike the rest of the neighbors, she was one of the few that listened to him and his cries. Although she could not help him in the end, at the very least, she was there.

"Why are you back here!? We thought you already ran away!?", Andrea quickly ran towards Evans and grabbed his shoulders, "You should go! Your father… your father has been going ballistic ever since you left!"

Andrea's face was full of concern as he spoke to Evans. "If your father finds you back here… he… he might beat you up again!", Andrea's stuttered breaths continued.

Hearing Andrea's voice that was full of concern, Evans could only shake his head. "It's fine now, Ms. Andrea", Evans removed Andrea's hand and smiled, "I am... a System Holder now"

"W...what!? When!?", Andrea slightly backed away in shock as she heard Evans' words, "...Really!?"

Evans nodded his head with pride. "This is probably the last time we will see each other, Ms. Andrea", Evans said softly, "I… will never come back here"

Seeing Evans' eyes full of resolution, Andrea could not help but almost tear up. Whenever she remembers Evans, it was always with a bruise on his face. But now, looking at him like this, it felt like a part of her was also released from pain.

"You… take care out there", Andrea once again grabbed Evans' shoulders, but this time, softly, "...Okay?"

Evans once again nodded, "Thank you for everything, Ms. Andrea".

Andrea answered with a smile. It took a minute of silence before the two bid their farewells to each other, perhaps, as Evans' said, probably for the last time.

Evans then walked towards his house, once again, probably entering it for the last time. He could not help but let out a sigh as he looked around his house.

In every corner where his eyes wandered, in every angle, he saw himself being abused and molested by his father. But never again. He was strong now, he had power.

Now that he had unlocked his System, he would make sure that no one else would hurt him. His father, and those students from the academy…

...someday, they would pay for what they have done.

Evans then proceeded to scour his cabinet, placing all the tattered clothes that he could fit in a sack. But as he was doing so, a chilling crept up from behind him.

"...Evans"

Hearing this voice, every ounce of confidence and resolution that Evans built up instantly shattered, his breathing quickly became stuttered.

He could not help but gulp as he slowly looked behind him, his jaw trembling uncontrollably.

"...F...father"