New Skill and Horrible Dream

"Hey! Don't pick the good-looking ones!" I shouted before turning to Faye, who seemingly begged with her eyes for a spare shirt as well. "*sigh*... Go ahead," I rolled my eyes.

Click… click… click… click…

No matter how many times I pushed down on the lighter, it wouldn't create a flame strong enough for me to light my cigarette.

So, defeated, I walked over to the blinds and pulled them open, overlooking the damp city polluted by trash who ran the streets, walked the streets, overlooked the streets, and most of all, ignored the streets.

"I think it's about time I move…." I muttered before looking up at the complete side quest.

[You have completed the Side Quest: Survive]

[Reward has been granted]

I looked down at the reward forming in my hand with light particles appearing out of thin air, gracing me with the presence of this kind gift.

I sat down on my couch, opening the leather book that seemed like it was going to fall apart if I opened it any further.

The thing was practically crumbling into ash within my hand, but before I knew it, an hour had passed, and I found Faye passed out, sleeping right beside me.

"Finally finished?" Silas asked, handing me a cup of tea and watching the skill book finally disintegrate into pure ash.

"Yeah… it was about time," I muttered while smiling at my status.

『Status』

[Name: Helu]

[Race: Undead]

[Class: Disciple of Smoke]

[Level: 18/20] (64/75) XP Needed

[HP: 23/25 MP: 25/25 SP: --/--]

[Strength: 7]

[Defense: 5]

[Magic: 7]

[Speed: 15]

[Skills: [Empower] [Haste] [Eagle Eye] [Darkness Manipulation] [Conjure of Darkness] [Stealth]

[Pentagram: [Hand of The Souls] [Soul Eater] [Soul Screaming Flames] [Necromancy]

[Calvary of Smoke: [Smoke Magic]

[Passive Skills: [Undead Influence] [Dagger Proficiency]

…

"What's the skill?" The man who had his hair tied up into a messy bun above his head asked, sitting down next to me.

"[Necromancy],"

"Oh… so you're going down that route this time… will you switch to a scythe later on since they boost the power of death related attacks?"

"Well, I'll learn one once I obtain a scythe with that kind of boost… for now, I'll stick to my daggers and [Smoke Magic],"

He pushed Faye lightly to the side, stuffing her in the corner of the couch while we conversed about various things all the way until the sun had fully set.

The bright lights, still shining endlessly within the city, didn't give up even as midnight approached.

"Maybe you should ease up on the cigs… you've already gone through an entire pack," Silas muttered, lowering the lighter that I had just taken out of my pocket.

But, before I could refute it, a man slowly walked out of my bedroom in an unbuttoned white shirt.

"I agree… you just came back from a near-death experience… don't die of lung cancer now," He lightly smiled, pouring himself a cup of tea from the pot that had just been sitting out on the counter.

"I'll just get it treated… plus, this is the only thing that keeps me calm now," I sighed, breathing out the last bits of my previous cigarette and tossing the lighter at Albus, who just cringed at the temperature of the cold tea.

"What? You want me to keep this from you?"

"Yeah… whatever… I'm gonna sleep…." I muttered with drooping eyelids, and the cherry on top was Silas placing a spare blanket over me.

"Goodnight," He lightly muttered.

"Mhm… goodnight,"

I closed my eyes for, but a second, and just like that, I found myself within my younger body once again, rummaging through memories like a messy drawer of un-dated files.

The door in front of me had an ominous feel to it as I grasped the cold metal doorknob, slowly turning it with a drop of sweat running down the back of my neck.

I twisted it, pushed it, and gazed down at the hole in my apartment torn open by the presence of a massive blue portal leaking an ominous blue light into the atmosphere.

It was thick, disgusting, and made me want to throw up… but what made me burst out into tears of despair was the sight of my father, who was just a lower pair of legs, and my mother, who was just an upper torso.

Both had died, cut up by the appearance of the massive portal now slowly diminishing from this world as if to taunt me for the death of my parents.

I then blinked again upon slamming the floor, finding myself standing in front of that dreaded movie theater.

I could not get ahold of Faye, so I just hoped- no begged- no prayed that she would come… and well she did, but,

"Do you know her?" One of her friends asked.

Even as she saw my despaired state, red tear marks staining my skin, and my hair ruffled from the panic… she still replied with a cold,

"Nope… Let's get going,"

It was for just a second, but that was enough for me to lose all sense of reason and run after her, grabbing onto her arm and crying out.

"TH-THEY'RE DEAD! MY P-PARENTS DIED FROM SOME THING! SOME ALIEN PORTAL APPEARED IN THE MIDDLE OF MY APARTMENT!"

"Don't touch me! Who do you think you are!? Does it look like I give a fuck about what happens to your personal life!?"

"YOU ARE PART OF MY PERSONAL LIFE! PLEASE… please… just please help me," I pleaded, holding onto the girl's arm as if my life depended on it, and at my lowest, the only thing she could reply with was,

"Let's break up. Don't ever act like we knew each other in the first place… I only dated you because I was bored… now don't ever show yourself in front of me either," She ripped her hand away before catching up to her friends.

"What was that about?"

"Yeah, what a weird girl?"

"Alien portal? What is she crazy?"

I then blinked again and found myself on the roof of my apartment, standing on the ledge, protecting you from falling off the building.

My eyes held no sign of life… and just like that, I dropped head first.