Chapter 27: "Wait... Who Are You?"

"Wow! This feels just like those manga scenes where the main character gets that epic armour—super comfy, morphs around the body, and looks badass!" Rey exclaimed, twisting and stretching to test the new suit's flexibility.

"Don't lump this masterpiece in with those gaudy tin cans. This is on a completely different level," Aiden scoffed before fading back into Rey's consciousness.

Rey blinked.

'Crap! If I don't run now, Mom's gonna kill me for being late!'

He bolted from his room, the cloak fluttering behind him like a whisper of wind. He skidded into the dining room, where silence reigned. Emmy and Jasmine were already seated, halfway through breakfast.

The moment Jasmine looked up and saw him, her eyes went wide. Her spoon clattered against the bowl before she caught it mid-air, her expression frozen in disbelief.

"...Who are you, and how did you get inside our house?" she demanded, swiftly standing and grabbing a kitchen knife, shielding Emmy behind her.

Rey halted in place, stunned. "Mom, seriously? It's me—your son!"

"Nice try," she said coldly. "My son's not some... giant! He's a normal kid. Not this... this muscle tower! One more step and I'm calling the police!"

"Whoa, calm down! I'm telling the truth!" Rey raised his hands in surrender, trying not to make any sudden movements.

Emmy peeked out from behind Jasmine, her wide eyes fixed on him. Something about the cloak and his mannerisms sparked recognition. Slowly, hesitantly, she stepped forward.

"...Brother?" she asked, her voice trembling with doubt.

"Yes, Emmy! It's me, your big brother!" Rey replied quickly, desperate.

But Jasmine pulled Emmy back protectively. "Don't speak to him! He could be dangerous!"

Rey exhaled sharply and turned toward the nearby mirror.

"Huh?! Who the hell is that?"Even he froze at the reflection staring back—broad-shouldered, sharp-jawed, and brimming with strength. His fragile frame from this morning was completely gone, replaced by a chiseled physique that looked like it was carved from stone.

'Aiden, what the heck happened to me?! This isn't a minor stat boost—I've only gained around 40 points per stat, maybe a little more with Zero. But this transformation... it's insane!'

Aiden chuckled."It's like putting legendary gear on a noob and watching them steamroll the game. You're bonded with us—artifacts at the peak of the ranking. What else did you expect?"

'Wait—what do you mean noob?!' Rey groaned.

He turned back toward his family. The panic in their eyes had eased slightly, but tension still hung in the air.

Then, Jasmine set her glass down with a thud and fixed him with a sharp stare.

"If you're truly my son... then tell me something only we know. Something Emmy wouldn't know. Prove it."

Rey scratched his head. Then, with a small smirk, he began:

"Alright... seven months ago, middle of summer. You came home early, heatstroke imminent, right? You raided the fridge and found a single cup of blueberry ice cream—Emmy's precious reward after waiting in line for an hour. You ate it. Guilt hit halfway through, so you blamed it on me, claiming I 'accidentally' dropped it. Emmy was furious and ignored me for a week. And until now... she never knew."

The room fell silent. Emmy's eyes glistened with betrayal.

"Y-You what?! That was mine! I waited an hour in that sun!"

Jasmine winced. "Sweetie, I'll buy you two to make up for it... I'm sorry, okay?"

After a few minutes of soothing, Emmy's tears began to fade, and her pout turned into a sniffle.

"So... you really are Rey," Jasmine said at last, still inspecting him like a tailor sizing a client. "But this... how is it possible? You left just a few hours ago, and now you look like you've gone through five years of military boot camp and a growth spurt from hell."

Rey looked around nervously.'Aiden, help me out here! I'm floundering!'

Aiden sighed."Ugh, you're hopeless. Fine. I'll give you a story. Just say what I tell you."

{A/N: From here, all words Rey speaks are courtesy of Aiden—cut me some slack; I'm only human after all.}

"So, uh... here's what happened. On my way home—like I told you—I saw this old man struggling with a huge cardboard box on the street. I rushed over to help, but before I could, he collapsed. I helped him to a nearby bench, gave him water, and carried his box back."

"Then he handed me a small clay bottle—kinda like from those cultivator novels—and said, 'Thank you, child. You've passed my test with flying colors. Hohoho!' and poof—he vanished. Gone. Like a ghost!"

Jasmine stared, stone-faced.

"…You're asking me to believe that nonsense? That sounds like a six-year-old wrote it with crayons."

'...She's not wrong, Aiden.'

"I swear it's the truth!" Rey insisted, putting on his best starry-eyed, puppy face. "That old man might've been some kind of cultivator. Or a martial arts master!"

Jasmine gave him a long, unimpressed look.

"Please stop with that face. You're almost 18 and acting like a toddler."

Rey sighed in relief internally.'Whew... we're in the clear now.'

"…Show me the bottle."

Rey blinked. "Huh?"

"You heard me. Show me the clay bottle. Or at least its remains if it broke."

Rey's heart skipped. "I-I will! Just give me a minute. It's, uh... in my room! Somewhere!"

He dashed upstairs and locked the door behind him.

"...Okay. Now what?"

"How should I know?" Victor's voice grumbled. "This is your mess. I'm going to sleep. Good luck."

Victor vanished back into Rey's soul, leaving silence behind.

"I knew we should've told the truth," Rey muttered. "Now what the hell am I supposed to do about that vial?"

--> To be Continued...

What happens next? Will Rey find the mysterious vial—or will his lie come crashing down?