RWBY: Challenging System

He laid in a hospital bed as he listened as the doctor talked about the surgery he was about to undergo.

He didn't pay much attention, the nurses had already explained in detail what has going to happen while he was under anesthesia.

He was more focused on his parents, they stood there at his right side of the bed, a bit in shock that his condition developed to this level, and they were in denial as they questioned the procedure to delay the inevitable.

A hand reached his forearm, trying to reassure him, he changed his focus to his left side. There he met his older sister's brown eyes and long black hair.

He motioned his head towards his parents and exaggeratedly rolled his eyes, she reproached him by holding on a bit tighter.

He sighed a bit, as he wished his brother would be here as he would most likely feel the same way as him. Alas, he was out of the country, and would only make it tomorrow.

After a few more minutes his parents weren't done with their questions, but he noticed the time was approaching, so he cut through the conversation.

"Then we will cut the dead tissue and remove-"

"What are my chances?"

Silence descended to the room, his parents looked sharply at him and his mother was about to speak, but he did first.

"Asking the only question that matters."

His sister held a death grip on his hand and every single eye was on the doctor, as he looked straight at him and spoke.

"Fifty percent."

He wasn't exactly surprised, he was always a pessimist at heart- frankly, he expected worst with all the attention he was getting from the doctors, but his family didn't take it so well.

"That can't be, there has to be a mistake."

"Can't we wait? Maybe he just needs more time with the meds."

He once again cut through the questions.

"Come on- he wouldn't tell us if he wasn't sure. Besides, it's time already."

Everyone took a glance at the clock before they gave a half-hearted agreement. Meanwhile, the doctor gave him the forms and he gave his sloppy signature and nodded at him.

The doctor smiled at him and said to the room, "I'll give you a couple of minutes."

There was a couple of moments of silence before his sister spoke.

"You'll be okay."

He stopped for a second and said with a bit of cheer.

"Of course I will."

He didn't know, but his family played along as they reminisced for a few moments until the doctor came in. He didn't say anything as they all knew what it meant.

His sister was the first to approach, and simply hugged him and said, "I love you."

His mother was second she said with tears down her face, "You are so brave."

His father was third, he gave him a strong hug and only said, "I am proud of you."

He said a final 'I love you to his family before he and his bed was wheeled outside.

Things passed in a blur as he made idle conversation with nurses and people that passed him. It ain't take long for the doctor to come and make conversation with him as well.

They talked about nothing until there was a moment of silence and the doctor asked.

"Do you have any regrets?"

He was taken aback by the blunt question, but it was something he had been thinking about.

"I wish, I would have pushed myself further- done things, talked to people outside my comfort zone- live a bit more."

The doctor then said with a smile.

"Think about this when you wake up, this could just be the beginning."

"I hope so."

It wasn't long before he was asked to count backward.

With every number, the edge of his vision blurred a little bit more and the darkness became more prominent.

[10]

[9]

[8]

[7]

[6]

Suddenly his world shifted and he was standing up, everything around him was green and brown, big trees and lush bushes surrounded him, but what called his attention was an unnatural blue screen right in front of him.

[Challenge System]

[User has limited growth through training, he must push himself through encounters to grow.]

[Name: Shade Griz]

[Age:17]

[Body type: Bruiser -> Strength> Vitality> Speed]

[Constitution: 1 (First Year Combat School)]

[Aura(Brown): 1 (First Year Combat School)]

[-Combat skills-]

[Aura Protection- MAX]

[Aura Reinforcement- 1(First Year Combat School)]

[Swordsmanship-1 (First Year Combat School)]

[Archery -1 (First Year Combat School)]

He has so many questions as everything was... wrong.

That wasn't his name, his name was... He didn't remember, he just knew it was Shade as it was too edgy and he had a boring average one.

The second was his age, he was five years older, he was already an adult for quite some time.

It was only those two pieces of information that unsettled him, the rest made him feel schizophrenic and he just wanted for the screen to go away.

It did, but what lay behind it gave him chills.

There laid a tree trunk with words written by a blade.

'This is your second chance. Don't waste it.'

Fuck. He died.