Chapter 5. A System.
"Timmy, come on, buddy. You know our friendship is way deeper than just some special powers," Marcus said, placing a comforting hand on Timmy's shoulder.
Arthur nodded in agreement;
"Yeah, man. We've been through it all together, haven't we? Remember those all-nighters cramming for Mr. Johnson's impossible history exams? Or sneaking into that R-rated movie? And what about the time we accidentally broke Mrs. Peterson's favorite begonia and had to cover for each other?"
"Okay, okay, we get it! Enough with the bad examples," Marcus suddenly exclaimed, scratching the back of his head with a sheepish grin. He certainly didn't want to reminisce about their past antics, especially since he was usually the mastermind behind them.
"Look, Timmy, the point is, we're here for you. Always. No matter what," Marcus continued, his voice taking on a serious tone.
"Besides, you're acting like you've been handed a death sentence. You've got the highest bloodline activation in human history! That's something to be proud of!"
"That doesn't change anything, Marcus. You know what happens to people with the [Speed] ability," Timmy replied, his voice heavy with worry.
"Yeah, but there's never been a recorded case of a [Speed] user with 50% bloodline activation before you," Marcus pointed out with a shrug, hoping to offer some reassurance.
Timmy fell silent, the weight of Marcus' words settling upon him. Just then, he felt a reassuring hand over his other shoulder.
"Timmy, listen to me," Arthur began, his voice calm and steady, radiating a sense of unwavering support. "We believe in you. Even if you doubt yourself, we don't. You'll figure this out. You always do. You've faced every challenge head-on, and this is no different. We're still going to be the fantastic three, remember?"
Timmy closed his eyes, letting Arthur's words wash over him. The comfort, the unwavering belief, it was exactly what he needed. A small smile slowly spread across his face.
"Thanks, guys. I really needed to hear that," Timmy finally said, his voice filled with gratitude.
"Anytime, buddy. That's what friends are for," Arthur replied, returning the smile.
"Yeah, don't sweat it, Timmy," Marcus chimed in, his usual bravado returning.
"Even if things go south, you've still got us. I'll even introduce you to all the amazing girls out there!" he added, puffing out his chest proudly.
Timmy couldn't help but chuckle at his friend's antics.
"Thanks, Marcus, but I think I'll pass on that offer."
Marcus deflated slightly, letting out a dramatic sigh.
"What's wrong with a few introductions? You think I got these amazing abilities just to fight monsters? A guy's gotta have some fun too!"
The trio continued their playful banter, their laughter echoing through out their surrounding. They skillfully navigated through the throngs of people, many of whom were guild representatives hoping to recruit Marcus and Arthur.
News traveled fast, especially among the guilds. They had informants planted amongst the students who were tasked with identifying promising recruits. Marcus and Arthur, with their powerful bloodline abilities and high bloodline activation levels, were prime targets.
Finally, after politely declining numerous offers and assuring the representatives that they would consider their proposals, the crowd dispersed, giving the three friends some much-needed breathing room. However, as the guild representatives departed, some couldn't help but steal glances at Timmy, their eyes filled with a mixture of pity and disappointment for the boy who could have been a legend but was dealt a difficult hand by fate.
"Well, that was intense," Marcus exclaimed with a sigh of relief, wiping his brow. "Never thought I'd be the center of attention like that."
"Terrifying is a better word," Arthur shuddered. "I thought a brawl was going to break out between those guild reps at any second."
The competitive spirit between guilds, both large and small, was fierce, and it often manifested in aggressive recruitment tactics.
"You know," Timmy began thoughtfully, "I never thought there were any upside to my situation, but I have to admit, I wasn't exactly envying you guys back there."
"Now that, I can agree with," chuckled Marcus, his earlier annoyance forgotten.
"Well, guys, I wish I could stay longer, but my head is killing me. I need to get going," Timmy said, wincing slightly as he scratched the back of his head. The spot where he had been hit yesterday was throbbing painfully, seemingly worse than before.
"No worries, bro. Your health comes first," Marcus said, giving Timmy a friendly bump on the shoulder.
"Thanks, man. I really appreciate all your kind words today. I don't know what I would do without you guys," Timmy said, a genuine smile lighting up his face.
"Probably die a virgin," Marcus shot back, unable to resist a playful jab.
"Hey!" Timmy exclaimed, pretending to be offended, and the group dissolved into another round of laughter. Finally, they said their goodbyes, and Timmy turned towards home, his head pounding with each step.
He couldn't understand why the pain in his head was getting worse. It seemed to have intensified after that agonizing experience of drinking the bloodline optimization fluid, a sensation akin to his blood boiling from the inside out.
"Hey, isn't that Timmy?" a voice called out as Timmy approached his street.
"Hey, Charlie," Timmy greeted, waving at a twelve-year-old boy playing with a group of kids.
"Hey, Timmy! My dad said today was your Bloodline Awakening day. How did it go?" Charlie asked, his young face alight with curiosity as the other children crowded around.
"Yep, you heard right, Charlie," Timmy confirmed with a smile.
"Wow, so cool!" one of the kids exclaimed.
"Can you do cool stuff now? Like summon fire or lightning?" another child asked eagerly.
"Not exactly," Timmy chuckled, "but I'm super fast now."
"Wow!" The children gasped in unison, clearly impressed.
"How fast? Are you faster than a hover bike?" Charlie asked, his eyes wide with wonder.
Before Timmy could answer, the other kids began clamoring for a demonstration.
"Sorry, kids, I have to go. Maybe I'll show you another time," Timmy said, excusing himself. His head was throbbing fiercely now, the dizziness growing stronger.
He tried to move on, but within moments, he was surrounded by more people from his neighborhood, all eager to offer their congratulations and hear about his experience. It was a common occurrence in their neighbourhood, these yearly bloodline awakenings, and everyone shared in the excitement.
Timmy struggled to navigate through the enthusiastic crowd, finally breaking free and practically staggering towards his apartment building.
"Phew, that was something else," he muttered under his breath, relieved to reach his front door.
"First things first, out of these clothes and into a shower. I can practically smell myself," he thought, heading straight for the small bathroom of his studio apartment.
The water was ice-cold, but Timmy barely noticed. He just wanted to wash the day off and crawl into bed. The dizziness was becoming unbearable.
After his shower, he dried off, pulled on a fresh set of clothes, and returned to his room. Suddenly, he felt a strange warmth emanating from his chest. Glancing down, he watched in disbelief as the seemingly ordinary obsidian pendant around his neck began to glow.
"What the…?" he breathed, his voice a strangled whisper as the obsidian pulsed with a light so intense it illuminated the entire room in an ethereal, almost blinding glow.
Before he could process what was happening, a wave of dizziness, stronger than anything he had ever experienced, slammed into him. His legs buckled, and he collapsed onto the floor.
His vision swam, the edges of consciousness fading fast, but not before a shimmering blue screen flashed in front of his eyes, displaying a single line of text:
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[SYSTEM DETECTED. HOST COMPATIBILITY CONFIRMED.]
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'What the actual…'