Chapter 46 - Returning home [2]

My first reaction upon seeing the screen was pure joy. After all I had been through, losing all my progress would probably make me cry. However, after calming down a bit, a thought came to my mind.

Besides me, others probably could also access their status screens, right? I wasn't so naive to think that only I would have access to my status. However, that didn't matter now. I was in the middle of nowhere and it would take about an hour and a half to walk back home.

At least, that was the initial time it would take me to get home before increasing my agility. However, my current agility was at 30 points. I had never seriously tested the limits of my current physical abilities, but since I was in the middle of nowhere, this would be a good time to do so. Anyway, I doubted that a bus would pass by this place at this time of night.

With that thought in mind, I did a brief stretch and soon shot down the middle of the road. I wasn't sure of my speed, but after about 15 minutes of running, I reached the entrance of the town. Gradually, I began to slow down as I approached home.

Although I passed by some cars, I doubted they noticed who or what was running. Anyway, as I entered a more deprived area of the town, I gradually reduced my speed until I reached in front of a small two-story apartment.

The place was modest, clearly lacking in luxury, but it was the most I could afford with the little I earned while juggling my studies at college. I started to slowly climb the stairs leading to the second floor of the small, run-down apartment.

As I reached the door of my house, my heart began to race. Was my sister okay? Had she eaten properly? Although I returned home a little earlier than planned, I had no idea how she was doing.

Gathering courage, I took the key out of my pocket and inserted it into the lock. With an audible click, I turned it and pushed the door, which opened smoothly.

The entrance was relatively dark, but that was common since we rarely turned on the lights to save on the electricity bill.

I walked slowly inside, and as I entered the main room, there she was. Her black hair was similar to mine, falling just below her shoulders. She wore pink pajamas, and her gaze was fixed on the television.

But my attention was completely on her; I wanted to speak, but the words just wouldn't come out. What if she thought I had abandoned her? That thought lingered in my mind.

"Brother...?" her voice broke the silence.

Upon hearing her voice, my eyes turned to her. Her green eyes, similar to mine, stared at me. They were as kind and welcoming as I remembered. Intense longing mixed with that gaze. Slowly, I saw tears begin to fill her eyes. Before I knew it, my body instinctively moved towards her, seeking a hug.

"Brother, I missed you so much" my sister said between sobs.

"It's okay, Ruby. It's all over now. I promise I'll never leave you alone again" I replied, while trying to convey all the comfort and affection I could to her.

It was past one in the morning, about two hours since I got back home. For all this time, I've been soothing my sister, Ruby, until she finally fell asleep. Now, she was resting her head on my lap. If you're wondering why I'm not asleep either, the answer is simple.

Well, actually, there are several reasons. One of them is that I'm just not sleepy. Probably, thanks to my heightened status, I rarely feel the need to sleep. However, that doesn't mean I can't. If I just lay down and close my eyes, I'd probably be asleep within minutes. But right now, I don't think it's the appropriate time for that.

The reason for that is what's on TV in front of me right now. Basically, it's news about an event that seems to have occurred worldwide. I don't think it's necessary to give more details than that.

[Breaking News: Mysterious Disappearances Baffle Government Authorities]

The headline of the report was pretty self-explanatory. Basically, instead of just happening to me, it seems like the same thing has happened around the world. In short, it wasn't something local; it's global.

"Good early morning, everyone. I'm reporter Vanessa Grid, bringing you an update on the mass disappearances that have puzzled government authorities worldwide in the past weeks"

I couldn't deny I was surprised when I first saw the news. Honestly, I didn't expect this event to take such a scale. After all, if it affected the whole world, what exactly is happening and why is it happening? Those were questions lingering in my mind.

"Since the start of these disturbing events exactly one week ago, several individuals have mysteriously disappeared from their homes or workplaces, leaving their families and friends in distress and authorities on high alert. Surprisingly, the missing individuals have returned as mysteriously as they disappeared" the reporter continued, providing more information.

"These sudden and unexplained returns have left local authorities dumbfounded and filled with unanswered questions. How did these people vanish and reappear without a trace? What happened during the time they were gone? And most importantly, are they okay and safe now?"

"Authorities are tirelessly endeavoring to investigate these extraordinary events. However, as of now, few answers have been found. We will continue to closely monitor this mysterious development and bring you more information as it becomes available. This is Vanessa Campos, bringing you the latest news live from [Breaking News]"