"Ah… what happened…?" Dila murmured softly. Her voice echoed in the empty dark. She could feel nothing. No pain, no warmth—just stillness.
She blinked.
Darkness stretched endlessly around her, thick and cold. Like the world had stopped breathing.
"Mom…?" she whispered, her voice trembling. "Is that you…?"
She raised her hand—slow, shaking—reaching toward the faint silhouette walking away into a distant light.
"Wait…"
Her fingers stretched toward the figure, but no matter how far she reached, she couldn't touch her.
"Why… why can't I reach you?!"
Her voice cracked.
Tears poured from her eyes. They fell silently into the void.
"Mom!" she cried again. "Why won't you look at me?! Why won't you stop?!"
The figure paused.
Just ahead, standing still in that glowing white light.
Dila's chest tightened.
She took a shaky step forward—but her legs gave out. She dropped to her knees, sobbing, hands clutching at nothing.
"Where am I…? Am I dreaming…?"
Her voice grew smaller.
"I miss you…"
Still, the woman in the light didn't turn around.
She only stood there—frozen in time—silent, as the soft white glow behind her flickered gently like candlelight in a storm.
Dila's trembling hand was still reaching out, her voice choked as she cried out through the darkness.
"Please, Mom… why…? Why won't you look at me?! Please…"
Her mother kept walking—slow and distant—into that unreachable light.
"No…" Dila whispered, eyes flooding with tears. "Why did you leave me…? Do you not love me anymore…?"
Her voice broke into sobs. Her body trembled as she dropped to her knees in that silent void, whispering again and again, "Mom… mom…"
The darkness swallowed her voice.
Her head twitched weakly side to side, her face scrunched in pain and sorrow. Her body thrashed lightly under the straw-padded bed, her feet kicking, tears soaking her cheeks. Her fingers clenched the sheets with desperate trembling.
Then—
"Mooooom!!"
She shouted.
Her eyes snapped open. Breath sharp. Body aching.
She stared upward —confused—gasping softly.
Her right hand was still in the air, raised as if reaching for someone… but it was wrapped tightly in white bandages. The cloth stretched from her fingers to her forearm. Her fingers twitched.
She slowly turned her gaze.
Bandages covered her body—white and neat—wrapped across her chest, her arms, even her thighs. A layer circled gently around her neck.
"…Man… that hurts," she whispered hoarsely.
Her whole body ached, sore and heavy like lead. She tried to sit up, but pain flickered across her muscles, forcing her to stop with a wince.
Around her, the room was dim, the air thick with herbal smoke. Shelves were stacked with dried leaves, glowing potions, and old tools. It smelled of bitter medicine and smoke.
The walls were stone, rough and ancient. A single window let in a faint amber light from the late sun outside.
It was a hospital—but old-fashioned, medieval… quiet.
Dila laid back slowly, her chest rising and falling.
Her voice broke in a whisper.
"…Where… am I…?"
Suddenly, a faint, soft glow flickered at the edge of Dila's vision.
"Recalibrating system status… loading…"
A voice followed—frail, gentle, and feminine. Delicate, like a whisper carried on the wind.
"System upgrade complete."
Then came a pause.
"Would you like me to explain in full detail what the Regislet and Stargem are?"
"Yes or No?"
Dila blinked.
She frowned a little. "Huh? What do you mean? I already know what they do…"
The voice replied with a playful lilt, still delicate but clearer now.
"Are you sure? This time, it's in-depth."
The word in-depth echoed in her mind. Something about the way it was said—calm, almost smiling—made her hesitate.
Her gaze flicked to the [Yes] prompt and selected it with a simple eye gesture.
At once, the interface expanded before her in a glowing, pale-blue screen—soft lines forming across her vision, hovering silently above her.
---
[Regislet System - Full Detail Overview]
Name: Regislet
Type: Slot-Based Modifier Artifact
Core Description: A crystallized magical node used to fuse, amplify, or adjust the traits of abilities, equipment, or items. Can also serve as a socket for enhancing skills or potions.
Slot Types:
Core Slot: Enhances innate abilities.
Weapon Slot: Infuses with elemental traits or skill-type modifiers.
Support Slot: Amplifies passive traits, defense, or buffs.
Alchemy Slot: Used for advanced potion modifications.
Known Effects:
Can fuse with spells or potions.
Can modify ability scaling and add passive traits (e.g., Lifesteal, Mana Burn).
Highly compatible with hybrid classes such as Alchemist or Support Mage.
Limitations:
Overuse causes mana instability.
Fragile if forcibly removed.
Each slot can hold only one Regislet at a time.
---
[Stargem System - Classification and Power Levels]
Name: Stargem
Type: Power Crystal - Evolution Grade
Function: A living, crystalline energy gem used to unlock potential, evolve abilities, or power special relics. Stargems grow and change in power depending on class and synchronization level.
Color Classifications:
Black – Class SS (God-like tier, unstable)
Red – Class S (Demonlord-tier power)
Blue – Class A (Hero-level power)
Green – Class B (Advanced, above average)
Yellow – Class C (Average combat-ready)
White – Class D (Below average)
Pink – Class E (Non-combat, utility)
Brown – Class F (Minimal power, support use only)
Functionality Notes:
Can enhance skills directly or passively.
Highly reactive to mana signatures.
Can cause corruption or overload if class is mismatched.
---
Dila's eyes widened.
She slowly lifted her hand to her chin, lost in thought. "Oh my god… this… this isn't like what I remember…"
Her gaze drifted, scanning the glowing data still floating above her. The details were intricate—deeper than the game systems she once knew. Realer. Tied to life. To her body.
Still lying in the bed, her mind turned.
"Did I really use these things so casually before? This is way more dangerous than I thought…"
The system faded into standby mode, waiting in silence, but Dila's thoughts spun quietly.
Dila furrowed her brows, tapping a single finger gently against her bandaged chin.
"Still, what the heck was I thinking back then..."
She groaned softly, staring up at the ceiling as the scent of herbs lingered in the smoky air. Her thoughts spiraled back to those late-night grinding sessions.
"Last time… when it was still just a game… I fused a Regislet and a Stargem… to make potions."
Her face twisted.
"Huhhh? To make potions?! What the heck was wrong with me?"
She clutched her forehead, exasperated in a half-serious, half-comical way.
Then another thought hit her like a breeze.
"Wait... where is my inventory again?"
She squinted at the air as if expecting it to open on its own. Nothing happened.
"Last time… I remember it worked like a Minecraft inventory… yeah. Each item was in a floating box grid, and when I hovered my thoughts over an item, it would pop up with full info."
She concentrated.
"How… did I even do that again?"
Just then, the system chimed in, cheerful and lighthearted:
"Master, before I can further explain how to access your inventory, you should give me a name. Calling me 'System' feels too… cold."
A small glowing window blinked into view in front of her.
A soft pulsing line of light flickered across the center.
"Please input my name, Master~"
It beamed like a happy pet waiting to be adopted—eager, loyal, and glowing with tiny sparkles.
Dila blinked at it.
Still bandaged, sore, and lying half-crooked in bed, she tilted her head with a flat, blank stare.
"Hmmmm?"