A plastic tube, like a clear snake, went into the back of his hand. It was a lifeline he never wanted. "Why am I still alive?" Hazel whispered, the bright white hospital ceiling blurry above him.
Eighteen years. Half of his life spent in these clean, quiet rooms. His heart was like a broken engine, barely working. The doctors had long ago given up trying to understand how he was still alive. He was a medical mystery, holding onto life even with a failing heart. But here he was, still connected to the IV, still breathing.
A strange quiet filled the hospital, even for so late at night. Had the night staff disappeared? The thought quickly left Hazel's mind, replaced by a stronger need. Ivy. He had to see her. With a painful effort, he pulled off the sticky pads and yanked out the thin tubes. The familiar beeping of the monitors stopped. Death was an old friend; what were a few more risks? Leaving only the IV line dangling like a strange leash, he slid out of bed and into the dark, heavy hallway.
An unsettling darkness hung in the corridor. Usually, a soft light showed the way for patients who couldn't sleep, but tonight, only shadows danced in the corners. Had everyone really fallen asleep? He came to a door, a thin line of light shining from underneath it, and without thinking, he pushed it open.
"How many times do I have to tell you not to leave your bed?" A soft voice, full of worry, greeted him. Miss Ivy sat bathed in the cool light of a laptop screen. Her pink hair seemed to glow on its own. She didn't even look up. "You should be resting."
"And miss your night shift?" Hazel shot back, leaning against the doorframe. "It's boring in there, and you didn't say you'd be here."
Ivy finally looked up, her forehead creased. "That's exactly why I didn't tell you, Hazel! You don't care about your health."
"We both know this old heart of mine is a lost cause," Hazel said with a shrug. "Besides, I've got a guardian angel, remember?"
Ivy sighed. "Very funny. Now, back to bed. Or I'll make sure Dr. Evans hears about this little trip."
"Fine, fine," Hazel gave in, turning back towards the hallway.
He had taken only a few steps when a violent sound tore through the quiet – a muffled cry, followed by a sickening thud. It came from Ivy's room. Adrenaline rushed through Hazel, making him forget the weakness in his chest. The IV bounced against his arm as he ran back, his heart beating a wild rhythm against his ribs.
Just before he reached the door, a sharp pain ripped through his lungs, and he coughed, the taste of blood filling his mouth. He ignored it. Bursting into the room, the sight that met him was like a nightmare. A figure covered in shadow, impossibly tall and thin, had Ivy by the throat. The air around it seemed to ripple with cold. The Grim Reaper. The scary legend made real. It was dragging her towards the window.
Hazel's mind screamed. He wouldn't let this happen. His eyes quickly searched the room, landing on a strangely curved blade lying on the floor. He lunged for it. Too late. With a sickening crack, the Reaper's grip tightened, and Ivy's body went limp. Fury, strong and raw, exploded inside Hazel.
The Reaper, for a moment, looked at Hazel. Before it could react, Hazel stabbed the strange blade into its chest. A black, gooey liquid oozed from the wound. The Reaper hissed, a sound that seemed to make the air cold, and with a last, desperate act, it lashed out. A ghostly claw ripped into Hazel's side. Both of them crashed to the floor, the Reaper's movement carrying it backward. Its shadowy form vanished out the shattered window.
Darkness began to creep in at the edges of Hazel's vision. Ivy... I failed you. A bitter regret washed over him. You should be here, not me. The last thing he felt was a coldness spreading through his chest, the wild beating of his heart slowing, fading...
Then, a voice, clear and unnatural, echoed in his mind: [System Installation Complete.]
What...?
[Congratulations, Player.]
Player? Am I... dead? Is this some kind of joke about the afterlife?
[You have defeated a High-Ranking Entity. Level Up!]
[Current Level: 10. New Skill Unlocked: Dead Summoning Lv1.]
[A corpse with significant power is available for summoning.]
A text box, stark and sudden, flashed before his fading inner eye: [Summon Blossom Queen?]
With a final, confused thought, Hazel whispered, "Yes..."
In the darkness, Ivy's lifeless body shimmered and melted away, only to come together again, slowly rising from the floor. A glowing symbol pulsed on her chest. Her eyes snapped open, no longer empty but filled with an eerie light. She wore a dress of swirling black and bright pink, and a sword of the same colors appeared in her hand.
Then, the clean smell of antiseptic filled Hazel's nose. He was back in his hospital bed. The worried faces of doctors and police officers hovered above him. "Good morning, Mister Willow," a doctor said gently. A throbbing pain echoed in Hazel's head as he pushed himself up.
"My head..." he groaned, confused. The room came into focus, and the memory of Ivy, the Reaper, the impossible messages, all rushed back to him. "Ivy! Where is she? Is she alright?" Panic tightened his throat.
The doctors exchanged serious looks, telling him to calm down. Finally, the main doctor spoke, his voice soft with sympathy. "...I'm afraid Miss Ivy didn't make it, Hazel. We did everything we could. I'm so sorry."
A raw cry tore from Hazel's chest, and the world blurred through a film of tears. Grief, sharp and painful, consumed him.
"Come now," the doctor said, placing a comforting hand on Hazel's arm. "There's... well, there's one unexpected piece of good news. Your heart condition... it's gone. We can't explain it, but the tests are clear."
Just then, a voice boomed in the minds of everyone in the world, clear and undeniable: [GLOBAL ALERT: The world will face a catastrophic event in 24 hours. Prepare for the emergence of monstrous entities. A system will be implemented, offering occupational paths for survival. Choose wisely. This is not a drill.]
Chaos erupted in the hospital room, mirroring the wild confusion surely breaking out across the globe. "What in God's name was that?" the head officer exclaimed, his face pale with shock. He barked orders at his colleagues, and they rushed out of the room.
As the world struggled with the unbelievable announcement, a new notification appeared in Hazel's mind: [Occupational Selection Available.] But when he tried to open it, a clear warning flashed: [Warning: Player already possesses an occupation.]
Ignoring the growing feeling of dread, Hazel turned to the doctor, his voice thick with tears he hadn't shed. "Please... can I see Ivy one last time?" The doctor, understanding how deep their bond was, nodded sadly.
With minutes ticking down to the unknown apocalypse, Hazel stood beside Ivy's still body, a deep sorrow weighing him down. "I wish..." he whispered, his voice cracking, "I wish it was me."
Then, the world outside the hospital windows exploded in a crashing noise and bright light. The ground shook. Monsters, grotesque and terrifying, began to spill into the streets.
In Hazel's mind, the artificial voice returned: [Player has successfully acquired the Reaper Class.]
[Current Level: 10. New Skill Unlocked: Dead Summoning Lv1.]
[A corpse with significant power is available for summoning.]
The familiar prompt appeared: [Summon Blossom Queen?]
Without hesitation, Hazel thought, Yes.
And once more, Ivy's lifeless body shimmered and reformed, rising with an unnatural grace. The black and pink of her clothes and blade stood out sharply against the grim reality of the world falling apart. Hazel could only stare, a mix of grief, confusion, and a dawning sense of the strange fate that had been forced upon him.