Aethercross-Real Game，The Borderland of Reality and Fantasy

Chapter 13: A New Record

Sky spent the night pressed against the wall, with Arachne held tightly in his arms. They were roused the next morning by Raimondo's early morning bustle. Raimondo, just 16 but already standing a towering 180 cm, had a presence that felt oppressive due to his bulk. Nevertheless, his naive and slightly timid demeanor completely neutralized any sense of intimidation his size might suggest. As he made his bed, his chuckles filled the room. "Did you guys get a good night's sleep?" he asked with a hearty laugh.

Arachne, realizing she was still in Sky's arms, let out a small gasp and quickly extracted herself. Noticing she was only in her light undergarments, she hastily grabbed a blanket to shield herself, her face glowing red with embarrassment.

Sky, ever composed, stood up and began to dress. He gave his brother a playful flick on the forehead, teasingly reprimanding, "Stop grinning like a Cheshire cat. Get on with breakfast. I've got a check-up at the base hospital, and we need to pack for our trip to the main city. This stays just between us, got it?"

After breakfast, Sky instructed Arachne and Raimondo to stay put while he made his way to the genetic research lab at the base hospital for his daily examination.

Sky lay transfixed in the scanner in the hospital's third sublevel, his gaze locked on the methodical dance of the mechanical arm above him. His mind wandered back to his current predicament and the cryptic goals of the system.

The system had outlined the mission in two stages. The first, to bring back Arachne, was done. Given the trials and dangers of that phase, he braced for an equally treacherous second stage, likely laden with life-threatening challenges.

Sky pondered this game-like scenario, realizing the 2-3 days until their departure for the main city was not a mere hiatus. It was, in all likelihood, a pivotal juncture provided by the virtual realm for players to unlock new storylines, gain new abilities, or meet key NPCs. Decisions made in this phase could significantly sway the outcome of the mission's latter half.

Deep in thought, Sky revisited the system's mission brief and was struck by a detail he had previously overlooked:

The Special Element - The Awakeners: Following the catastrophe, some individuals unlocked supernatural abilities, becoming known as "Awakeners." The virtuous among them were pivotal in the defense and advancement of cities, while their malevolent counterparts emerged as harbingers of vice and turmoil in the new world.

The Awakeners! That was the key. This term had been a recurring motif since his entry into the game instance. It was clearly a clue, indicating that the Awakeners might be essential to achieving his mission.

Beyond having glimpsed an Awakener soaring through the skies upon first entering this parallel world, Sky's interactions were limited to two pivotal figures connected to the Awakeners: Dr. Spencer and Max from the Genetic Warrior's Fifth Combat Squad. Yet, neither was an Awakener. As Sky sifted through his mind for clues, a light bulb went off. He remembered Colonel Marcus Reynolds, his mentor and the top commander of the Genetic Warriors at Satellite City 14 — a bona fide Awakener.

His musings were interrupted as Dr. Spencer, clutching a tablet, approached with a look of pleasant surprise. "Sky, your primary genetic enhancement fusion rate has astonishingly soared to 66% overnight! What on earth did you do? Jumping 17% in just one night is unprecedented. At this rate, by tomorrow, you'll reach the 80% threshold necessary for the F-type drug, and you haven't even been administered the G-type yet. This is truly miraculous," she said, her voice shaking with elation.