Tea Time

Joe was baffled. He couldn't understand what was going on around him. He looked at the sky. It was as dark, as starry as ever. And he was still alive. He was lying on the bench as he always did.

"How-how is this possible?" he stuttered.

Ding!

"Go to 'Tea time' cafe to get rest. You'll be redirected to the training phase after you've gained enough energy to start fighting again." Read the message.

"Tea Time is the most popular Cafe out here! How is it possible that it's a hiding base for the trainees?" Joe was puzzled.

Nevertheless, he got up on his feet but stumbled and fell down again.

"Ouch!"

He took support from the bench to get up. Pain pierced through his whole body. His chest was still burning.

Tea Time was 10 minutes across the lane.

He somehow reached there to find faces smiling at him, as if they were already waiting for him to get there.

"Welcome to Tea Time!" A girl said.

Another girl showed him the way to a table.

"Hello, I'm Ryce, your accomplice in gaining power points!"

"How old are you, Ryce?" Joe asked.

"I'm 16!"

"How will I be able to gain power points aside from making successful attacks on monsters?"

"You'll obtain energy when you rest, and as for power points, you'll be given a lot of side missions to accomplish before you can level up!" Ryce replied.

"Here's Britley, and she'll accompany you in your missions as your healer. She's a certified doctor and practitioner in the world of 'Augmentation'." Ryce continued.

And so, Joe was sent to his room.

"Please take your bath, sir."

Joe had forgotten what normal life was. He was a homeless man who was upto no good and roamed around the streets. Being in such an environment with warmth was quite unfamiliar to him now.

"Th-Thank you very much."

He laid down on his bed after taking a bath.

"It's been ages, hasn't it, Hailey? I miss you, and I want to live a life with you. Will it be possible? Will I be able to bring you back? I doubt so. But in the hopes of doing so, maybe I'll be able to live better, and to change my life for good." Joe sighed and went to sleep.

"He's too good for a beginner." Ryce said.

"He figured it out so quickly! I think he's the one! He'll save us!" Britley said.

"It's too early to decide yet. Let's just observe what happens for now." A man in his thirties appeared from behind the sheds.

"Oh! It's Nick sir!"

Both Britley and Ryce bowed down to him.

"Oh my, such etiquette! Where did you learn this from?" Nick mocked them.

"From you, who else?" Ryce scoffed.

"Now, now, Ryce, don't be angry. Look what I brought for you."

He took out a pretty, purple bag with Ryce written on it.

Ryce's face gleamed up at its sight and she leaped on it. She opened up the bag and her eyes sparkled with excitement.

"It's a new weapon!"

"It's chocolate muffins, Ryce!" Nick exclaimed.

"Oh! How do you use them?"

"You eat them to gain energy. Now go give this bag to the Mister so that he can have some energy to fight tomorrow." Nick replied.

"Okay!"

She went to Joe's room and knocked. No one replied.

"Maybe he's asleep?"

She slid the door open to keep the bag of muffins on the side.

She was shocked by what she saw.

Joe was not there.