A Mother's Love

Crudele struggled to keep his focus, knowing he couldn't afford to lose consciousness or clarity now. "Shit... I can't let this be the end," he thought, trying to fight through the hallucinations.

But to no avail, as the power of the misfit's fumes is incredible. His vision turned black, and his eyes began to close.

"Mom"

"Mom"

"Mom, I don't want to go to school today," says the little guy while his mother ties his hair.

"Why, my little hero?" said the child's mother gently as she tied his hair.

"I scored the lowest on the test. Everyone will laugh at me if I go to school," the little boy replied, tears welling up in his eyes.

"Did you do your best?" she asked, gently wiping the tears from his eyes.

"Yeah, i did"

"Then that's the only thing that matters. Remember, even in the hardest times of your life, you shouldn't give up because great things take time."

We then see the same kid, a little older now, standing with a man at the entrance of a school.

"You've grown into a fine young man, my little fella," the man says, looking proudly at the boy, who now appears to be his son. "I hope you had a good time in middle school. I remember when you used to be so nervous about going to school, but look at you now. You've come so far."

"Of course, Dad. And don't forget about the promise you made after school is over," the kid says with a bright smile on his face.

His father chuckles, ruffling the boy's hair. "I haven't forgotten, son. We'll go get that ice cream you wanted. Just make sure you do your best today, alright?"

"Will do, Dad!" the boy replies, his eyes gleaming with excitement and determination as he heads into the school building.

"This might not be the right time for me to say this," his father continues, his voice softening, "but in the future, whatever decisions you make in life or whatever situation you're in, never lose hope. Your mother and I will always be by your side, fighting with you."

"Never give up," a woman's voice rang out.

"Never give up," a man's voice echoed.

"NEVER GIVE UP"

The scene shifted to the present. The hybrid misfit loomed over Crudele, its mouth opening wide to reveal razor-sharp teeth, ready to bite off his head. But just as it got close.

Bang!!!

A punch came straight to its guts, delivered with such force that the misfit was sent flying backward. The impact was so immense that the misfit crashed into a nearby house, the sound of splintering walls echoing through the street. Dust and debris filled the air, obscuring the view.

While it seemed like Crudele had come to his senses, his eyes lacked pupils for some reason, giving them a haunting, blank appearance. He landed on the street with a thud, his breathing heavy and his body tense. The dust began to settle, revealing the damage caused by the powerful punch.

The misfit lay among the wreckage of the house, slowly stirring and struggling to rise. Crudele's eerie gaze remained locked on it, his expression unreadable. He took a step forward, his movements deliberate and controlled, as if every fiber of his being was focused on the task at hand.

Before the Misfit could react, Crudele vanished from its sight. The next thing it saw was Crudele's fist flying straight toward its face.

The punch landed hard, causing a loud thud. The Misfit's head snapped back from the force, and it staggered, trying to regain balance. Crudele didn't stop. He kept punching, each hit powerful and precise, pushing the Misfit back further.

The creature's black exoskeleton started to crack, pieces chipping away with every punch. Crudele's eyes, still without pupils, showed no mercy. He was relentless, his fists moving like lightning. The Misfit, despite its strength, was overwhelmed by Crudele's fierce attack.

Crudele didn't stop. He kept punching and punching until the Misfit's exoskeleton shattered and its head turned into a mush of green, blood-like liquid.

As the Misfit's remains lay lifeless, Crudele finally stepped back, breathing heavily. The ground around them was stained with green and scattered with fragments of the creature's shattered exoskeleton. Crudele's hands were covered in the same green liquid.

"Whoooosh!"

Suddenly, fast, hovering vehicles began to arrive one after another.

"This is NSHO speaking. Everyone is ordered to stay inside their homes. Do not come outside; a hybrid Misfit has appeared in the area," came the announcement through loudspeakers.

Unbeknownst to them, the threat had already been dealt with. When the NSHO vehicles arrived at the scene of the shattered building, they saw the silhouette of someone standing amidst the debris. The figure, covered in the remnants of the battle, was clearly exhausted. The vehicles hovered silently, waiting for the confirmation that the danger had passed.

"Is that Crudele?" an officer in an orange uniform said, moving towards him.

Crudele also started to move towards the officer.

"Sergeant, you should not come near him!" another officer shouted from behind.

Just as Crudele appeared in front of the sergeant and proceeded to pass him, he suddenly started to collapse.

But the officer caught him before he could fall to the ground.

"You did well, little fella. Now, let the rest of the work be on us."

"Rescue squad, look for any casualties under the building. The rest of you, help the rescue team deal with the dead misfit's body," the officer commanded.

The sergeant looked at Crudele with a proud expression and said, "You really lived up to your father's name. I guess it's really in your genes."

As the scene transitioned to the hospital, Crudele Valerius could be seen lying in a bed. His head and most of his body were wrapped in bandages. The room was quiet except for the soft beeping of the medical monitors.

After a few moments, Crudele started to regain consciousness and slowly opened his eyes.

His vision was blurry at first, and he felt a bit confused about how he ended up in the hospital. He looked around, trying to piece together what had happened. Just then, he heard a familiar voice outside the room.

"Hey, he regained consciousness, right? Let me see my boy," a woman's voice echoed from outside the room, filled with concern and urgency.

"No, you can't. The patient is not in the shape to meet anybody," another woman's voice responded firmly, trying to maintain control of the situation.

But she couldn't be stopped and marched into the room. The woman was Crudele's mother, Aurora. Her eyes were filled with tears as she saw Crudele's body covered in bandages. She felt both relief and sadness seeing him like this.

She wrapped his head in her embrace and said, "Please don't do anything so dangerous again. Do you know how worried I was when I heard the news?" Her voice was thick with emotion, and she held him tightly, as if afraid to let go.

"Ah, Mom, it hurts. Please don't press too hard," Crudele said weakly.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you," she said, her voice soft and filled with regret as she gently held his hand. "This all happened because of me, didn't it? If only I hadn't made you angry, you wouldn't have gone outside. I'd never forgive myself if something happened to you." Her eyes were filled with guilt and sorrow as she looked at him.

Hearing her made his heart break, and seeing her cry brought tears to his own eyes. "This is nothing more than a scratch," he said softly, "You don't need to worry so much about me. And please, stop crying. You look like a baby whose candy has fallen on the ground." His voice trembled as tears streamed down his cheeks.

Crudele began to regret his choices and arguments with his mother. He realized that despite their countless disagreements, she remained steadfastly by his side, even when the whole world seemed to turn its back on him.

"Brooottthhheeer"

Mia barged through the door and leaped onto Crudele's chest, hugging him tightly. Her eyes were filled with tears.

The impact almost knocked Crudele unconscious again, but he hugged her back in response.

"Don't leave me alone," she cried. "Who will play with my tea party set without you?"

Soon after, his dad and older sister arrived. Julius walked into the room with a serious but proud expression.

He approached Crudele's bedside and said, "I'm really proud of you. You took on that danger by yourself and protected everyone. It wasn't an easy situation, and your bravery shows just how strong you are. We're all grateful for what you did, and I just wanted you to know that."

"Thanks, Dad. I appreciate it," Crudele said.

To be honest, he was surprised. He never expected his father to be this serious; he always saw him as a hardworking and calm man who rarely showed such intense emotions. The praise felt unexpected but comforting, revealing a side of his father that he hadn't seen before.

His older sister stood quietly at the edge of the room, not saying anything at first. Although it might have seemed like she didn't care, it was quite the opposite. She had actually come to support him, but she found the emotional display a bit awkward and cringey, which made her feel uncomfortable. Despite her internal discomfort, she was there for him, even if expressing her feelings openly wasn't her style.

Then, suddenly, an officer in an orange uniform entered the room. It was the same officer who had saved Crudele after he collapsed.

Everyone turned their attention to the officer as he entered the room. Aurora was the first to speak, her face lighting up with recognition. "Victor, long time no see!"

Victor smiled and replied, "Yeah, long time no see to you all." He looked around at the familiar faces with a hint of nostalgia.

Victor Hart was a long-time friend of Julius and Aurora, even before their marriage. Julius extended his hand for a handshake and remarked, "It looks like your NSHO rank has gone up, judging by your uniform."

Victor shook Julius's hand firmly, a hint of pride in his expression. "Yes, I've been promoted recently. It's good to see you all again, even under these circumstances."

Victor's gaze shifted to Crudele's bandaged body. "Hey, little fella, could you explain how that misfit got defeated? I need that information for the records."

Aurora interjected, "Doesn't he kill that thing? Everyone around witnessed it."

Victor nodded but continued, "Yes, that's true, but the misfit was level 13. It's nearly impossible to win against something like that alone. We need authentic information from the source of the event."

Crudele thought for a moment and then said, "To be honest, I don't really know. The misfit tossed me against a wall, and I lost consciousness. When I woke up, I found myself here." He looked around, his voice tinged with frustration at the lack of clarity.

Victor gave Crudele a reassuring smile. "I see. Well, if there's nothing more to add, just stay healthy, you little hero. I look forward to working with you in the future." With that, he turned and left the room.

Crudele lay there, deep in thought. Despite his mixed feelings about going to school outside the town, the recent events stirred something inside him, making him feel that he should take the leap. He realized that every challenge seemed difficult at first but could lead to growth.

"Mom, Dad," he said, his voice steady as he addressed his parents, "I've made up my mind. I'm going to go to school with my older sister."

~1 Month Later~

One month later, we see the Valerius family in a highly advanced train station. The station was impressive, especially for a town, featuring one or two elevation trains that glided smoothly above the main tracks. These trains had a sleek, aerodynamic design, giving the entire station a modern and futuristic look.

The platforms were spacious and equipped with automated sliding doors, ensuring passenger safety. Holographic displays provided real-time information about train schedules and destinations.

Comfortable seating areas with charging stations for electronic devices were available, and several cafes and convenience stores offered a variety of food and drinks.

"So, Crudele, before you go we have a gift for you," his parents said, handing him a neatly wrapped present.

Crudele was a little confused at first, but he opened the present anyway. What he found inside was completely unexpected.

The item that emerged from the box was a vanta black cube with glowing orange cracks running through it. Crudele immediately understood what it was.

Overwhelmed with gratitude, he quickly hugged his mother and said, "Thank you for everything you've done for me."

With a determined look, Crudele broke the cube, and a surge of blue energy began to spread through his body. The next thing he saw was…

[Status window]

Name: Crudele valerius

Level: 6

Exp: 1685/3600

RBC Rank: F - Stage 6

Health: 100/100

RBC Energy: 66/66

Fatigue: 0

[Attributes]

Strength: 12

Speed: 11

Intelligence: 14

Vitality: 12

Endurance: 15

Sense: 13

Durability: 9

Agility: 11

Charisma: 13

Wisdom: 16