I'm here

Ethan felt hopeless.

Lonely.

It had never been this bad before.

Back on Earth, no matter what happened, he had always had his family. He had never gone this long without talking to them.

Whenever he stayed out late or wasn't home, his mother would always call to check up on him. She'd nag him about eating properly, about not overworking himself.

Now, there were no calls.

And there wouldn't be.

Not today. Not tomorrow. Not ever.

Those annoying calls, those cringey text messages—they were gone.

Forever.

His sister's clingy behavior, her constant whining for sweets and presents… He would never hear her voice again.

A dull ache spread through his chest, tightening around his heart like a vice.

Then—

"Don't feel lonely, Ethan…

I'm here...."

A soft, almost soothing voice echoed in his mind.

The system.

For a brief moment, something strange bubbled inside him—an emotion he couldn't quite name. It was raw, heavy, like a deep sense of sorrow and loss, an emptiness too vast to put into words.

Before he could process it, the system spoke again, this time with an odd hint of cheerfulness.

"I'm here with you. To help you however I can. After all, I'm your system."

Ethan sighed, dragging a hand down his face, his fingers trembling slightly as he wiped away the tears that had unknowingly gathered in his eyes.

"…Really?" His voice was hoarse, quiet.

"Really!"

The system's tone was oddly firm.

Ethan took a shaky breath, his mind clouded. "…Can you really help me?"

"Try me."

His crimson eyes darkened.

"Can you make sure I don't lose control again?"

"Nope."

A muscle twitched in his jaw.

"…Can you awaken any of my bloodlines?"

"Nope."

"…Can you at least tell me how to awaken them?"

There was a brief pause.

Then—

"Nope… No, actually, I think I can."

Ethan's eyes flickered with surprise.

"…Really?" His expression shifted—half doubtful, half intrigued. The system being useful for once was… unexpected.

"Yeah, really. I might actually be able to help you. But—"

Ethan narrowed his eyes. "But what…?"

"Well, you need to reach Level 10 first."

Ethan's expression immediately soured. "What? Why do I have to reach Level 10?"

"Because once you do, I—the system—will evolve! Or upgrade, you might say."

"…Upgrade? What are you, a damn Android?" Ethan scoffed. "And how the hell do you evolve anyway?"

"Host, I told you before—the stronger you become, the better the system gets."

The system's tone was annoyingly smug.

"After the upgrade, I might be able to analyze your half-awakened Succubus-Incubus hybrid bloodline and figure out how to unlock your full potential."

Ethan paused, his fingers twitching slightly. His mind raced.

"…So you're saying… once I hit Level 10, you'll have a way to fully awaken my bloodline?"

"Maybe. Probably. Who knows? But your chances will definitely be better than they are now."

Ethan let out a long breath, staring blankly at the ceiling.

Level 10.

It didn't sound that far away…

But—

Wait.

"How do I level up, actually?"

A short silence.

Then—

"…What?"

Ethan frowned. "You never told me how to level up."

"Host… have you never played a game before? Of course, to level up, you need to kill monsters!"

"Right. That makes sense." Ethan nodded, then asked hopefully, "So… where do I find these monsters?"

"I don't know!"

Ethan's eye twitched.

"…Shit."

"Language."

Ethan scoffed. "Who are you, Captain America?"

"No. I'm Captain System America."

Ethan blinked. "That… didn't even make sense."

"It's not about making sense," the system replied sagely, "it's about sending a message."

Ethan stared blankly.

Bamboozled.

This damn system…

Then, a thought struck him.

His system… was a fan of superhero movies.

---

Sometime later, Ethan walked into the dining room.

The scent of freshly prepared food lingered in the air, a mix of warm spices, roasted meat, and baked bread.

He glanced at the table, where a simple but well-prepared breakfast had been laid out.

So I was right. That maid did come to tell me about the food.

The servants moved about quietly as he took his seat.

Today's breakfast wasn't as extravagant as yesterday's—just as he had asked. He had specifically requested a lighter meal, so he wasn't surprised by the simpler spread.

Ethan washed his right hand as a servant placed two rotis on his plate.

Pulling apart a piece, he dipped it into a steaming bowl of chicken soup, letting it soak up the rich broth before dipping it again into a tangy, spiced chutney.

The moment he placed it in his mouth, a wave of flavors hit his tongue.

The heat of the spices, the deep, meaty taste of the soup, the burst of sharp and complex flavors from the chutney—it all blended together perfectly.

He chewed slowly, savoring it.

The servants stood nearby, attentive but silent, ready to assist him with anything he needed.

But just as he was in the middle of a bite, he heard footsteps.

Heavy. Measured.

Ethan tensed, his body instinctively alert as the sound grew closer and closer.

Then—

A man walked in.