More Fated

[Target Identified:

Name: Rick Hill

Age: 25

Physical Condition: Minor injuries, recovering]

Warning: Some powerful or special individuals may detect your observation. Proceed with caution.]

'Is that all? Can't I at least know their abilities and weaknesses or something?' Theo inwardly complained.

[Next Upgrade: Unlocks Weakness Detection (Requires Level 5)]

[Next Upgrade: Unlocks Ability Scan (Requires Level 10)]

Theo's face scrunched in frustration as he mumbled, "When will I even reach that level?"

[Ding! You will receive upgrades by killing more Meteorborn Infectees and special variants like the Meteorborn Terra. Complete daily quests to earn additional rewards!]

He sighed. 'Easier said than done.'

The hospital's power had been cut off as soon as the chaos began. Without sunlight filtering through the glass doors, walls, and windows, some areas would be swallowed by complete darkness.

It had been a long day, and Theo guessed it was already past lunchtime. At this rate, his stomach was making its protests, loud and persistent.

He was startled when he suddenly felt Shine's arms wrapping around him. "So, Chubby, tell me more about this system inside you. Does it make you strong? Your ability seems more connected to the meteorite. I saw your fist a while ago, it turned essentially glowing red hot and left a visible trail across your veins, like slightly burned skin or rocks-"

"Just form a single line going down! Follow the instructions!" one of the soldiers barked, interrupting Shine mid-sentence.

"Lieutenant, that's fine. The stairs are wide enough, so two people in a row are acceptable," the commander interrupted.

Theo released a heavy sigh, glancing at Shine's arm still snaked around his. 

It was the first time she had approached him so casually, as if they had known each other for a long time. He didn't know how to react, so he simply let Shine cling to him. He didn't have the energy to pull away too, especially knowing how stubborn she seemed to be. 

Besides, he couldn't deny that he felt oddly comfortable around her, maybe because she was the same age as his sister, Aries. Or maybe it was because this was the first time a woman had approached him like this without a care about how overweight he was.

He stared at his fists, now back to normal. He had been so absorbed in killing the Meteorborn Terra earlier that he hadn't noticed the sudden changes in his hands, just like Aries described. But he clearly remembered the power surging through them.

Excitement surged in his body as he anticipated how much stronger he could become once he leveled up more.

Once they reached the ground floor, the soldiers started separating all the black-tagged and gray-tagged individuals. Theo frowned as he looked around, searching for his sister. "Where are the rest of the survivors?" he demanded.

Calix, like his sister, had received a white tag and was also nowhere to be seen in the lobby. All that remained were people with gray tags, and now soldiers were changing some of them to black tags after a few questions.

"The others were escorted outside the hospital. They said the priority was to take out survivors not affected by the meteorites, saying they needed to be checked and attended to immediately," a woman who seemed to be around his mother's age near him spoke.

Theo let out a relieved sigh, knowing his sister was safer outside. She could also check on their mother. 

The Commander gathered his soldiers to the side, far enough from the rest of the group, forming a tight circle. Their faces were grave, their voices low, and the tension in the air was palpable. It was clear they were having a private, urgent meeting, something they didn't want them to overhear.

While the soldiers were busy, the remaining survivors began settling down, and a woman started distributing meal boxes. Relief washed over the crowd as they finally had something to eat after enduring hours of fear and chaos.

Theo's stomach grumbled, but that wasn't what caught his attention. His face instantly reddened in embarrassment when he recognized the woman who was now approaching him with a meal box in hand. 

'Wait… isn't she-'

His throat tightened. That's the female officer from the other night. He recalled her sharp and intimidating gaze, the disappointment in her voice when she assumed he was about to commit suicide. His eyes darted to her wrist. 

'A black tag? His brows furrowed. So… she's also a victim of the meteorite incident? An Awakened Meteor Survivor too?'

As she stepped closer, Theo felt his heart race awkwardly. 'What do I do? Should I thank her for the food or apologize and tell her it was just a misunderstanding?' He internally panicked, desperately trying to avoid direct eye contact.

"Do you know her?"

Theo nearly jumped out of his skin as Shine's voice came from behind him, startling him. She grinned mischievously, leaning over his shoulder to get a better look at the female officer.

"Is she your type or what?" Shine added casually, her tone dripping with curiosity.

Theo's face turned even redder. "W-What?! No! I just-uh-" he stammered, his voice cracking slightly. He turned his head to glare at Shine, who was smirking like she just caught him red-handed.

"Man, your face says it all," she teased, nudging his arm. "I mean, I can't blame you. She's kinda hot, isn't she?"

"C-Can you not?!" Theo hissed in a whisper, trying not to draw attention. "She's just… I just happened to meet her last night, that's all!"

Shine's eyebrow raised. "Ohhh, so you did meet her already. What happened? Did she flirt with you or something?"

"No! She almost arrested me!" Theo hissed. He was certain she would have arrested him last night because of the complaint filed against him by Rey and his gang.

Shine blinked in disbelief, then burst into a fit of laughter. "Oh my! You almost got cuffed by a hot officer? That's hilarious!"

Theo groaned in frustration, covering his face. 

Unfazed, Shine leaned in and whispered slyly, "But for real though… she's got a black tag. That means she's one of us. Maybe you two are destined, you know? But hey, I got a black tag too, Chubby, so I bet I'm more fated to be with you than her."