The Karmic System

The doctor showed up to examine him, his fingers trembling slightly as he pressed the stethoscope against Andre's chest.

"Remarkable," Dr. Albert muttered, checking Andre's pupils with a penlight. "Heart rate stable, pupils responsive, oxygen levels... perfect."

After several more tests, the doctor stepped back, struggling to maintain his professional composure. "Everything seems to be normal, though I'd like to run more comprehensive tests at the hospital."

"Mr. Atlas, may I see you for a moment?" Dr. Albert gestured to Maxwell, and they stepped outside the bedroom.

In the hallway, the doctor's clinical demeanor cracked. "I've never seen anything like this in my life before," he whispered urgently. "The last time I was here, I was absolutely certain he was clinically dead... but now it's as if his body just restarted itself."

Maxwell Atlas stared at the doctor, his face unreadable.

"Either it's a miracle he's alive..." Dr. Albert continued, glancing nervously at the bedroom door, "but I should warn you that after dying for that long and coming back, he might exhibit strange behavior. The brain undergoes significant trauma during oxygen deprivation."

He placed a hand on Maxwell's shoulder. "I know you would be the best person to help the family understand. They should continue to behave with him the same way they always have—stability will be crucial for his psychological recovery."

"Alright, Doctor Albert," Maxwell Atlas replied stiffly, his eyes never leaving the bedroom door.

"Have a nice day, Mr. Atlas," the doctor said as he turned to leave, his medical bag clutched tightly in his hand, still shaking his head in disbelief.

# A Resurrection for Vengeance - Continuation 2

After the doctor left, Maxwell Atlas took the initiative to address everyone still standing in disbelief around Andre's bed.

"Everyone, please meet me at my study," he commanded, his authoritative tone silencing the murmurs in the room. The study—a mahogany-paneled sanctuary in the mansion where Maxwell both worked and retreated—was his domain of power.

"You too," he added, nodding curtly toward Victoria, Andre's mother.

"I just got my son back. I won't be leaving him now," she protested, her delicate fingers still clutching Andre's hand.

Maxwell's eyes hardened. "That's not going to happen. Let's go now."

Victoria could feel her husband's serious stare burning through her back like laser beams. She hesitated, then relented with a sigh. "Alright, I'm going to leave now, but I'm coming back later." She leaned down, brushing her lips against Andre's forehead. "I'll be back soon, my son."

The family filed out one by one, shooting curious glances over their shoulders at Andre, who remained still until the heavy oak door finally closed behind them.

Andre—or rather Alex in Andre's body—exhaled deeply once alone. "Phew! Never thought they would leave." He stared at his unfamiliar hands, turning them over as if they belonged to someone else—which, in fact, they did.

"Where are my? Why were they calling me Andre? Why am I having memories that aren't mine?" he muttered, trying to make sense of his situation.

Then it hit him. "Oh, I remember seeing a screen in front of me saying 'Do you want to restart' right before I died in my sister's lap..."

It seems I reincarnated...

Tears suddenly started flowing down his cheeks. He touched his face, surprised at the wetness. "Iris..." he whispered, the memory of his sister's lifeless body still fresh in his mind.

In that moment, he made a solemn vow that this would be the last time tears would come out of his eyes.

"Now, how do I activate that screen again?" he wondered aloud. He tried waving his hands in the air, blinking rapidly, and even speaking commands like "System on" and "Display menu." Nothing happened.

Next, he attempted to focus his thoughts, imagining the screen materializing before him. Still nothing.

"Maybe it needs a gesture?" He tried snapping his fingers, clapping his hands, and even doing a strange salute he'd seen in a sci-fi movie once.

Finally, in frustration, he closed his eyes—and suddenly, a name surfaced in his mind.

"KARMIC" Andre whispered

Instantly, a translucent screen flickered into existence before his eyes.

[KARMIC SYSTEM ACTIVATED]

"Finally," he sighed, relief washing over him. "I've gotten the hang of it."

[GREETINGS, VESSEL OF NEMESIS. I AM ERIS, YOUR INTERFACE TO THE POWERS GRANTED BY THE GODDESS OF DIVINE RETRIBUTION.]

"Okay, why did Nemesis, Goddess of Retribution, pick a runner like me?" Alex asked, genuinely curious. He'd never considered himself special—just a guy trying to protect his sister in a harsh world.

[NEMESIS SELECTED YOU FOR YOUR UNWAVERING DEVOTION TO JUSTICE. WHEN FACED WITH OVERWHELMING ODDS, YOU REFUSED TO ABANDON YOUR SISTER. YOU CHOSE DEATH OVER BETRAYAL. SUCH LOYALTY IS RARE IN MORTALS.]

"Bullshit!" Andre coughed confidently, a smirk spreading across his face.

"I'm grateful for this power and the second chance she has given me, but I want to make something clear. I've been doing what people say all my life—following rules, playing it safe, trying to survive in a system rigged against me and it got me killed. But this power she's given me changes everything."

He stood up, feeling strength return to his limbs. "Tell your Goddess that I won't be controlled by anyone's agenda—not even hers. I appreciate the vessel and the mission, but I'll be living life on my terms from now on. I'll find Andre's killer because I want to, not because I'm ordered to. Ask your Goddess what she thinks about that."

The screen flickered briefly, then displayed a new message:

Nemesis responsed:: "Independence pleases me. vessels who merely follow orders lack the creativity needed for true retribution. Do as you like—I look forward to watching you wield my gift. Entertain me, MORTAL."

A mad smirk spread across Andre's face. "Tell her to sit back and watch me cook."

After a moment of consideration, he asked, "Also, am I the only one with this system? Are there others like me out there?"

[YES, YOU ARE THE ONLY ONE WITH THE KARMIC SYSTEM. HOWEVER, THERE ARE OTHER VESSELS BLESSED BY DIFFERENT DEITIES. THEY DO NOT POSSESS SYSTEMS LIKE YOURS, BUT THEY HAVE BEEN GRANTED DIVINE POWERS.]

Andre's eyes gleamed with interest as he absorbed this information. Instead of concern, a slow, calculating smile spread across his face.

"Other vessels..." he mused, tapping his fingers methodically against his leg. He stood up calmly and walked to the window, looking out over the Atlas estate with new perspective. "So I'm playing in a bigger league than I thought."

He turned back to the floating interface, his posture relaxed but purposeful. "This isn't just about finding a murderer anymore. It's about establishing my position in this new world order."

Andre crossed his arms, leaning against the windowsill.

His lips curved into a confident smile. "These other vessels have had their powers longer than I have. They're comfortable. Established." He pushed himself away from the window, rolling his shoulders back. "But they don't know about me yet. And by the time they do, I won't be weak anymore."

He looked down at his hands—soft, uncallused hands that had never known real work or struggle. "Time to change that."