Rosalyn

It was a call from Elina.

I stared at the screen for a second, my thumb hovering over the green icon. My chest felt a little tight. I didn't know why. Maybe I was nervous. Maybe I was scared.

Maybe… I didn't want to screw it up again.

I picked up.

There was silence on the other end. No static. No background noise. Just silence.

I pressed the phone closer to my ear.

"…Hello?"

A small breath. Then her voice, quiet but clear.

"Can you come pick me up?"

My breath hitched.

Elina's voice hadn't changed one bit. Just a little more mature now. A little calmer. But still hers.

"…From where?" I asked, trying not to sound like I had no idea where the hell she even was. "The training center, right? Same one as always?"

Mom said she would be at the training centre, so I hope I am right.

"Yeah. I'll send you the location," she replied flatly, then hung up.

A second later, my phone buzzed again.

[Location received.]

I tapped it. It wasn't far, but it wasn't exactly a stroll either. About twenty minutes if I walked fast. Maybe fifteen if I sprinted like I was being chased by horny goblins.

I slipped on my shoes, stepped out into the dim hallway, and called out toward the kitchen.

"I'm going out, Mom!"

"Be careful!" she replied, probably from the couch.

"Yeah, I will!"

The door clicked shut behind me.

As I started walking, I kept replaying the phone call in my head. Not the words—there weren't many of those—but the tone.

Why would she call me to pick her up?

I mean, it's not like we've been on good terms. I haven't even seen her yet in this life. Not since…

I shook my head. No point thinking about it. No point trying to make sense of shit when I didn't even know the full picture.

I checked the system again.

[Side Quest: Make up with Elina Rover.]

→ Time Limit: 6 Days 22 Hours

→ Reward: [New Ability – Telepathy]

"What the hell even happened between us?" I muttered.

No answers, obviously.

I stuffed my hands in my pockets and sighed. The city was quieter now. Streetlights flickered lazily, casting soft orange halos on the pavement. The air smelled like dust and concrete—and something faintly sweet.

Maybe rain really was coming.

I glanced up at the sky, muttering to myself, "Thinking won't change anything."

That's what I kept telling myself. That's what I had to keep telling myself.

Still…

A small smile crept onto my face.

I was going to see her again.

After all that time… after everything that happened in the past life… after I let her face everything alone…

I was going to see my little sister again.

I checked the location Elina sent me.

"Twenty minutes? Hell nah."

There was a shortcut I used to take back in my old life. Shaved off a clean five minutes if I booked it through the alleyways. Sure, it was creepy at night, but I wasn't a little bitch. I was an 18-year-old guy who had survived a monster raid and gotten a system shoved into his soul.

So yeah, shortcut it was.

Biggest fucking mistake.

At first, everything was fine. The alley was narrow and dim as always, with cracked pavement, flickering streetlamps, and the occasional graffiti that looked like it was drawn by a raccoon on meth. I was halfway through, telling myself how smart I was, when I realized—

"Why's it so damn quiet?"

No footsteps. No street sounds. No dogs barking. Just... nothing.

It hit me then. The entire stretch was deserted. Like ghost town levels of empty. Not even a cat rummaging in trash.

That's when the system chimed.

[Warning: Restricted Zone Detected.]

[Monster Presence Level: 3 – Do Not Engage.]

"Oh. Well, fuck me."

Then I heard it.

A low growl. Gurgling. Wet. Animalistic.

I turned around.

It looked like a cross between a gorilla and a spider. Eight bulging legs. A bloated torso. Skin like rotting leather. Eyes—too many goddamn eyes—glowing green.

It screeched.

"NOPE."

I turned and ran.

I didn't even look back. I didn't care how close it was. I just ran. Feet pounding the pavement. Breath short. Legs screaming. I ducked under rusted stairways, jumped trash cans, slid through a broken gate.

But the thing didn't let up.

It was fast. Faster than I expected something that ugly to be. I heard its claws scraping on walls. I could feel the vibration every time it slammed onto the ground.

"I'm not dying here! Not today!"

[Skill Available: Teleport (Lv.1)]

[Range: 5 meters. Cooldown: 60 seconds.]

"I don't care! Use it!"

I focused ahead and screamed in my head—teleport, teleport, teleport!

And poof.

I disappeared.

And then reappeared—smack into a dumpster.

"FUCK!"

I groaned, rolled out, smelling like expired ramen and old socks, but I was five meters ahead.

The monster wasn't impressed. It roared and lunged.

I turned and braced for impact—

And then, the world exploded in pink.

A flash of blinding light. A shockwave that sent debris flying.

I looked up.

She dropped from the sky like a meteor.

Long white-pink hair flowing like silk, streaked with glowing light. Armor that hugged her body like it was molded onto her skin, decorated with black and pink crystals that pulsed faintly. She held a massive two-handed sword, shaped like it belonged in a cursed fairy tale—elegant, deadly, and glowing with energy.

And she had ears. Long, pointed, elf-like ears. Her eyes were cold pink glass, and her expression?

Unbothered. Imagine the most beautiful girl you can. Yeah, that was her.

The monster screeched again and charged.

Big mistake.

With one clean arc, her blade sliced through the air—and the creature—like it was paper. A wave of pink energy exploded behind the slash, splitting the thing in two. Its body hit the ground with a thud. Dead. No struggle. No death roar.

The woman turned, her long hair dancing behind her like a ribbon in zero gravity.

"Are you injured?"

Her voice was soft. Almost melodic. But there was something in her tone—like she wasn't used to talking much.

"I—uh—yeah—I mean no—uh—thanks?" I stammered, still half in shock and still smelling like dumpster juice.

She walked toward me, boots clicking softly.

"You're not supposed to be here."

"I… took a shortcut."

She narrowed her eyes. "This area's marked Class-C Hazard. Didn't you see the alert?"

"I... ignored it."

A pause. Her gaze sharpened. "Are you awakened?"

"…Yes?"

She studied me for a second longer. Then, surprisingly, smiled—just barely. "Then don't die before you learn to use your abilities properly."

And then she turned, sword vanishing into shimmering particles as she tapped the device on her wrist. A small drone zipped out and hovered beside her.

"Central, clean-up complete. Send a sweep team."

"Wait," I called out. "Can I at least know your name?"

She paused at the end of the alleyway, glanced over her shoulder.

"…Rosalyn."

And just like that, she disappeared into the shadows, leaving behind a stunned me, a reeking dumpster, and a bisected monster carcass.

"…Rosalyn, huh?"

I grinned like an idiot.

Well shit. This world's got angels with swords.