[Whitehaven Hospital — Rooftop Landing Platform]

[7 Kilometers — only three kilometers to go, you can do it!] a supportive voice echoed in Ashe’s ears. A panel appeared right before him, [7.1 km], the counter was not from the System but the Union Ring he got from Aliyah.

The voice was the preprogrammed voice; it was nice and didn’t sound monotonous…however, it also didn’t sound human. It sounded like the anime girls he used to watch in the past. Aliyah set it up like so.

He would have been angered by this, but Aliyah did him a favor set it to sound like a “Mature” woman that he, so very much liked since his younger years. 

“Huff, huff, just three more kilometers to go, right?”

[You can do this…I’m here for you.]

“I can do this!” Ashe responded with an energetic shout—he was trying to enjoy life as much as he could. After about 15 minutes, Ashe managed to finish the 10-kilometer run.

[Congratulations, you managed to complete your custom training course

Sit-ups – 100/100

Crunches – 100/100

Push-ups – 100/100

Planking – 10/10 

Running – 10 km]

It had been four days since the Ashe’s body was almost destroyed by a timely system update. He didn’t know what happened, but he reckoned strengthening his body might help survive any spontaneous Termination.

It might not even help him, but there was no harm in trying.

As Ashe walked over to one side of the Landing Pad, he saw Thalia dying on a game.

“You really suck at platforming games, don’t you?” Ashe couldn’t help but speak aloud.

“Thalia…Thalia was distracted by you, is all.” She said, with pouted cheeks, but still passed the towel and bottle of water to her bully of an Uncle. 

Ashe wiped off the sweat on his body before holding Thalia’s hand and entering the hospital. The Uncle and Niece pair walked along the hallway and encountered many bright smiles from both the patients and nurses.

The nurses especially had bright smiles as they eyed Ashe.

“Good morning, Mister Ashe…did you just finished your morning routine?” a nurse asked while looking at his clothes stick to his trained muscle…she unknowingly bit her lower lips.

Ashe ignored that and simply laughed, “I just did. It was pretty nice moving my body intensely.”

“...I can help you with that, you know?” The nurse said with a coquettish gaze of hers.

Once more, Ashe laughed it off, “Haha, sure, if Miss Nurse would like to join me in the roof and train, it would be my pleasure to have you join me.”

“That’s not…” 

“Excuse me for a bit, I need to change my clothes. I am drenched, and I might catch a cold if I am not careful, so if you would excuse me…” Ashe left without letting the nurse say anything else. 

The nurse looked had a disappointed look on her face. Another nurse’s heart was once more broken. That would be the seventh time since he came here.

‘They are really unprofessional.’ Ashe thought to himself. 

He was not dense enough to not notice their advances, but he had no reason to accept them. There’s no problem letting oneself indulge in lust and sexual desires, but there was more to life other than sex and mating.

Thalia and Ashe entered the room.

Ashe took a change of his clothes and went to the showers to clean himself, leaving Thalia to read something on her Union Ring. She had nothing to do anyway.

In the showers, Ashe opened the documentary called [Otherworlder’s Advent]…

“The first beings who came from the Astral Road to help us were the Harkasha Race. The Harkasha Race was a group of purple-skinned humanoids who are expert in manipulating Aeol and turning them to Magic. Harkasha’s were spell wielding race and a master of Magic…they were one of the many who helped us in entering Rodinia….”

Ashe listened to the explanation of the one doing the documentary. He was not impressed. 

‘I already know what the Harkasha’s are, but…the Astral Road is new to me.’

The Astral Road was a plane that connected the different worlds. 

It was made of [Astral Energy] a kind of energy different from Aeol and something Ashe had never heard of. No such thing existed in Astralius as that place was but a singular world and one continent.

It felt weird for Ashe knew a lot. He was confused, but at the same time, intrigued. This was all new for him.

‘Well, what did I expect? Even the System is different here.’

---

Ashe Zhang

Race: Human

Title: Cataclysm [Eternal Stigma]

Primary Class: Astral Page (Level 17)

[Class Skill]

First Page Skill:

• [Low-Vitality: Level 12] (Iron) – Improves your vitality by 20%
• First Page Monster:
• Name: Vine
• Rank: Iron
• Race: [Treant Vinesnake]
• Level: 18
• Skill:

Body Extension: can extend the body up to 15 meters

Low-Regeneration: regenerates an injured body part except anything disintegrated by acid or poison.

[Secondary Class: None]

---

Ashe looked at his Astral Page and saw the changes that had appeared. 

‘Since the System Update, the number of Classes had been predetermined. Two classes are the limit…I need to choose wisely.’

From what he could tell, Earth, or this system in general, was different from when he was in Astralius. Even the number of Classes was controlled.

Ashe finished bathing and then stood before a mirror as he wiped his body dry. He saw the many battle scars. He was proud of these scars, but he didn’t want Thalia to see him like this as it might frighten her.

His scars were all over his body. There was one on his neck, and then dozens below; he was lucky none on his face. All of these were a testament to his inexperience and way of life.

It was currently the middle of June; the lass was on Summer Break and passed the time with Ashe. Aliyah frequented the Hospital, so Thalia was left alone in their house. 

Aliyah did not like that, so she brought Thalia with her instead of leaving her. It was a nice bonus that Thalia liked Ashe, and the two got to be rather nice friends.

When Ashe returned from showering, he saw the lass reading up on something.

“What’s that, Thalia?” he asked, as he humored the girl.

“Hmm? Oh, Uncle, it’s nothing but some simple review of the Elven Kingdom, oh, it was once called the Amazon Rainforest if you don’t know.”

“I know of the changes, do not worry. But still, I didn’t think that an Elven Kingdom would be erected in such a place.”

“Well, they did clean out the area, so no one can say otherwise. Uncle, did you know that the Elves can only be considered an adult if they reach the age of 100?”

“Hooh?” Ashe acted as if he didn’t know, and the child rambled to share what she had learned.

Even in this day and age, kids her age was not as smart as her. Thalia was an exception as, since young, the only thing she ever did all day was read a book…and that was how she ended up hungry for knowledge and being so...unique.

‘She’s being shaped up to become a Scholar. She even has that attribute of sharing her knowledge… that’s good, that’s good.’

“Thalia, do you already have a Class?”

“No? Before reaching the age of 10, children don’t have access to the System, Uncle…do you not know that?”

Ashe reacted with an “oh” before moving on with his life.

Ashe and Thalia kept to themselves without saying much when the older one failed to keep the silent atmosphere. 

“Hey, Ashe, do you want to hear a good story about my adventures?”

“You already told me everything, Uncle. I don’t think you have something else to say…”

“Well, that’s the stories I can say with others, but what I’m about to tell you is the story no one had heard of. It’s a story regarding the Mermaid Race…”

“!!!” Thalia’s eyes suddenly brightened—she was intrigued but still doubtful, “How did you learn of such information?”

“I found some strange book detailing them...do you want to know or not?”

Thalia furiously nodded her head in response.

“Then, first make an oath to the red star that you would not share what I am about to tell you to anyone else without my permission.” 

“Okay!”

Thalia readily agreed and spoke of tales to lighten up the mood. 

Aliyah would later return from many papers to see her brother and daughter talking with broad smiles on their faces.

‘It’s been so long since I saw Thalia smile that.’ She was glad to see her daughter enjoy the company of others.

And just like that, another six days passed.

“Ashe, we’re leaving.” Aliyah called out to him.

“Oh, we are? Then, it appears story time shall stop for the time being… I’m going to say thanks to the nurses and doctors; wait for a minute.”

Aliyah sighed as she looked at Ashe, saying his farewells to the nurses who cared for him. Aliyah noticed the way the nurses’ face reddened when talking to him.

‘Hooh, this guy has improved in wooing a lady. It appears getting stuck with monsters for ten years strengthens your mind.’ Aliyah was happy for her brother. She saw a semblance of silver lining to being stranded in the Wildlands.

Ashe finally separated from the nurses. Aliyah noticed a bundle of numbers on Ashe’s hand.

“You have become a lady’s man, huh, Ashe. It feels like just yesterday when you were trying to score some with some of my friends.”

Ashe shrugged his shoulders, “I didn’t do anything; they gave it to me of their own volition. I did nothing other than talking to them…”

“I thought you’d be more welcoming to the idea of having a relationship after being stranded for ten years, but it appears I was wrong…Are you gay or something?”

“Shut up, already, will you?”

They soon reached the front doors of the Whitehaven Hospital.

“Hmm, you seem to be doing well enough to move about without a problem. It’s all good; you can go now.” Doctor Mist stated with a smile. 

“Thank you for everything, Doctor.” Aliyah subtly lowered her head, and Ashe did the same but said nothing and only smiled. 

“Hoho, it is nothing, deary…young man, I hope it doesn’t happen, but if you need anything, you can come to me for help. I’ll do anything to help you.” Doctor Mist laughed as he entered the Hospital, leaving the three outside.

Ashe was just about to ask who would pick them up when a black limousine stopped in front of them. Even at this time, cars were being used. However, it was no longer powered by gasoline but by the energy of the world—by Aeol.

It was like an electric car, but better. 

A man wearing a black suit got out of the driver’s seat to open the doors for them, “Please, enter, Madam.”

Ashe…looked at Aliyah with opened eyes. He failed to comprehend what’s happening. He wanted answers.

“Just get on already; I’ll tell you about it later.” 

Thalia had already entered the limousine confirming this was relatively normal to them, “Uncle, hurry!” the lass urged him to move faster.

Ashe entered the limo with the mother and daughter and left the Hospital. But as soon as they exited the Hospital Gates, Ashe saw reporters flocking the area…

‘Well that answers why there was no reporter…’

Ashe could now see that living a quiet life might not be so simple and quiet like he hoped for.