Chapter 8: [CHOOSE: YES OR NO]

The next time Eli woke up, the world was quiet.

No beeping. No frantic nurses. No cold sting of panic thrumming through his veins.

Just silence, the faint hum of machines, and the distant echo of hospital activity muffled behind closed doors.

He blinked slowly. His body still felt heavy, but… calmer. Maybe the sedative had worn off, or maybe it was the absence of eyes watching him like he might collapse again. Either way, the quiet was a relief.

’How long was I out?’

His gaze drifted up. The ceiling was off-white, slightly cracked in one corner. A bland hospital light hummed overhead.

Then it hit him.

The tube in his mouth was gone.

He breathed in—slow, shaky, but finally unencumbered. He swallowed, his throat sore but functional. He could speak again… sort of.

Still groggy, Eli slowly pushed himself up into a semi-sitting position. The sheets crinkled beneath him.

His limbs ached like he’d run a marathon in someone else’s bones—which, in a way, wasn’t entirely inaccurate.

His eyes caught the glint of something in the reflection of a nearby cabinet.

Black hair.

Golden eyes.

’Still not my face.’

The thought made his stomach turn, but that wasn’t what mattered right now.

No—what mattered was the glowing screen hovering a foot above his bed. Unchanging. Waiting.

[SYSTEM PROMPT]

> Restoration of original body is possible.> However, due to host status (deceased), revival requires completion of a unique challenge.

⚠︎ Requirements are demanding.

Would you like to proceed?

❏ YES❏ NO

(Note: Refusal will result in permanent synchronization with Elione Noa Ahn’s body.)

Eli stared at the screen.

He wanted to accept it. Hell, earlier he almost did without thinking.

But now… now that the panic had dulled and he had a minute to think, he hesitated.

’Requirements are demanding…’

That phrase hung over him like a storm cloud. It wasn’t just a warning—it was a promise.

He didn’t trust it.

“Can’t you at least tell me what the requirements are? Or what I have to do?” Eli asked the air, trying to keep his voice calm.

The screen didn’t flicker. Didn’t change.

Didn’t respond.

Eli frowned.

“Right,” he muttered bitterly. “Of course you won’t.”

That silence? That non-answer?

It was already an answer.

The kind that made every warning bell in his brain go off at once.

He leaned back against the pillow, eyes narrowed in quiet thought.

’This thing… this system… it put me in someone else’s body. That has to mean it’s strong. Strong enough to do whatever it wants.’

He swallowed thickly.

And that was exactly why he wanted to say yes.

Because if this system had that kind of power… then maybe, just maybe, it really could give him his life back.

“Ah, fuck,” Eli muttered, dragging a hand down his face. “Can you seriously not tell me anything

?”

Still nothing.

The screen simply hovered, patient and indifferent.

He sighed.

’Why am I even hesitating? My parents need me… Lucas needs me—’

He froze mid-thought.

“…Wait,” he whispered. “Mom and Dad…”

His expression shifted.

’If I’m dead… doesn’t that mean they already think I’m gone too?’

The screen shimmered.

Ding.

[SYSTEM ANALYSIS: QUERY DETECTED]

Subject: Lucien Kim — Status Update

“Lucien Kim” and other dungeon cleaners were officially declared missing following the collapse of Lion’s Fang Guild’s S-Class Dungeon seven days prior to current timeline. No corpses were recovered.Local authorities concluded the zone as unstable, leading to halted search operations.

Multiple media outlets—including Korenea Times and Channel 7 Underground—published headlines such as:

“Young Cleaners Vanish in Dungeon Collapse—Only Few Survivors Found“

Eli’s heart twisted.

’Missing? They think we just vanished?’

But they hadn’t. He hadn’t. He was there. When the gate exploded—when the whole dungeon came crashing down on his skull. They knew he was still inside. Everyone did.

’Are they… blaming me? For the explosion?’

His throat tightened. He didn’t want to think about it.

But he had to know.

“What happened after the explosion?” he asked quietly. “Did… it cause a hole?”

The screen remained still.

Silent.

’Figures. You only answer what you want to answer.’

He clenched his jaw.

“Come on,” Eli growled under his breath. “I need more information before I—”

Click.

The door creaked open.

Eli’s heart jumped.

He turned just in time to see the older woman from before step into the room, a soft smile on her face. Her hair was streaked with gray, her eyes swollen from days of crying—but when they met his, they sparkled with warmth.

“Eli, darling. Good morning.”

Eli blinked.

’Oh no.’

He hesitated—just a beat too long—before forcing a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

“Hello… Mom,” Eli said awkwardly, the word sticking to his tongue like something bitter and unfamiliar. It felt wrong. Too intimate. Too sacred to be used so casually.

“…Dad,” he added, glancing briefly at the man behind her.

He hadn’t spoken directly to them until now. During his previous waking moments, he’d only caught glimpses—heard their voices through sedative haze. Now that they were in front of him, flesh and blood, the pressure of expectation weighed heavy on his chest.

’Just act normal. Just greet them. That’s what a son would do, right?’

But the moment he smiled, he knew something was off.

His “mother” and “father” exchanged the briefest glance—subtle, but telling. Eli had seen enough people lie with their eyes to recognize it instantly.

’Shit. Did I mess up already?’

Still, they didn’t mention it. Just brushed it off with parental grace.

“How are you doing, son?” the man asked, stepping into the room fully and setting a bag of neatly packed fruit on the bedside table like it was routine.

The woman—his supposed mother—wasted no time. She moved to his side with practiced concern and placed a hand gently on his cheek.

Eli resisted the urge to recoil.

Her palm was warm. Familiar, maybe, to Elione… but to him, it was a stranger’s touch.

“You’re getting your color back,” she said, voice soft. “Your wounds seem to be healing faster than expected. That’s good.”

“Yes… I’m fine now,” Eli replied, forcing another smile. It was weak, uncertain, and didn’t quite reach his eyes.

She blinked at him.

Confused.

’Is that the problem? The smiling?’

“You seem to be in a good mood despite what happened,” she said, settling in the chair beside him. “You don’t know how worried we were…”

“With your abilities,” the father added, removing his glasses to rub at his eyes. “I expected you’d know how to avoid trouble, son. That power of yours might be special, but you can’t fight. Please tell me you didn’t try to engage those monsters.”

’Monsters.’

Eli’s blood ran cold.

’So the dungeon… it did collapse and tore a hole open. Released something.’

He swallowed thickly. He didn’t know what the original Elione had been doing there. Didn’t know what kind of role he had. What his abilities even were.

All he knew was that he was now a B-Class in someone else’s skin.

A skin that came with expectations and history he couldn’t fake.

“I’m… sorry,” Eli said quietly, lowering his gaze. “For worrying you both.”

’That’s what they want to hear, right? After something like this?’

But again—he saw it.

That flicker of something. Disbelief? Concern?

“Are you really sure you’re feeling okay, Eli?” the mother asked carefully. “You’re being awfully… timid.”

She smiled, but it was thin. Hesitant. “Of course, I don’t mind, but—”

“You’re usually fussy,” the dad cut in, crossing his arms. “Honestly, I’m surprised you haven’t thrown a pillow at us yet for meddling in your life.”

Oh.

’Oh. Great. So it seems their son was a jerk.’

That would explain the shocked faces. The concern. He was acting too soft. Too… unlike Elione.

Eli cleared his throat and sat up straighter.

There was only one way to explain his ’sudden’ personality change.

“I know. After this near-death experience, I…” He glanced down at his hands—Elione’s hands. Pale. Slightly bruised. Not his. “I realized that—”

DING.

A loud, mechanical chime interrupted him. His heart jumped as a soft siren followed.

He looked up.

[SYSTEM WARNING]

> Time limit for choosing whether or not to do the challenge is almost up.> Choice has to be made now or else you will face the punishment of death.

His eyes widened. His chest tightened.

“…Death?” he echoed aloud, voice hoarse.

“Hm? What was that, Eli?” his mother asked, visibly concerned by his sudden shift in tone.

But Eli didn’t respond. He was frozen, reading.

’What do you mean death?! I die again if I don’t answer?!’

[SYSTEM PROMPT]

> Restoration of original body is possible.> However, due to host status (deceased), revival requires completion of a unique challenge.

⚠︎ Requirements are demanding.

Would you like to proceed?

❏ YES❏ NO

(Note: Refusal to answer within 10 seconds will result in permanent death.)

’Permanent… death? What the fuck?!’

The red lights pulsed. The letters glowed angrily.

> 10…

Eli’s pulse skyrocketed.

’You can’t do this. You can’t force this on me right now!’

> 9…

He stared helplessly. The numbers were burning into his vision.

> 8…

The system was blaring, lights flickering like alarms.

“Son?” his father said, moving toward him. “Are you alright?”

> 7…

Eli clenched the sheets in his fists.

“FUCK! Fine, yes! Yes!” he shouted suddenly, voice sharp and desperate.

The system beeped.

Accepted.

His parents jolted in surprise—but they didn’t seem too startled. Just… resigned.

“Sorry. I’m fine… I’m fine,” Eli said quickly, trying to wave it off.

“Right,” his dad muttered, adjusting his glasses again, clearly unsure whether to scold or back off.

“Y-yeah… I’ll, uh, cut you some of your favorite fruit,” his mother offered with a small smile, though it trembled at the edges. “Maybe that will help.”

Eli gave her a weak nod.

But guilt gnawed at his chest.

’I didn’t mean to yell at them. It’s this damn syst—’

Ding.

[SYSTEM RESPONSE]> Request confirmed.> Welcome, player.

You have officially entered the [Wish Restoration Challenge].

> Congratulations, Elione Noa Ahn.> From this moment forward, you are now a registered Player in the System.

Player’s Objective: Reclaim original body.Reward: Revival of Lucien Kim.Status: Challenge Active.

Elione’s eyes narrowed. ’…Okay. Challenge. I can handle a challenge. What kind of challenge are we talking about? A trial? A game since you’re calling me a player?’

Ding.

[SYSTEM MISSION]> Seduce the strongest S-Class Hunters.

Elione read it. blinked.

’…Sorry, what?’

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