Chapter 86: [UNEXPECTED]

“Ugh.”

The door slammed behind him with a sharp crack, rattling against its frame as Eli leaned his back against it, chest heaving. Finally—home.

The silence of Elione’s apartment wrapped around him, sleek and modern, but right now it felt like nothing more than a cage he could collapse inside.

He wanted nothing but a bath. A long, scalding bath that would steam the frustration right out of his skin—or maybe a shower, hot enough to burn the day off his bones.

He hadn’t decided. All he knew was that he needed the water, the quiet, and the distance from everything else.

Especially them.

Ding.

The crystalline chime of the system flickered into the corner of his vision again, mocking, relentless.

Eli squeezed his eyes shut, groaning. “Look, if you’re gonna punish me, just do it after my bath.” He waved an irritated hand through the holographic glow, swatting it away like an annoying fly.

But it lingered at the edge of his sight, stubborn. Always stubborn.

“God, I hate you,” he muttered at the empty air, kicking off his shoes with more force than necessary.

He tugged at his clothes next, peeling the layers off one by one as if they’d begun suffocating him. His shirt came off in a single frustrated yank, hitting the polished floor in a crumpled heap.

The release of cool air against his skin did nothing to calm him.

’Stupid Caelen. Stupid System. Stupid life.’

Eli’s jaw clenched as he stalked toward the bathroom, half-naked, muscles tense with every step.

His reflection in the hallway mirror caught him briefly—red cheeks, eyes flashing with leftover rage—and he quickly looked away, scowling harder.

But no matter how much he tried to shove it down, the images kept clawing back up.

Caelen leaning down into his space, molten eyes gleaming with that infuriating calm. The ghost of his breath brushing Eli’s cheek. That smug, unreadable smirk. That condescending tone.

The way he’d said, “In case you were hoping I’d fall for you.”

Eli’s hands curled into fists, nails biting crescents into his palms.

’I can’t believe I ever had a crush on him! I thought he was so charming but he’s just…’ He shoved the bathroom door open, shoulders tight, his movements sharp with pent-up energy.

Steam hissed faintly as he twisted the faucet on, the first rush of hot water spraying into the pristine tub.

’…a fraud.’

The word echoed bitterly in his chest as he stripped the last of his clothes and let them fall, uncaring, to the tiles.

He sank down to sit on the cool edge of the bathtub, burying his face briefly in his hands as the steam began to rise around him. His pulse still refused to slow.

And behind the haze of it all, the system chimed again.

Ding.

Eli’s head snapped up, eyes narrowing. “I swear, if you don’t shut the hell up—”

But this time, the glowing box didn’t fade when he waved it off. Instead, it stretched, expanding across his vision like glass fracturing outward until the words burned bright before him.

’Wait…what?’

[SYSTEM REWARD NOTICE:]

> You have multiple pending rewards.

Would you like to open them now?

>YES

> NO

Eli froze mid-step, blinking at the notification. His mouth opened, then snapped shut again. “Rewards? What do you mean rewards? Didn’t I—”

He stopped, eyebrows furrowing. He hadn’t finished the stupid tasks. He hadn’t called Caelen handsome five times, he sure as hell hadn’t groped his chest.

And yet… rewards. Plural.

He hesitated for barely half a second before muttering, “Yes.”

[SYSTEM AFFECTION UPDATE]

> Affection with Target [CAELEN] has increased.

Current Affection Points:

❖ Target 1: Caelen — 2/500

❖ Target 2: Kairo — 0/500

“Seriously? Even after saying all that shit to him?” Eli muttered, rubbing at his temple.

’This doesn’t make any sense—’

Ding.

[SYSTEM REWARD]

Mission Accomplished.

Reward granted: 1 Affection Point. = 50 System Points.

> Player may choose to allocate System Points to enhance core stats:

– Strength: 5

– Agility: 15

– Speed: 20

– Endurance: 5

– Perception: 5

Warning: Once allocated, points cannot be retrieved.

Would you like to allocate your points now?

> YES

> NO

The sour weight in Eli’s chest evaporated in an instant. His lips twitched upward despite himself, a grin breaking out like sunlight through storm clouds.

“…Oh my god.” He nearly laughed. “Okay. Okay, yeah—yes.”

He didn’t even care if it didn’t make sense. The system had handed him candy, and for once it wasn’t threatening to fry him alive. He wasn’t about to question it.

“Just like before,” Eli ordered, voice quick with excitement. “Prioritize agility and speed. But spread it out a little—don’t let the others stay too low.”

The stats shifted on the holographic display, the numbers climbing and locking into place:

– Strength: 10

– Agility: 30

– Speed: 40

– Endurance: 10

– Perception: 10

“Perfect.”

Ding.

[SYSTEM REWARD]

> Point allocation confirmed.

> Stat enhancement commencing…

The words flared white—and then the change hit.

Eli gasped, stumbling as his palm erupted in blue light, brighter than before. His whole body vibrated as though lightning threaded through his veins, crackling under his skin.

t wasn’t exactly pain—it was sharper, hotter, like the buzz of electricity crawling up his spine and lighting every nerve on fire.

His muscles tensed, breath shuddering out of him as the power lanced through his chest, down his arms, burning into his legs until his knees nearly buckled.

For one dizzying heartbeat, his reflection in the bathroom mirror looked wrong—edges blurring with a faint glow, veins pulsing like faint lines of blue light beneath his skin.

Eli gritted his teeth, refusing to cry out, until finally—

[SYSTEM MESSAGE]

> Enhancement complete.

The glow fizzled away, leaving only his rapid breathing echoing in the bathroom. Sweat clung to his temples, chest rising and falling as he slowly uncurled his trembling hands.

“What are the other rewards then?” Eli asked, tilting his head a little, though his voice carried a thread of impatience.

If he had to guess, the second set of rewards probably came from that cursed additional mission. Most likely some consumables—items, tools, maybe a potion or a buff.

Something standard.

Something he could use in battle.

Still… curiosity gnawed at him. He needed to know.

The system pulsed.

🎁 [SYSTEM REWARD]

> Information about Lucien Kim’s family

Eli’s jaw dropped, breath catching sharp in his throat. His chest clenched so tightly he almost forgot how to breathe.

’No way… I didn’t even know this was a possible reward.’

The words hung in the air like a live wire, the glow of the notification bathing his pale reflection in the bathroom mirror. For a moment, the promise felt surreal—like a cruel trick dangling just out of reach.

Eli’s legs moved before his mind caught up, slow and deliberate, as if he were approaching a holy relic.

The bathroom blurred around him, every sound muted save for the thunderous pounding of his heart.

His fingertips twitched toward the screen as though he could touch it, as though it weren’t just lines of glowing text hanging in his vision.

The need for a bath, the sour irritation, the exhaustion—all of it bled away, replaced by a singular, desperate hunger.

“Please…” His voice cracked, low and raw, a whisper clawed from somewhere deep in his chest. “…I need to see that.”

▒▓ ▀▄█ ⚠ ▄█▀ ▓▒

“You know, I’m really surprised you went there on your own.”

Kairo’s car purred quietly in the shadows of the street, sleek and black against the glowing facade of Aureum Gold—the jewel of Soul City.

A place where only the top one percent breathed easy, and where Elione Noa Ahn just so happened to call home.

“If your sister was correct, and their guildmaster is already drafting a proposal for Elione, then I need to speak with him before they sink their teeth too deep,” Kairo said, his voice calm, precise, the kind of tone that didn’t waste words.

Mel’s voice crackled through the speaker. “You do realize Jabby and I have an agreement, right? If she slips me info about Caelen, I have to balance the scales with stuff about you.”

“Yes.” Kairo’s response was clipped, unbothered.

He knew Caelen. He knew his brother’s shadow was never far, whether or not Mel funneled him updates through Jabby.

In truth, Kairo almost preferred it that way. The awareness of eyes on him sharpened his own edges.

“I really don’t get your fascination with Elione Noa Ahn,” Mel pressed. “Besides the fact that he’s loaded and, okay, admittedly ridiculously cute, I don’t see it.”

Kairo’s fingers drummed once against the steering wheel, golden-red eyes fixed on the glass towers ahead. “Doesn’t the fact that Caelen is interested in him make you understand enough?”

Mel made a noise, halfway between irritation and reluctant amusement. “I don’t understand him either. But then again, I’ve never fought shoulder to shoulder with him the way you two have. Still, I—”

Kairo didn’t hear the rest. Something caught his gaze, a flicker of movement that snapped his focus razor-sharp.

From the gilded lobby doors of Aureum Gold, a tall figure emerged into the night.

Jet-black hair. Sharp, unmistakable golden eyes.

Elione Noa Ahn.

And not strolling casually, as someone wealthy and leisurely should—but striding fast, almost urgent, a quiet storm bottled in his steps.

Kairo’s hand froze mid-drum, then tightened around the steering wheel.

“I have to go,” he said flatly, cutting the line.

“Wait, why—”

The rest was silenced as he pocketed his phone.

Through the tinted glass of his car, Kairo watched. Elione didn’t even hesitate—he flagged down the first taxi that screeched near the curb, yanked open the door, and slid inside.

Kairo’s brow furrowed slightly.

Elione, of all people, taking a taxi?

“Suspicious,” he muttered, his voice low in the quiet cabin. “Very suspicious.”

Because Elione had a car. Not just a car—one of the latest high-end imports, sitting safe and untouched in the Aureum Gold private garage. For someone of his wealth, taking a taxi wasn’t just unusual. It was deliberate.

And deliberate meant important.

Kairo’s grip slid down to the gear shift, smooth and steady. His engine thrummed in response, a predator waking from stillness.

Dark eyes narrowed, a faint spark glinting in the reflection of the rearview mirror.

The taxi pulled into traffic. Kairo waited a beat, then eased his car forward, slotting in behind with surgical precision. His gaze stayed locked on the yellow cab’s tail-lights, patient, unyielding.

’Let’s see where you’re going, Elione.’

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep