Chapter 20: Coming To Grips

Chapter 20: Coming To Grips [Bonus Chapter]

Alister's eyes fluttered open, the harsh sun light coming through the window shining on his face, making him squint. The sterile scent of antiseptic filled his nostrils as he shifted on the soft hospital bed.

He felt a dull ache around his entire body, but the immediate danger seemed to have passed.

'Where am I?' he thought, blinking against the bright light. Memories from the dungeon raid flooded back like a tide—his teammates, the battle with the Goblin King, and the overwhelming surge of power from the Draconic Rage skill. He remembered Lila, Amelia, Erik, and Jarek, their faces flashing before his eyes.

He looked around the room, taking in the beeping machines, the IV drip attached to his arm, and the clean, white walls. "This must be a hospital," he mumbled to himself, the words sounding dry and raspy as they left his lips.

As he tried to sit up, a sudden jolt of energy coursed through him, and the system's interface materialized before his eyes, a translucent yellow screen hovering in the air.

[The player has several system notifications to look through.]

[Congratulations to the player for completing the first quest!]

Alister blinked at the words, their meaning sinking in. He had survived. They had made it out of the dungeon alive, despite the odds. 'It's unfortunate but losses were inevitable.'

He frowned, as the memory of Amelia's unfortunate death flashed before his eyes.

[In recognition of the player's feat of soloing the boss raid, the player has been given additional rewards.]

[Notice! All harvested loot from the dungeon has been organized. Please check your inventory for details.]

'Inventory?' Alister questioned his thoughts.

Just as he did, another translucent yellow window appeared with sections and small boxes that seemed to hold items in them.

[1. Goblin Core(s) (A-rank)

2. Goblin Hide (C-rank)

3. Rusty Daggers (B-rank)

4. Clubs (B-rank)

5. Mana Crystals (Various Ranks - C to A)

6. Blood Orb (B-rank)

7. Magic Form-Changing Wand (B-rank)

-----(Additional rewards)--------

8. Skill Card: Blood Manipulation (D-rank)

Alister took the bundle with a grateful nod. "Thank you," he said, watching as she left the room.

He carefully unwrapped the cloth, revealing a collection of small, thoughtful items: a box of high-quality chocolates, a sleek, modern wristwatch, and several letters.

'I kinda feel bad they're the ones buying me stuff when I practically cleaned the dungeon of all its items. Oh well, to the winner the spoils as they say.'

He picked up one of the envelopes, recognizing Lila's name on the front.

Opening it, he read:

Dear Alister,

I hope you're reading this soon and are up and about. I can't thank you enough for what you did back in the dungeon. Honestly, I don't know how you managed it, but I'm grateful you did. You saved us all, and I owe you my life.

We've decided to take a break for a while, reassess things, but don't worry, we'll be back in action soon enough. Take care of yourself and get better. Next time we need to grab a drink and talk about how you became some kind of superhuman!

Best,

Lila

Alister smiled at the letter, feeling a warm feeling in his chest. He opened the rest, all with a similar message.

Alister leaned back against the pillows, a sense of peace coming over him. Despite the chaos and danger they had faced, knowing things sort of turns out ok in the end gave him comfort.

He then sat back up with a slight more serious look on his face.

'Alright system, where are my rewards from the quest?'

[Congrats the player has received: 100 EXP, Beginner's Guide to Summoning (Rank E), Basic clawed gauntlets (Rank E).]

[The items have been transferred to the player's inventory.]

'Inventory.'

The window materialized, Alister wanted to reach into the window and pull out the book.

[Notice! player, the player can view the guide from the system interface as long as it remains in the inventory.]

[Notice! The player has yet to view their status window.]

[Notice! The player also has unassigned stat points.]

[Notice! Conditions have been met, the player can now summon their first dragon.]

[Will the player like to proceed with their first summoning?]