Winston opened his eyes, yawned, and stretched his arms and legs.
Oh my God, that was a good sleep. My body feels so refreshed…
His eyes widened as he sat up straight and looked around. Rows of hospital beds surrounded him on both sides of the room. He swung his legs over the side of the bed. Just then, Haruto walked in wearing a white coat, a clipboard in one hand.
"Oh, you're finally awake," Haruto said, adjusting his glass as he walked toward the water dispenser in the corner of the room.
"Dr. Haruto, how long have I been asleep?" Winston asked, swallowing a gulp of saliva.
"Three days. And it's morning," Haruto answered before taking a long gulp of water from a plastic cup.
No way. Not again. This is the third time I've fallen asleep like this. I really need to learn how to monitor how much Nethen essence I have before I deplete it. And I need to figure out how to replenish it when my energy runs low.
Haruto walked over to Winston and sat on the bed beside his. His eyes shifted toward the intravenous (IV) infusion attached to Winston's arm.
"Don't worry. Based on your answers, I might allow you to return to the training dome," Haruto said, "So, tell me what happened. When I checked your body temperature, everything was normal."
"I got exhausted from overexerting myself during training," Winston said. "I figured out how to use one of my awakenings, and I got careless. I didn't monitor my energy."
Haruto settled to the the bed, his eyes shining with full attention. he adjusted his glasses again.
"Really? I was wondering when you were going to start using them." He leaned forward slightly. "So, tell me. How are they?"
"The last time I was here, I felt some kind of energy running through my body. I could only feel it whenever I pushed myself to my limit. Then, when I was here meditating, I felt it again," Winston said.
"So I did some experiments last week. At first, I struggled to feel it while lying in bed. But eventually…"
Winston raised the hand that wasn't attached to the IV. He focused for a moment and channeled Nethen essence into his entire arm. He moved his arm back and forth, a faint smear appeared around his hand as it moved.
Haruto's eyes widened.
"Although most people can't see it with the naked eye, I just channeled a small amount of Nethen essence into my entire arm I hope you saw it," Winston explained.
He waved his arm again, creating another fast, smeared blur.
"After I learned how to control and channel the Nethen essence, I tested it with my friend on the training field and in the attacking dome. I was hoping someone would notice the smearing blur, but nobody did."
Winston stopped moving his arm.
"To be honest, when I moved my arm in front of you, I thought you wouldn't be able to see it. But judging from your expression…"
He narrowed his eyes.
"I guess you can."
Winston pondered. What kind of training did Haruto go through to be able to see something like this? If Haruto could see his hand moving at that speed, then there had to be a reason. Since Haruto can see my hand's fast motion, that means… he might also be close to unlocking it.
Winston's eyes narrowed. Or maybe his master trained him to see things like this.
"Nethen essence? Is that what you call your vital energy?" Haruto asked, placing a hand on his chin. "I should write this down." He paused before continuing. "I'm able to see slivers of the fast motion. Maybe it's because of my training at the temple."
Haruto rubbed his chin. This information was too valuable to ignore.
"You need to stop showing these awakenings in front of people. The more you use them around others, the more likely they are to start noticing these abilities."
His expression changed as another thought crossed his mind. "So Nethen essence doesn't require meditation…" Haruto muttered the words under his breath.
So the Nethen essence doesn't need meditation. Maybe the awakening Winston has is completely unrelated to the one I've been studying at the temple.
He shifted his attention back to Winston. "How do you replenish your Nethen essence? And how do you know when you're about to run out?"
With a wry smile, Winston shook his head. "About that, I'm still struggling with it. I didn't have time to explore how to replenish the Nethen essence. After I figured out how to control it, I got too excited and immediately went to the training field to experiment with it. I completely forgot to learn how to replenish it."
Haruto nodded.
"That's good, but you need to learn how to replenish your Nethen essence. Otherwise, it could affect your football career. You've already been fainting left and right."
Winston lowered his head. He hadn't considered how repeatedly ending up in the hospital could affect his football career prospects. Seeing Winston's mood drop, Haruto thought of something that might lighten it.
"By the way, Annalise has been asking about you."
Winston's cheeks turned red, and a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. He looked toward the window, trying to hide it from Haruto.
"What did she say?"
He began swinging his legs, his smile stretching even wider across his face. Haruto shook his head as he walked over to Winston and began removing the intravenous (IV) infusion.
"Be careful. You need to talk to Dumi. He doesn't play around when it comes to his daughter."
Winston stared at Haruto.
Then Haruto started laughing as he neatly placed the IV tubing on the table beside Winston.
"Don't worry. I'm sure he knows about you and Annalise. I'm also sure she has already told her father about what's going on between you two."
Winston released a breath of relief.
Then he remembered something they had discussed during his last visit to Haruto's office. "By the way, what did Dumi say about me having these awakenings?"
"He said he'll talk to you after you finish your Federation Academy training."
"Oh." Winston paused. "Did you find out whether Sebastian is using that enhancement pill?"
Haruto ticked something off on his clipboard. "You mean the Divinity Pill?" Winston furrowed his brow.
Haruto sighed. "Yep. Apparently, that's what it's called now. I learned that from one of my contacts. The name is fitting, considering what the pill does."
Based on my fight with Maximilian, of course someone would give it a name like that. The way it enhances people who take it gives them unimaginable supernatural.
Haruto signed something on the clipboard. Winston hesitated before asking, trying to hide the fear in his voice. "Dr. Haruto, I've been meaning to ask you something. Am I considered one of the people who took the Divinity drug because I played with Maximilian while he was using it?"
Haruto turned away from Winston, he stopped what he was doing and answered over his shoulder. "No. Most people don't know about your awakening, and the match with that kid, Maximilian, was taken care of by the Federation."
Winston's heart sank—his mind raced.
"Does the Federation know about my awakenings?"
"No. But I think they suspect you might be one of the Divinity Pill testers."
Haruto sighed, "That's why I keep telling you to be careful when you use your awakenings. Do you remember what I told Dumi when you visited my apartment in Arlesey City?"
Winston nodded.
"The Federation is among the investors involved in the development of the Divinity Pill," Haruto continued. "They might be watching your every move and waiting for the right opportunity to take you in."
Winston's expression hardened.
"But don't worry. With me here, they won't take you for their experiments. I have someone on the inside who will tell me everything."
Haruto picked up the Federation tracksuit and handed it to Winston.
"For now, act as if everything is normal. Be careful when using your awakenings, and keep me updated whenever you learn something new. For now, change. I'll send a message to the Federation about your condition."
Winston nodded.
He stood up, still wearing only his boxers, and prepared to change into the tracksuit. Just as he pulled up his pants, a translucent screen suddenly appeared in front of him.
Ding!
[User Daily Challenge]
[sprint speed: 90 km/h]
[shot: 90 km/h]
[Goals: 00/03]
"Nethen essence? Is that what you call your vital energy?" Haruto asked, placing a hand on his chin. "I should write this down." He paused before continuing. "I'm able to see slivers of the fast motion. Maybe it's because of my training at the temple."
Haruto rubbed his chin. This information was too valuable to ignore.
"You need to stop showing these awakenings in front of people. The more you use them around others, the more likely they are to start noticing these abilities."
His expression changed as another thought crossed his mind. "So Nethen essence doesn't require meditation…" Haruto muttered the words under his breath.
So the Nethen essence doesn't need meditation. Maybe the awakening Winston has is completely unrelated to the one I've been studying at the temple.
He shifted his attention back to Winston. "How do you replenish your Nethen essence? And how do you know when you're about to run out?"
With a wry smile, Winston shook his head. "About that, I'm still struggling with it. I didn't have time to explore how to replenish the Nethen essence. After I figured out how to control it, I got too excited and immediately went to the training field to experiment with it. I completely forgot to learn how to replenish it."
Haruto nodded.
"That's good, but you need to learn how to replenish your Nethen essence. Otherwise, it could affect your football career. You've already been fainting left and right."
Winston lowered his head. He hadn't considered how repeatedly ending up in the hospital could affect his football career prospects. Seeing Winston's mood drop, Haruto thought of something that might lighten it.
"By the way, Annalise has been asking about you."
Winston's cheeks turned red, and a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. He looked toward the window, trying to hide it from Haruto.
"What did she say?"
He began swinging his legs, his smile stretching even wider across his face. Haruto shook his head as he walked over to Winston and began removing the intravenous (IV) infusion.
"Be careful. You need to talk to Dumi. He doesn't play around when it comes to his daughter."
Winston stared at Haruto.
Then Haruto started laughing as he neatly placed the IV tubing on the table beside Winston.
"Don't worry. I'm sure he knows about you and Annalise. I'm also sure she has already told her father about what's going on between you two."
Winston released a breath of relief.
Then he remembered something they had discussed during his last visit to Haruto's office. "By the way, what did Dumi say about me having these awakenings?"
"He said he'll talk to you after you finish your Federation Academy training."
"Oh." Winston paused. "Did you find out whether Sebastian is using that enhancement pill?"
Haruto ticked something off on his clipboard. "You mean the Divinity Pill?" Winston furrowed his brow.
Haruto sighed. "Yep. Apparently, that's what it's called now. I learned that from one of my contacts. The name is fitting, considering what the pill does."
Based on my fight with Maximilian, of course someone would give it a name like that. The way it enhances people who take it gives them unimaginable supernatural powers .
Haruto signed something on the clipboard. Winston hesitated before asking, trying to hide the fear in his voice. "Dr. Haruto, I've been meaning to ask you something. Am I considered one of the people who took the Divinity drug because I played with Maximilian while he was using it?"
Haruto turned away from Winston, he stopped what he was doing and answered over his shoulder. "No. Most people don't know about your awakening, and the match with that kid, Maximilian, was taken care of by the Federation."
Winston's heart sank—his mind raced.
"Does the Federation know about my awakenings?"
"No. But I think they suspect you might be one of the Divinity Pill testers."
Haruto sighed, "That's why I keep telling you to be careful when you use your awakenings. Do you remember what I told Dumi when you visited my apartment in Arlesey City?"
Winston nodded.
"The Federation is among the investors involved in the development of the Divinity Pill," Haruto continued. "They might be watching your every move and waiting for the right opportunity to take you in."
Winston's expression hardened.
"But don't worry. With me here, they won't take you for their experiments. I have someone on the inside who will tell me everything."
Haruto picked up the Federation tracksuit and handed it to Winston.
"For now, act as if everything is normal. Be careful when using your awakenings and keep me updated whenever you learn something new. For now, change. I'll send a message to the Federation about your condition."
Winston nodded.
He stood up, still wearing only his boxers, and prepared to change into the tracksuit. Just as he pulled up his pants, a translucent screen suddenly appeared in front of him.
Winston's heart sank. All of Haruto's warnings suddenly felt like they had been thrown out the window. Now he had to push himself far beyond a normal football player's top speed while keeping his supernatural abilities hidden.
The stakes were higher than ever. He had to complete the daily challenge, otherwise he would have to face the nightmare he had desperately tried to leave behind.
I have no choice. I have to finish the daily challenge.
Winston shook his head and quickly walked out of the infirmary. He needed to get to the attacking dome and find players who were looking for someone to challenge.
Hopefully, there's someone willing to invite me into a match.
With that thought, Winston quickened his pace toward the attacking dome.