Ex rank talent Awakening: 100% Dodge rate

Greg sank deeper and deeper, until he lost consciousness completely, accepting the embrace of the invisible hands, surrendering to the cold, comforting darkness of the abyss.

"W..."

"Wa..."

"Wake..."

Faint, distant voices called to him, but he was too far submerged in the water to make out what they were saying. They were too distant.

"Wake..."

Wake? Greg thought to himself. He couldn't comprehend what the voice was saying. Wake up from what? He was perfectly fine—having a nice, cozy... sleep? Yes, he was sleeping. But why was he sleeping? He didn't know. Still, why should he care? It wasn't wrong to sleep, was it?

"Wake up!!!"

The voice came faintly, but clearer this time.

"Wake up!"

Greg heard it louder now, yet he didn't want to listen. He didn't know how to listen. The invisible hands had him in their embrace—their touch inviting, cozy, and friendly. It was as if they were trying to lift the burdens off him, offering to share the weight he carried. They didn't want him to suffer alone.

"Wake up!! Wake up!! Wake up!!!"

Wake up... yes... why am I sleeping?

Memories flooded back. He had so many things to do—he was fighting against a short, baby-faced demon. He had lost his talent. His Sin of Wrath was trying to seize control of his body.

I have to wake up!!! Greg screamed inwardly, desperately trying to rouse himself from the cozy slumber, resisting the inviting hands and the cool, soothing sensation of the abyss.

He had to fight back!

---

*******

"This is so boring. Everyone plays the game while I just sit around waiting for them, and when they finally show up, they just go to sleep. Sigh, how frustrating," Lilith grumbled to herself, pacing around restlessly. "Maybe I should try logging in?" she thought aloud, brightening at the idea.

"Yes! I should do just that," she declared joyfully, leaping to her feet as the thought solidified in her mind.

Beep! Beep! Beep!

"Huh? What's that?" Lilith muttered, hearing a hurried beeping sound coming from Greg's room.

She moved quickly, opening the door and stepping inside. The beeping was coming from Greg's gaming capsule, short and sharp, signaling an emergency condition.

Lilith rushed toward the capsule, attempting to open it, but the system resisted her. A digital screen flashed a warning, informing her of the dangers of forcibly opening it during an emergency protocol.

Reading the text, Lilith clenched her fists in frustration, stopping herself from smashing the capsule open.

Please be okay, she prayed silently, hovering near the capsule, helpless but hoping for the best.

*******

Greg struggled—and struggled—and after what felt like an eternity, his eyes finally opened.

He looked around the abyssal pool surrounding him, then, gathering his determination, he swam upwards.

The invisible hands grasped at him, trying to pull him back down, but he fought against them with all his might, swimming toward the distant voice.

"Keep going!" the voice encouraged, fueling Greg's resolve.

He swam upward with all his strength until, finally, he broke through the surface.

The darkness faded, and the scenery around him changed entirely.

"You made it. We were afraid you wouldn't," a sweet, charming voice said.

"Mum?" Greg choked out, tears welling in his eyes.

"Will you look at that? My boy crying like a girl! I wonder what Annabelle would say if she saw you like this," another voice said—a familiar, cheerful, masculine tone.

"Dad?" Greg whispered, his voice breaking, before rushing toward the bearers of the voices. He pulled them into a fierce, trembling hug.

"I missed you both so much... Living without you has been painful... unbearable," Greg sobbed, his tears flowing uncontrollably.

He wasn't the strong Greg he had struggled to become. Here, in this moment, he was just a child longing for his parents.

"It's alright," his mother whispered, pulling him close.

"Your mum and I are so proud of the man you've grown into," Mr. Austin said warmly, hugging Greg back with firm, comforting arms.

Greg pulled away slightly, wiping at his tears. "What's going on? How are you here? Where is this place?"

"We don't know, to be honest," his father replied, sitting down on a sand-like ground that resembled a beach. "We just... found ourselves here, for an unexplainable reason. Then we saw you beneath that deep, black water. We couldn't enter, so we called out to you.

It felt like something—or someone—brought us here to wake you up. But we really don't know more than that."

"I see," Greg murmured, smiling through the remnants of his tears.

"Come, sit," his mother said, pulling him gently down beside her and his father.

"You have a lot to tell us. How have you been?"

Greg began to speak—and he told them everything.

From their deaths to their stolen wealth, from living in poverty, to the apocalypse, to uncovering the truth behind it all. He spoke about his battles, his struggles, his losses, his sins.

He laid bare everything... except for one thing.

He left out the parts about his own cruelty—the darkness he had embraced. He didn't want his parents to feel guilt or blame themselves for the person he had been forced to become.

"You and Annabelle must have gone through so much... I'm sorry," Mr. Austin said, his voice trembling with sadness. "If only your parents hadn't been so naive... maybe none of this would have happened."

"It's fine, Dad," Greg said, smiling weakly. "You had a big heart. There were just too many cruel people willing to take advantage of it.

You shouldn't feel ashamed for that."

"Hah! My boy still knows how to say good words," his mother said, ruffling his hair playfully.

"Despite everything, you still have a big heart."

Greg laughed softly at her teasing, hiding the darker truth he couldn't bear to tell them.

"Greg," his father said suddenly, his tone turning serious.

"There's something important we need to tell you—something about your birth."

Greg straightened, focusing intently.

"You see, you were—"

Before Mr. Austin could finish, his words were cut off.

An unknown power—cold and absolute—ripped through the space between them, preventing him from speaking.

Greg watched in horror as his parents' figures flickered, their forms dissolving into light.

"Mum! Dad!" he cried out, reaching for them.

But they vanished—leaving only silence behind.