Donovan stood up, about to change his clothes for heading out, but he changed his mind.
He was quite tired from the mission, plus, he wanted to finish the novel he had borrowed from the library.
As he went to grab the book that was on top of a desk, his eyes landed on the scorched wall he had hit with a lightning strike on his first day since he transmigrated.
With a sigh, Donovan racked his brain on what to cover it with.
Then, he opened a small drawer beside the TV and took out a large poster.
It was a poster of a detective movie that the original Donovan really liked.
He then walked to the burned wall, and covered it with the poster.
Looks nice… Though, it seems a bit off since it's a poster placed near the kitchen, not the bed…
Shaking his head, he decided not to think too much of it.
Donovan grabbed the novel, laid down on his bed, and began reading.
***
Sylvia Swan stood before four Annihilith corpses.
Then, she sat on a large rock, staring at the corpses.
She was currently on a different planet for her mission. Before her was the vast expanse of the ocean, and beneath her feet was sand.
Behind her was a thick forest. She was on an island.
Her trench coat had been torn, and she had a small wound on her right forearm.
She was wearing a calm and composed expression. Silently, she whispered to herself, "I need to advance to Category 5 this year… Dealing with Reapers is getting boring…"
The four Annihilith corpses before her were three Drone-types, and one Reaper-type.
The Reaper-type had a very different appearance compared to the Drone-types.
Rather than a miniature black hole for a head like all Drone-types, it instead had a floating green fireball, and four black spikes surrounded it in a square, each protruding from a different corner. The Reaper's body was very much unlike a Drone's. Instead of a rough, jagged body filled with sharp pitch-black crystals, the Reaper's body was smoother, and looked more similar to a knight's armor. Its body was still pitch-black, and it still had a body of crystals.
Like the Drone-types, it had an "x" shape on its chest, but instead of a yellow liquid seeping out of it, it was green.
After Sylvia informed her own handler that she had finished her mission through her silver watch, a person appeared in front of her with a bright flash of light. This was a cleaner, one who disposes of Annihilith corpses, and brings it back to Umbrellas.
The cleaner who appeared was a female with ordinary features. She had a black mask covering only her mouth, and she was wearing a black suit.
Not even bothering to greet each other since they had seen each other so many times, the cleaner went to work while Sylvia prepared to return to Umbrellas.
As she found herself back in the Portal Chamber, she was greeted by a middle-aged man. This man, though middle-aged, was still quite handsome. The man was only wearing a dress shirt with black tailored pants.
"Good work, Sylvia. I've already paid you the necessary Galacreds, just check your account," said the man. His voice was rough, as though phlegm was stuck in his throat.
Sylvia nodded. With a calm and serious expression, she nodded and said, "Thank you, Sir Marston."
Then, the two parted ways. The man just now was her own handler, much like Tiero is to Donovan.
As she walked, she took out her ID card that was inside her wallet. Then, she pressed her thumb on the part of the ID card where there was a fingerprint, and suddenly, a blue screen appeared before her.
It contained a picture of her, her name, her rank, and her category number. It also contained the spells she currently had, and her own class-type.
The holographic screen showed the words:
Visitor.
Sylvia Swan.
Fighter-type, Storm Rank, Category 4.
Current spells in possession:
Bonebreaker Strike, Call, Titan's Grip, Ice Blade, Icicle, Ice Cocoon, Ice Imbuement, Ice Barrier, Ice Dancer, Frozen Warrior, Ironblood, and Indomitable Charge.
Current traits:
—Bonebreaker Strike can now be imbued with every swing of the weapon, no longer making it a singular-use spell.
—Gain a stronger and faster body. This trait levels up with every advancement.
—At the verge of death, adrenaline will quickly and greatly rush throughout the body, and Umbrella Fuel will be replenished.
Umbrella Fuel: 890.
5,550 Canopy needed for next advancement.
She stared at this with a blank expression, before making the screen disappear.
***
As Tiero was busy briefing other Visitors for their missions, he suddenly saw a familiar face walking in the distance.
His eyes slightly widened upon realizing who it was.
He approached. Then, clearing his throat, he said in a commanding tone of voice, "Dean Aldridge…"
The man Tiero addressed as Dean Aldridge slowly turned around. His blonde hair was slightly messy. The man appeared to be in his mid-twenties, and he was wearing a wrinkled dress shirt with a black necktie and brown suspenders.
The man's face was handsome, but it didn't give off masculine vibes. His red eyes landed on Tiero's intimidating face and figure, and he said in an arrogant, condescending tone, "Can't I take a walk without the desperate need for attention dragging behind me?"
Upon hearing this, Tiero sighed. Then, he said seriously and calmly, "You have not done a single mission for the past two weeks."
The man, Dean, sighed. Then, with a groan, he said, "I'm already quite rich. Hell, I'm drowning in money! I'll only do missions when I need to do missions."
Tiero facepalmed with his right hand. "You could get demoted to Shower Rank if you keep neglecting your missions. All your hard work, undone because of your own laziness."
Dean scratched his head, and said in exasperation, "You're not even my handler. Quit sticking your nose where it doesn't belong."
"Oh, this matter very much concerns me. You blocked your handler's number, and she told me to talk some sense into you!" Tiero snapped, his voice rising.
Tiero continued, his voice rising higher and higher, "What, because you confessed your feelings to your handler and she rejected you?! And that's the reason why you blocked your own handler's number, and why you're not doing your missions? God, you're even more pathetic than I thought!"
He added, "You're a grown man! Don't tell me this is your first rejection?!"
Finally, Tiero stopped, panting heavily.
Tiero's words had done extreme damage to Dean's heart and his ego.
"Ahem…" Tiero fixed his necktie, and said to Dean, "My apologies for my outburst. When you're ready, unblock your handler's number, move on, and get back to doing your missions."
"Hey, getting rejected is not the end of the world for you, Aldridge. Don't be so down."
"...In my younger days, I tried confessing to her too, you know? Unfortunately, she's into women. Your handler, Mei Mori, is like a blue rose. An unattainable love for men like us."
Upon hearing this, Dean wore a blank expression. His gaze was stuck on the metal floor they were standing in.
So the reason she rejected me… was because she's into women? Not men? And this idiot in front of me is saying he confessed and got rejected by her too? Huh…
With a sigh and a shake of his head, Dean said, "Whatever… Just leave me alone. I'll start doing those missions again, just give me some time first."
"Okay." With an understanding expression, he watched Dean walk away.
***
A few hours had passed. It was now 5:50 p.m.
Donovan closed the book and put it on the desk beside his bed.
He had finished reading the transmigration novel, and he quite enjoyed it.
The ending was amazing…
Satisfied, Donovan got out of bed. He then went to the kitchen to pour himself some iced tea.
He sat at the table, and sipped on his glass of iced tea.
His thoughts went to the ending of the novel he finished reading.
Given the option to return home or stay in the world he was transmigrated in, the protagonist stayed…
Heh, will I be given these two options in the future too, I wonder? I think I'll definitely choose to return home. This universe, unlike my original universe, is filled to the brim with dangers.
The Earth in my universe hasn't even made contact with alien civilizations. I prefer a safer universe than this one… Plus, my family and… my very few friends are very important to me…
I guess I can understand why the protagonist would stay. He made a lot of friends, connections, and even scored himself a beautiful wife… His previous life was rather sad, but his life in that universe was like a dream come true…
After Donovan finished drinking his iced tea, he sighed as the gravity of his transmigration situation kicked in once again.
His gaze froze on the window, watching the sun set in the distance, even though it was just a projection by the dome disguised as a sky.