The night's breath froze in my throat, and my heart pounded furiously as if it were about to burst.
Claws pressed against my neck, threatening my life.
"Well, well," murmured the voice of an older man. "I didn't think anyone would be foolish enough to play hero."
I stayed frozen, my body tense. My arms, still aching from the fight, screamed at me to move, to fight, to do something. But my mind, my mind screamed not to. I was exhausted, and the weight of the previous two battles was far too much.
"Stop playing around," Black Cat said, her voice a mix of boredom and superiority. "We don't have time to waste. The police will be here soon."
The grip on my neck loosened, and I slowly turned around. I finally saw the figure that had threatened me from behind. He wore a jacket, a shirt, and a mask—all black. His hair was as white as Felicia's, but it was clear he was an older man, maybe in his forties or fifties. Walter Hardy. The Cat. One of the most famous thieves in the world.
But… what was he doing here? Wasn't he supposed to be in prison? None of this made sense.
The wail of police sirens echoed in the distance, and I noticed both of them tense up slightly.
"I guess it's time to go. You got the diamond, right?" Walter said.
Felicia nodded, pulling a shining diamond from her pocket.
Walter looked me up and down with disdain. Suddenly, he stepped closer and punched me in the face. I fell backward, the pain making me see stars, my head spinning.
Felicia walked up to me and locked eyes with me. There was a strange mix of curiosity and concern in her expression something that only confused me more.
"Listen, sweetheart," she whispered. "Stay out of our way. Next time, we won't be so merciful."
Walter grabbed her by the arm and dragged her away. They sprinted across the rooftop, their movements so fast that in a second, they disappeared into the darkness. I was left alone, sprawled on the rooftop, my body aching and my mind reeling. The pain was unbearable every breath was agony, and I felt like my body was betraying me.
"Damn it!" I cursed to myself, trying to get up, but my muscles refused to respond. The fear I'd felt in the fight with the dealers was gone, replaced by a crushing sense of helplessness. I wasn't a hero—I was just an amateur. My first night had ended in failure.
I managed to get to my knees, then on my feet. Limping across the rooftops, my body screamed at me to stop, to go home. Every step was torture, my eyes heavy with exhaustion. The trip back home was an endless agony, each step its own hell.
When I finally got there, I climbed up to my rooftop window and slipped into my room. I collapsed onto the bed. The clock on the wall read 5 a.m. I had to be in class in just a few hours, and I was completely wrecked. I closed my eyes and passed out instantly.
A couple of hours later, I heard knocking at my door.
"Sweetie, wake up. I left breakfast on the table." My mother's voice forced my eyes open. "I've got to head to work. Eat, okay? I'm running late, take care!"
"Yeah, love you too," I forced my throat to say, burning as much as my eyes did.
I opened the system menu. My shop points were at 2,000, and an idea sparked in my mind. I went to the shop and searched the "Special Items" category.
[Hermit Seed]
A miraculous seed that restores all energy and heals any wound.
[PRICE: 60,000 POINTS]
This was the last thing I needed—the price was way too high, and I didn't even have half. "System, can you show me more options?"
[FILTERING ITEMS...]
Buzz Cola – The Simpsons (5 points)
Krabby Patty – SpongeBob (7 points)
Pizza – TMNT (15 points)
Lembas Bread – The Lord of the Rings (15 points)
Fizzy Lifting Drink – Willy Wonka (15 points)
Butterbeer – Harry Potter (10 points)
"Butterbeer? System, give me a description of that," I asked, confused.
[Universe: Harry Potter (J.K. Rowling)]
[Type: Magical drink]
[Description: A golden, frothy drink with a sweet flavor reminiscent of melted butter with a hint of caramel or toffee. It can be served both hot and cold. Has a very pleasant aroma.]
[Effects: Comforts and warms instantly, restores both physical and mental energy, and boosts morale.]
[Side Effects: May cause slight intoxication if consumed excessively]
"Buy 2," I ordered. If it worked, I'd buy more later.
Since it was a drink, it went straight into my inventory. I pulled one out, and it looked exactly like the system had described. The light buttery aroma made my mouth water, and I took a sip.
The taste was delicious. It was like drinking pure butter with caramel notes. Immediately, I felt warmth spread through my body, and my energy slowly returned. The pain I'd felt almost completely faded, and my muscles relaxed. It didn't fully heal me like a Hermit Seed surely would, but it gave me enough energy to get through the day.
I took a quick shower, put on clean clothes, went downstairs to eat breakfast, and got ready for school.
The trip felt strange. My mind was still processing last night's events—the pain, the fear, the helplessness. I had failed. I'd been humiliated just after feeling like the king of the world. Though, in my defense, I was already exhausted. Still, it was frustrating.
When I got to school, I ran into Harry in the hallway. "Hey, Damon!" he said with a smile. "How's it going? How's the training?"
"Pretty good," I said, feeling guilty for lying. "Just a little tired."
"Tired? You look like you just chugged a coffee. You've got a glow in your eyes. Or is it from yesterday's date?" he said, nudging me.
I laughed, feeling a bit more relaxed. "Harry, what about Peter, Gwen, and MJ?" I asked.
"Peter's fine. He was a little nervous about the date, but I think he had fun. MJ and Gwen got along really well. And what did you think of Felicia?" he said with a mischievous grin.
I shrugged, trying to hide my nerves.
"She's… interesting. A girl with a lot of personality."
"Yeah, definitely a lot of personality," Harry laughed. "But she's amazing. I'm sure you two will get along just fine."
We walked into class and sat at our desks. The teacher, Mr. Harrison, a man in his fifties, stood up and addressed us.
"Good morning, class. Today we have a new student. Please give a warm welcome to Miss Hardy."
My eyes darted to the door, and a girl walked in. There she was—Felicia, smiling as she looked at everyone, until her eyes met mine, and her smile grew wider.
The teacher asked her to introduce herself.
"Hi, I'm Felicia Hardy. I just moved to the city. I hope we get along," she said, her soft voice sending shivers down my spine.
She sat in an empty seat in the back row. Mr. Harrison continued with the lesson, but I couldn't hear a thing. My mind was fixed only on Felicia Hardy. Black Cat.
¿Quieres que te lo adapte un poco para que suene más como una light novel en inglés (con narración más ligera y juvenil), o lo prefieres literal como ahora?