"Ah... son of a bitch..." Ethan muttered through clenched teeth, his eyes still shut as he lay flat on his back in a warm pool of his own blood.
The pain had completely subsided, yet he still couldn't muster enough strength to pry his eyelids open.
He really should have asked the system exactly how much that would hurt and prepared himself better. Without a doubt.
Fortunately, in the end, everything had worked out.
Slowly, Ethan opened his eyes, momentarily blinded by the light streaming through the office windows.
He blinked a few times, turning his face from side to side as his vision adjusted to the morning glow.
With a hoarse groan, he pushed himself upright, feeling the still-warm blood trickling down the length of his back.
He sent a gentle pulse of aura toward his eyes, and in the next instant, the world lost its color.
