Author's Note (Published under Cloak Pop Fiction)

Kabanata 12

NAPAMULAGAT siya nang marinig ang system. He thought he was just imagining things. But when he saw a purple hologram in front of his face, it was enough proof he was seeing the real thing.

"System!" Bumangon siya at niyakap ito kahit na lumusot lang talaga ang mga braso niya. "I missed you, system!"

Adamas smiled from ear to ear while staring at the purple hologram in front of him. Indeed, he missed the system. After all, it was his companion since he was created. Kaya no'ng nawala ito, nanibago siya.

"How have you been?"

[Response System: Work overloaded. Please, do not ask unnecessary questions.]

Napangiwi naman siya. "You should at least say you missed me too."

The system just ignored him and continued its job.

[One character found. Now evaluating Adamas Vondrov Riscarte.]

Nanatili siyang tahimik at hinayaan ang system na gawin ang trabaho nito. Muli siyang nahiga habang may lilang liwanag ang nag-s-scan sa buo niyang katawan.

[Adamas Vondrov Riscarte, the villain from Odds of Tribe has been successfully found.]

[Preparing for restoration.]

Kaagad siyang napabangon. "Restoration?! Wait! I don't want to go back yet!"

Sa lakas ng kaniyang sigaw, umalingangaw ito sa paligid dahilan para mapatakbo si Logan sa kinaroroonan niya.

"What happened?" alala nitong tanong.

But he didn't take a glance at the man and just focused on the system. "Hey! I said I don't want to go back yet. Tell me first what happened to Fictosa."

[Response System: The restart has been done successfully, but due to Zero almost wiping out the entire Fictosa again before everyone can gain consciousness, the system was forced to shut down and initiated a restart for the second time.]

Natigilan siya. Hindi siya makapaniwalang ikalawang beses nag-restart ang system. Muling nagsalita ang system kaya nakinig siya.

[Response System: The second restart didn't turn out well. Malfunction has sufficed which causes Personal Settings not to be in place. The system has also failed to respawn the characters at their right locations and regions which results in some of you to be sent in the real dimension.]

"I see." He nodded. "Because of that Zero, everything became a mess, huh?"

Hindi siya galit. Sa katunayan, natuwa pa siya dahil sa ginawa nito. Dahil sa ginawa nitong napakalaking damage, nagawa niyang makapunta sa totoong dimension at malaman ang nangyari sa kaniyang manunulat.

"Sino kinakausap mo, Mr. Adamas?"

Nilingon niya si Logan na nakatayo na pala sa kaniyang tabi. Bakas sa mukha nito ang pag-aalala na animo'y hinahatulan siyang baliw.

"I'm talking to the system." Pinasadahan niya ng tingin ang system bago binalik kay Logan. "But it seems that you can't see it."

Logan just tilted his head in response, confused about what he was saying.

[Preparation for restoration is finally complete. Character's Personal Setting is ready to be occupied.]

"Hey! I told you not to take me yet!" He screamed again, causing Logan to flinch.

But the system didn't listen to him and continued to do its job.

[Transporting Adamas Vondrov Riscarte . . .]