transported into twilight with a system

chapter 11

Ethan paced the room, his heart thudding as the reality of his situation sank deeper. Two days. That wasn’t much time to prepare for an ancient vampire mafia deciding whether he lived or died. And the worst part? He still had no idea what his role was in all this, except that the system seemed to be tying him into the fabric of their world in ways he didn’t understand.

Observation and sarcasm aren’t going to save me from getting turned into a snack, he thought dryly. But if he could figure out how to use his new Weakness Insight, he might have a shot at staying alive—at least long enough to figure out what the Volturi wanted.

“Alright, let’s see what I’m working with,” he muttered, turning his attention to the furniture in the room. His Observation skill activated almost without thinking, highlighting the subtle details of the space again: small scuffs on the hardwood floors, a book on the nightstand he hadn’t noticed before, and the worn edges of the painting he’d found the hidden note in.

He focused harder, trying to push the skill to its limits, and that’s when the new ability kicked in. A soft, glowing outline began to form around each object in the room. His mind processed it almost instinctively.

---

Weakness Insight:

Painting: Conceals a hidden compartment, already revealed.

Nightstand Drawer: Weak lock mechanism. Can be easily broken.

Window: Glass reinforced, but frame slightly loose. Could be pried open with enough force.

Book on nightstand: Contains something hidden between the pages.

---

Wait, what? Ethan’s eyes snapped to the book. He crossed the room quickly and grabbed it, flipping through the pages. At first, it looked like a normal novel—something about old European vampires, which felt a little on the nose—but tucked between two pages was something thin and metallic.

He pulled it out. It was a small, sleek device, no bigger than a USB drive, with no obvious markings. Great. A mysterious tech gadget in a house full of vampires. This is going to end well.

The system flickered again.

---

New Item Acquired:

Encrypted Device: Origin unknown. Requires further analysis.

---

Ethan squinted at the device, rolling it between his fingers. Encrypted? So what, I need to hack it? Sure, no problem. I’ll just ask the friendly neighborhood vampire tech support.

A knock interrupted his thoughts. Without waiting for him to answer, Alice walked back into the room, her expression as serene as ever. She moved with her usual fluid grace, but there was something different in her eyes. Worry, maybe?

“We need to talk,” she said, her voice soft but urgent.

Ethan held up the tiny device. “Let me guess—this belongs to one of your family members? Because I don’t think it’s part of the guest room amenities.”

Alice’s eyes widened slightly, then she quickly crossed the room to examine it. “Where did you find this?”

“It was in the book,” Ethan said, raising an eyebrow. “Don’t suppose you know what it is?”

Alice shook her head, her expression unreadable. “No, but if this is in our house and hidden... someone didn’t want it found.”

Ethan sighed. “Yeah, well, your system is losing its touch if I can find it in less than five minutes.”

Alice gave him a sharp look, but there was a glint of amusement behind her gaze. “Don’t underestimate your own abilities, Ethan. You’re seeing things we can’t.”

“Right. The unreadable mind thing. Super fun.” He pocketed the device and crossed his arms. “So, what’s the plan? You’ve got a vision or something?”

Alice’s eyes flickered, her gaze turning distant for a moment before she refocused on him. “The future’s still... unclear. It’s like you’re at the center of something constantly shifting. But one thing is certain—the Volturi will want to test you. They’ll try to push you to see what you’re capable of.”

“Great. A pop quiz from vampire royalty. Just what I always wanted.” Ethan ran a hand through his hair, feeling the sarcasm bubbling up again. Seriously, I need a new coping mechanism.

“You need to prepare,” Alice said firmly. “Not just physically, but mentally. Whatever this system is doing to you, it’s changing the rules.”

Ethan gave a bitter laugh. “Prepare how? You guys can tear me apart in seconds. What am I supposed to do, outwit them with snark?”

Alice smiled faintly. “That’s not as impossible as you think. You’ve already proven you can adapt. The system is giving you tools, even if they don’t seem obvious at first.”

Ethan hesitated, glancing back at his stats. Adapt. Sure, but how much can I adapt in two days?

“Alright,” he said, his voice quieter now, more serious. “Tell me what I’m up against. What kind of test are they going to throw at me?”

Alice’s expression darkened. “The Volturi are fascinated by power—by what makes individuals unique. They’ll want to see how far your abilities go. If they think you’re a threat, they’ll try to break you. But they’re also arrogant. If you can keep them guessing, stay unpredictable, you might have a chance.”

“Unpredictable,” Ethan repeated, a plan forming in the back of his mind. “Okay. I can do unpredictable.”

Alice studied him for a moment, her head tilting slightly as if seeing something just out of reach. “I think you’ll surprise them. And that might be your greatest strength.”

Ethan glanced at the encrypted device still in his hand. If this thing holds any answers, I need to figure it out before the Volturi show up. But there was another part of him—the sarcastic, stubborn part—that knew he couldn’t rely on anyone else. Not fully.

“Alright,” he said, squaring his shoulders. “I’ll figure this out. But if they’re coming for me, I want to make sure I’m ready.”

Alice nodded. “We’ll do what we can to help. But you need to trust yourself, too. The system chose you for a reason.”

Ethan couldn’t help but smirk. “Yeah, well, I’d like a refund on that, but here we are.”

Alice gave him a brief smile, her eyes filled with quiet determination. “Two days, Ethan. Stay sharp.”

As she left the room, Ethan looked down at the encrypted device once more, feeling the weight of what was coming. His sarcastic nature might keep him sane, but if he wanted to survive, he needed to outsmart not just the Volturi—but whatever game the system was playing with him.

Unpredictable? He thought, slipping the device into his pocket. Yeah, I can do that.