Gathering Wives with a System

Chapter 90: Alice’s Condition Deteriorates

’I should try to look into items with revival effects.’

He checked the forth skill.

Skill: Heart of the Eternal Sun(Share)

Skill Rank: SSS

Skill Level: 1

Active Effect: For 60 seconds, all fire and light abilities cost no mana.

Passive Effect: Grants permanent regeneration of health, mana, and stamina (+2% per second). In sunlight, cooldown of all skills is reduced by 20%.

Cost: 80 Mana

’The Mana cost is higher than the previous skill. It would take a while before Alice can use this skill.’

’But on the bright side, the passive effect is always active and it’s an overpowered passive effect that affects the cooldown of all skills.’

Apex species bloodlines were on another level entirely.

With effects like these, it was no wonder they had ruled the ancient world.

He found it hard to imagine a time when entire civilizations walked the earth with powers like this. Bloodlines that could reshape the land, tear through enemies, and crush cities.

And yet they were gone.

He frowned. How terrifying must the apocalypse have been to wipe them out?

His thoughts were interrupted by a sudden, soft whimper.

Alice.

His gaze snapped to her.

She was lying on the bed, and curled up.

Her body was trembling.

Steam rose from her skin, and her cheeks had flushed red. Her breath came in short gasps. Then she let out another whimper.

”Alice?” Isaac’s voice cracked with concern.

He was at her side in a moment.

Her body was burning to the touch. Not warm—scalding.

Her hands clutched her stomach, and her entire frame was writhing as if her muscles couldn’t settle. Her eyes fluttered but never focused. She didn’t respond.

”Calm down,” Leora told him. ”It’s nothing harmful.”

”What?! Look at her—”

”It’s physique awakening,” Leora cut in gently but firmly. ”Her body is adapting to her new power. It will boost her stats, and reinforce her body to support her dragon blood.”

Leora’s brows furrowed. ”Normally, this happens a few days after a bloodline awakens. But she used a Genetic Catalyst instead of an Awakening Crystal. It likely forced all three awakenings to occur together instead of one-by-one.”

Isaac looked at Alice again.

She was sweating now. Her lips moved without forming words.

His heart tightened, seeing her state.

”What should we do?”

”She needs nutrients, now,” Leora said. ”Her body is breaking down and rebuilding itself at the cellular level. We can ease the pain by putting her to sleep, but we need to get her to the hospital in the central stronghold. They have the right tanks and solutions there.”

”Then let’s go.”

”No,” Leora said quickly, raising a hand. ”Walking or using a public portal will take time. Every second will be painful for her.”

Leora tapped on her slab device. ”I’ve already contacted Catherine. She’s sending help.”

The room shifted.

A low hum filled the air.

A tiny dark cloud swirled into existence in the corner near the window.

It pulsed once, then expanded outward, dark blue tendrils forming a spherical veil. A faint flash lit the inside, and when the cloud collapsed inward, a figure remained standing in its place.

Celia Rae, the idol of the city, and an SSS rank support-type awakener.

She stepped forward, and her sea-blue eyes scanned the room once, quickly taking in the situation.

”Celia,” Leora greeted her. ”Thank you for coming on such short notice. Can you take us to the hospital?”

Celia nodded once, already raising her hand.

”Hold her carefully,” she said softly, looking at Isaac.

Isaac gently scooped Alice into his arms.

She was burning hot. Her hands clutched at his shirt weakly, but she didn’t say a word. Her eyes remained shut, and the rest of her body was limp.

Celia’s hand glowed. A dark blue cloud expanded above her palm. It pulsed once.

Then it swallowed them.

The air shifted.

The light around them dimmed and bent, and for a split second, there was nothing. Then, the cloud receded and they were standing in front of the stronghold’s main hospital building.

Security drones scanned them as soon as they arrived, but Celia held up a crystal badge and they passed through without issue.

Inside, Leora moved fast, already contacting the head nurse through her device.

In less than a minute, a team of white-suited attendants rushed out. One of them pushed a hover-pallet toward Isaac.

”Place her here.”

Isaac laid Alice down gently.

The attendants slid a scanner over her, nodded, and then wheeled her deeper inside.

They entered a reinforced chamber lined with thin glowing veins across its walls. The room was filled with a humming, sterile light.

The large cylindrical tube in the center opened. Its interior was filled with a faintly glowing liquid.

The staff quickly and efficiently placed monitoring patches across Alice’s body. Tiny connectors adjusted to her heat level, ensuring they wouldn’t melt.

Once set, they gently lowered her into the tank.

The moment her skin touched the nutrient-rich solution, the steam stopped rising. The fluid adjusted automatically to her temperature.

The test tube sealed with a hiss.

Her body floated inside, suspended by the solution. Her face looked calm now.

The color in her cheeks softened, and her breathing evened out. Lights on the exterior flickered and settled into a steady green.

”That solution’s been customized for physique awakenings like hers,” Leora said, turning to Isaac. ”It’s high in nutrients and pain suppressants. She won’t feel anything. Her body will have everything it needs to complete the process.”

”Thank you.” Isaac exhaled slowly, stepping back from the glass. ”I should have been more careful.”

”It was my fault. Unlike you, I know what happened during the Physique awakening. I should’ve prepared for such possibility,” Leora said.

It was no one’s fault. Both of them understood that.

”She’ll be fine. Her condition was never unstable. Her body just needed help managing the transformation,” Leora said, noticing Isaac’s expression.

Isaac didn’t reply immediately. He watched Alice float peacefully.

Her fingers twitched once but then went still.

”How long will it take?”

”Not long,” Leora answered. ”Physique awakening at her level finishes in hours, not days. She’ll likely wake up by tomorrow morning, or afternoon. Her appearance will change slightly as she gains dragonic traits, but that’s normal.”

He nodded slowly.

Then, he glanced at the Celia. She stood quietly by the door, hands folded behind her back.