Joaquin lay on the small bed, arms folded behind his head, staring at the ceiling. His body still ached from the battle, but his mind was restless.
The room was simple—bare walls, a wooden chair, and a small desk. Nothing luxurious, just functional. But right now, it was the quiet that mattered.
The cheers of the crowd, the adrenaline of the fight—it was all fading, leaving behind exhaustion and a lingering sense of unease.
He had won.
Joaquin frowned.
The knock was firm, deliberate. Not hesitant like a servant, nor impatient like Rick.
Slowly, he sat up. "Come in."
The door creaked open.
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The Doctor's Reckoning Chapter 67: First Day of Training
The house was quiet.Joaquin sat on the edge of the small wooden bed, the old mattress sinking slightly under his weight. The scent of burning incense still lingered in the air, mixing with the fresh mountain breeze that slipped through the open window. Outside, the distant sound of rustling leaves and chirping crickets filled the silence.Miguel and Rick had already left. Joaquin at Master Iroh’s house for his training. Now, it was just him, Master Iroh, and Maria.With a sigh, Joaquin pulled out his phone. The screen lit up with notifications, but he ignored them all except for one.Jasmine.He pressed the call button and put the phone to his ear.“Joaquin?” Jasmine’s voice came through almost immediately, warm and a little breathless.“Jasmine. I wanted to call you earlier, but things have been... complicated.”Jasmine hummed knowingly. “You’re still not coming home?”Joaquin ran a hand through his hair. “No. Not yet. I need to stay here for a few more days. There’s something I n
The Doctor's Reckoning Chapter 68: Seeing the Unseen
Joaquin’s breath came in short, ragged bursts.The world around him had changed.At first, he thought it was just his imagination—maybe a trick of the dim candlelight or the exhaustion messing with his head. But the longer he stared, the more undeniable it became.They were everywhere.Faint silhouettes drifted in and out of sight—wisps of figures lingering in the corners of the room, shifting just beyond the flickering candlelight. Some had hollow eyes and dark pits where human expressions should be. Others looked almost normal, their faces frozen in silent despair.The worst part?They were looking at him.Joaquin squeezed his eyes shut and took a shaky breath. This isn’t real. This isn’t real. But when he opened them again, they were still there—watching, waiting.His pulse thundered in his ears. His body felt heavier as if something unseen was pressing down on his shoulders.“What the hell…” he whispered.Master Iroh sat cross-legged in front of him, completely unfazed, his wrinkl
The Doctor's Reckoning Chapter 69: A Test
Joaquin woke up to the scent of burning incense and the soft murmur of morning wind slipping through the open windows. His body ached, and his limbs felt heavy, but he wasn’t the same as yesterday.He could still see them.Even now, as he sat up in bed, faint figures drifted in the corners of the room—shadows that didn’t belong, whispers that faded the moment he tried to focus on them.It was overwhelming, yet… oddly quieter than last night.Joaquin exhaled, rubbing his temples. His forehead still tingled, that same burning awareness from before lingering behind his eyes. He didn’t know if he was supposed to feel different, but something inside him had shifted.A soft knock on the door pulled him from his thoughts.Maria peeked in, holding a wooden tray with breakfast. “You’re awake.”Joaquin stretched, wincing as his muscles protested. “Barely.”Maria smiled as she set the tray on the small table. “You look better than you did last night. I thought you were going to pass out for days
The Doctor's Reckoning Chapter 70: A Call
Joaquin was exhausted.The weight of his training, the constant presence of spirits, and the strain on his mind were starting to take a toll on him. Even when he closed his eyes, he could still see them—some lingering in the corners of the temple, others wandering outside, whispering to themselves.At first, he had flinched at every shadow, every flicker of movement beyond the normal world. But after days of enduring it, he was learning how to ignore them.He exhaled slowly, letting the crisp morning air fill his lungs as he sat cross-legged outside, attempting to meditate. Focus your mind. That’s the key. That was what Master Iroh had told him. If he wanted control, he had to learn how to discipline his thoughts.But just as he was starting to clear his mind—His phone rang.Joaquin’s eyes flicked open, and he instinctively grabbed his phone. Serena.Without hesitation, he answered. “Hey.”“Joaquin.” Serena’s voice was soft, and hesitant, but there was an underlying urgency. “How
The Doctor's Reckoning Chapter 71: A Fairy
Joaquin woke to the sound of soft knocking.He forced himself upright, blinking away the lingering fatigue. The dim light filtering through the wooden window told him it was still midnight.The knocking came again, gentle but insistent.He sighed, running a hand through his hair before getting up and opening the door.Maria stood outside, dressed in a simple white blouse and a long skirt that reached her ankles. Her dark hair was loosely tied over her shoulder, and in the faint morning glow, her hazel eyes looked almost golden.“Come with me.” Her voice was quiet, but firm.Joaquin frowned. “Where?”“You’ll see.”Joaquin hesitated. He still felt drained, his head slightly pounding from the overwhelming sensations that had bombarded him ever since his Third Eye had been opened. But something about the way Maria was looking at him told him this was important.With a tired exhale, he nodded. “Alright. Lead the way.”They walked in silence.The forest stretched around them, dense and aliv
The Doctor's Reckoning Chapter 72: I will go
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The Doctor's Reckoning Chapter 73: The Blessing
Joaquin didn’t hesitate. “I’ll help you.”His words hung in the air, unwavering and absolute.Menea studied him, her otherworldly eyes filled with both hope and doubt. The breeze stirred her long, silken hair, making her look even more ethereal against the moonlit forest. “Are you sure?” she asked softly. “Our world is… not like this one. The dangers there are ancient and powerful. If you enter unprepared, you may not return.”Joaquin swallowed hard, but his resolve didn’t waver. “I know the risks. But if I can do something—anything—to stop this darkness, then I have to try.”Master Iroh shifted, his face lined with worry. “Boy, your training isn’t finished. You can barely control the sight you’ve been given. The Black Veil… it’s beyond what you’re ready for.”Joaquin turned to his mentor. “Then finish my training. Or show me what I need to know. But don’t tell me to walk away.” His voice hardened. “You taught me that strength isn’t just about power—it’s about standing up when other
The Doctor's Reckoning Chapter 74: Shadowkin
The world they stepped into was unlike anything Joaquin had ever seen.The air itself felt different—heavier, charged with a kind of energy that made his skin tingle. The colors were brighter, sharper, and more vivid. Trees stretched impossibly high with leaves that shimmered like crystals. Flowers the size of his head bloomed in brilliant shades of blue and gold. Strange creatures flitted through the air—tiny winged beings that left trails of light in their wake, and animals with too many eyes or limbs darting through the underbrush.But underneath the beauty was something darker. Joaquin could feel it like a cold weight in his chest. The whispers of unrest were everywhere. The wind carried fear, and the ground trembled with tension.Menea stepped closer to him, her face drawn. “It wasn’t always like this,” she murmured. “Before the darkness… this world was peaceful.”Joaquin glanced at her, noticing the sadness in her eyes. He wanted to say something, offer some kind of comfort, b
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Chapter 198: Shadows and Sparks
After his earlier match, Joaquin chose to stay in the room for a while longer, waiting for the call to his next battle.Outside, the muffled cheers of the crowd echoed through the concrete walls—constant, rhythmic waves of energy that reminded him: the war was far from over.He shut his eyes for a moment and let the ambient noise fade into the background.Then came a soft knock.A young attendant peeked in, eyes wide with a mixture of excitement and nerves. “Mr. Lopez, the next round’s schedule has been posted. Your match is in two hours.”Joaquin gave a small nod, offering a faint but polite smile. “Thank you.”As the door clicked shut, he stoo
Chapter 197: The First Clash
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Chapter 196: The Last 50
Joaquin adjusted the collar of his coat as he stood outside the grand venue, staring up at the towering building before him. The banquet for the fifty remaining contenders of the Blue Tiger Ranking Competition was being held at a luxury estate—one reserved for elite sponsors and facilitators. Nothing about this place felt casual. Every inch screamed prestige, wealth, and quiet pressure.He wasn’t nervous. But he wasn’t calm, either.For the past two days, he had trained relentlessly at the Suarez estate—throwing punches, dodging blows, simulating combat over and over again with Rick and Cedrick. He barely slept. Barely ate. Not because of the competition—
Chapter 195: A Celebration
After the announcement, Joaquin returned to the Suarez estate. He decided to spend the next three days there to prepare for the upcoming stage. He was already thinking of a plan—how to get his ring back.“Well, congratulations to you, Joaquin! I knew you'd make it,” Miguel said, beaming. He sounded like a proud father celebrating his son’s success.He raised his wine glass.Joaquin gave a small smile and toasted with him.As a celebration of his victory, Miguel had prepared a dinner.Rick and Cedrick were also there to join them.Miguel sat at the center of the long dining table. His son sat to his right, while Joaquin sat to his left.
Chapter 194: The Announcement
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Chapter 193: Lost Ring
Joaquin slowly opened his eyes.The hum of the fluorescent lights above was the first thing he became aware of. His vision adjusted gradually to the blinding white ceiling. For a few seconds, he just stared up in confusion. The sterile white walls, the smell of antiseptic, the pristine linens... it all registered in bits and pieces.A hospital?He turned his head cautiously. Beside him were machines softly beeping, their rhythm oddly comforting. A drip was attached to his arm. His head ached—not sharp pain, just a dull, persistent throb, like a faded memory of something violent.
Chapter 192: Ending
Joaquin continued walking, gripping his knife tightly. Even after that battle with the creature, he couldn’t let his guard down.His legs were dragging with every step. It was only then he realized one of them had a deep wound.Sure, it wasn’t his first time facing strange creatures—but never something like that... Half-human, or whatever it was.He had a strong suspicion it was part of the Black Viper Society. Maybe one of their failed experiments. Maybe that’s why it turned out that way.When he turned a corner in the maze, his legs finally gave out. He slumped to the ground and leaned against the wall, breathing deeply.
Chapter 191: Surviving
Joaquin didn’t dare blink.The moment he did, he knew he might miss the creature’s next move.The man—if you could even still call him that—stood there motionless, like a statue with skin far too pale to be human. Behind him, the dark tendrils writhed slowly, like snakes savoring their prey before they struck again. The sickening slither and hiss echoed against the stone walls of the maze, creeping beneath Joaquin’s skin.His heart pounded like war drums inside his chest.The thing’s empty eyes locked onto his.“I don’t want to fight you,” Joaquin said, his voice low but steady. “I just want to pass.”Still no respo
Chapter 190: The Tentacle Man
Joaquin’s breath hitched in his throat. His eyes remained fixed on the grotesque sight before him—a mass of long, writhing black tentacles snaking their way out from behind the man. They curled and stretched like they were alive, reaching toward him with eerie intent.He stumbled back, heart pounding against his chest. “What the hell are you?” he muttered under his breath.The man didn’t respond. He just stood there, still and unmoving, like some kind of twisted statue possessed by a dark force. His face was completely expressionless, void of any humanity. It was as if he wasn’t even really present—like the tentacles were controlling him.Joaquin’s eyes darted to the side. He could still run. He hadn’t gotten too close yet. Maybe if he turned around now, he could
