Chapter 3 : 「The Enemy?」

In an open white field, sat a young girl on a golden throne. Her long hair cascaded down her back like a flowing waterfall, and her eyes radiated a captivating aura, seemingly filled with ancient wisdom. She looked regal and possessed an ageless beauty.

The white field around her stretched endlessly, without any boundaries or horizon. It is as if this domain existed outside the normal realm of existence, a place where the fabric of reality bends and weaves into something enchantingly surreal.

The golden throne on which she sat appeared to be an extension of her essence. It emanated a soft glow, resonating with the luminosity of her being. It was not a symbol of power or authority in the conventional sense, but rather a manifestation of her innate connection with the cosmic forces that govern the universe.

In her presence, the air seemed charged with a profound energy. The gentle breeze whispered ancient secrets, carrying the whispers of forgotten memories and the promises of yet-to-be-fulfilled destinies.

Her gaze, both perceptive and compassionate, surveyed the ethereal landscape beyond the white field. Her eyes held the wisdom of countless eons, a knowledge that transcended the boundaries of space and time.

Her regal demeanor gave way to a serene grace, a sense of compassion that radiated from the very core of her being. For in this place where time and space converge, she was not an ordinary ruler.

In the presence of the young girl on the golden throne—Aurora, one can glimpse a crystal ball at the center of the white, infinite space. Its translucent surface shimmering with a mesmerizing glow. It seemed to hold within it the secrets of the universe, a portal to realms unseen by mortal eyes. Its smooth, flawless surface captured the light, refracting it into a myriad of colors that danced like ethereal fireflies.

As Aurora's gaze fell upon the crystal, her eyes fixated on a particular point within the boundless expanse of the crystal ball. There, she observed a young boy with red hair and light blue eyes, his picture clearly coming to life with each passing second.

And just when he was about to deviate from the starting point she had previously chosen for him, a flick of a finger followed by the sound of an electric 'ten' could be heard in the nearby area.

◈◈◈

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[Quest : Successful enrollment.]

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The player has to enroll in Leo’s academy.

Rewards :

1. A new passive effect.

2. Unlocking an ability of the Player’s choice.

3. ???

◈

As I looked at the floating window above, different thoughts were crossing my mind.

That was really a tempting reward. I couldn’t possibly ignore such a thing, and it appeared the 𝘴𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘮 knew that, too. Even if the passive effect turned out to be insignificant, the freedom to select an ability of my choosing made it all worthwhile, without the need to mention an additional unknown reward as well.

It was definitely worth it. 𝘋𝘦𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺.

I didn’t actually know if it was possible for me to quit after I get my rewards. But considering the system's nature, I would actually get a penalty. I can clearly see that happens.

With no other choice, I started readjusting my plans to fit in for the upcoming events.

“At the very least, I confirmed something today,” I said before lying down on my bed. Even though I didn’t really need to sleep thanks to my self-sustainability, I wanted to do it. Slowly losing my consciousness, I fell into the dreams world.

I experienced my first lucid dream that night.

....... The following morning.

I woke up to the sound of my alarm. It was something I was eventually used to.

The morning sun rose on the horizon, its gentle fingers of light weaved their way through the half-opened curtains of the room. The rays danced with glee, painting the walls in a soft, golden hue that gradually expanded with each passing moment.

Its light cascaded down, spilling over the furniture and bouncing off polished surfaces. The wooden floors absorbed the radiant warmth, offering a comforting touch underfoot. The room's decor came alive, every color more vibrant and every detail more pronounced under the caress of daylight.

The room, once shrouded in darkness, now bloomed into life as if waking from a dream. The sun's warm embrace seemed to breathe new energy into every corner, banishing any lingering shadows. The air filled with a sense of serenity, and a tranquil silence enveloped the space.

A gentle breeze filtered in through the open window, carrying with it the scent of fresh blossoms from outside. It mingled with the fragrance of morning dew, filling the air with a delicate bouquet that awakened the senses.

Regaining my consciousness, I opened my eyes. I instinctively recalled the events of the previous day.

My experiment was a success. I was forced to enroll in Leo's academy—The worst academy among the 12 as far as I knew. And I had no choice but to obey the system.

If the system can give rewards, then it was probably capable of delivering penalties as well. I was not interested in finding that out. I would prefer it if I didn't reach that stage of the game.

Standing up, I grabbed my smartphone and turned off the alarm. It was 5:01 AM. Despite it being so early in the morning, I discovered that I had received a couple of missed calls from Albert.

I had given him my number as it was required for renting this room. My birthday was also required, which I found quite useless honestly. 𝘞𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘳𝘺? I thought to myself.

Deciding against thinking about something useless, I went to the bathroom. I washed my face with the cold refreshing water. Looking at the mirror, I noticed a slight change in my eyes' colors. The last time I checked, they were entirely blue. Now, there was a mixture of different degrees of purple as well.

I deactivated my Quantum vision. My eyes instantly returned to their original colors, proof that my special abilities can have a physical effect on my body. Reactivating it, I went to my closet. Changing into a black and gray outfit I had bought, I grabbed my keys and left my room.

Walking to the elevator, I noticed a few police officers on my way. Their intense gazes as I headed to my destination were directed at me, exponentially raising my suspicions. It didn't take much effort to conclude that something was wrong, and it was likely the reason behind Albert's calls as well.

Entering the elevator, I pressed the button for the 1st floor. Albert should be there as well, but I quickly disregarded the idea of talking to him. I had other plans for today.

Before the metallic doors closed, however , a man in his forties, wearing a black hat and brown suit had entered. He had short black hair and sharp red eyes, reminding me of a certain fictional character.

Without needing any superpowers, it was obvious that he was in a hurry. He was sweating, and his face had a complex expression. They were indications of a sense of urgency. Using my Quantum Vision which can work like an X-ray, I noticed that his heart was beating rather quickly. His blood pressure was also slightly higher than ordinary. Zooming in, I observed his DNA and, coincidentally, it was too similar to Albert's—about 50%.

That meant that they were probably related. Brothers if I had to specify.

"What is your relationship to Albert?" I inquired even though I already know the answer.

The moment my words reached him, he looked in my direction for the first time, acknowledging my existence. He narrowed his eyes and directed his gaze at me, observing me from top to bottom.

“I am his brother,” he finally replied after the prolonged silence. It appeared that I was indeed correct, and taking into consideration Albert's age which didn't cross 40, this man was the older sibling between the two.

“Did something happen? I got calls this morning from your younger brother. There are also a couple of police officers on my floor as well.”

“There was a murder yesterday. His son is a suspect.”

Albert's son—a fact I was aware of since he told me he had only one child. A boy of similar age as mine. He was also going to attend the same academy as me.

To my surprise, he answered without hesitation. I had anticipated a dismissive response like "It's none of your concern," but that was not the case. I wondered if the willingness to share information was merely his disposition. Was he already informed about me? But that didn't make much sense. Until then, I was a nobody. He probably linked his brother's calls to something I had no clue of at the moment.

"I see," I replied as the elevator reached the ground floor. The gray doors parted, allowing us to freely exit. We stepped out of the elevator and I glanced at the man walking beside me, who seemed preoccupied with his thoughts. If anything, I sensed that he was more troubled by the fact that his nephew is a suspect rather than the murder itself. I thought it was probably normal, though.

And in any case, It wasn't my place to pry further.

We walked in silence. After taking additional steps, a few police officers reached out to Albert's brother.

“Sir, we didn't find any additional clues regarding the case. We confirmed again, and there were no magical traces. The previous investigation results were the same as well.” said a police officer before glancing at me, his eyes were staring directly into mine. I found it ironic, as I was the one looking down on him.

𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘶𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸? 𝘉𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘴, 𝘪𝘧 𝘪 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘵, 𝘯𝘰 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸.

Disintegration left no detectable evidence after all.

Returning to the present situation, he called the man beside me 'sir'. Meaning he was in a higher position than him, probably an inspector because of his formal clothes. If he was with the police, what was he doing on my floor? There were more than 20 floors. What are the odds?

On that note, I didn't ask where the murder occurred, nor why was his nephew a suspect. The latter was related to Albert's calls, probably to help clarify his son's name. It was worthless, though.

“I see. Keep looking around, and if you find anything report back.”

“Yes Sir!” with that said, they went to continue their job.

“Didn't think you were an inspector,” I remarked.

“I didn't think I looked anything similar to Albert,” he responded.

His meaning was clear as day. 𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸? That is probably what he wanted to ask but he guessed that I wouldn't respond honestly. Or I may. As a wise man once said, who knows?

“Do you also have a child?” I asked.

“.... I do. In fact, I have two.”

“you didn't tell me. What is your name?”

“I thin–”

“Mine is Arthur Parker. You can call me Arthur,” I said before he could finish his sentence. In response, he simply stared back. Thinking that he won't answer me, I started walking towards the door of the building.

“James Anderson. James is fine,” he said suddenly.

“Nice meeting you,” I said without turning back. The conversation was over, or so I thought.

James sped up until he reached my side once again, readjusting his walking speed to match mine, we headed to the door together.

Looking again at the man, he was tall, really tall. Probably a little above 1,90 meters. I didn't have any problem maintaining eye contact, though, as I was quite tall myself—slightly above 1,8 meters.

I didn't really realize that I was tall until I looked down at that officer. Poor one.

“How old do you think I am?” I asked James.

“I can't exactly tell. However, despite your looks, I have a feeling that you are underage,” he responded.

“Quite the 6th sense you have there,” I said half-jokingly. There was nothing impressive. He could have asked his brother about me as I was probably a valuable 'witness'. It was required to state the user's age and date of birth. I put 30th October as my birthday after confirming that the 12 months were the same. Coincidences can be freaky, right?. As for the year, I deducted the years from the current year and wrote it down.

“I indeed have a 6th sense. I can see glimpses of the future, sometimes.”

“Is that the reason behind your calmness? Just moments ago, you looked perplexed, unsure, and anxious. Now it's almost as if you have already saved the kid.”

It was the truth. After we had exchanged names, his previous demeanor changed radically. He was now both confident and calm. If he can see the future as he claimed to be, that transformation will be understandable. I still had my doubts, though.

“I thought I hid it really well. You have sharp eyes, Arthur. Really sharp ones.” he remarked.

“So? What did you see?” I said, ignoring his hidden meaning once again.

“I saw you,” he replied back.

What a revelation. He threw bomb-like information without any changes in his expression. If people like those kept showing up, my poker face would fall in the ranks.

“I am not convinced. And anyway, what exactly did you see that made you this confident?”

“I can't prove it but I actually did. As for your question, I can't tell you the details. It is a condition for my Unique Trait to work. What I can tell you, however, is that I saw you in a white, empty place. Probably a prison of sorts.”

If I truly ended up in the 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘮, that would be cool for a while.

“Anyone can claim to see the future if they can't disclose the details. And what's that about the prison part? Are you serious? Still unconvinced.”

“It appears that you are doubting me. It doesn't matter if you believe me or not, it will happen nevertheless. I was never wrong,” he said confidently.

It seemed that his supposed future sight is what made him change his mind and declare his name to me. I was curious if he truly saw the future or not, but the fact that he said he was never wrong is slightly annoying.

Me, in a prison? I couldn't really imagine that. That can only mean one thing, and it was troubling.

“Unfortunately, you will experience your first mistake then,” I said before I fastened my steps. James didn't try following me anymore. This time, the conversation was over for real. Using the imaginary eye in the back of my head, I saw him walk towards his younger brother who looked like he didn't sleep for weeks.

Leaving the Anderson brothers behind, I exited the inn building. Stepping out of the inn, I was greeted by a picturesque scene. The village's charming streets bustled with life, adorned with colorful storefronts and the laughter of children. The countryside stretched before me, with rolling hills, a babbling brook, and a majestic forest in the distance.

The air was filled with the scent of flowers and earth, while the sky painted a beautiful canvas of colors as the day waned. It was a moment of tranquility and wonder, where nature's beauty and the warmth of human presence intertwined in perfect harmony.

With the confidence I had in my abilities, I shifted my focus back to the mission at hand. The city map glowed on my phone screen, a digital labyrinth of streets and avenues waiting to be explored. I traced my finger over the screen, navigating through the intricate web of roads and landmarks.

Having grown accustomed to my enchanted body and the extraordinary powers that accompanied it, it was now time to uncover the mysterious rules of this unfamiliar world.

As I scanned the map, my mind absorbed every detail effortlessly. The city sprawled before me like an open book, and I committed its layout to memory with ease.

Looking for the biggest library in the area, I located one named ”Ancient Knowledge“. It was a strange name for a library, objectively speaking. And it picked my interest.

The library was not that far either, a walking distance of 10 mins at max. Returning my phone to my pocket, I headed toward my new destination.

𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 2 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘴 𝘭𝘦𝘧𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘦𝘹𝘢𝘮. I needed to use them in the most effective way possible. Because ......

I was not the only player in this chess game, apparently.

𝗔/𝗡 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀:

𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗼 𝗱𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀.

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗮𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗱, 𝗶𝘁'𝘀 2800 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱𝘀. 𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲.

𝗜 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝗳 𝗶 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 10 𝗞 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗱? 𝗪𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂? 𝗢𝗳 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹. 𝗔 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸𝘀 𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝗼.

𝗬𝗲𝘀.

𝗡𝗼.

𝗜 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗜 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗮𝘆.

𝗪𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻, 𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗹 𝘄𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻.