"What!" Lin watched in shock the floating blue screen, on which shocking words were written.
Noticing his friend being trapped, Egro expressed astonishment and asked:
"Is something wrong, Lin? Why did your expression change so suddenly? You're usually a calm person who rarely shows any emotion, but here you look really surprised."
"Th-this…" Lin recovered from the sudden shock and returned to his previous facial expression. He looked at Egro and barely managed a smile.
"I have just turned sixteen years old… And received a Title."
Now it was Egro's turn to be surprised, although he already knew that today Lin might receive a Title and was prepared for it. Still, he widened his eyes as if he had seen a ghost.
He swallowed and asked in a quiet voice:
"W-what kind of Title did you get? Abstract? Elemental? Or… Physical?" He spoke as if trying to make sure others in the classroom wouldn't hear their conversation.
Lin looked at the floating blue screen and pondered:
"At the moment, I have received an Abstract Title, which indicates that I am already in demand in any of the Five Families… And this might work in my favor. But here's the question…"
Lin glanced at the newly appeared status window.
[Name: Lin Matrix.]
[Title: Lord of the Time.]
[Title category: Abstract.]
[Title rank: Awakened.]
[Skills: (Currently none; user must open the Awakened Chest to obtain the first skill).]
[Price: Forgetfulness (Price of Mind).]
[Status:
— Physical health: 100%
— Mental health: 95%
— Distortion: 1%]
[Soul fragments: (None).]
[Distorted items:
— Awakened Chest (White).]
[Quests: (None).]
Before Lin's eyes appeared a large statistics panel showing various indicators, some missing, while in others he had a chance to fill the void.
Of course, he was interested in the fact that he could open the Awakened Chest and obtain some skill, but he decided to wait for now because he wanted to find a more secluded place.
Right now, he needed to convince Egro that he did not have any Abstract Title, and that he received an ordinary Physical Title specialized in speed or something similar.
Why?
It was simple. Lin was still a member of the Matrix family, and although he had renounced this surname and no longer wished to use it anywhere, no matter how hard he tried, everyone would still consider him a Matrix, not without it. And accordingly, what would happen if such a family member got an Abstract Title? Right. They would try by all possible means to bring him back into the family, because having an Abstract Awakened member was clearly better than having none.
Moreover, it would become a major asset inside the family, as well as a "toy" to boast about in front of other families. This would significantly raise the status and influence of the Matrix family, and other families would have no choice but to accept and endure it. But if it turned out that he got a Title related to time manipulation…
A real hunt would begin for him.
So it was extremely necessary for him to secure himself and prevent any potential dangers. That was why he decided to say that he had a Physical Title, not an Abstract one.
Lin smiled mysteriously to appear like he had something cool, but still sighed heavily and said:
"Unfortunately, I have a Physical Title…"
Egro, who was watching him attentively, exhaled as if he finally got the ability to breathe, and shook his head:
"That's really a shame… But don't despair, Lin, I know perfectly well how terrifying your physical stats are. I remember when some bastards picked on a little girl, you moved at such speed, and your martial arts skills were so magnificent that you destroyed them with a single strike! So, the fact that you got a Physical Title alongside the Abstract one doesn't mean you're unlucky — on the contrary, fate is giving you what you're predisposed to!"
Lin tried to show sadness and replied:
"Thanks."
Egro laughed and clarified:
"What's the name of the Title? And what exactly is it good for?"
Lin thought for a moment and invented a fanciful name that came to his mind. He sighed heavily for show and said in a serious tone:
"Name: Swift Wind. The main abilities are probably intended to be speed or agility-related."
"…"
"Uh-uh, definitely Swift Wind?.. Maybe you forgot the name somewhere?"
"No, I'm absolutely serious. I really have the Title: Swift Wind. Is there something wrong?"
Egro gave a crooked smile and said:
"No, it's just too… simple? I thought you'd have something like: "Invisible Vertu" or "Hidden from the World's Eye," but this is just plain…"
Lin simply smiled at Egro's words and looked toward the door, seeing the teacher entering. He was already eager to go home and check the acquired abilities, although they still had to be obtained.
But at that moment, Lin felt that the air around him had grown heavier, and the room's warmth became unstable, as if waves of wind were howling throughout the classroom creating this sensation.
"Something's wrong."
He frowned and prepared to suddenly stand up and run toward the exit.
But Lin hadn't begun to act when a sharp explosion happened at the back of the classroom, near where he and Egro were sitting!
Boom!
The sound of a large explosion rang out, but fortunately, the blast barely affected people and happened near the wall.
Everyone quickly turned their heads in that direction and saw red tentacles spreading out like fish flapping on land. Many quickly got up from their seats and ran toward the exit.
Boom!
The tentacles hit a desk and threw it tens of meters with incredible speed. It struck a guy and slammed him against the wall, crushing him so badly that only blood and organs remained.
"Ahhh!!!" Screamed a girl who saw this; she shouted sharply and froze in place, unable to move. Tears streamed down her eyes like waterfalls, and deep inside, she called for her mother.
But unfortunately, the insane red tentacles spared no one and directly knocked a desk with chairs onto the girl, completely crushing her and leaving only blood.
Chaos broke out in the classroom. Screams, wails… the tentacles spared no one, whether girl or boy, you would still end up under a desk, completely crushed.
But there was only one guy acting with a cold expression, observing the whole situation.
It was Lin, and he tried to make his way through the maze of desks and chairs that had just appeared. During this, he kept looking back at the tentacles to notice any attack and react in time.
"Who would've thought the Red Gate would appear right inside the school! And just at the moment I awakened my Title!"
Lin quickly noticed the red tentacles throwing a desk toward him. He swiftly turned and lay on the floor, lifting his legs up and placing his hands near his head. If any person saw Lin from the side, they would think he was trying to jump up.
When the desk rapidly approached him, he stretched out his legs and gently caught the desk. Incredible strength filled Lin's legs, but he gritted his teeth and tensed every possible muscle in his body. Because of the throwing force, the desk strongly bent Lin's legs, almost reaching his face.
"Damn! The throwing power of those tentacles is really terrifying! I felt like my legs would break like a handful of bones. Luckily, I didn't train my whole body in vain…" Lin tensed all his body and forcefully threw the desk — with his legs — back at the red tentacles!
Whoosh!
Waves of wind surged. Although Lin's strength was laughable compared to the red tentacles, it was enough to genuinely frighten ordinary people.
Bang!
The desk crashed onto the red tentacles and shattered into pieces. The tentacles didn't like that very much, and they chased after Lin.
But before they reached Lin, they suddenly stopped, then all the tentacles began gathering in one place, forming a vertical oval several meters tall.
When Lin saw this, he narrowed his eyes and ran toward the exit, using all his strength while looking back:
"I need to get out of here quickly, because the red tentacles are starting to form the Red Gate. And if they succeed, a real meat grinder of people will begin here!" On the way, Lin noticed how many of his classmates had died horrific deaths, and those who survived moaned and cried, shedding countless tears.
But he paid no attention to them. He did not care about the lives of people who were not connected to him. He was ready to help only those who had good relations with him or at least helped him in some way. And among the people standing here, there was no one like that.
Lin's gaze became completely cold, and as he approached the classroom exit, he suddenly heard a heartbreaking male voice:
"Lin! Wait! Help me! It's me, Egro!.. Please… Don't leave me!"
Lin stopped abruptly, shock on his face. He quickly turned and saw his friend Egro, who was pinned down by several desks. Blood flowed from his nose and mouth, and his legs were nearly broken.
Egro, with a trembling mouth and shedding tears, barely shouted:
"Please, Lin! Don't leave me!.. Rana… She will have no one else if I die… Please… Please…" He looked at Lin with hope.
Lin clenched his fists and sighed.
He couldn't leave him. Egro was the only person with whom he had a friendly relationship. There was no one else in the world who had such a definition from Lin, because he knew Egro was the only one like that. So he couldn't leave him here.
"Even if I die, at least I'll die for a friend who needed me."
Without a hint of doubt, Lin moved forward, overcoming numerous obstacles along his path. Soon, since the red tentacles were currently occupied with other matters, Lin quickly approached Egro and began helping him to stand up.
"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you, Lin..." Egro started to thank Lin shakily.
Lin smiled softly and replied:
"It's nothing special."
He quickly helped Egro to stand and headed with him toward the exit. Their speed was neither fast nor slow.
Along the way, the Red Gates finally fully rose and became completely active. Inside the Red Gates appeared a bright red portal leading to an unknown world.
The red tentacles became free again and began to create total chaos. People who hadn't managed to flee were either killed or the red tentacles sent them inside the Red Gates, straight into another world!
Lin quickly assessed the situation and realized that with a body in his arms, he wouldn't be able to escape. He sighed and looked straight at the Red Gates, smirking:
"Who would have known that my trips through the Dead Worlds would start so soon?!"
He looked away and glanced at Egro, saying:
"Egro, you'll have to go on alone. Unfortunately, there's nothing I can do to help."
"What? But..." But before he could finish, Lin forcefully threw him toward the door and then looked straight at the Red Gates.
The red tentacles quickly reached Lin and grabbed him, directing him toward the Red Gates.
Egro watched in shock and then began to cry.
"Lin... No."
Lin smiled all the while, knowing that his adventure was only beginning.
"Let's see if I can survive there and get my revenge!"
Soon, darkness completely enveloped him, and he was sent into the Dead World.