Arriving at the dorms after the turbulent first day was no easy task. Whether it was avoiding students, fights, or arguments, the entire campus seemed to be on fire.
I had only just made it into viewing range of the dorms when a bolt of white light flew by my head.
It was him.
The one person I could absolutely never tolerate.
Alex.
His name wasn't actually Alex (as far as I was aware) but I never seemed to be able to remember his real name.
"Heya buddy, how are ya?" He started sprinting towards me as if he hadn't made an attempt on my life mere seconds ago.
He had this horrible tendency to greet people with would-be fatal attacks.
Thankfully, he had never succeeded in killing anybody, but it was the kind of thing that just made you think "Wow, these people really live among us, huh?"
How did the academy let psychos like him run wild?
He tried to dive hug me, and out of fear for my life, I nimbly evaded him.
"What do you want?" I dropped my voice as deep as it would go in a desperate bid to scare him off.
"Ooh cool," he started, "I can do that too." His voice dropped about 12 octaves in the span of a second.
As much as I hate the guy it was kinda impressive.
"Can you go away?" I pleaded, wanting just a single moment stress free.
"No can do!" He truly didn't want to leave, so I chose the next best option in my dire situation.
I left instead.
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I surveyed the dorm buildings, split into three main sections.
The luxury buildings were reserved solely for those in the top 1-15. Every room was huge with a personal ensuite, they had personal chefs, and just lived in the upper echelon of life. It had no official name but students had taken to calling it the 'Validus Dorm' (Latin for strong).
Whereas students in the top 16-100 were in the second building. They were average dorm rooms, shared with up to one other student. It's unofficial title was 'Mediocris Dorm.' You could probably guess what it meant.
And the last group...
Anyone above 100 was thrown into the last dorm. It was titled 'Dumpster Dorm.' It was so bad it didn't even get a Latin name. The 'dorm' was basically a run down shed shared with up to 5 others.
Unfortunately, at this point in time I had fallen so far behind, I was part of the last group.
The people I had been grouped with were the equivalent of irrelevant. So much so, in fact, that I actually don't remember their names at all.
I would have to ask my dorm mates their names after a whole term of living with them (from their perspective, I had only regressed over the weekend).
I could hear gossiping from people in the Mediocris dorm about this guy, that girl, and everything else under the sun.
Try as I might, I couldn't find anybody from the Validus dorm. Maybe they were too busy being stuck up and self important to go outside.
I walked into my dorm, hoping my memory from 12 years ago didn't fail me.
"Get me a drink." Someone shouted from the other side of the room the moment I came in.
The fridge was not even half a dozen steps from him.
"Get it yourself." I would not be doing that for somebody who contributed nothing to the school, dorm, or society.
"Can't I've got to finish my match." Was this guy serious?
"Then you can have a drink when you finish your match." Yeah, hell no I'm not getting that for him.
"For that matter, what's your name?" I continued.
"I'll tell you if you get me a drink." He was actually trying to use his name as a bargaining chip.
"Forget it."
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My classes for the next day were going to be horrible. I got almost 0 sleep from the excessive snoring of my dorm mates and the horribly uncomfortable 'beds' that we had to lie in.
The classes for today were...
What were my lessons for today?
I had actually forgotten my timetable. It would be too awkward to ask my classmates. I also couldn't guarantee they wouldn't just lie to me out of pure hatred so that option was out the window.
Could I try guessing every building?
No but if I walked into the wrong one it would be so awkward, and the school site alone was a few kilometres across so that just wouldn't work.
What could I do?
Ah yes, the one and only system.
"System," I pleaded.
[What do you want]
"Do you have any memory type skills? Or any logs? Anything at all?" I was getting desperate here because missing a lesson here was tantamount to academic suicide.
[Skill : Memory (B)▾
An unusually exceptional memory. Useful for remembering things like spells or formations. Limited to information that you remembered previously.
Reduces physical stats by 7.5%] - 401 points
[Current Points : 400]
Are we being serious right now?
[Brokie]
"Dude what did I do to offend you?"
[I could be doing better things than talking to you right now]
"Like what"
[...]
[System Access has been revoked]
"No wait I'm sorry I didn't mean it"
[...]
Alright I give up on that side.
How do I get one point in the next 5 minutes?
Do I cause a scene?
"System shop"
[System is currently unavailable]
"Keep behaving like this and I'll never use the system again"
[System Access has been restored]
The system shop menu opened, and I started looking for an item.
This item had appeared around 2033 in my original timeline, but since the system seemed to have an almost omnipotent power, I thought it would have it.
And correct I was. For only 150 points, I could get an Identity Card.
These would change my physical appearance to the identity on the card. It also gave me a few other perks but those wouldn't be what I needed right now
"Buy"
[Points Available : 250]
I picked some random old man that I remembered from a show I watched at some point and felt my body contort and stretch to fit the definitions.
By the time I had opened my eyes, my body was no longer the body I had grown accustomed to by now, it was now a little more fragile, less postured, and overall a more miserable experience.
I wouldn't have to deal with it for long so I didn't care.
I started charging my mana into a ball. After about 2 minutes, I was incredibly tired but endured it and pushed on. After 1 or 2 minutes, the mana had condensed into a deep green hue, evident of a high C-Rank spell.
I channelled the mana ball and blasted it at the wall of the Validus Dorm.
An attack on the Validus dorm would definitely get the most attention, and from what I could tell, attention = points, and if I needed anything in the world right now, it was points.
I expected it to do little to the magically reinforced concrete, but to my surprise it shredded through the wall and exploded.
[You really didn't need to obliterate that wall. But sure, go ahead, ruin someone's day.]
I deactivated the Identity Card moments before mana exhaustion settled in and my vision faded to black. I tried to stay standing so I would look cool when people came looking for victims but failed.
I felt like I was going to puke. My hands were shaking, my palms drenched in sweat.
Mana exhaustion was never a fun feeling.
[Warning: Is your skull meant to be vibrating?]
My legs gave in and my body collapsed onto the floor with a thud.
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[Processing it]
[53 people are wondering about your identity; (Identity Card)]
[1060 points have been awarded]
[Achievement Unlocked : Mysterious▾
Have at least 45 people wondering about your identity]
[1150 points have been awarded]
2210 points just from that?
Could I do that again?
[Repetitive actions will result in a loss of points gained.]
Ok that plan's gone.
But still, I got enough points for advanced analysis and Memory.
"System Shop"
The familiar shop opened, I typed into the search bar [Memory].
The skill that had shown up previously showed up again with a slight variation
[Skill : Memory (B)▾
An unusually exceptional memory. Useful for remembering things like spells or formations.] - 400 points
Really?
"Buy." Arguing would achieve nothing so I just bought i
[Skill : 'Memory' obtained!]
[Points Available: 1810]
"Search 'Advanced'" I muttered, trying to see if saying the search audibly would work or not.
[Advanced Analysis] - 1500 points
"Buy"
[Skill : 'Advanced Analysis' obtained!]
[Points Available: 310]
Spending 1900 points of my 2210 left me with a modest 310, I could save up for other skills later with that.
[Taxes!]
[Update: Points Available: 0]
Huh?
[Payment for later.]
"Was that a thing?" I was too flabbergasted to be angry
[It is now]
Dude why?
[I hate you]
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My next class ended up being physical training.
Again.
As I walked across the campus, the distinct and welcome smell of concrete was vaguely present, reminding me that I was really back.
I felt as if I should have had a more extreme reaction, but ever since I had returned, my emotions had felt vaguely numb.
[Skill : Zero is ■■■■■■■■■]
Dude what?
Stop being so mysterious you're really starting to piss me off.
As the building we were using for the class came closer, I started to wonder about what I would do about the Great Cataclysm. Because I couldn't procrastinate forever could I?
I pulled myself out of thought, the door was right in front of me, and instead of walking in, I decided to listen for a bit.
Standing outside the door listening in had been one of my hobbies when I was much younger. Being at that age again, i thought it would only be right to do it now.
"That guy is so _________." I couldn't decipher the last word through the door.
"Tell me about it." An exasperated voice responded.
My curiosity was starting to become unmanageable.
"I wouldn't say so." The first voice I could put a name to! It was 100% Erhart.
Wanting in on the conversation, I burst through the doors.
Silence.
A pin drop could be heard in the quiet.
"Sorry that was me." Someone apologised.
A pin was actually dropped in the quiet of the room.
The Instructor looked up from whatever he had been scribbling and threw the chalk at me from across the classroom.
Now you would assume that it wouldn't make it to me being thrown from what looked like 150 metres of empty space. And you would be wrong. Horribly wrong.
I was barely able to dodge the chalk as it flew past my neck, leaving a cut solely from the speed it was hurled at.
The chalk exploded against the back door, both closing said door, and obscuring my vision.
"Why are you late?" The instructor questioned from some unseen place.
Before I could even formulate a good enough excuse, a fist had connected squarely with my chest, strong enough to almost make me puke my breakfast.
A shadowy figure was barely visible through the smoke. It was taller than any student I knew of.
I made the assumption that it was my instructor. He had been known for not being the kindest when dealing with late students. And I was over 15 minutes late.
From what I knew about his reputation, it was going to be brutal.
"Answer me." He pushed further, not letting up his relentless volley of punches. I could feel my body breaking down with each one.
"I got lost." I answered honestly.
"Do you really expect me to believe that?" I didn't expect it to work.
By now, the smoke screen from the gas had started to clear, so I wasn't fighting blindly.
If I was going to fight the instructor, I would at least fight with all I've got.
I knew it was almost impossible to win, I was fighting an A-Rank for goodness sake.
But I wasn't going to go down without a fight.
I dashed forward, and was immediately countered.
I knew the attack wouldn't work, but from what I could tell from his reaction time and attack power, I could win this.
This time he went on the offensive, and launched a body kick.
I would like to say that his attack didn't hurt, but I would be lying horribly.
[Warning: Structural integrity compromised]
"...It's called being kicked in the ribs, thanks"
I threw a ball of sparkling mana, trying to probe for his response patterns this time.
Before the ball could hit him, he disappeared from my sight with a 'thuk' sound.
I frantically looked around to try and not be caught off guard.
He reappeared in front of me and I was able to narrowly react in time.
I threw a punch, trying to get him to back off, or at least stop his relentless assault.
Instead of doing either, he suddenly dropped to the ground, planting his hands on the floor. His legs swung up in a perfect arc, heel rising from below in a spinning crescent. In one smooth movement, his heel had come rising from below and smashed into my jaw. An upside-down spinning kick — I barely saw it until the impact rattled my teeth. I could see the space around us distorting from the force of the movement.
What kind of monster fights like that?
My vision spun, but instead of allowing myself to fall, I steeled my resolve and used the momentum from my neck spinning to fling my arm back around and land a hit. My first hit so far for that matter.
[Vital readings low. Current probability of survival: 23%. Have fun.]
[Emergency Quest Dispatched▾
Beat the adversary you're fighting and do not die.] - Reward: 2,000 points.
2000?!
Oh I couldn't afford to lose this.
I stepped back, and tried to charge up a little mana.
"Not gonna let that happen." And before I could respond, I had been laid out on my back on the floor.
What had even happened?
[Impact registered. You may stand up when ready]
I pulled myself back up, my heart warning me of a multitude of injuries that needed immediate attention.
The moment I got off the floor, the instructor's fist appeared centimetres from my face.
I narrowly dodged, leaving the instructor to punch the wall.
When the instructor's fist connected with the wall, it blew a hole straight through the metres-thick reinforced concrete, turning it to something like powder.
I couldn't even see any chunks left over.
He had effectively pulverised a high grade steel-reinforced concrete wall.
The hole he made was probably about six metres high, and a similar distance across. And the wall was almost a dozen metres thick due to situations like this happening in the past.
The shockwave rattled my skull. My ears rang like someone had fired a cannon beside my head. And to be honest, that might've been better than what had just happened to my ears.
If that attack had landed...
I might survive, but at best I'd be out of action for weeks, maybe even months
The wall that still remained made a creaking sound, the crumbling starting to commence.
The impact rejuvenated my memory.
Get it together, Aren.
This is the instructor we're talking about.
I only dodged because he was probably still holding back — if he'd put a fraction more speed into it, I'd be paste right now.
I started to understand how people like Alex were allowed to roam free. They had more insane staff to subdue the insane students.
I looked up at the instructors face, trying to find reason to that attack.
The instructor's expression was undecipherable, and after that last attack, I couldn't tell if he was testing me or wanted me dead.
If he wanted me dead I probably would be already so that was mostly ruled out.
My brain started to feel fuzzy, the effects of blood loss starting to sink in.
With the limits of my body, I could probably use that once, and there was no guarantee I would survive.
On the contrary, if I didn't use it, there was also no guarantee I would survive.
This is an A-Rank Mage we're talking about here.
Would it even work?
I don't know if using that in this body would have enough of an effect.
After a little contemplation, I decided to try and make an opening first before making any rash decisions.
I had only just come to that conclusion when he lifted his arm over his head.
I sensed dozens of openings at once, and I planned to exploit every single one.
I went for the most prominent opening I saw.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I woke up to a white ceiling.
I looked around, my neck aching.
The smell of disinfectant was overpowering.
What happened?
A familiar headache pounded my skull as I recalled the previous events.
What the fuck?
The instructor shouldn't have been able to counter that, should he?
Was he holding back?
Or did my body collapse from the strain?
It had to be that.
I know the instructor was strong, I know the instructor was A-Rank, but was my body really so frail that I couldn't even react to his attack?
That really stung, physically, and emotionally.
I was never expecting to win, but to lose so humiliatingly was horrible on my self-esteem.
Fuck.
Oh well, not much I can about it do now.
"You up?" A voice called me out from my thoughts.
"Yeah." I strained.
"13 broken bones, 4 fractures, and you went into cardiac arrest 3 times, any normal person would be dead by now." The nurse looked actually shocked.
[I burned through some causality to keep you alive, thank me later]
[Points Available: -650]
"Thanks." I whispered back.
[It'd be better for me if you didn't die, especially not this early]
What?
That concerned me, but it was better than being dead so I'll take it.
[Emergency Quest: Failed]
"Dude I was just starting to like you."
"Are you seeing things?" I forgot the nurse could hear me.
"No, just talking to myself." It wasn't a good excuse, but it was the best thing I could think of on the spot.
"I'll pretend you didn't say that."
Alright then, I guess.
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Waking up the next day, the effects of regressor's blessing had healed me enough to be discharged overnight.
[1268 people are intrigued about your identity; (Identity Card)]
[634 points awarded]
I'll take my wins when I get them.
I returned to my dorm, and the moment I walked in I was greeted by four of my five roommates diving at me.
"Fuck no." I shoved them all to the side, not wanting to interact with that.
"So, our best buddy," they all started in almost perfect unison, "Would you be willing to teach us how you got so strong over the holiday?"
"What are you on about?" I was genuinely confused.
One of them shoved a phone into my face.
Apparently, somebody had recorded my fight with the instructor.
I snatched the phone out of his hands, and scrolled to the end.
I needed to see what the instructor did.
And, in a classic twist of fate, the video stopped recording at the exact moment before I could see what happened.
Really?
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Magnus Dorne (instructor of physical training, and retired A-Rank) had been mulling over what to do about Aren.
On one hand, the student had shown impressive combat prowess, even going as far forcing him to use his ability.
On the other hand, requesting a promotion of a late student because he was challenged would come off as stuck up and self-important.
He didn't really want to do either, and so decided to ask another teacher about what to do.
At that moment the door flew open.
A staff member rushed in, out of breath and visibly stressed. "Magnus—we've got an emergency. A structural breach in the Validus Dorm. A full section of the outer wall just collapsed."
"Collapsed? How? That building's reinforced?" He was mildly shocked, but took care not to show it.
"We don't know, it's an ongoing investigation." The panicked staff member responded quickly.
Magnus rubbed his temples. "Is anyone injured?"
"No, sir. No casualties. But there's debris everywhere. We're locking down the upper sector until we identify the cause."
"Of course you are…" Magnus sighed. "All right. Tell administration I'll join the inspection team in a bit."
The staff member nodded and hurried out.
"Just one thing after the other today, isn't it?" The instructor was usually busy, but this was a whole new level of busy. All he could really do was groan.
The instructor started filling out the dozens of forms he had laid on his desk. If he was going to have to do this amount of work, he might as well do everything.
"Bullshit."
[8 Days Left]