CHAPTER 19
That was it.
The order was passed, and in the blink of an eye, it was the following day.
The day all the teens from age fifteen to seventeen would be taken to the Aspirant Corps to learn how to defend themselves from any sort of attack for a year.
This corps was located in Wall Steel, but it would still take a while to reach.
A place where some factions and even Legacies sent their kids to become a formidable force.
Getting a spot in the Aspirant Corps was a hassle.
Those from the lower class of life, those without any backing, couldn't even dream of securing a place.
Although, if a kid had an ability, they could be considered.
But an ability was hard to come by for those without the bank balance.
Though those without abilities still existed in the corps and even the other groups, they were deemed useless.
Oftentimes, they themselves would choose to be part of the Iron Corps instead.
And this was the same place Ray, Van, and the other teens, numbering around a hundred, were headed.
They sat inside a hover bus that zoomed through the road like it was a jet or something.
The kids were fidgety as they remained seated, staring through the windows, watching the bus pass smoothly along the road without any hitch while hovering about half a metre above the ground.
Ray cared little about basking in the view.
He sat tight in his seat, arms crossed, while staring at his system screen in deep thought.
'I haven't had the time to even complete the daily quests yet. Hopefully, I'll be able to do so when I get to the Aspirant Corps.'
He paused as he flicked through his attributes, his focus settling specifically on his 'Int' stat.
'From the few VR games I played, I know what it means. It represents my cognitive abilities, problem-solving skills, and my knowledge as a whole.
It determines how well I learn, reason, analyse information, and make informed decisions.'
He paused again after sifting through memories of researching different attributes in some of the VR games he had played back then.
'But why seven? Am I really that intelligent? Hump. I wonder what Van's intelligence stat would be. Maybe ten? Or fifteen?'
As the thought flashed through his mind, Ray turned his head to glance at his best friend.
Van was practically gawking, eyes wide, glued to the sight of the skyscrapers they passed.
In this part of the wall, technology was all the rage.
Hover cars, bikes, and buses were everywhere, moving with an efficiency that felt almost surreal.
For some reason, Wall Rose felt like it was built in medieval times.
There was barely any technology there, let alone vehicles.
Just a few bikes here and there, and that was all.
So transitioning to Wall Steel felt like stepping into a completely different world, and Van wasn't about to miss the chance to feast his eyes on every detail.
Ray chuckled inwardly and shifted his gaze forward once more.
A thought crossed his mind as he returned his attention to the system screen.
'... For some reason, this system feels lacklustre. From the online novels I read, the MC's system always grants them a boost compared to normal humans.
But mine? It's just displaying my stats and handing me daily quests. Nothing more.'
His brows knitted as he flicked through the tabs available to him with his mind.
The skill tab was locked and greyed out, so he avoided it and focused instead on the status, attribute, and quest tabs.
'Am I missing something? Shouldn't the system be more than this? I wonder what happens if I level up though.'
After a brief pause, he added inwardly, accompanied by a casual shrug.
'Maybe the system is still not sorted out yet. Probably syncing or something… I don't know.'
He sighed and rubbed his temples when—
CLAP—!
The loud sound drew all the teens' attention from the windows, and in a flash, they all sat back in their seats, eyes fixed straight ahead on the person standing before them.
It was the General who had come the day before to announce this new change.
'... I wonder why they sent a general here instead? A sergeant or even a captain would have sufficed.'
"Listen up, kids." The General's voice echoed around the bus, stern and commanding.
His arms were folded firmly behind his back, the same serene—almost chilling—smile resting on his face.
"... We are approaching the Aspirant Corps in about—"
He paused, turning his head back toward the driver with an awkward chuckle.
"How long again?"
"An hour and a half, sir."
The General nodded, eyes returning to the teens.
"Yeah, that. So, as per tradition, I want to wish you all luck as you soon arrive at the Corps. A bit of a teaser: it won't be easy.
Some of you might consider dropping off due to the stress. But those who persevere will surely be rewarded, earning a place in the corps of their choice."
The teens couldn't help but tense at the General's words, though his smile offered a strange reassurance.
"... I mean, look at me. I once joined the Aspirant Corps, and here I am—standing before you all as a General of the Iron Corps."
'As if it's that easy,' Ray snickered inwardly.
Still, he straightened in his seat, gaze fixed sternly on the General, determined that no matter what, he wouldn't give up.
Meanwhile, Van, sitting beside him, looked uncomfortable.
He wasn't interested in fighting or battles; he only wanted to live as an inventor—a genius one.
And maybe, one day, marry a tall, slender, strong, and beautiful woman, have lovely and cute kids, and live safely in Wall Diamond in a big mansion.
That was his dream.
Oblivious to the teens' private thoughts, the General continued.
"So… as we steadily approach the Iron Corps, I just want to say…"
The General clapped his hands with a chilling grin that felt almost devilish, causing all of Ray's senses to sharpen in an instant.
"... Goodnight."
The word was firm, carrying a subtle chill, and in the next second, alarms blared in Ray's mind.
[Warning, Warning! Substance detected in the air.]
'Substance?'
Ray's thoughts became a jumbled, incoherent mess as a grogginess began to creep in.
Yet, his body resisted as best it could.
Glancing to his side, his eyes widened in shock.
Van had fallen unconscious in an instant.
Panic gripped him as he turned his gaze to the others—one by one, they were collapsing silently to the floor with soft thuds.
Soon enough, it was just him and… one other?
Tak. Tak. Tak.
The General stood above him, calm as ever, grin still in place as he glanced down at Ray with furrowed brows.
"I knew there was something about you. Oh well, sorry about this, kiddo. You need to sleep."
"Wh… what?" Ray's thoughts slurred, breaking apart under the haze clouding his mind.
BAM—!
A sudden force slammed into Ray's head, extinguishing the light in his eyes and dragging him down into a boundless sea of darkness.