Yawn.
God, when was the last time I slept this well?
As I slowly woke up, stretching my limbs, a sense of unfamiliar relaxation washed over me.
It felt strange, after two straight weeks of relentless grinding, pushing my body and mind to their absolute limits, I was finally feeling alive again.
I stared at the ceiling, my thoughts drifting. The past days had been wild.
One moment, the world was normal and the next the voice appeared. Then, just like that, everything descended into chaos.
For the first time in what felt like forever, my mind wasn't clouded by exhaustion. It was as if a dense fog had finally lifted, allowing me to think clearly.
And that's when I realized...
I haven't drawn anything since this all started.
Before the apocalypse, drawing had been my escape. My way of fighting against the crushing boredom, the endless feeling of being out of place. It was the only thing that gave me a sense of purpose.
Yet now I don't feel the need for it.
Because every time I create something, whether it's a sword, a wall, a new technique… I feel truly alive. Like I've finally found my calling.
Maybe… I really was out of place in the old world. Maybe I wasn't meant for a life of dull routines and meaningless expectations, but here?
I can create things that actually matter. Here, my imagination has no limits.
Of course, I'm not blind. This world isn't good, far from it. It's brutal, merciless. If I want to survive, if I want to build something lasting, it's not going to be easy, but for the first time ever, I feel motivated enough to give it my all.
But… to what end?
I want to create and I want to grow stronger.
But what am I really striving for?
I don't know yet… I'll have to figure it out.
My mind wandered to something else, the hidden mission from yesterday.
[Creation is also Destruction.]
It made me realize something crucial. Creation and destruction, two opposite forces, yet they are inseparably linked.
I always saw my ability as something meant to build. To bring forth new things into existence, but what happens after something is created? What purpose does it serve?
A creation can be used for good…
Or it can become a weapon. A force of destruction.
And that's when it hit me I'm close to unlocking something new. I can feel it. But something's still blocking me.
I clenched my fists, frustration creeping in. What am I missing?
Sigh, no point in overthinking it now.
On the bright side, I did gain some useful rewards.
My swordsmanship mastery was now 25% faster, thanks to the Sword Progenitor achievement.
On top of that, I received 3 free points in all attributes and 3 Divine Essences, whatever those were used for.
I barely even processed those notifications yesterday, I was too exhausted.
But, if hidden missions exist, it means there are rewards out there that I won't even know about until I achieve them.
Something to keep in mind.
Alright, enough thinking. I need to go find Will.
No clue what time it is, but I have a feeling he won't be very patient.
I got dressed, cleaned myself up, and stepped outside. The campus felt different, subtly off. But I didn't have time to focus on it in the moment.
I made my way to Will's favorite classroom.
When I entered, I found Will deep in conversation with Layla.
They hadn't noticed me at first, but as the door creaked open, Will turned to look at me.
His expression shifted slightly, something about their conversation seemed serious.
I glanced at Layla, but she simply looked away, as if brushing off my curiosity.
"If it isn't the sleepyhead," Will said, crossing his arms. "Do you even know what time it is?"
I let out a tired groan. "I don't know… 10 AM?"
Will smirked. "Not even close. It's 4 PM."
Wait. What?!
I stared at him in disbelief. Have I been sleeping for 16 hours?!
I always woke up at 5 AM sharp. Always. But this time…
My body had just completely shut down.
For some reason, Layla was chuckling to herself, clearly enjoying my reaction.
This girl…
"Alright, enough of that," Will said, already heading toward the door. "Come with me."
I sighed and followed. Something told me I wasn't going to like what he had planned.
We reached a secluded area outside the dorm, a place far enough from the main buildings that no one would accidentally stumble upon it.
And that's when I saw it.
What. The. Fuck?
A mutant bear lay sprawled on the ground, its massive body rising and falling with shallow breaths. Four broken legs, deep gashes across its thick red fur, this thing had been through hell.
I turned to Will, my expression a mix of shock and disbelief.
Did he seriously drag this thing here… alive?!
"So," Will grinned, his excitement barely contained. "You like my target for your sword art?"
I shifted my gaze to Layla, hoping for some kind of explanation. But she simply looked away, as if she wanted no part in this.
"What the hell, Will?!" I snapped.
"Bah, stop being a scaredy cat and just show me already." He waved me off, completely unfazed by my reaction. "Don't worry, it's barely alive, most of its bones are already broken. Just do your thing."
His eyes burned with expectation.
I sighed. I should have seen this coming.
Honestly, I'd been hoping to delay showing him Blazing Surge for as long as possible. It still wasn't fully stable, and I wasn't exactly keen on exploding myself in front of an audience.
But if I refused, Will would just pester me relentlessly.
Haaa… Whatever, let's do this.
I stepped forward cautiously, my eyes locked onto the bloodied beast lying in front of me. Even in this state, its sheer size and presence was intimidating.
Did Will really hunt this thing alone this morning? How reckless…
I materialized a sword, the familiar weight settling into my grip. As I got closer, the bear let out a weak, guttural growl, its golden eyes barely able to focus on me.
I swallowed hard and started to concentrate.
The problem? My chances of success with Blazing Surge were still only around 65%.
Which meant there was about one in three chance I'd blow myself up along with the bear.
Alright, let's be positive, I got this.
Focus.
I could feel the familiar drain on my essence as my sub-ability began to channel into the blade. The heat pulsed through my fingers, creeping toward the tip of the weapon, where I forced it into a concentrated point.
Just as my blade pierced the bear's flesh:
"The Weave of Origin, Second Style: Blazing Surge."
BOOM!
The explosion rocked the air around us, sending a fiery shockwave outward. The bear's body, or what was left of it, was obliterated. Pieces of flesh and bone scattered like shrapnel, the smell of burning fur filling my nostrils.
Shit! I overdid it.
I barely managed to steady myself, but,
I was still in one piece...
Wait… I didn't blow myself up?
Then I realized, the bear's body absorbed a significant portion of the explosion.
That's an interesting discovery. If Blazing Surge detonates inside an enemy, the explosion's outward force is reduced. That means I might be able to control its blast radius by adjusting my timing…
But before I could even process my thoughts further...
"I see," Will muttered, his eyes practically gleaming with interest. "This technique is quite powerful. But damn, you're gonna need some serious control to use it properly."
"This… Have you gone insane, Elian?!"
Unlike Will, who looked impressed, Layla looked furious.
She marched toward me bitting her lower lips, fire practically radiating off her skin.
"Did you really think I wouldn't figure out what you're doing after seeing this?!" Her voice was sharp, accusing.
She cast a quick glance toward Will, hesitated for just a second, then narrowed her violet eyes back at me.
Yeah… She found out.
I knew this moment would come eventually, but that didn't make it any less terrifying.
"Just how many times," she hissed, "did you blow yourself up before getting it right?"
"Ehem." I coughed, looking anywhere but at her. "I-I never needed to blow myself up, you see! Haha, with my ability, it was a piece of-"
Layla's aura flared.
"You…!"
I swore, for a split second, the air around her ignited.
Oh, I definitely screwed up.
Before she could set me on fire.
"Alright, that's enough."
A voice cut through the air like thin ice.
We all turned toward the dorm entrance.
Leaning casually against the doorframe was the president.
Her sharp blue eyes locked onto me, unreadable as always.
"I've waited long enough," she said coolly. "All of you. To my office. Now."
I didn't need to be told twice. I practically bolted after her.
As we made our way through the campus, I could feel dozens of eyes on us.
People whispered. Low murmurs filled the air.
Most of the attention was directed at the president. Some students watched her with hope, a desperate kind, as if clinging to the last remnants of order.
But… I also noticed something else.
A few of them weren't looking at her with hope at all…
They were looking at her with resentment.
Did things really get this bad while I was too focused on training?
I frown, my exhaustion suddenly feeling a lot heavier.
By the time we reached her office, I had a sinking feeling that this meeting wasn't going to be pleasant.