Zip—!
We reappeared at the Academy. Standing in front of the massive entrance were ten teachers, waiting to guide the students who had just returned via teleportation.
"I will take you to show you your rooms," a man said, stepping forward to address our group.
He was middle-aged, with golden curly hair and a pair of spectacles perched on his nose. His name was Adam.
He wore a constant, easygoing smile that made him seem approachable.
Adam began the tour, explaining every section of the Academy as we walked.
"Over there are the classrooms," he pointed out. "Further down is the Battle Arena, and to the right is the Sports Center."
We followed him, taking in the sights. Finally, we stopped in front of a massive building.
"This is the library," Adam announced.
It was an impressive three-story structure.
"The rules here are simple," Adam
explained. "First-year students are allowed to use the first floor. Second-year students can access the second floor. As for the top floor, it is reserved exclusively for soldiers."
After the brief tour, he handed out small slips of paper to everyone.
Rustle I looked at the paper in my hand. It contained my room assignment.
"Aditya, which room number did you get?" Jeevan asked, leaning over.
"Number 32," I replied.
"Wow! My room number is 32 as well!"
Jeevan exclaimed with genuine excitement. "That means we'll be staying together."
Suddenly, a familiar chime rang in my mind.
[Ding!]
[Daily Mission Update]
[Mission: Remain under the sunlight for 5 hours and prove that a vampire can stand fearlessly before the sun.]
[Status: Completed]
[Reward Received: 200 XP]
[XP: 250 / 1000]
I looked at the holographic status panel in front of me.
"Oh," I thought to myself. "I still need 750 XP more. Once I fill that bar, I'll finally advance to Level 2."
Dismissing the screen, I walked with Jeevan toward the dormitory area. After walking through the corridors for a while, we found a door with a metal plaque.
Room 32.
Creak
We pushed the door open and walked inside. But we weren't the only ones there.
"Dev?" Jeevan asked, surprised. "Is this your room too?"
Dev, who was standing inside, nodded shyly. "Hmm. Yes."
It seemed fate had placed the three of us together. The room was modest but functional, furnished with three beds—one for each of us. Jeevan immediately started unpacking.Zip— Thud.
He placed his belongings in the wardrobe. Dev, however, hadn't started unpacking yet; he seemed hesitant.
As for me, I had no need to unpack. Thanks to the Storage Ring I received from the beginner's package, all my luggage was safely stored away in a dimensional space, accessible whenever I needed it.
I looked at my two new roommates.
"I'm going out for a walk to look around," I told them.
Without waiting for a reply, I turned and stepped back out into the corridor.
I wandered through the long corridor, observing the world around me.
Wherever I looked, a common pattern emerged. The strong bullied the weak, while the weak flattered the strong to survive.
But it didn't end there. Those same weak students turned around and oppressed those who were even weaker than themselves.
It had become the norm of this world.
'There is only one difference between a strong tyrant and a weak one,' I thought to myself.
'The strong oppress others to display their dominance, while the weak oppress others to hide their own fragility.'
The strong were once weak, and the weak could one day become strong.
No one knew when the dice would roll and the tables would turn. And so, this endless, vicious cycle continued.
I shook my head, snapping out of my thoughts.I realized my feet had unconsciously led me to the library.
"Since I'm already here, I might as well check it out," I muttered. "What's the harm?"
Creak—
I pushed the door open and stepped inside.
The library was filled with students. Some were reading intently, while others seemed to be chatting with one another.
But there was something shocking.
It was completely silent. Despite the number of people moving their lips and talking,
not a single sound reached my ears. I narrowed my eyes and looked around.
On every table, there was a small, glowing white orb.
'I see,' I deduced. 'It must be an artifact causing this absolute silence.'
It was a clever way to maintain peace without needing a librarian to constantly hush people. I walked toward the bookshelves, which were lined with countless volumes.
I scanned the titles, pulled a book from the shelf, and carried it to a nearby table.
Thump.I sat down, opened the book, and began to read.
The title on the first page read: "The Sword Magician's Journey."
The story was incredibly engaging. I found myself completely absorbed in the world of the protagonist.
Flip— Flip—
Time seemed to dissolve. Before I knew it, an entire hour had passed. Closing the book, I stood up and began walking back toward my dormitory.
As I made my way down the hallway, I noticed a commotion a little further ahead. A student, whose watch displayed Level 1.1, was bullying two other boys.
I narrowed my eyes, activating my Vampire Eyes for a clearer look. Zoom! My vision sharpened instantly. One of the boys getting beaten was Dev.
I couldn't help but shake my head. Honestly, I didn't want to get involved in unnecessary drama, but Dev was my roommate and my friend. I couldn't just walk past.
I shoved both hands into my trouser pockets and walked casually toward them. Without saying a word, I pulled one hand out and placed it firmly on the bully's shoulder.
Pat.
"Who is it? Who has the audacity to touch me?" The bully spun around, his voice dripping with arrogance. "How dare you put your hand on my shoul—"
He grabbed my hand to shove it away, but his eyes wandered down to my wrist.
Level 5.2 . The number glowed brightly on my smartwatch.
Gulp! His face went pale instantly. He started trembling like a leaf in a storm.
"I-I'm so sorry! I was just joking, really!" He quickly grabbed my hand and tried to place it back on his shoulder.
"Please, keep your hand there! I don't mind at all! It's an honor!"
Dev and the other boy watched in stunned silence. They realized that the guy who had been terrorizing them just moments ago was now nothing more than a frightened kitten in front of someone stronger.
I smirked. I removed my hand from his shoulder—and grabbed his wrist instead.
Twist—
I slowly began to bend his arm backward.
"Ahhh! Ahhh!"
He screamed in pain, his knees buckling.
"Let go! Please, forgive me! If I annoyed you, I apologize! Just let go!" he begged desperately.
"Oh?" I looked down at him coldly. "When you were tormenting others, you didn't listen to a word they said. But now that I'm tormenting you, you suddenly know how to beg?"
"Aditya, that's enough," Dev spoke up softly from the side. "Let him go."
"I know. That was enough for a lesson," I replied.I released his arm.
Thud! The bully fell to his knees, clutching his wrist. The other boy who had been bullied thanked me profusely and ran away. Dev and I turned around and started walking back toward our room.
Behind us, the bully remained on the floor.
"Why..." he muttered, his voice breaking. "Why does it happen like this?
When people were bullying me, no one came to save me. But the moment I decided to stop being a victim and bully someone else,
a hero shows up for them. It's not fair..."
He was complaining to the world in a low whisper, afraid that if he spoke too loud, I might come back to finish the job.
Thanks to my enhanced senses, I heard every word clearly.I didn't turn back. I kept walking, but his words triggered a train of thought in my mind.
'If you are weak, strive to become strong. If you are oppressed, don't just turn around and oppress those weaker than you. If you do that, what is the difference between you and the trash that bullied you?'
I stared ahead, my thoughts deepening.
'If you have no talent, then forge your body. Train until your muscles are like steel.
Become so strong and fast that before an element user can even cast a spell, you've already defeated them.'
'I refuse to believe that God closes every single door. God always leaves one path open, but people are too busy complaining about their weaknesses to see it.
If you only focus on what you lack, how will you ever discover the hidden talent you possess?'
'And if, by chance, you cannot do even that... then find others like you. Gather the weak, form a group, and ambush those bullies. Attack them from the shadows.'
'Some will call it cowardice to attack from behind. But don't listen to them. Ask them: Where were they when you were being tormented? Why didn't they speak up and say it was wrong then?'
Lost in these thoughts, we reached the door of our dormitory.
Creak! Dev and I stepped into Room 32.