The alarm bleeped for the eleventh time, finally piercing into his stubborn eyes. He sprung up and staggered backwards again, as his eyes struggled with him. *What the fuck did I do, yesterday?*
He shook his head hastily and glanced at the clock. "8: 55!", he exclaimed. "What the fuck?!"
He was fifty-five minutes late, already. Every more minute he spent in his room was counting against him. He dashed to the bathroom and rinsed his face, staring at the mirror. He had doubts running in his head. The clock seemed to be ticking a lot louder and faster. He grabbed a towel and dabbed his face. *Asides the red eyes, no one will know, right?.... No one will know.*
He smiled and put on his clothes. He waited at the door for a second and *'Wait'*. He put his palm over his open mouth and breathed. *It smells nice, right?... No one will know.*
Rushing out the door, he was still slowed down by his hazy memory of the previous night. He had worn on the VR goggles and…. That was it. Thinking about it now, it felt more like a blackout. *What the fuck happened?*
He stretched, feeling the intense weakness in his body. He walked down the Raosugav road, heading quickly to the school. Everyone else is definitely out… or not. A guy, with orange hair, walked out of one of the compartments. He had earphones fixed and moved more freely than a late student should. He didn't look like anyone Jake had seen in Mieyueid so he was definitely a senior. Their eyes met and they walked on, silently.
"We are late, you know?", Jake said. There was a wide road between them but the empty streets propelled his voice.
"You are smaller than they tell me", the guy replied. "I expected a lot bigger"
"You know me? I must be some celebrity now"
"Maybe… it's only the famous Jake of Mieyueid that remains unmoved, even while being one hour late"
*I am moved, though. I'll be getting detention again.* "And who are you?"
"I'm just a senior… since we meet here, you should tell your Congress friends not to mess with the Warthogs", the guy said and glanced at Jake. "You've probably heard of wonderland"
*That shit is a myth, idiot*. "I am not a part of the Congress".
"I know. I hear you resist them… You just pass the message", the guy said and turned, heading towards the senior building, Diodbi. "Warthogs don't show mercy"
Jake turned and headed to Mieyueid, keeping his steady pace.
....
All eyes followed him, as he walked down the hallway. He pocketed his hands, keeping up his tough look. He always enjoyed the attention, except before, he used to howl at them for staring too much. Now, he'd just enjoy it. *Are they staring because my wounds healed fast? Oh, yeah. My red spots disappeared overnight!*
A laughter erupted out of nowhere. "Come on, man. What's this?", Jerry mocked. "Did you take a shrinking pill or something?"
*What is this fucker laughing at? I didn't bath. Is it obvious?* "You have something to say to me, Jerry?", Jake stepped closer. * I'd better stay tough.*
"Chill out, man", Jerry said and stepped back. "We are going to fight anyway… but when I come, I don't want your new size to be an excuse"
Jake stared at him, as he walked away. All eyes were still on him, piercing like needles. *Who are these fuckers with the eyes?! What does he mean by shrink? New size?*
He turned around and kept walking. Elena approached. He kept his eyes off her and kept his pace. "Oh my… Jake", she scoffed. "You didn't stay up all night waiting for me, did you?"
"Why would I?", Jake muttered and walked past.
"And what's up with your new look?"
New look. "What does that mean?"
She smiled and turned, walking away.
*That was alright. I didn't look too much like an idiot around her*. He walked into the class and all eyes were on him again. His usual clique were gathered together, like the strange man had predicted. He had lost his position in the class. He walked to his seat, speaking to no one.
"Hey, Jake", Kobe, the next strongest in the class, called. He had been humbly behind Jake, supporting every move and doing the dirty job. He was the next head of the class… unless Raven beats him too. "You forgot to greet"
Jake's heart pounded. *Who does he think he is? Ha-ha. I knocked you out with a punch. He seems bigger than me now, though.*
"Get up and greet me, Jake", Kobe ordered.
Jake laughed. "You don't want me to do it again, do you?"
"I am not the man I used to be, Jake", Kobe stood up, approaching him slowly and confidently. "The last time I checked, you are not the man you used to be either"
* What is he talking about? I'll kill you!*
"Good day, class D", a teacher walked in, breaking the plot halfway; Sir Raymond, the Communications teacher. "Take your seats, please"
Kobe smiled at Jake, walking back to his seat. Jake smiled back and leaned closer. "You got saved, Kobe"
"Hey, Jake", Sir Raymond called.
"Sir", he sat up.
"You know what you got, right?"
"Detention?"
The teacher smiled. "The cleaners will forget to do the toilets today… more fun for you", he said, staring at Jake intensely. "Did you get smaller or something?"
*Even I wonder how everyone got bigger.*
**★**
He had stared at his hands and the pen he held, all through the lectures, as though something got swapped in his life. *Something is wrong*. His pen either got bigger and heavier or his hands got smaller.
He had his head filled, as he walked out of the classroom, staring down. *I wore those goggles on, last night, and I slept off… That was what happened. They are nowhere to be-*
"Hey, Jake. We meet again", Jerry collided with him, staring with an intimidating stance. "You seem to have really gotten smaller since this morning".
"I have no time for this, Jerry", Jake replied and moved aside. "I have things to other things to wor-"
Jerry pushed him back with his arm, blocking the way. "You promised to fight me. Come on", Jerry teased. "I want you to beat me up"
*Something is wrong. He has gotten stronger since yesterday. What is happening to me?*
"Oh my….", Jerry chuckled. "Don't chicken out, man."
Jake stared blankly, getting scared. *I don't think I can beat him now*. He stared under Jerry's shoulders and Jerry's mates were approaching too. "Get out", he threw a punch at his face.
Jerry caught his fist. His palm wrapped around it, almost covering it up. "Ha-ha. I could have just let that hit me. You got slower and weaker. That boy definitely stole something", Jerry said and looked back. "Guys, can you see this? I would be cheating to beat him up like this"
Jake threw another punch. His fist bounced hard off Jerry's shoulder like nothing, almost spraining his wrist. Jerry stared down at him and landed a slap on his face. Jake fell down, almost bouncing off his feet, at the strength of the hit.
"What happened to you, man?!", Jerry mocked. "You should get some check up"
Jake laid weakly on the ground and kept his eyes closed. Everyone saw that already. There was no acting tough for him. With his unexpectedly massive weakness, almost anyone would be able to beat him in a fight…. And they would come. He just knew they would. He opened his eyes and a green glitch appeared before his eyes like a computer window. Words were written-
"Ha-ha… it never ends", the fat girl was back again… and the green window disappeared like it was never there. "You never cease to surprise me, Jake… looks like there's one more loser in Mieyueid now"
She walked away, leaving him lying there.
*What was that green thing?.... Or that slap actually took me to another world?... Cool.*
**★**
Sir Eagle walked down the hallway, alongside another new student. He seemed to be delivering more new students to Mieyueid, lately. Jake had seen a few newbies in the other classes. It was easy to know the newbies since it took some while for anyone to get used to Akademy's setting, or just Mieyueid.
Jake raised his head and stared, as Sir Eagle walked the boy into Class D; his class. *Another new student. He doesn't look young. He'll probably kill me if we fight.*
He stood up and walked to the class door. He stood by the wall and eavesdropped the introduction.
"… and he will be your new classmate", Sir Eagle said. "You can find your seat, Frank… Everyone is a friend"
Jake turned and walked to the bathroom.
...….
"You know if you didn't beat Jake he would have attacked the new boy", Mark spoke to Raven.
Raven seemed too focused on his books to notice the strength hierarchy in the class, not to mention the Mieyueid section or the entire Choyue… or the whole of the Akademy. "He doesn't seem willing to fight anymore"
"That is because you beat him. He is one of the strongest in Mieyueid", Mark said. "The members of the Congress are the strongest. Jake wasn't strong enough to join. Kobe is next in the class hierarchy. He will probably try to continue Jake's tyranny or try to fight you"
"I'm not interested in fights", Raven looked at him for the first time since the day started. "You really should do more of reading than focus on the class hierarchy, you know?"
"Oh", Mark adjusted his glasses and straightened up. "I have some trouble with Mathematics. I might need your help"
"Alright"
........
* What is she staring at?*
Jake walked back to the class. The fat girl stood by a walk, peeping into the Class D. Jake sneaked behind her and looked too. She was staring at the new student.
"Looks like someone gets to have a crush too", Jake said.
"You know it's weird of you to still act tough now", she faced him, staring with disgust and walked away.
"Uh… that was disrespectful", he said, staring at her. "I know I shouldn't speak on it but it was"
* She's probably still hurt about yesterday…. LoL.*
**★**
Sir Raymond had arrested him, just in time, as though he had been waiting for the exact moment for the bell. "It's time to celebrate your detention, Jake… Don't run away"
"Uh… Fuck!", he muttered.
"Use another cuss word and I will add an extra day to your punishment"
"An extra- what the fuck?!"
"That's it. You got a suspension of two days", Sir Raymond said, excitedly. "A general pardon for anyone who offends tomorrow."
.....
The pungent smell that greeted him brought back some memories. He had been reluctant to join Akademy, hearing of how the bad students end up in the Akademy Dump Site and are never able to return home… but the parents had a level of authority over the children. His father forced him in since he wouldn't do well in any other school.
'Akademy students are always successful, idiot', his father had said. 'They get their jobs immediately they are done'
'And some of them end up in the dump site', Jake replied. 'Did you attend Akademy? I bet you wouldn't have gotten past the dump site'
'I didn't… now I'm given you an opportunity to end up In a dump site'
A glitch appeared before his eyes and the green window was in front of him again. He looked around and it seemed to move with his eyes. He raised his hand slowly and touched it, pulling it down. What the fuck it this?
"Welcome, Jake. You took a while to activate your profile. Was there a challenge?"
A voice spoke in his ear. He had a feeling it was from the figure in front of him but it seemed to be sounding right inside his ears. "Who's this?"
He stared at the window. 'Level 9' was written on it.
"Come on. It's me. You should know my voice, by now"
"It's you"
"You can see your level on the screen… can you see the mission?"
"Mission?", he muttered. Words appeared on the window immediately.
'New Mission: Complete the two detention period without nagging. Reward: Skill Activator. Failure: Zero Consciousness'
"You can see it now"
"Wait. Am I wearing the goggles, right now?", Jake touched his face.
"Yes. You have merged with the goggles", the voice replied. "I am an AI Bot and I will guide you through your missions. With each completion, your account gets automatically credited with $5000-"
"$5000? That's huge!"
"Don't interrupt me… You also get a game reward. If you fail, you get punished or charged", the voice said. "The game has begun, Jake… Good luck"