In the United States, Thomas found himself feeling like a fish out of water, a disconnect from his peers and the environment around him. Hailing from New York, he couldn't help but contemplate the significance of the situation.
"If this is not some kind of stunt, it means string theory is real," he pondered, delving into the realms of the 11-dimensional theory. His thoughts wandered to the existence of wormholes, pathways that connected other worlds, although they remained too small and unstable for travel. In order to traverse these wormholes, the people from other worlds would need to find a power source to expand them.
While lost in his thoughts, a fellow classmate approached Thomas, calling out to him, "Here you are, you loser!" However, Thomas was too deep in contemplation to notice.
The classmate grew frustrated, swinging his leg towards Thomas with a forceful blow. The impact sent Thomas tumbling from his bench, crashing to the ground below. Though disoriented, Thomas managed to stand up and confront the person responsible for the attack.
"Why are you doing this?" he spoke up, his eyes meeting those of his tormentor. Upon assessing the situation, Thomas was overcome with fear, and he adopted a meek and submissive tone as he apologized, saying, "Oh, it was you. I apologize for my earlier behavior. Do you need anything? Can you please explain what's going on?"
It was apparent that Thomas harbored a certain aversion towards men, though it wasn't fear but rather a lack of concern for their opinions or the public's perception. Despite this, his tone remained sincere. As Thomas offered his apology, the man who had assaulted him felt compelled to speak again.
"Man, you didn't respond when I called out to you earlier. And now you're acting like I'm the one bullying you. It's not true. If you continue with these strange actions towards my fellow students, I'll have to give you a proper beating, you bookworm," the man taunted, his voice filled with mockery while his expression hinted at sincerity. With that, he threw a punch directed at Thomas's face, but Thomas managed to block it with a crosshand defense. The impact, however, knocked him to the ground once more.
As he lay there, Thomas began to shrink his body, muttering beneath his breath, "I apologize... I'm sorry." But despite the beating he endured, Thomas seemed unaffected, almost bored with the entire ordeal, and eager to bring it to an end.
Within the classroom, a man beating a young boy could be witnessed, both of them surrounded by their peers. The boy lay on the ground, blood seeping from his mouth. Meanwhile, Thomas's thoughts continued to swirl. "How long do I have to be a punching bag? This is so damn boring... If I were to fight back, he'd end up pulverized. But it would unfold like last time... I wish I could climb the tower. Wait, if the tower really exists, even though I know this is probably just a prank, can I get an invitation? Please invite me. I'll do anything. This life is freaking boring, and I need some excitement."
The man continued relentless in his assault, kicking Thomas's abdomen with no signs of stopping. Thomas endured each blow silently, occasionally twitching as if contemplating retaliating, only to suppress his impulses for reasons unknown.
Thomas endured the relentless beating without raising his fist, feeling his consciousness slipping away. Suddenly, a strange message appeared before him, stating that he had been chosen to climb the tower. Despite believing it to be a hallucination, Thomas found himself saying, "I know this is all in my head, but yeah, I want to climb the tower."
The message noted his seeking tendency, stubbornness, ideal physical body for fighting, high IQ, and stable genes. It mentioned that he would be given a task, and if he completed it, the administrator would invite him to the tower. Confused, Thomas wondered if he was losing his mind.
The task was revealed to be the preparation of his mental power, with the strength being sealed. As the task updated, Thomas contemplated its absurdity. Then, he overheard someone refer to him as the "black devil" who lost his will to fight after his girlfriend became involved with a gang. This comment sparked a change in the atmosphere around Thomas.
The man who had been beating him paused, expressing satisfaction in beating the infamous Lone Devil. But Thomas's resistance was growing. Covered in blood, he mustered the strength to stand and shouted, "Hey, you f*cking sh*t head!" The man's demeanor shifted, sensing something threatening, like the voice of the Reaper.
Before the man could continue his trash talk, Thomas's fist flew towards him, landing a punch in his mouth. Blood flowing from his nose and with a scratched cheek, Thomas glared at the man with an emotionless expression. His breathing became heavy as if he was suppressing something.
Confused and fearful, the man muttered to himself, "What did I do now? He really messed me up." T explaining, "Hey, it was a joke. I was helping you preserve your sturdiness." The man pleaded for Thomas to spare him, as if trying to backpedal, but Thomas had other plans.
Thomas leaped towards the man, ready to engage, but he felt a strange tingling sensation in his body. As he was in mid-air, about to make contact with his opponent, his hand suddenly disappeared. Thomas exclaimed in frustration, "Thomas, you damn tower, don't invite me now!"