Awaking to sunlight pouring onto his face Adrian stretched and subsequently yawned soon after, everyone else was still sound asleep so Adrian took the time to check his status page.
[Tome of Essentech]
\u003c User: Adrian Essentech \u003e
\u003c Race: Halfling \u003e
\u003c Level 1/10 \u003e
\u003c 5/50 exp \u003e
\u003c HP 10/10 \u003e
\u003c SP 25/25 \u003e
\u003c Strength: 1 \u003e
\u003c Endurance: 1 \u003e
\u003c Dexterity: 1 \u003e
\u003c Soul Mastery: 1 \u003e
\u003c Charm: 1 \u003e
\u003c 5 Stat Points available \u003e
"Oh right, I totally forgot that I still had 5 stat points to spen- wait Halfling?! I'm a human you cheap bastard!" Adrian cried, causing both Ryan and Sebastian to shift over in their sleep. Adrian lowered his voice..
"Oi you stupid book explain what's the meaning of this? I'm a human! What even is a Halfling? I totally grazed past that last time.."
The book resonated and flipped to a page that seemingly had always been there.
\u003c Race: Halfling \u003e
{Halfling. A creature in transition to a higher lifeform. Once it reaches its full potential as a Halfling it will undergo a transformation, the duration of this transformation is dependent on the lifeform it will turn into.}
"Adrians mind was ringing and his heart was pounding. "Full potential? Does that mean I have to reach level ten before i can evolve? How do i know what i will turn into? What if i grow horns? Or a tail! This is terrible.."
An extended piece of text appeared below that description.
{Outcome of an Evolution cannot be predicted.}
Stressed Adrian rested his forehead in his palms and the book vanished as he had willed it to. Thinking and now knowing that he was no longer human he wondered what that implied.
Suddenly a large, plush looking pillow parted the air in Adrian's direction and before he had the chance to react, ploughed directly into his face.
When the pillow finally descended from his face there was a permanent smile plastered to his face. "I see how it is you overgrown pest, arms in the air before I wage war on yer seas and plunder yer bounty!" Adrian roared enthusiastically with two pillows in a firm grip, poised towards his offender.
Sebastian, in his utter horror, raised his arms high in an effort to surrender. "Please O' mighty one, do not strike me down for i bring ye a gracious gift!" Sebastian said, trying utmost to not have his bounty plundered.
"Then hand over yer' ammunition so that I may be comforted by your vulnerability." Adrian said, his heart racing with the excitement of it all, he could say right now was the most fun he'd had with anyone in his life, just a simple pillow fight had made his life seem boring and secluded. But he didn't feel any of those depressing thoughts right now, he was much too excited about Sebastian handing over his pillows and stealing Ryan's despite his discomfort and grumpy attitude.
"Here" Sebastian said, leaning over the edge of his bed and handing the pillows to Adrian.
But unexpectedly, just as Adrian had leaned over the edge of his bed to grab the pillow, it was retracted and smashed on his head, tipping his balance towards the floor instead of his comfortable bed and he fell with a loud bang!
Not long after, chuckles could be heard outside the dorm room numbered 66, and very quickly those chuckles evolved into an eruption of cackles and laughter.
Wiping away tears, the laughter subsided and a soft chime emanated from their wristwatches, drawing their attention. A holographic message blinked into existence, displaying a wake up call at 8 and a curfew time of 10 PM. It was a reminder that they needed to be indoors before then.
Adrian glanced at his watch, then at Sebastian. "Well, it seems the academy has its rules, even for the mighty pirates," he teased, a playful glint in his eye.
Sebastian let out an exaggerated sigh. "Aye, I suppose we'll have to obey for now. Wouldn't want to invoke the wrath of the headmasters on our first day."
Ryan, still nursing a slightly wounded pride from the earlier pillow fight, opted to stay behind. His grumpy demeanour seemed to suggest he needed some time to himself.
With a shared glance, Adrian and Sebastian made their way towards the canteen. The girls' room was empty, indicating they had likely gone to grab a meal or explore the campus.
As they walked, Adrian couldn't help but feel a sense of camaraderie with Sebastian. It was reassuring to have a friend in this unfamiliar place. "So, Sebastian, what do you make of all this? The academy, the training... everything," Adrian asked, genuinely curious about his companion's thoughts.
Sebastian pondered for a moment, his gaze fixed ahead. "It's a lot to take in, that's for certain. But there's a certain thrill to it, don't you think? The promise of learning and growing, the potential for power..." He trailed off, a hint of excitement in his voice.
Adrian nodded, a grin spreading across his face. "Aye, you've got a point there. I've never been one for sitting idle, and this place seems like it'll keep us on our toes."
As they entered the canteen, the aroma of freshly cooked meals filled the air. The room was abuzz with the chatter of fellow cadets, each finding their place in this new environment.
They grabbed trays and began to peruse the food options, the wide array of dishes a testament to the diversity of the student body. Adrian couldn't help but load his tray with a bit of everything, his appetite insatiable.
Sebastian, more reserved in his choices, selected a balanced meal. "I hear they have quite the curriculum here," he commented, glancing at Adrian. "Have you decided on your classes yet?"
Adrian raised an eyebrow, pausing in thought. "I think I'll go with Beast Weaponry. Seems like it'll give me an edge."
Sebastian nodded in agreement. "I'm leaning towards Elemental Mastery. There's a certain finesse to it that I find appealing. I can just make any weapon I need from Earth,"
As they settled into their seats, Adrian couldn't help but feel a sense of optimism about the future. The academy held a world of possibilities, and he was determined to make the most of it. With a satisfied sigh, he began to dig into his meal.
While eating though he was unfortunately disturbed by a rather strange opportunity.
Ding!
[Would you like to add Sebastian Lockheed to your Party]
Adrian blinked.
'Party? What's that?' He thought. Just then the system seemed to react.
[Those in your party will give you exp when they defeat enemies, and can also be located at any point so long as they remain in your party.]
'W- Whoa.' Adrian could hardly contain his excitement and without an ounce of hesitation thought of the words "YES" in his mind.
[Sebastian Lockheed has been added to the Party]
.
.
.
[Assessing Status Now]
[Tome of Essentech]
\u003c User: Sebastian Lockheed \u003e
\u003c Race: Human \u003e
\u003c HP: 10/10 \u003e
\u003c Strength: 10 \u003e
\u003c Agility: 8 \u003e
\u003c Stamina: 9 \u003e
\u003c Active Ability: Earth Manipulation \u003e
\u003c Skills \u003e
\u003c Earthquake Strike (Active Skill) \u003e
\u003c Rock Shield (Active Skill) \u003e
\u003c Terraform (Passive Skill) \u003e
Adrian had barely taken a bite of his meal when the realization of the new system format sunk in. He quickly thought of the party function and just like that the Tome of Essentech appeared before him and displayed a projection holding him, his party member and their location in the small minimap page. It displayed a simple interface with options he had yet to explore. Among them was the map function and a locator for Sebastian represented by a blue shield.
'If I am to grow and obtain an ability- or at leased find out if this counts as an ability, I should explore all my options' He thought optimistically. He opened up the bigger version of the map page in his book and like before it projected a map but this one covered his field of vision. It was massive! It revealed Planets, Wormholes, what looked like a boarder for the galaxy and earth! Thinking about earth the moment he saw it, it zoomed in on his location and to his astonishment he was on the other side of earth. The Dead Zone.
This revelation jolted his mind, he was in shock.
'Last I heard the Dead Zone was terrain inhabited by a spreading kind of mold, it was a mutation of a rare kind of mold before the war and due to the nuclear radiation, well, it gained energy units. As a result it took over an entire continent. That continent later being renamed as The Dead Zone as its technically impossible to avoid it. Even with flight abilities you have to land eventually, and the moment you do your eaten alive by Mushrooms and Fungai, mold and urchins.' He shuddered at the heart wrenching scene playing itself over in his mind. Watching the life drain from a man who's eyes and tears had been leached of all moisture.
Surveying the detailed layout of the academy grounds. It was marked with various points of interest: the training grounds, classrooms, library, dormitories, and a portal storage room. Something more was a black star icon somewhere below one of the offices of the head teachers at Westcovern Academy. 'Now this is interesting. How did this Magic Book give me access to secrets even it shouldn't know?'
As Adrian zoomed in, he could see the real-time movement of the students. Each tiny blue blip on the map represented a student, going about their activities. It was a marvel of technology, providing a bird's-eye view of the bustling academy.
Adrian couldn't help but be impressed. The level of detail was astounding, and it made him feel like he held a secret window into the heart of the academy. With a sense of awe, he explored the map, familiarizing himself with the layout and the locations of different facilities.
Then, his attention turned to the party function. With a tap, he accessed the submenu. It listed the members of his party: himself and Sebastian. There were options to kick Sebastian from the party. A share experience function as well as a locator. 'Intriguing, I wonder if this is the extent of this party function. Its like the longer I have this book the more segments it unlocks. Is it perhaps related to time?' He thought, trying to come up with anything that would get a reaction out of the book. But alas, nothing.
Adrian decided that he should finish his food and head to class. Since Sebastian was busy socialising over on another table, he was fairly popular. He would just have to make do alone, which actually didn't bother Adrian, he took comfort in his solitude, unlike most at this school.
As he walked towards the East Wing of the First Floor, specially reserved for First years and Beast Weapon Classes, he took a step through the archway and into a sea of glaring eyes. He hadn't realised what he had walked himself into in the slightest.