William lay tense on his bed, his senses on high alert as he glanced nervously from side to side, checking for any signs of an intruder silently invading his privacy. Satisfied that he was alone, he slowly retreated further into the comfort of his bed, closing his eyes tightly as he willed himself to return to his original body.
As he concentrated, he felt the fabric of time shifting around him, the very space around him seeming to crack slightly as he willed the transition to occur.
Suddenly, the soft embrace of the fluffy bed disappeared, replaced by the firmness of hardwood beneath him. A small, unconscious smile played on his lips as he relished the sensation of the familiar hardwood beneath him.
Opening his eyes, he took in the sight of his messy room, the dim light casting shadows across the worn furniture. His gaze fell upon the rusted fan in the corner, its blades barely spinning as it emitted a faint, rhythmic creak. Despite the less-than-ideal surroundings, William felt a sense of relief wash over him at being back in his own body, in his own space.
William rose from his bed, his muscles protesting slightly after the tension of his earlier ordeal. He glanced around the cluttered room, feeling a pang of annoyance at the mess that had accumulated over time. As he stretched his limbs, he pondered his next move.
"What should I do now?" he muttered to himself, his voice barely audible in the confines of his room. Despite the lack of any immediate obligations, a small glimmer of excitement sparked within him.
A mischievous smile tugged at the corners of his lips as he delved into the recesses of his mind, where a couple of gold bars were stashed.
This was the ability that he had gotten when the trial period was over. An ability to bring items from the interstellar to Earth, which right now, had a different meaning to William
Mindful of his surroundings, William decided to exercise caution. Instead of manifesting his gold bar within the confines of his room, he retreated to the cramped confines of the toilet. It was a space so small that it barely accommodated a single person, a fact that amused him despite its impracticality.
Surveying the tiny room with a critical eye, William searched for any signs of surveillance. Though he chided himself for his paranoia, he couldn't shake the nagging feeling that unseen eyes might be watching his every move.
Drawing on his knowledge gleaned from countless novels and stories, he remained vigilant, unwilling to dismiss the possibility of danger.
Despite his skepticism about being the protagonist of some grand narrative, William understood the privilege he possessed, recognizing that others would kill to be in his position. With a mixture of caution and determination, he resolved to navigate the uncertain path ahead, mindful of the potential pitfalls that lay in wait.
He concentrated intensely, willing the gold to manifest into reality. Out of thin air, the gleaming gold bar materialized before him. However, in his haste and excitement, he fumbled the catch. Despite his recent improvement in physical prowess, the gold bar slipped from his grasp and plummeted into the toilet with a resounding splash.
William's expression turned from anticipation to disbelief as he stared at the gold bar now submerged in the murky water. A string of colorful curses echoed from the confines of the bathroom, a stark contrast to the otherwise quiet atmosphere of his room.
***************
"Yeah, thanks man, we'll meet at the park," William spoke into his phone, the device precariously balanced on his tilted head. He washed his hands with exaggerated care like he had some feud with it.
But the careless smile that hung on William expressed his current mood.
He was very careful when he brought the gold ornaments onto Earth. Fortunately, the regulations of the Great Federation regarding illegal gold weren't overly strict, affording him some leeway in his actions.
But the problem was that every illegal gold deal was done through the underworld, and William had read too many novels to do such an amateur move.
In reality, he knew that he was just a small cog in the vast machinery of illegal gold trading. With the amount of gold he possessed, he was nothing more than a mere blip on the radar, easily overlooked amidst the larger operations that spanned across Earth.
But all the novels that he had read had taught him otherwise. So, he had involved the people he had really trusted. The one that was on the phone was a colleague of William who had also dropped out because of...
William shook his head, pushing aside thoughts of his past as he focused on the more pressing issue at hand. He furrowed his brow, his mind swirling with uncertainty as he questioned the wisdom of his actions.
The Federation was on the brink of upheaval, a fact that William had gleaned from his meticulous calculations of time dilation. He had entered the interstellar domain at 12:00 PM and returned to his body after six hours, effectively compressing each month in that realm into an hour of planetary time.
As he contemplated the ramifications of his involvement, William couldn't shake the feeling of apprehension that gripped him. Was this truly the right move? Despite his careful planning and the involvement of trusted allies, doubts nagged at the edges of his mind, reminding him of the unpredictable nature of the universe.
With a heavy sigh, William knew that there was no turning back now. The wheels had been set in motion, and he was committed to seeing his plan through to the end, come what may
As William mulled over the implications of the tutorial phase, a sense of unease settled over him. He understood that the return of individuals with the potential to wreak havoc on a planetary scale was a cause for concern. While he doubted that anyone would stoop so low as to bring a nuclear weapon into play, he couldn't dismiss the possibility entirely. After all, the tutorial phase served a deeper purpose than its surface appearance suggested.
To William, the "tutorial" was more than just a training ground for budding space travelers. It was a purge, a methodical elimination of the incompetent and reckless elements from the game.
Only those with true competence, strategic thinking, and level-headedness could hope to survive its trials. It was a ruthless culling of the weak and unfit, ensuring that only the most capable would emerge victorious.
Yet, even with this understanding, William couldn't shake the nagging worry that lingered in the back of his mind. The thought of someone wielding such destructive power without restraint was a chilling prospect, one that filled him with a sense of foreboding.
His thoughts turned to the Federation and their potential response to the return of these powerful individuals, known as the "Lords." Would they attempt to capture and brainwash them, or would they resort to more drastic measures, such as elimination?
William knew that only the noble families of governors or senators stood a chance of escaping such a fate, thanks to their privileged positions within the hierarchy of power.
Reflecting on the Federation's approach to unifying Earth's diverse cultures, William couldn't help but marvel at their ingenuity. By incorporating each system's unique characteristics and adapting them to fit their vision, they managed to create a cohesive and inclusive society.
Yet, beneath the facade of unity lay a complex web of politics and power struggles, a reality that William knew all too well.
William shook his head as he moved towards the door to get some fresh air. He opened the door and froze.
The FBA was on his front door.
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