The afternoon sun glinted off the sheer facades of the sleek metal buildings that towered over the bustling streets below. These were not the dingy concrete byways of the past, but rather smooth ribbons of polished composite, engineered to ease both vehicular and pedestrian traffic flows.
Along the meticulously clean thoroughfares, human forms of all shapes, sizes and technological augmentations intermingled in a delicate ballet of forward motion. Many of the people going about their day had the sheen of chrome robotic limbs or implants visible as they walked.
A woman strode past the whirring mechanics of her prosthetic leg barely audible over the ambient hum of the city. Nearby, a group of men hoisted heavy crates with inhuman ease.
Even more unusual was the sight of a young man seated on the back of what could only be described as a massive, canine-like robot. Unlike a dog, this was clearly a construct of smooth metal and pulsing lights, yet its gait had a distinctly animal smoothness.
Within a car by the street, a young man was gazing at all of this with a speechless expression. disheveled brown hair to his wrinkled, casual clothes, he had the look of someone who hadn't been taking care of himself lately.
Faint shadows under his eyes told of many sleepless nights. Even relaxed against the seat, he looked incredibly exhausted.
Though dressed in wrinkled casual clothes - jeans, a t-shirt, and hoodie - he retained a subtle handsomeness. His features were delicate and sharp, almost elvish. High cheekbones framed a long, narrow nose. His lips were thin but nicely shaped. An inquisitive glimmer lit up his tired, deep blue eyes.
This exhausted yet speechless-looking young man was Nox, who was currently heading toward the Orbital Academy in the cab to attend the first day of new term.
"Even though I have relevant memories about it...experiencing this world first-hand is still rather shocking." Nox muttered to himself as he was lost in thought while sitting on the back seat of the cab.
A full day had passed since his abrupt transmigration and that serendipitous meeting with Lyra. In the time since, he had devoted himself to understanding this strange new world. Long time ago, this world was the same as his previous world- the technological benchmarks or the patterns of daily life.
But it changed since the emergence of Gene Reproduction Technology, that happened 500 years ago. It changed the whole structure of human society. The emergence of gene reproduction technology has reshaped the very foundations of society. Where once natural reproduction held sway, this new ability to precisely engineer offspring made such messy methods obsolete
Gene tech not only minimized birth defects and disabilities but also amplified talents to an extraordinary degree. Each subsequent generation could be carefully crafted, rising standards and abilities ratcheting exponentially up the evolutionary ladder.
This sparked a Golden age for the Federation, the only government in this world. With the limitations of random inheritance eliminated, human talents blossomed across every domain. Visionaries rose up with ideas once confined to fantasy or fiction, now armed with the tools to reshape reality itself via their progeny.
Fields like human enhancement, cybernetics, and virtual immersion experienced massive growth spirals, each breakthrough feeding synergistically into the next. Like bamboo shoots surging skyward after spring rains, these domains expanded explosively across every sphere of human activity.
At the root of it all lay the emergence of gene reproduction technology - a seismic rupture destining humanity for a vastly accelerated ascent. By unlocking control over the building blocks of life itself, both defects and limits could be eliminated while magnifying talents exponentially. Each carefully engineered generation stood on the shoulders of the last, ratcheting standards upward along an ever-steepening curve.
"Sir, we have reached Orbital Academy," the driver announced, jolting Nox out of his swirling thoughts.
Blinking, Nox glanced outside and sure enough, there stood the imposing facade of Orbital Academy. It matched perfectly with the structure in his recollections.
"How much do I owe you?" Nox asked the driver.
"16.8 Federal Dollars," the driver replied.
"Alright, I have transferred the amount. Thank you for the ride," Nox said as he stepped out of the taxi.The door swung shut behind him with a heavy thud. Now standing alone on the sidewalk with the taxi pulling away, Nox gazed up at the academy building.
The Orbital Academy building was an imposing sight, all sleek metal, glass, and gleaming surfaces that rose imposingly into the sky. Students were streaming in and out of the high-tech automatic doors at the main entrance.
The structure resembled two curved wings that wrapped around a central hub, with various rectangular protrusions jutting out between the wings. Everything was constructed out of seamless silver metal and dark mirrored glass.
Groups of uniformed students passed through the wide doors, chatting and lugging books and bags. Hovercars and public transports came and went from the busy pickup/drop-off zone outside the entrance. The wide sidewalks were filled with young people ready to attend new term.
Among them was Nox, looking at the familiar yet unfamiliar structure and flow of people. He felt a strange sense of excitement dwelling within him. Never had he imagined that he would have a chance to attend an academy in this life. In his previous life, he had not been able to attend university for various reasons - one of his biggest regrets.
"Since I have transmigrated here, there's no point dwelling on why's" Nox thought to himself. "I should just live this life to the fullest and make the most of this opportunity."
With newfound determination, a smile appeared on Nox's tired face, as he strode forward ready to welcome his new life.
….. Or that's what he thought.
..But what the hell is going on?
"Males on the right! Females on the left!" barked a bald, severe-looking instructor at the front of the room. Students who had just arrived were shocked hearing the loud shout as they scrambled from their seats.
"You dumb kids, are you here for a picnic or what?" the instructor scolded. "Are you sitting together? Don't you know males and females should keep an appropriate distance?"
"Your only goal for coming to the Orbital Academy is to study!" the instructor declared. "You are not here to copulate with each other. You are humans, not some uncivilized monkeys driven by primal urges."
"So Keep those hormones in check!" The instructor said with a fierce expression,
"Remember, relationships between men and women are strictly forbidden. Anyone who has been found doing that would be punished, Understood?" The fierce instructor declared that now male and females were sitting separately.
At the back seat, near the window, Nox looked at the whole situation while stifling his laughter. This scene was all too familiar - like flashbacks of his own school days when teachers completely overreacted to any hint of adolescent romance.
Am I really attending an academy? Why do I feel I am attending school once again?