While the events unfolded at the Luck Goddess Palace, Aiden, Rey, and Victor were conversing in a secluded street.
"So, what's your plan now? Are you going to go in wearing those clothes?" Aiden inquired, eyeing the boy who seemed perplexed and glanced down at his attire to find it torn in several places.
"When did this happen?" he questioned, certain that just a short while ago his clothes had been intact.
Now, he appeared no better than a beggar.
"What am I supposed to do now? School starts in two minutes, and here we are, still outside in these rags," he lamented, beginning to tug at his hair in frustration.
[Well, I can assist you with that.] Zero, who had been dormant throughout the ordeal, spoke up. Upon hearing this, Rey's eyes lit up, having nearly forgotten about Zero's abilities.
"Yes, please, and make it quick. I need to get to school urgently," he urged, anticipating the impending transformation.
"Hello, Zero, did you forget something?" he called out, as time ticked by. But then, he felt mana coursing towards his skin, and with a burst, his body was enveloped in a shiny liquid metal, consuming his clothes until he stood in only his shorts, yet cloaked in Zero's particles.
The particles start changing and in few seconds their color changed in the school uniform color.
New attire adorned his frame: a pair of grey trousers, a crisp white shirt, and a grey tie, all complemented by his impeccably polished shoes.
"Wow, Zero, this is just like those main characters in stories who transform like this," Rey exclaimed. He attempted the same, but his clothes became oversized, making him resemble a child draped in an adult's wardrobe. Zero corrected the fit, and Rey vowed not to attempt such a thing in public until he had mastered control.
"Let's head out for the final day," he declared, approaching the school gates only to find them shut, halting him in his tracks.
"Not this again," he muttered, certain that punishment was inevitable today.
Approaching the gate, he spied Sir Peter standing there with a book, scanning the surroundings as if waiting for someone. Rey knew he was the one they were seeking.
"I'm in for it today," he thought, about to step forward when Aiden interjected.
"Wait, kid, why go that way? Can't you just scale the wall?" Aiden suggested, confident in Rey's newfound strength.
"But I'm so wea... Yes, you're right, I can do this," Rey corrected himself, recalling his enhanced abilities.
He approached a section of the wall away from the main gate. Standing at five feet seven inches tall, the wall's six-foot stature seemed surmountable.
He leapt, barely missing the top on his first attempt. On the second try, he exerted more force and managed to grasp the edge, though now he dangled precariously, aware that the guards might soon conduct their patrol.
He hoisted himself up, and with the support of his legs, he managed to reach and climb onto it with ease. Once he accomplished this, he jumped into the school, checked if anyone was watching, and then cautiously walked towards his class. Upon arrival, he noticed the teacher was absent, so he opened the door and entered.
The entire class was a mix of confusion and other emotions as he made his entrance.
He observed his classmates; the girls were eyeing him and whispering into their friends' ears, while some of the boys looked on with envy and jealousy.
"Who are you, and what are you doing here?" asked the student in the first seat, the class monitor named Jim.
"What are you talking about? Why can't I be here? I'm a student in this class, your classmate," he replied, shocked by the hostility that made his classmates not recognize him.
"You do realize this is the senior class, right? I don't recall any student in our class with your face," Jim stated, confident he had never seen him before.
"Huh, you must still be sleepy, Jim. I'm Rey Dragonstorm, a student in this class, and I have every right to be here," he retorted. At first, the class fell silent, but then erupted into an uproar. The commotion drew students from different sections of the senior classes, who arrived expecting a fight but instead found a new guy standing there, with everyone staring at him.
"What happened and why are you making so much noise?" a guy asked his friend in class.
"That cool dude over there claims he's Rey, the nerdy-looking one. Do you think someone can change that much in just about two days?" he explained as the news spread rapidly, and everyone was surprised, yet no one was ready to believe it.
The news reached the ears of his blond friend, James, who immediately came looking for him.
He found a new guy sitting at his friend's bench, perusing his books.
"Hey, who are you, and why are you sitting at my friend's sea..." he began, but was interrupted.
"Oh, James! I was just about to look for you and Evan, and here you come to me. But where is Evan? I thought you two always arrived together," he said as he stood up and gave him a brief hug.
"Rey, is that you?" he asked, recognizing the voice and manner of speaking, but not the face.
"Yes, it's me. Why is everyone making such a fuss?" he replied, still not understanding the situation.
"They're shocked by your face," he explained, as Rey, still puzzled, finally understood.
"Oh, that's why. I'll tell you later; it's a secret. But where's Evan? I don't see him around," he asked, growing impatient, fearing Evan hadn't been able to escape or that something had happened to him.
"I was also going to ask you, as I haven't seen Evan since you were on leave, and he was too." James said as Rey who was about to ask more stopped.
"Boy, I have something to say," Aiden announced as he materialized beside him, invisible to all but him.
'What's happened now?' He inquired mentally.
"It seems your friend is no longer in this world," Aiden declared, causing Rey's mind to go blank.
"Huh," was all he could muster.
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To be continued.
Author's note: Why did Aiden say that? Is Evan truly gone? And another question: why did Rey refer to himself as Dragonstrom when his system panel names him Shadowthrone? Is there a story behind it? Stay tuned to find out.