[14th Everdusk 2103]
"Hi kid, open the door, or you know the consequences of being late," someone called from outside the apartment door. Even though Evan didn't recognize the voice, his memory reminded him who was likely to come at this time.
/Knock//Knock//Knock/
"Coming, wait a second," Evan replied, making a show of walking noises.
He slammed the bathroom door to feign busyness and then hurriedly opened the front gate where two guys were standing.
"Kid, you're kind of late, you know," said one, whose name was Kale. The other, named Brin, was lighting up his cigarette, which Evan disliked intensely.
"Sorry, sir, I was just coming when I heard you, but I got delayed putting on my clothes," Evan explained, which was true; before he had taken over this body, the guy had just gotten out of the bath and was preparing for school.
"Okay, listen, we're here to go to school with you since today's your awakening day, right? So just get into a good class and join our big guild, kid," Brin said, exhaling a puff of smoke.
"Oh yes, sir, I'll try to. But the class is decided by fate, so I can't say much about it," Evan replied, trying to appease him, knowing the consequences if he didn't.
"So, get ready and come out. Today is the final day you'll be allowed to live here, and if you want to continue, you'll have to earn money," Kale stated bluntly, imparting a harsh life lesson.
"Oh yes, I was prepared beforehand and had already packed my bag in case I needed to leave," Evan said as politely as he could manage. However, in truth, he was itching to give both of these guys a piece of his mind; they had been nothing but trouble for him for the past eight years, starting with a beating.
They used his room for their own purposes, and whatever money he earned from the guild, he was forced to pay them a 'protection fee.' The previous owner of his body had complied easily, powerless against these first-tier bullies.
"Enough talk, let's head to your school. Today, you'll prove whether you're of any use or just a waste to society," Kale said, urging him to hurry and grab his bag.
Since it was the last day of school, the students were instructed to come without their bags. After the class's awakening, they would be sent to the beginner's dungeon reserved for them by the school.
"Just a moment, sir, I'll be right back," Evan replied, heading inside to fetch the apartment key. With a forced smile, he exited, locked the door, and slipped the key into his pocket, determined not to hand it over to Kale and Brin.
"Hand over the key, kid. What if you die in the dungeon?" Brin demanded, his harsh words stinging Evan.
"Sir, there's no need to worry. The teachings of my parents aren't so frail that I'd die in a mere dungeon," Evan retorted, stubbornly refusing to hand over the key, though he didn't show his defiance.
"But still, kid, there's always a possibility of it," Kale said, which Evan politely denied.
"Sir, but what if I have to move from here? How will I retrieve my belongings? Are you afraid I'll run off with them? How could I run away with this key when you are tier-one warriors and I am merely a base human?" Evan argued, convincing them after his boastful claim, and they agreed to let him have it.
"Okay, let's go, kid. You know how to win us over," Brin said as they all walked out of the building towards the school.
His school was not far, and he was thankful for that; it took him only a few minutes to travel there.
He stood in front of the school, which was not much smaller than his previous one. Evan was astounded to see the world here, even though it was his third visit. The vehicles and other items were quite different from those in his place, as the world had advanced significantly in the past eighty-three years.
Mana was an excellent energy source that could be harnessed from mana crystals found in dungeons or nexus worlds.
The entire technology community was powered by mana crystals, making fossil fuels and related products quite antiquated in this era.
He was just getting amazed when he saw the other students, just like him, walking away toward the school.
Kale and Brin stopped in front of the school gates, and Evan noticed they were not coming toward the school.
"What happened, sir? Aren't you coming inside to see it?" Evan asked, unsure why they were not entering.
"Oh, it's okay. We will meet you at the beginner dungeon site, and don't forget to meet us after the awakening, or you know, kid, what would happen," Kale said, showing him the punch.
"Y-yes, sir, I will remember it," Evan said with panic and ran inside.
He looked back and found that they weren't there, which made him feel quite relieved.
"Phew, now that those two morons are gone, I can act on my own. As for the class I awaken, I have my ways. After deciding not to join the guild, and for home purposes, I have the savings money... I mean, this body has saved to use in tough times, which can help me hold on for two months easily. In the meantime, I can easily earn money," he thought, confident that his plan was foolproof.
"Well, let's get going before the real thing starts," Evan said and rushed into the main building to get to his class.
His senior class was section 12-3. He now believed that in his two past lives, he had arrived here in the year 2104, which was one year ahead of this time, allowing him access to many things previously out of reach.
Perhaps his former classmates were enjoying their eleventh grade in different countries.
Indeed, in all three of his lives, he had been transported to various countries, each experience distinct from the last.
He didn't hesitate any longer and entered his classroom, which was abuzz with cheerfulness. The chatter suddenly hushed, mistaking him for the teacher, but upon realizing it was Evan, they resumed their conversations.
Evan had anticipated this; he was disconnected from everyone, treated like an unwanted bacterium. No one wished to engage with him, and sometimes even the teachers overlooked his absence until they noticed an empty seat.
It's likely that half of them didn't even know his first name, let alone his surname, or anything more about him, such as the fact that he was an orphan.
-- To be continued --
A/N: If you enjoyed the chapter, let me know in the comments and support me with power stones! I crave them as they fuel my writing skills and imagination, helping me craft future chapters with many thrilling twists and turns.