The idea of unlocking a class had Lin Xiao's imagination running wild. He envisioned different possibilities.
Maybe he'd become some kind of Memory Master, able to dive deeper into people's thoughts and alter their perceptions in ways that could change reality itself. Or maybe a Stormcaster, using his electrokinesis to summon thunderstorms and control lightning.
The possibilities were endless, but Lin Xiao knew better than to dwell on speculation. For now, he needed to stay focused and wait for the mission to reveal itself.
As he walked through the school gates, he took a deep breath. The familiar sight of students milling around the courtyard, chatting in small groups, and heading to their classes made him feel a little more grounded.
In this timeline, his school life seemed to be the same, at least on the surface. He recognized many of the faces, and the campus architecture was identical to what he remembered from his previous timeline.
However, there were differences. His relationships, for instance. He recalled that in his previous timeline, he had been close to some people—like Chen Manyao. She had been an important figure, but in this timeline, he hadn't talked to her.
In fact, he had been so focused on the system and its missions that he never really formed any close bonds with his classmates.
"Chen Manyao," he murmured under his breath, recalling her face. He remembered their interactions from the previous timeline, how they had grown close while facing dangers together.
But now, in this timeline, she was just another classmate, someone he had never spoken to. It was a strange feeling, knowing that there was a version of him that had shared so much with her, yet here, they were practically strangers.
His other relationships had also suffered because of the system's demands. In the pursuit of completing missions and leveling up, Lin Xiao had unintentionally distanced himself from the people around him.
He never had time for casual hangouts, never made small talk with others. He had always been too busy chasing the next task, the next reward, the next level-up.
Lin Xiao shook his head as he walked into the school building. Was it all worth it? he wondered. He had grown stronger, sure. He had developed powers beyond anyone's imagination, but at the cost of something deeper—human connection.
Now that he was back in the prime timeline, he had a chance to change that, a chance to rebuild relationships that had been neglected. But with the looming mission and the promise of a new class, could he really afford to focus on anything else?
Lin Xiao made his way through the familiar corridors of the school, heading toward the teachers' room.
The pale sunlight streaming through the large windows painted everything in a soft morning glow, giving the school an almost dreamlike atmosphere. Students milled around, chatting and laughing, their lives seemingly unchanged.
Lin Xiao, however, felt the weight of two timelines pressing against his mind, blurring the lines of reality. He had to remind himself that this was the real timeline, the prime one, where things had gone back to normal—or as close to normal as they could be after waking from a coma.
When he reached the teachers' room, he found his homeroom teacher, Mr. Li, busy looking over some papers at his desk. Lin Xiao hesitated for a moment before knocking lightly on the door.
"Ah, Lin Xiao!" Mr. Li looked up, surprised. "You're back. It's good to see you on your feet again. How are you feeling?"
"I'm feeling fine now, thanks," Lin Xiao replied, trying to muster a smile. His voice sounded steady, though inside, the memories of his previous timelines made the moment feel surreal.
"That's good to hear," Mr. Li said warmly, standing up and walking over to him. "We were all worried about you. Come, I'll walk with you to the classroom. The students will be glad to see you're alright."
Lin Xiao nodded, following Mr. Li out of the teachers' room and toward his homeroom class.
When they arrived at the classroom, Mr. Li opened the door and motioned for Lin Xiao to enter first. The room fell silent as all eyes turned toward him, a mixture of curiosity and concern in their gazes. Some of the students who had known him before his coma whispered to each other, while others simply watched, unsure of what to expect.
"Alright, everyone," Mr. Li said as he stood by the front of the room, placing a hand on Lin Xiao's shoulder. "As you can see, Lin Xiao has recovered from his coma, and he's back with us now. Let's give him a warm welcome."
There was a polite round of applause from the class. Lin Xiao stood there, calm, surprisingly unaffected by the attention.
In the past, he might have felt nervous standing in front of a room full of people, but now, after everything he'd been through in the other timelines, it was hard to feel rattled by something as simple as this. Compared to fighting for his life or facing supernatural forces, this felt trivial.
Mr. Li continued, "We'll take things slow at first, Lin Xiao, to make sure you're fully adjusted. If you need help catching up on any work, don't hesitate to ask."
Lin Xiao gave a nod of thanks, and Mr. Li motioned for him to take a seat. As he walked to his desk, the room gradually returned to its usual rhythm.
Conversations picked up again, and the students seemed to ease back into their routines, though Lin Xiao could still feel the occasional glance in his direction.
Throughout the lesson, Lin Xiao tried to focus, but the merging of his two sets of memories made it difficult. He found himself thinking about classmates like Chen Manyao and Zhang Wei, remembering moments from another timeline when they had been close to him.
When the class finally ended, Lin Xiao stood by his desk, watching as the students began to file out of the room. A part of him wanted to talk to them, to reconnect, but as he opened his mouth to speak, his words faltered.
Memories from the alternate timeline flashed in his mind—conversations he'd had with these same people, but in completely different contexts. The words felt out of place now, as though they belonged to another version of him, not the one standing here.
He managed to exchange a few pleasantries with some of his classmates, but even then, the interactions felt strange, like he was acting out a part in a play.