Walking back to the dorm after successfully escaping the unending guttural stare of devourism from the girls and inferiority stings from the male students, Ace booked his steps steadily towards Room 101.
About ten steps away from the door, Armij suddenly popped out of nowhere, a look of disappointment plastered on his face as he pulled Ace toward a wall.
He began revolting with words immediately they had settled.
"I really thought it was all just a rumor, but it seems you're really the prince who came into the picture to steal the show for me." He said, shaking his head, expressing disappointment with his finger holding his chin as if he was doing some deep thinking.
"It all makes sense why you told the nurse not to touch your body when you were taken to the hospital." Armin continued with a slight scoff.
"You're not asking for an apology, are you?" Ace asked, his hands finding their way into their normal abode— within his trousers.
"Make me feel better at least." Armin frowned, rolling his eyes playfully. "I've always thought; if you were to embody the word 'beautiful' into a form, it would be this face and now… you're a threat to my beautiful existence?" He continued, making a dramatic illustration on his face.
With a slight tut, he continued, "Feels good to have the academy's new playboy as my friend either way." He admitted.
"You begged for it." Ace scoffed, forcing both to laugh.
"Sorry about your grandmother." Armin said after their bant, raising that discussion for a jiffy just to console Ace's spirit.
With a slight wave, Ace waded a reply; "Not like you killed her or something."
The mood dampened, none of them wanting to take the risk of talking first, allowing the overwhelming silence consume them just like it has done with the dorm's corridor.
"What's your secret for the hulk build?" Armin finally cheered, breaking the mood with his banter.
"Styrofoams?" Ace replied, forcing a heartfelt chuckle from both boys ringing through the hall.
Evening was setting in fast and the corners were starting to dim out with natural lights, shaking a quick shift with the artificial lights illuminating the whole academy.
As the laugh died down, Armin raised a question again.
"Have you seen my girl?"
"Dawn?" Ace returned with a question, sifting his fingers through his hair while Armin gave a small nod as a response. "We parted ways at the library about ten minutes ago."
It took just five seconds before these words of his finally made sense to Armin who shot a deadly stare at Ace at once.
"Eh? You've been meeting with my girl behind my back?" He lasered out, burying his fingers into Ace's shoulder.
"Chill off man!" Ace said, wriggling out of his hold.
"Watch your back, Ace." Armin warned playfully, squinting his eyes before dashing off, leaving Ace to the silent corridor.
With a slight scoff, Ace turned, ready to continue his journey back to the dorm room afterall, he needed to connect more dots about the sudden turn of events over the past few days.
On an attempt to flap on the bed and put his mind to work, a familiar sound resonated out of nowhere, calling his attention to some important things he had forgotten for a while.
[Ding!]
Multiple system notifications began to flood into his view as if the system had been waiting for that exact moment to disrupt his peaceful rest and thoughts.
[Host's status has been updated]
[You have received two new quests]
[Would you like to check the quests first?]
Without thinking too deeply, Ace clicked on the status icon as he was eager to see the new updates since his encounter with the dungeon and the mundane energy he had harnessed at the welfare home with Tzuyu.
—HOST STATUS WINDOW—
Host: Ace Kiryū
Age: 17
Race: Nihiliths
Class: Summoner(Draconis)
Level: 7
—STATS—
-Strength: 99
-Agility: 90
-Intelligence: 65
-Endurance: 82
-Exp: 2500
-Mana: 100
-Stat points- [50+12]
"Hmm." He hummed to himself, fishing out the little changes about his stat. "Why is my race not human instead of nihiliths?"
[Because you're not human?]
"How am I not human?" Ace continued, taking a proper look at his arms like he could read the answer to his question on them.
[...]
"Perhaps It's a hybrid kind of race?" He continued with a question, but the system gave him yet no response.
[...]
"Guess we will find out soon." He murmured, feeling a little edgy with the silent treatment the system was suddenly offering.
[Pending quest(s)]
"Right!"
His stats dashboard cleared up with a soft swoosh, making way for the quest tab.
[Quest (I: Training)]
[Title: Defeat realm monsters]
[Description: Host will be transmigrated into a world filled with ancient ruins. Your objective is to defeat formidable beasts alongside your summon(s)]
[Status: Active]
[Duration: 1:00:00]
[Priority: High]
•••
[Quest (II)]
[Title: Retrieve an ancient relic]
[Description: Host's objective is to retrieve the ancient relic from the Temple of the Lost]
[Status: Active]
[Duration: 2:00:00]
[Priority: Critical]
"A relic? How do I find such in a huge wasteland realm? I don't even know what it looks like."
[Preparing host for transmigration…]
"I really don't understand your purpose if you keep airing my questions." Ace raised another complaint which fell on deaf ears again.
[Initiating system countdown]
[Transmigration to the ruined realm in progress]
[Countdown timer: 00:04:59]
'Nihiliths? Whatever that is, does it apply to Anya as well?' Ace asked himself in his thoughts as he awaited the transmigration patiently.
[Countdown timer: 00:03:59]
'What ability did she awaken to make her seem like a threat to the noble? Can I really trust what Dawn has told me?'
'What will happen when the book comes to the surface tomorrow?'
'Will I be a step closer to you, Anya?'
[Countdown timer: 00:00:00]