The faint hum of the academy's nightly patrol drones echoed through the corridors. Kai leaned against the cold wall of the observation deck, his breathing shallow as he watched the silent march of guards below. Every corner of the academy was alive with security after the combat array incident. They were on edge, and Kai knew that slipping under their radar would be trickier than ever.
He glanced at his watch. 2:47 a.m.
"Tebu," he whispered. "Status of the academy's patrol schedule."
"Analyzing… Current patrol routes are operating at 78% efficiency. Optimal escape paths calculated. Would you like to view?"
Kai nodded, a faint holographic map appearing before his eyes. The routes of the drones and guards shimmered in blue, while faint green lines traced pathways with minimal surveillance.
"Perfect," he muttered, his lips curling into a small smirk.
The past few hours had been a blur of planning. If he wanted to stay ahead of his pursuers, he needed to find out what the academy knew about him—and he wasn't going to sit idly by while the noose tightened around his neck.
---
The library's restricted section was a fortress of knowledge, sealed off from the average student by layers of magical wards and technological defenses. But for someone like Kai, who thrived in the shadows, obstacles were simply puzzles waiting to be solved.
He crouched low behind a pillar, watching the glowing ward that pulsed faintly at the entrance.
"Tebu, analysis."
"Barrier detected. Energy type: hybrid. Requires a combination of physical and magical disruption to bypass. Estimated difficulty: high."
Kai frowned. "Is there a weak point?"
"Scanning… Weak point identified at the lower-left corner of the barrier. Minimal energy concentration in that area."
Kai smirked, slipping a small, rune-inscribed device from his pocket. A gift from his early encounters with black-market merchants.
Placing the device against the barrier, he activated it with a flick of his wrist. The runes flared briefly before dimming, the barrier flickering as a small section dissolved.
"Five minutes," Tebu warned.
Kai nodded, slipping through the opening and into the restricted section.
---
The air inside was heavy, the faint scent of ancient parchment mingling with the sterile tang of preservation wards. Kai moved swiftly, his shadows cloaking his presence as he scanned the rows of shelves.
"Tebu, search for information related to the combat array incident or individuals with similar powers to mine."
The system hummed in response, scanning the labels and titles around him.
"Records found. Section D-14, shelf 3."
Kai followed the directions, his steps silent as he navigated the maze-like aisles. When he reached the designated shelf, his eyes immediately locked onto a thick, leather-bound tome.
He pulled it out, the weight of it solid in his hands. The title, etched in gold, read: Codex of Forbidden Evolutions.
Kai's heart skipped a beat. He flipped through the pages, his eyes scanning the dense text. Each entry detailed powers and abilities considered too dangerous to be taught, practiced, or even acknowledged within the academy's walls.
And then he found it—a page marked with a symbol eerily similar to the one on his system's interface.
"Tebu," he muttered, his voice barely audible. "Translate."
"The entry refers to an ancient system classified as 'Tebu: Evolution of the Unseen.' It describes the system as a forbidden artifact capable of creating and evolving entities beyond human comprehension. Users are noted to have succumbed to madness, isolation, or execution due to its misunderstood nature."
Kai's grip on the book tightened.
"There's more," Tebu continued. "The system's last known appearance was over a century ago, during the fall of the Shadow Dominion."
Kai closed the book, his mind racing. This wasn't just about him anymore. If his system had a history tied to such a catastrophic event, it explained why everyone seemed so intent on hunting him down.
But the question remained: what was the truth?
---
His return to the dorm was uneventful, his movements swift and calculated. By the time the first rays of dawn broke through the horizon, Kai was back in his room, the stolen book hidden beneath his mattress.
He sat on the edge of his bed, his head in his hands. The weight of what he'd learned pressed down on him, suffocating and relentless.
"Tebu," he said finally. "What's your purpose?"
"My purpose is to assist the host in achieving survival and dominance through evolution."
"And at what cost?"
"Cost is relative to the host's decisions and actions."
Kai sighed. The system's answers were as cryptic as ever.
---
Later that day, the academy was a flurry of activity. Students whispered about increased security, while faculty members cast suspicious glances at anyone who looked out of place.
Kai kept his head low, blending into the crowd as he made his way to his next class. But as he turned a corner, he found himself face-to-face with someone he hadn't expected.
Lila stood there, her arms crossed and a knowing look in her eyes.
"Did you sleep at all?" she asked, her tone laced with concern.
Kai shrugged. "I've had worse nights."
Lila studied him for a moment before sighing. "You need to be careful, Kai. The academy isn't as safe as it seems."
Kai raised an eyebrow. "You're just figuring that out now?"
"I'm serious," Lila said, stepping closer. "The enforcers aren't the only ones watching. There are others—students, faculty—who have their own agendas. And some of them are dangerous."
Kai's expression hardened. "Thanks for the warning. But I can take care of myself."
Lila hesitated, her eyes searching his. "Just… don't do anything reckless, okay?"
Kai didn't respond. Recklessness was a luxury he couldn't afford, but caution wasn't always an option either.
---
As night fell once again, Kai found himself standing in the courtyard, the cool breeze tugging at his cloak. The shadows around him seemed to dance, their movements restless and agitated.
"Tebu," he said softly. "What happens if I fail?"
"Failure results in the loss of host autonomy and eventual system shutdown."
Kai frowned. "Not exactly comforting."
"Motivation is subjective," Tebu replied.
Kai chuckled despite himself. The system's bluntness was oddly reassuring in its own way.
But as he gazed up at the starless sky, a sense of unease settled over him. The academy, the enforcers, the forbidden knowledge—it all felt like pieces of a puzzle he couldn't quite put together.
And somewhere in the distance, the storm continued to gather.