"King?!"
Elsa, the Student Council President, called out with an accent strikingly similar to a Nigerian one back on Earth.
"Uh… um… yes?"
"Are you lost in your thoughts again?"
"Nooo."
"Then what was the last thing I said?"
"King?!"
Elsa sighed but couldn't hold back a light smile, one so faint it would go unnoticed unless you looked closely. She turned back to the large screen that resembled a whiteboard and repeated herself, this time making sure Nova was paying attention.
"As you all know, every year before the academic term ends, we organize a fun-filled event for the institution. For this year's event, we've coordinated with the Principal to hold it at my dad's estate… on the outskirts of the city," Elsa announced confidently.
"Are you sure that'll be safe?" Alex, the Vice President, asked skeptically.
"Yes, it definitely will. It's not like we can't defend ourselves. Every student here has been trained to control their strength to some extent. Besides, we have Nova coming along."
Nova frowned. "What does me coming along have to do with everyone's safety?"
"Don't be like that," Elsa teased. "You're the top student when it comes to physicals. You may not be the smartest, but you're strong enough to put the rest of us in this room to shame. And that says a lot, considering we're the Student Council—the top students in this institution."
"Alright, alright, stop teasing me. I get it," Nova muttered under his breath.
"That's settled then," Elsa concluded as she wrapped up the meeting.
A Month Later
The much-anticipated day had finally arrived. Nova King couldn't help but feel a strange sense of joy as he prepared for the outing. In his previous life, he had never experienced the luxury of school trips, college outings, or even simple gatherings with friends. This new feeling was refreshing—alien, but welcome.
"Nova! Hurry up, or you'll be late!"
"I'm going as fast as I can, Mom!"
"Don't forget anything!"
"Sure!" Nova shouted back as he hastily packed his suitcase.
Just as he finished, a shadow loomed over him. He looked up slowly to find his older sister standing there, arms crossed, her silver hair in disarray, and her usual irritated expression plastered across her face. That look was all the warning Nova needed to leave the area immediately—before things got uncomfortable.
Still, deep down, he didn't hate it. In his past life, he had no siblings, no one to rely on but his mother. This life was different, and he liked it.
"Hey, kid!" his sister barked loudly. "Don't forget to bring me a souvenir, or you're dead!"
Anyone else might've thought she was joking, but Nova knew better. She was capable of making good on her threats.
"Do I even have a choice?" Nova muttered under his breath, ensuring the "aggressive beast" didn't hear him.
He hurriedly finished packing, kissed his mom and sister goodbye, and headed out the door.
Arrival
As Nova stepped out of the car and into the School court where they had agreed to meet and head out to their final destination together, he was greeted by a clear sky painted in hues of dusk. The setting sun cast a golden glow over the landscape, making everything feel surreal. The beauty of this world was unparalleled. It wasn't like the fantastical worlds he had seen in movies or read about in books—this was more vivid, more glorious.
He stood in awe, wondering how much more the world had to offer. One day, he promised himself, he would explore it all and uncover its mysteries.
"Hey, watch out!"
The shout jolted him back to reality. Before Nova could fully process what was happening, his body moved on instinct.
12 Years of training had honed his reflexes to perfection. He had mastered the art of manipulating gravity through his hyper-dense muscle fibers, a skill that had fascinated him since discovering it.
His fists clenched, muscles rippling in anticipation. The air around his knuckles seemed to distort as he exhaled sharply and swung.
The force of his punch sent a shockwave across the field, obliterating the incoming object with ease. To the untrained eye or to any other of the 12 known races, it might've seemed like he used lumis. But no—it was sheer mastery of gravity manipulation.