Serian stepped into the sleek, black car, his movements calm and measured. He slid into the seat next to Adrian, who was already fiddling with his seatbelt, his brow furrowed in frustration.
For the first time, he found himself thinking about the little things—the mundane actions of humans, their strange attachment to their routines.
Finally, Adrian clicked the seatbelt into place and leaned back against the leather seat, still with that sharp, focused expression. He opened a folder filled with papers and began sorting through them.
The faint hum of the car engine filled the silence between them as the driver remained quiet, focusing on the road ahead.
Serian glanced around the interior of the car. The technology here was unlike anything he had seen in the past worlds he'd observed. The seats were comfortable, the dashboard sleek, with a glowing screen displaying various maps and navigation data. The world outside the windows was equally foreign to him—a modern, high-tech world that seemed to pulse with energy.
As they moved through the city, they passed district after district, each one more advanced than the last. Towers of glass and metal stretched high into the sky, their windows reflecting the golden light of the afternoon sun.
People bustled through the streets below, their faces hidden behind a veil of constant movement. It was a sharp contrast to the decaying cities he had seen in the past, where monsters roamed and humanity was in its final stages of collapse.
This was different. This world still had a pulse.
Serian watched it all with curiosity. How much time did this world have before its inevitable fall? He had seen the end of so many worlds before, watched as civilizations crumbled under their own weight, but this one was still standing. For now, at least.
After some time, Adrian finally spoke, breaking the silence. His voice was steady, yet there was an underlying weariness in it.
"Our parents died during the attack on the 7th Base," he said, his tone neutral but with a faint hint of bitterness. "The monsters, or whatever they are, hit the base hard. I guess they weren't prepared. It didn't take long for everything to fall apart after that."
Serian simply nodded, his expression unreadable. He didn't know the original Serian's parents, and honestly, he didn't feel much about their deaths. He had never been close to them.
Adrian continued, clearly trying to fill the silence. "I was twenty when they died. You were just a kid." He paused for a moment, then added, "It's... a lot to take in. But now, I'm responsible for you. Not that I asked for it, but it's the way things are."
Serian's violet eyes flickered to Adrian for a moment, observing him. Adrian was trying to make sense of it all, just as Serian had once done in countless worlds before. But Serian knew better than to ask why or how—it wasn't for him to decide. Fate, in whatever form it existed here, had already determined their paths.
"You're now my responsibility," Adrian repeated, his voice heavy with obligation. "I don't want you to get too attached, though. Things will be different now."
Serian's gaze drifted back to the window, his mind absorbing the new information. He had seen many lives, many families torn apart by their own mistakes. And while he had been 'born' into this life, he knew there was no real connection. He was merely existing here—curious, detached, but not emotionally invested.
He nodded, his response as calm as always. "I understand."
Adrian glanced at him, surprised by his lack of reaction. He had expected some kind of resistance, some kind of emotion, but Serian was as unreadable as ever. It wasn't the response Adrian had hoped for, but it was one he could live with.
The car continued its journey, passing more districts as they left the heart of the city. They began to approach the central base, the 3rd Base.
From the distance, Serian could see the towering structures that housed the central government and the guilds. It was a place where power, politics, and survival were intertwined, a place that had yet to succumb to the chaos that plagued the rest of the world.
Adrian sat quietly beside him, still going over the documents in his hands, not sparing much attention to the surroundings. Serian, however, was fully aware of the scale of the world he had entered. It was massive—futuristic in a way that was both impressive and intimidating.
The 3rd Base was the largest and most stable of the remaining strongholds. It had managed to keep the monsters at bay, at least for the time being. The defenses were strong, and the technology advanced enough to keep humanity alive, but Serian couldn't shake the feeling that it was only a matter of time before it all fell apart.
"Your stepfather," Serian began, breaking the silence once again, "and your mother. They were important?"
Adrian looked up at him briefly, a faint flicker of emotion passing through his eyes. "They were, yeah. My father was a well-respected leader in the guild system, one of the top hunters. My mother was..." He trailed off for a moment, then continued. "She was a researcher. She worked with the military, trying to figure out how to stop the outbreak. But it wasn't enough."
Serian nodded, processing the information. This world, like so many others, was on the brink of collapse. The virus, the monsters, and the political struggles—it was all part of a cycle that humanity never seemed to escape.
As they neared the heart of the 3rd Base, Adrian finally set the documents down and turned to Serian. "Listen, you don't need to worry about anything right now. I'm one of the top guild masters here. People will respect you because of that. But don't get too comfortable. The world is still falling apart. It's not a place for someone to get too attached."
Serian met Adrian's gaze, his expression calm, detached. "I will not attach myself."
Adrian seemed to relax a little at that, but there was still a slight edge to his voice. "Good. I don't want to have to keep an eye on you, Serian. I've got enough on my plate already."
Serian nodded again, his gaze drifting to the skyline of the 3rd Base as they entered the district. His eyes, though calm and distant, were filled with an unspoken understanding. This world, like all others, was teetering on the edge. He had seen this before—the final days of countless civilizations. But this time, he was part of it.
He would watch. And in the end, he would find his answer.
The car slowed to a stop, and Serian's gaze shifted to the bustling streets of the 3rd Base. As the car came to a halt, the doors opened, and Adrian stepped out, his posture straight and confident. Serian followed, stepping out of the vehicle slowly, his silver hair glinting in the sunlight.
A crowd had gathered around the entrance to the building, and as Adrian appeared, the people quickly parted, bowing respectfully as they greeted him.
"Guild Master Adrian," one of them called out, his voice full of reverence.
"Guild Master," another echoed, nodding deeply.
Serian stood still beside Adrian, observing the interactions with curiosity. The people's reactions were expected, given Adrian's position as one of the top guild masters. Yet, there was something strange about the way they looked at Serian. Some eyed him with curiosity, others with what seemed to be thinly veiled disdain. Their gazes were sharp, almost judgmental.
Serian didn't understand it. He had seen many worlds, countless lives, and death, but human malice was something he couldn't quite grasp. It was a feeling he had never experienced himself, and in this life, he felt no connection to it. They were like the fallen leaves of Ygdrassil, destined to wither and fade away in time. It was inevitable.
Without a word, Serian ignored the curious looks of the onlookers. He was just a passing figure in a fleeting world—no different from the countless others he had watched perish.
Adrian, seemingly accustomed to the attention, didn't acknowledge the people further and led Serian through the building's entrance. Inside, the atmosphere shifted, becoming quieter and more controlled.
Adrian's office was spacious, with high ceilings and large windows overlooking the city. The walls were lined with bookshelves filled with various documents, old texts, and records. A large desk sat in the center, papers and reports scattered across it.
"Stay here," Adrian said, gesturing to one of the chairs near the desk. "I have work to do. You can read if you want."
Serian simply nodded in response, his quiet demeanor betraying no emotion. He sat down as instructed and began to look around the room. His fingers traced the surface of the books on the shelves, feeling the cool leather-bound spines beneath his touch. The books seemed to hold the knowledge of this era, and Serian's curiosity led him to pull one from the shelf.
He flipped through its pages, absorbing the information within. The history of this world, the rise and fall of guilds, the evolution of technology—it was all new to him. The world had advanced far beyond what he had expected. Yet, the more he read, the more he understood: humanity was still trapped in its cyclical nature, doomed to repeat its past mistakes.
As Adrian worked quietly at his desk, Serian continued to browse through the books, each page offering more insight into the current state of this world. He was still processing everything when his eyes fell on a piece of news on a nearby screen. The title caught his attention:
"Hero Academy Recruitment: The First Trial"
Serian stared at the screen for a long moment, his interest piqued. The words seemed to linger in his mind. A recruitment for heroes? A place where the next generation would be trained to fight against the monsters and threats of the world. He had heard of such academies in other worlds—places where the strong were forged, where individuals were tested for their worth.
Adrian glanced over at the screen and sighed. "You're thinking about it, aren't you?"
Serian turned to look at him, his expression neutral, though there was a hint of curiosity in his violet eyes.
"Hero Academy is tough," Adrian continued, swiveling in his chair to face Serian. "You're not going to be some kind of hero just by walking in there. The first trial alone will weed out most of the hopefuls. You might not even pass it. Don't get too arrogant."
Serian remained silent for a moment, his mind processing Adrian's words. He had no concept of arrogance. To him, the trials were just another test, another opportunity to observe the humans of this world and their drive to survive. Perhaps, he thought, this academy would offer him insight into their nature. Perhaps it would give him a glimpse into why humans persisted, despite the inevitable fall that awaited them all.
"I understand," Serian finally said, his voice calm and detached.
Adrian raised an eyebrow at him, his tone slightly skeptical. "You don't really care, do you?"
Serian met Adrian's gaze. "I care... about understanding," he said quietly.
Adrian seemed to soften a little at that. "If you want to try, it's your choice. Just don't expect things to go smoothly." He paused, looking at Serian with a touch of concern. "You don't know what it's like, the pressure, the expectations. It's not just a test of strength; it's a test of character. If you fail, it's not just you who suffers—it affects the people around you, too."
Serian listened intently, but the concept of failure, of personal loss, was foreign to him. He had seen so many worlds collapse, so many lives end. Could this test of strength really be that different?
"I will try," Serian said simply.
Adrian nodded, a mix of approval and caution in his eyes. "Alright. But just remember, don't get too caught up in it. You're not the only one fighting to survive here."
Serian absorbed his words, his mind already racing with questions. The Hero Academy, the first trial—it was just another chapter in the story of this world. But what did it mean for him? Was it merely a distraction, a way for him to blend in, or was there something deeper he could learn from it?
For now, he had no answers. All he knew was that he had to live in this world, and perhaps, in trying to understand it, he might find the answer to the question that had plagued him for so long: Why did humans continue to destroy themselves, even when they knew the end was coming?
"I will prepare," Serian said after a moment, more to himself than to Adrian.
Adrian glanced up, his expression unreadable. "Suit yourself. Just don't come back with your tail between your legs."