Bzzz
The forest hummed with the endless chorus of insects.
The scent of rain-soaked earth hung thick in the air, fresh enough to drown out everything else.
Dense woodland stretched as far as the eye could see. Towering trees blotted out much of the sky while the undergrowth rustled every so often with the movement of small creatures. Perhaps monkeys. Perhaps something much larger. There was no way to tell.
This part of Montclair was mostly frequented by trekkers and those seeking a few quiet days away from civilization.
A handful of resorts and private villas were scattered around the outskirts, much like the one where the incident had taken place.
As they continued deeper into the forest, the man leading the way spoke without looking back.
"There are seven routes that can get you to the highway. If you lose your bearings, keep heading south. You’ll eventually reach a secured location."
Kyle gave a thoughtful hum.
"Can I mark the location on a map?"
"You can," the man replied, "but the network coverage here is terrible. Even compasses become unreliable because of the constant Genesis activity in the area. Your memory will serve you far better than any device."
Kyle pulled out his phone and glanced at the screen. As expected, there wasn’t a single bar of signal.
"Understood."
The two continued in silence.
The trail gradually climbed uphill, but the steady incline hardly bothered Kyle. Weeks of consistent training had left him in far better shape than he once was.
With both hands free, he walked at a relaxed pace, silently grateful that his luggage would be transported directly to the academy.
Then, without warning...
"Hmm? Agh..."
The man walking ahead vanished.
At the same instant, a violent sensation crashed into Kyle’s body. His stomach lurched, forcing him to gag as dizziness washed over him.
His vision blurred.
The world tilted.
His body swayed, yet he managed to keep himself from collapsing.
His eyes turned razor sharp as he activated God’s Eye, every instinct screaming that he was under attack.
Just as he was about to react, an astonished voice echoed beside him.
"Wait! How is this possible?"
The same man suddenly reappeared, staring at Kyle with eyes wide in disbelief.
Kyle’s pupils narrowed.
God’s Eye scanning the man for any weapon or spell.
Despite the nauseating sensation assaulting his senses, he shifted into a combat stance and fixed the man with a cold gaze.
"Who are you?" he demanded. "What did you do to me?"
The man clicked his tongue in annoyance before replying,
"You tell me. Why are you being detected as a non-awakener?"
Kyle frowned.
"What do you mean?"
The man let out a slow sigh.
"There’s a barrier here," he said, raising his right hand toward the empty space ahead. "Only Nightwalkers can pass through it. Anyone without a sufficient amount of Genesis is rejected. The barrier induces intense vertigo, and in most cases, the person loses consciousness before they even realize what happened."
Kyle fell silent.
"..."
Understanding struck him a heartbeat later.
Oh.
"But why did it restrict you?" the man asked, his confusion only deepening.
Kyle scratched the back of his head.
"Ah... it’s because of my skill. It lets me suppress my magic almost completely."
The man’s eyes narrowed.
"Is that so?"
His tone made it clear he wasn’t convinced.
Kyle offered no further explanation.
Keeping God’s Eye active, he stepped toward the seemingly empty stretch of forest once more.
This time, he passed through without resistance.
The moment he crossed...
His eyes flew open.
"Waaah..." he breathed in utter amazement.
Now...
He could finally see it.
Rising above the endless sea of trees, the academy stood proudly atop the mountain like a palace hidden from the rest of the world.
Even from this distance, its sheer scale was overwhelming. Countless towers reached into the sky, their pale walls glistening beneath the sunlight while enormous buildings spread across the mountaintop in perfect harmony.
The rooftops shimmered faintly, and from time to time, tiny flashes of light danced somewhere within the campus, hinting at magical activity.
The surrounding forests only emphasized its magnificence, turning the entire mountain into a throne upon which the prestigious institution rested.
"Welcome to Eden’s Academy of Chosen Ones."
The man’s voice carried unmistakable pride, a satisfied smile spreading across his face as he watched Kyle’s awestruck expression.
’System... I can’t be the only one seeing this.
Start the stream.’
[Command accepted.]
"Shall we get moving?" the man asked.
"Just a moment."
Kyle pulled out his phone and began snapping a few pictures.
At the same time, the chat erupted.
Myuri: [Wah! Is this your school, Kyle? It’s so grand! Wait... does that mean you’ll be wearing a school uniform too?!]
WarHorse: [An institution built to teach the art of war... Hmph. I still believe the battlefield remains the finest teacher.]
One-Eyed: [A magnificent place to begin a new Chapter. These are the years that will shape your youth, Kyle. Don’t spend all of them buried in books.]
Tharos: [Kyle is going to be even busier now...]
Myuri: [Huh? No way! Classes are boring, so Kyle will definitely stream even more. Right, Kyle?]
SnakeQueen: [Such a waste of potential. Watching you is going to be much more boring now.]
Myuri: [Then get your a* somewhere else. Nobody asked you to join.]
A faint smile tugged at Kyle’s lips as he read the messages while walking alongside the man.
’Well, I won’t be wearing a uniform... or at least, I hope not.
The battlefield is a great teacher, Tyr, but I still need to learn the rules. I need to understand my own limits before I can surpass them.
And yeah... maybe these will be the youthful days I never truly got to enjoy back in school.
Don’t worry, Tharos. I won’t get so busy that I forget about streaming. I know I haven’t been consistent lately, and some of you might think I’ve become selfish... but believe me, I do my best to stream for at least an hour every day.’
He knew they looked forward to his broadcasts.
That was why they appeared almost the moment he went live.
Back when he was still attending university, streaming for an hour or two after returning home had become part of his daily routine. Ever since receiving the blessings and gifts from the chat, however, his schedule had become increasingly irregular.
The thought left him feeling both selfish and guilty.
Tharos: [Don’t overthink it, Kyle. I understand.]
Myuri: [It makes me sad that I can’t talk to my hubby as often anymore... but my heart knows you’re busy building your future.]
One-Eyed: [Focus on your life, Kyle. We are your allies. If even we can’t understand that, then who can?]
Kyle’s smile deepened.
They really were... far kinder than he deserved.
Just then, he realized Ethara was still now present in the chat.
His heart sank at the thought.
He had forgotten to meet Aleda last night. But today, he would make sure to reach the woman and try to find out about Ethara.
’I just hope she is fine.’
°°°°°°
A/N:- Thanks for reading. Drop a comment if you have been enjoying the read so far.