Almost twenty minutes remained before the four hour streak finally came to an end, allowing Kyle to deactivate his ability.
Though calling it a chance to "relax" would have been an exaggeration.
By this point, he had grown more or less accustomed to keeping it active.
Part of it was thanks to the precious hours of sleep Veronica had given him. The other reason was much simpler.
He was doing something that constantly relied on God’s Eye, yet it no longer left him mentally exhausted.
Reading.
He was already close to finishing the first book, a volume spanning well over three hundred pages.
With his enhanced perception, he could read two pages in roughly ten seconds.
He would have finished the book already if he had not paused every now and then to photograph sections he considered important before continuing.
The images would let him revisit those passages later. Right now, his priority was to exploit God’s Eye to skim through everything once and see how quickly he could get through all three books.
"Ah... I should stop."
A few minutes later, Kyle let out a quiet sigh and closed the book.
He was already nearing the end anyway, and there was little reason to force himself to finish it in one sitting.
"I should go grab something to eat."
At first, he considered waiting for the remaining minutes to pass before leaving the room.
The reason was simple.
He had no desire to expose himself to unfamiliar, complicated scenes filled with people while God’s Eye was still active.
There was no point risking the task when only a few minutes remained.
Then another thought crossed his mind.
"If those kids decide to pull another prank, I can track them down easily."
Once he deactivated God’s Eye, he doubted he would activate it again for the rest of the day. Since he still had a little time left, he might as well make use of the extra margin of safety and grab a meal.
[That is a wise decision, Host. You have spent a considerable amount of time in a dormant state, during which God’s Eye was barely tested. Exposing yourself to a wider variety of environments will provide valuable training.]
Kyle smiled wryly.
Of course the system would say that. It would have happily watched him spend every waking hour training if it had its way.
After slipping on his shoes, he gave his hair a quick check in the mirror before leaving the room.
It was already close to three in the afternoon. The emergency training session for the third years would begin in about half an hour.
With time to spare, he headed for the common hall the professor had mentioned, hoping to find something decent to eat.
Thinking about food reminded him of his conversation with Veronica.
After he told her about the points he had on him, she advised him to spend them carefully. They might be the result of a glitch or some hidden mechanic they had yet to understand.
Kyle had no intention of wasting them anyway.
He was not the type to lose himself in a free buffet and regret it afterwards.
Free food was wonderful, but only if the memory left him smiling instead of wincing.
As he walked down the hallway, curious glances followed him from every direction. Fortunately, no one approached him, nor did anyone seem interested in pulling another prank.
Reaching the ground floor, he opened the map the Professor had sent him earlier.
The common hall was located behind the academic block, while the massive dome he had noticed near the entrance turned out to be the indoor arena.
A hint of anticipation surfaced in his heart.
He was looking forward to seeing the place from the inside.
But first, food.
Kyle followed the stone pathway winding through the academy’s sprawling gardens. Lush greenery stretched across the campus, broken only by carefully maintained flowerbeds and rows of towering trees that offered welcome shade beneath the afternoon sun.
In the distance, a serene pond shimmered under the light.
As his gaze settled on it, God’s Eye effortlessly sharpened the view. A handful of students strolled along the water’s edge, most of them appearing to be couples.
"Already dating at this age?"
The thought slipped through his mind before he quietly understood why.
They were training for a profession where every mission could become their last. These academy years might be the only peaceful Chapter they would ever have.
His attention continued drifting from one scene to another, deliberately pushing God’s Eye to process everything around him.
To his surprise, he barely felt any mental strain.
A pleasant discovery, and one he welcomed wholeheartedly.
He made his way past the academic block, where a series of statues stood on both sides of the stone path leading towards the building.
Curiosity got the better of him, and he focused on the inscriptions beneath them.
As expected, they were not merely the academy’s founders. They were legendary warriors whose achievements had earned them a permanent place in history, their likenesses immortalised within the academy grounds.
Kyle recognised several of the names from the books he had been reading.
Their faces, however, meant nothing to him.
He spared them only a passing glance before continuing towards the common hall.
The building resembled a grand government assembly hall. Massive stone pillars lined its façade, supporting an imposing entrance crowned by equally enormous doors that seemed to welcome every hungry student into a sanctuary of endless meals.
Its roof was simple yet dignified, stretching in a straight line before rising into a gentle arch at the centre. Above it, the academy’s flag fluttered proudly in the afternoon breeze, visible from nearly every corner of the campus.
Kyle stepped inside, weaving through clusters of students gathered near the entrance. Judging by their numbers, the popular saying that the world would always be short of Nightwalkers sounded almost ridiculous.
Then again, this academy gathered the most gifted youths from across the entire country.
When viewed from that perspective, the crowd suddenly felt far smaller than it first appeared.
The moment he entered the common hall, a lively atmosphere washed over him.
The clinking of cutlery blended with cheerful conversations, while the rich aroma of freshly prepared food lingered warmly in the air.
Long dining tables filled the spacious hall, each surrounded by rows of chairs occupied by students enjoying their afternoon meals, trading stories, jokes, and the occasional bit of gossip.
Kyle’s eyes glowed ever so slightly as God’s Eye instinctively reached for details that hardly deserved his attention.
A boy was waging a silent campaign to steal the last piece of bread from his unsuspecting friend.
Nearby, a girl leaned farther and farther away as her companion continued inching closer with every passing second, seemingly oblivious to her discomfort.
A few tables away, another student was happily picking his nose without a shred of shame.
There certainly was no shortage of things for God’s Eye to analyse.
None of them, however, held Kyle’s interest.
His attention settled on the true star of the hall.
The food counter.
Without another word, he walked over, his gaze already sweeping across the list of available dishes.
Suspended from the ceiling above the counter hung a large wooden board, its surface filled with neatly carved names of dozens of meals.
His eyes moved down the menu, and he quickly noticed a pattern. Nearly everything catered to fitness enthusiasts. The breakfast section alone offered more than twenty variations made from oats, fruits, and other nutritious ingredients.
He skimmed past them until he reached the lunch section and selected the meal Veronica had recommended.
"Wow. Just two credits?"
He still knew very little about the academy’s credit system, but it seemed to function as its internal currency, used for everything from meals to other services.
Considering the nature of the academy, earning those credits probably meant maintaining good grades, performing well during spars, and excelling in other evaluations.
He had three thousand points. It could have been some kind of glitch, but if the system worked like it did for everyone else, he should have received at least thirty credits.
With that in mind, he stepped up to the counter without hesitation.
"One Captain’s Meal."
The man behind the counter gave him a brief, surprised look before asking, "Rice or noodles?"
"Rice."
"How spicy?"
"I can handle pretty good heat."
"Any allergies?"
Kyle shook his head. "None. And if possible, could you add a little extra meat?"
The man gave an indifferent shrug. "I can double the meat for one extra credit."
That was far too good of a deal to pass up.
"I’ll take it."
The man slid a payment terminal across the counter. Noticing Kyle’s unfamiliar expression, he added, "Just tap your card here."
Kyle pressed his room card against the marked spot.
A soft chime followed.
His balance updated almost instantly.
2997
"..."
His eyes lingered on the number.
Was it really a glitch?
Well, whatever.
"Give me two minutes." The man said before vanishing into the kitchen.
Kyle leaned against the counter, waiting for his food when a sharp shriek echoed through the hall.
"He is here! Kyaah!"
The bustling conversations came to an abrupt halt.
Heads turned towards the entrance almost in unison, their expressions ranging from eager anticipation to excitement, while a few wore undisguised annoyance.
Kyle glanced over his shoulder.
A young man strode through the doors with effortless confidence.
Trailing behind him was a sizeable group of girls, each trying to stay as close to him as possible.
The scene was so dramatic that Kyle could not help reaching a conclusion.
Apparently, the protagonist had just made his entrance.