It was around 8:15 a.m. now. Based on everything so far, I estimated I had transmigrated into this world at about 7:30 a.m. And the first place I needed to visit was—
"Academy," I muttered.
But before heading there, I had to confirm a few things. I took out my Aethersync, which was basically this world's version of a smartphone—though a lot more advanced since it could connect across the entire world of Aether, hence the name.
I unlocked it and went straight to check my bank balance.
What I saw genuinely surprised me.
Thorin wasn't the type to check his balance often, but I was the complete opposite. Back on Earth, I had developed a bit of a habit of checking mine regularly—just to make sure I wasn't broke. And now, seeing this balance? Let's just say I could breathe a lot easier.
I had 1,200,000 Aetherium.
For context, 1 Aetherium equaled 1 dollar.
In short, I wouldn't have to worry about money for quite a while. And if I lived humbly, this amount could last me even longer.
Hahaha, thank you for real," I said, genuinely grateful to Thorin ,from the deepest part of my heart.
If there's one thing life had taught me, it was that having no money problems solved a lot of other problems. Sure, it didn't fix everything but it gave you the room to breathe, to think, and to make choices without the constant pressure of Survival.
Now all I had to do was spend wisely. Controlled, careful spending—at least until I figured out one or two ways to start earning more. I had a few ideas in mind, but I'd need time to put them into action.
After all, nothing lasts forever. Not even a bank balance this good.
But that was for later.
I headed to the hotel's parking lot. Why did i not go to the street and call a taxi?
'Because Thorin has his own bike' I thought, feeling a bit excited.
I could've asked the staff to bring it out, but I wanted to get it myself. Maybe it was a bit of Possessiveness or just excitement. I took the elevator down to the underground level. The doors opened, and I walked into the quiet parking area, lit by soft blue lights.
There I saw it.
My bike.
It looked like something out of a sci-fi movie. A sleek superbike powered by a mana engine. The body was made from a special high-quality metal that was both light and strong. It had a mix of black and white on its surface but mostly matte black with a few clean white lines running along its sides. The design was sharp and smooth as if trying to scream "I am speed"
The front looked aggressive, like it was ready to race at any second. The wheels were a bit wider, with glowing runes that helped with balance and grip.
And there it was ,printed in bold and stylish white letters on the side— T F. It stood for Thorin Frostbane, not 'The Fuck' just in case anyone got the wrong idea.
"What a beauty" i wishpered, smiling.
Without another thought, I grabbed the handle and sat on the bike. I pressed the start button, and with a soft whirr, the engine came to life.
Bikes in this world were much easier to ride. The tires had special runes for better grip and balance, and I didn't need to deal with clutches or manual gears. I could just press a button on the handle to change gears.
"convenient" I muttered but somewhere in my mind that feel of changing gears manually is something else.
I gently twisted the accelerator
*VRROOOM*
and the bike jumped forward faster than I expected. I quickly hit the brakes to stop myself from crashing into the near by pillar. I had Thorin's memories of riding but actually doing it myself felt very different.
After a few minutes of practice, I got more comfortable. I took a deep breath, leaned forward slightly, and twisted the throttle again
*VROOOOM* riding out of the parking lot.
The sun was out, the roads were starting to fill, and the engine hummed under me—rumble rumble.
My destination?
"Demonbane Academy," I said quietly, eyes focused ahead.
I picked up speed
*VRRRRROOOOM*
and rode off down the road.
I could feel the air rushing past me, the buildings blurring as I speed up. The thrill of speed made my heart race, and I gave the accelerator a little more twist but not too much, just enough to feel the excitement. Not enough to be dangerous, of course. Always remember—speed gives thrills, but it kills.
Anyway, back to the academy.
The academy wasn't just in a city instead it was the city itself.
Located almost at the center of the human continent, the Demonbane Academy stood tall as one of the most important places in the human domain. The entire area around it had grown into a city of its own, and thus named Demonbane City.
The main highlight was, of course, the academy itself. But the city also had a wide range of manufacturing facilities, hotels, restaurants, apartments, and even luxurious mansions. Every year, around 1500 students were admitted into Demonbane Academy. Those who didn't make it either waited to try again next year or joined other academy.
As for the academy itself, it had everything a student might need— accomodation, lecture halls, training domes, and most importantly—dungeons.
Yes, dungeons. Just like in fantasy stories.
These dungeons were places filled with monsters and treasures. In fact, the first great crisis humanity faced wasn't against the demons but it was against monsters that came from these dungeons. Dungeon ranks go from E to SS, with only one SSS-rank dungeon ever recorded in the last 500 years.
That dungeon was the one where demons first appeared. It's still active, and some people believe it connects Aether, our world to the world of demons.
I was thinking about all of this when I saw it, the massive gate of the academy, standing proud and tall. Clearly written in bold letter—
WELCOME TO DEMONBANE ACADEMY