The dormitory was quiet, save for the distant echoes of footsteps and muffled chatter from other students settling in. I had only just been reborn into this cramped room, and already the walls seemed to close in on me. Lucian Valric that was the name I now wore like a cloak I couldn't shed. A weak, doomed extra NPC with death flags looming over him like storm clouds. But I wasn't about to accept that fate without a fight.
I paced around the small room, trying to shake off the uneasy feeling creeping up my spine. The system screen blinked faintly in my vision, a constant reminder of my miserable stats and the path I was forced to walk. E- strength, E agility, E- endurance... pathetic. Even my mana reserves were barely a spark.
I need something, anything to tip the scales.
I knew that before the academy began, I had a small window to explore the surrounding town the place where NPCs like me started their meaningless lives.
There has to be something here I can use, something from the game I know that could help me.
Out of all the hidden items many were either to hard to get, far away, or would require me to be at least stronger than E rank
I closed my eyes and ran through every hidden item, every secret skill I'd heard about or seen in game guides that maybe I could use right now.
There were the Swiftstep Boots great for speed but risky, one wrong step and you'd be exhausted mid fight.
The Stoneheart Amulet boosted endurance but only worked under moonlight, and I had no idea when I'd get that chance.
Then there was the Crimson Fang Pendant. The description was vague but promising, "A pendant that sharpens the wearer's senses, granting a predator's instinct. Its wearer's eyes glow red with an ominous aura, warning of danger before it strikes."
That had to be it. If I was going to survive death flags, I needed every edge I could get.
Maybe just maybe this pendant will even help me spot the death flags surrounding me before they kill me.
Decision made, I grabbed my new shiny academy coat and headed out. Even if I was only E rank the provided academy uniform looked to be made out of quite a nice material and even seemed lightly enchanted.
Guess the Hero's Academy doesnt skimp on their uniforms at least.
The pendant was said to be hidden in the Forgotten Hall, an old, abandoned building on the edge of the city. If this world really is like the game, this was where my first chance to get stronger awaited.
With a cautious breath, I slipped out of the dorm, the cool air outside washing over my skin or rather, Lucian's skin.
Then I realized the probelm I didnt get Lucians memories so where the hell am I?
I know this is the academys dorms but since im E rank and probably ranked on the lower side I can assume these buildings are for lower-ranked students like me. No fancy suites or private rooms here just cramped quarters shared by dozens.
I stepped into the common area, trying to keep my head down. That's when a voice cut through the chatter like a blade.
"Well, well, if it isn't Lucian Valric," said a short stumpy noble with a smug smile, his expensive academy uniform embroidered with golden threads. "Last in the academy rankings, the perfect little failure. How does it feel to be beneath even the lowest scum?"
His friends snickered, clearly eager to watch me squirm.
I forced a smile, "At least we're all stuck in these cramped dorms together, Guess the academy thought you were just about as useful as me."
The nobles grin faltered for a moment, but he quickly sneered and turned away to his friends.
Wow. What a third rate villain. I just stepped out of my room and already ran into some kid spouting the most basic lines.
I shook off the encounter and focused on my goal. Navigating the dorm halls wasn't hard just a maze of narrow corridors filled with noisy students settling in. I found the exit without much trouble.
Stepping outside, I was hit by the sheer scale of the academy. It wasn't just a school it was an entire city, sprawling with districts, bustling streets, and towering buildings all enclosed within massive walls right in the heart of the empire's capital.
I glanced at my system map. The dorms were in the outer district the lower tier for E and D ranked students like me. The higher tiers, with their grand halls and elite training grounds, were closer to the city center, reserved for nobles and top ranked prodigies.
To reach the Forgotten Hall, said to be hidden just beyond the academy's eastern wall, past the merchant district. I'd need to cross the city streets, sneak through the busy market, and get to the outer gates.
With a deep breath, I pushed forward, weaving between groups of students and merchants hawking their wares. The vibrant energy of the city was overwhelming after the silence of the dorms, but it also meant more chances to spot potential allies or dangers.
I could never be to careful with the death flags surrounding my character, even if the story hasnt started yet...
I boarded a train dodging the pay due to my dazzling academy uniform, many of the cilivians looked at me with awe. But the weight of those gazes were heavy, just a couple hours ago I was dying of cancer now I was supposed to actually fight demons in this world?
Besides all I amounted to was a low tier extra, a joke character, but I didnt care even if getting this Pendant killed me I had to obtain it to survive the academy. I could worry about the plot changing after I became strong enough to even survive the plot.
The outer gate guards eyed me suspiciously as I approached, but a glance at my academy pass let me slip through without trouble.
Man it really is nice to be part of the most prestigous academy in the world. Well I suppose it was the only academy for awakened ever since humanity consolidated all of their forces into the empire to survive the demons.
Beyond these walls were a large stretch of untouched land mainly because of the large amount of demonic beasts living in there. The Forgotten Hall lay somewhere in the tangled forest ahead, my chance to find the Crimson Fang Pendant and take my first step toward survival.