Jack woke to the hush of filtered light spilling across his new apartment. The air was still, almost too clean, humming faintly with the soft breath of the city outside. The Aegis Chrono X rested on the nightstand, its display pulsing a quiet blue heartbeat. For the first time in weeks, he hadn't woken to alarms, gunfire, or system warnings. Just morning.
He stretched, staring around the room. The furniture gleamed where the early sun hit it,sleek lines of steel-edged wood, muted gray cushions, everything perfectly arranged. For an apartment that had been empty less than a day ago, it felt strangely like a life that belonged to someone else.He walked around his house enjoying the immensely satisfying view of his apartment but then he heard his stomach grumble.
"Wow,I really have to stock up this place with some food piles,I almost forgot that the system limits my demand for good now that my endurance is higher."
He decided to sit down on the couch and watch some TV but with the subtle nag in his stomach,there was no way he was going to relax peacefully.
"Alright," he muttered, rubbing his eyes. "Let's see what normal feels like."
He dressed casually in the same clothes he had worn for a long time paired with his favorite,black hoodie which was his only hoodie as a matter of fact and stepped out into the corridor. Ridge Point Flats looked different by daylight: glassy corridors lit with ambient strips, neighbors murmuring, the city below humming like an electric river.
He nodded to Mrs Halden, who was watering a cluster of synthetic orchids outside her door.
"Morning, Mrs Halden," he said.
She gave him a small smile. "Out early, Mr West. Getting used to the neighborhood?"
"Trying to," he said, and kept walking away quickly.
He passed a group of school students looking smart in their uniforms,A teenage couple up against the wall enjoying an intense make out session before the school Bell rang and then they would be subjected to endless hours of lessons and quizzes.A middle aged man making an advertisement for a beginner's Chemistry textbook.
"Oh!!,I forgot that it's back to school for a lot of children,what grade am I in again?Eehn,it doesn't matter.Jack muttered silently,billions of memories,thoughts and ideas running through his mind.
Outside, Neon City was waking up. Air-trams swept by overhead. Vendors pushed chrome carts steaming with breakfast wraps. The smell of coffee and ozone filled the street. Jack found himself slowing down as he passed a group of uniformed students laughing near a corner café. Their chatter was simple:grades, gossip, weekend plans. Something he hadn't known in years.
The System's icon blinked alive on his retina.
New Quest Detected:Enroll in an educational program.
Objective:Furnish your mind.
Reward:All tuition covered, new school bag, +1 Intelligence.
Failure:Complete stat loss in intelligence.
Jack blinked. "A school bag? Seriously?"
The System's voice purred, amused. "It's back to school, Jack."
He sighed. "Of all the quests you could give me, you pick this."
"Adaptation builds survival," it replied. "You've been fighting too long. Learn something new."
"Yeah, like patience," he muttered.
"Well then,I guess I have no choice.Its either this or I become a cave man or something even worse than that.
Still, something about the sight of those students gnawed at him. Maybe blending in wasn't such a bad idea. He pulled up his watch interface. "Let's see… schools nearby."
A map unfolded;glimmering points of data across the city. One name caught his eye: Aurelius Technical Academy. Mid-tier, respected, rumored to host a few bright minds and even brighter secrets.
"Why not?" he said, tapping apply.
The Aegis Chrono X projected a small hologram of the school's gate, its sleek architecture hovering above his palm. He added his credentials, linking fragments of his orphanage records to fabricate a history. When the form asked for Parents or Guardians, he paused, then entered None.
Moments later, an appointment blinked into existence: Enrollment Interview – Aurelius Academy, 10:00 AM.
The academy sat on the eastern ridge, a mix of polished glass and ivy-clad concrete. Drones zipped between towers, carrying textbooks and packages. Jack walked through the main gate, surrounded by students in gray uniforms trimmed with blue. He felt like a stranger at a festival of normality.
Inside, the reception area smelled of sterilized air and new paper. Behind the desk sat a woman with sharp eyes and sharper cheekbones. Her tag read Ms Ren – Administrator.A woman who looked like the head warden in one of the most dangerous correctional facilities in the world.He inspected for a wedding ring,nothing it was obvious she was unmarried,wedding ring or not.She gave him a subtle glance but Jack knew that she had done more than just look,she had inspected his physical appearance gathering as much knowledge as she could from the way he looked.
"Jack West?" she asked.
He nodded.
"You're young" Her tone wasn't unkind, just curious.
"I am just the right age for my class" he said.
"All I am saying is that I've seen older faces in the Grade 11 you are going into.Dont let them Bully you."
"Very funny,Ms Ren but I can take care of myself."
She scrolled through her holo-screen. "No parental contact listed. How do you plan to fund your tuition?"
"I'm an author."
Her eyebrow rose. "Obviously not a good one, otherwise I'd have heard about you."
Jack smiled faintly. "My books aren't that popular. I could bring you one later if you like."
"Writing doesn't pay much," she said, almost absently. "Easy for someone with no family to provide for."
He shrugged. "Guess that's my edge."
Ms Ren tapped the screen again. "Tuition's 10,000 credits. Uniform included. We'll need immediate payment."
Jack flicked his watch. The Aegis Chrono X shimmered, and the transfer completed with a digital chime.
"Done," he said.
Ms Ren blinked as her console confirmed it. "Efficient. Alright, Mr West, changing rooms are on the left. Don't wander into the girls' side; we've had enough trouble this semester."
He frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"I've seen your type," she said dryly. "Confident. Handsome. Think the rules bend for them. You get one complaint;too charming with the ladies or anywhere near a fight and you're out."
Jack smirked. "Then I'll prove you wrong."
"We'll see," she said, handing him the uniform.
"I thought that this was one of those schools where students are allowed to pick out their own choice of clothing,Jack remarked politely almost condescendingly."
"Jack..."
"It's Mr West."Jack retorted with an annoyed tone."
You are now a student in my school,in our school we convey order and discipline on our student so it's West but if you refuse to any of these two options then you are free to collect your money and leave this school the way you came.Do I make myself clear?"
Jack was shocked,this was the first time anyone had ever spoken to him in this way or even used that tone when talking to him ever since he had gotten the system and he was not prepared to face her.
He looked at the folded clothes:gray jacket, crisp shirt, black pants. For a second he thought about walking away. Uniforms brought back too many memories: bullies, foster-kids, hand-me-downs. But the System's icon flickered faintly at his temple, a silent reminder of the quest timer ticking away.
"Fine," he muttered, grabbing the clothes.
When he stepped out of the changing room, he barely recognized himself. The uniform fit perfectly, accentuating his lean build. He adjusted the collar, smirked at the mirror. "Not bad for a dropout."
He walked to the book shop and store picking up the books he needed for his current science course.He used his object teleport to warp it into his locker effectively and walked off to class.
The corridors buzzed with noise:students laughing, shoes echoing against polished floors, AR-screens displaying schedules in mid-air. Jack walked toward his assigned class: Physics II – Room 8A.
He pushed the door open.
The chatter stopped. Dozens of eyes turned toward him;some wide, some assessing. A few girls exchanged quick looks, whispering behind their hands. The boys stared harder, jawlines tight with something between jealousy and suspicion.
Jack offered a half-smile and headed for an empty seat at the back beside a girl with copper-brown hair who was sketching in her notebook. Her name tag read Nora Lirien. She looked up once, nodded, then returned to her drawing.
Before he could say anything, the teacher entered. She moved with easy confidence, her heels clicking softly against the floor. Ms Mira Talven, mid-twenties, crisp white blouse, dark skirt, hair tied high. She radiated authority and warmth in equal measure.
"Good morning, everyone," she said. Then her eyes fell on Jack. "You must be the new transfer."
"Jack West," he said.
"Well, Mr West," she said with a half-smile, "let's see what you can do. Can you solve this?" She tapped the holo-board, and an equation unfolded in glowing lines.
Jack glanced at it. Simple mechanics,something about motion involving momentum. though wrapped in fancy notation. He picked up a stylus and wrote the answer. Mira's eyebrows rose.
"Correct. Wonderfully done, Jack. I do like a bright student."
Jack imagines what it would be like to have her sucking his cock,as he cum deep into her throat but he quickly snapped out of it.
"Take a fucking break for once,she is your God damn teacher."
A murmur went through the class. A few of the girls leaned forward. Jack caught snippets—he's kinda cute, is he new, check that jawline. The boys looked like they wanted to throw their tablets at him.
Jack leaned back, hiding a grin. "Must be that +1 Intelligence," he whispered to himself.
Class went on in waves of formulae and laughter. Ms Mira was passionate, gesturing as she explained momentum with holographic visuals of racing drones. Despite himself, Jack found the subject… relaxing. Logic. Structure. No blood, no danger. Just problems with solutions.
When the final bell rang for lunch, chairs scraped and students poured out like a tide. Jack stood, stretching. "Let's go have some fun" he said under his breath.
He stepped into the sunlit courtyard, where streams of students crossed paths between glass pavilions and hovering snack carts.
"Jack!"
He turned. Tess Calen was waving from a nearby bench, the same neighbor who'd helped him with furniture yesterday. She was in uniform too,gray jacket open just enough to hint at her rebellious streak.
"Well, small world," he said.
"Didn't peg you for the academic type," she teased.
"Guess we both have secrets," he replied. They talked for a few minutes:light jokes, shared impressions of teachers. She laughed easily; the sound fit the warm hum of midday perfectly.
As she stood to leave, she nudged his arm. "Don't get lost, rookie."
He smiled. "Wouldn't dream of it."
He watched her disappear into the crowd of students, each heading toward their favorite corner of campus:the vending terrace, the gym, the rooftop garden. The chatter rose like music.
Jack took it all in;the voices, the scent of coffee from a drone-stall, the hum of life he'd almost forgotten existed. The System pulsed quietly, but he ignored it this time.
He shoved his hands into his pockets, grinning faintly.Looking at the swimming mass of students. "Looks like the adventure's really beginning."