Chaos reigned in the auditorium, the students couldn't contain their curiosity.
The vice principal took the microphone.
"Everyone, calm down. When you leave, each of you will receive a bag containing a thousand lines."
Then the vice principal stepped down from the podium.
The students made way.
As soon as the vice principal left the hall, heated discussions began.
"What happened?"
"That student is really crazy."
"But he's brave, he wasn't afraid."
"Who was that guy who intervened?"
"He pointed his sword like that without hesitation."
Fer disappeared from the stage, and the tree vanished as well.
…
The vice principal headed to his office and sat down to think.
'Deebt Jacks, this boy is completely different, an unexpected reaction from him.'
'Even though I directed my killing intent toward him, it only made him more resolute and determined. He truly saw me as an enemy.'
Another person entered the vice principal's office, it was Fer.
"Fer."
"Vice principal, did you enjoy yourself? You were one step ahead of me, after all." Fer smiled.
"Hey, did you come here just to ask me that?" the vice principal's tone turned cold for a moment.
"Calm down. Wasn't that reaction amazing? I've never seen anyone as crazy as him." the corners of Fer's lips turned up.
"Well, it was entertaining. It's true I tried to test and use him, but he resisted." the vice principal smiled.
"Yes, he refused to submit." said Fer.
"I also think he was brave because all that matters at the academy is results, and there's no bad blood between us." said the vice principal.
"No, there's another reason I understood by observing him, rewatching his fights in the test, and his response in the final exam."
"What is it?" the vice principal asked curiously.
"He has his own unique understanding of combat. Unlike many who see fighting as merely killing, perhaps they're just repetitive and blind imitators, this boy saw combat as survival."
"Hahaha, so that's it. That's why he wasn't afraid of me, he wanted to survive." the vice principal laughed enthusiastically.
"Yes, he embodies the survival instinct in an astonishing way. When I saw him point his sword at you, I got goosebumps and smiled like a madman. 'What kind of mindset is this that will face you?' I asked myself."
Fer fell silent for a moment, then continued.
"But it was clear, this boy isn't afraid. If the principal were here, he'd train him personally."
"You're an investigator. Unfortunately, the principal has disappeared."
"He'll be back soon. I'm sure of it." Fer smiled lightly, then left the vice principal's office.
…
Sam sat in his room, looking at the small bag on the table.
He was thinking about what Deebt had done today in front of everyone, so he hadn't consumed the Lines yet.
'What on earth happened there? Deebt can't do something without a reason, he's calm by nature.'
Sam thought for a moment.
Knowing Deebt, he was extremely calm, he rarely showed any agitation or expression.
Like a corpse or a lifeless machine.
In a previous conversation with Jazz, Sam had realized that Deebt didn't react like most people.
He controlled his reactions and his expressions, it was hard for anyone to read his thoughts.
'But I'm sure something happened. Was it because of the vice principal's announcement?'
Sam finally cast aside all his thoughts, then took the bag and pulled out a Line, delicate line as fine as a hair, black in color.
"The principal told us that a simple command is enough to initiate the consumption.
It was even mentioned casually back in high school."
"Consumption."
The Line vanished, and Sam felt a slight change within himself.
"Status."
[Name: Sam Lucas.]
[Age: 17.]
[Health: 91%.]
[Level: Dawn.]
[Next Level: 0%]
Information."
[Strength: 14.]
[Stamina: 12.]
[Agility: 11.]
[Speed: 14.]
[Intelligence: 18.]
[Number of lines: 1000.]
[Acquiring ability: 0.5%]
[Talent: Solar Eclipse.]
[Ability: None.]
[Ability development: 0%.]
[First weapon: Chain.]
[Second weapon: Daggers.]
…
Heri was staring at the line that represented a thousand lines before her.
But she hadn't consumed it yet.
Instead, she looked at the needles on the table, there were 19 of them.
One was missing, she had given it to Deebt after he asked to borrow it.
'Deebt is really dangerous. Why did he attack the vice principal?'
'I couldn't read anything in his body language. Unfortunately, I don't know how to read lips, or else I would have understood the situation.'
She thought about it for a moment before refocusing on what was important.
She used the Line.
Then she looked at the information in front of her.
[Number of lines: 1089.]
[Acquiring ability: 4%]
…
"There was a distance of three meters from the door to the wall, Milly was pacing back and forth rapidly toward the wall within that small space."
'Why?'
Milly thought.
'Deebt, why did you do that? What was that all about? There must be a reason.'
Milly knew Deebt well and understood him a little, he didn't act without a reason.
What he did today would remain etched in the minds of everyone present.
In his right mind, he faced a monster like the vice principal.
Milly thought about it for a moment, then consumed the Line.
She looked at her information.
[Number of lines: 1003.]
…
Sunset academy.
Jazz looked up at the ceiling of the white room with boredom.
'I think Deebt, Sam, and Milly succeeded. They said there's another girl with them. Well, it doesn't matter, they'll succeed."
Jazz turned to the side and closed his eyes.
'The future is truly uncertain. I know a lot, but I feel like all that knowledge is useless.' Jazz smiled sarcastically at himself.
Then he thought a little about the people he would face in the future, and a strange feeling washed over him.
'I wonder if that bastard really has a way to come back too? His abilities weren't ordinary, he was really annoying.'
Jazz furrowed his brow with slight concern.
'His abilities weren't ordinary, but it's still early. There's also Deebt, he's the pleasant surprise of the future.'