Alex headed out of the mansion. He grabbed his new motorcycle, ready to leave.
Just as he was about to go, he heard a scream behind him.
Alex turned around, surprised to see Ethan sprinting toward him, clearly out of breath and looking panicked.
"Whoa, easy there," Alex said, raising an eyebrow as Ethan doubled over, hands on his knees, gasping for air. "You look like you just ran a marathon."
Ethan straightened up slowly, still breathing heavily. "Thanks god, you're still here," he panted. "I'm so late for school… I was wondering if you can drive me by?"
Alex glanced at his new motorbike, then back at Ethan. The sleek machine gleamed under the morning sun, and he had been looking forward to a solo ride—to feel the wind and enjoy a moment of peace after the chaos of the previous night. But the desperation on Ethan's face made it hard to say no.
He let out a small sigh, half-smiling. "School, huh? You know I'm not exactly heading in that direction… but fine. Hop on. Just don't make this a habit."
Ethan's face lit up with relief. "Thank you, man! You're a lifesaver!"
As Ethan climbed onto the back of the motorbike, Alex handed him the spare helmet. "Hold on tight," he warned, revving the engine. The deep rumble echoed through the driveway of the mansion.
With a quick twist of the throttle, they shot forward, the wind whipping past them as Alex navigated the long driveway and turned onto the main road toward Ethan's school.
Alex kept his eyes on the road, the motorbike cutting smoothly through the morning traffic. The wind was cool and refreshing, but he could feel Ethan shifting uncomfortably behind him.
Ethan leaned forward a little so his voice could be heard over the engine.
"Well, after our last sparring, I really saw the gap between us… so I've been training until midnight the last few days," Ethan admitted, still breathing a bit hard from his earlier sprint. "Maybe yesterday I overdid it. I didn't get enough sleep and I couldn't wake up in time."
Alex let out a short laugh, glancing at the side mirror to see Ethan's face.
"Midnight every night? No wonder you look half-dead," Alex replied. "I respect the discipline, but you gotta balance it. Sleep is part of the training too. If you're exhausted, your body won't recover and you'll actually get weaker."
Ethan stayed quiet for a second, then spoke again, his voice a mix of embarrassment and determination.
"I know… I just hate feeling that far behind you. Every time I remember how easily you handled me in that spar, it pisses me off. I want to get stronger faster, you know? But yeah… today was rough. My alarm went off and I literally couldn't open my eyes."
He adjusted his grip on Alex's jacket as the bike took a sharp corner.
"So… thanks again for the ride," Ethan added. "I owe you one. If I'm late to first period again, the teacher is probably going to kill me."
Alex smirked under his helmet.
"Don't worry about it. Just promise me. Next time you want to push hard, tell me. We can train together and I'll make sure you don't kill yourself in the process."
The school gates appeared in the distance. Students hurried inside, some still munching on breakfast as they rushed to beat the bell.
Ethan suddenly pointed ahead. "There! The side entrance is closer. Can you drop me there? I might still make it before the bell."
Alex nodded and steered the motorbike toward the side entrance. But just as he began to slow down, that same uneasy feeling from last night hit him again — a sharp warning in his gut, like every instinct screaming danger.
He scanned the surroundings quickly. Nothing looked suspicious. No strange people, no parked vans… just normal students and morning traffic.
He brought the bike to a stop right at the side entrance. Ethan started removing his helmet, completely unaware.
Then it hit Alex again — stronger this time.
In less than a second, Alex whipped his head to the right. A black car was speeding straight toward them. At the last moment, it swerved violently, aiming directly at the motorbike.
Ethan was still fumbling with the helmet strap, oblivious.
Alex's enhanced mind. Now that he is awakener — made his reactions five times faster than a normal human. Without thinking, he shoved Ethan hard to the left with one arm while throwing himself to the right.
The black car smashed into the motorbike with terrifying force.
BANG!
The bike was launched into the air like a toy, flipping more than three times before crashing down on the opposite side of the street in a mangled heap of metal.
Screams erupted from the girls nearby who had been walking toward the school. Students froze, staring in shock at the wrecked motorcycle and the two boys who had barely escaped.
The black car didn't even slow down. It sped away at full throttle, disappearing around the corner in seconds.
Alex pushed himself up from the ground, breathing heavily, his heart pounding. Ethan was still on the ground a few meters away, wide-eyed and stunned.
Alex stared in the direction the black car had vanished, his jaw tight.
This was no accident, he thought. That was a clear attempt to kill us.
He turned to Ethan, who was slowly getting to his feet, still in disbelief.
"You okay?" Alex asked quickly, his voice sharp. "Did you get hurt?"
Ethan shook his head, looking pale. "I… I'm fine. What the hell just happened? That car… it came straight for us!"
Alex walked over and helped Ethan stand properly. His eyes were still scanning the street, alert for any second attack.
"Yeah… it wasn't random," Alex said quietly, so only Ethan could hear. "Someone just tried to murder us. Or at least me."
Alex glanced at the destroyed motorbike lying twisted on the other side of the road, then stared once more in the direction the black car had disappeared.
Ethan stood there stunned, still processing what had just happened. He looked at his watch and hesitated. "Shit… I still have to get to class. The bell is about to ring."
Alex nodded. "Go. I'll handle this."
With the help of the school security guard, Alex called the police and explained everything in detail — how the black car had deliberately swerved toward them, the high speed, and that it felt like a clear attempt on their lives. He gave a precise description of the car: black sedan, tinted windows, no visible license plate from the angle he saw.
The police arrived quickly, took statements, photographed the wreckage, and questioned a few witnesses. After they finished their initial work and left, promising to investigate, Alex remained standing near the mangled remains of his motorbike.
He stared at the pile of twisted metal that had been his brand-new ride just minutes ago. He had bought it with his very first salary. The pride he felt when he first rode it… now gone in seconds.
"Damn it…" he muttered under his breath.
The last few days had felt like a dream — awakening his powers, meeting the princess, getting stronger. Deep down, he had known something bad was coming. It always did.
His mind raced through the possibilities. There were only two realistic targets: him or Ethan.
Ethan was just a normal farm boy who recently joined the princess's club. That felt too recent and too minor to warrant a murder attempt.
As for himself… the list was much longer.
First possibility: someone knew he was an Awakener. He had no idea how they could have found out, but he couldn't rule it out. Maybe there were other Awakeners with strange detection abilities.
Second possibility: his new relationship with the princess. Even though they had only made it official last night, powerful families had eyes and ears everywhere. Loyal enemies of the royal family could have received the information in real time and decided to act immediately.
But all of it was just guesswork.
At moments like this, Alex wished he had a different kind of ability — something that could track people, reveal truth, or see the future.
He quietly asked, "System, do you have any way to find out about those people or trace where they came from?"
[Negative! The system does not have any information or data related to that.]
"As I expected…" Alex sighed.
He took one last look at the wreckage of his motorbike, then made up his mind.
He wasn't going to let this stop him. If someone was trying to kill him, then skipping training was the last thing he should do. In fact, it was even more reason to train harder.
He usually preferred training in the park, but after what just happened, that felt too exposed. Returning to the mansion was smarter — safer, more private, and he could go all out without worrying about eyes on him.
With a final glance toward the school, Alex turned and started walking away from the scene, his mind already racing with plans.
He pulled out his phone and called Catherine. He wasn't afraid for himself, but he was worried the attack might be linked to the royal family's enemies. If they struck at him this quickly, Catherine could be their next target.
The phone rang twice before she answered.
"Hello?" Her voice came through calm and elegant, as always.
"Catherine, it's Alex."
A very brief pause — almost unnoticeable.
"Alex? Good morning. You sound serious… Did something happen?"
Alex didn't sugarcoat it.
"Someone tried to kill me this morning. A black car deliberately swerved and tried to run me over right in front of Ethan's school. It destroyed my motorbike and sped away. It was no accident."
On the other end, Catherine's grip on the phone tightened sharply. A cold wave of anger surged through her chest — the same burning rage she had carried from the apocalyptic future she once lived through.
Someone dared to target Alex…
She had thought she was already ahead as a regressor, carefully changing events step by step. But it looked like someone was already plotting against both her and Alex. The timing was too perfect — right after they had gotten close last night.
The worst part was that she couldn't think of any clear reason for someone to target Alex… unless this attacker was also a regressor from the future. Someone who knew exactly what Alex was going to become and wanted to stop it before it happened.
She forced her breathing to stay even and kept her voice calm and elegant, not letting any of her inner turmoil show.
"I'm glad you're safe," she replied, her tone warm yet composed, with only a hint of genuine concern slipping through. "This is completely unacceptable. I'll contact the head of security immediately and have them coordinate with the police. We'll track that black car and whoever was inside it. They won't escape easily."
Catherine paused for a brief moment, her mind already racing through possible suspects and countermeasures.
"Alex… please come back to the mansion for now. The grounds are secure, and you can train here without any worries. I'd feel much better knowing you're close today, at least until we have a better understanding of who's behind this."
Her voice softened slightly, showing honest care.
"I was already looking forward to seeing you today. Last night was special… I don't want anything to ruin that. And honestly, I'm quite angry about what they tried to do to you."
She let a quiet edge of steel enter her words at the end — the voice of a strong princess who would not hesitate to make the attackers regret their actions.
"So… will you come? I can send a car for you right away."
Hearing that, Alex didn't have any objections. He was already planning to return to the mansion anyway, so he answered calmly:
"Okay. I was already heading to the mansion. I'll wait for the car to arrive."
On the other end of the line, Catherine felt a small wave of relief wash over her, though she kept her voice perfectly steady and princess-like.
"Good. I'll send one right now. It should reach you in about ten minutes. Please stay somewhere visible and safe until it arrives."
She paused for a second, then added with gentle warmth:
"And Alex… be careful. I know you can handle yourself, but after what just happened, I'd rather not take any chances."
Inside, her mind was still burning with anger. The possibility that another regressor might be behind this attack kept echoing in her thoughts, but she refused to let it show in her tone.
"I'll be waiting for you at the mansion," she continued softly. "We can talk more when you get here… and maybe train together if you still feel like it. Take care until then."
After they exchanged a quick goodbye, Catherine immediately hung up and made two calls — one to dispatch a secure car with trusted drivers, and another to the head of royal security, her voice turning sharp and commanding the moment the line connected.
"Find that black car. I want every camera in the city checked. Whoever did this… they will regret targeting him."
Alex stood near the front of the school, keeping a low profile while waiting for Catherine's car. He discreetly opened his status window and stared at the numbers.
[User: Alex Anderson]
[Status: Awakener 1]
[Strength: 6.6]
[Defense: 6.7]
[Endurance: 6.7]
[Mind: 5.0]
[Soul: 10.0]
[Mana: 0.0]
[Power: Steady Growth, Targeted Growth]
He frowned slightly at his stats. After the car attack earlier, he realized how dangerous it was to rely only on his physical stats and enhanced reaction speed.
"System," he asked quietly in his mind, "if I face an attack like that again, what is the most important stat you advise me to improve?"
The system responded instantly:
[Info! The user is advised to increase Mana stats.] [Mana stats will give the user a huge advantage over normal humans. It will allow you to strengthen your body further, protect it from physical attacks like the one you just faced, and grant access to a variety of skills that the system possesses. However, all advanced skills require Mana to activate and learn.]
Alex raised an eyebrow, processing the information.
"So Mana is the key… No wonder it's still at zero. I've been focusing too much on physical training."
He had just closed his status window after the system's advice about raising his Mana stat when a heavy, matte-black armored vehicle pulled up slowly in front of him.
It wasn't a normal luxury car.
This was a military-grade SUV — reinforced body, bulletproof tinted windows, and rugged tires built for rough situations. Two professional soldiers in dark tactical gear stepped out immediately. They were clearly elite: sharp posture, eyes scanning the surroundings constantly, and holstered weapons visible under their jackets.
"Mr. Alex Anderson?" one of them asked in a calm, respectful but firm voice. "Her Highness Catherine sent us. We're here to escort you back to the mansion."
The second soldier gave a quick nod and opened the reinforced rear door for him.
Alex didn't hesitate. He climbed inside. The interior was surprisingly spacious and comfortable, but everything about the vehicle screamed high-level security — thick armor plating, communication equipment, and even a small weapons locker discreetly built into the side.
As soon as the doors closed with a heavy thud, the car started moving smoothly but with clear purpose. The two soldiers sat in the front, one driving while the other kept watch on the mirrors and surrounding traffic.
The driver spoke without turning around, his tone professional:
"Her Highness instructed us to bring you back safely. We'll take a secure route. If you notice anything suspicious, let us know immediately."
Alex leaned back in the seat, feeling the weight of the situation. Catherine had clearly taken the attack very seriously — sending an armored military escort instead of a regular car showed how angry and concerned she really was, even if she tried to sound composed on the phone.
He looked out the window as the city streets passed by, his mind returning to the system's message.
Mana… I need to start raising it soon. Next time something like this happens, I don't want to rely only on pushing people out of the way.
The ride to the mansion was quiet and smooth. The soldiers remained vigilant the entire way, taking a few deliberate detours to make sure they weren't being followed.
About twenty minutes later, the armored SUV passed through the grand gates of the mansion and came to a stop in the private courtyard.
Catherine was already waiting near the entrance steps, standing tall in a simple but refined outfit. Her expression was calm on the surface, but her eyes sharpened the moment she saw Alex step out of the car.
"Alex," she said, her voice carrying a quiet intensity.
The moment she saw him step out of the armored car, Catherine's cold expression cracked. Her sharp eyes softened instantly, and without thinking, she walked straight toward him.
Alex noticed the hidden anxiety in her posture and didn't hesitate. He pulled her into a firm hug.
"I'm okay," he said gently, trying to comfort her. "You see, I'm stronger than you can imagine. They'll need to send a tank to have any chance at killing me."
The second Alex's arms wrapped around her, Catherine melted.
She pressed her face against his chest, her hands gripping the back of his shirt tightly. For a few seconds, all the cold princess facade disappeared. Her body relaxed completely in his embrace, and she let out a shaky breath she had been holding since the phone call.
she whispered against him, her voice unusually soft and trembling with emotion. "Do you know how scared I was when you told me?"
She stayed in his arms a little longer than necessary, then slowly pulled back just enough to look up at his face. Her usual icy expression was gone — replaced by genuine worry and relief mixed with barely contained anger.
Her hand came up to gently touch the small scrape on his arm.
"You're really not hurt?" she asked quietly, her tone much warmer and more vulnerable now that it was only the two of them. "Don't joke about tanks… Even if you're strong, the thought of losing you…"
She stopped herself, biting her lip for a moment before continuing in a softer voice:
"I've already ordered a full investigation. My people are checking every camera. Whoever did this… they will regret it. I'll make sure of that."
Catherine took a small step back, but kept one hand holding his, as if she didn't want to fully let go yet. Her eyes were still soft when looking at him.
"Come inside with me," she said, her voice gentle. "The training hall is ready. You can rest a bit first if you want… or we can train together. I just… I need to keep you close right now."
She gave him a small, rare smile that was meant only for him — warm and full of quiet affection.
"I'm really glad you're safe, Alex."