Chapter 5: Status Window!!!

Numerous notifications greeted me as soon as I opened my eyes while laying on the bed.

I stared at them blankly, then waved my hand to dismiss the windows.

A chuckle escaped my lips as my eyes took in the unfamiliar ceiling.

Thankfully, I didn’t end up sleeping on the streets.

That was the first thought that crossed my mind the moment the Practical Exam ended.

Seeing Noa and Ichinose in person was great, but the problem was where to go next.

My head was filled with thoughts about where and how to spend the few days before the start of the semester.

At that point, I was even prepared for the possibility of sleeping rough, as no viable solution came to mind.

Then, just as the exam finished and a flood of cadets poured out of the gymnasium, a conversation about buying food to take to the dormitory reached my ears.

I rummaged through my Smartphone and found the guide sent by Orion Academy.

After that, it was all about moving, moving, and more moving.

I made my way to the dormitory, located one block away from Orion Academy.

Whether it was due to my Skill usage, or the exhaustion from the tension I had been suppressing with excitement, fatigue had taken root in my body.

And as soon as I reached my room, I dove headfirst into the bed and fell asleep.

Now, bidding farewell to the sticky embrace of slumber, I open my eyes and look at the ceiling, certain of one thing.

So, it wasn’t a dream after all.

From doubt to certainty.

I was still inside Academy City, Elysium.

And I couldn’t be more satisfied with the outcome.

It wouldn’t have been out of place if I woke up and discovered that all the mystical moments I had experienced were all a dream.

But facing the unchanging reality after a good night’s rest brought a wide grin to my face.

The fact that it was all real, set in stone, made me feel incredibly good.

“Heh…”

Letting out a small, contented sigh, I slowly rolled my still-sleepy body to reach for my Smartphone on the corner of the bed and checked the time.

February 26th, 20:40.

It was still the day of the Placement Exam.

It felt like I slept deeply, but since I had fallen asleep early, the day hadn’t even ended.

I slept at an odd time.

I sat up in bed and rubbed my face several times.

Time to get my act together.

First, I needed to organize my thoughts, the ones I’d put off to enjoy the moment.

“Ugh.”

Getting out of the soft bed, I stretched my stiff body and hung my uniform on a chair before looking around the room.

…The room feels lived-in.

Things I hadn’t noticed before diving into bed came into view.

Opening the wardrobe revealed a few worn-out clothes, and in the shoe rack, was a pair of worn-out sneakers.

On the desk were thick books that looked like textbooks, a bag… it seemed that the basic necessities were more or less provided.

I guess my character stayed in the dormitory at least once. Probably here starting from the entrance ceremony and… changed into ‘me’ on the way to the Placement Exam?

Something like that, perhaps.

Anyway, dwelling on this wouldn’t get me anywhere, so I decisively put an end to that train of thought.

While I was still curious about the time I couldn’t remember, like now…

I currently had a mountain of things to ponder regarding the present and the future, more than the past.

First,

The most important question.

Before making any plans, did I escape the immediate threat of death I was facing?

Did I pull my head out before the blade of the guillotine fell?

Step. Step.

Heading for the shower, I checked my reflection in the mirror.

The sense of incongruity was extreme.

A clean body without a single blemish, no matter how closely I looked.

That was the truly important point, more so than my unsatisfactory, frail physique.

…The traces of necrosis are gone, and the scars have also disappeared.

The diseased blood vessels and scars that had spread around my heart like spiderwebs were nowhere to be seen.

This must be one of the perks of being transferred to a new body.

I was clearly waiting for the day I would die.

It would have made sense if I had received expensive treatment to erase the scars from fighting against Gates and extract the poison or energy from Monsters that had pervaded the body, like high-ranking Hunters.

But for the majority of Hunters like me, it became difficult to withstand the injuries left by Monsters as our Supernatural Abilities weakened.

And the day Supernatural Abilities disappeared completely and Hunters returned to having ordinary human bodies…

It was clear to me that a significant number would die.

Even though I didn’t know when it would happen, I knew that  a few years from now, the probability of me being included in that bloodbath was extremely high.

But now, those traces, like shackles, were gone.

I was free.

Alright! Let’s consider this a good thing!

At the joy of having unexpectedly escaped a crisis, my lips curled into a silly grin at the lightness in my heart.

My steps felt as light as feathers as I headed towards the shower.

I had been living as if everything was normal, pretending to be nonchalant, but the reality of my limited time was indeed wearing me down.

Swooooosh───!

While waiting for the hot water, I thought about the next issue.

Second.

Where was Abyss City’s Main Character?

If the starting point is being in the same class as the main characters, doesn’t that mean they took the Placement Exam?

The Protagonist’s gender changed depending on the Gamer’s choice, and the name changed too.

I didn’t even know if they were set as male or female in this world.

Nor could I find them amongst the flood of cadets after the Practical Exam ended.

In that case, I’ll probably have to wait until the semester starts to find out.

If time flowed like in the game, from the moment the Protagonist stepped in, Academy City would experience unprecedented incidents and accidents.

As someone who cherished peaceful times, that was quite a regrettable thing.

“…”

Swoooosh!

The water, now hot, poured onto my palm.

Stepping under the spray, I continued my contemplation, chasing the tail of my thoughts.

And then there’s…

The quest reward and the shop.

It was time to check the arrogant Skill that devoured five hours of my time for an “update.”

Whirr─!

A large, translucent window appeared before me, typing out the words as if on a keyboard as the water from the showerhead passed through the window and poured onto my body.

“Oh!”

A short exclamation echoed in the small shower stall.

My mouth began to drool at the sight of the items listed.

I lathered my hair vigorously, double-checking the list.

Is there a chance they will start selling equipment as the shop level increases?

Considering they were selling Skills, there was a definite possibility.

Currently, apart from the top two items, the shop only offered food and drinks.

However, the anticipation for growth was top-notch.

“Whew! That’s refreshing!”

Finishing my shower quickly and sacrificing a towel, I put on comfortable clothes and stared intently at the shop window.

If I buy food, how will it be provided? Will it just plop out of thin air?

I was feeling a bit hungry, and my curiosity tempted me to buy a 1P food item, but…

Status Window…!

An enticing item that perfectly matched the amount of points I had stopped me.

I couldn’t resist the temptation.

In game terms, the shortcut key ‘C’ has been activated.

I could endure hunger, but not curiosity. Satisfying.

I immediately brought up the Status Window.

Fire!?

I expected Physical Attribute. But the other, I never imagined.

Why did I possess the Fire Attribute?

“Hmm…”

I paced back and forth in the room, pondering, but no satisfactory answer came to mind.

During my time as a hunter, my Supernatural Ability was the epitome of simplicity, far removed from anything flashy.

Naturally, it had nothing to do with fire.

As I continued  to walk and contemplate,

“!”

I thought of the most plausible explanation.

Maybe it doesn’t really mean anything?

Recalling the Attribute cycle of the new characters released in Abyss City, I came to a near-certain understanding.

The community had speculated that I would likely fill the Fire Attribute slot.

Accepting the predetermined outcome readily, I put on my sneakers to satisfy my remaining curiosity.

＊＊＊＊＊

Ichinose Yui was walking down the street after leaving the dormitory.

Life away from her spacious home, without a chauffeur or bodyguards, had begun.

Every day, she was overwhelmed with sentimental feelings during her calls with her parents, and the resolution to endure these two years dominated her thoughts.

And following that resolve, she finished her training for the day and was about to pick up her pen.

Since late-night studying required something sweet, she ventured out to familiarize herself with the convenience stores and cafes near the dormitory she would be staying in.

Additionally, scouting out beauty stores for cosmetics was a must.

The February night air was still chilly, and the glittering nightscape of Academy City Elysium had a distinctly different atmosphere from her home country, the Three Kingdoms Union.

It was dazzlingly vibrant and thriving beyond imagination.

Not bad.

Just walking around outside would likely keep boredom at bay for a while.

Taking a walk after dinner on this street seemed like a good idea.

Of course, that’s if she knew where she was.

“…”

Leaving the convenience store with snacks in hand was perfect.

She was even a bit excited to find a variety of new snacks she’d never seen in the Three Kingdoms Union.

So, with snacks and her Smartphone in one hand, and Tae Do Yoru, her soulmate, in the other, she was on her way back to the dormitory.

At some point, she realized she was walking on an unfamiliar road.

Bzz──

Her Smartphone vibrated in her hand.

Ichinose opened her closed eyes to look at the screen.

She had repeatedly told Noa not to visit her in the evenings because she would be studying, but Noa never listened.

Moreover, the content of the message was infuriating.

Who is lost…!

She needed to give Noa a proper warning about calling her a lost child so casually.

“Hmph!”

Ichinose walked with her head held high.

She was confident she wasn’t lost.

It doesn’t mean I’m lost if I can find my way back.

There were many ways to return to the dormitory.

She could ask the Elysium Security Bureau for help, or use the map application on her Smartphone.

However, using those felt like admitting she was directionally challenged.

Her pride wouldn’t allow it.

Click. Click. Click.

Ichinose walked through the night streets aimlessly, pretending to be on a stroll.

After walking straight for some time,

A strange presence caught her attention, and Ichinose stopped, slowly opening her closed eyes.

Her golden eyes focused on one spot.

That man?

A vending machine in a dark alleyway, devoid of light.

She saw someone staring intently at the vending machine.

…Number 99?

It was definitely the same man who had split the test Golem in half.