The dormitory building loomed ahead, a red-brick fortress of teenage hormones and strict rules.
I stood at the entrance, feeling the small lump inside my jacket wiggle.
"Shh... stay still," I whispered.
The kitten responded with a muffled mew that sounded dangerously loud in the quiet evening air.
I scanned the lobby through the glass doors. Sitting behind the front desk was Mrs. Higgins, the dormitory supervisor. She was a woman in her late fifties with eagle eyes and a supernatural ability to detect contraband. In my predecessor's memories, she was the final boss of this building.
'System, scan the area. Is there a blind spot?'
[Ding~ In response to the Host... There is no blind spot for Mrs. Higgins. She is watching the door like a hawk. However, with your Mental Strength, you could simply distract her.]
'Good idea.'
I closed my eyes for a fraction of a second and extended my senses. I felt Mrs. Higgins' mind—a swirl of boredom and strict adherence to rules.
I focused on the landline phone sitting on her desk.
Ring.
I didn't make the phone ring physically; I made it ring inside her head. An auditory hallucination.
Mrs. Higgins jumped slightly and picked up the receiver. "Hello? Dormitory reception..."
While she was confusedly shouting "Hello?" into the dead line, I slipped past the desk, moving as silently as a shadow.
"Too easy," I murmured, taking the stairs two at a time.
Room 304.
I unlocked the door and stepped inside.
The room was a typical mess of three teenage boys. Clothes were draped over chairs, textbooks were scattered on the floor, and the air smelled faintly of deodorant and old pizza.
Sam was sitting at his desk, highlighting a textbook with surgical precision. Dave was lying on his bed, scrolling through his phone with headphones on.
"You're back late," Sam said without looking up. "Did you walk all the way from—"
Meow.
Sam stopped. He slowly turned around. "Matt... did you just meow?"
Dave pulled one headphone off his ear. "Dude, don't tell me you're a furry now."
I sighed, unzipped my jacket, and gently pulled out the black kitten. The little creature blinked at the sudden light, looked around the room, and then let out a tiny, demanding squeak.
Sam dropped his highlighter. "Matthew! Are you insane? No pets allowed! Mrs. Higgins will skin us alive!"
Dave sat up, eyes wide. "Whoa. Is that... a cat?"
"No, Dave, it's a very small, hairy dragon," I said sarcastically, setting the kitten down on my bed. "Of course it's a cat. I found him in an alley being terrorized by some thugs."
"Thugs?" Sam asked, his "mom mode" kicking in. "Are you okay? Did they hurt you?"
"I'm fine. They... decided to leave," I said vaguely. "But I couldn't leave him there."
Sam walked over, looking torn between panic and adoration. "Matt, seriously. If we get caught, it's detention for a month. Or worse, they'll call my parents."
"Don't worry," I said, my voice calm and reassuring. "I'll handle Mrs. Higgins. Nobody will know he's here. Besides..."
I looked at the kitten. He was currently attacking a loose thread on my blanket with ferocious determination.
"...look at him. Can you really say no to that face?"
Sam looked at the kitten. The kitten paused, looked at Sam with big yellow eyes, and tilted its head.
Sam crumbled. "Ugh. Fine. But if he pees on my bed, you're dead."
Dave was already on the floor, dangling a shoelace in front of the kitten. "This is awesome. What's his name?"
I paused. I hadn't thought about it.
I looked at the small, black creature. He was dark as the void I had floated in, yet he had a spark of life that defied the darkness.
"Nox," I said. "Latin for Night."
"Nox," Dave repeated. "Sounds like a spell. Cool."
[Ding~ Host, you named your cat 'Night'. How edgy. Are you going to start writing poetry next?]
'It fits, System. Leave me alone.'
Later that night, the lights were out.
Sam and Dave were fast asleep. I could hear their breathing—Sam's rhythmic and quiet, Dave's slightly snoring.
I lay on my back, staring at the ceiling. Nox was curled up on my chest, a warm weight rising and falling with my breath.
I didn't feel sleepy. My enhanced mind required less rest than a normal human's.
I gently stroked Nox's fur. Suddenly, I felt a strange connection. It wasn't just physical touch; it was a faint mental thread. I could sense the kitten's dreams—flashes of chasing mice, warmth, and the taste of milk.
'Interesting,' I thought. 'So my mental power can connect with simple minds easily.'
I closed my eyes and focused on the System interface in my mind.
'Status.'
[~Status~ Name: Matthew White World: Marvel (Earth-616) Skills:
Untalented (S-Rank)
Mental Strength (S-Rank) Skill Creation Points: 0 Next Point: 6 Days, 14 Hours]
'One week cooldown,' I noted. 'I need to be careful with my next choice. Defense is good, offense is good... but information is power.'
My phone buzzed on the nightstand.
I picked it up, dimming the screen brightness. It was a notification from a news app.
BREAKING NEWS: Stark Industries Announces New Clean Energy Initiative. CEO Tony Stark to hold press conference next week.
I stared at the headline.
Tony Stark. Iron Man.
The world felt so real, yet these names made it feel like fiction. But I knew better. The danger was real. Aliens, gods, mad titans... they were all out there.
And here I was, a college student with a cat and a god-complex system.
"We have a lot of work to do, Nox," I whispered to the sleeping kitten.
Nox twitched his ear in his sleep, as if agreeing.
I put the phone down and closed my eyes, reaching out with my mind to envelope the room in a subtle psychic alarm field. If anyone approached the door, I would know instantly.
For the first time in two lifetimes, I felt... settled.
This was my sanctuary. And I would protect it.