Isaac woke up groggily, the morning sunlight filtering through the worn blinds of his apartment. He shuffled into the bathroom, toothbrush lazily hanging from the corner of his mouth. As he raised his hand to rinse, something caught his eye. The ring—or rather, the vine-shaped tattoo-like mark—was still etched onto his skin, pulsing faintly.
A grin crept onto his face.
"Still there..." he muttered, rubbing the mark with his thumb. With this storage ability, the gears in his plan were finally moving. Everything was going to be a lot easier.
After quickly getting dressed, Isaac stepped out of his apartment, slinging his bag over his shoulder. Maya was already waiting by the sidewalk, her face practically glowing with excitement. He paused for a moment, watching her.
Normally, he'd smile seeing his little sister so happy. But not today.
Because he knew exactly why she was excited—and that just annoyed the hell out of him.
The bus rolled in, its brakes hissing like some beast reluctant to stop. Maya darted forward with barely contained energy, rushing to the back of the bus where Claire—the mad witch—was already seated. Maya threw her arms around her, laughing.
Isaac's eye twitched.
Those two had gotten too close lately. He dragged his feet behind her, slumping into the seat in front of them with an audible sigh. He crossed his arms, slouched, and stared out the window, his jaw clenched.
He didn't know what annoyed him more—his sister clinging to someone else, or the fact that the person she chose was that woman.
"Big bro! Good morning!"
"Big brother! Morning!"
Two cheerful voices interrupted his brooding thoughts. Leo and Liam—the damn twins—had popped up again, each gripping one of his shoulders with toothy grins like overexcited puppies.
Isaac grunted, shoulders stiffening.
"…I really hate this part of the day."
He leaned back with a groan, closed his eyes, and genuinely debated whether wiping them all off the face of the planet would be the more peaceful route.
"…Tsk." He clicked his tongue sharply before slumping further into his seat, reluctantly surrendering to this ridiculous reality.
As usual, Maya, Claire, and the twins wandered off together toward their classes. Isaac took a different path, dragging his feet a little. Finally, a bit of peace.
Or so he thought.
"Good morning, Isaac."
That voice. Another annoying presence.
"Morning, Ren," he replied flatly without turning.
Ren, the glasses-wearing girl with the practically annoying mana gaze.
"So… are you ready for today's class?" she asked, fidgeting slightly with her sleeves.
Isaac glanced at her, clearly unamused.
"You mean the practical duels? I still don't get why someone like me—normal and totally unawakened—has to go through that crap."
Ren gave a small smile, trying to sound wise.
"It's just in case. You never know when you might awaken. Or need to defend yourself. It's a necessary life skill in this world."
"…Yeah, you're right," he muttered, more to get her to stop talking than because he agreed.
They walked together in silence, eventually arriving at the open training field. The air buzzed with excitement. Students gathered in groups, chatting and stretching. Isaac looked around, surprised by the size of the crowd.
A joint class?
He scanned the area carefully. He wasn't interested in most of the people here. But four of them stood out.
First, a tall, handsome blonde guy dual-wielding swords—Arnold. He looked like the kind of guy women would literally trip over themselves to impress. And Isaac already hated him for it. He remembered the name vaguely. Arnold died early in his previous life—some dungeon collapse. A waste of a powerful asset.
Second, Kaine. Or as Isaac preferred to call him—Poopy Head. Enough said.
Third, a girl standing alone, but giving off a distinct scent that caught Isaac's attention. Blood. Heavy and sharp. It clung to her like perfume. His brows furrowed. That was the smell of an assassin—he'd worn that same scent once in his past life.
Their eyes met.
Only for a second, but it was enough. Recognition passed between them like a flicker of lightning. Isaac's gaze dropped to her left hand—and there it was. A purple ribbon. The same kind of ribbon that "HE" used to mark his people.
"Damn you, trader…" Isaac muttered. "You already had someone inside this academy."
Finally, his eyes landed on the fourth: a hulking man with a square jaw and more muscles than half the gym. Despite wearing a student uniform, he looked more like an instructor. Isaac tilted his head.
"Body enhancement skill?" he whispered under his breath, studying the guy's bulky arms. "Interesting…"
Then he let out a chuckle.
"Who cares."
His lips curled into a sharp grin.
"For now… let's just try to have fun."
A cold wind brushed the field. The fights were about to begin—and Isaac was starting to feel alive again.