Raze had stopped checking the time.
The system had been silent for seven days. No quests. No notifications. Nothing. That bothered him more than if it had been screaming at him nonstop.
He sat at the kitchen table, a bowl of cereal in front of him, spoon untouched.
The TV was off.
The house was too quiet.
'If they scan me… if they look too closely… there will be no hiding it.'
He shook the thought away and finally lifted the spoon.
Then the TV flickered on by itself.
Raze froze.
The spoon clinked softly against the bowl as he turned.
On the screen stood the head of the military.
Gilbert Nightwing.
"Starting immediately," Nightwing said, voice steady and absolute, "every citizen aged sixteen and above will be brought into the military."
Raze didn't blink.
"We will knock on every house. No one will be overlooked. Those between sixteen and nineteen will be placed into specialized military schools. The elderly will be the only exception."
The broadcast continued, but Raze barely heard the rest.
'So that's it.'
He thought about Military School. About crowded buildings. About inspections.
About hiding what he was.
"They might arrive at any time," he muttered, standing. "No point waiting."
In his room, he pulled a duffel bag from under the bed.
Clothes first. Shirts. Pants. A jacket. Shoes.
Easy.
His hands paused when his eyes landed on the watch on his shelf.
It was his father's.
Packing clothes was simple. Packing pieces of his life wasn't.
After a moment, he slid the watch into the bag.
As he zipped it shut, the system's words echoed faintly in his mind.
May you be the one to finally change things once and for all.
"If this is the path I've been thrown into," Raze said quietly, "then I'll walk it."
A knock echoed from downstairs.
Sharp. Heavy.
His breath caught.
"Damn," he muttered. "Already?"
He slung the duffel bag over his shoulder and headed down the stairs. His hand hovered over the handle.
"Who is it?"
"Military officers," a firm voice answered. "Open up."
Raze unlocked the door.
Two officers stood outside in dark gray uniforms, badges gleaming. The insignia of the UX military was stamped clearly on their shoulders.
"Raze Zaden?" one asked.
"That's me."
"You're sixteen. From today forward, you'll be joining the mandatory military school program. Transportation is waiting."
Raze nodded. "I'm ready."
Outside, a large armored vehicle idled at the curb, back doors already open.
'How do they even know my name?' He thought.
Inside, the smell of metal and oil hit him immediately. Steel floors. Rows of seats. Teenagers clutching bags just like his.
Fear. Excitement. Silence.
Raze took a seat near the back.
Some wore bloodline crests proudly stitched onto their clothes. Others looked like they'd been dragged straight from bed.
'The system wants me stronger,' he thought. 'And I guess this is where it starts.'
The doors slammed shut.
The vehicle lurched forward.
"This is it," a boy near the front said with a grin. "Real training. I'm pushing my bloodline to its limit."
"You'll have to keep up with me first," his friend replied.
A few seats away, a girl whispered, "I didn't ask for this…"
"I heard some kids don't come back," another muttered.
Raze listened to both sides.
It didn't matter to him.
He looked down at his hands, flexing them slowly.
'This is about me.'
The vehicle made several stops. More teenagers climbed in. By the fourth stop, every seat was full.
Then someone leaned toward him.
"The name's Felix," the boy whispered, grinning. "So… what bloodline are you from?"
Raze turned his head.
"…Bloodline?"
Felix's grin widened.