"This can't be real," his mind kept insisting, yet the sudden memories in his head, the familiar surroundings, and the old man lecturing were all proof that it was.
"Haah," Lucan sighed as he slowly accepted reality, drawing a few curious glances from the children around him.
He had really transmigrated into the game EVOVERSE. According to his memories, his name here was Lucan, a boy picked up from the wilderness at the age of eight and later fostered in an orphanage.
Because he had entered the orphanage late, and because he came from the wilderness, he never had any real friends or playmates. In short, he was a loner.
Now, under the laws of the Human Federation, children aged twelve were required to enroll in the Academy of Evolvers in their respective city. And here he was, at the very place where the storyline began.
But even after confirming everything, he did not feel the joy most time travelers would. Since he could not recall Lucan being either a major or side character, he was most likely just a mob. Someone who died early, maybe survived until the mid-game only to fall later, or, if lucky, perished during the world-destroying events in the later stages.
While he was lost in thought, a loud and passionate voice jolted him awake, along with several other drowsy students.
"SO, ALL THE BEST TO ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR AWAKENING! May you become another pillar of the Human Federation and slay all those dread beasts!"
Lucan turned toward the source. It was the lecturing old man, Jeroff Stuart, dean of the Academy of Evolvers and a major friendly NPC in the early parts of the game.
He was tall and lean, dressed in a blue wizard's robe patterned with stars. Several rings adorned his fingers, and with his beard and kind face, he looked just like your average Good Wizard.
But that appearance was only a disguise for those who did not know him. This amiable-looking old man often used such an image to fool others.
In reality, he was one of the Tier 5 humans in City No. 203, and a Battle Monk to be precise.
Lucan eyebrows twitched as he recalled the game scene where this same old man, his lean upper body packed with muscle, tore the head off a dread beast general while blasting another apart with stored magic from his rings.
After giving his speech, Dean Jeroff stepped off the stage as the students began chatting among themselves.
Lucan also got to work, scanning the crowd to find the MC of the game as well as some familiar characters.
But in the huge crowd, his view was blocked by the students around him.
"Everyone quiet!!" A loud shout cut through the noise as a stern-looking young woman appeared on the empty stage.
The moment she spoke, the chattering stopped, and every gaze fell on her.
She looked around twenty-five, with an almond-shaped face, shoulder-length black hair, a mask covering the lower part of her mouth, and a mechanical eyeball that kept rotating as it scanned the hall.
Her gaze swept over the students as she spoke. "To introduce myself, I am Rebecca Mortiff, and I am the one responsible for your awakening. So, without further ado, follow me without creating any kind of ruckus, otherwise-," she paused as she walked down the stage, her heels clicking against the floor as she moved toward the exit.
"-You're definitely staying extra years in this academy," her voice trailed back as she stepped out through the door.
The students looked at one another before quickly following Rebecca.
While nearing the gate, Lucan kept his pace slow, blending into the crowd. That was when he finally caught sight of the person he had been searching for - the MC.
The MC, Sieg, was following from the tail end. He was the same age as Lucan, but a little shorter, with a head full of grey hair, a pair of green eyes, and a bandage wrapped around his right wrist.
He wore the same outfit as the other students: a white coat with a golden cross symbol on the chest, formal black trousers, and dark boots.
'Default one, eh,' Lucan thought as he glanced at Sieg. The current look suggested the MC had the default settings, with no customization.
It was both good and bad. Good because Lucan already knew most of the MC's traits, but bad because he was not entirely sure this MC could overcome the high-level bosses ahead.
Although both he and Sieg could be said to be brothers in a way, since both were brought from the wilderness and later admitted to the orphanage, Lucan had never actually spoken with him.
He slowed his pace slightly, bending down to dust his trousers.
A few seconds later, Sieg passed by, leaving several others behind. Lucan straightened up and followed again, staying near the rear.
Exiting the auditorium, he entered a long hallway, trailing behind the rest of the group.
'The first fight should be coming soon,' he thought as his gaze fell on three boys walking together ahead.
The leading boy had a buzz cut with a small scar at the corner of his forehead.
To his left was a short and thin boy with a gloomy face, while the one on the right was tall and fat, with small eyes that gave him a gangster-like look.
"Oe, Sieg," the buzz-cut boy called as he placed a hand on Sieg's shoulder, while the other two flanked him on either side.
"What's the matter, Lors?" Sieg asked, turning back with a stern expression.
"Why aren't you following behind Caroline, huh?" the short one on the left sneered.
"Yes, yes, why aren't you following behind Caroline?" the fat one echoed with a smile.
"What does it have to do with you three?" Sieg replied flatly.
"Oh? Looks like you've gotten a lot more confident recently, Sieg," Lors said, a grin spreading across his face as he cracked his knuckles.
"Yes, yes, more confident," the fat one repeated as he blocked the path forward, while the short one also smirked sinisterly.
'It's time for me to step in,' Lucan thought as he took a few steps forward.
"Why are you surrounding him?" he suddenly asked, intercepting from behind as he fixed his eyes on the three.