Morning came too early.
Ash lay on his mattress, eyes half-open, counting down like a man preparing for the apocalypse.
"Five… four… three… two… one…"
Booooooooommm.
The steam cloud device roared alive. A blast of white vapor shook the entire house like a dragon sneezing.
The rat shot straight up into the air, limbs stiff like a possessed toy. The mice scattered in pure terror, bouncing around the room like someone threw a bag of billiard balls.
Ash blinked once.
Then burst out laughing.
He wasn't proud of enjoying other people's (or rats') suffering, but the chaos was satisfying… mostly because this time it wasn't happening to him.
The rat landed beside him, fur puffed up, staring at Ash like it wanted to sue him.
It squeaked something rude, then immediately snapped orders at the mice.
Squeak (You!...Cook!, You!...Clean!, the remaining, keep digging the basement! Move, move, move!)
The mice saluted and scattered to their tasks.
Ash just stood there, frozen, feeling strangely… lost.
His usual routine was gone.
He wasn't the one waking up early, doing chores, preparing his day. Now he had a rat general and an army of mouse workers doing everything.
He didn't know if he felt proud… or useless.
He walked to the small basin and washed his face. The cold water hit him hard, waking his brain properly.
He sat at the rickety wooden table to wait for the food to finish.
Nothing else to do.
Then he whispered:
"Status."
A faint glowing interface appeared in front of him.
───────────────────────
System v.01
Name: Ash
Age: 17
Abilities: Illusion, Space
Skills: Illusion - Clone, Cloak, Blind, Wall, Fog (new!)
Space - Store / Place
Quest: N/A
───────────────────────
Ash stared at the fog skill.
The one he used in the lab.
He leaned back, staring at the cracked ceiling.
"If only I had an AI here… something to monitor my body twenty-four hours. Something that upgrades or updates the system automatically. Like HP for health, MP for energy… something simple."
He sighed.
"Maybe… if I get stronger, maybe the source object will grow. Maybe one day… I can program anything."
A sudden squeak pulled him out of his thoughts.
Squeak (Breakfast served!)
The rat marched proudly to the table with a small bowl of soup balanced on its back. Three mice carried bread. One mouse dragged a tiny pinch of herbs like it were lifting a mountain.
Ash laughed softly.
He took a spoonful.
Ash wiped his mouth.
"Hey, when will the basement be finished?"
The rat squeaked confidently.
Squeak (One week.)
Ash choked.
"ONE WEEK?!"
He looked nervously at the floor, imagining it collapsing any moment because a hundred mice were digging nonstop under his house.
The rat noticed the look and slapped his ankle with its tail.
Squeak (Relax. We are professionals.)
Ash didn't know if that was reassuring or terrifying.
He finished the meal, stretched, and stood up.
The rat watched him with serious eyes.
Squeak (Good luck, kid…)
Ash nodded.
"Thanks. After this, I'll visit Laura and Oldman first."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OLDMAN'S WORKSHOP
Ash arrived outside the familiar metal workshop. Steam puffed from a pipe on the roof. Sparks flashed inside. The sound of hammering echoed like thunder.
Knock. Knock.
"Come in," the Oldman's gruff voice answered.
Ash pushed the door.
Clink. Clank.Tink. Tink.
The Oldman stood in the middle of the room, hammering a glowing metal chunk on an old anvil. Sparks jumped everywhere.
Ash cleared his throat.
"Excuse me."
Clank.Clank.Clank.
The Oldman didn't look up.
Then, without pausing his hammering, he said:
"Boy, Laura's not here."
Ash froze.
"She left a letter and a gift for you," the Oldman continued. "Go get it. And don't disturb me."
Clink.Clank.Clink.
Ash approached the workbench. There was a small folded letter and a soft pouch beside it.
He took the letter and opened it.
The moment he read the first line, his heart twisted painfully.
"Crybaby, if you're reading this, it means I'm gone..."
Ash's breath caught. His chest tightened .Tears built up, stinging his eyes.
Behind him, the Oldman paused hammering and slowly looked up with the most entertained smile.
He was watching Ash like he bought a front-row ticket to an emotional drama.
The Oldman covered his mouth to hide a laugh. His shoulders shook .He completely failed to hide it.
"Ahem..." he said, failing miserably to sound serious. "Read it first."
Ash, embarrassed but obedient, wiped his eyes and continued reading.
"Crybaby, if you're reading this, it means I'm gone. I'm going to a better place."
Ash's throat tightened again.
"Because I found my sponsor!"
He blinked.
"Now I'm thinking… you're crying right now, right? Right? Hahahahahaha!"
Ash lowered the letter and sighed, wiping his face with his sleeve.
Behind him, the Oldman turned around fully, leaned against the wall, and openly laughed like a villain in a comedy.
Ash pretended he didn't hear it and continued reading.
----"That's what you get for not visiting me these days. Anyway, I left a gift. Got it from my sponsor. So don't worry about it.
See ya!"----
The letter ended there.
Ash let out a small, helpless laugh. This girl…
He opened the pouch.
Inside were...
Siphon stones.
Materialized siphons.Not weak dust, but real stones. They shimmered faintly.
Ash's jaw dropped.
"These… Laura gave… this much?"
He felt warmth in his chest. A mixture of surprise, relief, embarrassment… and something he didn't want to name yet.
The Oldman finally put his hammer down.
"Nice gift, boy," he said.
Ash nodded.
Ash lowered his gaze. The feeling in his chest grew heavier.
The Oldman huffed.
"Don't sulk. She'll be fine. She's troublesome, but not fragile though."
Ash nodded again, slower this time.
"All right… I understand."
He stores the siphon stones in his space.
The Oldman tapped his hammer and said, "You'd better head to the academy. Don't waste the day."
"Right," Ash replied.
He walked toward the door.
Just as he was leaving, the Oldman added:
"And boy… Don't die."
Ash didn't turn around.
He simply said:
"I won't."
And stepped outside.
...
"illusion and space huh...good..."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Road to the academy...
Ash walked through the slum roads. The morning sun wasn't warm. The sky looked heavy. People were rushing. Kids ran with broken toys .Vendors shouted about cheap bread.
Everything was normal.
Then he looked up toward the massive structure far ahead, the Academy, shining like a giant spear stabbing the sky.
Today was the exam.
He inhaled deeply.
"You got this..."