"Guys," Adrian finally said, breaking the murmuring chaos, "if you think about your status, your phone should summon into your hand. I believe it's intangible to others—only visible to us."
Around him, people immediately began making awkward, exaggerated gestures, as if trying to mimescrolling reels.
Ethan raised an eyebrow and focused.
A familiar weight appeared in his hand.
His phone lit up, displaying a translucent screen of pale blue text:
[Name: Ethan Blackwell
Age: 15
Level: 1
(0/100)
Health: 100/100
Strength: 2
Speed: 2
Intelligence: 4
Mana: N/A
Divine Energy: 6
Boon: Materialization (Lvl 1)]
"Hm…"
Ethan frowned, reading the boon's description.
'Materialization? That was… unexpected.'
How did Aurelion even come up with this?
Before he could ponder further, a message popped up on his phone:
[Aurelion: PS: These boons and stats aren't random. The boons lay dormant in your souls—I just awakened them. Your stats reflect your natural abilities. For example, speed is high if you were fast on earth, intelligence is high if you were smart. So don't even think about blaming me for being unfair. Unless, of course, you want your privileges revoked altogether. (●'◡'●)]
He shivered. That emoticon was far more intimidating than it had any right to be.
The others must have received similar messages. Their expressions ranged from solemn disappointment to cautious curiosity. Samantha, however, looked utterly baffled.
'Was it her boon?' Ethan wondered as the king's voice broke the silence. "I request honesty. Some of you may feel insecure, but remember—this is for your benefit."
A strange feeling gripped Ethan's mind, almost like a push to comply. It wasn't forceful, but it was unnerving. He didn't resist—yet something about it felt wrong.
Still, one by one, people stepped forward to demonstrate their boons.
Naturally, Adrian Norman went first.
He walked up with a confidence so obnoxiously radiant it felt as if the gods themselves had molded him from nothing but diamonds.
"My blood pressure is spiking just watching him." Donald bit his lip beside Ethan..
"Like, every step he is taking is practically screaming "I'm the main character, bow before me!" I hate it!"
At that moment, Ethan had realized that both him and Donald had different priorities and it was best not to entertain him.
Soon, the attendants set up a display of weapons, as the king extended his arm.
"Hero, choose a weapon of your liking and strike the light dummy with all your might. It's intangible, being made of photons, but the intervention will help me gauge your strength," King Athior explained in a calm tone.
Adrian nodded, ever so gracefully (ugh), before the old man, Lumos, cleared his throat. "First, state your name, young hero." He held a ridiculous obsidian clipboard, dripping with over-the-top elegance with a white quill.
Adrian sheathed his sword, closing his eyes as he ran his finger through the sword. "My name is Adrian Norman," he declared with a smile, opening his eyes
He inhaled deeply, unsheathed his sword in one swift motion, and charged at the dummy. His speed was absurd, striking down with a powerful slash.
For a moment, nothing happened. The light dummy stood unbothered, and a few heroes exchanged confused glances.
Then came the sound. A loud thud echoed as Lumos dropped his fancy clipboard, his eyes wide with disbelief. The old man stood frozen, his jaw slack as if someone had told him taxes had been abolished.
King Athior leaned forward slightly, resting an elbow on the throne's armrest. His calm expression held a faint trace of awe.
"…Impressive," he said. "Very impressive."
The guards exchanged confused looks.
"Your talent with the sword," the king continued, "is… terrifying."
He paused, eyes narrowing with interest.
"To think you could cut through the gaps between photons…"
The room fell silent.
The heroes collectively gasped as the words sank in, and then—chaos.
"WHAT?!"
Everyone's jaw hit the floor. Ethan blinked, processing what he'd just heard, before his expression settled into a deep frown.
"The precision required for something like that is… beyond comprehension." Reyna stammered.
"He literally sliced light," Gilbert added weakly, as if saying it again might make it make sense.
Ethan's frown deepened.
'Why are they acting like he's the second coming of Jesus?'
Adrian merely chuckled and waved a hand dismissively.
"Come on, no need to make such a fuss. I only managed it because the positive charges in the photons pushed them further apart."
Something in Ethan's head snapped.
This guy....
What difference does it even make?! The distance is just an atom bigger?
Screw him!
What was worse however... was the noise around.
"Wow, Adrian!"
"That was amazing!"
"You're so cool!"
Ethan's fingers twitched at the praises.
After a while, people continued showing their skills. Of course, nothing went on to be as flashy as Adrian's.
Eventually, Ethan noticed that none of his friends were moving.
'Figures.'
He sighed inwardly and stepped forward.
"Your name?" Lumos asked, wearing the polite smile of a seasoned bureaucrat.
"Ethan Blackwell," he replied, already walking toward the dummy, keenly aware of the stares drilling into his back.
'...Ah, fuckers.'
Ethan was aware most of the class didn't really like him. So, he could tell that they wanted him to have something mediocre... to pick on him.
'What a bunch of insecure—'
"Hero," Lumos interrupted, "aren't you going to choose a weapon?"
Ethan snapped back to reality and shook his head, walking to the dummy.
"Don't need one."
Lumos raised a brow as whispers and giggles already passed around. Standing in front of the light, Ethan touched it. Of course, his hand passed straight through it.
'Right. Light. Intangible. Genius move, Ethan. Really showing off the brain cells.'
He glanced at the king, whose brow rose ever so slightly.
He turned to the dummy once more, closing his eyes. A strange energy coursed through him. A foreign yet oddly familiar energy. He reached out to the dummy again, this time willing the light to obey.
The King's eyes widened ever so slightly. Ethan then withdrew my hand and gave the dummy a solid shove.
It shattered.
The pieces scattered on the ground, still radiating a faint luminescence. However... the light was solid.
No one spoke.
Lumos was trembling, his hands shaking uncontrollably.
Ethan slipped his hands into his pockets and glanced at Adrian.
For the first time, Adrian looked genuinely stunned.
The king leaned back on his throne, stroking his chin like a man who had just witnessed something he absolutely was not prepared for.
"Hero," Athior said slowly, curiosity bleeding through his calm, "could you explain what you just did?"
Ethan shrugged.
"My boon is materialization. I can make incorporeal things corporeal. Light, fire, mana, divine energy—pretty much anything, as far as I can tell. Haven't tested the limits yet."
The king simply nodded, thoughtful.
'Shame,' Ethan thought. 'I was hoping his jaw would hit the floor.'
THUD!
'At least Lumos dropped his pad again.'
As Ethan turned to walk back, the world tilted.
Suddenly, dizzying colors blurred together, and he stumbled slightly. His body looked fine on the exterior, but inside, something felt… off.
Panic clawed at the edges of Ethan's mind as a familiar sensation washed over him. It was the same feeling he had felt when they were summoned. It was like a puzzle piece clicked into place somewhere deep within him.
The air grew thick and heavy, the scent of incense suddenly overpowering. His vision swam, the vibrant colors of the throne room dissolving into a swirling vortex of red and gold. A cold dread gripped his stomach, a familiar tugging sensation deep within him.
Aric's eyes flickered open to a blinding change in light, causing him to flinch.
He was moving. No, someone was carrying him.
He blinked, taking in the surroundings. Blackstone walls, an eerie red hue illuminating the space.
It was warm—uncomfortably so.
Around fifty women sat on top of their legs on tatami mats, their eyes closed in serene meditation. Each held a child in their arms.
Aric craned my neck to see who was carrying him, recognizing her immediately—Lillia. She was heading toward what looked like a massive gate.
Aric was confused. His gaze shifted to the stage in front of them, where an ancient woman sat, her legs crossed.
"What the hell…" he muttered.
It hit him like a brick.
That wasn't a dream. His life as Aric must be the dream right?
His mind swirled with confusion, torn between the absurdity of his current surroundings and the lingering satisfaction of having outclassed Adrian.
Which was reality and which was a dream?
_____
[A/N: So close to 50 collections boys]