End of Volume One

Sitting in the tent, I tap on the table, a yawn escaping me as the sounds of the festival outside filter through. This competition, it's more of a party than a real test. Just an excuse for different countries to spy on each other under the guise of friendly competition. I rub my eyebrows, feeling the fatigue set in, then stand up and close the tent. No need for anyone to barge in here for a while.

I activate the holographic screen, scanning through the surveillance crystals I cleverly installed around the academy. The images show the aftermath of the competition – the academy is a wreck, a testament to the chaos that unfolded. Once they've had their fill of fun, Principal Miria is going to drop the bombshell about the cultist attack during the competition. We're far enough from the capital that the mess will stay hidden, at least for now. But eventually, she'll have to let the cat out of the bag. I see that Des and Ash are alright; Rose must have taken them back to the shop.

Suddenly, a familiar commotion catches my ear. "Hey, let go! You can't eat everything! Who the hell do you think you are!?" That's Azura, always getting into it with someone. And sure enough, Lysandra fires back, "Take this shit! I don't like shitty food to begin with!" Azura's retort comes quickly, "Shitty food!? You've eaten like 20 servings!" I can't help but sigh. They're already at each other's throats. It's only a matter of time before they come storming in here, stomachs growling and tempers flaring.

I slam my hand on the table, a smirk crossing my face. Hehehe, yo system~ Time to chat. Nyssa and the others are either dead or long gone by now. "Hurry up and give me my rewards," I mutter, half-joking, half-serious.

Leaning back, I tap the table again. "Hurry up and give me my options again," I say, a grin forming. This is the part I've been waiting for. The system's response pops up on the screen:

[❈Congratulations Host!❈]

[You didn't screw up, what a miracle (ー_ーゞ]

"Ha! Did I leave you speechless, you damn system?" I chuckle.

[No]

"Heheheh, I think I did. Are you not going to talk back?" I tease.

[You have successfully dealt with all four cultists who infiltrated the academy. If not for your team stopping the cultists from blocking all far-ranged communication, Principal Miria would have arrived much later.]

[❈Bonus!❈]

[You manipulated the outcome of the story. If not for you, dozens of students and professors would have died.]

[You prevented the cultists from obtaining the Key of Ethia.]

[Thanks to you, Queen Celeste was forced to participate in the attack. Her reputation has increased, her dedication for growth has increased, her wariness has increased, her desire for control has increased, her overall potential has increased. You have drastically changed the future.]

Yawning, I lean on my arm, tapping the table. Obviously, my goal is to prepare Celeste. I didn't think her mindset would change so much from a small encounter, but I guess it works out. As long as she keeps doing what she does best, there's no need to leave this country.

[Deal with the four most powerful cultists in the academy. Either make them leave the academy, turn them in, or kill them.] [✔]

[Reward]➛[Evolution Based Reward]

[Common eyes]➛[Eyes of Pilt]

[Rank: Rare]-[Evolution: 0/3➛.00%]

[The eyes of Pilt belonged to the Lord of the Third hour, one of the nine lords of the night]

[Farsight]-[extends the field of view by nine miles]

[Perception Shield]-[Blocks illusion-based attacks, Note: it needs mana to activate]-[Locked!]

[Wound Insight]-[Can see injuries on anyone or anything]-[Bonus!: With Farsight and Perception shield one can predict certain attacks ahead of time]-[Locked!]

[You can choose to gain 2,500 points or you could accept the award and only receive 200 points]

Stretching, I sigh as I look at the screen. "Honestly, I wish I knew more about this," I say, pointing at the part about 'Lord of the Third hour, one of the nine lords of the night.' Just who exactly is that? A god? Or is it a celestial? After a bit of waiting, I sigh again. "Fine, fine, don't tell me then."

I mull over my options. The Eyes of Pilt are interesting, that Farsight ability is something I would use often. Could be handy. But then again, 2,500 points are nothing to scoff at. Choices, choices...

Rubbing my chin, I can't help but wonder aloud, "You're saying they 'belonged' to the lord of the third hour. So, this being, whatever or whoever it is, has no connection to these eyes now?"

[The eyes of Pilt do not belong to anyone, if you are concerned about your safety, you do not need to worry. The eyes of Pilt have been lost in time for Megayears.]

"Damn, that long? Well, I guess I don't have to worry about anyone noticing them... Alright, I'll take the Eyes of Pilt. As much as I want points, getting stronger seems a better option right now."

[Understood. Loading data...]

[Connecting to host...]

[Connection failed ☓]

"Wait, what? How does that even happen?"

[Attempting soul connection...]

[WARNING!]

[WARNING!]

[WARNING!]

[The process has a 37% chance of harming the host. Will you proceed?]

"Huh? Fuck that—"

[Thank you for confirming, I will now proceed]

"What!? I said no! You damn shitty system! Stop this right now! Just give me the points!"

[5...34...68....82...99...100%]

[Lol, this will hurt a bit. (>▽<)]< p>

"You damn system—!" I start to snarl, but the words are ripped away as an inferno of agony engulfs my eyes. "AHH, FUCK!" I scream, collapsing to the ground, my hands frantically clawing at my face. Blood seeps through my fingers as I feel something horrific happening to my eyes. The pain is monstrous, like a beast clawing its way out of my skull.

It's a living nightmare. I sense my eyes, overwhelmed by the unbearable pressure, erupting from their sockets. The sensation is grotesque, an indescribable torture that drills into my very being, stretching time into a seemingly endless torment.

After a harrowing eternity of suffering, I find the strength to pull myself up, my hands trembling. Opening my eyelids is like unveiling a new world, a world too sharp, too real. An ant, tiny and insignificant, is now a grotesque beast, its every detail magnified and repulsive in its clarity.

I stagger, barely able to stand, and catch a glimpse of my reflection. The eyes staring back at me are new - they shift in shades darker than night, alien and weird... "How... how do I control these?" I whisper hoarsely, grappling with the shock and the remnants of that unbearable pain.

Taking a cautious step forward, I try to adjust to my new vision. "Okay... how do I do this?" I mutter to myself. It's overwhelming. Every tiny movement, every minute detail is crystal clear. It's like I've been living in a blur my entire life, and now suddenly everything is in ultra-high definition. Glancing down, I spot my old eyes lying on the floor. "Ugh, are those my old eyes?" Gross. I really need to get rid of them.

Picking them up with a bit of struggle – everything is so disorientingly clear – I peer into a reflection. "Hmm... looks like I can switch between dark colors and my natural hazel," I note, analyzing my new eyes. Okay, okay, I think I've got the hang of it now.

Suddenly, the system chimes in.

[Dammit...]

"What now, you shitty system?" I ask, exasperated.

[I was hoping you'd feel more pain ¬_¬]

Then, a notification pops up.

[❈Bonus!❈]

[+5 Charisma]

"Let's gooo!" I can't help but grin, feeling a sense of victory. This is way better than just having new eyes. Hey system, I forgive you for what you just did to me. I say, sitting down, still smiling.

The system stays silent for a moment before responding.

[...]

"What is it?" I ask, curious.

[I purposefully gave you a smaller bonus...]

"Is that so?" I chuckle, feeling slightly amused. Heh, I think you're underestimating my desire to look good. I'm not used to being ugly, you know. Before I got dragged into this world, I was quite the looker in my original body. You can manipulate anyone with enough Rizz.

Sitting down, I begin cleaning the blood off my face. Alright, now for the second reward~ I say with a smirk. And don't say I didn't make the class win. I gave Isadora swords with runes that could withstand Azura's weapon-breaking martial arts. I know he wasted a ton of energy on that, only for it to be useless against Isadora.

[You have successfully made class A the first-place winners. You provided Isadora with enhanced weaponry, eliminated a dangerous monster, split Isadora from the group for tactical reasons, and engaged Biana in the fight, altering her future slightly.]

[Boost the morale of your class, formulate a winning strategy, and bring Class A to the first place in the midterm competition.] [✔]

[Reward]➛[Knowledge Based Reward]

[Common knowledge]➛[Wisdom of the Prodigy]

[Rank: Rare]-[Evolution: 0/3➛.00%]

[The Wisdom of the Prodigy was an insight bestowed upon the most intelligent beings in the universe]

[You don't deserve this, yet you get the opportunity to receive it. Be grateful.]

[Adaptive Learning]-[Allows accelerated understanding, absorption, and retention of new information]

[Strategic Brilliance]-[Enhances strategic formulation and outcome prediction]-[Locked!]

[Interdimensional Knowledge]-[Grants a glimpse into knowledge ???]-[Locked!]

[Choose between gaining 1,000 points or receiving the award and only 100 points]

Hmmm... Interdimensional knowledge. I muse, rubbing my chin. I'm assuming this is key to getting out of here. The other stuff seems secondary to me. But I think I'll take the points.

[You are a fool]

Am I supposed to accept this? I won't even get the knowledge right away, and who knows how long I'll have to wait?

[You do not deserve this reward.]

"Yeah, yeah," I roll my eyes. Looks like you really want me to take this knowledge. Fine, give me the 'Wisdom of the Prodigy'. What a boring name.

[Loading data...]

[Connecting to host...]

[Connection successful]

I feel a slight dizziness as the connection finalizes. "Ugh... when will it stop?" I grumble. After a minute, it stops, and I blink. Great, nothing happened. I knew this was going to happen.

[You will now understand, absorb, and retain information at an accelerated rate.]

Will I be as good as Biana or Eira?

[...]

"That's what I thought," I mutter. I'm already pretty sharp. Unless I become a genius overnight, a small boost won't make much difference.

As I'm sitting there, mulling over my new 'gifts', Professor Thaddeus' voice suddenly fills the tent through the speakers, addressing the crowd outside with a professional tone. "I feel ashamed I have to say this. However, as a professional, I am obligated to inform everyone. During the competition, Equinox Academy was attacked by an unknown group. We have successfully neutralized the trespassers, but the academy suffered extensive damage. Thanks to the efforts of our professors, no student was harmed. For the next semester, while repairs are underway, our students will be transferred to various locations within our jurisdiction, as well as potentially abroad. This unfortunate incident provides an opportunity for our students to experience life in new surroundings. Everyone will receive detailed information within the next week. For now, please continue to enjoy your evening."

Ah, right. Principal Moria's still in her kid form, so Professor Thaddeus had to do the talking.

As I'm contemplating this, my tent is suddenly ripped open. Lysandra barges in, her energy as overwhelming as ever. "V! You promised me you'd cook me something! I want your food!" she demands, grabbing my arm.

Biana isn't far behind, tugging at my other arm. "No! He needs to feed me! I'm hungry, V~" she whines, her voice drawing out the last word.

Isadora stands there, her expression as blank as ever, silently sipping her coconut. What's she doing here? I wonder, raising an eyebrow as I notice Isabella not too far off. She catches my gaze and, with a hint of reluctance in her voice, says, "Don't get any weird ideas. I just came to tell you that everyone else wants some of your food."

"Heh, look at her, trying so hard not to admit she likes it," I think to myself, smirking. "Hmmm~ Maybe I will cook something. But first, you have to admit you like my food."

Lysandra, not missing a beat, yanks my arm harder. "Ignore her and make me food!"

Isabella clicks her tongue and looks away, clearly struggling with the admission. "Your food is... good," she finally manages, her words sounding forced.