The secret passage- The hidden truth

"A young man could be seen staring at a paper on a bulletin board stoically. 'Again, huh..." he pondered, but it wasn't arrogant in the slightest.

"Hey Adam, you're at the top of the class again," he said with a smile while approaching Adam.

This young man, known as Sam, was Adam's only true friend. He was one of the very few people who appreciated Adam for who he truly was. Most of the girls were fawning over him for his looks, and the others merely used him for projects, assignments, and tests.

Adam hailed from one of the few adventurer families in their town. In fact, there were only three adventurer families in their entire town: Adam's, the Mayor's, and the Browns. People even approached him to enhance their family connections and relations.

When he was younger, some children even avoided playing with him, fearing he might accidentally hurt them. He often felt alone and alienated. At one point, he even wondered if he was adopted due to his distinct features from his parents. His situation was genuinely sad.

'You're ranked quite high, and the test wasn't that challenging,' Adam nonchalantly replied.

'The annual exams are starting tomorrow. It's our last day in this school. It's been three years, huh?'

'Well, if we pass it, that is,' Adam replied.

'You hypocrite,' Sam instantly retorted. He knew Adam was joking around. He was considered a genius in their town.

'You're not one to talk, either,' Adam replied casually.

'Whatever, but there's also going to be a one-on-one duel. I was wondering if I could use my strings to make my opponent forfeit by controlling their mouth. Think it'll work?' His friend asked.

'It'll probably work, but your pride certainly won't fare well. Your name is already in the mud,' Adam answered.

'So... Can I ask you a favor?' He reluctantly inquired.

'If you're thinking about practicing that on me, forget it,' Adam replied immediately.

'It won't hurt,' his friend tried to convince Adam.

'I wonder how long you'd survive if I were to strangle you,' Adam threatened.

'Okay, okay, geez,' his friend said.

'So, what weapon are you planning to use for the duel tomorrow?' He asked.

'Well, my katana is worn out, so I was thinking of using my scythe,' Adam replied.

'And almost killed someone again,' his friend teased.

'Hey, it was an accident, and I was only considering it,' Adam justified.

'Hey, didn't you two hear the bell ring?' an old man yelled at Adam and his friend.

'Okay, okay, we're leaving,' his friend casually replied, as if it happened to him daily. 'Geezer,' he mumbled.

'Don't think I can't hear you just because I'm old, boy,' the old man said and instantly disappeared from his previous position, appearing behind him and slapping him on the back of his head.

'Ouch, that hurts, old man,' his friend shouted.

'It was supposed to; that's what you get for calling me a geezer,' the old man replied. 'Now, leave; we've got preparations to do for tomorrow's exam.'

'Oh, is it better to say antique then? Wait, I've got something better; what about a relic or even an artifact?' Sam teased even the school's principal.

'Well, it seems like someone's eager to work,' the principal said with an evil grin.

'I'm leaving. Bye!' Adam escaped after hearing that.

'Now, Sam, what would you like to decorate the stage? No, I've got something even better. How about cleaning or moving equipment?' The principal said with the same evil grin and handed him a mop and a broom.

------------------

In the attic, a young man dressed entirely in black, with mesmerizing blue eyes and white hair, could be seen tirelessly searching for something. It was none other than Adam himself. He had been scouring the attic for his old daggers for an hour, yet they remained frustratingly elusive.

'Ah, I should never have left them with mom for safekeeping,' Adam lamented, his voice filled with regret.

While rummaging through a drawer, hopeful to find his cherished weapons, Adam suddenly stumbled, landing heavily on his elbow, causing a slight injury. The floorboard beneath him depressingly yielded, emitting a distinct click. Startled by the sound, Adam paused, his eyes scanning the attic for any signs of change. Returning to the spot of his tumble, he closely examined the floorboard, searching for any discernible differences. Alas, it appeared indistinguishable from the others, frustrating his efforts.

'Could it be some kind of switch?' He considered, but he instantly dismissed the idea. If there were such a mechanism, he would have known, as he had been living there for 13 years and had visited the attic hundreds of times, perhaps even a thousand times, and this was the first time it had happened.

'It's been a long day. Maybe I just need some rest,' he exclaimed after completely rejecting his previous idea.

Soon, he left the room only to be surprised. A mysterious underground passage had appeared right in front of his doorstep. He closely examined it, sensing nothing dangerous. He entered the passage. Torches lit up magically as he walked. The flames of the torches were blue, and there were several paintings on the wall depicting war, ancient demons, beasts, and other secrets of the world. He couldn't recognize anyone or anything in them.

As he walked further, he finally reached the end. There lay an ancient door with dragons carved on it, and chains wrapped all around it.

He felt a strong pull toward it. He extended his hand forward, trying to touch it, but as he got closer, it became harder to move his hand. Suddenly, his hand was electrocuted, and he instinctively moved back, taking a fighting stance.

For a second, he saw a strong seal appear. It was as large as the door and only a few inches away from it. He was certain the energy he had just sensed was not normal. It was not the mana he would sense regularly from humans or beasts.

Soon, he decided to explore the paintings. There were paintings showing war, but he couldn't recognize any of them or even guess which war they depicted. To get a closer look, he attempted to grab one, but he was instantly electrocuted, and a similar seal appeared and disappeared in less than a second, closer to 1/12th of a second. It was an achievement that Adam could sense it, as only a few people around his age in bigger towns and cities could do so.

Even though he had little hope left, he tried to sense and break the seal, but he couldn't even sense it now.

With nothing left to do, he started to walk back, filled with disappointment and sorrow. As he walked out of it, he gazed at the paintings on the door. With each step, he took one last final glance. It would likely be a long time, maybe even several years, before he saw it again, if he ever did in his lifetime. Most of these places had a contraption that could trigger self-destruction, sealing it away, or even transporting it to an entirely different location.

He decided to use a different weapon for tomorrow's exam and started heading back home. "I should probably ask Dad or Mom about it," he thought internally. "What even was that? I wonder if even Dad knows about it," he pondered while walking home.

Their family attic was more like a storage room. In fact, considering its size, it could even be considered a small house. The family stored all unused items, old clothes, and ornaments there. It was just a few feet away, but they still used it.

After a couple of minutes, he finally reached his house. "I'm home," he announced as he entered his house and instantly wanted to ask all his questions.

"Hey, I heard you were searching for your old daggers. Here, take them," his mother said, passing the daggers enclosed in a black box.

"What? I searched all over the attic for them," he complained. "Hey, Mom, can I ask you a question?" he asked his mother.

"Let's talk after dinner; I'm too tired. Go freshen up and come to the dining hall," she replied.

Adam wanted to argue but held back when he saw the fatigue on his mother's face. "Okay," he replied.

He then took a quick shower and entered the dining room. Upon entering, he noticed that his mother had prepared his favorite meal and the beautiful smile on her face as she wiped her sweat.

"Thank you," he exclaimed, expressing his gratitude to his mom for her hard work. Although he was eager to ask the question, he couldn't help but enjoy his delicious dinner with his family. He had two elder brothers who were twins and a cute younger sister.

After finishing his dinner, his siblings left, leaving only him and his parents at the table. "Mom, Dad, can I ask you something? When I was in the attic, I tripped and fell over. The floorboard I fell on slightly depressed and made a distinct clicking sound. And when I left, I discovered a mysterious passage," he inquired.

"So, you've found out, huh," his father replied. "Well, you had to find it somehow. The thing is, Adam, you're..."

"Wait! Don't you think he's too young for all this," his mother interrupted, her concern evident.

"Honey, he had to find out someday, and he's already thirteen," his father justified.

"But still... He doesn't have the required strength right now, and neither do we. Although it may give him a clear goal and purpose, what if it leads him into darkness and a path of revenge," his mother justified her concern.

Adam was silent, unable to fully grasp their discussion. "I know, I know. But still, I believe in him," his father continued. "Don't forget, you were the one who cared for and raised him since day one. Believe in yourself. Believe in your upbringing. Believe in your teachings. I know that you're the best woman and the best mother," he added.

"Dear... Thank you! Thank you so much, but still..." his mother continued, a mix of happiness and sorrow in her tone.

"Tomorrow is the day he graduates from the academy, right? We'll go to the annual examinations as planned and see his strength. I know it's sad, but we have to do what we have to," his father said to his mother, filled with love in his speech. He was a great man who had to make many sacrifices in his past and present. He was a true warrior, a true adventurer.

"Okay, I give up," his mother finally relented. "I didn't know that I'd get this emotional when this would happen," she said as she wiped away tears that were on the verge of falling.

"Adam, I want you to know that no matter what, we will always love you," his father said emotionally to his dear son. "So please..."