The Author's POV

Squeek—! Squeek—!

"Hold still."

Squeezing the syringe in his hands a couple of times, only till a clear liquid dropped from the body of the needle did Joseph let out a satisfied smile.

Licking his lips, he walked up to a burned body that was laying down on a rectangular metal plate; the man's hands and feet were bound by metallic latches.

Rolling his chair forward and arriving before the burned body, Joseph proceeded to put some gloves on.

Plack—! Plack—!

Glancing at the man laying down on the table, Joseph started to speak.

"I know that this is only our twelfth dosage of many, but trust me, what I'm doing is for your best."

Grabbing onto the man's shoulder which was filled with blisters, Joseph leaned his body closer and brought the syringe next to it.

"A perfect soldier is one that can perfectly blend with the world we are currently living in. One that can understand the human heart, yet at the same time, not have one. One that can watch the whole world burn before them, yet feel nothing from it."

Pressing his fingers on the man's arm, Joseph looked up.

"This might hurt a bit."

Squeek—!

He squeezed the tip of the syringe, and the liquid and 876's body started to spasm uncontrollably.

A rattling sound came out as a result of the latches binding 876, moving up and down. Taking the syringe out of 876's body, Joseph turned around.

"Don't hate me too much, 876. All I'm doing is breaking you so that one day you don't break."

***

"Uahgh!"

My eyes opened abruptly and my body shot up.

Lowering my head and staring at my bedsheets which were drenched in sweat, I forcefully opened and closed my eyes.

"Haa...Haaa...what was that?"

Clenching my teeth, I leaned back on the bed.

'Shit, just when I thought they had stopped...'

The nightmares about my time at the Monolith.

There used to be a time when I had nightmares every day. As time passed, the nightmares had become a lot less frequent.

Especially in Issanor.

Ever since I reunited with the others, I had thought that the nightmares had stopped.

The last time I had gotten a nightmare regarding my time at the Monolith was about half a year ago.

Just when I thought I had overcome my inner demons, the nightmare suddenly came again.

'Was it because of what the professor said yesterday?'

It could be.

Having him remind me of the incident and his talk about inner demons may have reignited the memories that I tried so hard to forget.

"Haaaa..."

Covering my face with the palm of my head, I let out a long breath.

Feeling the warm breath on my hand, I slowly got out of bed.

"What time is it?"

Taking my phone from the side of the bed, I looked at the time.

[Tuesday, 4 : 31 A.M.]

"It's still quite early."

phone, I sent

professor staying in the academy. Don't care about the funds, or anything else, just find whatever you can find on him. Family situation, childhood, friends. Just anything.

however, the situation yesterday really triggered something from deep within

what happened yesterday really a coincidence? I wasn't so

back, I closed and opened

'I should train.'

sleepy, sitting down crossed-legged on the ground, I closed

those my age, I was a far cry from those that I actually needed to worry

time for me to

I had to do was

"Haaa..."

I closed my eyes, I sensed

increased. If I had to make a guess, my perception was probably around the same

"Huuuuu...."

moved up and the particles in the air started to move in

started to separate, and before long, only green particles started to roam around

"Hm?"

something, my brow

weren't only green particles roaming

a couple of yellow-colored ones

'Light psyons.'

up a little. That was because their presence

understanding the fifth and final movement

***

8:30 A.M.

from the sky,

place was already packed with students. Everyone stood

next to me was Professor Thomas. Raising his glasses up, he calmly walked toward the middle of the grounds. Along the way, I saw him move

everyone is

he arrived, the chatter

was a bit surprised to see this, however, now that I thought about it, although the professor

'Let's observe for now.'

at my watch,

received a message

Thomas

Age : 48

Wife and

.

in the northern district of the human domain. At the age of thirty-nine, he managed to break through to rank where he stagnated till now. Unable to breakthrough to rank. He is a professional in mana and psyons control, and hence

---Read more---

'Everything checks out...'

the direction of the professor who was currently displaying to the students how to coat their

in the air and call out for the preferred psyons. Once you have managed to select the desired psyons, fine-tune them to pursue the

was, he didn't look

There was nothing strange about him, yet, something about yesterday's

I couldn't really explain.

it really

have

moment, Thomas's voice rang

toward the area around him, he

start practicing. Space yourselves out, and try coating your weapons

looked at me. This time, I felt nothing as I

over the other students. Help them if

"Understood."

my eyes away from him, I glanced at the students who had taken out their weapons and had started channeling

to appear on the bodies of the students. Some were brighter than

around me, secretly, I channeled the mana

for this, but it was a habit I had developed back when I was in the forests. Just

choice of weapon

familiar face, my gaze couldn't help but land

"Thank you."

her face. Taking a closer look at her, I couldn't help but

in the

in the class, and from there, I was able to find out that the girl next

choice of weapon

her weapons which

on the individual

"Yes ."