Chapter 2 Preparation

There were less than four weeks left remaining until the start of the academy classes and it's been two weeks since he started residing in one of the dormitories provided by the Obelisk Academy.

- After passing the exam, it is advisable to live in the dorms before the start of classes so that you can familiarize yourself with the academy, and maybe make friends in the early stage of being a student.

'Make friends huh…'

He muttered inwardly, remembering something poignantly.

A sense of nostalgia enveloped his mind as he recalled the words of the Vice-Chancellor of the academy as he flipped the pages of the School Guidebook provided by the academy.

Obelisk Academy

– An academy where renowned Players went, and the number one 'Player Academy' in the human domain that guarantees the best education and facilities to help the students' growth.

– It's been 36 years since the foundation of the Obelisk Academy, just four years after the event [Emergence of Races] or dubbed as the "Emergence".

– The reason for its early foundation was to quickly adapt to the new lifestyle that has been forced upon everyone and establish a working government that crumbled 40 years ago. This one goal has already been achieved and one of the pieces of evidence was the Obelisk Academy itself.

...

Russell put down the School Guidebook on the study desk bordering the long, comfortable couch and his bed. Then, after he wore some clothes, he sat on the couch — his hands on the back of his head, looking at the white ceiling for some time.

After deliberating for his next course of action for two to three minutes — letting his wet deep black hair dry — he left the dormitory with the Room number, '393'. He was wearing plain black pants, a blue t-shirt with the Obelisk Academy's logo on its back that looked like exactly an 'Obelisk within a Massive Star' that seemed to shine above all else, and his plain gray-colored hooded jacket.

He took what he needed for his quite a long journey such as a 'smartwatch' — a multifunctional watch that was born within almost four decades of humanity's desire to thrive. Because technology advanced so much with the help of various discoveries and research, many innovations were realized.

Then he checked his pocket money given to him by his parents a few weeks ago before coming to the academy. The currency in this world — after the world was reshaped that destroyed almost everything including countless cultures and economies — was now different and called Obel or short for O. The word Obel came from the word, 'Obelisk' as humanity began to thrive more after falling into partial destruction. It let them remember that they could dream of reaching higher and greater heights even after being thrown into indescribable ruin, with the help of the System and Constellations, thus, Obel became the unified currency of humanity as per the Strongest Players decision that founded the Obelisk Organization, a central force of players, where decisions that concerns the entirety of the human race were initially and confidentially discussed.

...

"Oi, is it that weirdo?"

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

"Oh! That plain-looking guy. Haha!"

"Even some bullies avoid him. Hahaha!"

Whisper… Whisper...

Russell stopped his train of thought as he heard some not-so-whispering students.

As though been heard by other people, stares being directed at him multiplied, but he was used to it.

He felt like he was the only one who hadn't made friends in two weeks since he moved here, it was not like he was looking for friends though, and even the classes have not started yet. It seemed like he had been already tagged as a 'weirdo', not that he cared about it.

Although making friends or companions or whatever one can call it was advantageous in the long run, he does not need it right now.

...

He passed by the two A- rank guards standing at either side of the entrance of the dorm he was in, they were not strict with the students as long as one identified himself with his ID, but there was a dorm, where even meeting a student there requires an appointment, dorm where the bigshots or regarded as talented and the best of the first year resides: Rigel Building.

A few minutes of walking from the entrance of the academy would be the Red Star Air Train Station which boasted a quick journey to one's destination because it runs 500 miles per hour, a product of magic engineering as it runs using magic stones or monster cores that have been acquired from monster corpses slayed by the players.

"I'm glad I turned 16..."

Russell muttered softly, walking on the sidewalk where numerous people doing their own business.

A person must meet some requirements to be able to ride an Air Train, and one of them was that the person must be sixteen years old or older.

...

– Red Star Station, Obelisk City, Central Olympia

Sitting on one of the passenger seats, he rested his right elbow by the Air Train's window, thinking about various things.

'I need to utilize what I know... The future events, as well as hidden items that will barely affect the plotline...'

As Russell thought of that, he suddenly felt ashamed of how he wrote his novel in his previous life which he didn't even manage to publish.

|| The seed of... can be found in Armageddon Mountain where he went on a journey during their school trip... ||

It was the lines from his unpublished novel, and the problem with it was that as an aspiring author, he never mentioned again what happened to the seed of... Which he considered in this life as 'Untouched Elements' or something in his novel he didn't get thoroughly into expounding.

'F*ck, when I think about it, it's really a trash novel.'

Russell lampooned inwardly before a smile of excitement draws on his face as the sound of a woman reverberated in the Air Train, telling the passengers to buckle up. It snapped him out of his thoughts, sending him back to reality, and ending his little reverie.

'It's been quite a few times since I've seen an Air Train, but it still mesmerized me. Whoo, the feeling of the first time sure hits differently.'

He admired the Air Train which technically lives up to its name as it was literally hovering in the air over its tracks. It was the product of Magic Neo-Mechanical Engineering which was powered by Magic Stones or Monster Core.

'But nothing more than traveling through Portal is more astonishing.'

Looking on the right side by the window, Russell saw the towering buildings of the Obelisk City, the more advanced, but not too futuristic setting he wrote in his unpublished novel was entering his deep blue eyes, seemingly sinking him into awe.

"This is the reality I've written."

Russell mumbled softly, continuing to admire the urban scenery while knowing deep down at the back of his mind that reincarnating in this world also meant that it was not the exact reality that he knew from his unpublished novel.

...

— Starlight Station, Northern Olympia

After leaving the Air Train from Red Star Station, Russell arrived at the Starlight Station of the Northern Olympia after an hour. Although the distance was almost at least a thousand meters, due to Air Trains' engineering, it could traverse its tracks at high-speed, faster than the Bullet Train of Japan of the 'Old World' that was buried in history after the Emergence.

Russell's intent in coming to this place was to purchase necessities he needed in his arduous journey to acquire a monstrous 'something' that could be detrimental to the main plot of the unpublished novel he had written.

'It's not like I care too much about it.'

He randomly thought as he took his pace to find the necessary store for his needs.

Being reincarnated for 16 years with a 33-year-old mentality, maybe more if he added his age in this world, but it wasn't quite right in his perspective for some reason, though it made his bearing appear more mature, and looked like someone heavily misunderstood for being aloof.

Russell saw the elaborated world, unlike his unpublished novel which, he knew, had many unexplored and unexplained elements. Due to this reason, he believed that this world, even though he might unintentionally make minor changes, wouldn't ruin the main plot of the story.

'I won't meddle too much... as long as my family isn't harmed in any way.'

He stopped his train of thought after a few minutes of walking as he arrived at the front of the glassy door with a digital signboard that read:

"Player General Store"

The "Player General Store" sells a variety of necessities for players that occasionally raid Strayed Dungeons or Dungeon Towers available for public use.

Necessities like different kinds of potions, miscellaneous, extra weapons or armor, and so on, but when it comes to Skillbooks, Artifacts, or High-Grade Weapon or Armor, one needed to go in specialized stores rather than the general ones.

...

Clink-! Clink-! Clink-!

As one of the players opened the glassy door, it was accompanied by the sound of chimes just hanging above it.

Russell went inside along with the other players who needed something for their journey.

After scurrying for some time, he saw the section for potions and miscellaneous or general goods, he then went to these specific sections and picked up the following:

Dimensional Water Bottle (30L)

Portable Tent

Ready-To-Eat Beef Jerky (with Lowest Mana)

Lowest-Grade Health Potion (3)

Lowest-Grade Mana Potion (3)

Lowest-Grade Stamina Potion (2)

Lowest-Grade Agility Potion (1)

Lowest-Grade Invisibility Potion (1)

...

"That will be 5,750 Obel, Sir."

Russell looked at the holographic screen where the prices of the products he has to pay were shown.

The Lowest-Grade Potion, regardless of its type was only at 300 Obel, making it a total of 3,000 O as he purchased 10 potions of various types, while the Portable Tent cost 750 O, the Dimensional Water Bottle (30L) cost 1,000, and a thousand O worth of food.

After paying the payment, he heard the energetic voice of the salesclerk, a woman with auburn, waist-length hair if it's not in a ponytail, monolid, sapphire eyes, button nose, voluptuous body with fair-colored skin, and a height of at least 170 cm.

"Thank you for your purchase!"

Russell nodded in response before he unintentionally glanced at the salesclerk's chest... then he saw a nameplate attached to her top left salesclerk attire, just below her collarbone.

'Maya...?'

He inwardly thought as his senses seemed to be out of reality for a moment before he slightly flinched, a barely noticeable reaction.

He then looked again at Maya's fair-skinned, gorgeous face like a creep as he recalled one of the extra characters... that's barely mentioned in his unpublished novel.

'...This woman will massacre an entire guild on her own in the future.'

...

|| Blood spilled everywhere in the office of the Shadow Guild where several renowned individuals' heads flew everywhere in the blink of an eye, with just a twinkling of a star, as Maya was sitting on the Shadow Guild's Guild Master's seat with her legs crossed up on the table with an indifferent look on her face ||

Russell thought of the lines in his unpublished novel if he didn't remember incorrectly.

'...So, this is how she looks like in reality... beautiful, but dangerous, at least in the future.'

"Hello? Do you need anything more, Sir?"

His thoughts were cut off by Maya's words, who was seemingly not minding that he was staring at her face as though he was being reminded of a loved one's face through her.

"A-ah? Yes... I want to buy a sword."

He replied casually after composing himself, but he felt awkward inside through his actions.

"...Sword? Do you have a Player License, Sir?"

A "Player License" was given to those who passed the Player Examination that could be taken at the Obelisk Player Association under the authority of the Obelisk Organization.

"...Uhmm, I don't, but I am an Obelisk Student."

Russell showed his Obelisk ID to Maya, who checked its authenticity.

...

Obelisk ID DATE ISSUED: May 01, 2062

Name: Russell Moon STUDENT NUMBER: A11-033-2062

Age: 16 RANK: F

Year: First Year – A11

...

Aside from the Player License, being a student of the Obelisk Academy gives Russell the right to purchase a weapon. The Obelisk ID was an Orion-recognized identification and has multipurpose aside from identifying oneself.

It could act as a Player License, but with restrictions, and also as a Bank Account through affiliated financial-related departments of the Obelisk Organization.

Although it acts as a Player License in a way, this didn't mean that a player from Obelisk Academy shouldn't acquire a Player License after they graduated from the academy, it also didn't mean that a Player License could only be acquired by Obelisk students, or graduates.

"...Oh my, Sir Moon... Alright, may I ask the specifics of the sword you would be purchasing? Be minded that we only sell the lowest to low-grade weapons, and any higher quality must be purchased from specialized stores or blacksmiths themselves."

Maya explained in brief detail the available weapons with a cheerful expression on her face.

"I'll take a shortsword with lightweight enchantment."

Russell didn't hesitate to say what he needed, prompting Maya to show him the list of the shortswords with lightweight enchantment.

These weapons were stored inside the Dimensional Inventory of the Weapon Custodian of the Player General Store. Weapons weren't on display to avoid mishaps or any attempts of thievery.

After an unknown period of time, Russell saw something affordable and told Maya that he would purchase it. Maya then went inside a room for authorized personnel and came out with a shortsword in her hand.

"This will be 2,500 O, Sir Moon."

Russell didn't say anything as he paid for the sword.

"...Thank you for your purchase, Sir!"

He nodded in response to Maya's diligence before he walked out of the line to give way to other customers, and inspected the shortsword he just purchased.

...

[Crude Shortsword]

– A product made by a beginner blacksmith.

Rank: Normal

Classification: Weapon

Element Type: None

Enchantment:

– Lowest-Grade Lightweight

Effect:

Reduces the weight of the sword by half of its original weight.

Intrinsic Effect: None

...

After leaving the Player General Store, he took his pace, with his slight mental breakdown due to the loss of finances, for the Red Star Air Train Station for his next destination which was the main focus of his journey: Armageddon Mountain.