DRIIIIIIING!
The sound of ringing echoed, and a notification flashed from both their wrist watches.
[NEW MISSION]
[Awakening Training Simulants Class Begins in 30 minutes]
White's brow furrowed at the sight of that.
If he wanted to get there, he needed a minimum of twenty minutes of walking without being late.
"Someone seems concerned about being late."
Rukun noticed.
"Unfortunately, Rukun. I value my reputation as a good student in the academy. So yes, I don't want to be late."
"It was fun catching up. See you around."
He said, rising to his feet, his hands reaching for his trousers and lightly lowering them to give some more space to his bulging stomach before bouncing down to the exit.
Rukun didn't try to stop him.
Instead, he kept his gaze on him, watching as he mixed in with the rest of the students and soon disappeared out of view.
His grin remained for a while, but after he was gone, it quietly disappeared, his face settling into a neutral expression.
"It didn't work on him. The clan's teaching didn't work on him."
Rukun mused quietly to himself.
"They had been taught if they wanted a man to feel great pain, it wasn't to directly hurt him, but instead to go after the ones he loves and hurt them."
He had thought that, with how White defended Nova the other day, he must have loved her, yet seeing how unfazed he was even after the clear mention of his bullying her.
One thing was obviously clear:
There was no love between them, and not enough bond to make him feel anything from her hurting.
"It's the first time there has been a little misjudgment in my calculation in 5 years now."
Rukun mused, a vein popping on his forehead in anger over his failure, but that lasted only for one second, and his evil grin returned.
"Oh, someone who can make me remind myself once more of failure...Finally, someone interesting."
---
[So much for judging by actions.]
The system panel flashed as White took a seat in the dimly lit classroom, reclining with his eyes closed.
But even though his eyes were closed, the golden panel was as clear as day.
'Are you teasing me?'
[Actually, I'm mocking you.]
It admitted.
[He went after Nova last night. He sliced her leg and her hands and left her to bleed out on the cold street.]
[And all you did on hearing that was... compliment your time with him?]
White chuckled at that.
'And here I thought someone was all-knowing. Glad to see you're not so divinely smart after all, even though you can read my mind.'
[I read your mind. There's no guilt in hearing what he said. You felt nothing.]
The system panel flashed, and White nodded.
'I truly didn't. Let me explain to you what you're missing.'
'See, Rukun isn't after Nova.'
'He was once interested in her but then lost that and chose to kill her off."
'I took Nova from him, saving the one he wanted to kill. And naturally, that switched his target onto me.'
'Slicing off her arms and legs, that's not meant for her to feel pain. He doesn't want her pain. He wants mine.'
'You know there's a law back in the United Federation. The best way to a man is through the people he loves.'
'If he wants to make me feel pain, he attacks Nova, because he feels that since I saved her life, I must love her in some way.'
[Even in the absence of emotional attachment, your prior statements remain unchanged. You engaged alongside her for three consecutive days. That establishes a baseline of expected response.]
[You were expected to act. You did not.]
"I would have caused her more danger if I had reacted."
He said simply, before his eyes opened, staring forward at the front.
There, a blue gate had appeared on the podium, and it quietly opened up as someone stepped out.
It was another female instructor, with long pink hair that actually spread down to the ground beneath her, though never touched the ground as she hovered in the air.
Her pink eyes eyed them all, and a weird sensation filled White as he felt as if she was standing before him and looking right at him.
[How would reacting have caused her more danger?]
The system panel flashed, bringing him out of the reaction.
'Because reacting would have shown she is my weakness. Even if I somehow beat up Rukun, killing is against the academy rules.'
'He will heal, then go after her, hurting her more.'
'It'll be game to him, one that only damages one person: Nova.'
'Without reacting, he must now think I have nothing for Nova, and hurting her is not the way to make me feel pain.'
'So, guess what he'll do to her now.'
He asked in return.
[He'll lose all interest in Nova.]
'Exactly. I helped her avoid getting within our crossfire. Now, if you don't mind, I've got a class to attend.'
The panel disappeared, and White was finally able to focus, though his face changed as he looked forward.
Right before him was the instructor.
She was less than ten centimeters away from him, her bubbly pink eyes looking right into his.
"What is it in you?"
She asked, and White flinched.
"What?"
"You didn't fall into the slumber like the rest."
He looked around him and noticed a bizarre scene.
All of the students were on their feet, but their necks were slumped down as they all remained motionless.
"Your confusion was that of clearly talking with another entity.'
'There's no one else by your side, meaning whoever you're communicating with is in your mind."
"And their consciousness is so real, it is as if they're capable of independent life."
"What is it in you?"
She asked with such alarming clarity that White's heart almost escaped his ribs, but then the system panel blinked once more.
[She must think I'm an alter ego of yours.]
It flashed, and White replied.
"Just an alter ego. I'm truly sorry."
He said, and she hummed, believing his words, before both her hands reached out.
He flinched cautiously, but paused, allowing her hands to gently clasp the side of his face.
"I'll pull you into the same slumber as the rest. Don't resist..."