Seriously? A third party, not the Clanker?
Nah, shouldn't be possible… She could have been a proxy of Caelum like Orthellius.
"Any name?"
"Not sure. She just came up to me and asked if I noticed your actions."
"I see, I see. Just her? No other person? Did you see anyone whisper to her then to you?"
"Her friends, yeah… Other than that, nah."
"Hmm… Okay… Thank you, dude."
"No prob… Uh… Should we probably head back now? I think the lunch break is almost up, and I gotta get you guys back to the Audi."
"Oh yeah, for sure. Jom (Come on)," Isaac flicked his head to the trail.
These two boys, once at odds, began walking like companions.
A far cry from their initial positions.
Still, one saw the other as but a lower life.
Good situation… I benefited more than Marcus did.
Gotta say… This | Media Literacy | Attribute is so goated for these situations.
Not like I need it… But getting to understand Marcus' deeper character, he suppressed, made it so much easier to appeal to him.
To Isaac, the information was as if it were a natural understanding over the course of conversing with a person. During the duration of their debate, information about Marcus Kim's Ideologies, Main Themes, Dynamics, and etcetera were inferred by him automatically.
Representation of it by him would be similar to a list:
Character: Kim Marcus
Ideology:
- Existentialistic Relations
- Radical Freedom
- TBA (To Be Added)
Main Themes:
- People Pleaser
- Upholder of Order
- Caring Brother
- TBA (To Be Added)
Dynamics:
- Cherishing brother who places his sister's well-being over his own
- A friend to befriend all
- A Self-Repressor
- TBA (To Be Added)
Wow~ So deep… I guess, bro…
It is an ever-updating list that will continue to add to itself. An ability that develops symbolically. As a character develops till the end of the story, so shall this Attribute. That is the nature of | Media Literacy |, one born from Isaac's innate understanding of fictional individuals, and at the same time, one born of his arrogance.
Who's to say that the list is all? I'm sure that these characters cannot be merely defined by such simple words, at least not till this | Media Literacy | Attribute evolves like Topological Anchor.
Nevertheless, these mean nothing till they are challenged. I need to see these play out as the story progresses to really see the depth of his character. But, for now, I can infer from it and use that to predict his actions that will likely be based on these.
…
Will they ever be as complex as Earthly Humans, though?
Nah… prob not.
NPCs after all…
.
.
.
"And with that, the tour is over. Did you all enjoy it? Just go back to the auditorium for the closing speech by Headmaster Orthellius. As from me to you, just remember to obey all the rules, yeah? I got some experience from being in trouble with the Professors and don't get me started on that hehe."
In unison, the eight students laughed and bowed, some deeper than others to their senior. Turaiya and Caelum nodded as well.
"Thank you for the tour."
The words rippled through our group with varying degrees of sincerity. Alyssa's tone with genuine appreciation and warmth, Isaac's with logical and formal politeness, while Marcus waved adieu, giving one last nod and recognitive, yet warning glance to him alone.
They turned toward the auditorium, Isaac catching snippets of conversation.
"—did you see the size of Yves's training weights—"
"—Meris's pool is super deep, bro—"
"—Why does Tleli's kitchen smell like barbecue from the front and sulfur from the back?"
Most importantly.
"Dude, you see what Isaac is carrying? A bit of a weirdo, right?"
"Nah, I think he's probably gonna use that to train somehow, Marcus said that he's a hardcore boxer, just respect his privacy. Also… I heard that, even though he shattered the Law of Nature, he really doesn't know how he did it."
Do my ears deceive me?
Oh my days~
THANK YOU!
First, Marcus for defending me. Second, to whoever started spreading the word that I really don't know. It MUST be those 3 gay dude. Yo, even I might kiss them now.
If that rumor keeps spreading, I won't have people gobbling my meat with straight teeth. Hell, I'll make sure to get whatever your name is just so I can make sure you don't die later in the story.
The end of the Orientation Arc was arriving soon.
Personally, Isaac couldn't wait for the next. Not only was it the beginning of lessons in a far superior society, one that gave him the avenue to understand more than he could have ever imagined on Earth.
But as well. The true start of the childhood he so beloved.
Act I. Arc II: The Interests Arc.
Tsk…
Isaac reclaimed his seat before immediately surveying the Auditorium, which gradually refilled with students, their chatter into a buzzing hum.
It was a quiet gift, before Zehrah Idris returned, of course.
Through conversing with her subconsciously, Isaac let his mind wander.
Caelum's performance matched the original timeline, though he's sus as shit, Turaiya, Anzhelika, and Sephalyn's interest should be secured on the dude.
Alyssa is herself.
But what about me?
The comments on Isaac's weirdness from holding the marlow rope reminded him of everyone's cluelessness about his situation. It was a lonely thought. A ridiculous thought for someone who usually operated alone, either way.
He traced the armrest with his thumb.
Apprentice-Class… Decent…
Unlike generic transmigration stories, whose MC seeks to seem weak. I am genuinely weak in the context of my own story; I'm not noteworthy enough to draw attention, with some flashy colors for my Mana, but average at everything else, not weak enough to be pitied...
But.
A very good place to observe and interfere.
Would I be considered an extra?
Wow… I never thought I'd put story over self-actualization.
Is that fine?
I don't know which I like better tbh…
A hush fell as the Headmaster ascended the podium one last time for the day.
"Students," he began, carrying the weight of decades of the same tradition. The lights dim once again to emphasise the speech. "Today marks the end of your orientation, but the beginning of your true journey at this Institute. What you've seen so far are but the polished halls and curated lessons, the stage before your play."
A murmur rippled through the crowd as his piercing gaze swept across us, lingering just a moment too long on Caelum and Isaac's section.
"Tomorrow, the real work begins. You'll learn that Noësis isn't simply clauses, sequences, or equations, but the art of reshaping reality itself. Some of you will soar to heights unimaginable. Others will learn the price of ambition and the gravity of its fall."
Weighed were the futures of 200 young prospects. Even the princesses sat straighter in their seats. Those with a usual smirk were gone, replaced with all seriousness.
"But for this afternoon?" Orhtellius' expression softened marginally. "You are simply students who have passed their first test. Treasure this peace. You, my future masterpieces. Are dismissed. Be free to enjoy my campus for the rest of the day, but be in your dormitories by 10:30 PM, no more, the better the less. Feel free to explore the campus more, and be diligent. We, as the faculty, cannot stress that any more; it's why EINA has the first strontium-based clock in the main building."
With the closing line of Act I : Arc I.
"You. Are. Dismissed."
An applause. Then the exit.
Isaac stepped into the corridor, and the last echoes of the Headmaster's voice faded behind him.
"Topological Anchor V2: Activate."
Memories replayed in his head.
'The first strontium-based clock' suggests that there are many more optical lattice clocks.
Hah… Another advancement for the Agereans over Earthly Humanity.
I wonder if they've invented my published thorium-229 clocks… Hell, I think these fuckers could produce my theorized GHZ-entangled clocks.
What makes this world so different from Earth… Don't fucking tell me it's just that Magic and all else exist here.
A glint of afternoon sun hit the stained-glass windows. For a heartbeat, the Institute looked less like a school and more like a cathedral, a shrine of stories yet unwritten, literally. It passed as Isaac exited the main building. He basked in the sunlight with his eyes closed. The joy of the First-Years heading to the dining hall. The sorrow of the other cohort heading for their classes.
Isaac took it all in.
All the 1's and 0's.
It still feels fake… All the more affirmed by Topological Anchor.
I conclude that I am an outsider and my pride should be disregarded in favour of the story.
Unfortunately.
But.
But is it wrong if I just enjoy it for abi—
A sudden rush of memories flooded back.
One that he himself suppressed, almost as if Topological Anchor reached through time.
His mother is dying.
His father is leaving for groceries.
The loneliness in his aunt and uncle's house.
His graduation, his lectures, his exams, his speeches, his papers.
His fall, his death, his transmigration, his terror, his second death.
And most importantly again.
His mother's statement.
She said Magic was real, then it had to be.
Otherwise, she lied.
And those on their deathbed do not lie.
They don't.
1st April.
Mrs Mabel Wong passed away on 1st of April 2015, due to stage VI breast cancer.
Isaac was but a 9-year-old boy who assumed it was a joke for the occasion. Mr Marlic Wong tried to pull the young boy away from his deceased wife. But the boy wouldn't stop screaming out for her to wake up and say it was an April Fool's joke. His heart folded externally, grieving his mother.
Before Mrs Mabel died, she handed Isaac a game. It was released on 31st March 2015 by an indie developer that only went by the name Á̷̡̨̨̨̢̨̨̨̧̧̧̛̛̖̗̦̠̞̲̥̩͕͖̝̫̖̭̠̣͍͇̩̬̭͈̲̘͓͍̼͎͍͙̖̞̤͓̣̜̝̫̣̮̪̹̬͉̟̱̼̙̻͖͚̟̰̳͉̘̗̤̖̜̯̱͍̜̯̯̜̳̤͋̃͗̐͋̒͗̎͌̑̏̀͑̓̃̂̾̀͌͐͌̽̏̍͒̇̃̊̄̿̉̌͆̑̀̾̉̐̏̿͌͂͒̔́̊̋̉͗̓͛̈́͌̀̌̂͊̀̏́̆͘̕̕̚͘̚͘͘͜͜͝͝͝͝͝͝ͅͅͅw̶̧̧̡̡̧̧̧̡̢̧̛̛̛̛̛̛̛͇͓̳̗̯͉͚̫̬̤̠̪̜̩̜̼̲̙̦̱͙̙̩̭̖̪̙͙̰͎̩͖̣̝̠͍̭̤̲͕͙̜̹͔͖̬̪̠̤̘̦̞̘̻͙͕̮͇̰̩͈̲͓͙̟̤̝͍̻̻̘̰̻̠̩̗̰̦͖̼̱̺̮̗͔̹̬̠͉̦͔̮̙͇̮͖̩̘̗̘̬̰͚̬͕͍͉̤̣̙̞͔̳̫̗̰̪͖̗̼̜̻͈̲̣̟̠̲͈͚̭̭̱̖̮̯̰̖̭̞͍̬̮̪̙̝͕̟̫̞͖͈̳̭̱̜͚̯̪̞̭̱̫̣̯̼͓̣̗̲͍̪͖̱̘̻̘̜̣̣̹̩͊͛͆͌͗̈̾̊͒̆̈́̅̓̈́̔̈́̽̃̈́̈́̔͊͐͒̊̉͗̈́͒̔̌͆̆̇̍͋́͊̎͊͌̅͑͆̊̊̇̈́͒̄̈́̓̽̓̆̍̽̑̏̈́̇͒̀͑̉͊̽̇̅͒̽̆̓͊̔̎͑̔̆͂̂̀̎͌͆͗̄̑̈̇̒̈́̃̒̍̏͑̓͂̊̃̑̏̇͂͘̚͘͘͘̕̕̕͜͜͜͜͠͝͝ͅư̴̡̨̨̡̡̧̡̡̡̢̡̢̢̨̧̨̢̛̛̛̛̱͓̰̥̻͍͔͚̭͕̳͔̮͇͓̩̜̮̞͕̠̝̲̰͈̗̟̱̦̩̼̰̼̹̭͔̖̗͙͎͓͈̦̜̝̲̯͖̪̣̻̺͍̬̜͈̬̜̟̣̱̞̫̯̪͎͓͖̖̖̣̰̖͕̠̱̫̱̤͚̫̫̮̮̟̟̱̠͙̟͖̫̭͖̥̣͎͔͕̪̝̬̪̘̣̫̩̘̭̭̣̥̯̱̘͉̠̭̯̩̰̣̠̳͆̔̓͋͌̈̿̋͊̎̋̒̈́́̈̏̅͑̒̅̏͒̎̏́̈́̇͂͒̋̐̐̈̈́̃̈́̿͛̉͊̈́̒͋͒̄̽͋̍͋́̏̏̆̇͐͒́̇͛͗̒̾̈́͑͆̊̓̌̄̉̔̐͒̃͊̒͒̉̿̉͂̎̎͑̋͐̈́̆̍̍͐̄̈́̏͂̉̎̊̾̒̓͛̎̐̕̚͘̚̕͘̕̕̕͘̕̕͘̚̚͜͜͜͜͠͝͝͠͠͠͠͝͝͝͝͝ͅͅͅͅͅͅƯ̶̧̨̛̛̛̛̛̛̛͕̹̳̺͈̰͇̙͎̘̠̞̤͚͚̻͕͖̯͖̠̂̇̾̏͌̅͗̔̈̀̿̍̂̇̈́͊͐͌͆̏̉̿̈́̓́̏̿͊͂̒̌͆̀͗̈́̂͂́̒̓̄̔̈́̓̈́͂͂̌͒̇́͗̏̌̃̌̏͆̿̅̂̓͛͐̈́̄͆͂͌͋̓̾̽̌̒͊̈̔̽̒͆̋̉̎́̇̔̓̋͌̇͊́̊̈́̎̓͒̾̉̀̌̃͂͋̾͋̍̈̽͒͗̂̀̇̄͆́̔̈̀̔̿̈́̀́̏͗̇͑̑͊̀̐̀̍̓̾̃́̂̏̎̽̀́̇͆̎̌̊̈́̑͆́̂͆̾͑͐̏̈̊͂͑̈͐͊͐̇͆̃̈́͆͂̐͑̾̆̿̉̀̓̌͒̒͑̊̃̆͛̾̋̉̌̃̄̾́͋͊͌̚̕͘̕̚̚̕͘͘̚̚̕̚͘̚̕͘͘͘̚̕̚͘̕͝͠͝͝͠͝͝͝͠͠͝͝͠͠͝͝͠͝͝͠ẇ̵̨̨̨̢̨̧̨̢̡̧̛̛̲̦̹͍͎̩̙̟͍̬̤̰̖̹̪̭̳̜͕̥̼͙͖͖̬̘͕̪̜͈̼͉̝̼̘͖̦̦͉̲̤̞̝͓̦͔͓̬͚̥̹̖̘̻̼̱̤̦̼̼̘̘̤̳̳̹̯͔͍͔̬̘͇̘̖̤̙̬̝̯͉̮̗̲̰͛̀̽̎̈́̋̈͌̆͐̀̈́̈̄̈́͗̌̽̋̔͆́̐̏̈́̂͋̒̒̀̉̆̀́̀͂͑́͆̓͒͋̒̋̔̌̾̊̑͊̒̄̈́̑̒̓̂͌̿̽̆͛̒͋̑̒̆̅̔̒̊͒͑͐͒̒̃̀͑̄̆͗͛̒̐̈́̄̓̽͊̾̉̎͑̓̓͛́̀̑̊͌̍̑̓̑́̔̃̾͋̓̈̒̎̑̊̀͌̾̆͗̐̈́͐͒́̍̃͊̂̑͛̾̾̌̉̉̏̾͊̀͐̂͆̊̋̉̍̊̈́̎̀͗̐͗͒̕̕͘̚̕͘̚͘͘͜͝͝͠͠͠͝͝͝͝͝͝͝͠͝͝͝ͅͅͅm̵̡̢̨̢̨̧̧̡̧̧̢̢̢̢̨̨̧̛̛̛̛̛̹͖̤̼̠͈̼̞̘̩̝̳͕̼̱͓̗̟̱͓̟̥̳̟̪͕̠̞̙͎̝̜̟̙͉̫͕̱͍̱͙̰̭̪͍̫̤͙̻̣͎̱̪̺̣͍̲̙̬̜̫̞͉̦͍̪̥̳̦̻̗͙͚̹͇̞̥̖̗̖̫̲̼̫̫̰͖͙̜̭̻̥̬̯̲͓̳̙͉͔̣̗̞͓̖̬͎͖̟̯̞̺̲̖͖̘͍͉͚̹͔̬̳̟̼̼̳̳̖̮̫̪̫̻͔͖͚̬̖̳͕̖̭͇̖͈̭͎͔̝̭͈͇̻̮̩̘̮̹͕͖̳̝̮̣̞̼̫͍̦̬͉̰͉̲͈̩̺̝̳͚̣̳̯̭̤͈͙̰̖̤̯͇̪̙̼̟͔̬̣̜̖̗̺͈͕̙̫͙͇̦̺̙͚̻̼̝͓̰͓͚̱̮̳̳̟̭̻̻̤̞̪̞̠͉̦͉̹̲̮̲̬̝͖͉͚̤̤͇̀̔͒̐͑̇͆̍̋͌̀̅̇̈́̊̉̎͐̐̔̿̔̊̓͊̀̔̌̽͛́̀͛͌͗̊̾̍̓͒̓̋̒̔̈́̀͂̀̃̋́͊͆̈́͑̒̅̃̀̃͌̏̎́̏͐͑̐́̽̈́̈́̎̍̎̾̈́̃̉͒̓̆̀̃̓̎͗̈̌͐́̑̌̓͗̔́̓̀̇̑̓́̍͂͛̐͗̊̒̊̔̽̽̓̓̂̈͗̅͛̍̈͋̈̍̈́̕͘̚͘̕͜͜͜͜͜͜͜͠͝͠͠͝͠͠͝͝͠ͅͅͅͅͅͅ. The title of this game was Elenos Arcane Academia: Legend of the Light. It was a horrendously put-together game that could only be described as a product of someone with a truly sick mental illness, one that miraculously ran perfectly on every player's computer.
It was a game that the young boy came to love and hate.
However, as the First Law of Thermodynamics: The Law of Conservation of Energy states.
'Any thermodynamic system in an equilibrium state possesses a state variable called the internal energy. Between any two equilibrium states, the change in internal energy is equal to the difference of the heat transfer into the system and work done by the system.'
'There may be no creation or destruction of energy. Only reuse."
The hours in his room alone, the failing grades, the bullying, the scolding, the anger, the violence, the settlement, and the departure.
For the energy he spent mourning was in exchange for everything else.
10th of May 2015, Marlic Wong mentioned that he had to leave for a restock of the groceries at home, thus leaving Isaac in their house.
For the following 30 minutes, it became his sole.
For the following 3 days, it enveloped his soul.
All Isaac did was play the game his mother had left him.
He played, and played, and played, and once he finished?
Played again, and again.
From learning how cool it was to say the obscenity that his favourite content creators used when describing the game, to reading forum after forum about the game that Mable Wong gave. For 3 days, he stared at the screen with his swollen eyes that seemed as if they might burst at any time.
Sooner or later, his Aunty Wong and Uncle Wong visited, finding the boy unconscious, he was rushed to the hospital, where he was diagnosed with severe hypoglycemia and was stuck in a limbo, metabolic coma.
The reason why he was not opposed nor afraid of his first and second deaths was due to the 13th of May 2015, when he was stuck in his zeroth, partial-death for 5 months.
Once Isaac awoke, he was a different little chap; something was wrong in the head; all that he could remember was that for some reason, he continued playing Elenos Arcane Academia inside limbo.
No.
Rather than playing, he was designing sciences to apply 'Magic' to the real world.
Isaac's comatose self was as sickly as his mother, dumb as a brick, and as miserable as his father. His body could be said to be equivalent to or weaker than his current transmigrated body.
Yet, comatose Isaac found hope in stories. Stories that he so desperately wanted to be a part of.
But it all came too late.
Isaac Mun woke up from his coma on the 10th of October 2015.
Although the memories of the events in limbo were foggy at best, he decided from then on to be the best possible version of himself. So that the day he was plastered all across the world, his father would suffer.
To just… As he aptly put it for a 9-year-old:
"To fucking suffer, so he begs for my forgiveness, and I get to enjoy rejecting his ahh."
A rather foul mouth for his age. But that didn't stop him from studying.
And he studied.
Studied, trained, studied, and trained. His aunt and uncle, who took him in, were confused.
Comatose patients post-awakening would feel weak and would like to rest. But Isaac Wong began studying and training. He studied the syllabus of what he missed out on in those 6 months of depression. He trained his body to what it was and beyond before his 6 months of depression.
And he hated one thing after that.
The reason why he studied science so hard, specifically, was to prove Magic wrong. If it was correct, to be the first human to attain it and use it selfishly.
Through brute forcing the literature and language of the universe.
Top Graduate, full scholarship, top graduate, full scholarship.
Publish thesis, publicly speak, publish thesis, publicly speak.
It was a life that no one would have forsaken, a dream life by the standards of most.
All that just to fall.
Literally.
A friend of his posed a question to Isaac at one point. He was a good friend, a developmental-psychology major. He was one of the understanding ones. He used this question to peer into the growth of a person like Isaac.
The question was:
"Isaac… What… Really drives you through life?"
And his response.
"You fucking with me or what, dude? But you know how much of a narcissistic prick I am. If you want a truthful answer, I'll be blunt as hell with you, my guy. It's humanity. When they mention those 'great humanitarians', 'servants of humanity', or 'for the people innovators' with my name, I feel an urge to… chin the bloke, y'know?
Comparing me to some sniveling, self-flagellating martyrs pretending their brilliance exists only to show how needy everyone else is and to let the leeches draw their blood. My loathing is my drive; it has driven me to live for myself and utterly forsake the likes of humanity's weakness. It is the only hope for men of my stature. I tell you, bro… I will never be that hollowed-out shell—those pathetic Altruistic Merchants who barter their own lifeblood just to buy the unearned gratitude of the mediocre. I will always live for myself and those who live for me."
He was caught up in the question far too much; knowing that, he smiled brightly.
"Don't ya think that's a great answer for your question?" Isaac joshed.
He couldn't have known it then, but that had already settled something — permanently.
This was Isaac's life up until university.
This was what flooded his already throbbing head for the past 2 hours as this psychopath sat on a random bench panting heavily. If it wasn't clear enough, he had been tossed into hell.
A person like Isaac would not merely look over these facts; meta-cognitive thinking was a strong suit of his. He merely chose ignorance up til now. Up til the point where he had to admit that something was really screwing up his mind.
He needed a catharsis now, and he did so in the only way he knew how.
Stories.
If my life were written down in an autobiography. I feel as though the readers would notice the similarities between my current state and pre-comatose state. With my exact words resonating in relation to my situation now.
What a cruel Higher-Dimensional Entity they are.
How long has this entity been watching over me?
Treating my life as the accustoming to transmigration into a world I hate.
Hah… I really hate Magic, don't I? All of this shouldn't exist, because it means my old life was an illusion that came too late to save my family and me. What the fuck am I doing… I didn't come here to cast 'Wind Slashes', 'Fireballs', 'Water Pulses', or 'Stone Shots'.
Isaac rises, ass sore.
I'M here to defy and loathe once more.
To finish my Final Thesis… A Totality Thesis.
So that I can finally say.
1. Magic is a metaphor. It's bullshit.
2. It was impossible to save her.
3. My science will forever be superior to your Spells.
And;
Fuck you to h̵̡̧̫͉͙̤̼͖̱̯̹̃́͊͊̽́ͅi̶̡̪̞̖̲͙͔̫̖̺͈͖͙͚̩̟̎̈́̇̕ͅm̵͈̘͇̦̗̫͍̗̾͜, 'THEM' and whatever Higher Dimensional Entity is fuckin' around.
You fucking dare put me in limbo, suffering, and whatever future shit that's coming my way again after giving me all these truths to uncover?
Screw those bastards!
The boy sighed so loudly that students around him had to glance.
Nevermind… 'Food fixes a Fool's Mood'... I wonder if they sell vapes here.
He finally took steps back to the dining hall for an early dinner, steps that he wished he could have taken years ago. A fatass true and true. Through worlds and through bodies. Till death do them part.
…
"Hey! Stop spreading that rumor around. He's already said that he really doesn't know how it happened. So c'mon, let's not spread rumors about our classmate."
"For real? Sorry! Our mistake then. But then… How do you know, Yo-Wa?"
…
[[E.N.D.]]