CHAPTER 003

This isn't something that I say a lot, mostly since it's embarrassing to say most of the time, but it was beautiful. Mesmerizing even. That's also why it was easy to recognize the uncanny resemblance between it and the Paths? Tree from Attack on Titan. Hell, it looked exactly like it. Now that I think about it. This entire place is a copy of it.

"It sure is kid."

The same voice from the 'void' again and just like before, it was coming from all directions.

"Listen closely because this is the last time, I'm going to be speaking to you. Can't exactly coddle you now can I. Anyways, yes, I did indeed design this after that Eldian or whatever dimension from Attack on Titan. To access your Tech Tree just touch that large ass tree over there and you'll slowly gain the knowledge. FYI, this place will disappear once that tree disappears. The tree will slowly disappear the more knowledge you get from it. Anyways I'll teleport you over there and make sure you always appear there, so you don't have to walk. Bye."

I didn't even notice that I'd appeared near the tree as I was mentally busy swallowing the information that was essentially shoved down my throat.

'Gotta get back on track."

With that I shook my head and prepared myself. I could already feel the nervousness setting in. Since I didn't want to chicken out when I was so close, I closed my eyes and touched it with my right hand.

'Is there like a delayed effect or something?'

I slowly took my hand off and with my now opened eyes checked to see if there were any marks left on my arm.

Tattoos? None

Random Scar? Nope

Anything different at all? Nada

I could already feel my eyebrows twitching in annoyance when a voice coming from seemingly everywhere spooked me.

"Last minute, I know, but you can only receive a certain amount of information whenever you touch the tree. Don't want to fry your brain. The first touch or two will just solidify your bases. Make sure you know things like math, science, English, reading, writing. Those kinds of things. Just like how it's easy to remember that 1+1=2, you'd be able to do the same thing for other complex numbers and equations. For math at least, the same thing applies to other subjects. Also, you can only receive information from the tree once a week so it's useless to continuously touch it. To exit this place just imagine yourself waking up. Anyways, this is goodbye again."

'Hmm. . . That was. . . odd. Whatever, time to test this out.'

My excitement got the better of me and I decided to stay here a while longer to test out just what was improved. I did a few simple and hard math equations. From simple addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division to inverse cosine, tangent, and sine. Even though it took me a little longer on the harder math equations it was 1000x better than how I was before. Hell, I don't even need to use a unit circle for the inverse sine, cosine, and tangent. Don't even get me started on science, reading, and writing. Though I'm guessing the reason as to why there wasn't a change in history is because there isn't that much of a resemblance, history wise, between humanity in Star Citizen and Humanity on Earth.

'If it gave me just this much when I've only touched it once, then what will happen in a few years?'

Just the thought alone brought a smile to my face, but I quickly erased it from my face.

'Even if I'm getting this, I have to be careful of whether or not I want to stand out or not. If I remember correctly Speedy, Green Arrow's protege, was kidnapped and had a clone take his place, but I'm not a hero and I . . . fuck, I don't even know how to counter that. Even if I don't become a hero, it doesn't mean I won't interact with them in the future in some way, shape, or form.'

I triggered my nervous habit with the dilemma I created for myself until I stopped a few seconds later.

'The hell am I worrying about. Even if I'm going to interact with the hero's that's going to be a few years in the future so I can just prepare for when I do. In regard to the standing out part. . . do I really care? I'm here to enjoy myself and to do that I'm naturally going to stand out. I only have to make sure I keep myself safe.'

I let out a sigh as I concluded my admittedly stupid dilemma and imagined myself waking up from my bed.

I blinked a few times and noticed that I was back in my room.

'It seems to work just like the ROB said.'

I checked the time on the alarm clock to my left and saw that it was 7:00 AM. I hummed at that little bit of information and sat up on my bed. I reached down and grabbed my hygiene box, a pair of clothes, and a pair of socks. I made sure to slowly make my way through the room and towards the bathroom. Once there I knocked on the door to make sure I didn't walk in on someone. Getting no response, I walked in, locked the door behind me, and got to doing my morning routine. Taking a shower, putting lotion on, putting my clothes on, and brushing. I made sure to put the clothes I was wearing before I took the shower into the clothing bin on my way out.

'Just how many bins does she even have?'

She has around 3 if I recall correctly. One for clothes needing washing, one for socks, and another for the cleaning supplies.

'So, she puts the cleaning supplies box. . . in another box?'

I really need to stop worrying about something as small as how many bins she has and for what. Reaching the room, I walked to my bed and grabbed my backpack and socks from under it. Putting my socks on, I looked at the time and saw that it was 7:17. I'd finished my morning routine around 3 minutes or so earlier than usual. Shaking my head at the weird sense of accomplishment I felt at having done my basic routine just 3 minutes early confused me, but I didn't dwell on it and went downstairs. I picked up my shoes from the shoe rack and put them on, made sure my backpack had everything I'd need and walked to school though if you paid attention then you'd notice the little skip in my step. Reaching there I did the usual "Hi" with my teacher, grabbed my breakfast near her, and ate in my usual seat in the far-right corner of the room.

A few minutes later, groups of kids started entering and talking about how they were excited that school was going to end early. I stopped paying attention to what they were talking about and threw my breakfast away and returned to my seat.

The bell rang at some point, but I didn't really care, since we already took our math quiz yesterday, we don't have to take one for it today. Just like that, I let time pass while thinking about what I was going to do next year.

'Since I can only receive? Knowledge from the tree at least one a week then by the time 4th grade year comes around then I should be able to skip several grades. Hell, I could probably go straight to college with this. Hmm. . . I'll see if I can skip to 8th grade then go on from there.'

I was apparently thinking for a while because a paper found its way on my desk. I stared at it for a while before shrugging my shoulders, grabbing a pencil from my backpack, and answering the quiz.

It was. . . easy, hell comically easy. If I wanted, I could write just how far away the planets are in light minutes, hours, and years. Though none of the planets in our Solar System are Light years away. At most, they are a few light hours away. Pluto being 5 and a half light hours away. Wait, isn't Pluto still declared a planet? That question was what occupied most of my attention when I heard Ms. Hernandez say something.

"Alright class, pencils down and hand your quiz to the person in front of you or else you won't get a grade for it."

Since I wanted to get a grade for the work I did I gave my paper to the person in front of me. With the ringing of the 11:00 bell I actually had to pay attention as I don't know if all the history from my old world is the same here. So just like that I spent most of the class listening to Ms. Hernandez explain some of the basic jobs that a mayor would have, who our mayor was, and who carries out the laws of each state. There were obviously some more things she talked about, but the sheer boredom caused it to enter one ear and exit through the other.

"Alright kids, this is the last quiz of the year, though it's the last doesn't mean you should slack off on it."

Her words managed to stop the yawn that I felt coming and though I was curious as to what she said since I didn't hear it, the groans of the kids around me already told me everything I needed.

Looking at the quiz I was handed I already knew I wasn't going to have to worry about what grade I would get as everything was mostly all of the above, none of the above, and answer A.

Though I wasn't really surprised when the rest of the class finished just as fast. We waited a few minutes for Ms. Hernandez to ask us to hand our quizzes forward.

"Alright kids, time is officially over if I catch you writing then you'll get a zero, hand your quizzes forward and talk to each other. We won't be doing anything for the rest of the day. . ."

I zoned out midway through what she was saying and tried to see just how much I 'learned'. Based on Star Citizen lore, though RSI created the first commercially available spaceship named Zeus, they first created a hyper-efficient battery converter for civilian cars, a compact water purification system, and an energy efficient power network.

Sadly, I don't seem to know much about them, if I did know then I would already have all I need to set up a company. Though that brings up the fact that I wouldn't have credibility. . . Star Labs. Considering the fact that I'll be improving every week then by next year I would already have something to show them, but no matter what I'm not showing the Quantum Core Engine. Not yet at least. If I did then the very next day, people such as Lex Luthor, Vandal Savage, Intergang, and every other villain will have it.

I was brought out of my thoughts when I heard shuffling that piqued my curiosity causing me to look up at what was making that sound. It seems that everyone already went out for recess and are packing their stuff to leave right now.

'Did I stay here the entire time. . . I really need to pay more attention to my surroundings.'

I let out a sigh as I gathered my things and walked home. Though the walk home didn't help me in figuring out how to recreate any of the 3 things I listed above, it did allow me to calm down strangely enough. Seems like I found something I enjoyed in this new life of mine. Taking long walks.