Chapter 3: A System? (2)

Chapter 3: A System? (2)

"My name is Miss Lauren Hills, and you may all call me Miss Lauren. I'll be your class teacher for the year."

Miss Lauren had long, straight black hair that cascaded down to her lower back. Her eyes, a mesmerizing mix of purple and pink, were set against smooth, fair skin. In her tight-fitting blue jeans and blue polo shirt, she exuded a tomboyish charm, yet her figure betrayed a graceful femininity that even her boyish attire couldn't conceal.

She surveyed the students, her gaze steady and warm. "As you all know, EMHS is one of twenty-five high schools in Rivermark City and is ranked tenth among the others. Although our rank isn't the highest, we produce at least five SS-ranked students every year."

Her words hung heavy in the air, each syllable landing with the weight of expectation. "This year, the awakening will take place in each class, as usual, by tomorrow, so be sure to be present. If you miss your chance to awaken, you'll have to wait till next year!"

The gravity of her announcement was not lost on the students. The awakening was a monumental event, one that occurred only once a year in Rivermark City. Those who missed it would have to wait another long, uncertain year or pay exorbitant fees to awaken outside the city.

Seeing the serious expressions on her students' faces, Miss Lauren felt a sense of relief. Their understanding and respect for the process gave her hope. Maybe this year, she wouldn't end up as the last-ranked teacher. Perhaps a promotion was within reach.

With renewed enthusiasm, Miss Lauren continued, introducing her new students to the school's rules, facilities, and history. She also mentioned the various events held throughout the school year, giving them ample time to prepare and not be caught off guard.

After a comprehensive overview, she rounded off her introduction. The students, now more familiar and comfortable with her, began interacting more freely.

She noted a peculiar dynamic: the other nine students often seemed to wait for Zephyr to speak before sharing their own opinions. While unusual, it ensured a semblance of order, something she appreciated. She made a mental note to discuss his leadership responsibilities with him later. Being a class captain was no small task, and she hoped Zephyr would rise to the challenge.

"For now, Zephyr will hand out the timetable and scheme of works, but the first class is English, and we'll be studying Speech Production," Miss Lauren announced.

The students promptly began jotting down notes as she spoke, and thus, the first period of the day commenced.

*****

The first five periods of the day flew by, and by 1 PM, the much-anticipated one-hour break arrived. The students of EMHS eagerly packed up their learning materials, ready for a break from the intense learning.

"Don't forget to return immediately after the break," Miss Lauren reminded them as she exited the classroom.

"Learning is exhausting," a tall boy in the front row, Sam McCarthy, sighed.

"What are you talking about? Miss Lauren makes everything so simple. It's fun," Emily Carter said softly, her face partially hidden by her blue hair.

The others agreed, causing a small blush to creep onto Emily's cheeks.

"But she definitely isn't going easy on the assignments," another student remarked. "It's only the first day, and we already have two research tasks!"

"Zephyr, do something," the Silvester twins, Miles and Mike, exclaimed in unison.

Startled, Zephyr looked up from packing his bag. "Me?" he asked.

"Well, she did make you the class captain. Maybe you can talk her into not giving us so much homework," Sam suggested.

Zephyr sighed and shook his head. "Just go for a break," he said, zipping up his bag.

"Come to think of it, why did she suddenly make you the class captain without an election?" Brian asked. "I mean, I have nothing against it, but do you guys know each other outside school?"

Zephyr pondered for a moment, trying to recall if he had met their new teacher before. "Not sure," he finally replied with a shrug.

With that, the topic lost its appeal, and they slowly filed out of the classroom, their conversation shifting to something Mirabella had brought up.

Zephyr shook his head again. Although his classmates were few, their diverse and often conflicting personalities were enough to give anyone a headache.

For instance, the Silvester twins, Miles and Mike, were always bickering. No one knew who was the older twin, but they both agreed on one thing: they didn't like each other at all.

Emily Carter was painfully shy, speaking only when necessary. However, her shyness didn't alienate her from the group. They didn't force her to speak but included her in every conversation, doting on her as the quiet little sister.

In contrast, Sam McCarthy was the loudest person Zephyr had ever met. He talked loudly, laughed loudly, and even smiled loudly, as if trying to ensure no one forgot he was there. His boisterous personality was something the whole class quickly got used to.

Conner O'Malley was the epitome of friendliness, always saying polite and kind things. He was the type of person it was impossible to get mad at. His pleasant demeanor made him a natural peacemaker.

Brian, quickly nicknamed Brains, was the resident genius. He excelled in academics but struggled with everyday life situations, coming across as clueless outside the classroom.

Sydney Steward was the beauty queen. She was effortlessly captivating. Her perfectly ironed uniform and matching accessories made her stand out even more.

Finally, there was Mirabelle. Outspoken and bold, she was the girl who had introduced herself first. An extrovert through and through, Mira was unafraid to point out faults—her own and others'.

Zephyr wondered what abilities each of them would awaken. Lost in thought, he silently followed them.

The hallway was bustling with students making their way around the school. The first years had their break at 1 PM, the second years an hour later, the third years an hour after that, and the fourth years were free to manage their own time. Beyond that, no one knew how the fifth and sixth-year students operated.

The members of Class 3D stuck together, wary of getting lost in the crowd. They managed to reach the cafeteria without losing anyone.

Sam quickly spotted an empty ten-seater table and called out to the others. It was somewhat isolated, which Zephyr appreciated for the privacy it offered.

The cafeteria was one of the largest rooms in the building, with over thirty ten-seater tables arranged neatly. With the first years alone totaling two hundred students, the setup was justifiable. The remaining tables were reserved for the fourth-year students.

To avoid collisions and food spills, the school employed a system of floating robots. Five robots were assigned to each table, and students would write their orders on sticky notes, attach them to the robots, and wait for their meals to be delivered.

Zephyr wrote down his order: vegetable fried rice, an egg, and a glass of lemon drink. These were luxuries he usually couldn't afford, but since the school was providing them, he wasn't about to be modest.

The robots returned a few minutes later with their orders. Sam, true to form, sampled a little from everyone's plates.

As they ate, the conversation and laughter flowed freely. But above them, a strange phenomenon was occurring in the skies.

At first, it was barely noticeable. Those with abilities related to nature reported a weird energy gathering in the sky. Soon, storm clouds began to form, spreading rapidly until they enveloped the entire city.

Reports of similar clouds came from other cities, and soon, the entire country was affected. Within seconds, half the planet was covered.

Then, as if on cue, three loud thunderclaps echoed across the globe. The thunder was so loud it shook buildings and caused a worldwide power outage.

The students of EMHS were startled by the thunder. Screams echoed through the school as the lights went out.

Except for one student at the back of the lunchroom.

Zephyr stared in shock at the lines of text appearing in his vision, unable to move.

[Scanned planet successfully...]

[Analyzing environment...]

[Scanning host's full body status...]

[Checking host's mental and emotional health...]

[Data returned.

Mental health: Stable.

Emotional health: Stable.]

[Downloading data and awakening AI...]

[Rechecking brainwave after download...]

[Data download successful.

Brainwave stable.

Binding successful.

Awakening AI successful...]

[Creating system interface... Visualizing system... Confirming all tasks, tips, and tutorials...]

[Requesting final approval...]

[Please say "Yes" to grant final approval.]

When the last line of text appeared on the holographic blue screen in front of him, Zephyr finally regained control of his body. He tapped his cheeks twice to check his level of consciousness.

The pain was there, proving he was awake and alive, but the screen remained in his vision.

Turning to the person next to him, Zephyr was about to ask if they could see what he was seeing when Sam's loud voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Hey, is anyone else wondering why Zephyr slapped himself?" Sam asked, though no one paid him any attention as they tried to calm down.

A twisted smile appeared on Zephyr's face as he stared at the red, flashing request for approval on the screen.

This is the part where his seemingly ordinary life takes a leap for the worse, isn't it?