Death Note

After we'd all selected our weapons, Donna, our instructor, announced that the orientation class was over for the day. She mentioned we could head back to our dorms if we were tired or do whatever else we pleased.

With that, Sia turned and walked away, disappearing from sight. 

As soon as she was out of sight, the room erupted into excited chatter. The boys, especially, couldn't contain their enthusiasm.

"I think I'm in love!"

"Ha! Like she'd ever be interested in a guy like you!"

"She's way too good for you, bro."

"Maybe I'm into older women?"

"Come on, she doesn't look old from any angle!"

"Wow, she's so sexxxxy!"

As the students dispersed, some headed back to their dorms while others formed their own groups.

I noticed many of them gravitating towards the main characters and top rankers, eager to strike up conversations and make connections.

I found myself in a similar situation, surrounded by students trying to befriend me and asking all sorts of pointless questions.

It quickly became overwhelming, as I've always disliked crowds. Desperate to escape, I attempted to leave, but they wouldn't let up.

My gaze becomes intimidating.

It wasn't a skill or anything fancy; it was just a personal trait of Owen's. Whenever he got annoyed, his eyes would turn intimidating, often causing others to freeze in their tracks.

As soon as they caught sight of my expression, the students fell silent, unable to utter a single word.

Taking advantage of the momentary quiet, I quickly slipped away from the crowd and made my escape.

***

After a few minutes, I arrived back at my apartment. 

The nameplate next to the door spelt out my name, "Owen Regulus." 

There was a small camera-like device on the door, using facial recognition technology.

Instead of a traditional doorknob, the door relied on facial recognition to grant access. 

I stood in front of the door and waited for the scan to complete. In less than a second, there was a beep, indicating that the facial recognition process was done, and the door opened automatically.

As the door swung open, I was greeted by a surprisingly small space. My jaw practically hit the floor as I stepped inside. "What the heck is this?" I thought to myself. "It's like living in a matchbox compared to my old place."

Taking it all in, I realized it was just a bedroom, a bathroom, a balcony, and a tiny kitchen all crammed into this space. There were a few pieces of furniture—a TV, a couch—but it still felt cramped. 

I couldn't wrap my head around how they fit everything for a single person. Maybe it was normal-sized and I was just used to bigger rooms. But regardless, I knew I needed an upgrade. 

The problem was, that there were only two ways to do that: earn more private points or climb up the rankings. Both seemed impossible for a first-year like me. 

"Guess I'll deal with that later," I muttered to myself, feeling too exhausted to think about it any further.

I was sprawled out on the couch, enjoying the comfort of finally being off my feet

Ding-Dong-!

As I was enjoying the comfort of the couch when the doorbell suddenly rang, interrupting my moment of relaxation. 

"What the heck, man?" I groaned, feeling annoyed at the interruption. 

Despite my reluctance, I dragged myself off the couch and went to answer the door.

Opening it, there, sitting on the doorstep, two boxes waiting for me—one fairly large and the other quite small. 

Attached to them there was a note.

A note saying "New Order Military Academy, Student ID 195353150, Owen Regulus."

I sighed and dragging the larger box inside, I grabbed the smaller one and shut the door behind me. Curious about its contents, I eagerly tore it open. Inside was the smartwatch we were told we'd receive.

I set the box aside and plopped back onto the couch, slipping the watch onto my wrist.

I tapped the screen, and a holographic display appeared along with a voice prompt.

"Please provide your voice sample," it said.

I asked, "Voice sample like what?"

After my question, the voice confirmed, "Thank you for providing your voice sample."

I was left speechless.

Then, it chimed in again, "Voice Confirmation Complete. Student ID 195353150, Owen Regulus."

There were apps on it. There was an app named Profile. I clicked on it. It showed

______

Student : Owen Regulus [Picture]

SID : 195353150

Class Ranking : 2/60000

Academy Ranking : 221234/293291

Rank : E+

Class : 1 – A - 12

Private points : 100000

______

Feeling hunger gnawing at my stomach, I remembered seeing a food delivery app on my smartwatch.

With no desire to venture outside for a meal, I tapped on the app.

However, I couldn't make up my mind on what to order, so I opted for the most recommended food for a single person. The estimated delivery time was 30 minutes, so I decided to occupy myself by unpacking the other box that had arrived earlier.

As I began to peel off the tape sealing the box, I was greeted by the sight of my katana and the suitcase I had packed.

Placing the katana on the table, I opened the suitcase to reveal a modest collection of clothes and some magic theory books.

There wasn't much else I had brought with me, as daily necessities could easily be acquired here. Plus, we were expected to wear our first-year uniform most of the time.

I meticulously organized my clothes in the closet, making sure everything was neatly arranged.

The doorbell rang, signalling the arrival of my food delivery.

I hurried to the door and opened it to find a man in a red restaurant jacket holding a large package.

"Owen Regulus, food delivery," he announced, handing over the package.

I quickly signed his tablet before turning to go back inside.

Just as I was about to close the door, I noticed an envelope lying on the floor with Owen's name written on it.

Curious, I picked it up and brought it inside with me.

I set the food down and opened the envelope, curious about its contents. Inside, I found a folded piece of paper, which I carefully unfolded.

To my surprise, the message inside was unexpected and alarming.

I couldn't help but chuckle at the audacity of the sender.

' I will kill you. You bastard, Stay away from her.'

"Who would write something like this?" I muttered to myself, shaking my head in disbelief.

I hadn't realized there was someone who disliked Owen so intensely. I had a suspicion about who the letter might be referring to. But honestly, sending a letter like this? The writer must be a devoted fan of hers.

It struck me that this situation wasn't part of the novel's plotline.

The story was always told from Ryan's perspective, so this message from the villain's point of view was new and intriguing.

So now, I'm getting a peek into the Villain's Untold Story.

I pondered whether I should take action to uncover the identity of the person who sent the letter.

Sure, I could've just headed straight to the administration office and checked the security cameras. It would've been easy to catch the person who sent that threatening letter.

But where's the excitement in that? Since I woke up in Owen's body, life's been a bit dull.

Even nabbing the relic didn't get my heart racing. So, why not add a bit of thrill to the mix? I'll let the mystery person be for now.

Maybe they're just a fanboy with too much time on their hands.

However, if things escalated or the person became a nuisance, I knew I wouldn't hesitate to deal with the situation.

For now, though, I decided to let it go.

It was time to settle down and focus on what really mattered: food and sleep.

I grabbed the meal I ordered earlier and settled in for a quiet dinner.

With my hunger satisfied, I made my way to the bed and nestled in for a well-deserved rest.

Closing my eyes, I let the exhaustion of the day wash over me, ready to recharge for whatever I need to do tomorrow.

***

 Gathered at a table in the restaurant were four important people from the novel, the main hero, his trusted friend, and their companions.

"Thanks again for helping Aria earlier," Emma expressed her gratitude to Ryan.

"It wasn't a big deal," Ryan replied modestly.

Emma continued, "She's just too nice. If I'd been there sooner, I would've helped her too."

Emma's words seemed to embarrass Aria a bit, as she tried to divert the conversation. "Emma, please, you're making it a bigger deal than it was."

Meanwhile, Michael remained quiet, seeming disinterested in the conversation. He had only tagged along because Emma had invited him.

Reflecting on the moment, Ryan shared, "Honestly, you guys are my first real friends. I've never really had friends before."

Emma, ever playful, responded, "Aw, come here, you cute thing! Mama Emma will take care of you."

Ryan waved off her teasing, saying, "No need for that."

Aria proposed a practical idea, "We should exchange our Student IDs so we can keep in touch."

Ryan agreed, "That sounds like a good idea."

Their gathering felt almost destined as if their paths were meant to cross.