Bzt bzt

'Fifi?'

[What?]

'Can I just tell you that I hate crocs?'

[...]

[Prepare for batle]

[Incoming in 3…]

[2…]

[1…]

With uncertainty, I threw the whip back.

'Deep breaths. You vicious demon!'

I wish I were screaming that out loud instead of merely thinking it.

'Have a taste of your own medicine!'

Still, it was worth trying to look intimidating and actually feel like it.

Since I was already in this state, I needed to think like a dragon and act like one.

A surge of power pulsed through my system. With a determined stance, the whip hovered in the air. When the electric ball traveled faster than I could imagine, I threw back the tail of the whip, my eyes zeroing in on the ball.

'Fifi!'

[Yes?]

'Fire cannon at the ready!'

[Fire cannon ready!]

'Okay. Let's finish this once and for all.'

Roaring out my battle cry, I hit the electric incoming ball with the whip, sending it racing back to its owner.

I kept my gaze locked on the creature, ensuring I followed its every move before releasing one shot from the fire cannon.

Getting the beast distracted with its own attack coming back to it, the Cypher leaped to the side. It was able to evade the previous attack, but the Cypher wasn't so lucky for the second one.

A loud squeal rang in our surroundings as the Cypher caught fire. It wriggled, trying to free itself from the burning flame that slowly burned through its thick skin.

Watching as it writhed before exploding, smothering its every atomic molecule to pieces, I breathed a sigh of relief.

I expected to come back to my human form immediately after that. To my dismay, it wasn't the case.

'Eh? What now?'

[...]

[Well, see that?]

'See wha—?'

I had to blink, not sure if my eyes were deceiving me or if I was seeing the real thing. A black pearl, larger than an ordinary one, floated in the Cypher's wake.

[You need to swallow that up]

'Me? What?'

[For every enemy monster you kill, you get to increase your Evolution Points. The higher the Evolution Points—]

'I get to have more access to Nirvana's Manna reserve.'

[Ehem]

[It will also increase your chances of entering Nirvana]

'What?'

Fifi could mock me for my anger issues. But she has a way of spiking my heart rate with every revelation I came to learn from her.

[Consume the pearl before it disappears, Exo]

'Damn," I wish I could murmur. 'Can I even have a say in the matter?'

[...]

[Please, Exo]

I can now understand why children prefer to have tantrums.

If I had that privilege, I would gladly do it. But in this situation, it was rather inappropriate.

Gliding towards the object of concern, I opened my dragon mouth and consumed the black pearl. It quickly slipped on my tongue and down my throat.

Partially, I was disappointed that I tasted nothing. The majority was grateful that this was over.

'Happy?'

Fifi didn't respond.

Instead, the same warm sensation spread through my chest. I closed my eyes and waited for the sensation to be over.

When I reopened them, I checked my hands and was relieved to find them again in my human form.

Fifi hovered close, but she didn't look happy about what had happened.

Admittedly, there were too many things we needed to talk about. Unfortunately, she was saved by the sound of the school bell echoing inside the campus.

With a harrumphed, she went ahead, not minding if I followed or not.

"I should be the one who needed to stomp away with a disgruntled face."

I shook my head and headed to the campus.

A strange feeling came to me—that feeling of being watched.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a silhouette move. But the ringing of a second bell pushed me to ignore it.

–

I never liked school.

But when Winter, my childhood bff, moved to Harrith, I tried asking my parents to transfer me there too.

To say the least, I was devastated to learn that my father didn't earn enough to move us all to Harrith. Neither was it possible for me to live there alone.

With tears shed, I accepted my fate.

But that didn't stop me from looking at brochures that street vendors back in Kashjai would sell.

I had dreamed of attending Harrith High despite its impossibility of ever happening.

If there were hopeless romantics, then I'm the epitome of hopeless dreamers.

However, now that I was living that dream through Exo, it somehow didn't feel so satisfying.

The professor of the class was well-prepared and even had visual aids. What was more appalling was the stillness of the surroundings.

From where I came, the students were always noisy, restless, and rarely listened to the class.

But here in Harrith High, they were terribly well-behaved. No one dared to speak and disrupt the class.

Participation was at one hundred percent.

Everyone appeared to be on the same page.

I was swimming in dangerous waters. Although, I do plan to thread on it carefully. It was why I kept my head down—pretending to be taking notes and listening intently.

Fifi was humming but kept her distance from me. She didn't try to do anything either. I was brimming with questions. But I'm glad that she could no longer hear my thoughts.

Bzzt.

Bzzt. Bzzt.

Bzzt. Bzzt. Bzzt.

The professor, a beautiful young woman, paused at the sudden disturbance of a phone obviously buzzing with notifications.

Her red curly hair was neatly tied behind her, amplifying her face as she scanned the group.

I'm not entirely sure where it came from, but I had to play it cool. Being accused was worse than getting caught.

[Exo is unwell again]

I almost jumped out of my seat, startled at Fifi's sudden appearance.

I ducked my head and pretended to cough.

"Fifi," I hissed. "Not now!"

I didn't need her heart rate count.

[Do you want to activate Rest Mode?]

"NO! Did you forget?"

[But—]

Thud!

I was attracted to the sudden banging on the table in front of the class. The teacher must have slammed a fist on her desk to grab everyone's attention.

[Exo's heart rate is showing abnormality]

"Please, Fifi. Don't do anything without my permission."

[Sorrry, Exo]

[Activating rest mode]

"No…!"