Academy's Extra:The APEX LEGACY

"Today was rather gloomy, huh?"

The boy muttered, his voice lost in the pitter-patter of the rain as it fell steadily around him. His umbrella shielded him from the downpour, but the chill in the air still reached his skin.

Alex Lawrence.

He was a quiet figure, not one to make waves, but he was noticeable in his own right—brown hair, dark hazel eyes, and a quiet handsomeness that many noticed but he never seemed to care about.

Alex had never had the luxury of caring about such things. The world was too heavy on his shoulders for vanity or self-reflection. At just 16, he had already learned more than most kids his age.

His parents had been taken from him three years ago in a car accident, leaving Alex alone in a world that moved on without him.

The money they left behind was enough to cover his high school tuition, but it didn't extend to the basics of living. So, Alex juggled multiple part-time jobs, often working late into the night to make ends meet.

There was no time to worry about the things people his age usually did—no time for friends, no time for dating, and certainly no time to wonder about the future.

Each day was a cycle of survival, and yet, as he walked through the quiet streets, listening to the rain and feeling the cold, there was a part of him that still hoped for something more. What that was, he wasn't sure, perhaps something different.

Click!

The door opened softly.

"I'm home," he voiced out, his tone quiet but steady.

He knew no one would answer. No warm greeting or cheerful voice would come to fill the silence, but still, he said it.

It was a habit ingrained deeply within him, a piece of comfort he clung to from the days when his mother would always reply with a warm, "Welcome back, Alex."

Sigh.

He closed the door behind him, locking the world outside as he shuffled into the living room. The quiet hum of the empty house was familiar, almost too familiar. As he entered, he sank onto the couch, the cushions sagging under his weight. This sigh was different—one of relief. Another day survived.

His gaze wandered to the table beside him. Reaching out, he picked up the framed photograph of his parents. It was slightly worn at the edges from how often he held it.

"Hey, Mom. Hey, Dad. Today was another very exhausting day..."

He spoke softly to the picture, recounting everything—his classes, his part-time shifts, and even the small annoyances of the day. Talking to them felt like a ritual, a way to keep them close. But as the memories of their smiles and voices flooded his mind, his chest tightened, and tears began to flow.

"I miss you," he whispered, clutching the frame tightly as the tears slid down his cheeks.

After a while, the tears stopped, leaving behind the familiar ache in his chest.

"Ah, I should eat dinner," he muttered, his stomach growling audibly in agreement.

He wasn't in the mood to cook tonight, so he grabbed a cup of instant noodles, pouring hot water into the container. It wasn't much, but it was enough to quiet the hunger pangs.

Later, after a long, hot shower, Alex finally crawled into his bed. The warm blankets wrapped around him, a small comfort against the loneliness.

Now was the moment he looked forward to the most—the time to escape. Reaching over to his nightstand, he grabbed a worn paperback book, its edges frayed from being read so many times. Reading had always been his favorite thing, a way to leave behind the weight of reality and dive into a world where anything was possible.

As he opened the book, the words on the page began to pull him in, his mind drifting into the story's world. For a while, the heaviness in his heart lifted, replaced by the wonder of a place far removed from his own.

Alex's fingers brushed over the worn cover of his favorite novel, "Heroes of the Arcania." A small smile played on his lips as he flipped to the bookmarked page.

The story of Leon Aekins and his companions battling the demon king was nothing short of exhilarating.

It had all the hallmarks of a classic fantasy—an overpowered protagonist, loyal allies, and a sprawling, magical world that seemed to leap off the pages. Yet, it was the rich details of Arcania itself that had Alex utterly hooked.

A world that was way bigger than the earth yet with its own mix of familiar and alien features. The teleportation gates, the seamless virtual reality systems, and a vibrant culture of food and fashion that mirrored Earth—it was an intoxicating blend of medivial and modern world.

The story had consumed Alex's free time for months. He had scraped together his savings to buy the latest chapters, saving them for nights like this when he could lose himself in the narrative without worrying about tomorrow. And tonight? Tonight was special. A rare day off awaited him, and he intended to devour every remaining chapter in one go.

He settled deeper into his bed, the dim glow of his bedside lamp casting a soft halo over the pages.

Hours passed.

Each turn of the page brought new adventures and battles. His pulse quickened as Leon faced impossible odds, his mind racing alongside the protagonist's. For Alex, this was more than a story—it was an escape, a sanctuary from the monotony and loneliness of his reality.

But as the clock ticked past midnight and the world outside his window grew quieter, something changed.