Searching For A System Bearer's Job

"Yes, sir. Judging by age, he should be in year three now," one of them responded.

"And how is his existence going to be of any help to our goal?" Sir Revenault questioned calmly.

"He is the son of Dr Marcus, a once-in-a-lifetime genius senior of ours responsible for discovering new upgrades to the System Bearer Microchips and making the Epic Eqitah Sea Lion urine into a fuel source for interstellar travel..."

"I think we should at least look into him to see what we find."

The scientists both voiced their opinions.

"Get me everything on him," Sir Revenault commanded.

"Yes, sir. We'll begin compiling data on Atrixus Timothy immediately," one of the scientists assured, his voice firm.

"Good," Sir Revenault replied, a hint of a smile playing at the edges of his lips.

■■■

Atrixus Timothy sat in the back of the classroom, his gaze fixed on the window, where the serene blue of the sky offered a stark contrast to the turmoil churning within him.

Since his return from Shunri Paradise, reconciling his dual existence as a high school student and a System Bearer had become an ongoing battle—one where the focus was the first casualty.

Mr. Harlan, the math teacher, paced the front of the classroom, his voice a steady drone against the display of equations and theories scrawled across the board. He was explaining a complex algebraic problem when he noticed Atrixus's distant look.

"Atrixus, perhaps you can share with the class the solution to this problem?" Mr. Harlan asked, gesturing to a particularly challenging equation on the board, his tone tinged with a mix of challenge and curiosity.

The room fell silent, every eye turning to Atrixus. Pulling his thoughts back from the edge of his worries, Atrixus stood up.

A glance at the board was all he needed.

"The value of x is 12×10 raise to power 17," Atrixus stated clearly, his mind swiftly dissecting the equation's complexities to reveal the solution.

Mr Harlan checked the answer, a hint of surprise crossing his features as he nodded in acknowledgement.

"Correct. Well done, Atrixus."

The class murmured amongst themselves, some impressed but not entirely surprised.

As Atrixus returned to his seat, his mind once again drifted from the confines of the classroom to the broader, more urgent matters at hand.

He was keenly aware that his unexpected abilities as a System Bearer presented both an opportunity and a perilous risk, especially with dangerous elements seeking him out.

'I need to find a way to use this... to make money and protect Mom,' Atrixus mused internally, his thoughts racing through potential avenues for capitalizing on his newfound status.

The financial strain of his mother's medical bills and their life in the slums weighed heavily on him, a constant reminder of the stakes involved.

Determined, Atrixus decided to visit the computer room after school to research jobs specifically tailored for System Bearers.

He had heard rumours of lucrative contracts for System Bearers who undertook assignments that capitalized on their unique abilities.

As the final bell rang, signalling the end of the school day, Atrixus gathered his belongings.

The end of the school day at Sacred Heights High School was usually a time for relief and the anticipation of freedom, but for Atrixus Timothy, it marked another moment of scrutiny and veiled confrontations.

As he made his way through the crowded halls, he could feel the weight of countless eyes upon him, each gaze carrying its message—disbelief, envy, contempt.

His recent exploits in Shunri Paradise had catapulted him into an uncomfortable spotlight, a place where admiration intertwined with animosity.

Among those watching was Julian, a peer whose privileged background had always made him view Atrixus in contempt.

Julian approached with a sneer, his voice dripping with malice.

"You think you're something special now, don't you? Just because you played the hero in Shunri Paradise? You're out of your depth, Timothy. Swim too high, and you'll find yourself drowning," he taunted, his eyes narrowed in disdain.

'Wouldn't a person only drown if they swam too low?'

Atrixus, caught off-guard by the confrontation, could only scoff in response.

The truth was, he didn't know how to react.

Julian's words, though intended to belittle, couldn't penetrate the armour of resolve Atrixus had built around himself.

Without engaging further, Atrixus turned his back on Julian, leaving the potential for a physical altercation behind him.

From a distance, Liora watched the exchange, her fists clenched in frustration. The notion that Atrixus, a boy from the slums, could overshadow her and her affluent peers was unacceptable.

"I won't let him embarrass us," she swore under her breath, a promise to herself that she would reclaim the prestige she felt was rightfully hers.

For Atrixus, the whispers and challenges of his classmates were nothing new. The spotlight had always found him, first as a subject of ridicule and now as a figure of intrigue.

What mattered was not the opinions of those around him, but the pressing need to secure a future for himself and his ailing mother. With that singular focus, Atrixus directed his steps toward the computer room.

He didn't have money to use an Internet café outside, and unlike his privileged peers, he didn't possess a smartphone or a computer, so using the school's computer room was his best option.

Seated in the dimly lit computer room, Atrixus delved into the digital world, his screen a gateway to opportunities that could harness his newfound status as a System Bearer.

He quickly realized that finding a job that matched his abilities was no easy task.

The requests that populated his search were varied and bizarre, ranging from personal bodyguards to retrieving exotic items from the depths of Shunri Paradise. Each listing required sifting, a mental filter to separate the feasible from the fantastical.

He was still too much of a weak System Bearer to take on most of the jobs posted.

Without access to the SBA, the official System Bearer Association job portal, Atrixus, was relegated to less reputable sources, a reality that made his search all the more challenging.

It was in this sea of uncertainty that he stumbled upon a request that piqued his interest—a restaurant seeking the corpses of common Turil Frogs, creatures from Shunri Paradise whose meat was considered a delicacy.

The job offered one thousand Runis per corpse, a sum that made Atrixus's heart race with the possibility of financial security. The thought of earning enough money to change his and his mother's circumstances was tantalizing, a beacon of hope in the daunting task ahead.

With determination setting in, Atrixus began to plan his next steps. The dangers of Shunri Paradise were well known to him, but the rewards of the venture seemed to outweigh the risks. It was a gamble he was willing to take, a chance to prove not only to his detractors but to himself that he was capable of more than they could ever imagine.

As he logged off and stepped out of the school premises, the night air felt different, charged with the promise of change.

Atrixus Timothy, once a boy confined by the limits of the slums and the shadows of societal contempt, was now on the cusp of a journey that would define him.

The path ahead was fraught with danger and uncertainty, but for the first time, Atrixus felt equipped to face it head-on, driven by the hope of a better future and the resolve to make it a reality.

Before stepping out of the dimly lit sanctuary of the computer room, Atrixus had dedicated his final moments online to scouring every bit of information available on the common Turil Frogs of Shunri Paradise.

The creatures, noted for their prevalence within certain regions of the dimension, were his ticket to a substantial payday.

Navigating through forums, blogs, and the digital remnants of expeditions past, Atrixus pieced together a mental map of Shunri Paradise's explored territories.

He focused on the habitats most likely to harbour Turil Frogs, absorbing every detail with an intensity borne of desperation. The luxury of purchasing a physical map was beyond his means, forcing him to rely on his memory and keen sense of direction for navigation.

With the information firmly etched in his mind, Atrixus was headed towards an access point.

The closest access point to Shunri Paradise lay to the west of the city, a gateway seldom used by pedestrians, its traffic primarily comprised of vehicles transporting goods or personnel related to Aigon Corporation's continuous exploratory efforts.

His discoloured hoodie pulled tight around him as Atrixus ventured toward the entry point, each step drawing him closer to the unknown and the possibility of change. Upon arrival at the Aigon-owned vicinity, he was immediately met with scepticism.

The reception, manned by personnel in Aigon uniforms, became the stage for Atrixus's next challenge.

As he declared his status as a system bearer, a hint of defiance in his voice, he was met with doubtful glances.

"You? A System Bearer? Are you lost, kid?"

One of the uniformed ladies, her scepticism barely concealed, questioned the validity of his claim, citing his youthful appearance and worn attire as points of contention.