CHAPTER 4 – First day at Cube (Part 1)

"♪♫♬♪♫♬… I FLY A GIGANTIC MONSTER; I AM CAPTAIN EVIL-STOMPER… ♪♫♬♪♫♬"

"…"

"♪♫♬♪♫♬… I GET TO WEAR A BIG BLACK HELMET; I PILOT THE HATREDCOPTER!!!… ♪♫♬♪♫♬"

"…Mmmmm… that's more like it…"

"♪♫♬♪♫♬… I FLY THE BEAST MADE OF STEEL; TIN MONSTER, CRUMPLE LIGHT… ♪♫♬♪♫♬"

"I really like that Hajin left the music of this world as it was in what seems to be our own… At least I can still find things like Hatredcopter to wake me up when needed…"

♪♫♬♪♫♬… YOU WILL MOST LIKELY DIE BY THE HAND OF MY ARM… ♪♫♬♪♫♬"

"Yes, yes, now is time to get ready… So, let's leave the listening to later."

After turning off the alarm, I stand up from my bed. Grabbing the smartphone from the night table I see that the clock marks 4:45 AM.

"When was the last time I woke up before 5 AM? When was the last time I was even motivated enough to wake up in the morning by my own decision?"

Thinking about useless things first thing in the morning, I take off my clothes go to the bathroom to take a shower to REALLY wake me up.

Putting some music on the smartphone, I enter the shower room.

"♪♫♬♪♫♬… TAKE HEED, DEAR HEART; ONCE APART, SHE CAN TOUCH NOR ME NOR YOU… ♪♫♬♪♫"

Turning the shower's knob to the sound of Nightwish's She is my sin*, the water starts to fall on my head, whatever it looks like.

"Who would know… That I would find something as interesting as this out of the blue and don't even know how I got here in the first place."

"♪♫♬♪♫♬… LEAD ASTRAY THE GAZERS; THE RAZORS ON YOUR SEDUCING SKIN… ♪♫♬♪♫♬"

"Just hope it doesn't defraud me in the end, just like when I first thought the start of the second part of my life would be the end to all my problems… Man, I was so naïve…"

"♪♫♬♪♫♬… A SIN FOR HIM; DESIRE WITHIN, DESIRE WITHIN… ♪♫♬♪♫♬"

"But really, how was I supposed to know that what I once thought would be the solution, just ended up being another part of me I didn't know of and nothing else."

"♪♫♬♪♫♬… A SIN FOR HIM; DESIRE WITHIN, DESIRE WITHIN; FALL IN LOVE WITH YOUR DEEP DARK SIN... ♪♫♬♪♫♬"

"End of song… Should be going out soon…"

Turning off the shower, I grab the towel and dry myself while getting out of the bathroom. Going to the bedroom, I start choosing the clothes that I would use for the day, basically my new Cube's uniform, which was given to me beforehand.

"And I thought I would never need to use a uniform again after high school… At least this one is more stylish and allows for combat. Though just like any novel or manga, it reeks of chuuni. My dark flame will soon wake up from its slumber just wearing it. Be calm, my right hand! I need you to fap!"

After putting the clothes on, I grab a rucksack and put inside anything that I would probably need. After all, almost anything I would have to take there was already sent.

Not so much, just some clothes, and a few personal items I would need daily, though I can get anything I need inside of Cube, that's like an entire city on itself.

After that, I grab my rucksack, the smartphone, and start going on my way to Cube. Saying goodbye to the house that got me warm the past two weeks.

Don't get me wrong, I liked it very much, but unlike Hajin, instead of enjoying all two weeks doing nothing inside it, I kept my time training, so I don't have too many memories of using it apart from sleeping, eating, or bathing.

By the way, I had to look at how to get to that "big island on the east sea". "I probably should have a look into it before. Would have made things easier today."-I think as I go out at 6:00 AM in case I get lost somewhere.

Thankfully, Cube is so famous that is almost impossible to get lost if you use the mapping app from any smartphone or just ask for some directions, though some times people gave me weird looks, like saying "Where have you been living all your life, young man"

Using the portals leading to Cube was weird, as someone who could practically teleport anywhere at will before, using a portal to do it just doesn't feel right. Not bad. Just, not right.

"Though I would need to go there before if I wish to teleport myself there, and that's if I get everything back."

Once on Cube, I took the "Cube bus" that would get me to my destination. And by the way, that wasn't on Hajin's original novel. It's like the world trying to sort what was wrong from the start, so you could wait for almost anything to change to make things more coherent.

"Who on its right mind would have 50.000 thousand people moving only on foot all around this enormous island? Hajin… You should have really think about the normal people that work on Cube. Not only the protagonists and other superhumans"

After getting to my classroom, I stand in front of the front door in a daze.

"I guess I'm really motivated for this. But even then, to get here at 7:00 after taking some detours looking around the city… Classes won't start until 8:30, what I'm supposed to do until then? Should know when to be more moderate…"

I may say that I was way earlier than anyone else, and that's probably for going out way earlier thinking it would be hard getting to Cube for the first time and wanting to see the cityscape.

And yes, just like Hajin, I ended up being in the Novice's Veritas class… Which would house the important characters of the novel for the first year.

Thinking about it, I open the door and see what awaits ahead for me.

What to say? Is really different to see it up in the first person than reading about it.

The room is really tidy, white, and somehow spacious. It gives me the feel of Naruto's Academy's classroom, but with just three really long desks instead of nine, and good space between chairs and desks, so you could say that it was a comfortable classroom, almost appropriate for a mid-sized college class back in my world.

The room was empty, class starting at 8:30, it was normal to be empty at 7:00.

"Man… This suck… I don't know what's worst, being the first one or the last one to enter the class… I hate unnecessary attention."

Well, at least I can sleep a little more before the class starts. With that said, I go to the middle row, all the way to the edge. Exactly the way Hajin chose.

"Sorry mate, I know you wanted this seat, but sadly for you, I came first and I really like being ignored by the teacher, and maybe some students."-said to myself while looking at the seat I was "stealing" to Hajin, though it's not stealing if it hasn't happened before.

I grab the seat, put my things to my side and go to sleep.

"…loud noises of people talking around…"

"…"

"…loud noises…"

I woke up to the sound of the people talking all over the classroom, and watching my smartphone, I saw it was almost 8 AM and there are already some people in here.

If I remember correctly, it must be almost time for Hajin to get here. While thinking so, I look around me and find that of the main characters only Shin Jonghak and Yoo Yeonha, his childhood friend, is here.

*…sound of the door opening…*

After a few moments, the front door opens and there he is, Kim Hajin.

The first thing he did after entering was scanning the room, with wary eyes, like he was afraid of being noticed. But luckily for him, seems like nobody paid attention to him.

He hastily made his way here, to the middle row, right beside me. Seems like he chose the best seat after mine.

He quickly glances at me, slightly nods, and then sits down. Seems like there's nothing wrong with my face, or with the gift. I also slightly nod to him and turn again to see the holographic board in front.

Now that I noticed, it seems like I can perfectly see his face. I mean, Kim Chungdong's face, which isn't any different from his, maybe for plot armor or something. This means that people should be able to see my face normally, just like I can see Hajin's face.

Also, I can't see anything from him with my supposed "Observation and Reading", so with this being said, I guess he can't see anything from me either.

Turning to my right, it seems like Hajin is already sleeping, should probably do the same for the rest of the 30 minutes that are left. Pretty far so good of interaction with the soon to be the main character.

"NOW!"

I woke up to the loud sound of someone's shouting, and I soon found that the teacher is here already, so classes should be starting. At my side, Hajin is also waking up startled. "That's the price you have to pay for sleeping before class man, and it could be even worst…" I thought as I see him still trying to adapt to the surroundings after waking up. I had a lot of practice, so it doesn't startle me as much.

"Today's the first day, so there won't be any special training, but I hope you all did your morning training. Training is never wrong, especially in the morning when mana density is high."

HA! That's funny… Mana density in the morning is nothing to boast about… But it seems to be a thing from this world. At least to my expectations, it is kind on the normal side.

But I do have to say, that it is better than noon. While the sun is up high, the natural energy of fire is at its highest. It normally outshines and slightly repulses the mana in the air, guess that's why people tend to think that mana density is higher in the morning.

"Now, let's start with self-introductions. I'm Kim Soohyuk, the instructor in charge of you all for the year. My ranking point is 3850. World rank 9737. By the Association's classification, I would be high-intermediate rank grade 5."

The teacher introduces himself as it… The eyes of all the students around are sparkling, except for Hajin. Guess that's because of his rank, after all, 9737 out of 2 million heroes is indeed a pretty high rank.

But if you ask me, I didn't get the impression of him being strong or anything, maybe that's because he rarely appears, or just because he's a teacher and not an action hero from a guild. In any case, he'll be just our teacher and nothing else, don't sweat it too much.

"I think that's enough for my introduction."

Now that I think about it, he ends up pretty beaten in a future fight, guess that's also a factor in why I don't see him as someone strong.

"The first day will feel special. You might not have slept due to excitement and worry, or maybe you're feeling great about being able to improve yourselves. Heh, maybe you're happy to see your crushes again."

Everyone chuckles around Hajin and me. At least until the instructor changed his look.

"But Cube isn't the same as it was before. I promise you, there will be no time for relationships. In Cube, you will experience several real combat situations. Look forward to experiencing how fearful the real world is."

That's what he says, but really, in which school or academy there aren't any relationships? Is basically like saying there won't be any friendship. Even the main characters have their own thing going on.

And who you plan on scaring with that look of yours. Well, apart from Hajin that is. Seriously man.

"Next, Cube is objective. The only indicator of your success will be your grade. Guilds will only look at your grade. Thus, we will grade you accurately and strictly. If you underperform, you will be held back. Statistically, less than half of Cube's cadets graduate without repeating a semester. Even then, you can only be held back up to two years."

Taking out theory classes, even Hajin could make it pass the practical classes with his slow stats. Well, maybe half of it was because of his luck, which would be basically inhuman.

"Any more than that, you will be expelled. If you can't become a Hero, you will become an agent or a mercenary. I take it that that's not what you want."

Not like it is the end of the world… Well, I'm not the most appropriate to say that with what I've done in the past, and maybe for aspiring heroes it could be a really hurtful end for their pride.

After that, he scanned around every student.

"I can already see a few faces I'm familiar with."

He says as he glances at some of the cadets, basically, the main characters of the original novel, named Kim Suho, his friend Yi Yeonghan who sits behind him and his rival Chae Nayun who sits far away from him, Shin Jonghak and Yoo Yeonha who both sits together, and also Rachel who is all alone by herself and is an international student from London, and the princess of England, one of the main heroines, may I say? Being a princess and a beauty, along with that aloof appearance of her is what made her sit alone.

"I repeat. At Cube, you will need to confirm the things you've learned until now and hone your skills to be used in battle. There will be no kind training here. Remember that. Now get ready. What's scheduled for today won't take long. The first task is 'main weapon selection.'"

He announced so… Fuck, I forgot…