SEEKER'S TREASURE

Starlight's Lobby...

Click clack... Click clack...

The noise of sneakers on the polished marble tiles in the lobby.

The lobby was an elegant piece of art. Its structures and settings were constructed in ancient Greek architectural styles. It is a very spacious and expensive lobby. Expert sculptors crafted statues with a variety of shapes and histories. The other side of those statues was an artificial water pond with an angel oak tree at the center of the water pond. There were glowing moonfish swimming around, going about their businesses. A few steps, not up to nine seconds from the artificial water pond, are the craftsmanship designs of elegant chairs and tables. It is arranged to entertain the college visitors while they wait for whoever will receive them.

Aha! The receptionist booth can't be missed. Its design is eye-catching. It was designed in an interesting way.

A magnet for all those who love excellent art. Starlight College's receptionist booth was staffed by two angelic beauties. Same old market strategy. Using beauties to mess up the rational reasoning of visiting parties, especially the male visitors.

The two receptionists are both of Leviticus rank. A superhuman rank. Huh! The college board just overdid it. Beauty plus strength. No wonder the populations of males are astonishingly high.

Keep in mind that this rank is what all Evolvers aspire to. Ariel Sebastian and the rest of the brats in the lobby had to start from the beginning. Breaking it down for understanding. They must be blessed by the holy energy at the entrance of Eden. After baptism, they climb from Unevolved to Evolver rank. Having a lifespan of a hundred and fifty years (150 lifespans).

The next rank is Genesis—the first step of evolution after baptism. All dormant cells, DNA, nerves, etc. awaken. To evolve, evolvers will need to submerge themselves in a unique Eden evolution pool rather than being baptized by holy energy. Their lifespan adds fifty years. Increasing to two hundred years (200 lifespans).

The next evolution is Exodus - the second stage of evolution after awakening. After this stage, Evolvers surpassed human requirements. No longer prone to terminal diseases, cancer, and many more. Missing body parts generate and so on. Their lifespan increased by an additional hundred. It tallies to a total of three hundred years (300 lifespans).

Finally, Leviticus, the rank of those two receptionists' beauties - They are no longer low humans. Those at this stage are called superhumans. They can wield the universe's elemental powers. They can command and bend reality. Their lifespan ballooned to a whopping five hundred years (500 lifespans). Now, we can see the reasons Evolver aspires to get to such a realm.

The receptionist's cubicle in the lobby and the receptionist's desk look like an ancient druid's sacrificial altar. Designed with gopher wood. They were glyph carvings of... wait, was that an ancient runic design of four elements? Those four elements of runic designs were embedded in a lost spell. Hmm! Was it four elements depicting the four seasons? The fire was summer; the earth was autumn; the water was winter; and the air was spring. They were embedded in a spell of day and night. This craftsmanship is ingenious. The runes written on the receptionist's desk were excellent calligraphy. Ariel Sebastian has seen this desk a lot of times. She really did fancy it anytime, any day. But this was the first time she really saw the hidden truth of the desk.

She was captivated by the calligraphy. The perfect craftsmanship did not escape the eyes of Arvina. As she read it out, Ariel Sebastian unconsciously copied and read out aloud the ancient written calligraphy.

"I, who have roamed the universe... in the day or at night. In search of universal truth, I, the great SEEKER, lost count of how many four seasons are gone. Although my quest was cut short by the sand of time. My gains are innumerable. You, who can read this, have my mantle and inheritances, which I, the great SEEKER, bequeath to you. SEEK and you shall FIND. To find, a sacrifice at the intersections of two seasons is required."

A strange phenomenon happened. Not waiting for Ariel Sebastian to digest her findings. Several runes and spells flew up to Ariel Sebastian's forehead. Trying to embed itself in the center of her forehead. To be frank, the runes and spells contain ancient hex arrays to steal a body.

[Hmph! If you want to leave a legacy. Do it graciously. Why do you have to claim the body? SCATTER!!]

"Ahhh! Who are you? I still want to live. Don't scatter my soul." A female voice rang in Ariel Sebastian's consciousness before being silenced forever.

A bright divine light shone at the center of Ariel Sebastian's forehead. If your eyes were gifted, you would've seen a colorless crystal embedded at the forehead, or rather, the gaballe of Ariel Sebastian's front-top skull. The crystal also has its own insignia. A crystal and mark that all v01d members must have. It is proof of identity. Each color determines their rank in the future v01d world. The crystal grants its hosts access to v01d and v01d features. The insignia is connected to the host's soul and the future v01d world. It can defend against an imminent, life-threatening encounter. When v01d crystal and v01d insignia work together, they can teleport v01d members back to the v01d world. You can call it dimensional teleportation.

[You have gained the SEEKER'S wealth location. Get strong to claim your fortune.]

'V01D, what the hell happened?', cold sweat trickles down the face of Ariel Sebastian as she notices she just brushed past the grim reaper.

[Just a cockroach who is stubbornly holding on to her life]

…

There was total silence at the receptionist's desk in the lobby.

The receptionists: "..."

Visitors: "..."

Students, teachers, and security: "..."

Alec Sebastian, Lisa Maya, and Anika Abby: "..."

Seconds after the ordeal, there was an uproar in the lobby.

"Was that the legendary body seizure?"

"Not just that. How was an Unevolved being able to scatter the soul of an old monster?"

"I heard something about treasure. She should have preserved the soul. We might get valuable information from the soul. Now, the location of the treasure is forever lost."

"Seriously, was that all your stinky brain could think of?"

"Hey sweetie, what was that light? It looks so divine." Anika Abby curiously circled around Ariel Sebastian.

"Just now, I had the urge to prostrate and bow," commented Lisa Maya.

"Me too," chorus Alec Sebastian and Anika Abby.

There were heated discussions in the lobby. Some were planning to kidnap Ariel Sebastian. Believing they might find clues to the treasure if they dissect and retrieve her brain.

At that moment, the college authorities walked into the lobby.

"Look! The principal and vice principal are here."

"Yeah, it's true."

"They are escorted by so many prominent figures."

"Ah! This made my day. I can brag on and on. I have seen so many legends. All at once."

The appearance of notorious figures silenced the noise in the lobby. The college principal cleared his throat and addressed Ariel Sebastian.

"Child, you won't mind if we scan and check you for hidden danger."

[Hmph! Don't play a wolf in sheep's clothing, old geezer.]

'V01D, will they notice your existence or the location of the SEEKER'S fortune in my consciousness?'

[If these tiny homo sapiens can notice a single thing. I will self-destruct for being useless.]

[Go along with the flow. Any doubt will lead to unnecessary trouble. Not good for your growth.]

["Exactly, my thought"]

"No problem, principal. I would not mind."

----

Thirty minutes of Ariel Sebastian's time were wasted.

A series of scans were made, and questions were asked. Ariel Sebastian was so disgusted. Her body and soul were ransacked.

'Hmm! It's strange. Are these pieces of equipment malfunctioning? Her soul is pure and blank. This is unexplainable.'

'Are there secrets hidden and protecting the child?'

'Who is she or he? When did the Human Federation attain such a powerhouse?' The principal's thoughts were let loose.

'I have to keep an eye on this lad', the thoughts of all the school leaders outline together.

'There is nothing to scan. Let's end this saga!'

"Okay, we are short on time. We do not have all day. The kids are to be escorted to Eden's gate for their baptism."

"Let's end this saga!"

Since the principal has spoken. The scan process was quickly completed. Although some who were present wanted to continue... That is just that; nothing can be done anymore. Unless a well-thought-out excuse can be devised. Sensing the wary look of Ariel Sebastian, they knew this excuse would be extremely difficult to carry out.

At last, the check was over. They have no clue. It was the disappointment of the school leaders but the overwhelming happiness of Ariel Sebastian. The SEEKER's treasures were hers and hers alone.

The school leaders did not give up. They still left a lifeline.

"If there is any discomfort. Child, you can seek us."

["Jeez, my home girl is not an idiot. Do you think she will seek you, old geezer, out when she gets some problem?"]

["You just ravaged her body and soul under the guises of extensive scan."]

****

"See, they are out."

"They took so long."

"Any positive results?" The greedy eyes of some visitors were sparkly.

"Idiot, do you think the school will share it?"

"If they don't, they will get a lot of headaches. They can't swallow the treasure alone."

"Shit! These shameless bastards only got eyes on a ghost treasure and not the well-being of my dearest," bitterly lamented Anika Abby.

"We are not sure if such treasure exists," says Alec Sebastian.

"I am only interested in my lady's health. The rest should fuck off," Lisa Maya angrily slammed the receptionist's desk.

"This shitty desk is the root of all these headaches. How was Ariel Sebastian able to read this strange writing?" Anika Abby analyzed.