Chapter 54 - Next destination

"Why would I do that? I'm not that much of a hypocrite. If I were in your shoes, whether a student or an adult, I'd react the same way. Besides, I'd rather rejoice for the return of someone I know than for someone I've never seen in my life"

Well, that was a response I didn't expect, but I can relate to it, considering I'm probably the same way. As this thought passed through my mind, she continued.

"By the way, did you tell anyone else about this?" she asked with a serious look on her face.

"Only to my sister and my best friend" I promptly replied.

"Best friend, you mean Owen? Well, if it's him, I think it'll be fine" said the teacher as she let out a brief sigh of relief.

I didn't exactly understand why she asked me that. Was there something I was missing? With that thought in mind, I decided to ask.

"Why? Would it be bad to talk about this with someone else?"

Upon hearing my words, she looked at me with a serious expression, perhaps even more serious than before. It seemed like she was convinced of something.

"Have you ever stopped to think about what would happen if you talked about this to someone and it started to spread? This probably wouldn't stay just in our town. The government would also hear about this gossip..." She paused, taking a deep breath before continuing her words. "They wouldn't just sit idly knowing there's one person strong enough to take on their entire army. They would come after you" she replied, while letting out a brief sigh.

Honestly, I hadn't considered this point of view. How did I not think of this before? It really made sense. After all, I could end up being used as a guinea pig in experiments, couldn't I? Strangely, this thought only came to mind when the teacher questioned it. But even so, it's not like I was afraid.

"Do you think they would succeed?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

Although it might seem like I'm being presumptuous now, I have a solid basis for my words.

"To capture or kill you? I highly doubt it. From what you've told me, you're already strong enough to completely obliterate almost any army that came after you... But that's not the sense I'm trying to warn you about. Even if they can't capture or hurt you, they can still go after things that are precious to you... like your sister, for example" she said with a serious look on her face.

When I heard her words, it was like a shock went through my entire body. Why didn't I think that my sister could be in danger in the future? For some reason, it didn't cross my mind, or rather, deep down, I believed that, no matter the situation, I could protect her.

But that doesn't change the fact that I'm just one person, after all. Could I really protect her if the world turned against me? When that thought crossed my mind, I felt an overwhelming urge to berate myself. I wasn't truly protecting her; I was just getting drunk on my own power.

"I... hadn't thought about it... I guess I was sure I could protect my sister from any danger, as long as I was strong enough, but, in the end, I'm just one person"

As I spoke, a faint smile formed on my teacher's lips before she let out a brief sigh.

"You haven't completely messed up, you know? The people you've confided in are trustworthy. Plus, from what you've told me, you've found reliable companions in that place. I think you should meet up with them before making any decisions. Three heads are better than one, right?"

At her words, a smile spread across my face as I nodded. As always, she was right. I really couldn't compare to her when it came to good advice.

"Alright, I guess we should wrap up our conversation for now. It would be wise for you to get back to your classes and act as usual. No one will probably notice any changes"

At this point, our conversation came to an end. She seemed busy, so I bid her goodbye and headed off to find Owen. We'd probably continue talking later, but for now, I decided to follow her advice and act normally. The less attention I drew, the better. Besides, I didn't have to worry about the people I'd told the truth to. My sister wouldn't talk to anyone, and I've known Owen since we were babies.

The day passed quickly; before I knew it, the last class had ended. Overall, it was quite productive. Even without being sure what the future held, I enjoyed the course I'd chosen, so I saw no problem in continuing to attend college, even if it was just for show.

As Owen and I were leaving the college, something unexpected happened: a blue screen abruptly appeared in front of us, just like the first time. The message on it, in a way, was not very welcoming.

[WARNING: The new plan is in its final stage and will be announced soon. The theme of the next mission will be (Hunting against time) Only 6 days left until the start of the next mission]

Upon encountering the message, a mix of emotions instantly swept over me. It was so fleeting that I couldn't exactly distinguish what it was: fear, anxiety? Nothing seemed to fit in that sensation I had just felt. Anyway, eager to confirm, I opened my mission list.

Missions

[Main Mission] –

Rewards:

[Secondary Mission] -

Rewards:

The screen was completely empty, devoid of any main or secondary missions. This probably indicated that we would only discover our new objective when we arrived at the new plan.

Another thing that occurred to me was that the others probably also received the same message. This made me wonder: how exactly were the others reacting to knowing that we would return again to that hell from which it took us so much to get out of?