Chapter 71: Finally Good News

"So, has it become a theory?"

The words echoed through the Psychic Energy Hall, where the class had just concluded, leaving only two people behind.

White, and Instructor Iritis.

"What is?"

White asked.

"Your hypothesis? Have you confirmed it?"

"I have."

White said.

"My strength did rise after fighting Zeras after all. You saw that too, didn’t you?"

He said, and Iritis nodded, resuming his interface swapping.

"I did. Something in me tells me you’re not very sure, though."

He added as White rose to pace around the hall.

"Of course, I’m not."

"I don’t know much about the Limitless Bloodline or their history, but I’m pretty sure there’s no such thing as Limitless being a growth adaptive energy."

"It’s happened twice now with Inumaki and Zeras, but I feel like I need more than just two successes before I can theorize it."

"So, you need more fights with the second years?"

Instructor Iritis asked.

"That will be for the best, though; it can also be the end of me in the academy."

He replied, explaining further

"First years aren’t allowed to meet at all with second years, much less fighting one. If I try to turn this into a schedule, it will backfire pretty badly."

"Not worth it."

White said, shaking his head.

Even if the instructor got everything all wrong, fighting was still something that made White feel alive.

The newcomers couldn’t give him that, and he had considered the option of going to the second-year area, but when he thought deeply about it, he realized it was very much not worth it.

"So what’ve you been doing?"

He asked.

"It’s been two weeks since your big fight. Got a report that you’ve been lurking around the Academy library a lot lately."

He said, and White paused before shrugging.

"Just reading a couple of books...and waiting. I heard Davinci had been growing stronger lately, including Gustav and the rest."

"Hopefully, they’ll catch up soon, and I’ll get another challenge."

"Strong enough to help you fully theorize? I doubt that’ll be happening anytime soon."

Instructor Iritis said, walking towards White, who slumped into a seat, and looked to the side.

"It’s not like I’ve got any other option."

"Actually,"

He said, drawing White’s attention.

"You may have."

He said with a grin before resuming his walk towards the exit.

White already rose to his feet, sneaking behind the man.

"What do you mean I may have?"

"The Vices want to see you."

"Vices?"

"They plan to send you somewhere."

"For real?"

White almost lost it.

He had been waiting for this for two weeks, and the boredom during this time had almost made him lose his mind.

"Where is that somewhere? Ruin exploration? A Supernatural Outbreak mission?"

He asked, and Instructor Iritis paused, turning to him, his wrist to be exact.

"Pretty sure the message should be sent right about now."

Right after,

DRIIING!

DRIIING!

White’s runic watch reverberated, and he noticed a notification.

It was very simple.

[Academy Message.]

[Come to the Upper Vest Building in 9 hours.]

It said, and White’s head buzzed.

"I got a little bit of some insider news."

Instructor Iritis said to him.

"You’re going to be gone for quite a while, so...say your goodbyes."

He said, and in the next moment, the air rustled, sending White’s uniform flapping, and the instructor’s image faded into motes of light.

White turned back after that, quietly returning to his dorm room, but halfway through, he suddenly jumped high into the air, fingers clenching hard.

"YES!"

His words echoed through the street, drawing some attention, though he was already gone before the eyes could find him.

___________

"You hear that system. We’re going on a quest! Told you my plan worked."

[Yaaay.]

The system flashed as White snorted.

"Don’t yay me. You kept saying it was a waste of my time."

[Hey, it’s been two weeks. The academy did nothing for two weeks.]

[Anyone would have doubted if it worked. You can’t possibly fault me for that.]

It defended.

"I guess you gotta go learn how to have a little more faith then."

He mocked.

[Tsk. Don’t be ridiculous. I’m the Endio Supernatural System. I know everything.]

"Of course, you do."

White said, slipping into his bed.

9 hours from now was like 6:00 tomorrow morning. Since he had nothing to do and wasn’t asked to pack up his bag.

All he could do was snore it all off and fill himself with energy before facing the Vices.

[Remember what Instructor Iritis said?]

The system asked.

"About what?"

White replied in his thoughts, quietly drifting to sleep.

[About saying your goodbyes.]

"Don’t tell me you’re now suspecting him of taking my head off."

[No, no. I don’t mean he was telling you that to reference that you’ll be gone soon.]

"Technically, that’s what it is."

[I mean dead soon.]

"Makes more sense. So, what about it?"

[Don’t you have someone you should be saying your goodbyes to?]

"You?"

White asked.

[Would you like to say goodbye to me, then?]

The system asked, and one of White’s eyes snapped open.

"I won’t."

[That’s what I thought.]

[As for the goodbyes, I mean, Nova. You should say your goodbyes to her.]

It said, and White paused for two seconds before shrugging, his eyes closing.

"She’s already good on her own now. She even challenged Rukun three days ago and almost beat him to death."

He said with a shrug.

And actually, he wasn’t bugging.

Three days ago, Nova had challenged Rukun, and she had defeated him.

Ever since she awakened those wings of hers, she had become the fastest newcomer.

No one could catch her, no attack could come close to her.

He watched her dodge every last one of Rukun’s blades before pummeling him with her wings.

That fight brought her enough points to rank Top 5 on the Cyberankings, so, yeah, she was doing well without him.

But it seemed the system didn’t feel the same as the panel flashed emboldened:

[...]