I sat cross-legged on my large, fluffy bed, taking in deep breaths as I tried to clear and settle my tired mind.

I took a shower the moment I returned, getting rid of all remaining traces of milk on my body. After some hesitation, I also decided to pop some pills to calm my symptoms. The medication was already losing its effectiveness, so I reckoned it would be best to get the most use out of it before it became entirely useless.

Song sent me a message in the meantime. I had only to read the first lines before deciding to ignore the rest of its contents completely. She was just being a sore loser.

Instead, I chose to focus on more important things after wolfing down my food. Specifically, cultivation.

It was not really cultivation in the true sense of the word. I had only chosen that as the name back in the novel. It would be more accurate to describe it as synchronizing with my gift.

It was the primary method of advancement in the lower ranks, and I needed to do so badly.

Closing my eyes, I imagined myself sinking, falling deeper and deeper into myself, into my soul. Just like that, white noise appeared, growing louder and louder, until it finally stabilized.

I opened my eyes to find myself once again in a familiar, never-ending world of infinite white static. The hill still lay in the distance, so I wasted no time walking toward it.

Through the short walk, I felt anxious at the possibility of Medici being there again. Fortunately, the top of the hill lay completely empty.

'It seems the system locked him up for good this time.'

I had no doubts he would be able to break out from there in due time. He seemed rather confident, and I was certain he had knowledge of the novel too. It would be an absolute disaster if something like him took over my body.

He did not seem to have this world's best interest in mind.

'Does Song have something like this too?'

I could not be sure. I was playing with entirely unfamiliar elements here. I could not even hazard a guess at what exactly Medici was. A remnant of the old Victor? An old monster? Or something entirely different?

It was pointless guessing.

I only knew what I needed to do, and that was getting stronger as fast as possible.

I reached the top of the hill, stopping right before the tree.

From what I could tell, the hill below me was my essence pool. It was something I had noticed when using the [Eyes of Eternity]. I could not actively control this essence, at least not at my current rank, but I did not need that to cultivate.

In this world, cultivation required syncing better with your gift. What better way was there to sync with your gift than staying in your inner world.

Of course, just doing that would never be enough. You had to be doing something in that inner world, something related to that inner world.

The end goal of all this was to completely assimilate the heartblood injection. It was the only way a hunter could take another injection.

'There's only one option here.'

I sighed, before taking a seat on the swing. Once again, I was enveloped by an odd sense of comfort and familiarity.

I did not waste much time pondering about it, and instead gave the swing a small push.

Slowly, yet surely, my momentum began increasing and soon enough I was making wide arcs through the air.

I closed my eyes, blocking out the static and only focusing on the white noise. Its sound grew more prominent as though responding to my will.

Up then down. Up then down. Up then down.

The swing cut through the air, an unseen wind brushing through my hair.

I could not say why, but I felt more spirited than I had ever been before, like all my worries were merely constructs of a far-off, hazy dream.

Like all was right with the world.

Yet, with that comfort, came a deep nostalgic sadness. A melancholic grief that made peace with my newfound serenity.

It was the most confusing thing in the world.

Four days later

I staggered in front of the classroom, still feeling the effects of my morning routine. At least all that effort had already started paying off. I was slowly learning how to tolerate feeling like crap all the time.

Due to that, I had been able to come to class somewhat earlier today. Okay, I was not exactly early, but I had managed to show up just before class started.

Something I considered a big improvement, especially with all the stink-eyes I had been getting from instructors recently.

Stepping inside, I monitored my surroundings just in case any of Varic's dogs were looking to have a go at me. With the information Song was providing me with, and my growing paranoia, I was largely able to avoid their attempts on me.

I rarely stayed in one place too long, and if I did, I made sure to stick close to Rowan and Shin. Both could not help me with anything, but it at least made the bullies think twice before trying stuff.

The moment classes were done, I bolted straight back to the hostels. Pathetic? Yes. Cowardly? Maybe. But at least it kept my ass from getting whooped.

While violence was prohibited on school grounds, there was a certain amount of it the school would let slide. It was only when they deemed it serious that they stepped in.

And of course, the definition of serious was something entirely at Alice's discretion. Let us just say, that woman's senses were twisted.

I did not intend to live like this for long. After all, I knew I could not run forever. Those fools would never consider me seriously otherwise.

In fact, I planned on changing things today. It was also one of the reasons I came early.

I scanned the seats, until I found the girl I was looking for. A brown-skinned girl sitting by herself. Her long, dark, braided hair highlighted in a manner that reminded me of Alice's highlights.

'Ayo.'

I needed her help.

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