Shadow Being System

The aftermath of the fight in the cafeteria was chaotic. Students whispered amongst themselves, their voices a mixture of awe and fear, while the faint smell of blood still lingered in the air. The nurses arrived quickly, rushing to tend to the unconscious boys from Billy's group. The red-haired student, Liam, had already left the scene, leaving behind an air of mystery and tension.

William stood up, ready to leave as the nurses carried the injured students out. Just as he turned toward the exit, Sofia's soft voice broke the buzz of conversation.

"Goodbye, William," she said with a smile that could have been mistaken for innocent—but something about it felt off.

William blinked, caught off guard. He hadn't expected her to say anything. He awkwardly nodded, unsure how to respond. "Goodbye," he mumbled, and turned to walk away.

"What's her deal?" William thought as he pushed open the cafeteria door and stepped into the cooler night air. "Is that how girls flirt?" He was confused, more than anything. Sofia seemed so strange, so unlike the other students. But before he could dwell too long on her behavior, William headed back to his dorm, hoping for some rest after the day's unexpected drama.

When he entered his room, he noticed the still-empty beds. His roommates were still absent. It had been days now, and he had yet to meet them. "Do I even have roommates?" William pondered. He recalled the earlier attack on the academy—the one that had taken many students' lives. Perhaps that was the reason for the empty spaces.

But before he could give it much more thought, a knock resounded on his door.

His pulse quickened. "At this hour?" He approached the door cautiously, his hand hovering over the handle. When he opened it, a soldier stood there, his expression neutral, unreadable.

"Are you William?" the soldier asked, his voice gruff.

William hesitated before nodding. "Yeah… why?"

"Follow me," the soldier ordered, giving no further explanation.

A sense of unease crept into William's stomach. He hesitated for a moment but ultimately followed the soldier out into the dimly lit hallway. His mind raced with possibilities. "Where are we going? Am I in trouble?" He had no idea what awaited him, but he couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.

As they walked down the hall, the silence between them felt oppressive. The only sound was their footsteps echoing off the walls. Finally, William mustered the courage to speak.

"Where are we going?" he asked cautiously, trying to keep his voice steady.

The soldier didn't turn to look at him. "You'll find out when we get there."

William's discomfort grew. Something wasn't right. His Third Eye activated instinctively, scanning their surroundings. He soon realized they were headed toward the "Boundary Wall," the massive structure that separated the academy from Military Base Four.

Panic surged in his chest. "We're not allowed to leave the academy grounds," William protested, his voice low but urgent.

The soldier glanced at him briefly. "Don't worry about that."

William's heart pounded as they approached the wall, which loomed above them like a colossal barrier, its surface cold and impenetrable. The wall was as tall as the "Ice Wall of the North," its sheer size overwhelming. He activated his Third Eye, trying to analyze the material, and what he saw made his eyes widen in disbelief.

"Vibranium." The entire wall was made of vibranium—the rarest, most powerful metal known to humanity. It was a material so strong it could only be found on distant planets, nearly impossible to obtain. Yet here it was, forming a giant barrier to protect the students of the academy.

"This place is more important than I thought," William realized. "Why would they need vibranium just to separate the academy from the military base?"

When they arrived at the gate, a guard stepped forward, blocking their path. "Pass?" the guard asked, his voice authoritative.

The soldier accompanying William held out a wooden tag, carved with a lightning bolt symbol. The guard's eyes widened in recognition, and he immediately stood aside with a respectful nod.

"So it's the General," the guard said, his tone now reverent.

William's pulse quickened. "The General?" His mind raced with possibilities. "Why would the General want to see me? Am I in trouble? Does he know about the system?" A dozen different scenarios played out in his mind, none of them good.

They crossed through the gate and into the military base, which was an entirely different world compared to the academy. Towering buildings of steel and glass lined the streets, while soldiers in advanced armor moved swiftly, each with a purpose.

Spell-tech machinery hummed around them, glowing with arcane energy, their functions unknown to William but clearly vital to the base's operations. William noticed massive, enhanced power suits moving about—soldiers clad in metal exoskeletons designed to enhance their strength and speed. It was like something out of a sci-fi movie.

One particular suit caught William's eye. It was massive, standing taller than any human, with sleek armor that shimmered in the moonlight. It reminded him of the "Power Rangers' Megazord," its design sleek and futuristic. The suit had glowing blue lights on its joints and a massive cannon attached to its arm. It was a masterpiece of engineering.

William's eyes gleamed with excitement as he gazed at the suit. "Imagine piloting something like that…" Stars filled his vision as he got lost in the thought of controlling such a machine.

The soldier beside him noticed William's fascination and smirked. "Cool, right? Work hard, and maybe one day you'll have one of your own." Continue your adventure at empire

William turned to him, his eyes wide with surprise. "Really?"

The soldier chuckled. "Of course. That is, if you don't die before then."

The words sent a chill down William's spine. He glanced back at the suit, his earlier excitement now tempered by the sobering reality of the dangers he faced.

They continued on, eventually arriving at the largest, most grandiose building in the base. It towered above everything else, its walls gleaming with reinforced vibranium, a symbol of authority and power.

They entered the building, and William expected the elevator to take them up, but instead, the soldier pressed the button to descend. A wave of confusion washed over William.

"We're going down?" William asked, his voice filled with uncertainty.

The soldier didn't respond. But as the elevator doors closed, a small scanning device emerged from the wall. The soldier held up his wooden tag once again, and the scanner flashed green. The elevator whirred to life, descending deeper underground.

"An underground base?" William's curiosity grew. "What kind of place is this?"

When the elevator doors finally opened, William found himself standing in a massive dojo. The walls and floor were made of vibranium, but despite the metal's strength, there were scorch marks and dents scattered throughout the room—a testament to the fierce battles that must have taken place here.

At the center of the dojo sat a man in a white robe, holding a traditional Chinese fan. His presence was commanding, but he exuded an aura of calm. In front of him stood two other figures—one of them a mountain of muscle, built like Ronnie Coleman. It was Commander Charles. The other figure was a beautiful woman with sharp, piercing eyes. Miss Mona.

William's heart skipped a beat. "That must be General Zhao," he thought.

General Zhao looked up, a slight smile playing on his lips. "Ah, looks like he's here."

The soldier led William forward, saluting before stepping aside. William followed suit, his heart racing as he saluted awkwardly. General Zhao waved a hand dismissively, signaling for the soldier to leave.

"Don't be nervous, William," General Zhao said calmly. "You're not in trouble."

William exhaled in relief but remained on edge. General Zhao gestured toward Commander Charles and Miss Mona. "These two have given me a full report of what happened during the attack. It seems the casualties were minimized thanks to your warning to Miss Mona."

William's eyes flicked toward Miss Mona, who nodded in silent acknowledgment.

"For that," General Zhao continued, "you've earned a reward."