Endless Evolution As A Skeleton In A Game-Like World
Chapter 3: [3] Don’t Die

Chapter 3: [3] Don’t Die

The class had five leaders, the gifted individuals that had been selected to lead the young awakeners to victory.

This was one of the ways the government had been able to significantly reduce the death of the awakened.

With leaders in place, the students were less erratic, having a figure of authority to channel their strength.

Among these five leaders, there was no one from a regular family. One of them (the hero) was from a relatively new family, and the other four from first generation families.

But even among the first generation families, the girl in front of Ark stood out.

Soo-Jin Jimseung.

Not only were her ancestors major players in ending the cataclysm years ago, they were also the leaders of the number one guild in the continent.

Fable.

It was the dream of almost every player and awakener to one day be a part of Fable, and because of this, Soon-jin was basically worshiped by the students.

Why was someone like her talking to him, when most people of her status would barely spare him a glance?

"Thank you." Ark said in a reserved tone and reached out to take the medicine, when she suddenly shifted it to the side...

"Heh?"

It was so fast that Ark nearly didn’t see it happen. Maybe he was imagining things. Surely she could not be toying with him...

He tried to take it again and she shifted her hand once more, Ark grasping plain air.

Okay, he definitely wasn’t imagining it.

He glanced up at her, but she still had that passive look on her face. Only that this time, she had a fan covering her mouth.

She looked up from the fan and met his gaze, then waved the pills in the air. "Why do you need this?"

Ark nearly hissed at her, but the last thing he wanted to do was cause a scene. Already, people were staring at them.

"I need it..."

He tried to snatch it again, but she navigated it past his fingers. It was like trying to grab wet soap covered in butter.

It was almost as if she knew what way he would go.

"What do you need it for?" She fixed her eyes on the pack.

’What the hell is wrong with this woman?’ Ark felt like flicking her forehead, but with the number of people present, it would cause unnecessary rumours.

And that was if the male student body didn’t roast him over a pyre first.

"I need it to grow." He tried again. Another failure.

After receiving his race, the system had informed him about its... peculiarities.

First of all, he could not eat food in this state. The only thing his body required was calcium, apparently, if he consumed it daily, he would grow an inch or two.

For the first time, Soo-Jin showed a visible reaction. Her eyebrows twitched. "Hmm. Isn’t being a skeleton enough of a disadvantage? Now you have to take pills every..." her voice trailed off as Ark snatched the pack from her hands.

She had been so distracted, that in that moment, Ark seized the opportunity.

"Thanks." He waved it in the air before walking towards the other students.

Soo-Jin stared at him for a moment, her ears twitching at the sound of bones clicking against each other.

Then a small smile appeared on her face, hidden by her fan.

"Mistress Soon-Jin?"

The smile vanished as she folded her fan. "Yes?"

A girl dressed up in a black leather suit walked next to her, her sharp gaze locked on Ark. Her hair was as dark as obsidian, and her crimson eyes were unsettling to look at, two slit-like pupils glinting dangerously in the dim lighting.

"Why did you concern yourself with a mere commoner?" When she spoke, hints of her razor sharp fangs were shown.

Soo-Jin shrugged. "He has a light about him."

Her attendant raised a brow. "Forgive me, I don’t think I follow."

Soo-Jin waved her hand dismissively. "You won’t understand, Isabella." Then her demeanor suddenly changed. "But did you see his reaction just now??" She smiled brightly.

Isabella raised her hands to shield Soo-jin’s face. She could not afford to allow anyone to see her mistress in this form.

"He looked like he was on the verge of hitting me!" She continued while giggling.

"I don’t think that is something to be proud of miss."

— Soooooooo-jinnnnnnnn!

The principal’s stern voice reached them from the podium. She turned around, her composure as pristine as should be expected of a noble.

"Forgive my tardiness." She said calmly as she walked towards them, joining them on the stage.

Meanwhile, Isabella turned her attention to Ark. She knew everything about him, from where he lived, down to what he had for breakfast that morning.

As Soo-jin’s personal bodyguard, it was her duty to be in the know about those sorts of things.

So far, he was not even in the list of potential threats, but it would not kill to be watchful. Her fingers flexed, black claws stretching out of them on impulse.

’Stay away from her.’ She hissed internally. ’Vermin like you has no right to breathe the same air as her.’

<••>

Ark felt a strange urge to sneeze. He was a skeleton, skeletons didn’t sneeze right?

He turned around and glanced around the back. ’Is someone talking trash about me?’

But he did not get to search for long because the principal began his speech.

"Ahh, it feels refreshing to see you all this night. Just a few months ago, you were all anxious awakeners with dreams of one day becoming players."

"I remember how much some of you pestered me about if the process could be faster and how much you hated our boring lectures."

He chuckled and adjusted his bottle-thick glasses.

"And now, the day is finally upon us, and I tell you, you will miss this academy!"

The student erupted into laughter.

— Miss this shitty place? Never!

— Who would miss those boring survival classes?

— You knocked me around so much that I think I have permanent back pain!

— The only thing I will miss is Miss Jennifer!

— What? Dude, say that again...

’I mean, he has a point...’ Ark mused. Those who weren’t in combat class D would not understand.

The principal, the teachers beside him as well as the students enjoyed a short laugh. The old man took off his glasses and wiped off a tear from his eyes, after which the mood became serious.

"Remember your lessons and hold our teachings close to your heart, but do not be too rigid as to not improvise."

"You already know by now, Eden is a dangerous place..." A second passed, the next words heavy on his tongue.

"Many of you will not come back."

The principal shook his head slowly. He wished it was not the case, that this set would be different.

But he had suffered heart break far too many times, so much so that he had forgotten how to hope.

In a better world, these children would be far from the harsh cruelty of life. But this was not a better world, this was the reality they had been born into.

"I only have one piece of advice for you all." His voice was heavy with hope, and guilt.

The principal smiled, then his eyes took in the entire student body. Children that were about to contend with death, all for the sake of the continent.

"Don’t die."

The clock hit twelve. Sparks of electricity filled the air, running across the hall and sparkling at its ends.

And then something broke.

A myriad of colours flickered in the air as a fissure rippled through space time, causing a chill to rush into the room like a tidal wave. Then a screen appeared to every awakener present.

[Awakeners, welcome to trial 307#667]

[Do you wish to attempt the trial?]

[Yes] [No]

Ark stared at the notification that had appeared in front of him, the reason he had trained in the academy for six tumultuous months...

In this world, the weak were meant to be stepping stones for the powerful to walk all over. From the moment he arrived in Venaris, he had made up his mind to pursue strength.

He clicked on the only answer that made sense to him.

[Yes]

[WARNING! Death in the trial will result in death in real life! Do you still wish to proceed?!]

"Hell yeah!"

[Very well...]

[Player, your game has only just begun...]

—

[THE AWAKENING PROCESS WILL NOW BEGIN!]

After reading the last message, Ark’s vision was suddenly clouded by a thick, black darkness. One that could chill even the very soul...