Chapter 38
This is a fictional story by realTensai
"Let's goooo!"
The boys' voices echoed throughout the packed train station, showing everyone how excited they were. Alvis was one of them. Rare, indeed.
The long-awaited class trip to Awaniko was today, which made them all fidgety, even though it was still early in the morning. Alvis had already finished his daily quests, though the healing potion he got as a reward made him overflow with energy. Waiting for the hyper-train to arrive was akin to torture. As if the time they had to wait for this day wasn't already long enough.
"Stop shouting! Are you little kids or what?"
Erema's comment did little to calm down the energized guys. However, Alvis regained a bit of his common sense, making him look around to see various unknown spectators click their tongues while staring daggers into them. For now, he would keep his excitement to himself.
"Yo, Al? You think they got a PX5 at the hotel?"
The dark circles under his eyes made Alvis shake his head. He had seen that he had been online yesterday, yet he wouldn't have thought he had played for this long.
"Dane, get a hold of yourself. We are going on a class trip, not to some gaming convention."
"We will have a lot of free time. Playing a few rounds won't hurt."
The words of an addict.
"Seek help."
Alvis sighed, and Dane hung his head in defeat.
How could someone like him be so strong?
He activated his skill Assassin's Eye, yet the result stayed the same.
Estimated Power Level:2000
Alvis had always known that Dane was strong. He was half-giant, so it was a given, but he never knew he was this strong.
Just in comparison, Ms. Myth, who was a master rank mage, had an estimated power level of 2000+. Alvis would have to level up his skill to get more specific scores. 2000+ could mean everything from 2001 to limitless, but it still showed Dane's strength. He was in the top three of the class if Alvis excluded himself. Lia and Gilsymbato were above him, both having an estimated power level of 2000+.
But those two are a whole different topic.
Alvis ignored Dane's immense power and turned his head in search of Lia. There she was, surrounded by her friends, chatting with a smile on her face. Seeing her made Alvis' heart go dum dum dum and his lips curved up as he listened to this sound. Yet he still sighed.
Guess I've to wait before we can spend some time together.
By shaking his head, he tried to shake off his worries. The class trip would last one week, so there would certainly come a time when the two of them could be alone.
Yes, we're married, after all!
His extensive nods didn't make him look confident, though. Lia's unmatched popularity could be a thorn in his side. It was a good thing she always had her friends on her side and Alvis was the last one who would want this to change. Her happiness came first. Still, some time alone with her would be like a dream come true.
Perhaps we could even go on a date?
His head steamed as he thought about him and Lia exploring the heavenly city of Awaniko together whilst holding hands.
"You seem excited, Alvis."
Sekki's voice forced Alvis out of his dream world, making him click his tongue. The elf looked at him with his usual smile.
"Aren't you just as excited? Your grin speaks volumes."
"Fufu, guess I can't hide it," he said, chuckling. "My parents have told me a lot about Awaniko, so I'm looking forward to it."
"Hopefully, this will be an enjoyable trip for all of us."
Alvis had thought their conversation would end there, though Sekki still had something to say.
"Talking about that, I hope he won't cause us any problems. Even I can't make sense of this dude," Sekki said, his smile wavering as he glanced at the person they were talking about.
Alvis' eyebrow twitched upon hearing that. He couldn't even force a smile and sighed. It wasn't like he didn't like him. He had spent way too little time with him for that, yet he wouldn't want to change that either. He was an odd one, for sure.
"We just had bad luck. No other group wanted to take him in, so it fell on us. Now we have to share a room with Gilsymbato."
Alvis had hoped that Kris' group would take him in, but his other roommates were vehemently against it. Even the good-hearted Kris couldn't do anything about this. In the end, Ms. Myth had pushed the responsibility on Alvis, knowing damn well he couldn't argue with her. That was why his group would have to share their room with Gilsymbato.
Just by looking at him, one would understand his position within the class. He stood in the middle of the train station, yet no one got close to him. As if a deadly radius of three meters surrounded him. His black wings were spread out with no intention of even caring about other people's glances. The proud smile on his dark face radiated confidence even Alvis admired. However, Alvis wasn't sure if it was confidence or sheer ignorance.
Gilsymbato was a demon through and through.
"You think we will get closer to him by sharing a room?"
"Nope, no chance. His brain works differently. We ain't capable of understanding him."
They both laughed. It was because they knew they weren't even exaggerating, that the situation was all the funnier.
"DING — Attention, the hyper-train to Awaniko arrives shortly."
Alvis' eyes lit up after hearing the announcer.
Finally!
He grabbed his bag and got ready.
"Everybody from my class assembles! I will count if we are complete and then we will get on the train."
The students got together, causing a commotion as they formed a big circle. Their excitement didn't hinder Ms. Myth's counting though, and she confirmed that all 28 students were there. And just like the announcer said, the hyper-train arrived. With speed only rivaled by the light, it entered the train station. Their ride would take six hours, though considering that Awaniko was next to the Mana Forest, it was pretty fast. Alvis would most likely spend the time reading or chilling with Dane.
——
"Ohhhhh~ we are here!!!"
Joel and Ness jumped out of the hyper-train whilst shouting in sync. They were the first to step out, yet the other students followed and almost tripped over each other. After a six-hour-long train ride, the class arrived at their destination. They were in Awaniko.
As Alvis stepped out with a grin on his face, the sun greeted him, making him hold up his hand for protection. His pupils constricted as a natural reaction to the sudden light, yet this wasn't the only reason. With a mouth wide open, he took in the awe-inspiring scenery.
His eyes were met with a breathtaking panorama that belonged to a realm beyond reality. The city's skyline was dominated by ethereal spires that reached for the sky, each structure seemingly touched by the hand of magic. The air that entered his nostrils filled his body with mana, making him feel one with nature. He couldn't see the Mana Forest, yet he felt its influence. Buildings illuminated by the sun showed how the Awanikans seamlessly blended nature and artistry. Within seconds, Awaniko's beauty seized their hearts.
"Wow!"
This was all that left their mouths. Hypnotized by the heavenly city, all they could do was move their eyes to get a glimpse of everything within their sight. Only when the other passengers motioned them to move did they wake up out of their trance-like state.
"Class 3A, get together!" Ms. Myth said. "Our bus, which will take us to our accommodation, is already waiting for us. Let's get going."
Following Ms. Myth's order, the students didn't waste more time and were on their way. While still taking in the otherworldly atmosphere, they arrived at their bus. The rented bus was big enough to fit their class, yet this didn't stop them to battle on getting in first. Alvis had to take quite a few bumps before getting the seat he wanted. Yet the smile on his face never vanished.
"You look like a creep."
"Yes, yes, every time I show my happiness, I look like a creep."
"Haha, at least you know," Dane said, laughing. "This class trip gonna be lit for sure!"
Alvis just looked at Dane with suspicion in his eyes before letting out a deep sigh.
"You found out they got a PX5 at the hotel, don't you?"
The wide grin on Dane's face was answer enough.
What an addict.
Alvis turned away from Dane, now looking out of the window. The sight of Awaniko made his heart race out of excitement. The magic hadn't yet vanished and Alvis' eyes couldn't stop appreciating the blessing in front of him.
Those bumps were worth it!
——
"T-…This is—incredible!"
They had just left the bus and were now standing before their hotel, but once again, they couldn't move. Their mouths were wide open and even though they had already seen a hologram of the hotel, this was their reaction. Seeing it in real life was just different. But it wasn't the hotel alone that had them gasping for air. It was their surroundings, too.
The hotel was just next to the Mana Forest, mystical trees acting as its guardians. The sound of flowing water was like music in their ears, inviting them to swim in the pond. Its scent mingled with the enchanting fragrances of flowers, creating a sensory symphony calming to one's soul. Natural illumination enveloped the wooden hotel, making it look like a natural extension of the Mana Forest. Even though it looked old-fashioned, it couldn't have fit better in this environment. Colorful gardens burst with vibrant flora that thrived under the influence of the forest's energy.
Those morning runs are going to be fun!
Even on a class trip, Alvis had to complete his daily quests.
"Enough staring. You can look around later. Let's go in."
Ms. Myth was the first to enter the hotel, though her students followed almost immediately. The moment they stepped in, an elf greeted them.
"Welcome to the hotel, Nihon," the young man said, bowing. "We have awaited you."
After that, things went by fast. The elf helped them check in and escorted them to their rooms. Alvis' class wasn't the only one within the hotel, yet they got two entire floors for themselves. One floor for the girls and one for the boys. This just showed how influential their school was.
Alvis would share a room with Dane, Sekki, and Gilsymbato. Upon entering, the first thing Dane did was search for the PX5 in the old-fashioned stylish room, while the others seized their sleeping grounds. There were two normal beds and one bunk bed, and Alvis would surely occupy a normal one.
But he couldn't.
Sekki sprinted to one bed, catching Alvis totally by surprise. And as Alvis turned his head to look for Gilsymbato, he wasn't there anymore. With horror in his eyes, he looked at the other bed, only to see Gilsymbato lying there.
Shit.
"Someone like me could never sleep on a bunk bed," Gilsymbato said, gracefully stroking his red hair. "I'm sorry, human boy."
"I prefer normal ones, too. First come, first served."
Alvis frowned upon realizing he had failed. With sluggish shoulders, he accepted his fate and put down his bag next to the bunk bed.
"Al! I found it! They really have a PX5 in here!"
"Hah~." Alvis could only shake his head. "I will go grab something to drink."
With this excuse, Alvis left the room. He had seen a vending machine near the reception, so this was where he was heading. Walking through the floors, Alvis appraised the ancient drawings on the walls. They had a mystic vibe to them and looked like they told a story.
Maybe this is some old elf tale.
"Alvis?"
The lovely voice of a girl he cared more for than for his own life snapped him out of his thoughts. He turned around, and her emerald eyes shone brighter than the sun. Her smile felt like a blessing from god, and Alvis could only smile too.
"Lia!"
"I'm glad I found you," she said before catching up with him. Now, next to him, she continued. "We didn't have time to talk on our way here."
"Yeah, Ms. Popular was out of my reach."
"Stop joking," she said, pouting.
A direct blow to Alvis' heart! He clutched his chest dramatically, trying to overplay how her cuteness made him blush.
"I really want to spend some time with you."
Now Alvis' heart was running havoc. It knocked against his ribcage and he couldn't take his eyes off Lia. Seeing her cute, pointy ears glow red only added to his excitement.
"I want to spend time with you, too."
Heck, there was nothing he wanted to do more at the moment.
"Okay, let's make a promise," Lia said before taking Alvis' pinky finger and intertwining it with hers. "Let's go on a date on the last day."
"Yeah!"
Alvis answered before his brain even caught on. But as soon as he realized it, fume emitted from his head. Dopamine, he didn't even get after completing a level, flooded him, wanting him to do joyful dances on the spot.
"So it's a promise!"
Lia's smile washed away all his worries.
This trip will be awesome!
Level 3: Trial of Insanityhas begun!