The Extra's Odyssey

Entering Ward Leon, Susan, and I walked to the transportation hub near the main gates.

The transportation hub had many different types of vehicles. Flying saucers, flying boards, flying cars and bikes, and many more.

Ward was too big to traverse on foot alone. If I walk on foot it will take me at least a half-dozen hours to go from one end to another.

Most of the time Cadets will use the transportation hubs that were evenly spread throughout Ward.

I walked to a flying board and began operating it.

[Scanning….Scan Complete.]

[ID: Rank 2169, Nathan Hunt]

[Please choose your destination.]

"Library"

[Destination Chosen: Library]

[Fees: 2 Credits]

I tapped my device and transferred the credits.

Credit was the currency used inside Ward. It is given based on Merit, Mission Completed, total floors climbed on Dungeon of Trails, Grades, Rank, or given by professors.

Credits to Bit ratio was 1:100. We can convert our credits to Bits at the counter at the main gate. Sadly, you can't convert Bit to Credit.

Cadets below Rank 500 get 10 credits monthly. From Rank 100 to Rank 499 one gets 20 credits monthly. To Rank 26- Rank 99, 30 credits were given monthly. While the Top 25 get 100 credits monthly.

Also, everything inside Ward costs us credits. That involves laundry, food, and study materials. We have to pay for them from our own pockets.

There was a free version for everything too but they weren't very usable.

Once I gave my white shirt into the free laundry section. It was late by a month. As compensation, they gave me a free service.

Now, I have a rainbow-colored shirt in my collection.

"You are going to the library?"

I nodded. With exams from next week and me knowing nothing, I have to start cramming if I wanted to pass.

"I didn't study anything."

Leon who was walking away froze.

He had a conflicted expression on his face.

"I will come with you. I also haven't studied anything."

I shook my head and didn't say anything.

In truth, he should have studied.

It's just that his grade never goes up no matter how hard he studies.

He will always get one mark more than a failing grade and pass.

Ward's entrance written examination is said to be one of the world's most difficult tests. Leon got 331/1000 in it. One mark more than a failing grade.

Then I said goodbye to Susan and stood on a flying board with Leon.

While we were flying to the library I decided to use the second trick I learned in the memory world.

I started channeling the Ether and Nether and controlled the flow.

Fweesh-

Unlike what happens during the fusion of orbs the Nether and Ether started flowing backward.

From my fingertips to wrists, then to elbows, to shoulders, to diaphragm, and finally near my core.

There I began fusing them.

Shortly, they were mixed properly and achieved harmony.

This harmonized energy was imperceptible.

I manipulated this harmonized energy and enveloped it around my core in a thin layer.

To check if what I was trying to do was done, I turned to Leon.

He looked at me and tilted his head.

"Did you just become weaker?"

"No?"

I inwardly smiled.

'It worked. Even Leon is fooled!'

Back in the memory world when I was learning to create a fused orb. I noticed that whenever Ether and Nether achieved harmony I could no longer sense them.

Not just them, I couldn't sense even the harmonized energy that was formed.

It was completely undetectable.

A few months later I came up with an idea.

'What if I wrap this harmonized energy around my core? By controlling the thickness of the wrapping, can't I control the energy waves that leave my core?'

The energy waves escaping the core is an automatic action and can't be controlled. It is also what everyone uses to determine one's rank and level.

What I did just now was camouflage to hide my level.

I leveled up four times this morning.

Levelling so many times at once wasn't normal. Thus, I decided to hide my level for now.

Although I doubt I needed it now it was always better to be cautious.

***

"Woah!"

Leon gasped loudly as soon as we entered the Library. He was acting like a country bumpkin.

I wasn't any different though.

Books, carried by small mechanical dragonflies, were being carried everywhere.

Almost every dragonfly was of different color and shape.

Coupled with the archaic looks of the library and the comforting silence, it gave a peaceful ambiance.

Despite dozens of the cadets sitting on this floor, there was no noise.

This was because noise cancellation and isolation spells set were set around each table.

From inside your voice won't go out even if you shout.

One has to speak at a low volume for his voice to leave the spell's effective area.

'Rank-4 magic spells on each table. There are at least a hundred tables on this floor and there are 4 more floors.'

Even if noise cancellation and isolation were the easiest Rank-4 spells they still cost a lot.

These fields around the tables weren't pure magic. They were a combination of technology and the spells were used minimally.

'But even then it will still cost a ton.'

I was again reminded that Ward was the top institution in the world. Buying only one table from here was enough to make me broke.

It had to be noted I wasn't poor. I had 50,000 B in my account.

"Let's go there."

I chose an inconspicuous corner.

Sitting there we typed the books we required on the panel. This panel was for ordering books.

[History of Earth: First, Second and Third Great Disaster; Quanti-Mechanics; Three Dimensions and their possibilities; The Void Abyss, Stage-0 Dungeons and their Origins; Green Alchemy; Gold Alchemy; have been chosen]

[Please wait for a few minutes while the books are being brought to you by your Quaterfly.]

'Quaterfly' was the name of those mechanical dragonflies. Each cadet has one Quaterfly assigned to them for the entirety of their time in Ward.

I had mine assigned when I came to this library a few weeks ago.

"Switch off your device."

"Why?"

"Just do as I say."

Leon powered his device off at my words. I also did the same.

'Good. There won't be any interference for a few hours at least.'

Bzzzz-

Two Quaterflies arrived at our tables. The noises produced by the rapid movement of their wings were so low that I could barely hear them even from 5 feet away.

A big golden Quaterfly gave Leon his books and went back.

While a small red Quaterfly placed my books in front of me and sat on my head.

I opened the 'Quanti-Mechanics' and started reading.

The book explained that…

"I don't understand a word."

Closing the book I massaged my eyebrows. For the past fifteen minutes, I was unable to understand a single word.

It wasn't that I was stupid.

In my previous world, I was a country topper during my elementary years and middle school years. The only reason I wasn't the country topper for high school was that I never went to high school.

But this world's science was to advanced!

"Should I just cram everything without understanding it?"

That seems to be my only choice.

"What do you want?"

I irritably asked Leon.

For the past fifteen minutes, he's been continuously peeking at me.

As if he had been waiting for me to ask, he jumped to answer.

"Your quaterfly is so cute. It's been quietly perching on top of your head. Why is mine like this? It won't even bring the books I ask. Let alone letting me touch it."

I peeked at my Quaterfly.

It had its eyes close and was sleeping on top of my head.

'To me, it looks more lazy than cute.'

Every Quaterfly has a different AI installed in them. This gave each quaterfly an original personality.

-Bang!

Suddenly our table shook.

"Guys~ I've been calling you non-stop why were your devices off?"

'Not even an hour has passed. How did she find us so quickly?'

A few strands of Lilith's apricot hair stuck to her damp forehead. She probably ran here directly after knowing we were here.

It took Eth and Leon two days to find the Stage-0 Dungeon. At that time their devices were switched off and left at another place to avoid tracking.

Lilith's face was red from anger as she repeatedly banged our table.

She was probably worried sick because we'd been missing for the past two days.

Bzzz-

The big golden quaterfly in Lilith's hand told me how she found us so quickly.

Leon's quaterfly was trying to escape Lilith's grip. Alas, it was too weak to escape.