Chapter 31: A Plausible Exception

The system panel flashed as Declan’s eyebrow twitched.

"What part of that even seems alright?"

[The school system is pretty understandable, and although it may seem harsh, it also generates pressure.]

[No student can sit calmly or get lazy.]

[If they don’t look for trouble, it’s only a matter of time before trouble finds them.]

[And if they ain’t got points, then they’re more or less screwed.]

"And how is that a good thing?"

[Pressure creates diamonds, Declan.]

[Only in such a competitive zone can even the average be made into something exceptional.]

[As for those who crumble under it, they’re just trash, undeserving.]

[To me, the rules are just perfect!]

Declan didn’t agree with the system’s reasoning, but one realization still dawned on him.

The rules were the rules.

If they hadn’t changed before he came here, then there was nothing he could do about them.

So instead of sulking over it, he might as well keep them in mind and plan his moves accordingly.

"That aside, how about the quest I completed?" he asked.

The panel blinked.

[Congratulations on Completing The Epic Quest: Join the X-Guard Academy]

[Rewards:

1.} +3 Bone Injury Healing Cards!

2.} +5 Flesh Injury Healing Cards!

3.} +1 Full Body Rejuvenation Card.]

"That’s all?"

[That’s all.]

"Huh?"

[What?]

"What!? What is this supposed to be!?"

[What does it look like!?]

"Some fucking bad omen premonition!? Why else would you be given bone healing cards!?"

[The system’s rewards are autogenerated by complex modules. It has nothing to do with me.]

The panel blinked, and Declan’s lips opened and closed before realization finally dawned on him.

"Nah, I know it now. There’s someone in the shadows fucking with me!"

[A/N: You don’t say. Kekeke]

_______

But the academy wasn’t all ridiculous rules.

There was also an app named Benefits, and when Declan opened it, he was pleasantly surprised.

Being a newcomer came with several benefits.

There were four he found particularly important.

The first benefit was that he could actually undergo his first Core Fusion for free!

The academy was giving every newcomer a chance to fuse with their first Core, a Seed Core called Omega 01.

As a Mech Scientist, Declan knew that an 01 Core was stable and reliable, with a well-balanced distribution of strength and energy throughout the body.

It was a good beginner-friendly Core.

Core transplants cost a lot of money, sometimes up to hundreds of thousands of currency units.

He knew this from his experience as a Mecha Scientist, yet the academy was actually allowing them to undergo this fusion for free!?

But it wasn’t a feature that was immediately available.

It would only be activated three days after the student’s arrival.

[Did you really want to fuse with a Core?]

The system panel suddenly flashed as Declan’s brow furrowed.

Crazy as it sounded, it wasn’t really a bizarre question.

He already had the system, which allowed him to grow stronger simply by completing missions.

Why implant foreign technological artifacts within his body if he could grow stronger without them?

"I will," he answered.

"Not because I need to, but to hide the main source of my power," Declan muttered.

If he kept leveling up and growing stronger like this, it was only a matter of time before the entire Nexian world set its eyes on him.

It didn’t make sense for someone to become a superhuman without a Core.

If his strength grew enough, he would be investigated and most likely forced to reveal the truth about his source of power.

And what was worse?

He had no believable excuse for it.

So, he needed a diversion.

Even if he only fused with a Seed Core and never upgraded it, it would be simple enough to claim that he had created special Mecha Modules that evolved alongside him.

Alternatively, he could argue that his Core was uniquely designed, making him more powerful, or that he had better-integrated Bionic fluids.

As a Nexian, there were a million and one ways to explain his strength.

And besides, fusing with a Core would boost his strength, too.

It didn’t interfere with the system, so why not take advantage of it?

_______

The second benefit was, of course, the Newbie Entrance Points.

Right now, Declan had 100 points, given to him for free by the academy upon his arrival.

The third benefit was that the cafeteria provided free meals for an entire month.

He had been given a newcomer voucher that allowed him to eat without paying points for the first month.

That was a good advantage. With food taken care of, he could focus on more important things.

And if things were ever to blow up with the other newcomers, they could at least ensure their survival for the first month without starving to death.

With free food for a month and a new Core Fusion, they’d have to be pretty damn incompetent to remain unable to earn new points within that time.

And the fourth benefit was that there was also one free Mecha Module given by the academy.

Though according to the description, the Mecha Module was random, had no name, and would only be unlocked seven days after a newcomer’s entrance.

A Core and a Mecha Module.

Those two things made a Nexian.

In his heart, Declan felt quite expectant, though he was also worried.

A Null-grade potential meant his body would resist the fusion with all its might, and he might just end up dead.

[Why not try to retake your Affinity Test?]

"Huh?"

Declan’s eyebrow rose as he stared at the system panel.

[You’re not the same person you were when you took those first tests, remember.]

The system’s response came immediately.

[Leveling up doesn’t merely increase your physical strength. Your body itself undergoes a complete renewal. Old cells are broken down, new and improved ones are created, and harmful substances are expelled from your system.]

[Every part of you is gradually being replaced by a superior version of itself.]

There was a brief pause before another line appeared.

[So why not take your Affinity Test again? You might no longer be Null-grade.]

Declan scoffed at the suggestion.

"Affinity Potential doesn’t increase. Once tested and determined, it remains the same until you die. It’s common knowledge."

He spoke with confidence, but that confidence quickly began to waver as another thought entered his mind.

"Then again..."

His brows slowly drew together.

"There’s no such thing as leveling up through a system, either."

He stared ahead for a moment, his mind turning over the possibility.

"Maybe I’m the exception to both."

The thought immediately sent his heart racing.

Could his potential really have changed?

Before he could become too caught up in the possibility, Declan quickly opened the academy map and began searching through the various facilities until he found what he was looking for, an Affinity Potential testing facility.

It made sense that the place wasn’t particularly busy.

Almost everyone entering the academy already knew their affinity grade, so there was little reason for students to repeatedly test themselves, and because of that, the facility didn’t even require points.

Declan made his decision.

"I want to retake the Affinity Test."

[Good. But don’t get your hopes too high. You might only end up disappointed.]

[Whether you’re still Null-grade or not, you can become stronger through enough effort and time.]

Declan’s racing heart gradually settled as he considered the system’s words.

’That’s right.’

He reminded himself of what truly mattered.

’Core Fusion isn’t my main path. It’s only supposed to be a supplement.’

’If I’m going to get excited about something, it should be the system, not some potential increase that may not even exist.’

Having convinced himself, Declan sat back down and continued browsing through the academy’s information.

His increased Intelligence finally showed its usefulness.

There was an absurd amount of information scattered throughout the academy’s various applications, covering everything from its facilities and rules to its resources and daily operations, but Declan devoured it all with remarkable efficiency.

In a relatively short period, he had absorbed roughly ninety percent of everything important.

Even more impressive was that he could reproduce around sixty percent of what he had read almost word for word, something that would have been nearly impossible for his former self.

Normally, such an amount of information should have left him mentally exhausted, yet his mind remained completely fresh throughout the process.

It felt like having a sponge inside his skull that could absorb knowledge indefinitely.

The sensation was strange, but in its own way, it was just as satisfying as discovering that his fists had become stronger.

By the time he finished studying the majority of the academy’s information, something else had changed as well.

Declan no longer felt like a complete outsider.

He was beginning to feel comfortable here, almost as though he actually belonged.

Eventually, he stood and returned to his bedroom, but the moment he opened the wardrobe, he was reminded of one important problem.

It was completely empty.

There wasn’t even an academy uniform waiting for him.

"So I have to buy everything myself."

He grabbed his device and green card before leaving, and the moment he swiped his card, the door opened while the lights behind him automatically dimmed.

__________________

"Five Gnelch hoodies, seven Gnelch jeans, three round-neck shirts, eight sets of inner clothes, three large towels, and three bedsheets."

The elderly woman behind the counter looked over the items before announcing the price.

"Fifteen points."

Declan nodded as she pointed toward a small machine beside the counter.

"Just place your device there to pay."

BEEP!

A notification immediately appeared.

[-15 points.]

[Points left: 85]

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