I fell to the ground with a thud, jolted awake from what was undoubtedly the most heavenly dream I had ever had.

I rubbed my forehead, wincing at the new bruise that had formed there, but the refreshing feeling from my dream kept a silly grin on my face.

In the dream, I had been in the lap of luxury, quite literally.

Eleanor Eisenhower, with her soft palms and captivating purple eyes, had been stroking my hair while she spoke in a soothing voice.

But her words fell on deaf ears as my gaze was fixated on her large bosom, jiggling with every word she muttered.

I couldn't help but stare, slack-jawed and wide-eyed.

She caught me looking, and I fumbled for something to say about the refurbishment she had made to my house.

But my voice failed me, as if it knew that anything I said would be inadequate to prove my innocence.

She gazed at me with her bewildered yet enchanting eyes, as if sensing my struggle to speak.

Her voice was as soothing and angelic as her beauty, as she spoke inquiringly, "Is my little King tired? Or does your throat ache? Perhaps a gentle kiss on your neck could ease the discomfort."

She pushed back her violet hair and leaned towards me, with her bosom pressing against my face.

I gasped. I actually didn't know what had happened or why my head was resting on one of the most beautiful and sought-after ladies in the world, but I wasn't one to complain.

I was in paradise.

When she leaned in to kiss my neck, I thought I had died and gone to heaven.

As soon as her lips made contact with my neck, a tingling surge coursed through me, causing my entire body to shudder with pleasure.

When she withdrew her face and met my gaze, a small smile graced her lips, and she asked in a gentle voice,

"Did the kiss have a healing effect on you, my dear King?"

I shook my head eagerly, unable to hide the infatuation that was consuming me.

However, her expression soon shifted, and a look of concern replaced her earlier smile.

"No, I fear it's not sufficient. Allow me to fetch Dr. Smallberries to tend to you," she stated, gently lowering my head onto the plush couch before making her way towards the door.

Panic gripped me, as I desperately tried to find a way to stop her.

Anyone but Dr. Smallberries, I thought to myself.

That old man would undoubtedly find a way to lure me into accepting his Awakened Academy recruitment offer again.

Despite my efforts to rise, my feet seemed to be anchored to the couch, leaving me trapped and helpless.

In desperation, I rolled as quickly as I could and landed on the floor with a thud, startling myself awake.

As I sat up, nursing my bruise, I couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of it all. How could I, a street urchin, have dreamt of being on the lap of someone as noble as a prodigy from one of the most important houses in the entire world?

What a joke.

I pulled myself up from the ground and checked the time, only to discover that I was already two hours late for class.

I had set seven alarms, each louder than the last, but it seemed that even they couldn't rouse me from my deep slumber.

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Maybe I should just ditch class today; I was already late, and I wouldn't be allowed in anyways.

But no, I couldn't risk being dismissed for truancy.

I had already missed two days of school due to the little accident I went through, and a third absence might really anger the principal.

Besides, being late for school was nothing new for me.

I knew all the secret entrances and hidden holes that only a few people were aware of.

In less than ten minutes, I transformed from a sleepy zombie into a fully clothed student ready to tackle the day ahead.

I couldn't help but pat myself on the back for my impressive speed, which I had aptly named "Under Ten Minute."

It may sound silly, but I took pride in my ability to get things done quickly, especially when running late for school.

Now, Fifth District Academy was no joke.

It was practically in another dimension, located in the far reaches of precinct five and almost near the edge of Precinct six.

I knew I had to take drastic measures to make sure I wasn't anymore late else, it might get really bad if the clock strikes nine and Math class begins, so I grabbed my trusty skateboard and zoomed through the precinct, narrowly avoiding collisions with innocent bystanders.

As I approached a fork in the road, my brain nearly exploded with indecision.

On one hand, there was a longer route to school that was undoubtedly safer, but on the other hand, there was a super short route that could potentially shave off precious seconds from my commute.

But wait, as the famous saying goes, "Short cuts often lead to long delays."

It wasn't just because I was an idiot or had nothing better to do than actually making a consideration to take the longer route.

Why don't I just dive into the short alleyway.

No, this was the sketchiest, most dangerous path in the entire precinct, infested with thugs and gangsters.

And here I was, just a normie who had barely survived up to this day maneuvering from the wrath of my sister.(translation: a person who hasn't "awakened").

Nonetheless, a sudden realization struck me - I had awakened, how could I forget something this important.

I had amps of electric current surging through every fiber of my being jolting and crackling as they rushed through my bloodstream.

I couldn't help but wonder what could go so wrong that I wouldn't be able to handle.

Despite having a skateboard, I decided against using it as the rough path would only waste my time.

Instead, I picked it up and tucked it under my arm.

As I made my way down the alleyway, I was surprised to find not a single soul in sight.

No street thugs, no notorious criminals, not even a beggar and this was highly unusual, especially for Precinct Five where beggars were as common as pebbles.

Walking down one dark side of the alleyway my anxiety heightened when I noticed green blood splattered on the wall of a building. I immediately realized it was not human blood, as two types of monsters possess green blood - goblins and orcs.

Goblins are devious and usually move in groups, making them a dangerous foe.

However, it was unlikely that the blood belonged to a goblin as goblins are smaller and weaker than orcs.

The amount of blood on the wall indicated a larger creature had been injured, making it more likely that the blood belonged to an orc.

Fortunately, orcs pride themselves on individual strength and often roam alone, making them a safer bet than goblins.

With just a short distance left to exit the alleyway, I knew I couldn't afford to turn back and retrace my steps.

Clutching my skateboard firmly to my chest, I steeled myself and ran as fast as I could without looking left or right.

Why did I even choose to take this shortcut in the first place?

I scolded myself for my foolishness as I pushed my body to go faster.

Was it my newfound strength that was allowing me to run faster than before or was I overwhelmed with fright?

I didn't have time to ponder on such things; my vision began to blur, and my breaths came in ragged gasps.

My heart was pumping so much blood that my veins and arteries could barely keep up.

Just when I thought I couldn't push myself any further, I stumbled on something and hit my head on the ground.

Groaning in pain, I rubbed my forehead and tried to clear my vision.

That's when I saw it: a massive orc's head lying on the ground, blood dripping from its severed neck.

The orc's head was a gruesome sight to behold.

Its skin was a sickly green color, and its features were twisted into a permanent scowl.

Its large, pointed ears were adorned with bone piercings, and its hair was matted and unkempt.

The orc's eyes, which is usually full of malice and rage, were now lifeless and vacant.

I let out a terrified squeak and stumbled back a few steps.

I was relieved that the orc was dead, but who or what killed it?

I scanned the area, looking for any signs of danger, but everything seemed eerily quiet.

With no other choice, I got up and brushed the dust off my uniform and continued to run.

As I ran towards the exit of the alleyway, my mind was already racing with the possibilities of what could happen next.

I could feel my heart pounding in my chest, and my breaths were coming out in short gasps.

All I wanted was to escape this horrid place and never look back.

But just as I was about to make my escape, I saw something that made me stop in my tracks.

There on the ground lay a boy, helpless and being pummeled by two older boys who wore gruesome grins on their faces.

Well, isn't this just the cherry on top of my crappy day?

Just when I thought things couldn't get any worse, I find myself with a friend in need and two jerks on my tail.

I swear, the universe must have a twisted sense of humor. I mean, what's next? A piano falling on my head?

Anyway, there's my buddy Jeff getting pummeled like a pinata by two buffoons who probably think they're auditioning for a Jackie Chan movie.

And to top it all off, I'm stuck in this shady alleyway with them.

I mean, what did I do to deserve this?

Did I forget to return a library book or something?

And why on earth did Jeff take such a risky route through the alley?

He was fully aware of the dangers it posed.

He could have easily taken a bullet vehicle to school, which was not an option for me, as I couldn't even afford a decent meal.

I smacked my forehead in frustration as I suddenly realized something.

Jeff must have heard rumors about an orc lurking in that alley and wanted to see it for himself.

He was that one friend in your group who's the weakest physically, but fearless when it comes to danger.

He had a thing for monsters, always researching them every chance he got.

In fact, most of my knowledge on monsters came from him."

Today had been a very bad day for me.

Maybe if I try to avoid them and just pass behind them, minding my own business, they won't come for me.

I'm sure Jeff will understand, right? I said to myself while trying to tiptoe past them without being noticed.

I wanted to help, I really did, but who am I to break our brotherly vow?

We made a vow in sixth grade to run away when there is a chance for any of us.

It was a rule we made to at least help one person escape from harm so they could return to help the other when there's a chance.

My discretion was perfect.

I was able to almost make it past them without getting caught, but my initial decision changed when Jeff noticed me.

I could feel the pain he was feeling through his eyes as he yearned for my help.

Just then, my blood began to boil, and my rage was uncontrollable.

I looked to my left and saw a half-filled trash can lying on the ground.

I picked it up and aimed for the head of one of the boys.

With all my strength, I threw it, and it hit the back of his head, making him turn around, annoyed, as he placed his hand behind his head.

I screamed out loud my voice broken with rage.

"I'm tired of you bastards picking on people weaker than you. How about you make it fair and fight us two on two? Though I will probably be the only one kicking your spoiled asses."