“Good boy,” Dimitri smirked. “Oops, I didn’t mean boy, I meant man.” The other man smirked and his eyes momentarily flickered pointedly at the toys that covered the floor. “In addition to the defensive artefact, I also extracted an additional promise. Eden’s going to reach out and try to get a trait stone for you. She’s also agreed to fund it.”

“If she’s being watched, is that sensible?”

“No, it wouldn’t be if they’re watching her continuously.”

“I don’t understand. You said they watch powerhouses, and surely she counts as one. If they caused the boss event, they probably know I’m here, and their spies will be turning their attention to surveilling everyone you’ve been in contact with, as you’re their only lead. Are you sure this course is safe?”

Dimitri frowned. “Yes, there’re risks to everything, but even they can’t afford to watch us constantly. Especially given Eden’s protections. Their only allowable target is reincarnated kids. That’s the only thing they’re interested in. They’re observing us when we interact with the kids, because they know we don’t discuss or even gossip about children outside of warded rooms. Watching us all the time is a waste of effort for them. Don’t stress so much. We’ve been doing this for longer than you, we’re aware of the risk, and we both think it’s worthwhile. Now, you’re probably hungry.” The door dinged open and the volume of Dimitri’s voice increased. “I don’t know why it malfunctioned like it did, but you’re free to go now.”

Tom left to get his lunch while considering what had just occurred. Everlyn attempting to get him a trait stone was a massive win. He wouldn’t count on it, as it wasn’t guaranteed. After all, a suitable trait for what he wanted might not appear in any of the markets that humanity had access to. It was more likely than most traits out there, as most sensible people tried not to pick fights against things faster than them, especially when higher attributes also corresponded with enhanced skills. If you faced a deficit in speed, then after you removed that, you would usually still be at a disadvantage because of the higher ranked creature’s superior skills. Anyone who survived to high ranks knew better than to fight anything that you weren’t overwhelmingly stronger than. Even if you had only a one percent chance of dying in a battle, that meant, if you fought hundreds of them, you would die. It wasn’t guaranteed, but it was close. Generally speaking, you only wanted engagements where you had an advantage in pretty much every aspect of the fight.

As for Eden, or Everlyn, like he strongly suspected… She was hopefully not an issue he would have to deal with for some time. He wondered how she felt about him. He was all too conscious of how passionate she had been in the debate about whether to resurrect him or not. How she’d fixated upon that idea even after it was revealed Tom would live on via reincarnation. She had wanted to save him, and then there was he evidence of how she had spent the last fifty years. She had been the force behind building a base for reincarnators, she had slaughtered the wador, and her other hobby was farming ranking points.

The last was something she was always going to do. But those first two, he knew was because of their relationship. He would have thought fifty years would have been enough to get him away from the blowback from his brief romance with her, but maybe not. It was all too hard.

He wondered who had survived, beyond Everlyn and Keikain. He contemplated the question of whether he would ever reunite with them. The others, maybe, but not Thor. Given that he had a month named after him, he probably hadn’t made it.

He sighed, forcing the sense of dissociation and sadness down before going to face the world.

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Once more, he threw himself into training. With Everlyn searching for a trait stone, he had a genuine hope once more that he would get strong enough to qualify for the Divine Champions’ trial. Speed-based opponents were the enemy that his training plan couldn’t counter. The fact that others were looking to help him with the issue inspired him to train harder.

The trio of them had just finished exploring their magic in an isolation room when Bir ran off. She was excited to try the obstacle course again, while the older kids were undertaking compulsory survival courses.

Happy not to waste any time, Tom went to follow, but Kang grabbed him before he could.

The isolation doors shut with a ding.

“What are you doing?” Tom snapped.

Kang looked him calmly in the eyes. “An intervention. Pull your head in, Tom. You’re pushing yourself too hard, and making things too obvious as a result. And I know - I spend more time than anyone else around you. I understand that means I’m more likely to pick up on this than others. But my senses are no better than a kid’s, and I’m catching you practicing your magic. If I catch you once, how many times will a trained skilled observer see? You’re taking shortcuts. Bleeding constantly.” He pointed at Tom’s leg. “Every fifteen minutes blood drips into your shoes.”

“It’s just training. It’s not like I’m going crazy.”

“I know it’s just training, but if you keep this up, I’m going to have to cut off our friendship.” The unspoken context of the statement was that Kang was worried that Tom’s recklessness might expose him as well.

“Fine.” In frustration he struck the door. It dinged and swung open.

Bir stood there with her hands on her hips. “What happened?”

Kang shrugged and pursed his lips apologetically. “Um… about that. I tackled Ta. Pinned him to the ground. It took him ages to yield.”

She looked puzzled. “Why?”

“To see if I could.”

The response didn’t seem to remove her suspicion. “Whatever. We do obstacle course, now. Unless, of course, you’re scared. Are you scared?”

Kang laughed and took off at a run. Tom followed and pondered the other boy’s accusation.

Damn it, he thought, Kang is absolutely right. As he ran, he used Heal Cut to close the nasty gash on his leg.

Another day passed, and, when he emerged from the isolation room, he froze. The corridors felt constricting, like they had turned hostile.

Bir and Kang had exited at the same time.

Kang’s expression was tense.

Bir appeared worried. “What’s happening?” she hissed.

Both Kang and he looked at each other. Tom’s guess was that this was an alarm, but he wasn’t about to volunteer that.

“I’m not sure.” Kang said carefully.

“Isolation room together? Or the main hall?” Tom asked.

There were shouts from the stairwell and the sound of running feet.

“Everyone to the gymnasium, everyone to the gymnasium!” A slightly pudgy older boy was yelling as he and others his age descended from above.

Bemused, the three of them joined the growing crowd, and became one of the many sprinting toward the promised safety. When they reached the main hall, Tom gazed wide-eyed with most of the other kids.

There were over fifty volunteers in the room, all of them wearing full battle gear.

Dimitri stood on his usual platform. Commanding everyone’s presence. His voice enhanced with magic boomed. “Wards are breached - if you’re a reincarnator, retreat to your pseudo system room.” He was shouting it over and over again. ”Reincarnators must enter their pseudo system room! This is not a drill, this is a life and death emergency!”

Tom didn’t hesitate and followed the orders.

He was worried.

Fifty armoured volunteers were here. The entire orphanage had been gathered. Dimitri was shouting for everyone to go to their system room. And, worst of all, the boss monster had targeted him just four days ago. Coincidences existed, but this was not one of them. This, he was a hundred percent certain, was his fault.

That bit of him that was never wrong confirmed it.

Somewhere, potentially even in this very room, an assassin was watching, waiting for the slightest hiccup. When it occurred, they would strike. They were here for him, and a pit formed in his stomach. He hoped no other reincarnators were going to die because of this. But he knew a different truth. This wasn’t as certain as he was with the other, but he was pretty confident.

This attack would end in a bloodbath. He could almost guarantee that.