《It Is Written》 Chapter 1 Strange cackling echoed from within a small house in a low-income neighborhood. Strangely enough, it sounded like a stereotypical cartoon villain laugh; prideful and arrogant but also a bit unhinged. On the sidewalk out front, a few teenagers who happened to be walking by halted and ended their conversation. They stared at the house with confused gazes. ¡°Ain¡¯t that where the crazy dude lives?¡± One of them asked with a raised brow. Another teenager nodded and answered, ¡°Yeah. I think he finally lost his last marble.¡± The other two laughed at the off-handed comment, and then the three of them continued on their way. Inside the house, a man haphazardly spun around in his office chair laughing. Almost a full minute passed before he finally fell silent, but his chapped lips remained curled into a satisfied smile. A rosy tint appeared on his otherwise gaunt and pale cheeks. Thick purple bags under his eyes took attention away from his multi-colored eyes that contained a gradient of blue to green to amber. ¡°Ha! Only five more chapters ¡®til it¡¯s over!¡± The man exclaimed while stretching his arms upward. His fingers twitched as he tried to relax his tired forearms after his recent twelve hour writing session. Moments later, he lowered his arms and looked at the words sprawled out on his computer screen. Most of them blurred together into an illegible jumble of black and white thanks to staring at a screen for so long. His satisfied smile cooled into a bittersweet one. ¡°It¡¯s almost over, huh¡­¡± He mumbled. His eyes glanced toward the window. Rays of warm evening sunlight poured into his dingy little office. Only the sound of crickets outside disturbed the ensuing silence. Eventually, he sighed, shook his head, and said, ¡°Maybe I should go buy some ice cream to celebrate. Haven¡¯t done that since hitting chapter five hundred a couple years ago.¡± The man grabbed his phone, wallet, and keys and left the house for the first time in two weeks. Along the way to the nearby gas station, he checked his bank account. Instantly, his brows creased. ¡°Guess I¡¯m sticking to ramen for a few weeks now,¡± He grumbled. With a scowl on his face, he eventually entered the gas station and purchased a tub of ice cream. For the sake of his mental well-being, he ignored the fact that his unfriendly and disheveled demeanor frightened the young cashier in the process. Once outside again, he pulled out his phone to check for new comments on his story. His right eye twitched when he saw the first one. The second comment made him chuckle. Just like that, his emotions and facial expressions changed drastically every few seconds, prompting the few people near him to keep their distance. Upon reaching a crosswalk, he stopped and waited for the light to change. While waiting, his eyes landed on a comment that was quickly garnering massive amounts of both upvotes and downvotes. He actually recognized the reader¡¯s username, Constellation of Dust, since the reader posted ¡®Thanks for the chapter¡¯ on every chapter ever since the first one dropped. On top of that, he was also the artist who drew most of the concept art for the story and characters over the years. Any comments from him couldn¡¯t just be tossed under the rug like most others. [I¡¯ve stuck with Calamity and Conquest these past eight years ever since the first chapter came out. It¡¯s been a fun ride, but I always felt the story never reached its full potential. Author, I¡¯m glad you made it this far, and I look forward to the ending, but I look forward to seeing further growth from you in the future, and a more complete story to go with it.] The worn-out author sighed and read the comment multiple times before the light changed. Barely recognizing his surroundings when glancing both ways, he crossed the road while lost in thought. The panicked voices behind him didn¡¯t even register in his mind. Next thing he knew, heavy metal slammed into him from the side. Time slowed down to a crawl. His brain lurched into high gear. Visions of his past flitted through his mind in an instant, though most of it consisted of a computer screen. Then, it stopped. All of a sudden, he felt bones cracking within his body. Sharp pain in his chest and abdomen nearly knocked him unconscious. He finally heard the shouting behind him. Glancing sideways while flailing through the air, he finally saw the taco truck that hadn¡¯t slowed down at all. He even saw the driver fast asleep with his head resting on the steering wheel. Then, his body smacked the pavement. His skull whipped downward and smashed against the hard asphalt. The world darkened. Only one thing passed through his mind as pain, sight, and sound faded away. I guess there¡¯s worse ways to die.
A throbbing pain near the back of his skull dragged the author¡¯s consciousness back from a sea of nothingness. Bright white light prevented him from opening his eyes as though he had been stuck underground for several days. A sterile scent of chemicals tickled his nostrils. Soft bedding cushioned his sore body, and warm sheets protected him from the chill of the thoroughly air-conditioned room. Muddled thoughts swirled in his brain as he tried to make sense of the situation. Did I survive? Eventually, he forced his eyes to flutter open. A thin layer of crust flaked off his eyelashes. After his eyes adjusted to the strange floating light above his bed, he glanced around the room. Strange equipment surrounded him. Robotic arms that looked strangely lifelike aside from the chromatic coating and complicated gear joints were attached to the wall behind his bed in resting positions. The wall itself had all kinds of monitors, devices, and fluid containers attached to it. Not far away, he saw the side profile of a woman with short black hair dressed in tight-fitting white smocks that had blue lights embedded in the material. The thick leathery material of the smocks had a smooth surface free of wrinkles. Completely oblivious to him, the woman carefully changed out an empty fluid container. ¡°What in the world?¡± He squeaked out in a raspy voice. ¡°Oh? You¡¯re awake?¡± The woman exclaimed while facing him with widened eyes. Then, she calmed herself, smiled politely, and said, ¡°Lie still for a while. I¡¯ll go grab your doctor for you.¡± Before the author could say anything, the woman trotted out of the room at a speed that shouldn¡¯t be possible for a human. It felt more like watching a deer prancing away from a predator. ¡°Wait¡­¡± He groaned while weakly attempting to stretch his arm outward without much success. Unfortunately, the woman who seemed like some sort of nurse was long gone. He sighed and looked at the ceiling.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Is this some sort of hospital? He wondered. That nurse looked surprisingly young, like a girl just out of high school. Maybe she¡¯s an intern? While lost in thought, his gaze landed on the window to his right. Instantly, his eyes widened. Beyond the window, he saw all sorts of buildings constructed from metal alloys. The surfaces of the structures directly outside his window had surfaces as sleek as polished obsidian. Some buildings further in the distance on a hill were built with a more traditional structure that made each building look like a work of art that had been crafted under the deft hands of master craftsmen. Other buildings beyond that followed simple designs that barely differed from buildings in modern metropolises. Many of the nicer buildings garnered attention with intricately detailed designs on the walls that looked like ancient hieroglyphics. On the other hand, the buildings became smaller and grungier beyond the nearby infrastructure before turning into slums at the outskirts under the shadow of a tall perimeter wall built from a similar material as the metal alloy buildings nearby. However, none of these buildings garnered much of his attention. Instead, he looked at a large area devoid of buildings. Juxtaposing the urban cityscape surrounding it, a natural park area full of greenery filled the space. In the center, an enormous tree towered into the sky like a mountain, its canopy rising far above any building. Golden leaves swayed in the gentle night¡¯s breeze. Lustrous bark the color of moonstone covered the exterior of its trunk and branches. Small orange dots floated in the air amidst its branches. Numerous large birds that looked like albatrosses with plumage more colorful than a parrot fluttered in flocks around the tree while avoiding the orange dots that looked small from a distance. ¡°No way¡­¡± The man gasped, his voice still raspy and quiet. ¡°Is that¡­ the Great Spirit Tree?¡± He couldn¡¯t believe the foriegn mix of fantasy and advanced technology outside the window. His heart thumped loudly behind his ribcage, and beads of sweat formed on his forehead. The scene looked exactly like what he had imagined the human capital in his story would look like. Am I dreaming? Hallucinating? After a brief struggle, he raised a bony hand to his chest. He closed his eyes and focused on his heartbeat. Aside from his trembling muscles that felt weakened or the throbbing at the back of his skull that was already dissipating, his body felt fine. There was no fever, no chills, and no confusion. His mind was completely lucid. Opening his eyes again, he dragged his arm off his chest and looked outside again. He stared at the floating orange orbs dancing between the branches of the golden-leaved tree. The tree looked exactly like how he imagined the unique magical tree would look, and those orange orbs were a perfect manifestation of the magical fruits he had come up with that aided humanity in its struggle for survival. Even though the sky was dark, he could see a large portion of the layout of the city thanks to the light generated by the fruits as they floated about like little fireflies without straying too far from the branches. This can¡¯t be real, right? He asked himself, not that he would receive an answer from anywhere. Almost subconsciously, he rubbed his fingers on the hospital bed. The smooth texture of linen calmed his nerves enough for him to take a deep breath and exhale his anxiousness away. Shortly afterward, a man wearing black smocks with the symbol of a golden oak leaf emblazoned on the chest area entered the room through the electric sliding door alongside the nurse who had run off earlier. The doctor¡¯s black hair was neatly trimmed into a combover, and his amber-colored eyes stared at his patient with genuine concern. Even when wearing loose smocks, his firm musculature showed through. ¡°Aaron?¡± The man asked. His voice was bassy, gentle, and soothing to the soul. Aaron¡¯s brows furrowed. Is my name the same here? Noticing Aaron¡¯s strange reaction, the doctor continued, ¡°I am Doctor Hetke, one of the healing mages here at Osson Hospital. How are you feeling?¡± Raising his brows, Aaron stared at the doctor. His lips twitched as he tried to hold back from making any excessive reaction. Struggling against his natural instincts proved difficult since the Doctor Hetke walking toward him looked exactly like the official drawings of the character from his story. Although not a terribly important character plot-wise, Aaron made sure to give the character plenty of chances to shine as a combat healer since his character traits and appearance had been based off of the childhood doctor he had fond memories of. Not wanting to come across as rude because of everything going on in his head, Aaron forced out the few words, ¡°Doctor? What¡¯s my last name?¡± Doctor Hetke raised a brow and paused for a moment. His eyes strayed over Aaron¡¯s bandaged limbs and forehead before answering, ¡°Wright. Your name is Aaron Wright.¡± ¡°...I see.¡± So my name is the same here, Aaron thought to himself while watching a hologram screen sprout up from a black metallic wristband on the doctor¡¯s forearm. The wristband was laced with hieroglyphic-esque symbols similar to the ones on the buildings outside, though they differed greatly in size, complexity, and shape. Words etched themselves onto the screen that looked like a notepad, though all of the letters were blurred in Aaron¡¯s sight. He inwardly noted that the usage and privacy settings on AR-COs, the wrist-born computers he came up with, were the same as in his story. Only the one wearing the device would be able to use it. Looking at his arms, he didn¡¯t see an AR-CO of his own. Pursing his lips, he wondered whether he was too poor to afford one or if the hospital was simply hanging onto it for him. Or maybe it broke from me getting in an accident on this side, too. ¡°What do you remember before coming here?¡± Doctor Hetke asked while sitting on a stool next to the bed. His question pulled Aaron out of his observations. Hesitating for a moment, Aaron locked eyes with the character he had created with painstaking care all those years ago. A warmth filled his heart as though he was looking at a child of his own. Of course, he never had kids, so he could only assume it was a similar feeling. Then, he closed his eyes and mumbled, ¡°I don¡¯t remember much.¡± Doctor Hetke¡¯s forehead wrinkled as his eyes stared back at Aaron with a concerned look. He made another note on the screen generated by the AR-CO that registered his thoughts and intentions. Then, he sighed and said in a resigned tone full of guilt, ¡°Although our medical procedure saved your broken bones and organs, many mental illnesses are still hard to treat, especially amnesia. We¡¯ll need to run some diagnostic tests, then perhaps do some occupational therapy depending on how much you remember. For now, make sure to get lots of rest. We¡¯ll also bring you food that is easy to digest since you¡¯ve been unconscious for several days. We¡¯ll work you back into a normal diet over the next few days. Any questions or concerns?¡± In response, Aaron shook his head. ¡°I see. Is there anything you would like us to bring along with the food?¡± Closing his eyes, Aaron let his head sink deep into his pillow while he pondered on Doctor Hetke¡¯s question for a few moments. Thinking that he still needed to get a grasp on his situation, he opened his eyes again, pointed at Doctor Hetke¡¯s AR-CO, and quietly answered, ¡°Do I have one of those?¡± ¡°Well¡­ you did, but it broke in the accident.¡± ¡°I see. Maybe some books about recent history and events, then.¡± Doctor Hetke raised a brow, but then he nodded and said, ¡°Perhaps some books could jog your memory.¡± Then, he turned toward the nurse and relayed a meal plan to her along with a small list of books to add to a tablet attached to a mechanical limb that was bolted to the side of the bed. The doctor and nurse pair then exited, leaving Aaron alone with his thoughts. His eyes remained on the closed door for a few minutes. Memories of Doctor Hetke¡¯s appearances in his story passed through his mind multiple times. By the time he came back to himself, his lips were curled into a self-deprecating smile. From there, he looked outside the window again to stare at the Great Spirit Tree, or the Wishing Tree, as humans took to calling it in his story. ¡°Such a beautiful sight. Can¡¯t believe I get to see Therasinye with my own eyes,¡± He mumbled in a raspy voice. The moment he spoke the name he had given to the Wishing Tree, a shiver shot down his spine, and his skin tingled uncomfortably. It was the same feeling one might get when being followed by a stranger in the middle of the night. Back on Earth, he wouldn¡¯t have put much thought into it, but if this was truly the world he had created¡­ Somebody''s watching me. Narrowing his eyes, he looked around the room for any anomalies, but he couldn¡¯t see any of the signs he had designed as a flaw of using stealth or invisibility magic. Gradually, the feeling dissipated. Since the sense of danger quickly vanished, he decided to let it go for now. His current self wouldn¡¯t even be able to stop a mosquito, let alone a potential assassin empowered by mana. After a few more seconds, he sighed and turned his gaze back to the Wishing Tree. His gaze lingered on its shimmering golden leaves that were swaying in the breeze until he fell back asleep. Chapter 2 Scrolling past the final paragraph of the last history book in the cloud folder he had been given access to, Aaron shut the hospital tablet off and pushed away the mechanic limb holding it in front of his face. His eyes closed as he fell into deep contemplation. An entire week passed while he spent all of his free time reading up on the world and participating in both physical and occupational therapy. A lot of smaller details in the books caught him off guard, but the major events matched the timeline he had created to a tee. Records of smaller villages he never even considered existing in the past now had detailed records of being wiped off the map in this world. Learning about such things erased much of the initial excitement he felt a few days ago. Why did I make this world so scary? I really don¡¯t want to die again. Sighing, he pulled his legs off the bed and walked over to the nearby sink. His legs still felt weak, almost like he had the flu, but he could at least walk on his own now. He washed his face and then stared at his reflection in the mirror. A wry smile appeared on his lips. Adjusting to this youthful face of his was difficult since he barely recognized himself anymore. His eyes were the same blue, green, and amber gradient from his past life. Contrary to before, however, his brown hair had turned black, and it had hints of scarlet near the ends of each strand. He twisted a few strands of mangy hair between his index finger and thumb for a few seconds. A sigh slipped from his lips at its dismal and unhealthy state. ¡°Why is it more unhealthy in this kid body than it was with adult author me?¡± After that, he pulled off his hospital gown and looked at the part of himself that was hardest to believe, a rock-hard eight-pack of abs. Sure, the arm muscles and chest muscles were cool, too, but an eight pack of abs? Although he was still recuperating, he felt far healthier than he had in years. Good job, past me. Once he finished admiring the physical state of this new and younger body, his thoughts wandered to the fact that no family or friends had visited him in the hospital yet. Again, he splashed water over his face and wondered what this body¡¯s life was like until now. Amidst his contemplations, the nurse he had grown familiar with over the past few days entered the room with a tray of food in her hands. ¡°Hello again, Nurse Lynn.¡± ¡°Seriously, just call me Lynn. I¡¯m still an intern,¡± The young woman replied, barely holding back a pleased smile. Aaron shrugged and thought, So easy... Just using a title gets me brownie points. If she ever becomes a skilled healer, she could make for a good ally. A moment later, a simple meal of beast meat stew, mashed potatoes, and an unfamiliar mixture of vegetables arrived in front of him on a floating tray. He raised a brow at the fantasy vegetables that pulsed with a slight glow of gentle energy that he assumed to be mana. Glancing up at the nurse, Aaron narrowed his eyes, pointed at the vegetables, and asked, ¡°Miss Lynn? Are these one-star spirit herbs? Do I have to pay for these?¡± The young intern shook her head, and her face turned serious as she answered, ¡°No. These were sent by the people who ran you over. They also sent a letter.¡± Staring at the black envelope that Lynn pulled out from nowhere, Aaron blinked a few times before looking over her entire body with scrupulous eyes. ¡°Is that so¡­ but may I ask where you were hiding that letter?¡± A slight rosy tint appeared on Lynn¡¯s cheeks as she pointed at her necklace and retorted, ¡°Spatial storage. Also, you shouldn¡¯t tease your elders like that.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t teasing, though? Anyway, thanks,¡± Aaron said while grabbing the letter. He ignored Lynn who clicked her tongue and glared at him. As soon as the envelope entered his hands, he raised a brow at the cold touch of metal against his hands. A dull yellow light shimmered along the seal, and the top fold opened on its own. Hmm? Interesting. These were only used for super important or secret letters in my story. He pulled out the letter and quickly skimmed through it. ¡°Pft.¡± Lynn stepped away from him to avoid the spittle. She tilted her head in confusion at Aaron¡¯s reaction and couldn¡¯t stop herself from asking, ¡°What¡¯s it say?¡± ¡°Nothing. Just some rich schmucks want to buy my silence.¡± ¡°Why use a bio-seal, then?¡± ¡°Because they¡¯re too important. Don¡¯t ask about it if you want to keep your job.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Once again, Aaron opted to ignore Lynn¡¯s puzzled reaction and rubbed his chin while staring at the family seal on the letter. It was far more interesting to him than the 100,000 Alliance Credits of hush money they supposedly sent to his bank account that had probably been filled with dust and crickets until now if his lack of visitors was anything to go by. The Vorsworn family, eh? That¡¯s kinda scary. I¡¯d rather not interact with them right now. Hmm? Now that I think about it¡­ ¡°Lynn,¡± Aaron suddenly spoke up, drawing the nurse intern¡¯s attention, ¡°What¡¯s the date today?¡± ¡°Trecember tenth.¡± ¡°Year?¡± ¡°Oh, right, your memory. Sorry. It¡¯s 106.¡± Rubbing his chin, Aaron closed his eyes and fell into thought again. Should¡¯ve asked sooner. Calamity Year 106, though? That¡¯s a year before Chris gets to the academy. I think they mentioned this body was fourteen right now, which would make me a year older than him and most of his team. Wait, if it¡¯s a year before they start at the academy, and I got hit by Adelith¡¯s former driver¡­ Wasn¡¯t there a setting like this in my notes?Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Suddenly, information scrolled into his head in vivid detail, causing him to knit his brows. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°Is something wrong?¡± ¡°...No. I just remembered something.¡± ¡°Oh! That¡¯s great! I¡¯ll go let Doctor Hetke know!¡± Once again, Lynn dashed out the door before Aaron could say anything, not that he cared. Instead, he focused on the information that had popped into his head and frowned. I barely remembered anything about this since it¡¯s been so long. Am I now the kid who died because of her selfishness before the main story started? Since I lived, if her character doesn¡¯t change for the better like it did in the story, that could be a problem. Scratching his head, Aaron dragged his food over to his bed and sat down on the bedside. His mind continued working while he nibbled on the food. ¡°Wow. These spirit herbs¡­ are really good. Maybe it was worth getting hit by a car. Maybe I should do it more often? Haha¡­ Ha¡­ Man, this is a lot to take in.¡± Another week passed as Aaron watched the news and studied more books in between therapy sessions. He steadily improved his understanding of his current situation. Reports about skirmishes between the three main factions on Earth, humans, Tarrians, and the Bluud, showed up almost every day. The only main species from the first few volumes of his story that didn¡¯t show up on the news was the Vurish, but that was understandable based on their hermit-like setting. The only strange thing was that he never saw a report about his accident anywhere. Yawning and stretching after getting up from the toilet, he mumbled, "Well, considering my characters, I''ll probably find out more about this body soon." From there, he walked up to the sink and washed his hands. Finally, the day had come for him to leave the hospital and truly enter this world he had created. Staring at his current self in the mirror, he smiled wryly. Despite receiving a combination of technological and magical healing treatment for two weeks, light scarring remained on his forehead, torso, arms, and legs. Other than that, after two weeks of recuperation, his countenance and physical condition improved to the point that he felt more youthful and vigorous than he had ever felt, even including his past life. Unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to smile about his new body beyond that. Videos and photos of the frontline battles at the edge of humanity¡¯s territory flashed through his mind more and more as the days passed. I¡¯ll need to put in some serious effort from now on if I want to survive. Dying isn¡¯t fun. Thinking such, he left the bathroom and walked toward the exit. Along the way, he met eyes with Doctor Hetke who seemed to be waiting for him. Aaron stretched his hand out, gave the man a friendly smile, and said, ¡°Thanks for taking care of me these last two weeks, Doctor Hetke.¡± Shaking Aaron¡¯s hand, Doctor Hetke returned a warm smile and said, ¡°You¡¯re welcome. Make sure to check in from time-to-time whenever you have progress on your memory.¡± Aaron nodded. ¡°Also,¡± Doctor Hetke said as a black wristband covered in blue runes appeared above his palm right after releasing the handshake, ¡°this is for you. Lynn was too embarrassed to give it to you herself, but don¡¯t tell her I said that.¡± ¡°Uh, thanks, I guess,¡± Aaron mumbled while taking the AR-CO. He placed it over his wrist, and it unhinged and reattached itself around his wrist in the blink of an eye. So much for memorizing the local map and my new home address. Moving his arm up and down, he looked at the AR-CO with a raised brow and said, ¡°She could have just given it to me herself, but tell her I said thank you.¡± ¡°Sure. She mentioned that she wanted to thank you for treating her well even though she¡¯s still an intern.¡± ¡°Are interns not treated well?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s complicated, so I also want to thank you for being kind to her these last couple weeks, especially since she¡¯s my niece.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Aaron exclaimed. His eyes widened in surprise. ¡°You didn¡¯t know?¡± Still stunned by the revelation that a character he viewed like his own child had a niece he had never created, Aaron shook his head. His brows wrinkled since he felt like a father who just found out he had already been a grandfather for a few years without knowing it. ¡°Anyway,¡± Doctor Hetke said, pulling Aaron back from his reveries, ¡°take care of yourself. We¡¯ll be reaching out once a week for a few months.¡± ¡°Mhm. Thanks. See you around,¡± Aaron said in a dull tone while exiting the hospital with his eyes glazed over. Once outside, sunlight welcomed him with its warmth for the first time in weeks. He looked up at the bright blue sky and sighed. I¡¯ll have to try not to get taken by surprise when unfamiliar information comes up in the future, He noted to himself. From there, he sat on a bench and started messing around with the AR-CO. Luckily, he didn¡¯t need passwords since all of the apps registered his identity after reading his mana stream and biological code. After checking his bank account balance, he raised an eyebrow out of surprise. {127,882?} The previous me already had 27,000 credits? Was he working somewhere? Out of curiosity, he checked some social media sites, but all of his accounts were completely empty aside from basic info such as his age and the name of the capital city he currently lived in, Novelyn. He thanked his lucky stars that Doctor Hetke was able to give him his home address. Typing that address into the city map, he grimaced. The address popped up in the poorest and dirtiest section near the perimeter wall. Many of the sub-villains that the original protagonist wiped the floor with in the second arc of the story lived around there. ¡°Lord have mercy. What a great start,¡± Aaron grumbled. Finally, he checked his email. There wasn¡¯t much there, but what he did find surprised him. The past me passed the test to enter Guardian Military Academy? The scores are¡­ not great. Barely passed the academics section. Physical section ain¡¯t too shabby, though. If it¡¯s the year before the main cast, it¡¯s probably around the top 40%? Dropping his arms behind the bench, he looked at the sky again. A few clouds rolled by at a casual pace. Several colorful birds, flying lizards, and even creatures that looked like pterodactyls flew by overhead. Well, the pterodactyl ones got shot down by magic, bullets, or arrows pretty quick, though. Even after two weeks, he still struggled to process that he was walking around in the world he had created. Well, all things in due time, I guess. Putting everything else behind him for now, he stood up from the bench, he stepped forward to flag down a taxi. Before he could get very far, a middle-aged gentleman approached him. The man¡¯s suit was neatly pressed and fit snugly on his athletic build. His salt and pepper colored hair was neatly parted to one side. Sleek sunglasses covered his eyes, but Aaron still felt small in front of the man¡¯s sharp gaze. The man¡¯s most notable traits were a perfectly curled handlebar mustache and an ¡®L¡¯ shaped scar on his jaw. These traits alone allowed Aaron to think of a certain character, causing his brows to wrinkle. The Vorsworn family¡¯s head butler¡­ Maybe they want to make sure I won¡¯t spread word that Adelith almost got me killed? ¡°Are you Aaron Wright?¡± The man confidently asked in a gruff voice. Struggling to hold back a groan since the man likely knew more about his body¡¯s past than he did at this point, Aaron gathered his wits and replied, ¡°I am. Do you need me for something?¡± The man briefly raised a brow, but quickly reverted to his poised demeanor and answered, ¡°My name is Sven Alendale. If you have time, my patriarch would like to speak with you.¡± In order to avoid irritating the man, Aaron paused for a few moments before nodding. Sven nodded as if this was how things should always go before gesturing for Aaron to follow. He then led Aaron to a black limousine parked nearby. He opened the door facing the sidewalk and gestured for Aaron to enter. Nodding, Aaron stepped up into the vehicle. When he had one foot in, the head butler whispered, ¡°Be respectful while you¡¯re inside.¡± Pausing with one foot in the door, Aaron glanced at the butler. He stared at the man for a good two or three seconds before nodding and entering the vehicle. The butler closed the door behind him. Chapter 3 Inside the rear section of the limousine, Aaron exchanged a nod of greeting with two people. One of them in particular elicited raised brows from him before he sat on the cushioned seat that wrapped around the inner wall. Directly across from Aaron was the man he expected to see. The man''s hair, which was a similar shade of reddish-orange color to that of molten steel, was trimmed short and styled in a purposefully messy manner. Because of his tall and muscular build, his hair tickled the ceiling since he was sitting straight with his arms crossed. Thanks to his wide shoulders, he took up enough space for two people of Aaron¡¯s size. His sharp jawline speckled with a 5 o¡¯ clock shadow gave him a stately appearance that contrasted his bear-like muscles. Neatly pressed dress pants and an orange collared shirt that had the top two buttons undone only served to increase his intimidation factor. Sitting next to the man in a tense posture was a young lady of similar age to Aaron¡¯s current body. Her hands were clasped tightly together between her knees. Her long hair, which was a darker shade of red than her father¡¯s, was tied back in a ponytail that cascaded over her left shoulder and chest before stopping at her waist. For the most part, her dark brown eyes avoided meeting Aaron¡¯s and instead darted around the interior of the vehicle. The girl had a small, cute, and round face that still had traces of baby fat on it. Even though she was at least thirteen years old according to the timeline, she didn¡¯t wear any make-up on her face. However, the frilly red dress she was wearing did more than enough work in accentuating the youthful grace of a young lady from a prominent family. The gallant swordswoman Aaron remembered writing about in his later chapters was nowhere to be seen. I expected to see Garret, but not Adelith. That Constellation dude¡¯s art was spot on, though, Aaron thought, only sparing the girl a brief glance. Their eyes met for less than a second before she turned her head away and fidgeted nervously. Inwardly, Aaron felt warmth upon seeing two more characters he had created with painstaking care, but he did his best not to let it show on his face. He then focused on Garret Vorsworn, one of the strongest humans he had created for the Earth-based segment of his story. To the Vorsworn Patriarch¡¯s surprise, the natural pressure passively generated by his mana didn¡¯t bother Aaron at all. Instead, a warm smile appeared on Aaron¡¯s face for a few moments that stretched out the small scars left behind by his accident. Adelith flinched upon seeing the scars on his face and arms wrinkling. Meanwhile, Garret and Aaron observed each other while the limousine smoothly joined the flow of traffic. "What can this humble one do for you, sir?" Aaron asked right away since he didn''t want to end up on his back foot against such a strong character. "You are Aaron Wright?" Garret asked, raising a brow. He subtly increased the mana pressure released from his body, causing Adelith to flinch, but the boy in front of him barely reacted. In fact, he would have thought the boy was completely unaffected if not for the slight twitch of his right eye. This kid is strange, Garret thought while observing the boy more closely. On the other hand, Aaron inwardly trembled at the unfamiliar feeling of another person¡¯s mana pressing down on him. It felt like the humidity in the vehicle skyrocketed without adding extra dampness, and his body felt heavier as though sandbags had been plastered all over his body. Well, with his curious nature, I thought something like this might happen. This is a bit harder to bear than I thought it would be, though, Aaron thought, inwardly thanking his past self of this world for training his body. Outwardly, however, he forcefully held back his physical reaction and answered, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m Aaron. May I ask your name, sir?¡± The man grinned, pointed his thumb toward his chest, and replied, ¡°Patriarch of the Vorsworn family and the General of Raging Flames, Garret Vorsworn!¡± Then, he pointed at the girl next to him and added, ¡°And this is my daughter, Adelith Vorsworn.¡± ¡°Mhm. Nice to meet you. Thank you for the kind get-well letter before.¡± Not expecting such a plain response to his introduction, Garret¡¯s brow twitched a few times. Chalking it up to the kid losing his memories, Garret sighed and leaned forward. Adopting a stern expression, he asked, ¡°Since you are bringing up the letter, do you agree to hold an oath of silence on the situation?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you¡¯re talking about?¡± Aaron replied with a raised eyebrow and a knowing smile. ¡°I¡¯ve lost my memory, after all. All I know is that I received a very generous gift while in the hospital.¡± Momentarily raising his eyebrows, Garret paused for a moment. Then, he leaned back in his seat, smirked, and said, ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Indeed. It was very charitable of the Vorsworn family to pay the medical bills of a poor slum rat like me.¡± ¡°Naturally, we love to aid our community,¡± Garret played along with a light chuckle. Then, he scratched his beard and wondered to himself, Why does this kid suddenly remind me of those Alliance officials? Nearby, Adelith tilted her head and furrowed her brows. Aaron briefly glanced at her reaction and struggled to hold back a grin. A tear shimmered in his eye since all of his characters were his precious babies, yet showing affection to them for no reason would likely make him look insane. Treating her like his own daughter would have to remain in his head since he didn¡¯t want to die again. ¡°That¡¯s not right,¡± She suddenly spoke up with a soft and quiet voice, ¡°It¡¯s my fault you got hurt, so I have to apologize.¡± ¡°Pft,¡± Aaron couldn¡¯t hold back a bit of laughter, though it was more out of surprise than actually finding the girl¡¯s words funny. However, he quickly recovered with a small cough. On the other hand, Garret frowned and turned toward his daughter. He placed a large hand on top of her head and smiled wryly. Her head drooped under the weight of his arm, and her lips curved downward in response. Garret then glanced over at Aaron again and said, ¡°You seem like a somewhat intelligent kid, so I think you understand the situation for the most part. Before we continue our discussion, allow my daughter to apologize.¡± Pressing his lips together, Aaron looked at Adelith who was still avoiding his gaze. Once or twice, she forced herself to look at his face, only to move her gaze to the scar on his forehead and avert her eyes while biting her lip. Lips curving downward a little, Aaron rested his elbows on his knees and folded his hands together. His bright mood from meeting two of his beloved characters finally cooled down Then, he met Garret¡¯s eyes and said, ¡°Is it alright if I¡¯m a little blunt for a minute?¡± Garret nodded and looked at his daughter who was now grasping her skirt above her knees. Seeing Garret¡¯s expression toward his daughter containing a contradictory mixture of pity and care, Aaron took another look at Adelith. Although he had created her character, the girl sitting in front of him was just a normal girl. The way her expression changed when meeting his eyes, the way her youthful hands trembled with anxiety at seeing his wounds, and the way her shoulders drooped with visible guilt all transpired in front of him. Although the warmth he felt toward his characters was still there, a sudden solemnity crashed over him. The powerful swordswoman who could singlehandedly wipe the floor with a Tarrian garrison faded away from his mind. The two people in front of him were no longer simple words in his notebook, nor were they the fallen general and beloved heroine he remembered them as, but rather living and breathing humans with thoughts and emotions of their own. He felt his heart thump heavily and winced. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. Running a hand through his hair, Aaron looked at Adelith and steeled his heart. He couldn¡¯t allow one of his precious children, especially one of the heroines, to falter in their path so early on. As such, he sternly asked, ¡°You want to apologize?¡± Biting her lip again, Adelith nodded. ¡°Why?¡± Clenching her fists tighter, she mumbled, ¡°...Because it¡¯s my fault you got hurt.¡± ¡°And why is it your fault?¡± Aaron asked while doing his best to ignore the frown on Garret¡¯s face. ¡°B- because I made my driver go through the red light.¡± Narrowing his eyes, Aaron calmly asked, ¡°And was that for some sort of emergency? Was there a monster attacking the city? Or, were the invaders breaching our walls?¡± ¡°...No.¡± Garret watched the exchange in silence, a frown glued to his face. His previous friendly demeanor vanished, and he glared at Aaron with a hardened expression. He tapped his finger on his knee as though debating whether or not to intervene, but he continued observing for now. This didn¡¯t escape Aaron¡¯s notice. Why does it feel like my vision is better than it used to be? Aaron wondered. Then, refocusing on the girl in front of him, he asked, ¡°So, it wasn¡¯t something important? And your driver hit me because of that? Am I understanding correctly?¡± ¡°Y-yes. I was being selfish and got you hurt. I¡¯m sorry,¡± Adelith stuttered out while bowing her head low in apology. Aaron closed his eyes and hoped that this conversation could push the girl onto the same path she took in the story. Thinking along those lines, he asked, ¡°Was it worth it?¡± The girl shook her head silently. When she sat up again, her eyes were red with tears she was trying to hold back. ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± Garret sternly interjected as he pulled his daughter into his embrace. ¡°You don¡¯t need to say anything else.¡± The lack of mana pressure wasn''t very convincing, however. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have said anything at all if you were from one of the other prominent families in this city,¡± Aaron calmly replied. Garret¡¯s eyes narrowed at Aaron, and, as he stroked his daughter¡¯s head in a loving manner, he asked, ¡°I¡¯m curious. What exactly made you think you could say such things?¡± ¡°I read through a lot of history books the last two weeks while trying to remember things, and your Vorsworn family is called one of the most upright of the great families in this city. That whole ¡®standard of righteousness¡¯ thing sounds great and all, but I¡¯d imagine that compared with all the privileges you receive, there are far more responsibilities your family has to bear. Hence, you won''t off me just for being a bit harsh.¡± Staring at the boy who was only a little older than his daughter, Garret rubbed his chin with his free hand. The words coming out of the kid¡¯s mouth weren¡¯t something a teenager would consider, even if they were raised in an influential family. As he thought more deeply about it, he suddenly asked, ¡°Do you want more in exchange for taking an oath of silence?¡± ¡°You¡¯re misunderstanding me,¡± Aaron said, frowning slightly at the mention of the oath. He then looked Adelith in the eye since she was peeking at him from behind her father¡¯s arm that was wider than her head and continued, ¡°Adelith, right?¡± The girl nodded. ¡°Although I don¡¯t remember much, I know your name carries a lot of weight to nobodies like me. I don¡¯t need some apology that you¡¯ll easily forget after a few years,¡± Aaron firmly stated. Then, pointing to his forehead, he added, ¡°Instead, I hope you can remember my scars as you learn how to protect the people in this city who are unable to fight for themselves. Since you¡¯re able to feel guilt and apologize to somebody like me, I believe you can become a great guardian.¡± With that, he lowered his hands and stared directly into Adelith¡¯s eyes. Finally, she didn¡¯t avert her gaze. Her eyes, which had been dimmed by guilt, suddenly brightened, her pupils dilated back and forth a few times, and she nodded just enough for him to notice. Satisfied, Aaron returned his attention to Garret who was staring back at him with wide eyes. For a few moments, the two stared at each other in silence. Then, Garet laughed heartily and exclaimed, ¡°Well said, brat. I¡¯ll remember that.¡± I think that¡¯s enough to steer her toward the path she needs to take as one of the heroines, He thought. However, he inwardly shook his head and corrected himself. Or, I suppose, it¡¯s the path she needs to take as a person in this world. Looking through the window, he saw that the buildings outside looked smaller and older than before. He still didn''t know how real this world was, but he suddenly had the urge to see more of it and eventually witness a magnificent ending that he couldn''t have written from behind a screen. The corners of his lips lifted when he thought that he had just taken a step in his own story. Amidst the momentary silence, the limousine gradually approached the low-income neighborhood that contained his body¡¯s home, though he only knew the address. Since he didn¡¯t have much time left before they reached it, he looked at Garret and inquired, ¡°Would you mind if I ask for a favor?¡± Raising a brow, Garret asked, ¡°What kind of favor?¡± ¡°Since you¡¯re somewhat influential, would you be able to write a recommendation to have me held back a year?¡± ¡°Why in the world would you ask for something like that?¡± ¡°Because I don¡¯t remember much aside from how to read and write. I need some time to relearn the subjects I need to know to succeed in the Hive.¡± ¡°Hmm? You¡¯re enrolled in the Guardian Academy? Not bad. Writing a letter to them about such a thing is a simple affair, but a note from a healer would help you more.¡± Aaron smiled and said, ¡°The doctor who looked after me is taking care of that. I just thought an extra word from a big name would help.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Garret said, nodding in understanding. ¡°That¡¯s doable. Now then, before we drop you off, we need to know if you agree to the terms in the letter.¡± Aaron opened his mouth, but then thought of something and stopped himself from speaking. Crossing his arms over his chest, he closed his eyes and asked, ¡°Can I make a suggestion?¡± ¡°I was under the impression you didn¡¯t want to negotiate?¡± Garret retorted, the corner of his lips curling into a sly grin. Ignoring the provocation, Aaron explained, ¡°The oath of silence isn¡¯t necessary. In fact, it might even hurt your family more than if I said anything about the situation where no oath was made.¡± Garret¡¯s grin vanished. For a few seconds, he closed his eyes in thought. Then, he said, ¡°I see what you mean. Since you seem smart enough to not slander us for small benefits, we¡¯ll just stick to exchanging contact information. We¡¯ll need to keep an eye on your location for a while as well. That¡¯s partly to protect our reputation, and partly to protect your well-being.¡± Aaron nodded in understanding and replied, ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± After exchanging contact information with Garret, the car stopped in front of his home. He said goodbye to the father and daughter with a warm smile since he probably wouldn¡¯t see them again for a while. As the limousine sped away, Aaron looked around at the few people wandering about who had seen him exiting a high-end vehicle. The seedy looks on the faces of a few of them didn''t escape his eyes even though they tried to hide it. I guess things aren¡¯t too different from back home. Back in the limousine, Sven lowered his glasses and looked in the rearview mirror. Full of curiosity, he asked, ¡°Sir, why didn¡¯t you make him take the oath.¡± ¡°Oaths are powerful things. It might harm his growth in the future, and I¡¯m pretty sure he knew that based on how his expression changed when I mentioned it.¡± ¡°You think he has potential?¡± ¡°Somewhat. His physique isn¡¯t anything special, but he has some wits about him.¡± ¡°Planning to recruit him?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll observe him for a while before I decide.¡± The head butler nodded and returned his focus to the road. A few minutes later, Garret felt a tug on his sleeve and looked down at his daughter. ¡°Daddy?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°...You said before that you started using the greatsword in order to protect people, right?¡± Feeling a knot forming in his stomach, Garret looked at his daughter with wide eyes and answered, ¡°Yes¡­ It is something my grandfather chose to do after surviving the Worldquake when he was younger, and I followed in his footsteps¡­ Why do you ask?¡± Confirming the suspicions that he worried would come to fruition, Adelith clenched her fists and declared, ¡°I want to learn it, too!¡± All the blood rushed to Garret¡¯s head, and he nearly fainted from shock and anger. "How about I teach you our longsword arts instead? Those are great for protecting people, too. Just leave the greatsword inheritance to your brother, okay?" Adelith frowned and grumbled, "That''s not the same. The greatsword can protect more people." Gah! My daughter! My beautiful daughter! She is going to turn into a macho woman because of that brat¡¯s words! Chapter 4 Ignoring the gazes of his neighbors, Aaron walked up to the small home that had his name on the mailbox. Well, rather than calling it a home, the word ¡®shack¡¯ was a better description of the single-room building sloppily constructed from wood atop a small cement foundation. It was a bit smaller than most trailer homes back on his original Earth. Walking up to the door, he waved his AR-CO over the lock, and it clicked open. ¡°Phew. Good thing it worked,¡± He mumbled to himself while pushing the door open. Once inside the house, the pent up nervousness from sitting under Garret¡¯s mana pressure finally got to him. He sprinted over to the sink and spewed chunks into the drain. He stood there for a good five minutes before gathering his bearings again. "Man, I didn''t expect a backlash like that from resisting his mana. Gonna have to learn how to use mine to prevent that in the future¡­ if I have any." Wiping his mouth with his sleeve, he turned around and looked around the shack. Almost immediately, he raised a brow. Unsurprisingly, there wasn¡¯t much in terms of furniture, but everything was clean and neatly organized. Even the tiny kitchen nearby was spotless aside from a thin layer of dust. As he walked around the small shack, he couldn¡¯t help but feel some respect toward the version of himself who had been living here until the accident. Despite the destitute living conditions, the few furnishings were well-maintained. In particular, he noticed some weights that had been used enough to shave away lettering on the barbells and the metal bumps on the handles. There were only a few dumbbells and barbells, but each of them was polished and organized with meticulous care. Nodding, Aaron walked over to the window and looked at the tiny lawn bordered by tall wooden fencing. There wasn''t much room to train out there, but the privacy level satisfied his needs for the time being. Moving away from the window, he walked over to a small area blocked off by a sheet hanging from the ceiling. Beyond it was a makeshift bedroom. Even this partitioned-off sleeping area was spotless despite being out of view. Within that area, he found a thin mattress no bigger than a futon sitting on a homemade wooden bed frame. Next to that was a simple three-drawer dresser. Stopping at the dresser, his eyes landed on a picture frame covered in dust. Within the picture, he saw a far younger version of himself, perhaps five or six years old, sitting on the shoulders of a young man who looked less than thirty years old. The man looked rugged and reserved thanks to his tanned skin, short and messy black hair, calm black eyes, and gentle smile. Next to the man was a woman around the same age with similarly black hair holding his arm and smiling widely enough to make her dark brown eyes squint. Just a picture of her gave the impression of a bright and cheery person with an outgoing personality. The longer he studied the photo, the more his brows wrinkled. Aside from hair color, he didn¡¯t see any familial resemblance. Pressing his lips together and rubbing the back of his neck, he set the photo back on the dresser and then sat on the bed in silence with his chin resting on his palm for a few minutes before dropping down onto the thin mattress. He quietly laid on his back, ruffled his hair, and stared at the ceiling for a long time. He didn¡¯t know how long he rested there, but countless thoughts and worries about his uncertain future in this war-torn world whirled within his mind. Two weeks of studying history books and news articles convinced him that he wasn¡¯t dreaming or hallucinating. Now that he finally got a few moments to let his mind wander, he started processing his thoughts and emotions towards living in this world. Memories of the family back home that he had ended up estranged from over the years flashed through his mind for a while, weighing down on his heart. The faces of his parents, siblings, nieces, and nephews appeared in his mind one by one. Although it pained his heart to know that he might never see them again, the thing that hurt the most was realizing that he had spent so little time with them that the possibility that he might not be able to see them again only made him about as sad as receiving a negative reception to a chapter of his story. Perhaps the same could be said of his family members back home as well. He doubted any of them would shed a tear for a hermit like himself aside from his overly emotional mother and sister. And yet I was always touting the value of family bonds in my stories. I''m such a hypocrite. Grimacing at the realization that he hadn¡¯t treasured his own family enough, he sighed, scratched his head, and forced himself to sit up with brows wrinkled and lips curled downward.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. ¡°How did I end up here, and why?¡± He asked aloud, voicing his questions to nobody in particular. Resting his forearms on his knees, he lowered his head in thought. Although he couldn¡¯t come up with an explanation due to the lack of information available, he suddenly recalled the comment that got him into this mess in the first place. He didn¡¯t feel angry or upset, but his brows lowered as his face hardened into a serious expression. ¡°A complete story, was it?¡± Aaron mumbled to himself. He closed his eyes again and remained in contemplative silence for a few minutes before clenching his fist a few times and muttering, ¡°Maybe I can see that better story now.¡± He pondered over the original story he had written and all the troubles humans would face over the next ten years within this troublesome world of his own design. He also pondered over his extraneous notes on the background and lore, some of which never actually made an impact on the main plotline or were only mentioned in passing, yet he could recall everything in eerily vivid detail as though the document was floating right in front of his eyes. Shortly before sunset, his awareness suddenly returned to him. He glanced at the time on his AR-CO and realized that he had fallen into a trance-like state similar to times he had brainstormed ideas for his story. Both his mind and body felt rested despite not sleeping at all. Only a few moments later, though, his stomach growled, reminding him that he had not eaten anything since leaving the hospital. ¡°Guess my stomach is still the same,¡± Aaron said while sporting a wry grin as he stood and ambled over to the tiny kitchen. He rifled through the fridge and cabinets, but only found some low-grade nutrient bars, a single container each of low-grade mana powder and protein powder, a chunky jug of milk a week past its expiration date, and a water filter. He raised a brow at the mana-powder since it was a substance made from low grade spirit herbs and functioned like protein powder for internal mana. Slum rats like himself would never be able to afford such a thing in a normal situation. Frowning at the realization that the past him was a little strange, and also at the lack of food options, he grabbed one of the nutrient bars that was labeled with messy handwriting as ¡®night¡¯ and opened it. Inside was something similar to an oat bar with the texture of peanut brittle. The low-grade nutrient bars contained all the vitamins and minerals a human needed to function. It was enough to tide through hunger. Just before biting the nutrient bar, he hesitated. Glaring at it, he furrowed his brows and mumbled to himself, ¡°Now that I think about it, I made the low-grade ones taste like sawdust, right?¡± He immediately set the bar on the counter and wondered if he should look for a nearby store or restaurant. Unfortunately, his stomach growled in protest. Shaking his head, he picked up the nutrition bar and bit into the bar with a loud crunch. The dry and offputting flavor tasted like the smell of old wood. Gagging on reflex, he barely stomached the taste but forced it down since he didn¡¯t have any other options. Several minutes later, he finally swallowed the last bite, pinching his nose all the way. Afterward, he gulped down close to a liter of water to wash away the aftertaste. He leaned against the counter and wished that he had never come up with such a thing. Eventually, he shook away his regrets, sighed, and glanced down at the AR-CO on his wrist. With a brow raised, he inquired, ¡°Now that we¡¯re finally alone, what¡¯s your name?¡± [My name is MIRI.] The recorded voice replied. ¡°I know that¡¯s the name of the AI embedded in there, but I¡¯m asking your name as a Rune Fairy. If you don¡¯t trust me yet, I understand, but for now,¡± Aaron briefly paused and pointed at the picture frame from earlier, ¡°could you at least scan the couple in that photo over there for me and look for info about them on the extranet for me? I¡¯ll give you a bit of my mana in exchange.¡± ¡­ Staring intently at the AR-CO, Aaron waited for almost a full minute before he heard a smooth and ethereal voice reminiscent of a singing bowl or wind chime reply, ¡°...Understood.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Aaron said, smiling gently at the AR-CO. A moment later, he felt something within him flow toward the AR-CO on his left wrist, leaving him dizzy. He closed his eyes and focused on the sensation. So this is mana. Letting an external force siphon my mana is probably my only option to feel the flow before attending the Hive, Aaron mused. Then, he chuckled and thought, I bet this little guy is surprised since only the Vurish should know about their existence at this point. A few seconds later, his mana stopped flowing and reverted to normal, but now he could actually feel its tingling presence within his bones, blood vessels, and muscles. Although he knew everything about mana as the author of this world, physically experiencing it was a whole different beast. He sighed at the fact that only a few seconds had passed since the rune fairy siphoned away some of his mana, yet he was already losing his grasp on the flow. ¡°This might take longer to get used to than I expected, and this body of mine probably doesn¡¯t have much talent with mana, either,¡± He grumbled. Then, he shook his head and focused on the shack¡¯s interior with a wry smile and said, ¡°Home sweet home, huh¡­ Still gonna have to find a place closer to the Hive at some point, though.¡± Chapter 5 Waking up the following morning to an alarm ringing on the AR-CO sitting on his dresser, Aaron stretched and yawned before getting up and shutting off the alarm. He reattached the device to his wrist and walked to the kitchen. Once again, he forced down a nutrient bar while planning out his day. A few minutes later, he felt his mind finally kicking into gear. He dressed himself with shorts and a sweatshirt and left his shack for a short jog. Outside, the sky remained dark with only hints of yellow sunlight on the horizon beyond the perimeter wall. Noting the lack of pedestrians or passing vehicles, he jogged along the sidewalk for five kilometers towards the nicer areas of Novelyn. Along the way, he recorded the locations of places of interest like grocery stores, general stores, and a library that doubled as a bookstore. As the minutes passed, the sun rose into the sky and graced Novelyn with its warmth. When Aaron reached the five kilometer mark, he turned back. Surprised by the energy pulsing in his new body, he decided to pick up the pace for the return trip. He returned to his shack while trekking at a brisk pace. By the time he reached the door, sweat soaked his clothes, but to his surprise, his breathing remained stable the whole time. Before anything else, he sat down at the small table near the kitchen and gulped down a liter of water. Halfway through, he started to feel his muscles itch, and his right leg bounced up and down almost uncontrollably. Confused by the unfamiliar sensation, it took him a while to figure out what was happening. ¡°Past me must have been an exercise addict.¡± With a sigh, he set aside the water thermos and searched for a recommended training regime for preteens and teenagers on his AR-CO, but he decided to limit the recommended number of sets and reps until he was confident that his body wouldn¡¯t face side effects from getting hit by a car. Aaron jotted down a revised workout plan on a notepad app on his AR-CO and then lifted weights for about an hour. After lifting weights, he went to his backyard and ran suicide sprints in the small area for another few minutes. He also practiced basic punches and kicks. By the end, Aaron¡¯s body felt like a sack of jelly potatoes. He laid on the ground panting for a few minutes before he could gather the strength to stand again. While stumbling toward his back door, he noticed some plywood sheets leaning against the back wall of his shack under a small awning. Raising a brow, he thought, I could use those as bulletin boards to organize my plans and knowledge. Too worn out to do anything with the plywood sheets for now, he entered his shack and showered under a stream of cold water in the cramped bathroom. He grumbled about the lack of hot water in the shack the entire time. Later that day, Aaron briefly visited the general store and bookstore he had passed during his run despite his now sore legs. The sleek design complete with runic engravings and neon blue lights within the stores alongside the meticulously detailed organization of items for sale caught him off guard since he had never bothered to write about such things in his story, but he quickly adjusted and purchased everything he needed to start organizing his plans.
Sweat drenched Aaron¡¯s sweatpants and t-shirt. A sharp breath escaped his lungs through his mouth as he lifted a barbell with a few full plates on each side. Then, while lowering the bar, he breathed in through his nose. He bench pressed the bar a few more times before resting it on the rack. Sitting up from his bench, he grabbed his liter thermos from a chair nearby and gulped down several helpings of water. Mid-gulp, he glanced over at two large pieces of plywood leaning against a wall adjacent to his sleeping area. One of the boards was covered in handwritten notes, pictures, newspaper clippings, and even some hand-drawn sketches of notable locations, events, or characters from his story. The second board contained detailed notes about the Hive, a large map of Novelyn, and pictures or sketches of local criminals. Color-coded arrows connected the images to each other signifying their relationships or rivalries that he could recall from his old notes. While waiting for a full minute to pass before his next set, his eyes scanned over everything he had gathered over the past week. Every image, document, and clipping was stored as an image on his AR-CO, but nailing everything to a physical board like he used to do as an author helped him calm his nerves while adjusting to this new setting. Although he had decided to enter the Hive for combat training, he still hadn¡¯t figured out what actions he wanted to take in order to help his characters in their growth.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°Well, I need to get stronger than them first, or at least on par with them,¡± Aaron grumbled while running a sweaty hand through his damp hair. Then, he grinned like a father thinking about his successful children and added, ¡°I hope I can catch up to those monsters.¡± The moment he laid down on the bench again, knocking on his front door interrupted him. His lips immediately curled downward. He considered ignoring it, but whoever was outside knocked again moments later, but harder and longer. Sighing, Aaron got up from the bench and first hid the plywood boards behind his dresser before walking to the door where the visitor was knocking again for a third time. Rather than opening the door, he slid open a small rectangular viewing hatch on the door that allowed him to see three men dressed in dark hooded clothing. He couldn¡¯t see the two in the back very well because of the man in front standing close to the door and staring directly back at him with large brown eyes. The man¡¯s brows were wrinkled with irritation. He also looked relatively young, perhaps in his early-twenties. Stubble on his jaw seemed to be an attempt at compensating for his youth. A long scar on the left side of the man¡¯s face also captured Aaron¡¯s attention. ¡°Can I help you?¡± Aaron sharply asked. ¡°Hey, Aaron. Open the door, or I¡¯ll open it for you.¡± Aaron sighed and then replied, ¡°Do I know you?¡± ¡°Hah! Looks like somebody grew some balls after some time off, huh?¡± ¡°If I knew you before, I don¡¯t anymore. Got hit by a car and got amnesia. So, who are you?¡± ¡°Nice try, Aaron. Thought you could break your AR-CO and hide after your accident? I¡¯ll give you three seconds to open the door, or I¡¯ll break it down and drag you to the boss.¡± ¡°Are you serious, man? I really don¡¯t remember anyone, and if I wanted to hide from someone, I wouldn¡¯t go to my house. If you¡¯re too dumb to understand human language, then just get off my lawn already.¡± The man blinked in surprise at Aaron¡¯s reply. Then he shook his head and said, ¡°You definitely wouldn¡¯t have spoken to me like that in the past. Did you actually lose your memory?¡± ¡°Yes. Now, what do you want?¡± ¡°Huh. Maybe you¡¯ll get off without losing a finger, then. Get out of there and come with me if you want to avoid angering the boss.¡± Aaron¡¯s eyes narrowed as he suddenly recalled the notable amount of credits that were in his account before. Wondering if the money was connected to these men, he asked, ¡°Did I work with you before my accident or something?¡± Raising a brow, the man answered, ¡°Work with? Something like that. Just get out here, dude.¡± Again, Aaron sighed. Then, he scratched his head and said, ¡°I was in the middle of a workout. I¡¯ll shower first and then meet you outside.¡± ¡°Not gonna let us in?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like strangers, so no.¡± ¡°Well, I guess that part of you is still the same,¡± The man grumbled while rolling his eyes. Then he said, ¡°We¡¯ll give you five minutes. Get inside the back seat of the Bluebird out front when you¡¯re done.¡± ¡°Is that a car?¡± ¡°...Yeah.¡± ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll see you in five,¡± Aaron grumbled while closing the viewing hatch. Outside, the three men walked back to their vehicle. One of the two who hadn¡¯t spoken yet looked at the man with the scar and asked, ¡°Do you think he really got amnesia, Joren?¡± ¡°Maybe. Either that, or he grew a massive ballsack in three weeks,¡± Joren said while walking toward the sports car out front. He then pulled out a box of cigarettes and gave one to each of the others before lighting one for himself with a small flame sparking from his finger. Less than five minutes later, Aaron left his shack wearing jeans, a hoodie, gloves, and running shoes. Every article of clothing looked brand new, but all of them had unfamiliar brand labels, not that any of the punks nor Aaron cared about such things. Arriving at the blue sports car that looked like a 1970¡¯s Mustang on steroids merged with a 1950¡¯s Thunderbird, Aaron furrowed his brows and sighed before opening the back door facing the sidewalk and sat in the back seat next to one of the guys he had not gotten a good look at earlier. The acrid stench of cigarettes made Aaron¡¯s nose wrinkle. Glancing at the guy next to him out of curiosity, Aaron made a mental note to remember his face even though he looked rather unremarkable with messy black hair and dim dark brown eyes that made him look like he had given up on life. His build was acceptably fit in contrast to most of Aaron¡¯s underfed neighbors, though. The other guy in front had a similar appearance, but with the addition of a bionic patch integrated over his left eye. A few wires and a small tube attached to it curved around his head and under the skin of his scalp. Aaron assumed they could be brothers, or even twins, based on their familial resemblance. First bionic attachment I¡¯ve seen so far, Aaron noted while trying not to stare at it for too long since it made his skin crawl. Without saying anything, the man with the scar on his face started the car and sped ahead of a car driving on the road behind them. A car horn honked behind them, but the three men ignored it. Aaron turned around with an apologetic glance, but otherwise chose not to dwell on it. Glancing up at Aaron in the rear-view mirror, the man with the scar said, ¡°Prepare yourself, Aaron. You¡¯ll probably have some trouble with the boss before you can explain anything to him.¡± Frowning, Aaron nodded and leaned back into his seat with closed eyes while hoping he could end this farce as quickly as possible and get back to learning, planning, and training.