Inside the infirmary of Mystic High School, a boy lay unconscious on one of the beds, surrounded by worried students and a doctor.
The boy was Evan, who had suddenly collapsed while helping Rey and James carry a stack of folded sheets.
"Sir, is Evan alright? Why did he suddenly pass out?" James asked with clear concern in his voice, glancing anxiously at his fallen friend.
"There's no need to worry. He seems to be suffering from mild exhaustion—likely due to lack of proper sleep or nutrition," the doctor replied, examining Evan's eyes with a small flashlight. "Now, I'd like you both to step outside so he can rest properly."
"Okay, sir. But please call us the moment he wakes up," James said before turning to Rey. "Let's go. We've still got work to finish, and I'd rather not get in trouble."
Rey nodded silently, and the two left the infirmary.
{Evan's POV}
'Wait… what's going on?' Evan thought, finding himself floating in a white void. 'Wasn't I just helping Rey and James with the sheets? Why am I here…?'
Before him stood ten faint, glowing silhouettes—ethereal beings cloaked in white light.
"Is this the one?" one of them asked in a distant, echoing voice.
"Yes. I see traces in his soul. He's definitely the one," another replied.
"Who… who's there? Why am I here?!" Evan called out, spinning in place as he tried to make sense of the surreal surroundings.
"Look ahead," said a voice. A tall figure stepped forward. "Hello, R—oh, wait. Looks like we can't say that yet, huh? Evan. Yeah, Evan... not much different this time around either. But we don't care about all that. We only care about the plan."
The figure's voice echoed with strange familiarity as he began to explain things—truths that should've been impossible to know. Secrets buried in the depths of Evan's soul began to unravel.
{A/N: Curious about Evan's real story? Be patient. Once the first major battle concludes, I'll reveal everything. The new novel title says it all — THE THIRD RETURN OF THE NECROTIC MAGIC SWORDSMAN. Stick around! Big reveals are coming.}
By the time the explanation ended, Evan stood silently, absorbing it all.
A soft hum resonated in the void as a glowing sigil appeared in front of him.
"We can't do much... but take this gift. You'll need it," the lead figure said as ten glowing orbs drifted forward, each entering Evan's chest.
A system message briefly flickered in front of his eyes—but not one from this world.
Then, the white void crumbled into darkness.
With a sharp inhale, Evan sat upright on the infirmary bed, drenched in sweat.
"Where am I? The... Ten Thrones? No, wait—was that all just a dream?" he murmured to himself.
Just then, the doctor returned, pushing open the door.
"Well, someone was deep in dreamland," he said with a chuckle. "Let me guess—were you dreaming about a boss fight with the Ten Thrones, or something like that?"
"N-No, sir! Sorry, I must've been talking in my sleep. I probably just dreamt about one of my games," Evan quickly replied, waving his hands defensively.
'Whew… close call. One slip of the tongue and he'd think I'm some anime-obsessed weirdo who thinks he's been reincarnated,' Evan sighed inwardly.
"Let's run a quick check-up. Your friends are waiting outside."
The doctor examined Evan's eyes and checked his pulse.
"You're fine. But remember—less gaming, more sleeping. You need rest," he said with a stern nod.
"Yes, sir. I'll be more careful from now on," Evan replied with a sheepish grin as he stood up. "By the way, how long was I out?"
"About 35 to 40 minutes," the doctor said after checking his watch.
'Only 40 minutes… and today's the 16th. That means the accident is on the 18th. Just two days left... I need to prepare. Escaping won't be easy,' Evan thought grimly as he walked to the door.
"Thank you for looking after me," he said before stepping out.
"No problem. It's my job," the doctor replied, settling back into his chair.
'Strange kid… I thought he'd be out for hours. But he woke up after just 37 minutes. Hah… maybe I'm getting too old for this,' the doctor thought, leaning back with a sigh.
Meanwhile, Rey stood frozen in the hallway, staring into thin air—his eyes locked on a translucent blue screen that only he could see.
[Eternal Omniverse System Notification]
"What the hell? Mana cracks? Another user? Hey—Aiden, what the hell's going on? And am I the only one seeing these notifications or—"
Aiden appeared beside him in a flicker of golden light.
"Wanna hear the good news or the bad news first?" he asked casually.
Rey narrowed his eyes. "Bad news."
Aiden sighed. "We're officially screwed."
[Author's Note]
Hello everyone! I'm thrilled to announce that my new novel THE THIRD RETURN OF THE NECROMANTIC MAGIC SWORDSMAN is on the way! It dives deep into Evan's true story—full of action, mystery, and powerful revelations.
Stay with me after the first major fight, and you'll get to experience Evan's journey in full. Please add the novel to your library and support it when it launches. Your encouragement means everything!
— Author