I was only in the hospital for one day— thanks to the mana infused tools my injuries healed astonishingly quickly. On the day of my discharge, Leon showed up with a change of clothes. I for one was relieved to get out of the hospital gown; it was very uncomfortable. Minerva had to leave the day before to go back to the academy to teach and schedule my meeting with the headmaster.
Leon gave me a slightly baggy black Dior t-shirt, a pair of white Armani joggers and finally a pair of black Air Jordan 4 retros. I remember these brands from the simulation— they were expensive. Corvus already made himself comfortable on top of my head of hair.
'How much fucking money did he spend on this!'
I walked out of my hospital room after changing bewildered. I snapped my gaze to Leon, glaring at him incredulously.
"How much fucking money did you spend on me?!"
He just chuckled, adjusting the Dior shirt on my shoulders. He chirped enthusiastically. Leon himself was wearing I think the most expensive suit I've ever seen in my life.
"Why not I have to make sure my mentee looks good, I can't have you looking like a hobo right?" He looked at my hair, which had grown a bit longer since I awoke. He continued "Let's get you a haircut while we're at it, I have a guy who'll do you just right."
At the mention of a haircut— Corvus gave a look of shock. I could feel his emotions due to the blood pact we have and I could tell he was frightened to lose his napping spot— my hair. I had to hold in my laugh.
I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
Two weeks ago, I was choking on my own blood in a wasteland. Now I'm wearing Dior. This world is so damn weird.
How did he say that so casually— spending that much money. Holy shit this guy is crazy. He then led me out of the hospital— I saw it for the first time, the outside world. It was vastly different from the last time I saw it.
High rise buildings and skyscrapers alike piercing the sky, the sun glittering their windows with speckled light. Cars zipping through the roads. My eyes widened in joy— I finally made it. It felt like a giant accomplishment, after 2 weeks of grueling descent, injury and death. I finally made it to safety. To salvation. I was snapped out of my daze when Leon casually told me to "Hop in the car".
I looked ahead and my jaw fucking dropped to the floor. It was a Rolls Royce Ghost, cream in colour— its rims shimmering in the light. I glanced at Leon whilst I sat inside.
"How rich are you?"
He just laughed.
'Holy shit…. Just who is this guy?'
When I seated myself inside— oh my goodness, the seats were plush enough to swallow me whole. I literally sank into the seat— Corvus, on the other hand, jumped onto my hand and made himself comfortable. He squealed 'papa' while curling up, tail flicking happily. I gently rubbed his head before directing my gaze to Leon who was driving.
"Wait, where are we again and where are we going?"
Leon glanced whilst he glided the luxury car through the bustling streets before retorting.
"No it's fine, We're in Virginia Beach and right now I'm taking you to my barber— trust me that guy performs miracles."
I nodded before leaning my head against the window, letting my gaze rest on the city as we drove by it. I smiled softly, I was happy that I had nothing to worry about for now but my top priority was to get stronger— much stronger.
As the city blurred past me, Leon interrupted my solace.
"Forgot to tell you, your phone's in the glovebox. Set it up while you're at it."
Once again I was reminded by his casual tone that this man was ridiculously rich. Casually saying he got me a phone— who says that that way. I swear I thought I was losing my mind with how casual he was being.
Opening the glovebox in front of me, I took out a sleek rectangular device. It was quite large, about 6x2 inches— its backglass was cold against the touch of my palm. I turned on the device and was guided through the setup process. It felt unreal, this was the first thing I've ever owned. In the simulation, throughout my suffering— I was only given scraps. Yet this was the first real thing I've ever owned.
I glanced at Leon. For him this may've been some courtesy but to me it felt like he gave me his prized possession.
'Maybe I can trust him… No not yet… I only just met him the day before… but maybe just maybe…'
Corvus was enamoured by the glowing screen, he looked like he discovered a whole new world, mewling in excitement as his little tail tapped against my palm. I chuckled at the sight before directing my attention to my phone.
I needed to learn what the fuck was going on in this world. Like why is there a system, why are there monsters. I literally woke up here cold turkey not knowing anything.
For the next 10 minutes I had laser-focus as I read through articles, newspapers and searches. My mind honestly couldn't fathom when we were most of all. The date was 2nd of September 2365— I beg your finest pardon, when I was in the simulation it was 2025. I'm technically 356 years old! Whilst I wrapped my head around that fact, I learnt how this world is the way it is— it's bad… really bad.
It all began 300 years ago when a magnitude 13 earthquake took place throughout the globe. Totalling cities and small countries alike— from these devastating tremors, 3 large fractures formed on the planet, literal cracks on the crust! One was in the pacific ocean, another spanned through Canada, Northeast America, the North Atlantic Ocean to Mali. The third crack formed across eastern Russia, Mongolia, western China and India. The countries where the crack formed crumbled— the damage irreversible.
Most of their populations managed to flee in time to neighboring countries but millions perished. The kill count wasn't over just yet— these fractures were in fact gateways to another dimension, which the UN dubbed as the Abyss. From this grotesque monsters called Abhorrents spread like the plague throughout the world.
These fractures also introduced a new necrophilic ecosystem of the Blood forest, with it growing around the fractures. Point Zero was the fracture that spanned from Canada, northeast America all the way to Mali. That's where I was found.
Humanity was deemed to be extinct until the system arrived. Its origins are unknown but it was given to those in a certain age range of 15-22 and these people gained access to an energy called mana and were capable of superhuman feats. These individuals dubbed 'The Awakened' formed a new world government called 'Amalga' hellbent on annihilating the abhorrents and the gateways to the abyss.
Their mission was cut short when suddenly in the year 2156— the gateways to the abyss were sealed ceasing the release of abhorrents. This allowed humanity to recover and strengthen themselves, forming a society ruled by the strong. The abhorrents are still ever present in the hundreds of millions but they primarily stay near the fractures— as if waiting for something.
The awakeners have ranks given by the system. Going from weakest to strongest: Neo, Rising, Eminence, Prominence, Exalted, Supreme and the Nexus, the most powerful an awakener can get and only 3 in the history of humanity have achieved it. The abhorrents also has ranks too, going from: Misfortune, Ordeal, Affliction, Calamity, Catastrophe, Devastation, Ruin and Annihilation.
And now we're in what's called the golden age where Humanity is growing stronger at an astonishing pace with technology reaching a new peak thanks to mana being a clean energy source helping negate the damage of global warming.
That was a lot of information I had to digest. The only thought in my head was 'damn'. Out of curiosity I searched up Leon. The man sitting next to me wasn't lying about his ranking, he was 23rd in the world awakened rankings and held the rank Supreme.
After frying my brain with a shit-ton of information— Leon snapped me out of my daze.
"Kerrigan, we're here!" He exclaimed enthusiastically.
I looked out the window to see a bustling street— people of all sorts going about their day. Shops lined the street and we were parked in front of I think the most ordinary-looking barbershop I've ever seen. Bear in mind it was next to a Prada and Jimmy Choo. We were also the centre of attention, what do you expect when you park a fucking Rolls Royce ghost in front of a barbershop.
We had paparazzi and influencers all lined up taking pictures of the car and they were all screaming Leon's name. I calmly looked at Leon with a deadpan expression— Corvus did the same with an annoyed expression. He didn't like noisy things.
"No… I'm not going into that crowd."
He just smiled in return as he got out of the car— striding around the car to open the door for me. I glared at him when he did, he practically made me the centre of attention now. Most of the crowd gasped when the 'Supreme ranked' Leon Horton was opening a door for some fucking brat.
'Fuck, fuck, fuck… this motherfucker!'
I placed Corvus on my shoulder, his expression annoyed as the crowd was too loud for his liking. I patted his head understandably as I unbuckled my seatbelt and got out of the car. I had no clue what I was doing, I just had an aloof expression pretending not to care when I felt very exposed.
Leon was trying his best to hold in his laughter, he didn't do a good job— his face was as red as a fucking tomato. It took everything within me not to strangle him right there.
Leon guided me through the persistent crowd to the barbershop, swimming us through like a dolphin. We absolutely ignored every single question thrown at us— at least he didn't reveal my fucking identity to the whole world. I don't need that burden for fuck's sake.
We both walked into the barbershop. It was quite ordinary from the outside with a simple signage and barber pole but never judge a book by its cover. The interior was old-school and rustic with wooden paneling on the floor and a minimalist design.
A man in his late 20's came to greet us, he was dressed in a simple three-piece suit, grey in colour. He greeted Leon with a warm smile.
"Ahh always lovely to see you Leon…" he trailed off as he spotted my dumbass "who might this be and what's the occasion?"
Leon responded with a proud smile as he patted my head.
"This is Kerrigan, my mentee— I'm here to give him one of your miracles, Joseph."
The man named Joseph's eyes widened in shock, he stammered.
"M-mentee! Didn't you reject the Magnolias clan recently and all the great clans…" He directed his incredulous gaze to me. "Son, If he decided to have you as his mentee, you must be a monster…"
I laughed sheepishly, whilst Leon nodded enthusiastically.
"He is, he literally survived Point Zero, all by himself and even killed abhorrents and transmutants!"
"A-ah really…" Joseph didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He just looked at me bewildered but then smiled. "Let's get you a cut, shall we. On the house today."
I nodded with a wry smile— I wasn't used to being praised. It felt nice yet extremely weird at the same time. I followed Joseph to the barber chair and sat down— I took Corvus from my shoulder and placed him on the counter as Joseph prepped me up. Corvus just looked with curiosity tilting his head as he mewled.
I didn't know how to feel. For the first time in years, someone was cutting my hair… not to humiliate me, but to help me start again.
Joseph then inquired. "So Leon, what will he be having?"
"Give him the same as me, we have a similar face shape." Leon retorted from the couch near the front door. The crowd of paparazzi and influencers still present snapping pictures incessantly and girls screaming his name.
Soon Joseph began the haircut— the clippers making a soft hum as it cut through my overgrown hair. As he was trimming the hair at the nape of my neck he glanced at the mirror meeting my eyes before questioning me.
"What's your name, mentee of the Supreme ranked, Leon Horton?"
I met Joseph's gaze on the mirror and responded.
"My name's Kerrigan… no surname, I'm an orphan…"
Joseph's eyes momentarily widened and he nodded.
"Interesting… Kerrigan, are you ready to be his mentee?"
"Yes." I answered without hesitation.
He smiled at my quick response as he was trimming a low taper fade. He continued.
"He's turned down every offer to be a mentor, even from the 4 great clans. Yet he chose you… a nobody, no offence."
I gave a wry smile "None taken…"
"I take it you'll be enrolling into New Washington Awakened Academy" Joseph inquired once again as he began to trim the top of my hair to Corvus' horror— his resting spot was going away.
"Yes… in November from what I've heard" I replied.
Joseph's face momentarily hardened; he spoke sternly, catching me off guard.
"When you enroll, lie low and don't bring too much attention to yourself. The hierarchy in that school is ruthless and the students that Leon rejected are among the top 10, finest in our generation… real diamonds in the rough. If they find out that a no-name managed to get the privilege of being Leon's disciple, they will break you down no matter what…" he trailed off letting his point stand.
He continued "So just lay low and get stronger because the environment there is ruthless. Don't try to stand out. That's how you get crippled."
My face hardened at the last part. How fucked up was this place? No matter how fucked up it is, it's the only way I can get my awakened license. So I have to persevere no matter what. I smiled as Joseph put the finishing touches to my cut.
"Don't worry, I plan to do just that. I don't like the spotlight."
Joseph heartily chuckled as he used a blow-dryer to remove any clumps of hair on me before taking off the hairdressing cape.
"I can see why Leon chose you. All done here. It's all up to you now… diamond in the rough."
I get from the chair with a soft smile— Corvus jumping onto my shoulder with a tinge of disappointment. I look back at Joseph and nod.
"I won't disappoint"
Joseph smiled back and I turned to face Leon with a smirk.
"All done, do I still look like a hobo?"
Leon's lips curled up into a wide smile as he arose from the plush couch.
"Now that's someone you can call my mentee. Let's go, your training starts as soon as we reach my place."
I nod with a smile as I follow him outside. Within my gut I knew, from this point forth. My life is going to change. I'm going to change. I needed that. It was time to finally get stronger.