When I opened my eyes, it was Thursday.

The next day, of course.

For a while now, I hadn't really needed my alarm to wake up. My body just did it on its own.

Not always of course, because… Nah. Laziness doesn't vanish overnight.

But it had happened enough times to make me suspicious that I was finally becoming a responsible person.

"Whew."

I let out a long sigh before dragging myself out of bed.

My feet carried me to the bathroom like they'd been trained for years to do so, and after the usual washing up, I slipped into my uniform and left the dorm.

The moment I stepped outside, the world was already alive.

Students were scattered around the courtyard, adjusting their uniforms, laughing with their friends, exchanging things, and just… existing.

It was still early morning, but the atmosphere was bright. Lively. Warm.

And that's when it hit me.

I was truly lonely. No friends. No one I could really talk to.

At least, not anyone I'd consider a "good" person to talk to.

Sure, I had Yara, but was she really someone to confide in? More like someone I had to survive around.

But why would I need anyone to confine in anyways.

I quickly pushed the thought out of my head. Dwelling on loneliness was a luxury I couldn't afford.

I don't need friends. I'll manage.

With that flimsy reassurance, I quickened my pace toward the classroom.

The hallways were quieter, footsteps echoing against the polished floors. And that's when I noticed her.

Yara.

She was walking ahead, her posture as straight and sharp as ever, radiating that cold confidence that reminded everyone she was in a league of her own.

She hadn't noticed me, so I just trailed behind silently, not exactly eager to announce my presence.

When she reached the classroom door, though, she stopped.

A pause. Like she'd suddenly realized someone was tailing her.

She turned, and her sharp gaze locked onto mine.

For a heartbeat, neither of us said anything.

"Ah," I broke the silence with a half-smile. "What a coincidence. Looks like we got to class at the same time. Don't you think this is fate?"

"…"

Yara didn't bother answering. Typical. But she didn't ignore me completely either.

There was a flicker of acknowledgment in her eyes, the tiniest crack in her wall of indifference.

And honestly? That was enough.

Without a word, she turned back, pushed open the door, and walked in. Naturally, I followed.

We sat down almost simultaneously, our movements oddly in sync.

I was just about to assume my usual position, staring out the window, zoning out, pretending to be in deep thought, when the class door creaked open.

Our professor walked in.

My face stiffened instantly.

"Shit," I muttered under my breath. "Not this guy."

***

The class dragged on, and I could feel what had to be the most epic boredom of my entire life settling in.

Seriously, I started to regret even showing up.

This wasn't just boring, it was brutal.

Up front, the professor was completely lost in his own little world, lecturing with this sickening enthusiasm like the universe had blessed him with the gift of loving what he was doing.

Every gesture, every grin, every exaggerated pause… it all screamed, This is my passion.

I wanted to slam my head against the desk.

I leaned back in my chair and rolled my eyes so hard I thought they might get stuck.

My gaze drifted toward Yara.

She sat there calm as ever, her posture perfect, her expression neutral, taking in every single word like the lecture was actually worth her time.

She didn't flinch, didn't sigh, didn't even blink that often.

For a second, I wondered if the real problem was me.

Maybe I was just too damn lazy.

I mean, I've always hated books. Reading them, writing in them, memorizing whatever nonsense was inside them, it never clicked.

The only time I could actually sit through a book was if it had panels, flashy art, or an MC who actually did something cool.

Comics, light novels? Yeah, I could vibe with those. But textbooks? Never.

And most classes, sure, they weren't great, but at least I could pretend to care.

But this one though? This was hell on earth.

Monsterology.

I get why it matters. If you run into some creature in a dungeon or get ambushed in the wild, you've gotta know its weaknesses, its tendencies, the quickest way to kill it before it kills you. Fine. That part makes sense.

But sitting here listening to an old guy ramble about lineage traits of sub-species and historical encounter records? No thank you.

I tried. I really did. I was taking notes, scribbling things down, trying to keep up.

But every time I managed to catch one fact, another twenty flew at my head before I even processed the first one.

It was like trying to drink from a waterfall.

Nothing stuck. Just noise.

I sighed and slumped against the desk, feeling sorry for myself.

How the hell am I going to survive the next few hours of this?

***

The second class ended, I was out of my seat.

I didn't even wait for the professor to dismiss us. I just needed air. Needed freedom.

As I slipped out, I caught Yara's eyes flicking in my direction.

For a second, it looked like she wanted to say something. Her lips parted slightly, but she didn't speak.

Probably another dinner invite. But anyways, I wasn't sticking around to find out. Not today.

Because today wasn't about classes, or boredom, or Yara.

Today was the day. The day I moved against the Aegis Collective.

Well, not the main branch. I wasn't suicidal. Just one of their smaller offshoots.

But still, this wasn't some petty prank or minor gamble. This was big. Because they were moving something.

A special ability. One that was just sitting there, waiting to be taken.

I could've waited longer. The intel was clear, it would be held there for three days total. Yesterday. Today. Tomorrow.

But something in me screamed that it had to be today. Not tomorrow. Not later. Now.

I didn't know if it was instinct, gut feeling, or just impatience, but I couldn't ignore it.

Today was the day I went for it.

-------

I sat on my chair, staring at the wall, waiting.

Not the kind of waiting where your mind drifts and you forget the reason you're even sitting there.

No, I was waiting for something specific. Something important.

My order.

Well I ordered it not to long ago. And it was supposed to arrive today. Any moment now.

I drummed my fingers against the armrest, restless, my thoughts pacing even though I wasn't.

Then, just as if the universe had been listening, I heard it, three sharp knocks against the door.

I froze for half a second before standing up.

Finally.

I crossed the room, my steps quicker than I meant them to be, and pulled the door open.

There he was. A delivery guy. Young, polite-looking, standing stiffly with a box balanced in his hands.

"This is your package, sir," he said.

My eyes went straight to it. The box wasn't too big, not too small either, just right.

I took it from him, feeling the light weight settle into my arms.

"Please sign here."

He held out a tablet. I scribbled my signature quickly, trying not to look too eager, then handed it back.

He gave a short bow, which I returned awkwardly.

And then, just like that, he was gone.

I shut the door and looked down at the package.

My pulse had picked up, even though I knew exactly what was inside.

This wasn't just any delivery. This was step one of my plan.

I carried it back to my desk and tore it open. Inside, nestled neatly in wrapping, was a mask.

A simple black mask.

I'd ordered it online, a cheap one, nothing flashy.

No reinforcement, no enchantments, no voice modulators. Just smooth black material, plain but clean.

It was enough.

I ran my fingers over it, the surface cool under my skin. It felt sturdy, not flimsy like I half-expected.

Honestly, for the price, it was better than I thought it would be.

I raised it to my face and slipped it on.

Perfect fit. No slipping, no loose edges, no discomfort.

It hugged my skin just right, almost like it was made for me.

I caught my reflection in the mirror above my desk and stared.

I watched my reflection for a moment before pulling it off and setting it carefully aside.

This mask wasn't just some accessory, it was survival.

Walking into an Aegis branch without covering my face would've been suicide.

They probably had scanners, surveillance, gods-know-what kind of magic-tech hybrids.

If they caught even a glimpse of my face, my entire identity would probably flash across some screen in red letters: TARGET ACQUIRED.

I grimaced at the thought.

I wasn't stupid enough to give them that.

That's why I bought the mask. Why I used an anonymous account to order it, with layers of fake details.

No names, no ties, nothing that could point back to me.

The last thing I wanted was to get caught in some twisted plot because I left a breadcrumb trail like an idiot.

I wasn't a fan of those kinds of plot twists.

So I made sure to erase them before they could exist.

With the mask handled, I turned back to my room and started laying things out.

Each piece of preparation was another reminder.

Tonight wasn't just another night.

Tonight, I was taking my first true step as a villain.

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