"For the two of you to get together, one must search endlessly, and the other shall wait for eternity."
"What a line he said!" one friend exclaimed, voice rising with excitement.
"And you know, then the protagonist came and sliced through all the Veilborns at once!" another added, eyes wide with awe.
A sixteen-year-old boy named Julius, with pitch-black hair and emerald eyes, sat on a bench, expressionless.
His poker face betrayed nothing as he casually listened to his friends, who seemed completely absorbed in their discussion.
It looked like they were enjoying it.
The conversation.
After all, it was about the recently popularized fantasy novel named...
Path to Invulnerable
It had taken the light novel community by storm. Almost everyone—boys, girls, adults, the old—had read it, captivated by its intricate world-building, complex plot, and masterful structure.
And here was Julius, who seemed to be the ultimate fan one could imagine, but in reality, he had never read even the first volume.
Fantasy had never held any appeal for him.
So he nodded. That was all he could do.
Actually... he had been doing the same for weeks. Pretending, blending in, keeping the façade.
Today, 29 August 2024, his fate was about to change. Today, he would finally read Path to Invulnerable.
---
A few minutes later, the school bell rang. Crisp. Clear. Slicing through the chatter.
Julius, expression calm and stoic as ever, carried his bag on his back, one hand gripping the strap to ease tension in his muscles.
He walked toward the exit, each step measured, precise.
As he neared the school gate, a voice called out-masculine, eager, urgent.
"Hey, Julius! Can you lend me Volume Sixteen of Path to Invulnerable? I've searched all over the city—it's out of stock everywhere!"
Julius' brows furrowed.
He clicked his tongue sharply, a sound of mild annoyance, before regaining composure. His lips pressed into a thin line.
"Sorry," he said evenly. "I haven't finished reading it yet. You'll have to wait a few days."
The other boy sighed, disappointment clear in his voice. "Okay… goodbye."
---
Julius walked to the nearby bookstore and scanned the shelves. To his surprise, the book was right there. Easy to find.
What can we do… it's popular, after all.
He sighed, gripping the book in his hands, pausing to take in the cover.
Skilled artists had illustrated every tiny detail.
The artwork was intricate, alive, almost pulsating with life.
But as people say, a book can't be judged by its cover.
He flipped the first page
blank.
Second page.
blank.
Third.
blank.
Fourth.
blank.
Again and again, nothing.
He ran his thumb along the edge. Nothing. Pure, utter nothing.
"U-uh… w-why am I feeling dizzy… ahhh!" His voice cracked, barely audible.
The world tilted. Colors blurred.
A heavy, suffocating pressure pressed against his mind, making it hard to breathe.
Darkness crept at the edges of his vision like curtains slowly drawn shut.
Sounds became distant, muffled, like echoes in a deep tunnel.
He felt detached, slipping from his own body. The ground tilted.
Waves of dizziness washed over him.
Then, a final, overwhelming pull swallowed him. Blackness.
---
'Where am I?'
'Did I die?'
'Why did I die?'
Anger burned within Julius, but he could not release it. He could not move.
Not a hand, not a foot, not even a muscle. Only consciousness remained.
He tried to look around. Nothing. No light. No sound. Just an endless, oppressive black void.
Time stretched. His anger faded into desperation.
'Why am I not going to heaven or hell?'
'Or… perhaps this is hell?'
His mind raced through possibilities.
' Maybe I am going to reincarnate… maybe an angel will come and take me from here.'
But time passed.
No one came.
Floating in the void, he wanted to cry—but he could not.
Wanted to scream—but no sound came.
He was bored. Utterly, painfully bored.
Having nothing else to do, he began counting, marking the passage of time.
One… Two… Three… Four…
Hours passed.
Days.
Months.
Still he counted.
'Two million eighty-six thousand nine hundred ninety-two…'
'Two million eighty-six thousand nine hundred ninety-three…'
Nothing.
Silence.
Frustration.
Sorrow.
Months became years.
'Two trillion, eight hundred thirty-eight billion, seven hundred forty-eight million, three hundred ninety thousand, nine hundred one…'
Many years.
'Two hundred ninety-four quindecillion, eight hundred forty-seven quattuordecillion, seven-'
Then a voice, cold and commanding, echoed in the void.
"Hmm… looks like you have survived the void for six seconds. By now, most test subjects' souls are torn apart… but yours remains intact."
"You… shall be the one to receive another chance at life."
Julius could not comprehend most of it, but certain words cut through the void, sharp and clear.
"Six seconds."
"Chance."
A shiver ran down his spine.
His heart pounded.
Relief mixed with fear, anticipation tangled with confusion.
He tried to move, to speak, but only silence responded.
.
●●●
.
Thump..
Julius jolted awake from his slumber only to find himself on the ground.
Yes, he fell from the...
Bed?
Wait...
Why was he on the bed?
No, why was he even here?
Wasn't he in the black emptiness counting for eternity.
He couldn't figure out anything until a familiar figure entered his room.
His hair was light blue in color, while his eyes were a shade of cyan and navy.
With an outstanding height of more than six feet and high cheekbones, he could easily make a model pale in comparison.
Julius's eyes widened in disbelief as a barrage of memory fragments clouded his mind.
Fragament of memories of the body he was in.
He clutched his head in intense pain.
The person right in front of him was none other than him.
The protagonist of Path to Invulnerable.
Zephyr Frost.
'But why is he here?'
'Wait... does he even exist?'
All sorts of thoughts raced through Julius's mind as he scanned the figure in front of him.
Zephyr pursed his lips and said,
"Aziel, what are you doing? Get ready quickly."
Then he flashed a warm smile and left the room.
Jul—Aziel pondered for a moment.
'Why was he calling me Aziel?'
'Wait... I have to see through the mirror.'
He quickly stood up and bolted toward the bathroom, which he probably knew where it was...
Instincts.
Spotting the mirror, he walked toward it and positioned himself in front of it.
"Aac—"
A scream nearly escaped his mouth as his eyes widened again in disbelief.
The figure in front of him.
It wasn't him but...
He didn't know who he was.
He had a smooth, youthful face with high cheekbones and a well-defined jawline.
Overall, his appearance was really unique, thanks to the dramatic combination of his pure white hair and gray eyes.
Aziel had already figured out that he had been transmigrated into the novel he was about to read.
But he couldn't figure out who he was.
And, he was too befuddled to surf through his memories.
It wasn't like he didn't know even an inch of the novel.
At the very least, he knew all the major characters and information on some major events and details.
That only lead to one conclusion.
Extra.
'I am transmigirated as an extra.'
A sudden chill ran down his spine at the thought of it.
First, to reincarnate in a novel he didn't like—and not to add, as an extra...
Whose existence didn't matter.
Ding.
A notification popped up on his smartphone, so he quickly retrieved it from his left pocket.
Congratulations! It is with great pleasure that we inform you of your acceptance into Arcanum Academy of Verdant, Aventoria. You have been given this opportunity in recognition of your scholarship achievement in your entrance exam.
We have enclosed a starter package for you so that you can familiarize yourself with the campus, opportunities, and facilities we offer.
We look forward to having you at our academy this year.
Your current ranking and timings of the academy are mentioned below:
Name: Aziel Frost
Rank: 2489th
Year: 1st
Timings:
1st year: 7:00 AM to 6:30 PM
2nd year: 6:00 AM to 6:30 PM
3rd year: 6:00 AM to 7:30 PM
4th year: None
5th year: None
Classes and other details will be displayed on the wristband given to you by the academy.
~ We wish you a good day.
---
Connecting the dots together, he figured out that Zephyr must be his sibling.
'But Zephyr didn't have a sibling in the novel as far as I remember.'
He pondered and then quickly glanced at the time displayed at the top left corner of his smartphone.
6:40 AM.
Letting out a sigh, Aziel questioned himself.
'Why must I go to the academy? I have no reason to—'
'Wait, I don't have anything to do either. I think I should just go. It would be the best course of action at this moment.'
Considering going to the academy, he quickly went to his room and retrieved his uniform from the wardrobe.
It was nothing special.
A plain white shirt with the insignia of the academy on the left side of his chest—to be precise, where the heart is located.
And pitch-black trousers with a black blazer atop the shirt.
Not to mention a blue necktie that reached past his abdomen.
Nodding in satisfaction, Aziel went out of his apartment only to find Zephyr waiting for him.
He quickly descended the stairs and stood just beside him.
"Aziel, where is your hoverboard?"
'Hoverboard... Oh right, they used it to travel to the academy.'
Aziel pondered for a while, then pursed his lips.
"Oh r-right, h-hoverboard, I forgot where I kept it."
A white lie.
Cold sweat trickled down Aziel's face.
"Sigh... Fine, I have a spare. Here, take it."
Zephyr quickly retrieved a white hoverboard with black outlining, intricate designs from his space ring, and threw it toward Aziel.
Aziel was caught off guard, but he barely managed to catch it mid-air with a sluggish movement.
Upon seeing this, Zephyr leaned close to Aziel's face. Frowning, he pursed his lips.
"You... seem different today?"
Beads of cold sweat began trickling down Aziel's face.
He gave a forced smile and replied,
"H-How do I seem different today?"
Zephyr scanned his face once again and withdrew.
"Nothing. Never mind."
As Zephyr moved and placed his hoverboard just some feet above the surface, Aziel followed and did the same.
But a sudden thought struck Aziel's mind.
He...
He didn't know how to use it.
The hoverboard...
---
.
Thanks for reading, and my dear readers if you really plan to read this novel, i wish for you to push past chapter 5.
I wrote the first five chapters a year ago, and was new to the platform.