Rebeca Soul
That was a name Evan remembered very well. Rebeca could be considered one of the greatest threats to the human race in the future.
The reason? It all happened after her mother's death. After that, the girl simply spent a long 2 years away from the empire, and when she returned... she was standing beside the demonic army, only to be killed by Mikael's group.
Evan knew the real reason why that woman still hadn't rebelled. Her mother had been infected by a disease never seen before, or at least that was what the doctors said. But the truth was far worse. What Rebeca's mother had could be called mana corruption, something that happened when one's own mana circuits became extremely harmful to the body.
With the emperor himself knowing Rebeca's monstrous potential, he had promised he would save the girl's mother, but in the end... that wasn't what happened.
"Is it really that hard to live a peaceful life?"
...
"The Platinum Empire is located in the central region of the Canthem continent..."
While Gregore was explaining the geography of Etherea, Evan was enjoying a nap at the back of the classroom.
Until a terrifying shout woke the boy up.
"HEY! YOU'RE STILL SLEEPING IN THE BACK?!"
Gregore yelled harshly toward Evan, who woke up completely startled.
"How did a bastard like that even get into the academy?"
"He's one of the last in the Ranking, he's nothing but trash."
Those were some of the comments Evan had to hear ever since he woke up in that world.
While Gregore stared at the boy furiously, Evan simply kept an impassive expression on his face as he yawned.
"My apologies, dear professor. I ended up sleeping poorly the night before."
Evan apologized, while trying to come up with a decent excuse.
"Evan Thompson, rank 2812."
Gregore said out loud in front of everyone.
"I imagine you must fully understand our geography, I assume."
"I'm going to ask you a question, boy. If the answer I hear doesn't satisfy me, I don't want to see your face in any of my classes."
Gregore announced.
At that moment, all the students, including Mikael and the main group, stared in shock toward where Evan was sitting. Yet the boy's expression remained unchanged.
"I want you to explain why the Crimson Roses cannot bloom on our continent, but can bloom in the Black Lands."
Gregore himself didn't have a solid answer to that subject, since the Black Lands were a true mystery to the human race. All that existed were speculations that the place might be a cursed demonic land.
Gregore held a devilish smile on his face, already accepting that the poor boy wouldn't have any idea how to respond.
But something that even he didn't expect happened right before his eyes.
"The Black Roses, scientifically known as Rosacae Aclitirius, are a type of plant that can only develop in hostile places surrounded by demonic energy. It is speculated that they can only grow under those conditions, through alterations made to common roses, in order to simulate the effects of demon blood on the human body."
The boy finished with the same cold expression on his face.
"..."
That was all that could be heard in the classroom after Evan's answer. Everyone remained silent, while Gregore stood there, mouth agape.
"What?!"
"B-but that statement... how do you know about that, boy??"
Gregore asked while pacing from one side of the room to the other, scratching his hair.
'I think I drew too much attention.'
Evan, as a mere extra, wanted anything but the spotlight on himself. But at the same time, he didn't want to be humiliated in front of everyone. From that moment on, Evan knew the man standing at the center of the room wouldn't leave him alone.
"Evan Thompson! I want you to meet me after class!"
Gregore shouted.
'Aah, I really need to get away from this guy.'
...
After Gregore's class, Evan managed to slip away among the students so Gregore wouldn't kidnap him just to interrogate him.
'Uuh... what a relief.'
As he wandered through the academy's corridors, Evan truly felt like something was missing from his training routine.
Over the days that passed, he spent his post-class periods exclusively in the gravity chamber. After all, his body still had many weaknesses.
"Yeah... I need real combat experience."
In Etherea, that wouldn't be so difficult. But when Evan looked at his miserable stats, a depressed expression appeared on his face.
Name: Evan Thompson
Potential: ???
Rank: G-
Strength: G-
Speed: G-
Endurance: G
Intelligence: G
Mana Capacity: G-
Luck: G+
Charm: G-
Affinities: Primordial Fire (Elemental)
He knew the risks of venturing alone into beast hunting. At that point, the safest option appeared in his mind.
'Money really is everything, no matter where you are...'
In Platinum, there were several groups that controlled different zones across the continent. Most of those zones were classified based on the ranks of the creatures that lived there.
There were specific groups that maintained full control over certain zones, creating a kind of monopoly among those who owned them.
There were many adventurers who paid huge amounts to enter those zones.
In Evan's case, his goal was to gain experience against beasts of a level similar to his. That would at least guarantee he wouldn't face creatures that overwhelmingly surpassed his level.
In the original story, Mikael had met, at a certain point, a man nicknamed Scarabeo.
Scarabeo was one of the partners of one of the main groups that held control over zones within the empire.
From what Evan remembered, Mikael's first contact with that man happened when the boy saved Scarabeo's daughter during a trip to an ecological park.
In that event, Mikael was walking around with the main group when the place was attacked by creatures affected by an unknown virus at the time.
During the trip, Mikael ended up saving that man's daughter, which, in a way, benefited Mikael greatly.
Scarabeo held extreme relevance within the organization he belonged to, to the point of making different low-level zones available for Mikael to use.
'Argh... being the protagonist really comes with privileges.'
The main problem for Evan was: how would he contact that man? Since Mikael only met him in the academy's second year.
Back in his room, Evan's mind boiled as he tried to think of a way to access a controlled zone.
Then an idea suddenly appeared in the boy's mind, as he searched deep within his memories for answers from the novel.
"Maybe there really is a way."