Shadow Being System

William left the principal's office, his mind still reeling from the events that had just transpired. He had narrowly avoided exposing himself during the interrogation, but now he had a different task: settling into his new room. After walking across the academy grounds, he reached the admissions building and collected his materials.

As expected, they handed him a familiar box and gave him his new room number—Room 092.

Carrying the box under one arm, William made his way to the dormitory. As he stood at the door, he heard the chatter of his new roommates inside. He groaned internally. "So much for having the room to myself," he muttered. "There goes my plan of bringing belles here every day."

He sighed and mumbled, "I just hope none of them have a thousand baby oils lying around."

With that thought, he pushed the door open, stepping inside to a sight he wasn't quite prepared for. Two boys were standing on opposite sides of the room, glaring at each other with such intensity that it felt like the air between them might ignite. William immediately recognized one of them—Liam, the red-haired boy who had caused chaos at the cafeteria.

The other boy had vibrant green hair, standing out like a beacon in the dimly lit room.

Their heated stares intensified, and before William could say a word, the silence broke. Without warning, Liam lunged toward the green-haired boy, who deftly dodged, causing them both to race around the room at insane speeds. William barely kept up with their movements, his eyes struggling to follow their rapid dashes.

Objects scattered across the floor—books, pillows, and even clothes flying as the two boys zoomed around.

William blinked. What the hell? Continue reading at empire

Liam, who was chasing the green-haired boy, started grabbing whatever was within reach and hurling it at him—books, shoes, anything he could get his hands on. But the green-haired boy was faster. He dodged every single item with almost supernatural agility, a smirk plastered across his face.

As the chase escalated, William muttered under his breath, "Not my face, not my—"

Just as William muttered, "Not my face, not my—" the air in front of him seemed to shift. Before he could react, one of the books Liam had thrown flew toward him with the force of a cannonball.

WHAM!

The book smacked into William's face, sending him stumbling back. The sharp sting shot through his nose and cheek, and he dropped the box he was holding, its contents spilling out across the floor. He blinked in stunned silence, his vision blurring for a moment. His face throbbed painfully as the sound of the room rushing back to normal hit his ears.

"Shit," he muttered, rubbing his sore cheek. His eyes watered from the force of the blow, and he let out a long, frustrated sigh. "Great… not even two hours here, and I'm already getting attacked by flying textbooks."

The two boys froze mid-chase, finally noticing William standing there, his face flushed with irritation and pain. Liam blinked, looking almost sheepish as he lowered his hand, realizing what he'd just done. Gavin, on the other hand, barely suppressed a laugh, though his lips twitched as if fighting back the urge.

William's eyes burned red with a mix of frustration and annoyance. He picked up his fallen box with a grunt and stomped into the room, shooting both of them a withering glare. "Hey, you two. Watch where you're throwing stuff!"

Both boys stared at him for a beat longer before exchanging a glance, just now registering the fact that William was, indeed, their new roommate.

William placed his box on the empty bed with an exaggerated thud, turning to face them with a deadpan expression. "I'm William. Your new roommate. No need to welcome me—you already did with a flying book."

The green-haired boy—Gavin—stepped forward, pointing a finger accusingly at Liam. "It's this idiot's fault! He said Messi is better than Ronaldo. Can you believe that?"

Liam, unfazed, crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow. "Because it's the truth. Messi is better than Ronaldo. You're the idiot."n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Gavin scoffed, his frustration clear. "You don't know what you're talking about. Ronaldo is the GOAT, and you're delusional if you think otherwise."

William, still rubbing his sore face, sighed and shook his head. As the two continued their argument, they turned to William, seeking his opinion like two kids looking for validation.

"What do you think, William?" Liam asked, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.

William paused, his gaze flicking between the two of them. He let out a tired sigh, resuming his unpacking. "I think you're both idiots."

The room fell silent for a brief moment before Gavin burst into laughter, clutching his stomach as he pointed at Liam. "He's got a point, though!"

Liam scowled but couldn't hold back a small smile.

"I'm Gavin, by the way. Aspiring football star and future GOAT." The green haired-boy said.

Liam scoffed but smiled nonetheless. William shook Gavin's hand, then gave Liam a sideways glance.

"And I already know who you are, Liam," William said with a smirk. "Everyone does, after what you pulled in the cafeteria."

Liam grinned proudly. "I was pretty cool, right?"

Gavin twitched at Liam's smugness, clearly annoyed, but didn't say anything more. William simply shook his head, muttering under his breath, "Great… I'm living with two idiots."

After William finished arranging his things, it was time for lunch. The three of them left the room together, walking toward the cafeteria. As they entered, William immediately noticed the stares they were getting. Most of the students were whispering, stealing glances at them—at Liam and William, to be specific.

Ignoring the attention, William led the way to his usual corner, sitting down at the far end of the cafeteria. To his mild surprise, Gavin and Liam followed him.

As they ate, Liam leaned over and asked, "So, William… what exactly were you cooking in your room for it to explode?"

William smirked, unable to resist a bit of mischief. He leaned forward, lowering his voice in a conspiratorial tone. "Do you really want to know?"

Both Liam and Gavin nodded eagerly.

William motioned for them to come closer. They leaned in, eyes wide with anticipation. William whispered, "It was an… heretic."

Gavin leaned back, shaking his head with disbelief. "If you don't want to tell us, just say so. No way an heretic snuck into the academy."

William shrugged, his grin widening. "Believe it if you want."

Before they could question him further, Sofia appeared at the table, joining them. William introduced her to Gavin and Liam, and they continued chatting until lunch ended.

---

Far from the academy, deep within a hidden lair, the Heretic King paced the stone floor, his breathing uneven. Sweat clung to his skin as his chest rose and fell in erratic breaths. The cold air of the chamber felt suffocating, wrapping around him like a vice.

Suddenly, the door creaked open, and two of his servants entered, kneeling before him. One of them, trembling, spoke. "My Lord, the Anbu… they were defeated."

The king's face twisted into a mask of fury. His hands clenched into fists, and with a sharp motion, he swung his arm toward the servants. In an instant, both of their necks snapped, their bodies crumpling lifelessly to the floor. He didn't even flinch, his eyes dark and filled with cold fury.

"Useless."

He dismissed the other servants in the room with a wave of his hand, their feet scrambling against the floor as they scurried out. Once they were gone, he turned toward the large iron door at the back of the chamber, his breath shaky as he approached. The door groaned open, revealing a secret room cloaked in shadows. His heart pounded with anxiety, each beat a reminder of the stakes at hand.

Inside, the darkness seemed to shift, as if alive. A voice, deep and sinister, echoed through the room. "The Anbu failed, didn't they?"

The Heretic King fell to his knees, his body trembling as he bowed before the unseen presence. "Yes, Master," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "But we will send two more Anbu to finish the job—"

"Silence," the voice interrupted, its tone sending a chill down the King's spine. "Do you think sending more will make any difference now that those old men have intervened? Sending ten more won't change a thing."

The Heretic King swallowed hard, his throat dry, unable to speak.

The voice seemed to hum with displeasure, the shadows around the room growing thicker. "No… this is beyond the Anbu now. It looks like I will have to step out of the shadows myself."