Chương 2: School

Ch 2 - School The story had caught his attention because of its unusual title. Most web novels favored long, descriptive names designed to grab readers at a glance, while Chronicles of a Demon Hunter sounded more like a traditionally published novel. Having already read nearly every popular series, Evan decided to give it a chance and quickly found himself hooked. The premise was cliché, but the writing was exceptional. Evan could never understand why so few people had discovered such a hidden gem.

Perhaps it was the slow pacing. Rather than rushing from one plot point to the next, the novel took its time developing its world and characters, even dedicating entire chapters to travel or moments of reflection. It wasn't for everyone, but Evan loved it. With so few readers, the only way he could support the series was by leaving comments on every chapter. As the months passed, he became the author's only regular reader, and their exchanges in the comments grew into lengthy conversations.

Evan was especially fascinated by the novel's power system. Its symbols and rituals followed clear rules, giving the magic a level of structure rarely found in other stories. He became so invested that he copied the diagrams into a notebook and taught himself to draw them. They were useless in practice, but he enjoyed studying them, especially when the author helped answer his questions. By the end, Evan had memorized nearly every detail and remained the novel's most devoted reader.

Reuel's journey unfolded over countless chapters, and somewhere along the way, Evan grew deeply attached to him. He watched Reuel rise from an orphaned street urchin with nothing to his name into the world's greatest Demon Hunter, overcoming countless hardships before finally slaying the Demon King. But the story did not end there. The final chapter followed an old, weathered Reuel living alone in a quiet village.

Long retired, he spent his remaining years as an ordinary old man, unknown to those around him as the legendary hero who had once saved the world. When he finally drew his last breath, there were no grand memorials and no one waiting by his bedside. Except, perhaps, Evan. By the time he reached Reuel's final thoughts, tears blurred the words on his screen. He cried harder than he ever had over a fictional character.

After spending half an hour pathetically sobbing, he finally went to sleep, only to wake up in this strange world. If the usual transmigration tropes held true, then Reid, the reincarnator bearing the title Legendary Demon Hunter, had to be Reuel. Evan narrowed his eyes, as though he could somehow see through his brother's soul. There couldn't be another explanation. At least, that was what Evan hoped.

Maybe he was still just a foolish reader, hopelessly attached to a fictional character and desperate to meet his hero.

"What's wrong? You're staring at me again," Reid asked.

"You have something here," Evan said, pointing at the edge of his mouth.

"I do?" Reid said, swiping at the spot only to find nothing.

"Just kidding," Evan said. Reid shook his head with an exasperated smile on his face. Evan helped Reid clean up the dishes, and once everything was done, he returned to his room to gather more information about the unfamiliar place he had found himself in. The more he read, the more his head throbbed. Every answer only seemed to raise more questions. His train of thought was interrupted by a knock at the door.

"Better get ready. You'll be late for school," Reid said. After checking the calendar and textbooks the original Evan had left behind, he figured out which books he needed for class. He changed into his school uniform, consisting of a white dress shirt, a dark blue blazer with the school's crest sewn onto the chest pocket, black trousers, and a navy tie. Once he had put on his shoes, he headed out with Reid, and the two rode a motorcycle to school.

It was during the ride that Evan finally had the chance to take in his surroundings. Towering buildings stretched across the city, their glass-and-steel skylines reminding him of his old home. Yet woven into the modern architecture were elements borrowed from countless cultures. Curved eaves crowned office towers, crimson pillars framed grand entrances, while Gothic arches and stained-glass windows stood beside sleek glass facades. Somehow, the mixture looked surprisingly natural. Then he saw it: the Tower.

It rose impossibly high above the horizon, a solitary pillar of white that seemed to pierce the heavens. Its flawless surface caught the afternoon sun, glowing with an almost otherworldly radiance. From what Evan had managed to piece together online, the Tower had changed the course of human history. Centuries ago, it had appeared in the middle of the Pacific Ocean without warning. People had been forced inside to clear its dungeons, but reaching the top had not saved humanity. The apocalypse still came.

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Earthquakes shattered continents. Tsunamis swallowed coastlines. Monsters flooded Earth, pushing humanity to the brink of extinction. Against all odds, humanity survived by taking refuge within the Tower. By the time the catastrophe subsided, the old continents had been reshaped beyond recognition, leaving entirely new lands in their wake.

Humanity eventually emerged from the Tower, and four centuries later, society had been rebuilt under a new calendar. The new civilization came to be known as Nova Terra. The Tower stood serene against the horizon, its beauty making it difficult to believe it had once marked the beginning of humanity's downfall. The motorcycle rolled to a stop, pulling Evan from his thoughts.

"Here we are," Reid said. The sprawling Secondary Institute rose ahead, built from smooth ivory stone with wide windows lining each floor. Arched entrances and subtle engravings softened its modern design, while a broad courtyard before the main entrance bustled with students moving between buildings.

"Have fun at school," Reid said as Evan walked away.

"I'll have a horrible time then," Evan replied with a wave. Reid laughed. It seemed this world's Evan shared quite a lot of similarities with him, though he doubted the kid possessed the same level of gloominess. At least, judging by the message history he had gone through, the other Evan seemed far more outgoing and fond of joking around. Evan was confident he could pretend to be this bright-eyed, cheerful child for a while, but he knew it was only a matter of time before he slipped up.

If only the System would do something useful for once and give me the other Evan's memories. As though responding to his thoughts, the familiar window popped into view. [╭∩╮(￣ヘ￣)╭∩╮]"This bastard..." The screen lingered for another second before disappearing. Evan frowned. Come to think of it, the System itself made no sense. Everything he had learned online said Systems belonged exclusively to Awakeners. Evan was not an Awakener. Could being a Transmigrator have something to do with it?

He had plenty of questions, but he doubted the rude little window would answer any of them. With a sigh, Evan headed toward the main building. Unlike the education system in his previous life, schools here were divided into Basic, Secondary, and Higher Institutes. He currently attended a Secondary Institute. Alongside regular classes, students also studied Rift survival and emergency response. Humanity had rebuilt civilization centuries after the apocalypse, but monsters and Rifts remained a constant threat.

Fortunately, their apartment complex lay within the Tower's protective barrier, where such incidents were far rarer than in the settlements beyond its reach. Speaking of which… Evan glanced back toward the street where Reid had disappeared. Just what kind of job does he have to afford living inside the barrier?

After dropping Evan off at school, Reid arrived at the regional branch of the Rift Control Bureau. The building stood several stories tall, with broad windows and a clean, imposing facade. Atop the building, several antenna spires stretched toward the sky. As a Rift Support Technician, Reid spent most of his days monitoring Rift signatures and maintaining communication systems for field teams.

It was dangerous work for a non-Awakener, but it paid well enough that he considered himself fortunate to have landed the position. Stepping inside, he was greeted by several coworkers. Some waved enthusiastically, while others nodded before returning to their work. Making his way to his desk, he found Lee Hye-jin already reviewing several reports. Tall and neatly dressed, she wore her hair in a high ponytail, a pair of glasses resting on her nose as she worked.

"Morning," Hye-jin said.

"Morning."

"Anything happen overnight?" Reid asked.

"Nothing unusual," she replied.

"Though I don't think it'll stay that way." She tapped a few keys, bringing a map onto the monitor.

"We're picking up another Rift signature."

"Where?"

"The Outskirts." Reid's expression darkened. The Outskirts had always suffered the worst of it. Even centuries after the apocalypse, Rifts still formed without warning. If left uncleared, they would eventually rupture, releasing the monsters trapped inside.

"Which zone?" Reid asked.

"Western Sector, Zone 19." Reid leaned closer to the monitor.

"My brother's class is visiting the Outskirts today." Hye-jin looked over.

"Isn't their study trip in Zone 3?" He nodded.

"They'll be fine," Hye-jin said.

"Our Rift predictions are over ninety-five percent accurate now. And even if one somehow opens nearby, there's an Outer Zone Security Post practically next door." He remained silent. Rifts could appear anywhere, but Nova Terra's prediction systems had become remarkably reliable over the centuries. The problem was that "remarkably reliable" still left room for the occasional disaster. Hye-jin slapped him on the back.

"Oh, chill out. You're such an overprotective mama bear. Your brother is going to be alright. I mean, unless a Rift literally opens above him and sucks him in, he's going to be fine." Reid said nothing. Abandoning his post over a vague feeling would be irrational, and he reassured himself that the academy would never send students somewhere it considered dangerous. The odds of anything going wrong were vanishingly small. Evan would be fine.