Transmigrated as an Extra: Awakening of The Ex‐Class'-Chapter 28 : weekend part 1

The crack began to slide down the stone, spreading rapidly. The sound was deafening, impossible to ignore. The crack lengthened and continued to break the surface of the catalyst. I saw Veronica out of the corner of my eye: her expression was one of surprise. Her eyes shone slightly, and she sketched a smile as if she discovered something interesting.

I, however, was having a hard time staying on my feet. I took a step back, staggering, feeling that the effort was taking its toll on me. I was panting, my breathing labored. I didn’t think it would be so... difficult. I felt a sharp pain in my chest, the mana I had released was leaving me exhausted.

"Haah..." I breathed deeply, trying to control my body. I couldn’t stop now. Despite how heavy I felt, my eyelids struggled to keep my eyes open, soon my mind began to cloud over, but with a superhuman will I stayed awake, I had to check something.

The rock began to light up in a bright red glow. The 72 was clearly marked on it, glowing like a definitive mark. My eyes widened in surprise, unable to fully comprehend. I knew the weapon amplified mana, but I didn’t think it was that much. The amount of power I had released was overwhelming.

It was too much for me. My entire body tensed in a last-ditch effort, but I couldn’t resist. Darkness enveloped me. I passed out.

***

A familiar white ceiling greeted me as I opened my eyes, and beside me, a wall clock on a small shelf marked the passage of time. I felt a slight heaviness in my head.

"Oh, the student has woken up," a soft, but clear voice said, breaking the silence.

I looked up and saw a blonde woman, in a white robe with the initials "NOVA" embroidered on the chest. Her face showed a mix of professionalism and calm, but something in her gaze made me think she was evaluating my every move.

– Ah... yes – I answered, somewhat stunned, not knowing if I was still in a dream.

– How do you feel? – she asked, taking a step towards me, with one hand resting on a tablet she carried with her.

– I’m better... – I said, trying to regain some clarity in my mind.

– It seems that you fainted – she commented, with a slight smile that did not manage to hide the concern in her eyes – You exhausted all your mana reserves. You pushed yourself quite hard... ,

My mind finally began to make connections. I remembered the exam, the overwhelming energy overflowing from my gun.

– Ah... of course, that was my score... – I murmured, looking ahead, trying to focus my thoughts.

She nodded, as if all that was already recorded. Then, she leaned slightly towards me, her tone a little more serious.

– Show your wrist.

Confused, I raised my left arm. There, on my wrist, gleamed a silver bracelet, with a red gem at its center. The stone seemed to pulse faintly, as if it had its own consciousness. Without thinking, I tapped the gem twice. Instantly, a holographic screen materialized in front of me.

▪︎▪︎▪︎//▪︎▪︎▪︎

Name: Cyan Vesper

Affiliation: NOVA

Cadet Rank: B

Health: Fatigued

Magic Power: 80%

Overall Score: #1

▪︎▪︎▪︎//▪︎▪︎▪︎

The screen, unlike the system, wasn’t just for me. I could see the woman’s eyes following every movement, and the projection was visible to both of us. It was like an interactive monitoring system, but completely personal, as if my own mana flow was being analyzed in real time.

"This is..." I started to say, but I was left speechless.

"It’s your score in the system," she replied, almost with a hint of amusement in her voice. "This bracelet is a personal interface, it connects your record directly to the NOVA system. All the details of your performance, your mana reserves, and your grades. It’s designed so you can make adjustments in real time, as well as allowing others to check on your status. Very useful when you have to leave the facility."

I looked at the screen, and while the numbers were difficult to fully comprehend, what I did know was that the numbers were fluctuating in real time, reflecting my exhaustion, and the state of my mana.

After a while, I stood up and walked out of the recovery facility. In the hallways, one or another student looked at me but didn’t dare to approach me. I soon reached my dorm.

After a while, I got out of bed and walked out of the recovery facility. The hallways, although mostly empty, had a tense air. A few students glanced at me out of the corner of their eyes, but none dared to approach.

I walked with a firm step, although I was still exhausted. I didn’t want to think about it too much. I just needed to get to my dorm, get comfortable and disconnect for a while. After all, rest was the only thing that could give me some respite.

When I arrived in front of the door to my bedroom, I took a deep breath and, without thinking much more, I opened the door. On the other side, the familiar atmosphere of my room greeted me with a mixture of relief and loneliness. The silence was such a strong contrast to the bustle of the tests and the tensions of the day that, for a moment, I felt out of place. However, I didn’t stop to think about it. I closed the door behind me and dropped onto the bed.

***

The test was much more demanding than I had anticipated. My mana still hadn’t recovered and in the end, all I wanted was to sleep. Here, in my own room and forget about the world for the rest of the day. However, despite the exhaustion, there was something that gave me satisfaction: the rewards. The points I had accumulated, while not a magical solution to all my problems, gave me a small respite, a spark of hope in the midst of so much wear and tear.

I sat on my bed, looking at the system’s stats and options store. I already had a considerable amount of points, enough to seriously think about what I needed to improve. I couldn’t afford to fall behind, I knew the first incident was fast approaching. I had to stop it, this looming threat... I knew it would be much more difficult than anything I had seen so far. If I wanted to survive, I had to prepare.