With every step, my blood became cooler and cooler. If it weren't for the fever, I'd probably have started to shiver. Actually, I might have been shivering still.

And before long, I reached the door of room 402. The familiar door and familiar walls.

Sweat poured, heart raced.

I did not want to be here.

Knock!

One minute went by.

Knock!

Another minute went by.

Something felt off.

So I kept on knocking.

'Is this locked from the outside?'

I used my keys and I was right. It was locked from the outside. I hadn't noticed it before.

I felt stupid but also relieved.

There was no one inside. Not mom, not Elsa, and definitely not Merin.

I sighed in relief. 'So she went back?'

I put the letters in their place, the table. I wanted to put them in the dustbin but, oh well.

'But wait, would mom really leave without a word? Didn't she personally say, she wanted to discuss this with me in my room?'

Something really felt off.

Mom would never leave without scolding me when it came to matters related to food.

I had a phone and I never really used it but I guess this was the perfect opportunity.

No one could really see whether I was using a Holo or a phone in here anyway.

I kind of didn't want to talk to mom anytime soon, and the same went for Elsa as she was with mom.

So, I gave a call to Marg.

No answer.

I called Eve.

No answer.

'Did something happen?'

I called Merin.

"Hey, what's up?"

The dude picked up almost instantly. Was he waiting for my call or something?

"When was the last time you were in the dorm? And did you see mom or Elsa by any chance?"

"I was there till 6. I'm at the cafeteria. Sis called. Oh and I think I saw your mom talking to some old dude near the gym. Maybe they're still talking?"

"Alright, thanks. I'll head there."

"Kay."

I cut the call and downed a glass of water with some supplements. I didn't have anything to eat, but I still took some medicine.

The fever was becoming unbearable again.

Mom was strong, I didn't need to worry about her. And Elsa was also fairly powerful. Of course, both of them had shorter fuses than me, but together they were a good combination.

However, something made me wary.

'What is this feeling?'

It felt ominous, as though the sky had lost all its light. In fact, it was actually pretty dark outside. There was no moon today.

This wasn't like that night from two days ago. There was nothing in the sky. Not even clouds.

'An old guy, huh?'

I didn't like this, but I couldn't just sit around either.

So, I headed out.

***

The crowd density was normal. Students were out, having fun, as usual. It was so normal that it made me more suspicious.

The gym was fairly near and more than enough students were there. Even Robert.

"Hey, did something happen here?"

"Yeah, we can't get in."

We were roughly a hundred meters away from the gym and from the looks of things, there was an invisible barrier preventing entry.

The ominous feeling in my gut intensified.

"HAHH!" A large guy charged straight for the barrier and was flicked off a second later. He was fairly large at least four times my size. And yet, he was flung like cotton candy.

This barrier was strong.

"Did we try fire or-"

"We've tried most of the stuff. Even cutting through space. Nothing worked." Robert shook his head. "You want to give it a try?" Implying, he didn't think I was capable either.

If all that failed, then what was my chance of succeeding? I did have one barrier piercing attack, but would it have been enough?

I didn't know that but something else took more priority. "Have you seen a lady similar to me in looks and a blonde girl with her, who also looks kind of like her, in a broader sense, me?"

Robert chuckled. "What sort of description is that?" He controlled himself. "I don't know about that but I did see a woman arguing with someone right at the entrance and suddenly collapsing. I tried to reach, but that's when I realized that there was a barrier here."

It was almost as though my heart stopped for a second. "Th-The teachers?"

What were the chances of that woman being my mother?

Very low.

But there was a possibility.

And I couldn't ignore it.

"We've sent word. They and the disciplinary committee should be here soon. Though I wouldn't expect much from the teachers. Hey! Hey! What are you doing!"

I didn't look back and kept on walking.

I fired off alpha particles.

They didn't go through.

I fired of beta particles.

They didn't go through either.

I fired off a thin stream of gamma rays and they didn't go through even a little bit. This was one strong ass barrier: and it was also made with radiation control in mind. But I had a trick up on my sleeve too.

It was invisible but with all the blockage, I could trace its structure. This barrier wasn't round, it was triangular. I touched the barrier and before I could do anything, my hand went through. It was almost as though the barrier was inviting me.

'So they only want me?'

I went in and looked back at Robert.

He was talking but I heard nothing.

"So sound is cut off?"

I tried to go back but the barrier didn't let me pass back. Meaning, they really wanted me.

Which also meant the possibility for that woman to be mom, increased ever so slightly.

I took a deep breath. My heart was fluttering a bit too much from the moment I heard that thing about someone collapsing. It probably wasn't mom, but I couldn't ignore the possibility either. Mom was strong, there was no doubt about it, but she was also not so smart and too trusting of people.

'I can't let my guard down.' In the case of mom actually being knocked off meant, the enemy was very strong.

I didn't want to imagine that possibility but I had to be smart about this.

I was inside a barrier so, holding back wasn't an option. I used all three kinds, and x-ray as well. This took a hell amount of toll on my body, but that was off no consequence.

I sweated a lot but I could see the things inside the gym. There were roughly twelve men inside and three people on the floor. About twenty were bounded in a far corner.

'So they have hostage?'

I didn't have time to play hero or do anything foolish. So I went through the front door.

'Wait, isn't this the most foolish?'

With a sigh, I saw things with my own eyes.