The One Branch of The Tree

The stone hall was silent, a strange silence, a silence that was too full of emotion. Hundreds of people were in this large room—adventurers, guards, priests, knights, mages—but not a single one spoke because all eyes were on me, standing in the center of the teleportation circle, my clothes tattered, my body covered in scars. The Sword of Thorns in the World was clutched in my hand, a faint aura of corruption still lingering around me and before me was my old classroom. The people who once stood with me in the classroom, the people who talked about exams, assignments, and the future, the people who also decided to kill me. It's amazing how life works, I scanned their faces one by one. Most of them looked completely different: better armor, adventurer's attire, higher-quality weapons, and more stable mana auras; they were clearly developing. Good will be more satisfying later, I recognize some faces like Bima his body is big, used to be a school basketball athlete now wearing dark red heavy armor probably tank class stable aura Level 14, not bad. Beside him was Dimas, a man with glasses who used to be the class president, now wearing a white and blue robe, an attractive Level 15 mage class. And my eyes stopped on one person, a long-haired woman standing in the front row. Mira, my former classmate, now wearing white armor with a golden staff with a strong holy aura, a Level 16 Saint Healer. I still remember his expression when he decided I should be dumped so clearly. His expression now? Shock. “Raka…” he muttered softly. As if seeing a ghost quite close, I smiled faintly. "Hi everybody." No one answered, no awkward reunion snacks, finally someone spoke Bima took a step forward, his face tense. "You…" He seemed to be having trouble processing my presence. “How are you still alive?” Good question, I thought for a moment. “With hatred, trauma, and very bad life decisions.” No one laughed at the difficult audience, Dimas moved forward a little with his gaze at my level, at my sword, at my aura analyzing as usual. "It's impossible." he said. “No one can survive seven days in the Forbidden Forest.” I shrugged. “Skills problem.” Bima looked offended. A knight at the side of the hall finally approached not an adult student silver armor with the symbol of the kingdom. A small notification appears. Target identified: Royal Knight Threat: Moderate The knight looked at me seriously. “Are you a newly returned participant?” I nodded. “I guess so.” He seemed to judge my appearance very normally I did look like someone who was raised by trauma and roots. “Identity,” he said. I blinked, oh right administrative procedures. “Inter-world transfer student?” I said. Knight doesn't seem amused by the complicated bureaucracy, Dimas is quick to speak. “He's part of our group.” Group? Interesting choice of words I glanced at him didn't deny maybe not yet, Knight nodded. "Good." He signaled to the other guards. “Participants returning from the ritual will be processed in the east hall.” Ritual? So that's what they call a forced survival fantasy. I started walking out of the circle and as I passed my class group, I deliberately stopped right in front of Mira, our distance was only a meter. I looked into her eyes, she stiffened. “Nice to meet you again,” I said quietly. My tone was flat enough to make him even paler, and I walked on. Bima gritted his teeth, clearly wanting to say something but holding back. Smart, progress, at least a little. I followed the knight into the side hall but before I could actually leave I heard panicked whispers behind me. “How can he be alive?” “Level 19? That doesn't make sense.” “That's what trash class should be” They stopped talking when I turned around, and a brief silence fell again. We entered the eastern hall, a smaller room with several desks, officers, and evaluation crystals. "The fantasy administration office," Knight pointed to a chair. “Sit down.” I sat down as a grey-robed officer approached carrying a crystal tablet. “Name?” “Cancer.” “Class?” I paused for two seconds, a good question. Should I be honest? Maybe too much information isn't the ideal choice. “Nature-based class,” I replied. Technically correct, the officer nodded as he wrote. “Level?” “19.” His hand stopped he looked at me. "Repeat." “19.” He seemed to dislike the data, understandably so. “Blessing?” I think. "Still alive." The officer stared at me for a long time, the Knight beside him starting to look spiritually exhausted. Oops, finally the officer sighed. "Good." He handed me a small crystal. “This is temporary identification.” I received the item. A notification appears. Item acquired: Adventurer Temporary Pass Region access unlocked: City of Lumeria Oh, new city, new arc, potential new problems. Very good, Knight looked at me. “You are free to move around for the time being but do not leave the city without permission.” I nodded. "Of course." Maybe I'll ignore it later, I left the room, the corridor was now quieter but footsteps could be heard from behind. I stopped, no need to look back. Predator Sense was active, there was no killing intent, only anxiety. I turned to Mira, standing at the end of the corridor alone, her hands tightly gripping her staff. Her expression was complicated, there were guilt, fear, doubt, and a mess of emotions. She approached slowly. “Cancer…” I looked at him calmly. "What?" Mira swallowed hard. “I… want to talk.” I almost laughed of course after trying to kill someone there was always a desire for conversation, I crossed my arms. "Talk?" A faint smile appeared on my face. "Good." “Start with the part where you guys decided I was better off dead.” Mira's expression froze and the corridor suddenly felt much colder. [END CHAPTER 19]