Infinite Evolution: From Orphan to Cosmic Overlord

Chapter 13 – Flying Interns & Teacher's Awkward Hand

We lined up and walked into the portal in an orderly fashion.

Everything was fine.

Everything was going to be okay.

At least, that's what I told myself.

But then—

AGH, SHIT.

I felt it.

A piercing gaze stabbing into my back.

Even without turning around, I already knew who it belonged to.

That damn teacher.

Professor Ryen was probably staring holes through my soul, trying to figure out what my deal was.

A shiver ran down my spine.

Don't look back. Don't look back.

I repeated it in my head like a mantra.

Just act normal.

Just leave the ruin and everything will be fine.

…Right?

Welcome to the Academy—Wait, What?

As I stepped into the portal, my vision shifted instantly.

One moment, I was inside the dimly lit ruins—the next, I was standing inside a large hall.

The first thing I noticed?

There were multiple portals lined up along the walls.

And right near them—

A guard station, filled with men and women in armored uniforms checking documents and scanning items.

The place was dimly lit, the only real light source coming from the glowing portals.

I glanced around, taking it all in.

This was the kind of high-tech, futuristic facility I had only ever seen in movies.

Back at the orphanage, we used to watch holographic films every second Saturday—and this place looked exactly like something out of those sci-fi flicks.

I sighed.

Our orphanage was really poor.

The only time I ever got to see cool technology was through those once-a-month screenings.

I briefly wondered what the kids back at the orphanage were doing right now.

Had they reported me missing?

…Probably not.

I wasn't exactly appreciated there.

Especially after I angered the orphanage director's son.

I sighed dramatically.

"Hah… why am I so handsome?" I muttered to myself.

Truly, my own beauty was the source of all my problems.

I nodded to myself narcissistically, ignoring the strange looks from the students beside me.

The Flying Nerds

Professor Ryen led us upstairs through an escalator—which, by the way, took five whole minutes to reach the top.

How deep was this place, exactly?!

Finally, we stepped outside.

And the moment I did—

I was amazed.

There were people flying through the air.

Not just anyone—robed scholars holding stacks of books, soaring gracefully above us using wind magic.

My jaw dropped slightly.

Quinn, who was still attached to me like an overly chatty leech, followed my gaze and laughed.

"Those are laborers—cough, I mean researchers," he corrected himself.

"They're trainees from senior academies, sent here to complete their internships."

I nodded, fascinated.

"So basically… logistics workers?"

"Yeah," Quinn said, shivering slightly. "If I fail as a support mage, my dad said he'd force me into logistics instead."

…Wait.

"Is logistics really that bad?" I asked, watching the floating researchers.

They seemed fine.

Just floating gracefully, doing their research.

But then—

Right in front of us—

One of them fell.

I gasped.

The man dropped like a rock, crashing face-first into the pavement.

I took an instinctive step forward, about to shout—

But nobody else reacted.

The guards nearby casually walked over, picked up the unconscious researcher, and dragged him away.

Like it was completely normal.

I blinked.

Quinn sighed. "Yeah, that happens a lot."

…

I should've just stayed in the countryside.

Goodbye, Chatterbox

As we exited the building, the students started going their own way.

Quinn, of course, still wasn't done talking.

"Hey, what's your contact info?" he asked, expectantly.

I just stared at him.

A hand terminal?

A phone?

Bro.

Did I look rich to him?

Quinn's face fell. "Oh…"

He suddenly looked at me with pity.

Wait. No. Don't do that.

"Well, anyway, take care!" he said, waving.

Then, as he turned away, I heard him mutter to himself—

"Silly me… he doesn't even know his own name. Of course, he wouldn't have a terminal."

He then smacked his own forehead, cursing his own stupidity.

I just watched silently from the side.

…People here were really something else.

Dodge Mode: Activated

Just as I was starting to relax, a strange feeling crawled up my spine.

A sense of danger.

Something was coming.

My body moved on instinct—

I dodged sideways.

And the next second—

I saw a hand frozen in mid-air.

I blinked.

The teacher, Professor Ryen, was standing there—his hand still stretched out where my shoulder used to be.

His eye twitched slightly.

He stared at his empty hand.

Then he looked at me.

Then back at his hand.

I stared at him.

…Oh.

He just wanted to tap my shoulder.

Awkward.

Really awkward.

Professor Ryen let out a long sigh, shaking his head.

"…Come with me for a sec," he finally said.

I stared back.

Then I looked at his hand again.

Then back at him.

Then I sighed too.

"Fine."