Seeker paced towards his classroom. Everyone passed by Seeker, not paying heed to this familiar figure. Seeker was a regular student who studied, laughed, played hooky at times. He made his attempts to pursue some of the hottest girls in school and, of course he got rejected.

The average of the average. That was Seeker Carlean.

“Zeek! You alright? What happened?” Lynd Peters ran towards Seeker. He was a tall, tanned young man with jet black hair. His head was a near-perfect circular shape, and adding to his innocent look, one would mistake him to be related to trolls. His tall and massive frame adding to his clumsy and slightly awkward movements made his worried dash a comical scene.

“I’m fine. Sheesh. Don’t do that in public! It’s really embarrassing!” Seeker laughed, but his heart warmed up, seeing this concerned giant.

“Well, you should have seen yourself! You looked like one of those demon-possessed people in the movies! Screaming so loud, and your eyes were almost popping out!” As Lynd approached, Seeker could see the tears in his eyes.

“I’m alright now.” Seeker comforted.

“You really had me worried there, Zeek. You were screaming some weird stuff the other day. We thought you really lost it!” Lynd walked at Seeker’s pace, slowly adjusting his long steps.

“Really? I couldn’t remember much of what I was shouting. I just remembered the pain.” Seeker gave a casual smile.

“Well, I couldn’t remember all of it. I was too busy holding you down and was screaming as well!” Lynd laughed.

“But from what I heard after you were sent to the hospital, you were screaming strange things.”

The pair walked onwards towards the room. Lynd continued to bombard Seeker with questions, and Seeker kept repeating the fact that he remembered nothing. As they entered, an applause was made. There, gathered in the room, were Seeker’s classmates.

“You’re alive!”

“Is the demon out?” Several joked.

Seeker gave a grateful laugh. He never thought he’d have fun moments like these once again.

The senior class that Seeker was assigned was not a high ranking class. Their school grouped students according to their academic performances and grades per year level. Though Seeker’s class wasn’t as dreadful as the “Regulars” ranked classes, the “Rising” rank was not as prestigious as the “Royal” rank.

Devoid of extreme talents and extreme dullness, life was carefree and comfortable in the Rising rank. Students of this class had no outlying students who were smart and so it was dull. Everyone accepted their grades and would always perform for the sake of passing. From school plays, performances, and studies, their culture was a very happy-go-lucky group.

“Congratulations on recovering, Zeek!” Meryl clapped as she paced towards Seeker. Meryl’s long braided hair swung as she walked towards him and gave Seeker a meaningful hug. After which she began to scan him trying to find any defects or surgical scars. Meryl was a bright girl with an innocent smile. She had a well-rounded face and white skin. She smiled as she looked with worried eyes to her dear friend.

“I’m fine, Meryl.” Seeker playfully patted her braided head.

“Fine? Some of us thought a demon possessed you! Some of the Christians in class even started shouting, ‘get out of him, demon!'” Meryl laughed as she replied.

“You started screaming and flailing and even shouted something about being on fire! Was a demon trying to drag you to hell?” Meryl grumpily argued.

Seeker laughed.

“No such incident! I promise you. Anyways I’m glad I’m back with you guys.” Seeker stared dearly at his two friends. Lynd and Meryl were his two best friends. Lynd was his awkward compatriot who would always be there no matter what. Meryl, his beloved little-older sister who would scold them of their stupidity but still join in, to either help them get out of trouble or occasionally give them more problems because of her sarcastic and often selfish desires.

The class was now bombarding Seeker with many questions. Seeker casually addressed all concerns from his classmates. As he talked with them, tears would unexpectedly gather in his eyes. Meryl stared at Lynd in the wonder of what was happening. Seeker later sat down at his seat as the bell rang. Meryl and Lynd sat next to Seeker. As the teacher went in, life in the Rising 3-B class began.

The class paid the usual noncommittal attitude it had. Seeker was, however, still lost in thoughts.

“I can’t believe that I would be here once more.” The emotions started surging, and Seeker’s eyes were tearing up once more. He confirmed his existence, his memory, and other unbelievable things last night. He isn’t dreaming. He isn’t dead. He is alive, back to his Junior Years at the West Phil-Pangea High.

The emotions that he felt were of both joy and relief. He could be with his friends, talk with his parents, and enjoy the fact that the remaining three-fourths of the Earth is habitable and not a heaping wasteland or a metal graveyard.

It felt like an impossible dream.

“Seek?” Meryl called out.

“Hmm?”

“You Ok? Are you crying?” Meryl noticed the teary-eyed Seeker.

“I’m ok, Meryl. It’s just that ever since the attack, my heads been throbbing a bit every now and then.”

“Oh my! You sure it’s alright to go to school? What if the attack happens again?”

Lynd gave an alarmed stare at Meryl and Seeker.

“Mr. Carlean!” The teacher suddenly barked.

Ms. Cipril called out. Alean Cipril was fiery hot, and the white woman who, despite her very alluring beauty, was still single. Her strict military upbringing, paired with the fact that her father took her wherever he was assigned, made Alean’s career a very diverse one.

Seeker knew far more than the rest and an instant hatred and loathing filled Seeker’s heart knowing what this Alean would soon do.

“It is not an excuse for you to idle around in my class even if you had a little headache episode. If you wish to fake another panic attack, do so in another class because if you do it again, I will throw you out!”

The class was silent. Even though Meryl and Lynd wanted to pound this General’s daughters with smart rebuttals, they knew not to awaken this beast.

Seeker merely stared at the teacher. His eyes could not hide the immense hatred he felt towards this wretched beast clothed in womanly splendor. Seeker, however, chose to give a wry smile and nodded to the teacher.

Alean went back to her lessons ignoring the expression that Seeker had.

Seeker gripped his fist in anger. It was then that he noticed it.

“So it already started? I’m now sure that it isn’t a dream. This Unlocking is real. My strength should be twice as strong now thanks to the Neuro-Transcellular phenomenon Charles discovered… or rather will soon discover.”

“Forget about her, Zeek!” Lynd whispered.

“Wanna go to my place later? Guess what? I booked an order for our favorite game, and I finally got it! The sequel to Piercing: Edge! Later we will be in the action-packed world of Piercing: Bullet! My game data from Edge is ready to go! I just can’t wait to play a New Game+ on Bullet! Depending on your completion rate of the previous game, you would get rewarded with several unlocked skills and even ammunition! This game, we already know what not to waste and what to prepare for. Not to mention, if we managed to complete several secret tasks from Piercing: Edge, we can meet secret characters who will help us with more stuff!”

“A new game plus, huh?” Seeker smiled.

“I guess this is what it is. This should make the game easier and possibly a hundred times harder.”

“What?” Lynd was lost in Seeker’s response.

“As you said, Lynd. We have more unlocked skills than our first game, and we have more ammunition, a lot of time for preparations, and even secret characters to discover. I’m excited too. Let’s play it.” Seeker’s smile grew bigger.

“The New Game+.”