Athanasia: My Hacker System

"To John!"

"To our strongest student!"

"To our hero!" 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

The chants pulsed through the smoke-soaked air of the nightclub. Located just outside the strict boundaries of the Azure Academy, the club had been completely overtaken by the Year One class.

It was a sea of moving bodies—students talking and laughing, drinking and dancing—all gathered to celebrate a victory that had already been etched into the academy’s history.

This extravagant night out was Nikolas’ treat, a reward for their hard-earned triumph. Before they could reach this moment of relief, however, John and the other members of the winning team had been put through the wringer.

They had endured a gruelling series of meetings with academy boards, representatives from powerful noble families, emissaries from various forces, and even a private audience with the academy’s elusive headmaster.

John had been the eye of the storm. Everyone had flooded him, peppering him with questions that ranged from tactical inquiries to personal curiosities. People joked and laughed, desperately trying to build a rapport with the boy who had dismantled the Year Two seniors with such terrifying ease and might.

The attention on the rest of the team had spiked as well, particularly after Nikolas had strategically leaked a specific piece of information: that the three primary stars—John, Cissel, and Ricky—did not hail from any known major family or established backing.

It was a shocking and pleasant surprise to the scouts and sponsors. In a world where power was usually hereditary, three nobodies performing at such a high level were the ultimate investment.

When the offers started pouring in, Cissel remained as elusive as ever, stating she would take her time to think before picking a sponsor. Ricky, returning to his habits, demanded that only representatives from Paragon’s Guardian Families meet with him in private.

As for John, the star of the competition had too much on his mind to worry about political allegiances just yet. He had adopted Cissel’s strategy, politely collecting business cards from every representative who approached him, promising to review their offers and select the right path when the time was right.

The representatives knew they would be missing a golden opportunity if they didn’t secure these talents before they ascended to the higher grades. Since the students were being non-committal, they turned their sights on the mentor.

Nikolas became the most popular man in the room; various forces promised him astronomical benefits and kickbacks if he could persuade his students to sign with them.

"Hahaha! Enjoy yourselves, it’s all on me!" Nikolas’ laughter boomed over the music as he watched a fifth round of drinks get emptied. He signalled the waiter to bring another round immediately. "It’s all thanks to our strongest students, especially John! Hahaha!"

John wasn’t sure what had gotten into Nikolas, but he didn’t mind the change of scenery. Stepping outside the academy walls had given him his first real look at the city. It was a sprawling, bustling metropolis where traditional cars shared the roads with sleek flying vehicles—a living mixture of a sci-fi blockbuster and a modern capital.

While the atmosphere was electric, John’s teammates were handling the fame in their own ways. Cissel seemed indifferent to the celebration, sipping her drink and watching the crowd with her usual detached eyes.

Ricky, on the other hand, had fully reverted to his haughty, arrogant self. He was holding court in the centre of the room, acting as if he were the sole hero of the day.

John decided to let the arrogant youngster enjoy his delusions for the night. His own attention was fixed on someone else: Luke.

Since they had left the academy grounds, Luke had been a shadow of his former self—silent, gloomy, and radiating a heavy aura of shame. John had poked around, asking Nikolas if something specific had happened, and learned that Luke’s father had been in the crowd during the match. John didn’t need to hear more to link the dots.

Even though their class had won and the buzz was all about the freshmen’s power, Luke had been the objectively worst performer on the team. Even Elena, a normal student like him, had managed to snatch a gritty victory.

Only Luke had lost miserably, exiting the stage on a stretcher without landing a single blow. For a boy carrying the weight of a struggling family’s expectations, that failure was a crushing blow to his soul. And it all happened under the watchful gaze of his father!

John knew this was the right moment to make his move. He had been waiting for the perfect timing to use the item in his inventory. He watched patiently as Luke stood up, ignored the festivities, and moved to a distant, dimly lit table in the corner of the club.

John gave it a few minutes before following him. He pulled out a chair and sat across from his friend.

"Believe me, I’m the last person you want to sit next to on this amazing day," Luke said, his voice hollow. He didn’t even look up to meet John’s eye, his gaze fixed on the condensation dripping down his glass.

"Come on, it’s not that bad," John said, testing the waters to see just how deep Luke’s despair had sunk.

Luke didn’t offer a quick retort. Instead, he issued a long, deep sigh—a sound so heavy it seemed to vibrate the very table between them. It told John everything he needed to know; the boy wasn’t just disappointed; he was spiritually broken.

"I’m not in the mood to talk right now, John," Luke muttered, clenching his fists until his knuckles turned white. He was clearly summoning every ounce of his remaining willpower not to break down—not to cry or scream and ruin this perfect, celebratory night for his friend.

"Listen," John said, suddenly leaning forward. His voice dropped to a low, conspiratorial whisper that cut through the thumping bass of the club. "If you want to change your life for the better, follow me to that corner."