God-Eater Ascension: Apocalypse Sequence

Alex had lost all patience for any further entanglement with Emma. Every additional word with her felt like a descent into depravity.

Since ordinary words couldn't make the zombie-like Emma realize his stance, he would use a "grenade launcher"—metaphorically speaking, of course—to blast through her slow-wittedness.

Now, she should clearly understand that Alex was no longer the submissive lapdog at her beck and call.

Watching Emma's ever-changing expression turn increasingly sour, Alex felt immense relief.

This time, his words had finally taken effect.

He strode towards the classroom.

Indeed, Emma didn't pursue him any further, walking slowly behind him.

Alex glanced back at her. She dared not meet his gaze, only staring at the tiled pathway in front of her, lost in her thoughts.

Alex happily entered the classroom, found his usual corner, sat down with a thud, and resumed his day of daydreaming.

However, he hadn't anticipated that Emma wouldn't just end things with him there.

Technically, his affair with Emma had already come to a close.

What was beginning now was a dispute between his acquaintances and Emma.

Events were unfolding beyond Alex's expectations.

Emma entered the classroom with a face as dark as a plum dipped in soy sauce.

Her girlfriends immediately surrounded her, inquiring about what had happened.

"Emma, what's wrong?"

"Yeah, you look upset. Didn't you sleep well last night?"

Emma, pretty and manipulative, had always been the core of their little circle.

Now that she was close to Zhou, whose uncle had awakened as a Sequence Ability Holder, she had become the queen bee among them.

Emma gritted her teeth, resentfully saying, "How could Alex know about me and Zhou?!"

Her girlfriends were stunned.

How could Alex, the dullard, have suddenly come to his senses?

Emma's eyes gleamed with hatred. "He couldn't have known about this! His attitude towards me suddenly changed by 180 degrees. Someone must have told him!"

"Could it be one of you, who envies me and secretly told Alex about this?"

Emma scanned her girlfriends, her gaze venomous.

But they all looked at each other, innocent expressions on their faces.

"Emma, you know I've never spoken a word to Alex."

"Emma, I'm ugly and can't compete with you. I rely on you for everything. Why would I undermine you?"

"Right, Emma. Are you thinking too much? We all support you. What's the benefit for us to tell Alex about this? We can't even finish our homework now. Haven't we suffered enough?"

Listening to their defenses, Emma nodded. She didn't think her girlfriends had any motive to inform Alex.

They were also beneficiaries of her taming Alex and had no reason to do something detrimental to themselves.

"Whoever it is, don't let me find out!"

Emma's girlfriends felt worried. "Forget about the traitor for now. Emma, how will you use the opportunity to compare answers and get close to Zhou now? We can't help with our homework skills, as you know."

"Yeah, and the breakfast for Zhou is gone too. Our family situations, as you know, can't afford to provide breakfast for him."

"Right, sometimes we can't even afford breakfast ourselves. We can't squeeze out an extra serving for you. Why don't you figure it out yourself?"

Before Emma could ask for help, her girlfriends quickly distanced themselves, telling her they couldn't provide practical assistance.

For their behavior of only wanting to reap benefits from Emma without contributing anything, Emma only sneered, not answering.

She had long stopped putting these girlfriends in her heart. After marrying Zhou, she would definitely sever ties with them all. Now, she only needed their advice and didn't want to tear faces.

Emma's sneer made her girlfriends feel guilty, daring not meet her gaze.

"Alright, I know your families are struggling. I'll think of something for breakfast."

"That's great! Emma, don't let a promising guy like Zhou slip away!"

Alex sat in the back row of the classroom, no longer concerned with Emma's affairs. He felt a sense of complete relaxation.

This ease, however, didn't last long.

Because he once again thought of Barry.

"That damned maggot," Alex muttered, suddenly remembering that he was supposed to go to the library to organize books.

Anyway, he had nothing else to study, so he headed to the library.

Alex arrived at the library.

"Ms. June, I'd like to continue working as a librarian, if that's alright?"

The librarian, a cherubic retired female teacher rehired by the school, managed the library out of sympathy for Alex's plight, hoping to improve his life to some extent.

Though called a library, it only contained three rows of bookshelves and a few small tables, merely set up to pass inspections by the education department. It lacked useful books, and few students visited.

In Alex's memories of both past and present lives, Ms. June was one of the few bright spots in his lonely school life.

"Of course, as long as you're willing to work, I'll keep the book-organizing job for you."

"Thank you, Ms. June!"

"You can get started now. Just tidy up a bit after lunch," Ms. June said with a smile.

Alex surveyed the library. With only a couple of students around and nothing much to organize, he nodded and decided to leave.

"Alright, I understand. I'll see you at lunch, Ms. June."

"Study hard and don't slack off. Maybe you can get into college," she encouraged.

"I will, thanks," Alex replied, determined.

After bidding farewell to Ms. June, Alex returned to the classroom, intending to zone out during class again.

However, upon hearing the lesson's content, he realized it was different from usual.

Today's class had a new twist—it focused on college application preparations.

Alex was in his senior year of high school and would take the college entrance exam in half a year. So, the teachers dedicated a day to discussing college applications.

Yet, none of Alex's classmates had any hope of attending a prestigious university. To him, such a lesson was still meaningless and a waste of time.

"Class, in half a year, you'll take the college entrance exam, followed by applying to colleges established by the United Government in our Safe Zone," the teacher explained.

"There aren't many colleges established by the United Government in our Safe Zone, only eight in total. The competition for the college entrance exam is fierce, like thousands of horses racing across a single log bridge."

Alex sat silently in the classroom, his mind wandering as the teacher continued with the lesson on college application preparations. The mention of the eight colleges set up by the United Government for ordinary individuals piqued his curiosity, but it was the subsequent discussion about sequence ability holders that truly captured his attention.

"Although most of you will likely not be able to attend these eight colleges and will instead begin your lives in various parts of the Safe Zone after graduating from high school, I still think it's necessary to tell you about these colleges," the teacher explained.

"Firstly, these eight colleges are for ordinary people like us. Sequence ability holders cannot apply to these colleges."

Upon hearing this, Alex felt a twinge of confusion. He hadn't known much about applying to college before and was surprised to learn that the colleges were only for ordinary people.

What about sequence ability holders? Must they go hunt Gods after graduating from high school?

What about his own future?

Determined to get answers to these questions, Alex raised his hand.

"Alex, what's your question?" the teacher asked.

"Teacher, what happens to sequence ability holders after they graduate from high school? Do they have to go hunt Gods?" Alex inquired.

The teacher glared at Alex with disdain. "I'm talking about college application preparations for you ordinary students. Why are you bringing up sequence ability holders who have nothing to do with this? Sit down!"

Undeterred, Alex continued, "But what if one of us awakens a sequence ability before the college entrance exam? Maybe one of us will be lucky!"

"What if? There's no what if!" the teacher responded impatiently.

No student from this school had ever awakened a sequence ability before. The teacher felt that explaining about sequence ability holders was even more of a waste of time than explaining about college applications.

The top student in the class might have a chance at taking the college entrance exam, but there was no way any of them could become sequence ability holders.

Some things were simply meant to be. Five years had passed, and not a single student or parent from the school had awakened a sequence ability. Why should things change now in his class?

However, the teacher's experience couldn't quell the students' aspirations. They still had hopes for the future and, being naive and prideful, were unwilling to give up easily. Alex's questions had sparked their curiosity too.

Just because it hadn't happened before didn't mean it couldn't happen to them!

They echoed Alex's sentiments, urging the teacher to tell them more about what happened to sequence ability holders after high school.

Seeing the students getting more and more excited and disrupting his lesson, the teacher relented.

"Alright, in addition to the eight colleges for ordinary people, the United Government has also established hundreds of universities for sequence ability holders. These universities are only open to students who awaken their sequence abilities before the college entrance exam, and they only get one chance to apply," the teacher explained reluctantly.

The classroom erupted into chaos once again.

"Hundreds? Did I hear that right?"

"Sequence ability holders have hundreds of universities to choose from, but we ordinary people only have eight?"

"That's so unfair!"

"Quiet! Quiet down, or I won't continue!" the teacher shouted to restore order.

Alex paid no heed to the teacher's warning and listened intently, feeling excited.

This was the first time he had heard about the educational system for sequence ability holders. He had thought that the only option for sequence ability holders after awakening was to hunt Gods outside the Safe Zone. He never knew they could continue their studies too!

It seemed that the world already had an educational system in place for sequence ability holders.

But why hadn't he seen any posts about sequence ability holders going to school on the Camp of God-Slayers forum?

Alex temporarily set aside his doubts and continued listening to the teacher.

"Sequence ability holders will also undergo an assessment similar to the college entrance exam organized by the Sequence Ability Holder Administration. This assessment evaluates their sequences and skills, and based on their performance, they can apply to the universities of their choice. If a university accepts them, they can continue their studies there," the teacher explained.

"That's all I can tell you. If you're curious, you can visit the 'Sequence Education' forum. There are many related posts there," the teacher concluded.

Alex nodded, understanding now.

So he had been looking in the wrong forum. No wonder he could only find posts about hunting Gods. He would have to check out this 'Sequence Education' forum next time he went to the internet café.

Oh no, he couldn't go to the internet café anymore.

The image of Barry's hateful face once again appeared in his mind.

Alex couldn't help but think about all the ways Barry could die. He was eager to make it happen.