Omniscient Extra's ViewPoint: Supreme Adaptation

An hour later.

They had discussed a great deal, and Vorden had gathered everything required to begin the first section.

Not much, though.

He received an online verification tag, an acceptance letter, and the digital key to his accommodation.

Additionally, he was given the date for the entrance celebration, scheduled for the following week.

Regarding accommodation, students were to stay at the centre during learning days—five days a week—before returning home for the weekend.

They would then resume on weekdays.

It was, without a doubt, the ideal system.

Another 200 students were set to join the academy that week with him, including the main character and the female lead.

After a round of greetings and laughter—though Vorden was not particularly invested—he finally departed the academy's vast premises.

Now on his way to the air-train station, he raised his watch, triggering a hovering tab to appear before him.

"I should check the nearest store that has the cage."

May had begun demanding release for the week, and Vorden needed a solution.

He had no intention of letting that menace loose on the streets only to clean up after her destruction.

A cage was necessary, especially as he might be absent for a day or two due to his night shift.

He found a store that sold cages with a 100% invisible chain restriction, capable of binding any creature, reinforced with a triple-layered security mechanism.

Suitable enough for a menace like her.

Yet, there was no certainty it would hold.

He would have to test it first.

The cage cost over 980 Biel—a sum he wasn't willing to squander without certainty.

"If it catches my interest, I might purchase it."

The word "purchase" sent an involuntary shiver through him.

Having once been poorer than a church rat, he had learned the hard way not to squander money—even now, when he could afford to.

He decided to visit the store in person before committing to the purchase.

Vorden booked a train to Runcorn Store.

Upon arrival, he was met with a chaotic scene.

Customers crowded the entrance, scanning displays for deals while flying bots zipped around, answering queries and processing orders.

A bot approached him.

"What do you need?"

He displayed the item's image.

And the bot instantly led him inside.

The store was vast, nearly overwhelming.

Aisles stretched endlessly, stocked with an impossible variety of goods.

It was the kind of place where, if something existed, you could buy it.

Near the entrance, a small dog sprinted through the aisles, weaving between shoppers.

For a moment, Vorden assumed it was for sale.

A drone descended, flashing red.

A mechanical arm extended, locking onto the dog's collar with a firm grip.

The drone carried it towards the exit, where a store worker intercepted it.

"No live animals permitted beyond this point," a robotic voice warned.

'So, they don't sell animals.'

That was confirmed.

The bot guided him to a section where a small crowd had gathered.

A reinforced cage rested on a raised platform, displayed like a premium product.

Vorden immediately understood the issue.

This was the last one in stock.

Demand was high, and only a handful of buyers remained. That meant an auction.

He hated auctions. They forced people to overpay for essentials.

The first bid came fast.

"1,100 Biel!" A young man with dyed blue hair raised his hand.

Vorden's eye twitched.

That was already over retail price.

"1,700!" Another voice followed.

'Ridiculous!'

"2,100!"

The next bidder didn't even hesitate.

Vorden clenched his fist.

Then, a final call.

"3,000!"

The room went silent.

The others turned, shocked.

Vorden blinked twice.

Had that voice… been his?

A mechanical chime confirmed the sale.

The others dispersed, muttering.

Obviously crestfallen.

When he reached the counter, he spoke carefully.

"This was an auction, but the base price was far lower. Surely, there's some margin to work with?"

The attendant, a humanoid AI, processed his words for a while.

After a moment, its screen flickered.

"A store loyalty discount of 20% is applicable. Total: 2,400 Biel."

"...Fine with me."

Not as much as he wanted, but better than nothing.

He paid immediately.

The cage compressed to the size of his fist, though at full scale, it was large enough to contain a half-grown dragon.

With the purchase complete, he needed an air cab as he got outside.

Air trains only reached commercial hubs and main transport lines.

Residential zones had strict flight regulations, banning heavy transport from entering their airspace.

He hailed a cab and boarded.

The driver wore a streamlined uniform—a dark, fitted suit with integrated HUD glasses.

A digital metre flickered on his sleeve, tracking distance and fare in real time.

No words were exchanged during the ride.

He was dropped off in front of a massive structure—his inherited home.

It stood tall, a fusion of reinforced metal and sleek black panelling.

Few houses of similar size existed in the area, each belonging to different owners, separated by long stretches of private land.

Vorden exhaled before stepping inside.

Piece by piece, the missing details of this character were falling into place.

Yet, one mystery remained—his reasons for past actions.

That was something Vorden still had to uncover.

...

Once everything was settled, Vorden summoned May.

She appeared in a flash of ethasiums [1], ready to cause trouble, energy crackling around her.

Vorden didn't give her the chance.

"Let's establish some strict rules," he said.

"First, I bought a prison cell for you."

He gestured towards the cage now positioned in the centre of the vast living room.

The space was sleek and futuristic.

Holo-displays lined the metallic walls, shifting between scenic landscapes and security feeds.

The ceiling projected a soft artificial sky, mimicking natural light.

The most striking feature, though, was the floor—it appeared to be built over water.

Beneath his feet, blue liquid shimmered and moved, rippling with every step.

It felt almost real, but he knew it was a high-end virtual effect.

He sat back on the couch, watching May's reaction.

At first, she scoffed.

"A cage? Really?" In a flat tone, she said.

Then she looked closer.

Her expression faltered.

The cage wasn't just reinforced—it was designed for containment.

Heavy restraints, high-density shielding, even automated locks.

No easy way out.

A nervous chuckle slipped from her lips, but her body had already stiffened.

"Yes," Vorden said, enjoying the moment. "Be scared."

May opened her mouth to argue, but nothing came out.

"These are my rules," he continued. "Number one—I'll be gone for a day or two. You stay inside this house. Do whatever you want, but no destruction. If you break something, you're spending a month in that cage."

May's eyes widened.

"A month?!"

"Yes," Vorden confirmed, unmoved.

She twitched.

"That's insane!"

"Would you prefer two months?"

She shut up instantly.

Vorden continued.

"Second rule—if you want food, get it from the kitchen. Eat only cooked meat. No Rubus."

May flinched.

Rubus was a chocolate-like treat that sent her into overdrive.

Not just hyperactive—completely unhinged.

According to the memories Vorden had inherited, every time she ate it, something got destroyed.

Walls.

Furniture.

Entire rooms.

It wasn't just a sugar rush; it was a full-scale disaster.

She swallowed hard, visibly shaken.

Vorden smirked. "If you break this rules, I will know. And that means jail—for two months."

Her shoulders slumped.

"Final rule—on Watch Channel, no PG-13 movies. Only content for kids under five."

That broke her.

"NO!" Her red hair flared up, eyes burning with red flames. "That's too much!"

Vorden shrugged. "Want the cage?"

The fire in her eyes vanished.

With a miserable sigh, she muttered, "I don't want jail, certainly."

"Good."

That was settled.

With visible reluctance, May dragged herself towards the kitchen, clearly defeated.

As she walked, a cleaning bot skidded across the floor, its screen displaying a cheerful emoji.

It accidentally bumped into her leg.

She glared down at it.

The bot's screen shifted —first a nervous face, then a flashing warning sign.

"Please refrain from—"

Crunch.

She stomped on it. The bot shattered.

A second later, another cleaning bot rolled out. Its screen showed a forced, awkward smile as it swept up the mess.

"Sorry," it said flatly.

Vorden nearly burst out laughing.

***

The next day, Vorden prepared to leave for his night shift.

Maybe the second… or was it the third?

He wasn't entirely sure how many the character had done before this.

But for him, in experience, this was only his second.

As expected, May wasn't tagging along.

She had sulked about it but hadn't argued.

Vorden arrived at Bak-M, the designated transport hub for night shift deployments.

The facility resembled a massive baseball stadium, its wide overhead opening allowing aerial crafts to move in and out seamlessly.

The place was flooded with reporters, all scrambling to capture a glimpse of the Seekers.

Their holo-lenses—sleek, floating camera orbs—hovered around them, transmitting live footage to networks across the city.

Seekers were treated like celebrities.

For the ordinary masses, those not chosen by Glory, they were icons—figures to admire, to obsess over.

More Important than the Imperial Knights.

Nevertheless, many children and ordinary citizens would far rather become Knights than Seekers.

Most would make that choice without hesitation.

Some Seekers had leaned into this status, choosing to become influencers rather than warriors.

They basked in attention, but in battle, they were no different from the average civilian.

Vorden ignored the spectacle and stepped up to the checkpoint.

A scanning bot hovered in front of him, its mechanical eye sweeping over his body.

A second later, it beeped in confirmation and assigned him a temporary online tag.

"Clearance granted."

He stepped through the checkpoint and into the deployment zone, where thirty-seven other Seekers stood, waiting.

In front of them, multiple rapture portals shimmered, each leading to a different site.

One by one, Seekers began stepping in.

Some went in teams, others solo.

Vorden chose to join a team. He had a reason.

As he entered the portal alongside three others, a bright white light engulfed them.

His vision adjusted, and the now-familiar voice echoed in his mind.

...

[Another Night Shift begins.]

...

This time, however, something new appeared—details that hadn't shown up during his first shift.

...

Location: [Trapped Building]

Rank: [Mid-tier]

...

"Uhhn?" Vorden frowned.

This was different.

____

[1] A concentrated energy form used for instant materialisation or teleportation. It appears briefly upon summoning, dissipating within seconds.

Adaptation: MuteStar developed this word.