Chapter 175: Time you should know

Sophie Reign didn't ask for permission when she walked. She demanded it. Head high, strides confident, posture sharp—she was a presence, the kind of person you didn't stop unless you had a damn good reason. The guards at the front took one look at her and stiffened. "Miss Reign?" One of them said, straightening his back. "We weren't informed—" "Because I didn't inform you," Sophie cut in smoothly. "I need access to the lower levels." The guard hesitated. "Ma'am, those areas are—" "—Restricted? I'm aware." She tilted her head. "Do you want to explain to my father why I wasn't allowed through?" That name carried weight. A heavy, undeniable weight. Minister of Defense. One of the highest-ranking officials in the Eastern Sector. The man who personally signed off on military deployments. The guard stiffened further, looking between her and the soldier beside him. "I..." His lips parted, then shut. He glanced at his partner as if silently asking, Do we really want to deal with that kind of fallout? The other man shook his head imperceptibly. "...Understood, Miss Reign." He stepped aside. No questions asked. No hesitation. Because Sophie Reign always got what she wanted. The moment they crossed the threshold, the air shifted. The scent of disinfectant and sterile walls filled Noah's lungs, mingling with the faint metallic tang of blood and decay. Soldiers lined the hallways, some sitting in waiting areas, others being wheeled into private rooms by medics in white uniforms. Noah kept his head low, hands buried in his sleeves. Sophie, on the other hand? She owned the space. Each step deliberate, her shoes clicking against the polished floor with the certainty of someone who had nothing to prove—but everything to command. A nurse passing by paused. "Ma'am, can I help—" Stay connected via My Virtual Library Empire "I need to see Captain Drayden," Sophie said without missing a beat. The nurse hesitated. "...He's currently preoccupied—" "He'll want to see me." Sophie smiled, but there was an edge behind it. The nurse faltered. "I-I'll inform him." As soon as she left, Noah whispered, "Captain Drayden?" "Relax." Sophie smirked. "It's just a distraction." Noah's brows furrowed. She caught his confusion and sighed. "If I walk in asking about dead soldiers, it raises suspicion. But if I walk in asking for Drayden? It buys us time." Noah blinked. He hadn't expected her to be this good at deception. And yet—she was navigating the situation seamlessly. They walked deeper into the facility, past security stations and restricted access doors. Sophie's confidence was their key. No one questioned her. No one stopped them. Because when you walked like you belonged, people assumed you did. And Sophie belonged everywhere. Finally, they reached a set of double doors, metal-plated. Behind them? The mortuary. Sophie exhaled, glancing at Noah. "This is your stop," she murmured, voice quieter now. Noah stared at the doors. At what was waiting for him on the other side. His stomach twisted. Because this wasn't just a place for bodies. This was where he was supposed to take something from them. Something they could never get back. And for the first time since they arrived—he hesitated. He made up his mind and entered. The doors sealed shut behind them with a faint hiss, cutting off the distant noise of the base inn's upper levels. A heavy coldness settled over them. The room was dimly lit, long fluorescent tubes buzzing faintly overhead, casting sterile white light over rows of steel storage drawers lining the walls. Each drawer bore a small identification tag. Some were empty. Some... weren't. Noah exhaled, trying to steady himself as he took a slow step forward. "Okay, before anything—don't freak out." He shot Sophie a look. "Just—trust me." Sophie's arms were crossed, her expression skeptical. "I'm already freaking out," she muttered. Noah ignored that. His boots echoed against the pristine tile floor as he walked forward, his gaze drifting over the rows of fallen soldiers. Bodies that had once held life. Now reduced to cold remains. Sophie, lingering near the entrance, kept a wary eye on the hallway behind them. On edge but unwilling to leave. "What exactly are you doing?" she asked, voice hushed but sharp. Noah didn't answer. Because he didn't know yet. Instead, he let his instincts—or maybe his system—guide him. One step. Then another. Until finally, he stopped in front of one drawer in particular. A fresh one. One that hadn't been there long. His fingers curled around the handle. A deep inhale. Then—he pulled. The drawer slid open with a soft metallic groan, revealing the body inside. The soldier looked... young. Maybe three or four years older than him. Lifeless, pale skin, clad in the standard-issue military uniform, the fabric still stained with dried blood. Sophie shifted behind him, her breath shallow. Noah reached forward, hesitating only briefly before resting a single finger against the soldier's leg. At first—nothing. Then— A system prompt flickered to life in his vision. [Entropy detected.] [Would you like to consume?] Noah clenched his jaw, staring down at the lifeless body beneath his fingers. This felt wrong. Disrespectful. If their positions were reversed, he'd hate the thought of someone poking around his corpse, treating him like some energy refill station. 'Shit... I'm really doing this, huh?' He sighed, his breath shaky. The soldier looked so young. Barely past his early twenties. Probably had a life waiting for him. Dreams. A future. And now? Gone. He had most likely fallen at the hands of the Harbingers, their alien oppressors who had been slaughtering people for years. A slow, creeping rage boiled inside Noah. They took everything. How many more had to die before this ended? His fingers tightened against the soldier's leg. If he had to do this—if he had to desecrate this body just to survive—then he would dedicate it to him. To all of them. A promise etched into his heart. 'I'll end this.' 'For you. For everyone.' Taking in a deep breath, he whispered, "Rest easy, man. I'll make sure none of this was in vain." Then—he made his choice. Noah exhaled sharply, his gaze locking onto the system prompt. [Entropy detected. Would you like to consume?] His fingers trembled slightly against the cold, lifeless skin of the fallen soldier. This was it. No turning back. He selected [Yes]. Immediately, an eerie black mist began to seep from the corpse, slithering into his fingertips like ink bleeding into water. It was cold. Too cold. A chilling sensation surged through his veins, spreading like wildfire. His bones ached, his skin burned, and yet—he felt something else too. Power. The body beneath him withered in real time. Skin shriveled. Muscles collapsed. The decay spread faster than anything natural, flesh turning to dust, bones hollowing out until they crumbled. Within seconds, the once-young soldier was reduced to almost nothing. Noah pulled back. His chest rose and fell in shallow breaths as he shoved the drawer shut, the metal rattling in the silence. And then, he just stood there. Staring. Processing. The system chimed again. [You have absorbed 150 Void Energy from the corpse.] [Your Void Energy: 150/950.] [More can be consumed to fill up the bar.] Noah clenched his jaw. No. He had done enough. At least for now. Instead, he opened his profile. --- [Name: Noah Eclipse] [Level: 20] [Class: Void Oracle] [Health Points: 20/600] [Void Energy: 150/950] [Experience: 8,500/10,000] [Talents:] Void Summoning [SSS RANK] Perfect Echo [Sealed] Self-Regeneration [B RANK] [Enhanced Skills:] Void Blink (Level 6) – Shorter cooldown, longer range (Cooldown: 4 seconds) Null Strike (Level 3) – (-100) Void Absorption (Level 3) – Can now absorb a wider array of energies including electricity. Entropy Touch (Level 3) – Stronger decay effect. [Attributes:] Strength: 57 Agility: 65 Vitality: 54 Intelligence: 73 Wisdom: 68 --- His HP had climbed from 10 to 20. That meant his self-regeneration had kicked back in. Noah exhaled, rolling his shoulders as warmth slowly crept back into his limbs. It wasn't perfect. But it was enough. Enough to push back the effects of Void Entropy Syndrome. All his body needed now was a jump-start. The rest... it could handle on its own. He sighed, then turned. Sophie was waiting. She had been keeping watch by the door, sharp eyes scanning for any movement. But the moment she caught sight of his expression, she stiffened. Noah walked up to her. And before she could say a word—he hugged her. Sophie blinked in surprise. Her arms hovered for a second before she slowly wrapped them around him, her confusion evident. "...What did you do?" she whispered against his shoulder. Noah pulled back, shaking his head. "Nothing," he muttered. Because she hadn't seen it. She didn't know. But she could tell something had changed. His countenance was different. His presence felt less fragile, less like someone standing at the edge of death. Noah straightened. "We have to go." Sophie didn't argue. But as she reached for his arm, her fingers barely brushed his wrist before she froze. He wasn't cold anymore. Not deathly cold, not like before. Her eyes snapped up to his. "You—" "Later," Noah cut her off. "We need to leave. Now." Sophie hesitated, eyes narrowing. She wanted to press for answers. But right now? They had to get out before anyone noticed they were even here. Gritting her teeth, she nodded. "Alright. Let's go." The Clexus lifted into the sky with a soft hum, the engines purring as Sophie guided it smoothly through the air. Below them, the military base and the inn's morgue shrank into the distance, blending into the rigid structure of the academy grounds. For the first few minutes, neither of them spoke. Sophie focused on flying. Noah sat quietly in the passenger seat, his mind still processing what he'd just done. His body was still adjusting—he could feel it. The void energy coursing through him, stabilizing him, but the weight of it all... It wasn't so easy to shake off. Then, Sophie exhaled sharply. "Noah," she started, gripping the controls a little tighter, "what the hell did we just do?" He didn't answer right away. "Was that—" she hesitated, her tone shifting. "Was that a crime?" Noah ran a hand through his hair, his expression unreadable. "Technically? Probably." Sophie cursed under her breath. "Oh, fantastic. Just great." Silence stretched between them before she spoke again, voice lower. "You know my dad's going to ask questions, right?" she said, glancing at him. "If anyone– if someone reports anything—I'll be the first person they pull in." She shook her head. "I need to know what to say when that happens, Noah. Right now, I'm completely in the dark." Noah stared out at the sky. The orange hues of the setting sun painted the horizon, streaking the clouds in fiery gold. Then, he turned back to her. "Can we take a detour?" Sophie blinked. "What?" "Instead of going back to my dorm," Noah said, "take me to your place..." She narrowed her eyes at him. "Uhm okay...Why?" Noah held her gaze. "Just trust me." Sophie clicked her tongue, clearly frustrated. But after a moment, she sighed and turned the Clexus toward the opposite direction. "Fine," she muttered. "But you owe me a damn good explanation when we get there." ____ A few minutes of flying and they were in the big city, already landed and at Sophie's door. The moment they stepped inside, Noah exhaled sharply and leaned against the wall. "Can I get a drink? Water, or something?" he asked, running a hand over his face. Sophie gave him a look—one that said she wasn't going to let this slide—but she still walked to the kitchen. A moment later, she returned, handing him a cold bottle of water. Noah twisted the cap off and took a long drink. Meanwhile, Sophie crossed her arms, eyes locked on him. "Alright, I'll bite. You were sick as hell just an hour ago. Like, I-thought-you-were-dying levels of sick. And now, somehow, you're just... fine." She tilted her head. "Without even seeing a healer." Noah remained quiet, setting the water bottle down on the table beside him. "And," Sophie continued, her tone sharper, "we just did one of the weirdest things I've done in my three years at the academy. So I'm going to ask again, Noah. What the hell is going on?" Before he could answer, his grip on the bottle slipped. It hit the ground with a thud. But Noah wasn't focused on it. Instead, he held out his hands, palms up, and stared at her. Sophie frowned. "What are you doing?" Noah's gaze was steady. "Not keeping you in the dark anymore." Then, he took a deep breath and thought. 'Equip Eclipse Blade,' The room dimmed. A swirling mass of dark purplish energy erupted around his hand, shadows twisting and condensing. In the span of a second, the energy solidified, leaving behind a short, obsidian-black blade in his grasp. Its edges shimmered with an eerie glow, as if reality itself rejected its presence. Sophie's breath hitched. She took a step back, eyes widening in shock. "What the—" Before she could finish, Noah did something again. 'Void Blink,' And just like that, he was gone. In an instant, he vanished from where he stood—no sound, no warning, just an abrupt flicker of space. A heartbeat later, he reappeared by the kitchen counter, the blade still in hand. He didn't speak. He just stood there. Silent. Waiting.