Chapter 58 : Another encounter and a goddess

Chapter 58: Chapter 58 : Another encounter and a goddess The door creaked open with a soft hiss of the automated dorm system, and Alex, lounging casually on the bed with one leg dangling off, stiffened the moment he saw the person step in. Alex blinked."you.." The guy who entered blinked right back."you.." They keep staring at each other because both of them didn’t know each other at all. Alex blinked again. "Oh. Well, this is a surprise." The guy who entered blinked right back again. "So you’re my roommate?" The boy was a dwarf, but not what one expected when thinking of dwarves. He stood around 5’7", which was abnormally tall for a dwarf, with a robust build framed by lean muscle. His broad shoulders and solid arms hinted at strength, though he lacked the compact, stocky look common to his kin. His coppery bronze hair was tied in a warrior’s braid down his back, and his eyes gleamed with a fierce orange glint, like molten steel. A fine mechanized gauntlet covered his right forearm, and a glowing tattoo snaked along his exposed chest. He wasn’t short—not by dwarven standards. Hell, not even by human ones. He stood taller, though his broader frame gave away his ancestry. His arms were thick, not with fat but with well-forged muscle, like someone who could beat a warhammer into submission with his bare hands. His name flashed in Alex’s mind because he had seen him before. Draven Strom Everforge. The youngest prince of the Dwarven Kingdom of Titania. ’He’s taller than I expected for a dwarf. Must be the human blood from his mother’s side.’ Draven’s gaze swept the room, then landed on Alex. Silver hair. Sky-blue eyes. A face too symmetrical—it could only belong to a high noble in the human empire. "So, this is my roommate?" Draven muttered aloud, then huffed slightly. "Figures. Looks like a noble." Alex stood up from his bed, his smile calm and knowing. Draven narrowed his eyes at the sight of Alex’s smile, mumbling under his breath, "Looks like I’m stuck with this pretty boy..." Then he immediately changed tone, offering a hand and a smirk. "Nice to meet you. I suppose I don’t need to introduce myself." Alex’s mouth twitched. ’He definitely thinks I’m one of those arrogant noble bastards.’ "I know," Alex said smoothly. "You’re Draven Strom Everforge, youngest prince of Titania—the Dwarven Kingdom that leads the world in technology. And one of the strongest supporters of the alliance against the Abyss." Draven raised an eyebrow. "Well, damn. You did your homework." Alex smiled. "Name’s Alex Dragonheart." Draven tilted his head. "Well, that name sounds made-up." Alex gave him a stare. "No, it’s not. It’s my family name." Draven blinked. "Serious?" Alex blinked right back. "Seriously." Draven coughed. "Sorry about that." Alex started laughing. "Don’t worry, you’re not the first one to say that." Draven laughed too. Then, with a thoughtful look, he asked, "With that face and tone, you’ve gotta be a noble, right?" "Nope. Just your friendly neighborhood commoner." Draven blinked, surprised... then burst out laughing. "You’ve got a good and fun sense of humor. I like you already." "Thanks for the compliment." "You know," Draven said thoughtfully, "I appreciate that you don’t look down on dwarves. Most humans I’ve met act like they’re gods just because they’re taller than dwarven race and smoother-faced." Alex’s eyes glinted with sincerity. "I’d be a fool to look down on the race that’s kept half the world from falling into abyssal hell through sheer technological brilliance." "Well, you’re right there, pal." Alex looked at Draven. ’He really is different from most nobles. Friendly, no pretension. And more human than most humans I’ve met.’ Draven tossed his bag onto the second bed, cracking his neck as he began to unpack. "I’m settling in. Hope you don’t snore like a dying golem." Alex chuckled. "Nope. I sleep like a ninja." The two chatted casually, the awkward tension dissolving as easily as steam in a forge. Despite being from different worlds—Draven, a half-dwarf prince from a kingdom of technology, gears and reactors, and Alex, a transmigrator armed with game knowledge and sarcasm—they clicked almost instantly. Draven leaned back in his bed. "You know, I’m a bit better at combat than my siblings. They mostly rely on gadgets and automated suits. I prefer mixing a little elbow grease into the chaos." ’And he’s not arrogant either’, Alex thought. Unlike most nobles I’ve dealt with. Draven cocked his head. "So, how was the entrance exam for you?" Alex smirked. "Went better than I expected." Draven leaned forward. "Same here. Didn’t bother to check my final rank on the EVOband before the end, but I’m sure I’m somewhere in the top fifty." Alex replied playfully, "I’d expect nothing less from you, Your Highness." Draven waved dismissively. "No formalities, please. Just call me Draven." He grinned. "I like your personality. Wanna be friends?" Alex tilted his head mock-dramatically. "A prince? Offering friendship to a humble commoner like me? I must be dreaming." Alex hid a smirk.’ No way I’m saying no. Not to someone with that future.’ Because Alex knew the truth—Draven though, despite being royalty, was treated like dirt after his mother’s death. His father ignored him. His siblings mocked and torture him. He didn’t even have a seat of respect in the royal palace. And yet, in the future, he becomes one of the greatest technological innovators in the war against the Abyss. Alex gave an evil smirk internally. ’I absolutely can’t let this opportunity pass me by no matter what.’ "So," Draven asked, leaning on his desk. "I wonder who the apex of our batch will be. Rank 1 out of a million candidates... That guy’s gotta be stupidly powerful." Alex’s eyes twinkled. "Who do you think it’ll be?" Draven rubbed his chin. "Hmm... Maybe someone like that hero—what was his name again? Ethan Williams. If that guy’s really the chosen of the goddess, I’d bet high on him being at the top." Alex nodded thoughtfully. "Half-right." "Huh?" "Power and skills are important, sure," Alex said, his tone suddenly more serious. "But there’s something even more vital. A sharp mind." He pointed at Draven. "Someone like you should know that." Draven blinked. Alex continued, "If your mind’s sharper than your blade, you can take down even someone like Ethan. And he’s not quite there yet. Not ruthless enough. Not sharp enough." Draven stared at him. Okay... this guy’s kind of cool. But he broke out of his daze with a laugh. "Come on, man. Why are you talking like you’ve already beaten him and are going to be the apex?" At that, Alex laughed so hard he nearly fell off his chair. ’His face will be so much fun to watch the day after tomorrow.’ Draven looked even more confused.’ Why the hell is this weak-looking guy laughing so hard like I’m the fool?’ Alex wiped a tear from his eye. ’Looks like he didn’t pay much attention at the end of the exam... Or he would’ve realized I’m friends with Ethan.’ "Okay," Alex said, shifting gears. "You said you’re only a little good at combat—so how did you make it into the top 50?" Draven’s lips curled into a wide grin. "You really wanna know?" Alex nodded rapidly, like an excited child. Draven tapped his chest, revealing a shield-like tattoo. With a faint shimmer, he pressed it like a button. A silver liquid shimmered out, flowing like mercury over his entire body until he disappeared. Alex froze. The air was still. The bed was untouched. He couldn’t see a thing. If not for the faint sense of presence, he’d think he was alone. "Holy shit!" Alex looked mesmerized.’ I really want one of those cool tattoos. No matter what!’ His face lit up like a kid seeing platinum-tier sweets in a shop he couldn’t afford. The room echoed with his laughter as the invisible shimmer faded, revealing Draven grinning ear to ear. And just like that, a new bond was forged—between a transmigrated schemer with knowledge of the future and a half-dwarven prince destined to shape it. ------ While laughter echoed across Room 777 and the newfound bond between a silver-haired human and a half-dwarven prince was being forged in the warm light of midnight camaraderie... Elsewhere, under the serene moonlight of Zenith Academy’s campus, a soft breeze blew through the slightly opened window of another dorm room. Inside, Ethan Williams was sprawled across his bed—his breathing calm, his chest slowly rising and falling in rhythm. But in the depths of that rest... something stirred. The darkness behind his closed eyelids gave way to radiance. In his dream... Ethan was no longer in his room. He stood barefoot atop a shimmering lake of light, surrounded by a sky painted in endless gradients of gold, silver, and soft opal hues. Floating islands shaped like lotus petals drifted through the air, and crystalline birds flew soundlessly across a never-setting sun. The atmosphere shimmered with warmth, peace, and something divine. It was a place untouched by time or mortal presence—an otherworldly sanctum that defied logic and belonged only to divinity. Ethan’s brows twitched. His dream-self instinctively looked around. ’No way... This again?’ The air shifted. A divine energy kissed his skin like sunlight and moonlight woven together. Then— A voice echoed. Sweet. Serene. Ethereal. "Ethan..." The sound didn’t just echo around him. It resonated inside him—through every memory, every cell, and every heartbeat. He knew that voice. His expression hardened for a second. ’This voice... it’s hers again.’ And sure enough, the light before him condensed—weaving itself into the silhouette of a figure both beautiful and unreachable. The figure of a woman slowly emerged... tall and graceful. Her skin shimmered like woven starlight, and a long, flowing gown made of glowing fabric drifted behind her with each step, though her feet never touched the ground. Her hair fell in streams of soft white and gold, like celestial rivers that glowed with life. A gentle radiance surrounded her, making the boundaries of her form slightly blurred—especially her face, which remained hidden behind a veil of glowing mist. But even with her visage obscured, her presence alone was enough to humble gods. She stood still, a slight smile in her voice as she finally spoke again. "How have you been, Ethan?" Ethan let out a long, tired sigh — half annoyed, half resigned. ’Great... not again.’ It was her. The Goddess of Light.