After an hour of the team meeting, we found ourselves standing on a private underground platform.
We had followed Professor Phoenix to this place.
It wasn't an ordinary train platform.
"Amazing…" I muttered in awe.
It looked more like a miniature space station. The polished walls gleamed under bright white lights, and the floor was made of a strange material that seemed to absorb sound, giving the place an almost reverent silence despite the presence of twenty-six energetic teenagers.
But what truly caught my attention… was the train itself.
It wasn't a train in the traditional sense.
It was a beast of polished black metal and dark glass, resting on a single magnetic track that hummed faintly with energy. It had no wheels—only hovered a few centimeters above the rail.
Its design was sleek and sharp, like the blade of a giant knife. There were no windows, just a continuous black shell that gave it a mysterious, imposing presence.
An armored maglev train, I thought with genuine admiration. The technology in this world never ceases to amaze me. They're transporting students to a survival test… in something equivalent to a private military aircraft running on rails.
Each first-year class had its own train.
On the adjacent platforms, I could see students from Class Beta and Zeta boarding similar trains—though slightly less luxurious. There was competition even in transportation.
The academy loved reminding us that we were the "vanguard."
"The golden generation."
I like that…
Class Alpha stood in small groups, the tension from the meeting room having followed us here.
Alpha-1 stood together confidently, laughing and chatting as if they were heading on a school trip.
Our team—Alpha-2—was… well, scattered.
Isabella stood alone, staring at the train with a complicated expression.
Toro and Kai were in a corner, whispering to each other. Wait… are they actually friends now?!
Luna was examining the train's structure with curiosity.
"Board," came Professor Phoenix's cold voice, cutting through the platform's murmur.
She stood before the open train door, hands behind her back.
"The train will depart in five minutes. Store your luggage and take your seats. Final instructions will be given upon arrival."
The students began boarding.
As I walked toward the door, I felt a gaze from the side.
"Hmm…" I turned toward it.
Chloe Johnson.
"Excited, Lester?" she asked, smiling in a way that felt… off. "I heard the island is full of things that might explode."
"So excited I can barely contain myself," I replied dryly.
She laughed. "Good. I like that side of you… see you inside."
Then she boarded, leaving behind a faint trace of ozone in the air.
This girl… what the hell does she want?
I thought about it for a moment—then found the answer in less than three seconds.
Honestly, it wasn't even worth thinking about.
It wouldn't be strange to assume she was the one who wanted to fight me the most.
I stepped inside the train—and my mouth fell open in surprise.
If the exterior looked like a war machine, the interior resembled a five-star hotel suite.
The carriage was spacious and brightly lit. The seats were made of white leather—wide, comfortable, and facing massive panoramic windows that were opaque from the outside but perfectly clear from within.
There were small tables, charging ports, and even a beverage machine at the end of the carriage.
I'm starting to get addicted to this treatment… Excitement bubbled in my veins for a moment.
I looked around until I found an empty seat by the window at the back and sat down.
No one wanted to sit next to me—which was perfect.
The train began to fill.
I saw Leo and Serena sitting together at the front, studying a holographic map projected onto their table.
Ethan and Chloe sat together, challenging each other to arm wrestling—sparks of electricity flying between them.
Toro sat alone, pulling out a black notebook and writing in it with intense focus.
That was my environment.
As for me, I pulled out my Cardinal device and began browsing through my files—just passing time.
"Tchik—fsssh!"
The train doors sealed shut with a muted hiss, a sound that spoke of efficiency and complete isolation from the outside world.
For a moment, silence filled the carriage—broken only by the faint hum of the magnetic engine beneath us.
Then, the metal beast began to move.
There was no vibration. No noise.
None of the rattling I was used to in my previous life.
Only the sensation of smooth, rapid motion forward—as if we were slipping into another dimension, or as if the world itself was peeling away around us.
The train glided silently through the dark tunnel. The station lights vanished behind us in seconds, leaving only the soft interior glow filling the luxurious carriage.
The speed was astonishing.
Through the window, I saw nothing but streaks of light flashing past at incredible speed, giving the impression that we were traveling near the speed of light.
Silence. Speed. Comfort.
Everything stood in stark contrast to the tension twisting in my stomach.
This calm was artificial.
This luxury was a façade.
Like the silence before an execution.
I leaned my head against the cold glass of the panoramic window. Outside was absolute darkness—being deep underground—reflecting only a faint image of my face… or rather, Adam Lester's face.
A strange face that still felt like a mask I was wearing.
I glanced around the carriage again.
Everyone was dealing with this "calm" in their own way.
Leo and Serena were talking—I had no idea about what.
Ethan and Chloe, on the other hand, were still in their own world. They had moved from arm wrestling to a violent fighting video game. Digital explosions and excited laughter filled their corner of the carriage.
They were coping with stress by diving into virtual chaos.
What a bunch of kids…
Toro Kaneki had closed his notebook and was now staring into space, a faint smile on his face.
I couldn't tell whether he was planning his next move—or simply enjoying the ride.
He was hard to read.
As for me… I didn't have the luxury of planning or playing.
All I had was prior knowledge—and even that was now unreliable.
In the novel, the island arc had been just a competition… there was no real disaster.
I rubbed my chin thoughtfully.
Even the Gate Test—which was supposed to be normal… I ended up inside an A-class horror scenario.
Fatigue washed over me—not physical, but mental. The exhaustion of constant thinking, of fear, of carrying the weight of the future on my shoulders.
How the hell do protagonists in stories like this keep enjoying themselves… despite knowing the future and the risks of events changing?
Do they have some kind of cheat helping them…?
"Tsk…" I clicked my tongue.
This is the sin of being weak.
No point in this, I thought. Worrying won't change anything. I'll need every ounce of mental energy when we get there.
I closed my eyes and leaned fully against the window, trying to ignore everything.
Trying to force my mind to stop.
Trying to listen only to the faint hum of the magnetic engine—as white noise.
Trying to relax in this luxurious leather seat.
Trying… to sleep.
Even for just one hour.
Just a few moments of rest would be enough.
An hour after departure…
I opened my eyes.
I hadn't really slept.
It was a failed attempt to escape my thoughts. My mind was still on high alert—like a soldier in a trench waiting for the next attack.
For the past hour, I had been drifting in a half-conscious state, listening to the engine's hum and analyzing every possible scenario in my head.
The train was still racing through the dark tunnels. The only light came from the soft interior glow, giving everything a surreal calm.
I looked around.
The atmosphere inside the carriage was a strange mix of tension and relaxation.
Everyone was handling the journey in their own way.
Alpha-1…
Serena was reading a book, lost in her own world.
Leo sat beside her, simply staring at the dark window.
Nearby, Ethan and Chloe were still together.
Isabella—our hesitant leader—was scrolling through apps on her phone.
Toro wasn't there—probably went to the restroom.
Luna Ferris was staring out into the rushing darkness, her face reflecting the void outside.
She looked calm—but I could tell she wasn't comfortable in this metal cage.
I sensed movement in front of me and lifted my head.
"Hmm…"
A girl with short brown hair and honey-colored eyes—Maya Horthon—stood in the aisle, looking at me hesitantly.
Her hands were clasped together, her expression uneasy.
Oh no… I thought. I don't have time for this.
After a few seconds of hesitation, she sat in the seat across from me.
At first, she said nothing. Just sat there, avoiding eye contact.
"Do you feel it too?" she finally asked in a soft voice.
"Feel what?" I replied, turning my gaze back to the dark window.
She seemed surprised.
"The air… it's heavy," she said without hesitation.
Heavy?
Was she sensing something with her ability—or just trying to start a conversation?
"The air is always heavy," I answered vaguely, giving her nothing to latch onto.
She looked at me, raising an eyebrow slightly, then said more hesitantly, "Are… are you still mad at me? For what I said about you?"
Ah… so that's it.
Now I understood.
This wasn't about the "air."
This was the real reason she came.
So guilt finally caught up with her.
"…"
I didn't answer.
I remained silent, staring at my faint reflection in the black glass.
That day, after we survived the carnival, she had been among the first to look at me with suspicion.
Whatever she had said had helped spread the rumors about me.
I wanted to ask her—but my pride stopped me.
She saw my silence and took it as confirmation.
She lowered her head slightly, and I could almost feel the faint wave of guilt coming from her.
[He risked his life to save me… faced the Carnival Master… got us out… and after all that, what did we say about him?]
After nights of thinking, maybe she realized she hadn't been wrong to doubt—but wrong to judge so quickly.
Maybe she felt responsible for those rumors.
"Forget it…" I said at last, my eyes still fixed on the window. My voice was neutral, devoid of emotion.
I wasn't really angry at her.
How could I blame them?
I had acted like a madman.
I had done things that couldn't be explained.
Their suspicion was the only logical reaction.
But I didn't want to give her the comfort of hearing that.
I didn't want to open that door.
Forgiving others—even when you understand them—isn't easy.
Silence was easier.
It would keep them at a distance.
Maya opened her mouth to say something—maybe to apologize, or explain—
But before she could, the carriage was flooded with bright light.
"Fwoooosh!"
The train burst out of the dark tunnel into daylight.
But what lay outside wasn't a city… nor green fields.
It was a massive, fortified military port.
I saw enormous gray warships docked in silence, giant cranes, and heavily armed soldiers moving in disciplined formations along the piers.
At the largest dock stood a colossal transport ship—larger than any I had ever seen—painted in matte black, bearing the emblem of the Vanguard Academy.
"Ding-dong!"
A calm announcement echoed through the carriage.
[First destination: Titan Port. All students, prepare to disembark in five minutes.]
Maya stared outside in shock, then turned back to me—
But I was already on my feet.
The conversation was already over.