Game's Extra

The first rays of sunlight filtered through Aiden's dormitory window as he stirred awake. Rising with a groggy yawn, he prepared himself for another day at Zenith Academy. After a quick shower and dressing in his uniform, he made his way to the classroom. As he entered, he was greeted warmly by his old teammates, Felix, Olivia, and Tomas. Even Elena gave him a cheerful, "Good morning, Aiden."

"Good morning," Aiden replied with a small smile, nodding to each of them. As he headed to his seat, he noticed Ava glancing at him from the corner of her eye. When their gazes met, Ava quickly looked away, a faint blush creeping onto her face. Aiden raised an eyebrow, puzzled by her behavior.

"Does she want to take revenge again?" he muttered under his breath, sighing as he dismissed the thought.

The instructor soon entered, and the lecture began. Three hours passed in relative silence as the students took notes and focused on the lesson. The first subject concluded, followed by the arrival of a new instructor and the start of the second subject. Another three hours flew by as the students delved deeper into the day's topics.

When lunchtime finally arrived, Felix approached Aiden with a grin. "Hey, Aiden, want to join us for lunch?"

Olivia chimed in, "Yeah, come on, it'll be fun."

Tomas nodded in agreement.

"Sure, why not," Aiden said, rising from his seat.

Felix then turned to Elena. "How about you, Elena? Care to join us?"

"Of course," Elena replied with a soft smile, standing to follow them.

As they exited the classroom, Aiden couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. A quick glance confirmed Ava's eyes lingering on him as he left. He chose to ignore it, focusing on his friends instead.

On their way to the cafeteria, murmurs about a spatial gate opening filled the hallways. Aiden caught fragments of conversations: "...near the forest…" "...dangerous creatures…"

"Spatial gates?" Aiden thought, his curiosity piqued.

After grabbing their meals, the group found a table, with Aiden and Elena sitting beside each other. As they began eating, Felix leaned forward, eager to share something.

"So, have you guys heard about the spatial gate that was discovered near the forest?" Felix asked.

"Spatial gate?" Elena tilted her head.

"Yeah, it's not far from where we had our combat test. Apparently, that's why the Forest King ended up in the test area," Felix explained.

Aiden's eyes narrowed as he processed the information. "Oh, so that's why," he murmured, recalling the fierce battle.

Olivia added, "One of the instructors mentioned it earlier. They're probably investigating it now."

"Interesting," Aiden said, taking another bite of his food as he mulled over the implications.

Elena glanced at Aiden. "You're awfully quiet," she teased, leaning slightly toward him.

"Just thinking about the Forest King. It makes sense now why it was there," Aiden replied, shrugging.

Lunch concluded, and the group began heading back to the classroom. Elena walked beside Aiden, striking up casual conversation.

"You're quite the enigma, you know," Elena remarked, smiling softly.

Aiden blinked, confused. "Enigma?"

"You have this air about you, like you're hiding something," she said, her tone playful but probing.

"Not hiding anything. Just trying to survive the day," Aiden replied, brushing off her comment.

Elena chuckled. "If you say so."

Back in the classroom, Ava's glances toward Aiden persisted, though this time he didn't notice. The lectures resumed, and two hours passed before the instructor concluded the subject. Finally, the last instructor of the day arrived, marking the start of the final subject.

When the last lecture ended, Aiden sighed in relief. "Finally done," he muttered, gathering his things. Saying goodbye to his friends, he headed to the academy gym.

At the locker room, Aiden changed into his gym clothes and began his routine. Starting with cardio, he noticed Ava on a treadmill beside him. He ignored her and focused on his workout. After an hour, he switched to push-ups, only to see Ava mirroring him on a nearby mat.

"What is she doing?" Aiden thought, trying to brush it off.

Next came pull-ups, and once again, Ava was there, copying his movements. Annoyed, Aiden moved on to squats, but Ava followed suit. Finally fed up, Aiden walked over to her.

"What do you want?" he asked, his tone edged with frustration.

Ava fidgeted, avoiding his gaze. "I… I'm not following you," she said defensively.

Aiden raised an eyebrow. "Then why are you copying me?"

Ava's cheeks turned pink. "I just wanted to try your workout… because you're strong," she admitted shyly.

Aiden facepalmed. "Why didn't you just say that earlier?"

"I…" Ava trailed off, unable to respond.

She then added, "I also want to learn your fighting style."

Aiden thought for a moment before nodding. "Fine, I'll teach you, but be prepared for some tough exercises."

Ava's eyes lit up, and she nodded eagerly. "I'll do it."

Smirking, Aiden added, "But it won't be free."

"I'll pay you," Ava said without hesitation.

Inwardly, Aiden laughed. "Nice, a little extra cash," he thought.

"Alright, meet me here tomorrow," he said, heading to the locker room. After a quick shower and change, he returned to his dormitory and collapsed onto his bed, ready to rest.