Shadow Being System

William stood at the towering gates of the academy, his fingers brushing against the cold metal bars. The familiar crest of the school gleamed in the sunlight, a silent reminder that the holiday was officially over. He felt a mix of emotions—a blend of exhaustion, dread, and a faint glimmer of anticipation. The holidays had flown by, leaving him wondering where all the time had gone.

He sighed deeply, gazing at the bustling students walking through the gates. Some were excited, chatting animatedly about their holiday adventures, while others, like him, dragged their feet as though walking into a prison. The weight of returning to the structured life of the academy pressed heavily on him.

William had spent the break well, or at least he tried to. He had met with Mr. Beth and managed to force some of the money he'd collected at school into his hands, despite the man's adamant refusals. It felt good to give back, even if only a little. Yet, the holiday never truly felt like one. Every spare moment had been consumed by Garin's grueling training sessions, which left him mentally and physically drained.

He had learned much during those sessions. The connection of the system to the Shadow Lord were revealed, shrouded in mystery and power. He also discovered just how formidable Garin was—a beast in combat, moving with a precision and ferocity that left William in awe. Yet, there was always that lingering melancholy in Garin's gaze, as if he were waiting for someone who might never return. His cryptic words and subtle sadness often made William question who Garin truly was and why he was assigned to protect him.

Then there was the question that haunted him most: Why were the heretics so determined to kill him? The only plausible answer lay with the system. Someone, somewhere, must know about it. The system didn't come from nowhere, and its origins remained an enigma. Or maybe, he thought with a wry chuckle, it had to do with his mysterious past. He didn't even know his own surname, let alone the identities of his real parents. Were they important figures whose enemies now sought revenge on him? He shook his head at the absurdity of the thought and took a step forward.

The academy was alive with activity. Students greeted one another with loud, excited voices. Some lugged heavy bags while others carried nothing but a few books. A group of younger students ran past him, laughing and yelling as they reunited with friends. The familiar scent of freshly mowed grass mingled with the faint metallic tang of the academy's reinforced gates.

As he made his way toward the dormitory, William caught snippets of conversations—tales of family trips, holiday mishaps, and last-minute panic over forgotten assignments. It all felt distant, like a world he couldn't quite belong to.

Finally, he reached his dorm. The room was exactly as he had left it, neat and devoid of life. Liam and Gavin hadn't arrived yet, giving him a rare moment of peace before the chaos of their arguments would inevitably erupt.

He placed his small luggage down, though most of his belongings were safely tucked away in the system's inventory. The silence of the room was comforting, allowing him to momentarily gather his thoughts. He sat on his bed, staring out the window at the academy grounds below.

For now, it was calm. But William knew that calm never lasted long in his life.

As William unpacked his bag and arranged a few things, the door creaked open. Gavin stepped in, his usual confident stride replaced by a noticeable limp. His disheveled hair and slightly pained expression caught William's attention.

"You look like you've been hit by a truck," William remarked dryly, glancing at Gavin's uneven steps.

"Close enough," Gavin muttered, dropping his bag onto his bed with a groan. He carefully sat down, rubbing his knee with a wince.

Moments later, the door burst open again, and Liam strolled in, humming a tune. His cheerful demeanor faltered when he noticed Gavin's limp. "Oi, Gavin, what happened to you?"

Gavin shot him a glare. "Got injured in a football match yesterday."

Liam blinked, then burst out laughing. "You? Football? That's like a broomstick trying to play rugby."

"Very funny, Liam," Gavin said, rolling his eyes. "I scored a goal, for your information."

"Oh, I believe you scored... probably in the wrong net!" Liam retorted, flopping onto his bed dramatically.

"At least I play sports, you lazy potato," Gavin shot back. "The most exercise you've done is lifting a fork."

Liam grinned, unfazed. "Better to lift a fork than end up limping like a baby giraffe."

Gavin scowled. "I'd like to see you try. With that clumsy build of yours, you'd trip over your own shoelaces before even touching the ball."
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"Excuse me!" Liam sat up, feigning offense. "This 'clumsy build' is all muscle, thank you very much."

"Muscle?" Gavin snorted. "More like jelly. If you ran onto the field, they'd mistake you for a bouncy castle."

William, who had been listening with a faint smirk, finally chimed in. "Honestly, I think you'd both be disasters. Gavin can't stay upright, and Liam would probably forget which side he's playing for."

The two turned to him simultaneously.

"Hey!" Gavin exclaimed.

"Whose side are you on, William?" Liam protested, throwing a pillow at him.

William dodged it with a grin. "Neither. Just enjoying the show."

Liam crossed his arms, pretending to be deeply insulted. "You know what, Gavin? Forget football. Let's settle this right here."

Gavin raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really? You want to fight me while I'm injured? That's a new low, even for you."

"Fight? No," Liam said, smirking. "I challenge you to... an arm-wrestling match."

Gavin groaned. "Great. I pull a muscle, and now you want me to sprain my arm. Fantastic."

William watched the two of them bicker, shaking his head with mild amusement. Finally, he decided to step in. "Alright, you two idiots, calm down before you break the dormitory furniture. I don't want to be dragged into explaining why our room looks like a war zone."

Both Gavin and Liam turned to him, identical grins spreading across their faces.

"Says the guy who literally blew up a whole room," Gavin shot back, crossing his arms.

Liam's eyes widened, and he smirked. "Oh, yeah! Remember that? I still can't figure out how you managed to blow up an entire room and had to jump out of a window to survive!"

William froze for a moment, his face flushing slightly. "That was... different. And it wasn't my fault," he muttered defensively, looking away.

"Sure, sure," Gavin teased, limping over to sit on his bed. "You're lucky we don't have a video of that moment. Would've gone viral for sure—'The Great Window Dive of William'!"

Liam burst out laughing, clutching his sides. "I'd pay to see that in slow motion!"

William sighed, shaking his head. "Remind me why I tolerate you two again?"

Gavin grinned. "Because you secretly love us."

Liam chimed in, still laughing. "And because we make life interesting for you."

William rolled his eyes but couldn't stop a small smile from tugging at his lips. He turned back to unpacking his things, muttering, "Idiots," under his breath as their laughter filled the room.