"For a 14-year-old, you're quite mature, huh?" the clerk remarked, raising an eyebrow.
"I have to be, given my circumstances and life being what it is," I replied, signing the document with a steady hand.
"Well, here you go, the mountain is officially yours now," he said, smiling as he handed me the deed.
"Thank you."
Let's fast-forward a bit. My name is Nevazhno. I'm a reincarnated person who's been navigating this world for almost 14 years. Life hasn't been exactly easy, but it hasn't been overwhelmingly hard either. My grandpa was my last family member in this lifetime, but he passed away when I was 7, leaving me to fend for myself on the mountain. Thankfully, a friend of mine visits the mountain to play with me from time to time, which I greatly appreciate.
You might wonder why I spend my time playing with kids when I'm so isolated. In my past life, I walked a lonely path, and I know too well how solitude feels. So, I treasure these moments of companionship. Oh yeah, back to my grandpa. He lived for almost 420 years—a standard lifespan for a rank 5 individual like him. He had a son who, along with his wife, died in an accident, leaving a baby behind. My grandpa raised that baby, who turned out to be me.
Before he died, Grandpa told me that when I turned 12, I would go to school to learn various things and make friends. I failed miserably at the latter. Yeah, a loner is a loner. How do those MCs (main characters) in stories make friends so easily? Anyway, at school, I learned about potentials, ranks, and partnerships. They taught us about these things, almost turning me into a justice hypocrite. Thankfully, I didn't fall for it. I'm not naïve or stupid, so I filed it away in my mind for future reference.
That's all about me for now. Sit tight and enjoy the ride. I hope my story makes you happy.
"Vaz!!" I heard a familiar voice shout, cutting through the crowd. It was my friend Carl, waving his arms wildly and annoying the other kids.
"No need to shout, Carl. I could hear you from miles away."
"Hehe, I'm just excited, you see. Getting a partner will change our lives, make things easier for my family and me, and you too."
Carl is a bit more mature than most kids our age. Coming from a poor family, he's often looked down upon by the high or mid-class kids in this district. This has forced him to mature faster. He dreams of creating a comfortable life for his parents and sister, keeping them safe. We've had deep, emotional conversations about this. If you ever find a friend you can trust with your life, you've found gold in this dark world, or any world.
"Vaz, I heard from some kids that our destination will be the Dark Continent, and you know what that means?"
"Wait, wait! Virus TYPES!!"
"YESSS, dude, our potential partners are virus types!"
"Oh my gosh! This just makes it more exciting." I know, I know. Carl doesn't seem like the virus type, more like... a metal empire. Yeah, that's right, a metal empire because of his steel resolve and persistence, I guess? Anyway, we continued our excited chatter until our teacher gathered us. After some boring instructions, we approached the digital portal.
"Okay kids, this is a rare opportunity because we are in the viral continent. Virus types are enhanced here, so good luck finding your partners."
"Thank you, teacher!" we chorused, dispersing to explore and find resonance with our partners.
Some kids found their partners almost immediately. Totally not jealous! Yes, I am not jealous! (Sure.) Who doubted me?? Hmph, probably those crappy kids. (Hehe, safe.) Carl and I sat on a rock, munching on viral data fruits we found on some trees. Of course, we climbed to get them. As we rested, we saw the excited look on each other's faces. This could only mean one thing: resonance! Our partners were close! Without hesitation, we started searching.
Suddenly, a blob tackled Carl, knocking him over.
"WOOOW, who is this?" Carl exclaimed, holding the blob.
Before the blob could answer, I did, "Bommon! Dude, your partner is Bommon!"
"WOOOW! You look dangerous! And strong!"