The Third Return of the Necrotic Magic Swordsman

After his initial match, Evan felt a wave of disheartenment, but he quickly shook off the disappointment. Determined to improve, he dove into his next game, hoping to familiarize himself with the mechanics. However, within thirty seconds of facing his opponent, Evan's character was struck down with a single headshot.

The rapid defeat startled his friends, as such precision was a hallmark of experienced players.

Despite the blow, Evan refused to let the loss define him. He kept his faith in his ability to improve. By the end of the match, the score stood at <4-1>—a respectable outcome, considering it was his first time playing. He even managed to score a point by consecutively using his elemental skill three times, catching his opponent off guard and leading to their defeat.

Afterward, they played together, though Evan's character remained at a low level. He was mostly carried by his friends throughout the matches. By the time they finished playing, his character had reached level six.

The day had flown by, and it wasn't until Evan’s eyes landed on the wall clock that he realized it was already past five.

"Guys, it’s getting late; I need to head home or my aunt will be upset," Evan said as he logged out of the game and stood up.

"Right, we're late too. Let’s get going. We didn't even notice how time flew by," James remarked, as he and Rey logged out and stood up.

"I think you both were so engrossed in the game that you lost track of time. I was aware, though. James, did you finish the assignment Sir Peter gave us for tomorrow? I assumed you had, just like I did," Rey asked, recalling a school matter.

"Wait, darn it, I forgot! I only have a few hours left! Rey, please help me out; you're my friend, right?" James pleaded.

"Okay, okay, I'll help. But don’t you dare tell Sir I helped you copy, not after last time when you almost got me in trouble," Rey warned, as James nodded earnestly, like an employee eager to impress his boss.

"Evan, I hope we’ll meet again soon at school, just like you said. Don’t worry, the school is a much better place than you think," Rey assured, as they all left the gaming parlor and headed home.

As Evan retraced his steps, a sense of anxiety crept in. He couldn't remember the path he'd taken earlier. He considered calling Mrs. Rossy but hesitated, not wanting to tarnish his image after boasting about his excellent sense of direction.

Despite his efforts, every path seemed unfamiliar. However, he didn’t lose hope and kept searching.

After what felt like an eternity of wandering, Evan finally recognized a route. Passing numerous people on their way to or from work, he arrived at a park he instantly recognized and made his way to the bench where he had sat earlier.

Once there, he searched for the water tap from which he had drunk earlier in the day.

He retraced his steps from the morning, and with each familiar landmark, his spirits lifted as he neared home.

However, his fortune took a turn for the worse when he reached a convenience store and found himself unable to recall the way he had taken earlier.

Looking around but still unable to find his bearings, Evan felt his hope wane. It was already past seven, and he didn’t want to be any later. Just as he was about to call his aunt, the door of the store opened, and someone emerged from inside.

"Oh, Evan, what are you doing here?" a feminine voice asked, confirming it was a woman.

Evan turned and saw Mrs. Rossy standing before him.

"Oh, Mrs. Ro— I mean... Aunt! I was just about to call you... yes... if you need anything, I can get it for you from the store," he stammered, hastily trying to concoct a plan, but his urgency made the truth evident.

"No need, but thank you. I’m already here and bought everything I needed," Rossy said, showing him the plastic bag she was carrying.

"Sorry, let’s head home then," Evan said, knowing his lie wouldn’t hold.

"Alright, lead the way," Rossy said, gesturing for him to move.

"I think I can carry this so you can walk freely, Aunt. It must be heavy," Evan said, trying to change the subject.

"Thank you, that would be very helpful," she said, handing him the bag and waiting for him to lead the way.

"Let’s go," Evan said, choosing a random road to take, but Rossy stopped him.

"Where are you going, Evan? Our home isn’t in that direction," Rossy pointed out, realizing Evan was lost.

"Sorry, I forgot the way back and was about to call you," he admitted.

"Evan, you don’t need to hide it; anyone can get lost in a new city," she said, laughing lightly as she led him down a familiar street. "The solution is on your phone."

"I didn’t catch that last part," Evan said, confused.

"There’s an app preinstalled on your phone called ‘Location Map.’ It can guide you home easily," she explained, helping him find their home on the app and setting it as a destination. Evan was surprised and impressed when he saw how it worked.

His phone displayed both his current location and his home, and by following the map for a minute, he easily found his way back.

"Oh, it’s quite good," Evan remarked, surprised to discover such a useful application on his phone.

"It was because of my son; he was terrible with directions and always got lost on his way home," Rossy recalled, reminiscing about the times he had wandered. "But as he grew up, he became quite good at it," she added.

They entered the building and made their way into the apartment, where Jason was reading his newspaper.

"Ah, Rossy, you're back, and Evan, you too. Good, I was about to call you both home because I have something to tell you," Jason said, looking up from his newspaper and setting it aside.

"Yes, sir, please let me know if there's anything I can do for you," Evan said as he took a seat in front of him.

"The thing is... ah yes, I've already spoken with my friend and secured your admission to his school, and even acquired the necessary items for your studies. They should be at your apartment's front door. I mentioned you to him, and he sent the delivery straight to your apartment, even when I instructed him to send it to my house. That geezer," Jason said, shaking his head.

"Okay, sir, I will collect it from there, and thank you for everything you've done for me," Evan replied, his gratitude apparent.

The room fell silent until Rossy entered with plates brimming with food.

"Okay, enough drama, guys. Come and eat the food I’ve specially prepared for Evan," she announced, placing the dishes on the table. The meal included meat, soup, vegetable salad, and rice.

Everyone sat down to eat, and during the meal, Evan recounted his experiences, omitting only the unpleasant parts.

Jason and Rossy were pleased to hear that Evan had already made friends, especially since they were from his school. It would make his transition into his new life much smoother. They had been worried that Evan might end up spending a lot of time alone due to his reserved nature.

After the meal, Evan bid them goodnight and made his way upstairs to his apartment. Upon reaching his floor, he spotted a large box and hurried to his door. As he was about to enter, the door beside his opened, and the girl from earlier emerged, startling him. He had expected her to yell at him, like her friend had.

She noticed him and moved towards him, but Evan quickly retreated inside his apartment and slammed the door in her face.

She stood there, taken aback, as no one had ever treated her that way before.

"Ah, damn it, I swear you’ll suffer more than those guys," she muttered under her breath before slipping into her apartment.

Evan, panting with relief, thought, "Thank goodness I escaped. But what if she and he catch me next time?"

Pushing the thought aside, he opened the box. Inside, he found various school supplies, including his bag, uniforms, and stationery.

With everything set, he lay down on his bed, ready to embark on a new journey the following day.

A few minutes later, Evan was sound asleep, overwhelmed by the day's events. His expression shifted rapidly as he entered a dream. Suddenly, his face became emotionless.

Before him stood ten enigmatic entities, with the central figure stepping forward.

He gazed at its face, which was obscured by clouds.

"The time of arrival is near, R###n. Brace for the worst," it spoke, and with a single touch of its finger to Evan's forehead, he disintegrated into pieces.