Years ago, humans discovered something that changed their world, Energy Stones—something that transformed their world.
Those mysterious stones were first discovered by researchers and adventurers in the depths of remote forests and in untouched layers of earth. No one knew the true origin of these stones. What was certain was that within each stone lay extraordinarily powerful pure energy. The Energy Stones came in various sizes, small and large—the larger the Energy Stone, the more energy it contained.
The energy from Energy Stones could not only power everyday equipment like televisions, lights, and various electronic devices, but could also be used to create weapons with destructive power never seen before. Due to their terrifying potential, governments across all cities agreed to strictly guard Energy Stone mining locations with layered security and advanced security systems.
In the year 2216,
In City Z, at the Aldridge family home,
In a room on the second floor of that house, an 18-year-old young man named Nova Aldridge woke up from his sleep. His still drowsy eyes glanced at the wall clock.
"Ah, seems like I woke up earlier than usual, huh?" he mumbled.
With movements still slightly unsteady, Nova got up from his soft bed and prepared to take a shower. There were two bathrooms in the house—one upstairs on the left side of the staircase, with the bedroom on the right side of the staircase, and another bathroom downstairs.
After finishing his shower and putting on his school uniform—a white long-sleeved shirt and black pants—he finally came down from upstairs.
"Ah, you're already awake! Mom was just about to wake you up!"
A gentle voice greeted Nova as his feet touched the lower floor. The voice came from Hanah Aldridge, his mother—a woman with long black hair and dark blue eyes.
Hanah was standing near the dining table while arranging breakfast. Her clothes were simple, like typical mothers.
"Yeah, somehow I woke up earlier than usual today," Nova replied.
"Isn't that good?"
"Yeah... Maybe."
"Alright, come have breakfast quickly. Mom has prepared food on the table."
Nova nodded and walked toward the dining table.
After finishing his breakfast heartily, Nova got up from his chair and began preparing to leave for school. He took his black school shoes and put them on.
Nova then walked toward the main door of the house. The black glass door with automatic sensors would open automatically when detecting only the presence of its residents. However, before stepping out, Nova felt something strange about his mother's expression.
"What's wrong, Mom? Why does your face look worried like that?" Nova asked while turning to face his mother who was standing not far behind him.
"Somehow Mom has a bad feeling today. Maybe it's just Mom's feeling, but... please be careful on your way."
"Hmm, don't think too much about things like that."
"Alright, I'm leaving now, Mom."
"Yes, be careful on the road."
After giving a final smile to his mother, Nova stepped out of the house through the automatically opening glass door.
Once outside the house, Nova searched for something in his black school bag. From inside the bag, he took out a small, round object that was black and reddish in color.
Without hesitation, Nova threw the object onto the ground. As soon as it touched the road surface, within seconds, the object transformed into a black and reddish skateboard with four white wheels.
The skateboard was one of the latest innovations that used energy from Energy Stones as its power source. Unlike conventional skateboards, this device was equipped with two operating modes that could be adjusted according to the user's needs.
The first mode was manual mode, where the skateboard functioned like a regular skateboard that had to be pushed with the foot. The second mode was automatic mode, where the skateboard could move by itself at speeds that could be adjusted according to the rider's wishes, similar to a motorcycle but with a more futuristic and environmentally friendly design.
The energy stored in the skateboard's battery could last a full day and could be recharged using a special charger not much different from a smartphone charger. This product was already widely marketed in various technology stores and had become a favorite transportation tool for teenagers.
Nova got on his skateboard and set it to automatic mode, beginning to glide through the streets of City Z.
The distance between Nova's house and his school was not too far. If traveled on foot, the journey would take about 12 to 15 minutes through streets already equipped with special sidewalks for pedestrians. However, using the Energy Stone-powered skateboard, travel time could be cut to just 4 to 5 minutes.
After gliding for several minutes at moderate speed, Nova could finally see his school building in the distance. SMMA was his school.
The school was surrounded by high walls equipped with security systems and had several main gates for access.
Nova slowed down his skateboard and entered the school area through the special gate for students. The automatic sensor at the gate immediately recognized his identity through a chip embedded in his student ID card that he always carried.
After being inside the school complex, Nova stopped his skateboard right in front of the main building. By pressing a special button on the skateboard, the sophisticated device transformed back into a round black object like before. Nova put the object into his school bag.
Nova then climbed the stairs to the 3rd floor where his classroom was located. SMMA school had a class division system based on age, and Nova, who was already 18 years old, was placed in class 12-A.
"Ah? It seems like the 12th grade students are downstairs, huh? Since the teacher hasn't arrived yet, they're walking around there or relaxing on the lower floor. On the lower floor—the 1st floor, there's a lot they can do there. It seems like the teacher will be a little late," Nova mumbled while observing his surroundings.
When Nova opened his classroom door and stepped in, he found the room completely empty. There was only himself among the rows of neatly arranged desks and chairs.
"Ah, never mind. That's not my business," Nova said in an indifferent tone while shrugging his shoulders.
Nova was indeed a typical introverted student. He had no friends at school and tended to be a loner. His habit was to go straight home once class hours ended without lingering to socialize with his classmates. Not because he wasn't friendly, but Nova simply wasn't interested in actively seeking friends or getting involved in crowded social activities.
Nova walked casually to his seat at the very back of the class, right next to the window.
After sitting in his chair, Nova placed his bag beside the desk and then rested his head on the cold surface of the table. He felt bored waiting for the teacher to arrive and for the other students to return to class. The peaceful morning atmosphere and cool air made his eyes begin to feel heavy.
Without realizing it, Nova began to doze off and fell asleep on his desk. What Nova didn't know was that something strange was happening.
Under the desk where Nova was sleeping, a light appeared. The light seemed like it wanted to consume him, and at that moment Nova suddenly disappeared from the classroom along with his school bag.
Meanwhile, outside the classroom, the sound of footsteps could be heard, indicating that other students were beginning to arrive.