Fragments of the Past (Part-1)

Wang Rongtian slouched at his desk in the bustling classroom, his gaze fixed on the glowing rings adorning the backs of his classmates. His own system window, glitching slightly, flashed an annoying reminder of the dreaded "error" status. Unlike his classmates, he bore no glow, no signal of advancement. Instead, they mocked him with whispered remarks and snickers.

A voice piped up from behind him. "Look, it’s Absolute Error! Got any new system glitches for us today, Rongtian?"

Wang clenched his fists, feeling his cheeks flush with embarrassment. The voice belonged to Sun Jiahao, one of the more vocal students in class and notorious for belittling anyone he deemed weak. Around them, the whispers grew louder, filling the room with ridicule.

As he tried to ignore them, his friend, Liu Qiang, leaned over, concern etched on his face. “Don’t let them get to you, Wang. We both know your potential is hidden by that error.”

Wang forced a smile. “I appreciate it, Qiang. But if I don’t resolve this error by the end of the month… I’ll be disqualified from the end-semester competition.”

The competition was no small matter. Only students who ranked well would advance to the college level and be eligible to become cultivators. This was the goal for every aspiring warrior or magician, and it was slipping further out of Wang’s reach each day his system malfunctioned.

In the corner of the room, his instructor, Ms. Zhang Meilin, watched him with a mix of pity and frustration. She had once hoped that Wang Rongtian, despite his background and the error, might break through the stigma of being an "absolute error." But the Academy had strict standards, and sympathy alone wouldn’t help him advance.

Sun Jiahao snickered again. “Why don’t you just give up now, Wang? Save yourself the embarrassment. No cultivator in history has had a broken system.”

At that moment, a sharp voice cut through the jeers. “Enough, Sun Jiahao.”

All heads turned to face Lin Wei, the class monitor, and a standout cultivator in her own right. She was known for her fair but firm nature, and when she spoke, people listened.

“Mocking someone for things beyond their control doesn’t make you strong, Jiahao,” she added, glaring at him.

Wang felt a small wave of relief, but the doubts still clung to him. How could he find a way to fix his system? The competition was only a month away, and without some kind of miracle, he would remain forever the Academy’s “absolute error.”

[System voice: “Fragments of the Past"]

The soft hum of the instructor’s voice faded into the background as Wang Rongtian eyelids grew heavy. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, struggling to stay awake, but within moments, he felt himself slipping away. His mind drifted into a hazy dream, bringing with it familiar yet fragmented images from the past.

In the dream, he was young—perhaps barely three years old. Shadows moved around him, protective figures that he sensed were his parents, though he could never see their faces clearly. Gentle hands guided him through a dimly lit hallway, whispers echoing softly. “This will keep you safe,” a voice said with a tone filled with love and sorrow. Then came a figure with warm, steady hands—a woman’s voice, distant but comforting. The world around him blurred as he felt himself being carried away, watching those shadowy figures fade into the background.

“Rongtian!” Ms. Zhang’s sharp voice jolted him out of the dream.

[system voice: System Error, Insufficient Data.]

[System voice: To Protect Host Memories Lock Has Been In Effect.]

He snapped awake, blinking rapidly to shake off the lingering emotions, reminding himself that it was just a dream. Just another figment from a past he couldn’t remember. Yet, the dream left a strange, hollow ache in his chest.

Ms. Zhang, standing at the front of the classroom, crossed her arms with a disappointed expression. “Wang Rongtian, dozing off in my class again? Clearly, your reputation precedes you. Perhaps it’s not the error in your system holding you back, but your lack of effort. A cultivator must remain alert and focused.”

The classroom was silent as everyone watched the exchange. Wang’s cheeks burned, but he quickly composed himself.

Ms. Zhang sighed and continued, “Since you seem so unconcerned with learning, why don’t you tell the class what I was just discussing?”

There was a snicker from Sun Jiahao’s side of the room, but Wang squared his shoulders. “You were discussing Elemental Affinity, Ms. Zhang. There are two primary types. Characters can harness the power of natural elements, such as fire, water, earth, and air, each possessing unique strengths and weaknesses. Additionally, there are rare elemental combinations or hybrids that grant unique abilities. For example, a combination of fire and water might allow one to manipulate steam, and so on.”

Ms. Zhang’s eyes narrowed, but her expression softened slightly as she nodded. “Correct, Wang Rongtian. Perhaps if you applied that knowledge to your practice, you wouldn’t be in such… unfortunate circumstances.”

The comment stung, but Wang held his head high. The reality was, despite his error, he studied harder than anyone else, especially with his 10th birthday approaching. For months now, he’d felt increasingly dizzy and tired. No matter how much he studied or trained, he would feel a creeping exhaustion, an ache that seemed to dig into his very bones. It was as if some unseen force were gradually wearing him down.

Beside him, Liu Qiang glanced over with a worried expression. “Hey… you look even more tired today. Did you get any sleep?”

 Wang forced a reassuring smile. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just… some strange dreams, I guess.”

Qiang nodded but didn’t seem entirely convinced. “Well, hang in there. The end-semester competition is almost here. We’ve still got time to fix this.”

Wang nodded, though the gnawing thought of his error loomed large in his mind. Time was running out, and he couldn’t shake the feeling that this approaching deadline would be a turning point—one way or another.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***