C1 Four Years Late Golden Finger
Odin sat on a bench within the grounds of Ivywood University in the Whitehawk Principality, deeply engrossed in a hefty tome. His face remained serene, betraying no emotion, even as the breeze tousled his white shirt, hinting at the toned muscles beneath. His sky-blue eyes were fixed intently on each word before him, and not even the fall of his golden hair could distract him from his reading.
Unbeknownst to onlookers, Odin's gaze wasn't actually on the text but hovered about a centimeter above the page, as though he were admiring a flower. In reality, there was no flower, only a status bar invisible to others, displaying all of Odin's information:
Name: Odin
Occupation: None
Level: 0
Title: None
Attributes: Strength 1.1, Agility 1.2, Constitution 1.0, Spirit 1.7
Active Skills: None
Passive Skills: Common Language Level 3, Advanced Physics Level 2, Basic Math Level 4, Ancient Common Language Level 2
Experience: 0
Confronted with this status bar, Odin felt a surge of excitement, a desire to leap for joy. If not for the immense pressure of the last four years teaching him to keep his emotions concealed, his face might have contorted with the intensity of his feelings.
Indeed, this status bar was the long-awaited "golden finger" that had eluded Odin for four years. Originally surnamed Ding, he was just a regular gamer until, during a session of "Western Great Development," the developers abruptly abandoned the game. Mysteriously, Odin found himself left behind, eternally trapped within the 'game,' assuming the identity and background of his character. Although the background was mostly favorable, his name was peculiarly out of place.
Now, being addressed as Odin gave him the odd sensation of being called the Jade Emperor by someone in China. Determined to find a way back home, he had spent the past four years exhaustively searching for any lead.
Despite his efforts, he had come up empty-handed, and had even attracted the unwanted attention of the Whitehawk Principality's citizens. If it weren't for his recent acceptance into Ivywood University, he might have already been apprehended.
Through these experiences, Odin realized that this world closely resembled the game's design—a modified version of the Whitehawk Principality post-Civil War. However, this world exercised far stricter control over supernatural powers, closely monitoring anything that could potentially match their might.
Odin had been under surveillance for three years due to his inquiries into supernatural powers. It was only recently that the surveillance had started to ease off.
He had resigned himself to the idea that this was how his life would be, but unexpectedly, while reading today, his vision blurred and a status bar appeared out of nowhere.
Odin, ever the stoic, feigned exhaustion and took a seat on a nearby bench, opening his Advanced Physics textbook as a cover while he actually scanned the area for any onlookers.
After a thorough check, he saw no one suspicious around him. Just as he was about to get up, Leo burst forth from the vicinity.
"Odin, what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at Mentor Carte's lab?"
Odin was taken aback to see Leo, a fellow student and one of Mentor Carte's protégés, with whom he had a casual acquaintance. It was Leo who had informed him that Mentor Carte needed to see him today. If not for the unexpected appearance of the status bar, Odin would have been in Mentor Carte's office at this moment.
Leo's expression was one of urgency, as if he was pressing Odin to make haste.
Taking a moment to assess the situation, Odin replied cautiously, "I was on my way there, but I started feeling dizzy here, probably from low blood sugar, so I sat down to rest and grab a bite to eat. The sunshine was so pleasant that I lost track of time while reading.
I apologize for that. By the way, do you know what Mentor Carte wanted to see me about?"
"It seems important. We need to hurry, or we'll be too late," Leo urged.
Odin's suspicions grew, but he rose discreetly, packed his book into his backpack, and prepared to follow. However, as he got to his feet, his legs gave out, and he found himself kneeling on the ground.
Leo, at a loss for words, stepped forward to help Odin, "What's wrong with you?"
"It's nothing, just a bit of a leg cramp. I need to head to the infirmary to get it checked out."
Odin held down Leo's shoulder, struggling to rise to his feet. He sensed that Leo was gripping his hand, seemingly to keep him from breaking free of his control. Something was off. A thought flickered through Odin's mind.
So, Odin pressed down on Leo's shoulder to prevent him from seizing his arm and said, "I'm not feeling well. I really need to check in at the infirmary. Could you let Mentor Carte know that I'll come to see him later tonight?"
"No, Mentor Carte has other matters tonight, and he's waiting for you right now. Let's go quickly," Leo urged, trying to pull Odin away.
Odin's patience snapped, and he shoved Leo off, exclaiming, "Are you even listening? I told you I'm not well. Even if there's an urgent matter, I need a moment to rest. What if I drop dead? Will you take responsibility then?" His voice rose, drawing the gaze of nearby students. They didn't crowd around but turned to watch the unfolding drama.
Just then, a scream and sounds of chaos erupted from the direction Leo had come from. "Murder! Mentor Carte is in trouble!" someone yelled. "The killer hasn't gotten far—let's chase them!"
Odin shot a look at Leo and swiftly grabbed his hand. "What's happening? You just said Mentor Carte was looking for me, and now there's trouble?" Odin's timely question turned all eyes on Leo.
Leo's face drained of color. With a flick of his wrist, he wrenched free from Odin's grasp and shoved him backward. "This is your fault! Why were you late? If you hadn't been, you'd be the one in danger, not the mentor. You're a curse! You deserve to die!"
With that, Leo threw a punch at Odin. Odin stood frozen, not attempting to dodge. It wasn't fear that held him; he was stunned to see Leo undergo a transformation, his skin taking on a pale red hue.
