The next morning, Anthony woke up feeling different. It wasn't just the power humming beneath his skin; it was his perspective. The world looked sharper, clearer. He could hear the heartbeat of the rat in the walls, smell the moisture in the air molecules, and see the way light refracted in perfect mathematical precision.
He walked to school, his steps light and effortless. He moved with a grace that seemed unnatural, though to an observer, he just looked like he was walking normally.
In class, the teacher, Mr. Han, was trying to teach basic theory to the Dregs class. "Now, remember, the basic formula for energy circulation is..."
Mr. Han wrote a complex equation on the board, filled with variables and symbols. He sighed, knowing most of them wouldn't get it. "This is simple for the A-class students, but for us, just memorize the first part."
As Mr. Han wrote, Anthony looked at the board.
Incorrect, a thought flashed through his mind. The variable 'Psi' is misaligned. The constant of integration is wrong by 0.00047. Also, this formula only works for low-level Qi. It collapses at higher densities.
Anthony didn't even have to think. The knowledge was just there, as natural as breathing.
"Anthony!" Mr. Han pointed at him. "Since you are so busy staring into space, come up here and solve for the variable K."
The class snickered. Derek laughed loudly. "Go on, Hollow Man! Solve it with your magic emptiness!"
Anthony stood up. He walked to the board. He didn't pick up the chalk immediately. He looked at the equation.
Too primitive, he thought. Why limit it to two dimensions?
He picked up the chalk. His hand moved, not writing letters, but drawing a spiral that seemed to suck the light into it. He rewrote the entire formula. He didn't just solve for K; he expanded the equation, corrected the errors, and added three new layers of depth that Mr. Han had never even seen before.
He finished and stepped back.
The classroom went dead silent.
Mr. Han walked forward, his eyes widening. He adjusted his glasses, then took them off, wiped them, and put them back on. He stared at the board, his mouth agape.
"This... this is..." Mr. Han stammered. "This is the Advanced Harmonization Equation! The one only Grand Scholars use! And you simplified it! You found the missing constant!"
He turned to Anthony, shock written all over his face. "Anthony... how did you... did you awaken?"
Anthony lowered his head, trying to look humble, trying to hide the glow in his eyes. "I... I don't know, sir. I just looked at it and... it looked wrong. So I fixed it."
Derek stood up, furious. "That's impossible! Cheating! He must have copied it from somewhere!"
Anthony turned his gaze slightly toward Derek. He didn't say a word, but his eyes seemed to look right through Derek, seeing not just the boy, but the soul inside him, analyzing its strength, its flaws, its expiration date. Derek suddenly felt a chill run down his spine, a primal fear that made him shut his mouth and sit down.
"I didn't cheat," Anthony said softly. His voice was calm, but it carried an undeniable weight. "I just know."