Stepping on, Jai felt the subtle give of the elevator beneath his weight. He tapped his foot twice against its surface, a hollow sound echoing briefly before the platform responded to his signal. The ascent was smooth and swift, his stomach dropping slightly as gravity took hold.

Reaching the third floor, Jai was met with a similar boxy room as the second, though the air here felt hotter. Two doors occupied two walls instead of four. On his left were the classrooms, waiting to be used at noon, their entrance marked by a subtle blue glow around the doorframe. On his right, a much more intriguing option awaited, beckoning him forward. The Simulation Room.

The room was L-shaped, with the juicy part just beyond a right turn, concealed from immediate view. He entered, carefully closing the door behind him. Each step forward had its sound absorbed, creating an unsettling acoustic isolation. With each step closer to the corner, the sounds of grunts and shattered glass grew louder. Proceeding cautiously, he turned the corner.

The room stretched a long way down, its true dimensions difficult to gauge as perspective seemed to bend slightly at the edges of his vision. Dark gray panels coated every surface, similar to solar panels. Charted all across the interior in a precise geometric pattern, their surfaces occasionally flickering with points of light as they generated a simulation. Kalla stood at the center of this technological cocoon, fully immersed in her training.

Her body was tense as she prepared for another wave, her makeup melting away. Glowing enemies materialized around her, their forms constructed by hard light with actual mass and mobility. They attacked all at once, their movements in sync. Pulling out a dagger, Kalla quickly threw it upward with a precise flick of her wrist. Her face twisted in concentration, eyes narrowed to focused slits as she exerted her will upon the weapon. The dagger responded to her control, its trajectory altering mid-flight, defying conventional physics.

It zipped through the air like a bug, its path erratic yet purposeful, leaving behind a trail green. The blade pierced through all oncoming enemies, each contact producing a crystalline sound as the projections shattered like glass, fragments dissolving into sparks before reaching the floor.

Badass! That explains the shattering glass, guess there was nothing to be worried about after all.

Just one enemy remained, posted up farther away, its form flickering with higher definition than the others had possessed. A rifle materialized in its hands, the weapon's outline solidifying from scattered light particles. It prepared to fire, the barrel of the weapon glowing with increasing intensity as light gathered at its tip, the charge creating a visible distortion in the air. Jai held his breath, muscles tensing as if he himself were in the line of fire.

The shot was fired—a concentrated beam of energy cut through the space between attacker and target. The air in its path ionized, leaving behind the sharp scent of electrical discharge. The blast hit Kalla dead on, knocking her backward with force that seemed too real for a simulation. Her body absorbed the impact, feet sliding across the floor as she fought to maintain balance before ultimately failing. Having been "killed," the simulation ended with a descending tone. Kalla let out a frustrated yell, the raw sound echoing off the now-dormant panels.

Startled by the sudden emotional outburst, Jai instinctively retreated behind the wall, his movement creating just enough to catch Kalla's attention. Her head snapped toward his hiding place, senses heightened by adrenaline.

"I know you're there, so show yourself!" Her voice cut through the air, sharp as the dagger she had wielded moments before.

Jai revealed himself with his hands raised in surrender.

"Jai?" Recognition softened her tone slightly.

"Please, spare me!" He said jokingly.

Kalla snapped, her patience visibly fraying at the edges, "Put your arms down you dumbass, I'm not gonna hurt you." The words were harsh but with a hint of tolerance, as if she had already categorized him as too insignificant to warrant genuine anger.

Reading the room, Jai lowered his hands, allowing them to fall naturally to his sides. "So, this is the Simulation Room? Pretty incredible." His voice filled with genuine wonder.

"I guess. Its wonder dies down over time. I've been there and done that. You'll see." The flatness in her tone contrasted sharply with his enthusiasm.

"Nah, I'm not that type of guy. I don't think I'll ever get used to this."

Jai reached out to help Kalla up, his hand hovering in the space between them for a moment before she accepted it. Her palm was warm and slightly damp against his, the contact brief but solid.

"Thanks," she said, releasing his hand quickly and dusting herself off. She prepared to continue training, her focus already lingering away from the interaction.

"The way you took out those holograms was amazing! So it makes me wonder why you didn't dodge that blast?" Jai asked abruptly, the question escaping before caution could contain it.

Kalla snapped, her composure fracturing along lines of personal frustration, "That's none of your concern, so mind your damn business!" The words lashed out, carrying a sting disproportionate to the innocent inquiry.

"Sorry, I'll leave you to it then. But before I go, how does showing me around the city sound?" He backpedaled verbally, offering a change of subject.

"Sure, whatever." She replied subconsciously, her attention already back to the simulation parameters.

Jai retreated, slipping out of her immediate awareness as Kalla continued her training by commanding the interface to begin. "Ohmni, resume!"

The holograms reconstructed themselves photon by photon, light coalescing into humanoid forms as Jai took his leave. Out in the hallway, Jai recalled the map he had committed to memory. Ms. Minawa's office was on the 4th and final floor, so with no reason to go up there, Jai directed his steps toward the classrooms. Room 1 was easy to find, being the first classroom after entering the hallway, its location marked by a numerical inscription.

Using the window of the door, Jai peered inside. The classroom was a small, contained space with a minimalist design. Just one desk positioned precisely in the center and a monitor mounted on the front wall, its screen currently dark. To some, such arrangements might be a prison, but to Jai, the room represented a goldmine of knowledge just waiting to be excavated.

He tested the handle, applying gentle pressure to gauge resistance. Success! He entered the room for further inspection, the door swinging shut behind him. Like an interrogation room from old crime dramas, a single bright light shone down from above, creating a perfect circle of illumination on a worn-down desk positioned in the exact center of the room. There was a screen embedded in the old desk, matching the one on the wall, both surfaces glossy black in their dormant state.

Curious, Jai tapped the desk screen with his finger. The action unknowingly initiated the classroom system, screens awakening at his touch.

Shit, I messed up, he thought as both screens began to boot up simultaneously. With no obvious stop buttons, all Jai could do was wait, watching as initialization protocols ran their course. The desk screen went to a handprint, silently requesting biometric input.

Hesitant, he withheld complying with the prompt until a hologram materialized at the front of the room, light shimmering and condensing into a humanoid form. Dressed in an impeccably tailored black tuxedo, the figure sported wavy silver hair. Each strand appeared individually rendered, creating an uncanny level of realism. The construct began explaining the situation, its voice perfectly modulated to fill the room.

"Greetings student! I am Ohmni, your personal instructor. Please place your hand on the screen." His words were quick and clear.

Jai approached the hologram with curious caution, extending his arm experimentally. His hand passed through the projection, encountering only the faintest resistance, like moving through extremely viscous air.

"Genius! So you're Ohmni, the AI assistant mentioned earlier. Am I right?" Excitement colored his voice.

"Correct, I'm the one to call for whenever you are in need." The construct replied with a formal bow.

"Well then, I don't suppose you know what time it is?" Jai tested, assessing the system's basic functionality.

"The time is 11:06," Ohmni replied without hesitation.

Still available even an hour early? I wonder if there's a limit to that? Jai's thoughts raced with possibilities, exploring the edges of this new system.

Jai settled into the desk, the chair conforming slightly to accommodate his weight. He placed his hand on the scanner, feeling a mild tingling sensation as the system read his biometric signature. In just a couple of seconds, his data was retrieved from the school catalog. Ohmni's interface updated in real-time, reconfiguring to match his profile.

"Year 1 Savior Student, Jai. Your personalized curriculum is now ready. Once begun, you may proceed at your own pace."

My own pace, huh? I think I'm starting to understand this. The realization settled over him, possibilities expanding in his mind.

"Ohmni! I've got a few questions before we begin." Jai leaned forward slightly, elbows coming to rest on the desk's surface.

"To any question, I have the answer." The AI's response came without delay, its programming recognizing the shift in conversational direction instantly.

"So I can come in here to learn anytime I want?" The question held the seed of a plan still forming.

"Correct."

"So does that mean, theoretically, I can graduate early?" Jai pressed further, testing the boundaries of the system.

"Correct again." The confirmation came with the same tone but seemed to open doors of possibility.

So you can continue your curriculum at any time and your own pace. Meaning these mandatory solo sessions are for people not as studious as others... Very exploitable...

"Alright Ohmni, looks like you're stuck with me. Let's get this show on the road!" The declaration came with renewed enthusiasm, his body straightening in the chair as he prepared to engage.

With that, Ohmni began the class by presenting a road map on the front screen. The visual resembled a sapling of a tree, its branches extending upward with each checkpoint currently blacked out, awaiting activation through progression. The visualization of all things Circuits—The Circuit Tree.

Ohmni gestured toward the base of the tree, "Let's begin at the root, shall we?"

The first checkpoint illuminated, revealing itself on the front screen. A chapter appeared on Jai's, accompanied by a quiz section at the end, currently grayed out. The interface was straightforward but promised hours of tedious reading.

Busy work, huh? That must be why no one bothers to get it all done. I bet I could this done in just a few weeks!

The challenge excited rather than daunted him, his fingers already hovering over the interface, eager to begin. The reading commenced, with Ohmni standing by in a state of attentive stillness, ready to process and respond to any questions. Jai was instantly captivated, his eyes tracking across the screen with hungry efficiency. With each question answered, more questions emerged, creating a self-perpetuating cycle of curiosity and satisfaction.

Chapter 1 - Energy

There are three types of energy in this world. Each with its own unique properties and functions.

Spirit Energy -  Dormant energy found in all inanimate objects. From the heat of the sun to the bones in your body. Anything and everything has Spirit Energy within it. The color of Spirit Energy is a collection of all colors. Therefore it is white, similar to white light. Spirit Energy is incredibly abundant and the primary energy used by Circuits.

Soul Energy - Energy that the soul releases during its lifetime. Soul Energy is limited, so once used, it needs time to replenish. Each person is unique, and so is the hue of their soul. The value of the soul can darken through malice and brighten through kindness. The overall color of a soul is the collection of all deeds during one's life.

Life Energy - The most important energy out of the three, can be recognized as the energy gained when you eat, drink, or sleep. It is the source that allows our bodies to function. The energy we use every day until death.

Energy Diagram -

By the end of the solo session, Jai finished Chapter 1 and aced the quiz, triggering a small sense of accomplishment.

Ohmni bowed, acknowledging Jai's intellect, "Excellent work Jai, you're already in the top 25% of all students who ever enrolled here. Keep up the good work."

The first node on the Circuit Tree now glowed with a steady, completed light rather than the pulsing it had done before. Satisfied with his new knowledge, he rose from his seat and stretched, muscles protesting after hours of stillness. His spine cracked pleasantly as he extended his arms overhead, blood flow returning to limbs that had remained motionless. He thanked Ohmni on his way out, the AI responding with a precise bow that mirrored the one from his introduction.