Even if he’d been feeling perfectly fine, Blake would’ve still played it up, letting his head loll just enough to sell the act.

’Now, let’s hope this works...’

There was a lot he needed to keep in mind.

Aside from finding the base he was looking for, he also had to dig into Asher, and this was the perfect opportunity.

After all, what was better than official documents?

It felt a bit like something out of a movie, sure, but brute force wasn’t an option. Not here. Not if he wanted to avoid drawing suspicion... or worse, disciplinary action.

There were several cabinets lining the wall, but each one was neatly labeled. That made things easier.

Student files cabinet — Year 2125/1126.

Blake reached into his pocket and pulled out two bobby pins.

Carefully, he bent one open until it formed a clean ninety-degree angle, then peeled off the small rubber tip from the straight end. With the second pin, he bent the closed end the same way.

Using the second one as a lever, he slipped the bent end into the lock, turning it slightly to apply pressure.

’I hope I’m doing this right, just like in the tutorial...’

Then he took the first pin, easing it into the lock just above the lever.

’Please, I beg you, be a standard lock,’ he thought. ’If it’s more than five pins, this is going to take forever...’

Honestly, part of him was hoping the bullies would complain some more, just to keep the teacher distracted a little longer.

Blake focused, searching for the binding pin, the one that would resist just a bit more than the others. Starting from the outer edge, he pressed each pin carefully, moving inward, inch by inch.

One... two... three...

Then, the fourth one resisted.

’Got you.’

He nudged it up and down, testing it, feeling the slight tension. His pulse quickened, anxiety creeping in despite himself.

Click.

Blake froze for half a second before a grin tugged at his lips.

’Ah, finally. I’m a real spy now, huh?’

Being a spy in broad daylight, inside a school, wasn’t exactly smart, but he’d come this far. He wasn’t backing out now.

He opened the cabinet just enough to slip his hand inside.

’Asher, Asher, where are you... tsk, too many A’s...’

He tried to keep things neat, careful not to leave any obvious signs someone had tampered with the files. Still, it was frustrating. The records weren’t divided by year, just a massive collection for all five-year students.

But it didn’t take long.

His fingers paused.

’There it is!’

He pulled the file out slightly, just enough to read.

"...Huh?"

A cold sensation slid down his spine.

It wasn’t like Blake hadn’t experienced shock before, but this...

’Asher... transferred schools five times, from September until now...’

Blake’s mind raced.

The hero got his powers before the school year started, during summer break. June, maybe July at the latest.

That changed everything.

’If Asher was already changing schools before I transmigrated here, then that means it happened in the novel, too.’

His grip tightened on the papers, crumpling them slightly before he caught himself.

"Fuck."

Then, he heard footsteps, so his head snapped up.

Blake gave the document one last glance, memorizing the school names, then quickly slid it back into place and shut the cabinet, locking it again.

He walked toward the door, opening it just as the footsteps reached him.

"Blake! How are you feeling now?"

It was Asher and, for a brief moment, he froze.

"Is everything alright?"

There was something off. Asher couldn’t quite put it into words. Blake was smiling, but something about him felt different from usual.

"Yup," Blake said easily, stepping past him. "Let’s go back to the teacher’s office. I’m fine now."

As he walked by, his jaw clenched so tightly it almost hurt.

Inside, everyone was still there: the bullies, the professor.

"We’re sorry..."

They bowed, their expressions less defiant now. The edge of annoyance had dulled, replaced by reluctant acceptance.

"I’ll also call Anthony separately," the teacher added, standing up. "For him, your heads should be on the floor!"

Then, with a dismissive wave, he smiled at the other two.

"Alright, you can all go now."

The hallway outside felt oddly quiet after that.

Blake and Asher stepped out together, the door closing softly behind them.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

The hallway was completely empty, since the other students were in their classes.

"Well," Asher finally said, hands slipping into his pockets. "Looks like we’ll have to head back to our own classes."

"Yeah," Blake replied, keeping his tone light. "Can’t skip forever."

"Take care, alright?"

Blake nodded. "You too."

There was nothing unusual about the exchange. Nothing that would stand out to anyone watching.

"See you later," Asher added, turning away.

"Yeah. Later."

They parted ways.

Blake walked down the corridor at a steady pace, his hands tucked into his pockets, posture relaxed.

One step, then another.

Then, he abruptly stopped.

His hand came up, covering his face as he bent forward slightly, shoulders tightening.

"Damn it."

His voice was barely audible.

Out of everyone, everyone, he could’ve chosen for that mission...

Why, just why did it have to be Anthony?

Why did he have to save him? He was in a bad situation already, why did he butt in and save him?

Blake bit down on his lower lip, hard enough that he nearly tasted blood.

’Idiot.’

It was so obvious now, Asher had been searching for UD since the start of the school year, so, even in the novel, this happened.

Blake had never actually read it, but there were things he knew. Things that had been spoiled, talked about, impossible to miss.

He knew Asher never suspected Myles.

Just, no one did.

Not until the very end, when everything unraveled and Myles was revealed as the final boss.

He had assumed that meant Asher never got in the same building as him, but that wasn’t it.

Blake wasn’t the catalyst for all of this, like he assumed he was. This was supposed to happen from the very start.

The only difference was that he never crossed paths with Myles in the novel.

’I ruined everything.’

Blake’s breathing grew uneven.

The moment he became friends with Anthony, Asher’s cousin, he became the bridge.

The connection that shouldn’t exist.

A direct line between Asher and Myles.

"...Shit."

His shoulders trembled slightly as he dragged in a sharp breath, his vision blurring at the edges.

"He can defend himself."

Myles’ words echoed in his mind.

Myles was already suspicious of Asher, and that wasn’t supposed to happen or, at least, not yet.

Or maybe just not at all.

But it had, and it was his fault.

Blake’s chest tightened as panic crept in, cold and suffocating.

’If Myles figures it out now... would he really act sooner? Would he destroy the world faster? No, forget about that. If Myles discovered Asher’s identity, he wouldn’t act rashly. On the other hand, if Asher suspects Myles...’

Blake let out a shaky breath, lowering his hand slowly as he stared at the floor.

’It would start a big conflict, and that would definitely make the process of the world ending way faster.’

Thinking back at everything that he did so far, he felt a strange feeling in his chest.

’He doesn’t even like me enough for that to not happen.’

The thought slipped in before he could stop it, and it was nothing short of pathetic.

He pushed himself upright, forcing his legs to move again.

One step at a time, the nearest bathroom wasn’t far.

He turned on the tap, splashing cold water onto his face again and again, as if he could wash away the mess he’d made.

Droplets slid down his skin, dripping from his chin into the sink.

His hands gripped the edge of the counter.

Slowly, he lifted his head.

The mirror reflected someone he barely recognized.

’...Who do you think you are?’

Who was he to interfere with something this big?

This wasn’t just some small plotline he could tweak and fix.

Something that had likely been set into motion long before he ever appeared in this world.

Driven by determination.

By something strong, obsession, maybe pain, maybe something deeper.

It didn’t matter what the reason was.

What mattered was that it existed.

And he had just... stepped right into it.

Blake stared at his reflection, water still clinging to his skin.

His fingers tightened slightly against the sink before relaxing.

Regret wasn’t going to fix anything.

Panic wasn’t going to undo what he’d done.

If anything, it would only make things worse.

’I’ll just have to push harder.’

Wheter Asher was starting to suspect Myles or not, it didn’t matter, he needed to move faster and get even closer.

He exhaled slowly.

’I’ll just have to become someone Myles can’t let go of. Someone he values too much.’

Blake reached for a paper towel, drying his face.

His expression, when he looked up again, had changed.

He was not much calmer, really, not even lighter.

’Sure, I always had to seduce him, but... really, he has to like me to the point...’

He paused for half a second, then, finished it anyway.

’...he won’t be able to refuse my words.’