Chapter 2: Institute (2).

Along the way to Emerald City, Titus saw multitudes of skyscrapers towering, as they touch the clouds.

"Ex...xcuse me?" His seat mate tried to strike up a conversation but Titus ignored it. 'I'll just pretend oblivious for the time being', he thought. Titus really doesn't want to engage to a conversation right now, especially at this critical moment.

Titus knew that an A grade city, Emerald City, will be quite overwhelming and expected to be pressured when he entered the city. Thus, also being one of the reasons why he focused instead on conversing apart from him not liking talking to people in general, an introvert in fact.

Thinking about it, when he was younger he did not even dared to approach a staff nor teachers at his school. Titus always gets the feeling of someone hammering his nervous system. On the bright idea of things, he claims composure after the storm has been brewed without having control over it.

Now, Titus can fully take advantage of it and although it did not eliminate the nervous 'breakdown attack', its now only a subconscious. With it being the reason why he faced the clerk with confidence back there, however it did not change his personality nor character. An introvert is always an introvert. (Imagine your car, as you warm it up before actually driving it every single time you use it.)

...

The bus stopped exactly at the rectangle upfront the bus stop. Titus then heard the same automated message again and got up as to exit the bus. Already knowing the location of the institute he will be going in the next four years, he did not dilly dally.

Yes, Titus already knew where the institute is but did not directly got unto a public transit and instead had gone to the institute admittance building first. He was hoping to get a free ride at least half of the journey, but in the end it did not work making him go back to thhe original plan of taking the public transit. There is no bus that "currently" goes to an A grade city straight from a C grade city thus having the need to make a pit stop on a B grade city.

Titus walked along sidewalk. He then felt someone tailing. His heartbeat raised and NBAS (nervous breakdown attack system, will just call it 'gut feeling' in the future as I have no other ideas on what to call it however if you have... just comment it down below) was triggered. Although he knew that security is tight because it is an A grade city but still it was Titus' fault in the end as he did not take the 'actual' path to the institute but instead chose to go through the alleyways. And alleyways no matter how secured a city is, it is not absolute that no accidents will occur, moreover Titus' luck was shit as I may 'seem'.

Titus took the alleyway in the first place because he studied the map of it for the purpose of taking a 'shortcut' thus he was confident. So after he took a sudden turn on a crossing, the one following him also followed, unknowningly Titus already was waiting with a punch as he decided to use a "hit and run" strategy and using his knowledge of the alleyway system. Although it was a punch, what can you expect from an introvert, there was no power contained in the punch. Titus was already planning to make a run for it when he heard a childish cry from the culprit.

Titus shook and turned back to face the culprit. Surprisingly the known 'culprit' was the seat mate that tried to strike up a conversation with him at the bus.

"Why are you following me?" Titus shrugged the event as it was already a thing in the past but still maintained hostility. The one who just got punched moaned for a moment then replied, "I.. I just saw you Takin...g this way so I followed." Titus did not take away his hostile attitude as he indicated to continue with his eyes. "Back at the bus I saw your admittance (actually 'invitation' will be explained when they arrive at the institute) letter from the bus as it fell to the ground during the ride and it so happens that I was the one who 'slipped' it back up because you were dosing off (i.e him focusing on the city)", the man hurriedly replied.

Titus scanned the man with his still hostile eyes from head to toe. After unconsciously nodding as he thought, 'by the looks of it he is not lying nor he can lie, in addition he even wailed like pig when I punched him. I already know that my punch has no strength, so I already decided to just use it to surprise

'him' a bit, but he wailed at the petty punch meaning that he is much weaker than me. Also, judging from his pale and 'fat' exterior he is clearly never even got the chance to get beat up by his parents. And finally the most important thing was that Titus' introvert senses are telling Titus that the man in front of him is a fellow 'dark dweller' aka introvert.'

Now that Titus thought about it the man or just fatty never really had an ill intent from the beginning as he just felt that someone is following him. But what can Titus do, he likes' eastern' culture (anime, Xianxia and the like, etc.) so just call it weeb instincts to admit that he was expecting something 'else. '

Looking at the current situation, he should not have reacted that way as he already had passed the golden (weeb) stage of his life. He does not even watch anime anymore but he still is a reader and writer of novels though,so maybe he was the Mc of one of those for a moment but it does not mean that it was a wrong choice. As hit and run increases his chances of getting away rather than sprinting with his dear life. Compare it with games where it used a term 'stun' especially the higher level enemy then run for your life rather than running away blatantly. Also in Titus' defense, since there was an opportunity why not take it and in retrospect even if he did not get away despite his struggle at least he will die a 'cool' death as he tried to 'counter' the 'culprit'.

In the end, the conclusion that Titus came up with, was shrug it off and go on with his day.

"So... What was your name again?"

Fatty was left stunned and just stood there dumbly. At Titus' sudden change.

Or so fatty thought he would...

Authors Note:

You already may have guessed what's this chapter is about.

Anyway, this chapter is a sneek peak of the Mc's character and a bit of his past, obviously (weeb explain thingy).

I will be slowly building the "character" of the Mc along the way as the story progresses, so just expect more of like this in the future chapters.

Hint alert!

If you would please notice the wordings it would be a great way to satiet my foreshadow cravings. (I made 'one' obvious as it was placed on a generic place/part of the chapter)