Supreme Mystic: Obsessed By The Strongest Alpha

The pneumatic doors of the infirmary hissed open, the sharp mechanical screech slicing through the sterile quiet. Heavy combat boots struck the polished alloy floor in a rhythmic, aggressive stride.

A tall cadet in an immaculate academy uniform stormed into the room. His brow twisted in pure disgust as he stopped right beside the medical pod. Raising his gloved knuckles, he slammed them against the transparent acrylic lid.

Bang. Bang.

"How long are you going to pretend to be dead?" the young man sneered, his voice muffled by the partition. "Do you really think faking a collapse will save you from pushing Cristofer down the stairs?"

Inside the pod, Kieran Estes stared back with absolute calm. He looked at the intruder-Gage Norton, the arrogant eldest son of the Norton family-the way a scholar might examine an unremarkable, slightly loud insect pinned under glass.

Just moments before this violent intrusion, Kieran had opened his eyes to the blinding glare of surgical lights, awakening to a reality that was entirely alien. In a higher-dimensional parallel world, his original life had come to a definitive end. His supreme consciousness had crossed the boundaries of reality, descending into the body of his counterpart in this lower dimension.

He brought the supreme authorities of his past life bound to his soul: an absolute mastery over arcane arrays, alchemy, transcendent medicine, and mysticism. Dormant within his spirit flickered various heavenly flames, crowned by the ethereal "Starlight Holy Lotus." He was an entity who could pierce through the very laws of the world, summon departed spirits, and casually reverse the threads of destiny. The vast repository of his god-like knowledge and power remained completely intact.

As cheap, standard-grade nutrient fluid trickled through an IV tube into his bruised hand, foreign memories rushed into his skull like shards of shattered glass.

He quickly analyzed the pathetic truth of his new existence. This fragile vessel belonged to an F-class male-an abandoned heir swapped at birth and ultimately discarded by the Norton family. The original Kieran of this world had been incredibly weak and cowardly. Mocked by his peers and framed for malicious acts, the boy's fragile spirit had shattered, leading to a silent, miserable death right here in this very infirmary.

It is genuinely amusing, Kieran mused internally, a faint, mocking smirk touching his lips. To think that a version of 'me' in any universe could be this pathetically weak, allowing himself to be trampled and bullied to an early grave by such insignificant toddlers. What an absolute disgrace to our shared DNA.

Now, an apex predator occupied this fragile shell.

Enraged by the utter calm in Kieran's dark gold irises, Gage slapped the emergency override release on the console.

The canopy hissed, venting pressurized gas as it swung upward. The sharp stench of industrial disinfectant and burnt ozone flooded the air.

Stepping out from behind Gage's broad frame was a smaller, slender figure. This was Cristofer Rivers, the cherished adopted son who had taken Kieran's rightful place in the Norton family. Soft flaxen hair framed a pale face, and wide, hazel eyes shimmered with unshed tears.

"Gage, please protect him from the academy's anger," Cristofer whispered, his voice trembling with practiced vulnerability. "I'm sure Kieran lost his balance. It was my own fault for standing so close to the edge."

Kieran's gaze locked onto the small beauty mark under Cristofer's left eye. In the dead boy's memory, that exact face had worn a triumphant, mocking smirk a split second before Cristofer intentionally threw himself backward down the stone staircase.

Out in the corridor, several cadets gathered around the open doorway, whispering and pointing.

"What a pathetic loser," a voice drifted in from the hall. "He's just jealous of Cristofer's talent, so he resorts to dirty tricks."

Gage's chest puffed up at the murmurs of support. He leaned down, his gloved hand darting forward to seize Kieran by the collar and haul him out of the bed.

Maintaining a steady, unhurried rhythm, Kieran tilted his chin two inches to the left.

Gage's fingers clamped shut on empty air. The older brother froze, his eyes widening in shock that this timid coward had dared to evade him.

Moving with mechanical precision, Kieran pushed himself upright. His pale fingers closed around the plastic wing of the IV catheter embedded in his skin. He ripped the needle straight out of his vein.

A thin spray of crimson droplets speckled the pristine white sheet. Kieran tossed the bloody needle into the steel tray beside the bed, letting it land with a sharp metallic clatter.

"Are you insane?" Gage gasped, stumbling back half a step as a raw, predatory chill rolled off the younger man.

Kieran swung his bare feet over the edge, planting them on the freezing floor. His frame was thin and bruised, but his spine remained straight as an iron rod.

"Go to the family elders and beg for forgiveness, then withdraw from the academy," Gage snarled, trying to regain the upper hand through clenched teeth. "That is your only way out."

Kieran walked right up to Gage. A pleasant, entirely relaxed smile spread across his face, as if he had just heard a mildly amusing joke.

He raised his right hand, the one still dripping fresh blood, and patted Gage's rigid cheek in a slow, affectionate rhythm. Crimson smears stained the cadet's pristine skin.

"Beg? Gage, please, you're being dramatic," Kieran murmured cheerfully, his tone breezy but carrying a heavy, suffocating weight that made the hairs on Gage's neck stand up. "Though I must admit, it's genuinely fascinating watching you play the fiercely loyal guard dog for the very parasite bleeding your family dry. Ten out of ten for enthusiasm, zero for critical thinking."

He shifted his gaze to Cristofer. The adopted son's practiced vulnerability shattered instantly under that terrifyingly amused scrutiny.

"And Cris," Kieran sighed softly, like a disappointed teacher. "Next time you decide to throw yourself down a flight of stairs, do put a little back into it. Just a bruised shoulder? Really? If you're going to frame me, ask for my help next time. I'd be absolutely delighted to snap your spine in half. You know, just to make sure the medical report looks authentic."

Cristofer's face drained of all color. He took a frantic step backward, his breath hitching as an instinctual, primal terror gripped his chest. Kieran spoke with absolute, terrifying sincerity, offering to paralyze him with the casual politeness of someone pouring a cup of tea.

Kieran turned his attention back to Gage, using his bloody fingers to casually straighten the older brother's immaculate collar.

"So, here's the new arrangement," Kieran whispered, his dark gold eyes curved in a friendly, dead-eyed smile. "I'm officially resigning from my role as the Norton family punching bag. You all go back to treating me as completely invisible..."

He leaned in just a fraction, his voice dropping to a soft, conversational purr. "...and in return, I promise to leave your fragile bodies completely intact. Sound fair?"

Gage's pupils constricted. His mouth fell open, his vocal cords paralyzed by the sheer, inhuman authority radiating from the boy in front of him.

Focusing solely on the path ahead, Kieran brushed his shoulder against Gage's arm. The casual impact sent the supposedly superior cadet stumbling awkwardly into a metal medical cart.

Humming a tuneless melody under his breath, Kieran walked out into the corridor. The watching crowd parted like water before a prow, staring at his retreating back in dead, terrified silence.