NOVPUB
Chapter 19: Sensory Overload
The next day, after the body was found, the tragic news broke regarding the identity of the girl. She was a third-year student named Maya Tachibana, just one of many victims whose deaths had occurred all over the world. Their bodies resembled human husks, drained of life. These deaths had been happening for well over a year, but until now, I had never had a reason to pay attention to them. The school assembled us in the auditorium to deliver the news.
Afterward, we returned to our classes, and the day proceeded as usual. My first class was Power Control and Mastery. Today, we would have a joint session with members of all the first year classes. Our teacher, Kiera Reed, wanted us to demonstrate how we had developed betterntrol over our abilities. n𝚘𝚟pub.𝚌o𝚖
As a manipulator, my assignment was to meditate for two hours each day to build focus. We were first separated by our titles and given different tests. Manipulators like myself would undergo a sensory overload drill designed to challenge our senses while we attempted to meditate and use our supernatural abilities.
The room would be dark, with bright lights of variouslors flashing on and offnstantly, ampanied by high-frequency noises. To top it off, we would benfronted with the pungent smell of thioacetone, a chemicalmpound known for its extremely unpleasant odor, reminiscent of rotten eggs or decaying organic matter. The smell is so overwhelming that it can bring people to tears, cause extreme nausea, and even lead to fainting spells.
Apparently, this exercise would help strengthen ournnection to our abilities, allowing us to betterntrol them in harsh environments. Ituld also enhancegnitive functions, leading to improvedncentration and deeper focus.
We were divided into groups of four to five, with a total of 23 manipulators in the first year. When my group and I entered the room, we were directed to sit on acupressure mats embedded with numerous small, sharp spikes. The goal was to see how long weuld successfully meditate in this challenging environment while maintainingntrol over our abilities. Those who failed the test would have to redo it every week until they passed.
This exercise was intended to strengthen ournnection to our abilities, enabling us to betterntrol them even in difficult circumstances.
My group of four other students from various classes entered the room and took our seats on the acupressure mats. The sharp spikes punctured our skin as we settled into the lotus position to begin our meditation. Shortly after, the exammmenced. They first turned off the lights, ensuring the room wasmpletely dark. Then, variouslored lights assaulted our eyes. The brightness was almost blinding, but we were instructed not to close our eyes.
The lights flashednstantly: red, orange, yellow, green, and blue. The speed of the flashing gradually increased. Despite this, I managed to maintain my focus, tuning out the lights and bming fully attuned to my environment. The other members of the group struggled but seemed to handle the challenge well enough.
Just as I was growing oblivious to the flashing lights, a high-pitched frequency erupted through the room. Hellhounds have very sensitive ears, and it felt as if my head was going to split apart. For the other students, the sound might have been a minor distraction, but for me, it was mind-shattering. The awareness I had moments ago vanishedmpletely.
There was no way to ignore the sound as I had with the lights; the only option was to endure it. The entire point of this meditation was to detach from my physical body and bme one with the environment. Regardless of the pain I felt, if Iuldn't achieve that, it meant I had failed. To succeed, I had to let go of my body.
Damn what happens to my hearing. In the end, none of it mattered. I have bme to attached to this form that I have taken. I must reach transcendence. That was how I would draw closer to him.
I took a deep breath and restarted my meditation. As I regained my focus, I felt a trickle of wetness running down the side of my face; Iuld only assume it was blood from my ear due to the stress on my sensitive hearing. I didn't even wipe it away. It was then that I felt the ball of energy deep inside my stomach—the very essence of my being.
Ampanied by the flashing lights and the loud frequency, a disgusting smell suddenly filled the room—it was thioacetone. The horrific odor assaulted our sense of smell. Hellhounds also have sensitive noses, so the stench was at least ten times worse for me than for the other students.
Though my eyes began to water and tears streamed down my face, I never broke myncentration. The smell invoked a gag reflex in the other students, some of whom actually threw up. This was when the population in the room began to thin out. By the end of the exercise, I was the only one left.
After the examncluded, I exited the room to join the rest of the students. My gaze fell on Amelia sprawled out on the floor, so I went over to talk to her.
"Was the specialist exam that brutal?" I asked.
"You have no idea. Have you finished your exam already? How'd it go?"
"It was harsh; it even brought me to tears."
"Really? I wish I'd seen it. So, have you heard about the new exam they're going to administer? It's strange how they said we are going to have a special exam without telling us what it's about."
"I heard about it this morning from my homeroom teacher. We're supposed to form groups of three with members from different classes, right?"
"Yeah. Have you found your group members yet? If not, I was wondering if you'd like to partner up with me. I already have a third member lined up," she asked.
"Sorry, but I've already found a group."
"Really? With whom?"
