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The next morning, Rex stood at the edge of a rooftop overlooking the campus quad, sipping burnt coffee from a vending machine. Kai sat beside him, tuning his guitar like it was a part of his body.
"You sure this guy's worth it?" Kai asked, eyes scanning the group of students down below.
The system's voice chimed softly in Rex's head.
> [Target Located: Zack Voss – 75 meters south. Drummer Type: Berserker.]
Rex grinned. "Oh, he's more than worth it. He's a f***ing beast."
Zack Voss was already known across campus—not for being in a band, but for destroying the drum sets in the music room with his raw, unfiltered energy. He wasn't graceful. He wasn't trained. But he hit the drums like they owed him money, and it worked.
He was bald by choice—shaved clean. His nose slightly crooked from a fight he probably won. He wore a sleeveless hoodie, showing tattooed arms that looked like they belonged to a cage fighter, not an 18-year-old music student.
Rex watched as Zack finished chugging a can of energy drink, crushed it with one hand, and tossed it behind him. Then he sat behind the school's outdoor drum kit—a reinforced set no one else used—and started smashing out a rhythm that sounded like the end of the world.
BOOM-BOOM, TCHK-TCHK, THUN-THUN-THUN
It was chaos, but there was rhythm in the madness. People passing by actually stopped to watch. Some cheered. One girl plugged her ears. Another filmed with her phone.
Kai raised an eyebrow. "He's got power, I'll give you that."
"He's the heartbeat," Rex said. "He just doesn't know it yet."
Rex made his way down, weaving through the crowd until he stood a few feet from Zack. The drums kept pounding—faster, louder, wild. Zack was lost in it, sweat flying, veins bulging. He looked up, eyes locking on Rex's.
Rex didn't flinch. He just smiled.
"Nice warm-up," Rex said.
Zack blinked, pausing mid-beat. "Warm-up?"
Rex stepped closer. "You want to shake the world, don't you?"
Zack narrowed his eyes. "Do I know you?"
"No. But you will." Rex leaned in. "I'm building something. Something real. And I need a drummer who hits like a thunderstorm."
Zack snorted. "You starting a band or a cult?"
Rex didn't miss a beat. "Both."
Zack stood, wiping sweat off his brow with the back of his arm. "You're serious?"
"Dead serious."
Zack crossed his arms. "What makes you think I'd follow you?"
Rex grinned and raised his hand. The system shimmered to life for his eyes only.
> [Loading Song File: Toxicity – System of a Down]
[Adapting Drums to Host Environment…]
"Let me show you something."
He clapped once. A virtual drum set appeared in the corner of his vision—just like in the practice studio—but to Zack, Rex simply grabbed the sticks and jumped behind the spare kit nearby.
He took a breath… and then unleashed.
The opening rhythm was awkward at first—he hadn't mastered it yet—but by the second loop, the tempo locked in. Fast. Sharp. Technical. It was like nothing anyone had ever played on campus.
Zack's eyes widened.
By the chorus, Rex was drenched in sweat, but the message was clear: this wasn't just talk.
When he finished, the crowd clapped. Some even shouted. One guy muttered, "What the hell was that? That was insane!"
Rex stood and dropped the sticks. "You in?"
Zack was quiet for a moment. Then—
"Teach me that beat."
> [SYSTEM ALERT: Quest Complete – Second Band Member Recruited!]
🎉 Reward Unlocked: [Recording Mode – Beta Version]
🎧 Feature Gained: Virtual Track Mixing
🥁 Skill Gained: Drum Sync Assist – Level 1
Kai walked over, slinging his guitar over one shoulder. "Looks like the cult is growing."
Zack smirked. "Just don't expect me to wear robes."
Rex laughed. "Welcome to the Saints."
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