Morning.
Stella woke up from the bed and saw Allen lying on the sofa.
She walked over to him.
"Why didn't you sleep in the bed?"
"Son of a—!"
"Ew, I just asked nicely and you're already being toxic."
"Have some shame. You barged into someone's house, knocked the owner out, then slept in their bed."
"Hehe," Stella replied with her usual dumb face.
Allen got up and headed to the kitchen. He pulled out some food.
Suddenly, Stella was already sitting on the chair, ready to eat.
"What are you doing?"
"Getting ready to eat."
Allen sighed deeply.
"F**kkkkkkkkk—"
"So rude! You're acting like an NPC."
Allen laughed.
"NPC? Compared to you, I'm clearly stronger."
Stella scoffed.
"Really? I'm the heroine, and you're just some side character with a trash job."
"Challenging me to a duel, little girl?"
"Sure. The loser becomes the winner's pet and skips breakfast."
"You really don't take me seriously, huh?"
Allen walked outside to the wide open backyard.
"What kind of duel do you want?" he asked.
"I kinda feel bad for you... but I'm hungry," Stella replied casually.
"Enough talking. What kind of duel?"
Stella drew her sword.
SYSTEM:
SWORD NAME: EXCALIBUR
LEVEL: 2500 (MAX)
"What's wrong? Frozen in fear?"
Allen smirked.
"You've got guts."
From his shadow, Allen summoned a sword.
SYSTEM:
SWORD NAME: SWORD OF SHINIGAMI
LEVEL: 75+
As he gripped it, a black aura enveloped him.
Stella got into a fighting stance, wary of Allen.
SYSTEM:
SWORD NAME: SWORD OF SHINIGAMI
LEVEL: ERROR ERROR ERROR (MAX)
Allen took his stance too, ready for battle.
"Let's begin—"
"Wait wait wait!"
"No killing allowed, okay? Just incapacitate the other person."
Allen sighed.
"Fine, whatever you say."
"Okay then!"
Both of them prepared to attack.
They charged forward.
Stella smirked.
"TIME STOP!"
Time froze—Allen included.
Stella approached him confidently.
"This is over."
But then she noticed Allen's eyes move.
SYSTEM:
REACTIVE EVALUATION
YOU ARE IMMUNE TO TIME MANIPULATION. YOU CAN MOVE FREELY THROUGH SPACE AND TIME AND CREATE OR MODIFY THEIR CONCEPTS WITHOUT LIMITATION.
Stella instinctively jumped back.
"What the hell!? I saw his eyes move!"
Allen shattered her Time Stop with a swing of his sword.
Without hesitation, he slashed off both of Stella's arms.
She was in shock.
"You're actually kinda weak, huh?"
Allen smirked.
"Big boobs, tiny brain."
Stella screamed in agony.
"Hey! Calm down," Allen panicked.
"This hurts—please, make it stop!" Blood poured from her arms.
SYSTEM:
BLEEDING WILL BECOME CRITICAL IF NOT TREATED SOON.
"Alright, alright, I'll heal you."
Allen closed his eyes and raised his hand.
"Heal."
Stella's arms regenerated. She stopped screaming.
"So, it's clear who won," Allen said, walking away.
Stella sat frozen, stunned by her weakness.
She stared at the ground—then suddenly:
"Here."
Allen gently placed something against her cheek.
It was the food she asked for.
Stella grabbed it and ate hungrily.
"It's not right to let you eat outside. Come inside."
Stella returned to Allen's house and finished her meal.
"You're not eating?"
"Don't worry about me."
"…Why are you so nice to me?"
"Because you're cute."
Stella blushed furiously.
"Hahaha, just kidding."
"You jerk!"
She playfully hit him.
"Alright, enough of that."
Allen washed the dishes and then saw Stella packing her things.
"Where are you headed?"
"I'm going to the Central Academy."
"Central Academy?"
"Yeah, the most powerful one. It's said to be humanity's last hope."
Allen paused, then approached her.
"Then be careful, Stella."
He opened the door for her, but she grabbed his hand.
"Come with me."
"Sorry."
"You're my master now—I'll do anything for you, I—"
Allen cut her off.
"Are you stupid or what? Yeah, you lost badly, but I never agreed to that dumb rule. You're free now. Prove to me that you can surpass me, Stella."
Tears welled in Stella's eyes.
"Thank you… for letting me stay, even though I was rude."
"It's okay."
"Will we meet again?"
"Maybe. But I can't say when."
Stella looked down.
Allen gently touched her cheek.
"I promise."
"Then, until we meet again."
Stella turned around.
"Goodbye."
---
Seven weeks later
Allen sat in a horse-drawn carriage heading toward the Central Academy.
"Yup, this is it."
He stepped out, carrying his luggage.
"Ah… the academy."
He entered the building and met the headmaster.
Once in the office, the headmaster examined Allen's registration form.
Allen had his usual dumb expression.
The headmaster sighed.
"What are you here for?"
"I'm here to train myself."
"You're just an NPC with a trash job. Think you can compete?"
"A job doesn't define everything."
The headmaster raised an eyebrow.
"Fine. Let's test you with the assessment orb."
A female assistant entered, carrying a glowing orb and placed it on the desk.
"Allen, please place your hand on this."
Allen did as told. At first, nothing happened.
Then the orb shattered.
The headmaster and assistant were stunned.
"So? Am I accepted?"
"Y-yeah… You're accepted. Here's your room key."
Allen took it and left.
He walked to his assigned room, but noticed the door was unlocked.
He opened it.
"Eh?" Allen was shocked.
"Eh?!" said a girl inside.
To his surprise, a girl was in the middle of changing clothes.
She had wolf ears, a tail, and noticeably smaller breasts compared to Stella.
"Who... who are you?!" the girl asked.
To be continued…