Chapter 8: What about Liza?
· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·
It was Friday morning, the final day of the first week at Elite Academy. Arios lay on his bed, the simple wooden sword resting on his chest. The digital alarm on his tablet glowed bright red, displaying 7:00 AM. He had barely slept.
The previous nights he had practiced various stances, hunning his swordsmanship. He had stayed up late, pushing his body through the basic movements outlined in the "Foundations of Swordsmanship" guide, repeating the High Guard, Mid Guard, and Basic Forward Strike until his muscles burned and his mind was sharp with fatigue.
He wouldn't fail. That thought was constant in his mind. He had died once, a slow, agonizing defeat to illness. He wouldn't allow himself to fail in this new life, not when he had a chance to truly live, to truly win. And winning, for Arios, meant not just passing the mid-semester test, but ensuring Greg Tunley didn't fail either. More importantly, it meant making sure the original protagonist, Kyousuke, didn't get what he wanted. Kyousuke's effortless manipulation, his casual disregard for others as mere tools, had always grated on Harry. Now, as Arios, he had the power to disrupt that narrative.
The alarm's sounded. Arios pushed the wooden sword off his chest and swung his legs over the side of the bed. He performed his normal morning routine: a quick, cold shower to sharpen his senses, a precise shave, and then donning the crisp academy uniform.
He picked up his school-issued tablet, checking his student profile.
Arios Pureheart
Class: 1-D
Current Points: 997
The 3 points spent on the wooden sword were a necessary investment. He wouldn't regret it. Every point was a resource, and this one had already yielded results, unlocking his first skill. He slipped the tablet into his bag and then, before putting on his shoes, he activated the translucent system screen that only he could see. His stats appeared, a clear, objective measure of his current capabilities.
[Stat Window – Arios Pureheart]
Job: Academy Student
Class: Swordsman
Realm: Novice ( 0/100 XP )
STR: 5
INT: 6
WIS: 5
CHA: 4
AGI: 5
REP: 3
[Skills]:
> Swordsmanship (Passive)(LVL 1): Enhances blade control, attack speed, and precision with every swing.
Higher levels grant instinctive parrying, armor penetration, and sharper mana efficiency.
Always active when wielding a sword.
[Martial Manual]:
>None
[Inventory]:
>None
[Bond Log]:
>None
The Swordsmanship (LVL 1) skill was a solid start. It was passive, meaning it was always active when he held a sword, providing a constant, subtle enhancement. This was crucial for accelerating his learning. The "Novice (0/100 XP)" indicated his current progress towards the next Realm. He needed to gain 100 XP to advance, and the system had already hinted that bonding would be a key source of that experience. The empty Bond Log was a reminder of his immediate objective: Liza Garnet.
He closed the system window and finished lacing his shoes. It was time for class.
The walk to the classroom was uneventful. The academy grounds were bustling with students, some still groggy, others already animated. Arios maintained his usual low profile, observing without drawing attention.
When he stepped into the Class D classroom, the first thing he noticed was the empty chair. Liza Garnet's seat, usually occupied by her vibrant orange hair and an aura of social energy, was vacant. A small frown creased Arios's brow. This was unexpected.
He tried to recall whether there was any scene in the anime where Liza was absent and something major happened. He sifted through his memories of the show, replaying key plot points, character interactions, and significant events. Nothing. He couldn't pinpoint any specific instance where her absence had a profound impact on the narrative. After all, Liza was, in the grand scheme of the original story, a background character, a social catalyst perhaps, but rarely a central figure in the major conflicts.
Most of the focus had been on the protagonist, Kyousuke, and his immediate circle. This made her current absence a minor anomaly, but one he couldn't immediately contextualize with his meta-knowledge. It simply meant he was operating in uncharted territory, even for a seemingly minor detail.
The history teacher, Ms. Albright, walked in and started the lecture, her voice as clear as ever. Arios settled into his seat, pulling out his notebook. He tried to focus on the lecture, to continue his mental profiling of the other students. But he found his attention constantly being drawn away.
He noticed how often Greg Tunley would turn and look at him. It wasn't a quick glance; it was a lingering stare, almost as if Greg was trying to decipher something about him.
Greg would quickly avert his gaze whenever Arios met his eyes, pretending to be engrossed in his textbook, but the pattern repeated every few minutes. It became troubling for Arios to focus on his observations, to be observing someone while constantly being observed himself. The subtle pressure of Greg's gaze was a distraction, an unexpected variable in his carefully planned routine.
Was Greg suspicious? Curious? Or was it simply anxiety manifesting as an obsessive focus on every other student or what? Arios made a mental note to address this, or at least understand it, soon. He couldn't afford to have any loose ends, especially not one he intended to protect.
The rest of the school day dragged on, a mix of academic lectures and the underlying tension of the upcoming mid-semester test. The students were more subdued than usual, their conversations revolving around the difficulty of the test, the unfairness of the academy, and their lack of combat training. Arios listened, feeling the general mood, but kept his own counsel. He continued to practice his basic sword stances and movements in his mind, visualizing the forms, trying to embed them into his muscle memory.
When the final bell rang, signaling the end of the school day, the classroom emptied out quickly. Students were truly eager to escape, to process the upcoming test, or perhaps just to find a quiet place to panic. Arios, as usual, was one of the last to leave. He took his time packing his bag, ensuring he had everything intact.
As he was about to head for the door, his eyes caught a familiar sight near the front of the classroom. Kyousuke, the protagonist, stood with his usual calm, almost detached expression. He was talking to Rian Blake. Rian, the athletic hothead, was nodding vigorously, his face a mixture of frustration and grudging acceptance. Kyousuke said something low and quiet, too soft for Arios to hear, and then, with a subtle gesture, he placed a hand on Rian's shoulder, a seemingly friendly gesture.
Arios watched as Kyousuke gave Rian a slight, almost imperceptible shake, a gesture of encouragement or perhaps subtle command. Then, without another word, Kyousuke turned and walked out of the classroom, Rian falling into step beside him, their figures disappearing down the hallway.
Arios knew exactly what that interaction meant. This was it. This was the moment in the anime where Kyousuke and Rian would begin to forge their "alliance." In reality, Arios knew, Rian was becoming nothing more than the protagonist's pawn. Kyousuke would subtly manipulate Rian's competitive spirit and desire for strength, using him as a blunt instrument, a loyal follower who would do his bidding without truly understanding the depths of Kyousuke's schemes. Rian's physical prowess would become Kyousuke's asset, his temper a tool to be exploited.
Arios felt a surge of cold satisfaction. He was steps ahead. He had the meta-knowledge, the complete blueprint of this world's original narrative, the characters' personalities, their motivations, their weaknesses. Kyousuke, for all his genius, didn't have that. He was playing a game he thought he understood, but Arios knew the cheat codes, the hidden paths, the vulnerabilities that Kyousuke was blind to. This was his greatest advantage, and he intended to exploit it to its fullest. He would dismantle Kyousuke's network, one pawn at a time.
Arios slung his bag over his shoulder, his mind already formulating his next moves. His immediate priority was Liza Garnet. He needed to bond with her quickly. Her social influence was too valuable to ignore, and her knowledge of the other girls in the class would be crucial for identifying more potential bond candidates. Plus, neutralizing her secret crush on Kyousuke would be a significant blow to the protagonist's early influence.
He pulled out his school-issued tablet, navigating to the messaging app. He found Liza's contact, "Lizzza," and began to compose a message, planning to confirm their coffee meeting for the next day. He needed to keep the momentum going, to fulfill the bonding requirements as quickly as possible.
Just as his thumb hovered over the send button, a shadow fell over him. He looked up.
Greg Tunley was standing there, his square glasses slightly askew, his usual nervous demeanor amplified. He was fidgeting with the strap of his own bag, his eyes darting around the empty classroom as if checking for eavesdroppers. He looked anxious, almost desperate.
"Arios," Greg began, his voice a low, hesitant whisper. He took a deep breath, steeling himself. "Can I... can I have a minute? There's something I need to tell you."
Arios lowered his tablet, his eyes narrowing slightly. Greg's sudden approach, his obvious distress, and the urgency in his voice were unexpected. This wasn't just casual curiosity. This felt important. What could Greg possibly want to tell him? And why now?
Greg voice dropping even lower, barely audible. "It's about Liza."