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Chapter 11 - Chapter 11 — The Phoenixes of First Year

11.1 — New Beginnings: High School, First Day

The gates of Seiryuu High School swung open as a fresh batch of first-years entered, eyes wide with ambition, anxiety, and acne.

Among them stood:

Minato Tachibana – still cheerful, still dense, but now taller, stronger, sharper… and armed with obsessions.

Chiharu Aizawa – elegant and composed, still the class goddess, now with combat boots and a belt in judo and karate to match.

They stood together, side by side, as if the world had been built around them.

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11.2 — Minato: The Obsession Era

Minato had entered what his mother called his "knowledge hoarding" arc.

By the start of high school, he was:

Reading Holmes novels and solving crime puzzles for fun.

Fluent in Japanese, English, and conversational Russian.

Memorizing the world's military weapons, political revolutions, and the rise and fall of economic systems.

Studying animal behaviour, human psychology, and body mechanics like a forensic pathologist in training.

Training his brain with logic games and his body with running, push-ups, and improvised calisthenics.

Watching political debates and dissecting them in his notes. ("This politician is using flawed pathos-based logic. Weak.")

Chiharu once caught him muttering:

> "To become a creator of consciousness-linked VR… I must understand the human condition, from synapse to civil war."

She blinked. "Are you planning to save the world or control it?"

Minato: "Can I do both?"

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11.3 — Chiharu: The Razor

Chiharu had become more than just a top student.

She was precise. Efficient. Intimidating.

She dominated in math, science, English, and computer engineering.

She joined both judo and karate clubs.

Her expressionless face could shut down an entire hallway.

Her slap could knock out a delinquent twice her size. (That did happen.)

But beneath her cold persona, she was still the girl with the silent, deep love.

> He's getting closer… piece by piece. I can feel it. One day, he'll remember everything.

Until then, she'd stay by his side—protecting him from jealous fangirls and clueless enemies alike.

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11.4 — Their First Day: Class Introduction Scene

In the front row of Class 1-A, Minato stood up during introductions.

> "I'm Minato Tachibana! I like VR engineering, psychology, military science, Holmes-style mystery puzzles, political histories, global economics, and observing people."

The class blinked.

> "I also want to create a pod that connects thoughts through dreams, and maybe run for Prime Minister someday!"

The class blinked again.

> "Oh, and I can throw a javelin."

Everyone immediately thought: This guy is either insane or the final boss of high school.

Then Chiharu stood.

> "Chiharu Aizawa. Science. Programming. English. Martial arts."

> End of speech.

Half the boys fell in love.

Half the girls wanted to fight her and/or follow her.

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11.5 — POV: Random Upperclassman

> "There's a rumor that two first-years already took the top ranks on the placement exam."

> "One of them reads war theory for fun."

> "The other broke a senior's arm during judo club introductions."

> "They walk together every day like royalty."

> "Their names?"

> "Minato and Chiharu. Tachibana and Aizawa."

> "Nicknames?"

> "The Mind and the Blade."

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11.6 — After School: Their Usual Spot

Beneath the sakura tree outside the back gate—where they'd once studied for middle school exams—they met again.

Minato sat cross-legged, flipping through a book on neurobiological pathways. Chiharu sipped matcha.

> "Chii-chan," he said suddenly, "do you think the mind has limits?"

> "The human brain filters 99% of what it sees. So no."

> "Good," he grinned. "Because I'm going to crack that limit. Build something that transcends understanding."

> "And I'll make the code that links it. Cleanly. Elegantly. No bugs."

They fist-bumped.

A quiet promise hung in the air:

> We'll reach the stars. Together.

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11.7 — Nighttime: Dreams Still Linger

That night, Minato dreamt of a black void where countless stars pulsed with voices.

A girl stood there again.

This time, closer. Her eyes silver. Her voice a whisper.

> "You're remembering. Piece by piece."

He reached out—but woke up.

Across town, Chiharu clutched her bedsheet, whispering:

> "We're getting close, Rimuru…"

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