The third day at Elite Academy dawned with the sa sterile efficiency as the previous two. Arios woke before his alarm, the habit of early rising ingrained from his hospital days, now repurposed for strategic advantage.
He went through his morning routine: a quick shower, dressing in the crisp uniform, and checking his tablet. His point balance remained at 1000. He wasn’t spending a single point unnecessarily. Every al was the basic fare from the Class D section of the dining hall, every supply the standard issue. He was a ghost, observing, learning, and waiting for the right mont to act.
Breakfast was a repeat of yesterday, a quiet affair for Arios as he watched the other students. Kyousuke was still a silent fixture in his corner. Elisa maintained her composed solitude. Liza was already deep in conversation, her voice carrying across the table. Rian was restless, drumming his fingers on the table. Greg looked perpetually anxious, picking at his toast. Arios filed away these small details, adding them to the ntal profiles he was building.
The morning classes passed without incident. A literature lecture, followed by an art history lesson. Arios took diligent notes, not just on the subject matter, but on the reactions of his classmates. He noticed how Rian would occasionally sketch crude stick figures in his notebook during the literature class, while Greg ticulously highlighted every sentence in his textbook. Liza would pass notes, but her eyes would still flick to the teacher, catching key phrases. Elisa remained a picture of focused attention, her pen moving gracefully across the page. The unknown student with the ssy hair remained hunched over his sketchpad, seemingly in his own world.
Arios could feel the subtle shift in the academy’s atmosphere. The initial novelty of freedom and points was starting to wear off for so of the Class D students, replaced by a growing sense of boredom or unease. They were still largely oblivious to the true nature of the school, but the constant low-level pressure was beginning to tell.
· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·
After the lunch break, the students filed into a larger classroom, one with a wide, empty space at the front, almost like a small training area. The usual chatter died down as a new figure entered the room.
He was a tall, powerfully built man with a stern face and close-cropped, iron-gray hair. He wore a dark, fitted uniform that seed to emphasize his broad shoulders. A long, sheathed sword hung at his hip, its hilt gleaming faintly. His presence alone commanded attention, a stark contrast to the more relaxed deanor of Mr. Calborne or Ms. Albright. His na tag, pinned to his chest, simply read: Instructor Bale.
Bale walked to the center of the room, his gaze sweeping over every student, lingering for a mont on each face. His eyes were sharp, assessing, missing nothing. A cold, professional aura radiated from him.
"Good afternoon, Class D," Bale’s voice was deep, resonant, and carried an undeniable authority. "I am Instructor Bale. And for the rest of your ti at this academy, I will be your primary instructor in the arts of combat and mana manipulation."
A ripple of murmurs went through the class. Combat? Mana? It seed new to them. Most students had assud this was just a regular, albeit elite, academic institution.
Bale raised a hand, and the murmurs instantly ceased. "Let make sothing very clear. This is not rely a school. This is the Royal Elite Academy. One of it’s purpose is to forge the next generation of elite Mage Knights for the kingdom."
He paused, letting the words sink in. "The students in Class A, those who endure and excel, will graduate with the title of Grandmaster. They will be granted imnse wealth, power, and influence. A life of unparalleled privilege awaits them. They will serve at the highest levels of the kingdom’s military and governnt, protecting our borders and advising our rulers. They will be the shield and sword of the nation."
His gaze sharpened. "This academy does not rely train scholars. We train warriors. Your curriculum here extends far beyond science, art, writing, and literature. You will be imrsed in the art of mana manipulation—learning to channel the very essence of the world around you. You will master swordsmanship, becoming proficient with blade and shield, learning to fight as one with your magic."
He gestured to the empty space at the front. "That is why this room is designed for practical application. You will spend as much ti here as you do in any lecture hall."
The class was silent, absorbing this bombshell. So looked excited, others bewildered, a few still confused. This was a far cry from the "guaranteed college acceptance" premise most had thought.
Bale’s eyes narrowed as he looked at Class D. "Now, for the matter of Class D."
A collective tension filled the room. Everyone knew Class D was the bottom. What new humiliation awaited them?
"There are 41 of you in this class," Bale stated, his voice devoid of emotion. "A number that is, by design, anomalous. Every other class in the first year has precisely 40 students. You, Class D, are an exception. An intentional one."
Whispers erupted. Forty-one? Why? What did that an?
"The academy intentionally admitted 41 students into Class D this year," Bale continued, ignoring the growing unease. "This was a test. A filter. And because of this, Class D will have an early mid-sester test. This will not be a simple academic quiz."
He paused, letting his words hang in the air. "This test will assess both your academic knowledge and your foundational skills in magic swordsmanship. It will be comprehensive. It will be challenging. And it will determine your future at this academy. You have 15 days to prepare."
The silence that followed was deafening, broken only by a few sharp intakes of breath. Fifteen days? An early test? And magic swordsmanship?
Arios anticipated it, just as it had played out in the ani. He already knew how the test would unfold and that the elite academy wasn’t focused solely on academics.
"Points," Bale continued, his voice cutting through the rising anxiety. "Your points are your lifeline here. They can be used for more than just anities. They can be used to acquire knowledge, training, and even Sword Arts Manuals."
"For instance, the Roaring Phoenix Sword Art. A B-tier skill, requiring advanced mana control and precision. It manual cost: 4000 points. Obviously expensive, given its power."
"The academy provides basic training, but true mastery, true power, will cost you. Your points are your currency for advancent."
He looked directly at the stunned faces of Class D. "You are at the bottom. The academy expects you to fail. Prove them wrong. Or be discarded."
With that, Instructor Bale turned and strode out of the room, leaving behind a class in disarray.
As the door clicked shut behind Bale, the room erupted. Students shouted, so in anger, so in fear.
"Magic swordsmanship? What are they talking about?"
"Wasn’t this a normal school?"
"Fifteen days? That’s impossible!"
"We’re going to get expelled!"
Arios ignored the chaos. His focus was entirely on the translucent screen.
[CURRENT QUEST OVERRIDE]
[Quest Updated]
[Quest Update: Pass the Mid-Sester Test]
[Objective: Achieve a passing score in both academic and magic swordsmanship components of the upcoming test.]
[Ti Remaining: 15 Days]
[Tip: Bond to increase stats, which increases chance of passing the test.]
The system’s ssage was clear. His initial strategy of passive observation was no longer enough. He needed to actively engage, and quickly. "Bond to increase stats." This was the core chanic. He had to form genuine connections, not just superficial ones, to gain the power he needed.
[Full stat window unlocked.]
[Bond Tier 1 unlocked.]
He then opened his Stat Window. The familiar numbers were there, but above them, new lines had appeared, confirming his new reality.
[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
Job: Academy Student. Logical. Class: Swordsman. He wasn’t just a student; he was being trained as a warrior. And Realm: Novice. This was his starting point in mana manipulation and combat prowess. It ant he was at the very bottom, with everything to learn.
Fifteen days. That was not a lot of ti to learn mana manipulation and swordsmanship from scratch, especially as a "Novice." And 4000 points for a B-tier Sword Art? That was an astronomical sum for a Class D student starting with 1000 points. He wouldn’t be able to buy any skills anyti soon. His only path to power was through bonding.
The tip was explicit: "Bond to increase stats." This ant forming genuine connections would directly translate into quantifiable improvents in his physical and ntal attributes. Stronger stats would increase his "chance of passing the test." This was the cheat, the leverage he had over Kyousuke and everyone else. While others relied on raw talent or cunning, he could grow by understanding and connecting with girls.
He reviewed his existing female profiles, now with the new objective in mind:
Liza Garnet: Her social intelligence and information-gathering skills were valuable. She might know more about the academy’s inner workings, or even other students’ strengths and weaknesses. Building a bond with her could provide crucial intelligence and perhaps boost his CHA or WIS.
Elisa Ravencroft: The most intriguing and challenging. Her discipline and analytical mind were top-tier. She would likely excel at both academic and swordsmanship aspects. A bond with her would be difficult to form, requiring genuine respect and intellectual parity, but could yield significant stat boosts across the board, especially INT and WIS. She was a long-term, high-reward target.
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