CHAPTER 50: GOING BEYOND A SECOND [4]

Chapter 50: Going Beyond a Second [4]

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Elisa stared at Arios with a grim look, the way his touch felt, it sent a slight jolt of pleasure through her, which made her feel a sense of disgust at herself.

"So, the deal stands," Arios said, lending her a hand. "Since you were unable to determine how I’m able to teleport—"

"I will kindly take my leave then," she said, interrupting Arios before he could make his point. As she turned to quickly leave the scene of her somewhat disgrace, Arios simply called out to her, "Elisa, wait."

"What do you want now? Aren’t you satisfied already? You have clearly won, and I would rather love to keep my honor and take my leave," she said, still facing away from him.

I’m not sensing that keen curiosity anymore, Arios thought, his gaze fixed on her. I wanted to use this opportunity to maybe establish a bond with her. With a flicker of his hand, Arios quickly materialized the familiar translucent screen. He then hovered towards the bond registry section and viewed the bond requirements for Elisa Ravenscroft.

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[Elisa Ravencroft:]

•Role: Heroine / Female Lead

•Compatibility: 73%

•Bond Level: 0

•Requirements: At least 3 shared conversations, 1 event participation, 1 personal moment

-----

Arios’s mind quickly reeled as he darted his gaze at the system. Her role is the same as the anime, and the way she behaves, she truly embodies the tough heroine archetype.

Here’s it, Arios thought. Hmm... three shared conversations? Does this count as one? Definitely should, considering she’s interested in talking about my technique. One event participation? That would definitely take time to find any event she would be interested in. One personal moment—

Arios was then interrupted once again as Elisa called out to him.

"Hey," she said. "If we are done talking, can we end any further discussion between us, not just now, but any other going forward?"

She clearly hates me now, Arios thought. Not only did he touch her indecently, but he also made a fool out of her. She had come with the preconceived notion that she was at the peak of cultivation in their class, not knowing someone could actually stand a chance against her.

Then Elisa started slowly walking away from the scene, her back fully facing Arios as he just watched her leave. She was truly not satisfied with the results, but what else could she do? As she reached the top of an elevated ground that mildly overlooked the area, she suddenly stopped and turned to face Arios again.

Then Elisa asked a sudden question, "who are you, truly?"

That took Arios by surprise. Why would Elisa ask such a question? What answer did she expect from him?

"What do you mean?" Arios replied.

"There was something truly strange about you," Elisa continued. "During the first day of the academy, you looked like you had just woken up from a very deep sleep, and the first thing you did was start staring at different people. Your gaze was fixed on them way longer than required. Then, after some days, you somehow seemed to fit in, and I just brushed out the suspicions. But here we are again. You clearly don’t have any special bloodlines— at least any that I know of. The Purehearts are a lesser noble house for that reason. You clearly lack significant training in any martial arts or sword manual, visible from the way your footwork was when you had teleported. But then again, your physique and agility can even rival the best of the best in the academy for some unknown reason. Then again, I ask, who are you, truly?"

A profound silence fell between them, immediately after Elisa’s explanation and scrutiny. It felt as though she were trying to break Arios down into his constituent parts, to dissect his very being just to find one logical answer. Arios met her gaze, his expression carefully neutral, until the weight of her stare began to make a fine sweat form on his forehead.

He finally broke the silence with a soft sigh. "I’m just like any other student from Class 1-D with a noble background," he said, his voice low and even. "Someone here to climb to the very top. I was intrigued by the promise of guaranteed college acceptance, and now, with the revealed path of becoming a Grandmaster Mage Knight, I’m even more so. There’s truly nothing more to it. I’m not the guy you’re looking for, Elisa."

I hope that was enough for her,

Arios thought.

Elisa held her gaze on him for a moment longer, causing another drop of sweat to form on his brow. Then, with a quiet sigh of her own, she finally turned and departed.

Arios quickly responded with a sigh of relief. He was glad she chose not to probe further, but the truth was that Elisa didn’t have much time to waste on someone she couldn’t immediately categorize. She made the difficult decision to brush him off once again, at least for now.

[Ding! Bond progress with Elisa Ravenscroft reached 33.3%]

The familiar chime rang in Arios’s mind as he read the new system prompt about his progress with forming a bond with Elisa Ravenscroft.

So the conversation counted after all, he thought, a sense of relief washing over him. At least he had managed to get something out of her unexpected visit.

Then Arios shimmered the Azurine Blade from his system and set his gaze on it. "This blade truly is something else," he whispered.

***

As the combat section of the test loomed closer, Arios quickly made his way to Greg Tunley’s dorm. Greg answered the door, his face alight with a confident grin. "Arios! I’m glad you came," he said, holding up a polished wooden sword. "I’ve been feeling great about my combat skills after sparring with you. I’m ready to take on anyone."

Arios smirked, taking the offered wooden sword. "Confidence is good, but it’s not everything," he replied. "We’re not here to just spar. We’re here to refine your technique."

They walked out to the secluded courtyard behind the dorms. The sun was still low, casting long shadows. Arios handed Greg the wooden sword and took a defensive stance, his own movements fluid and practiced.

"First, your footwork," Arios began, circling him slowly. "It’s too rigid. You’re trying to move your legs to attack, but you should be moving them to support your attacks. Think of your feet as the foundation for every swing. Be light, be agile, and always keep your center of gravity low."

He lunged forward with his wooden blade, a feint aimed at Greg’s chest. Greg instinctively tried to step back, but his footwork was slow, and Arios’s blade connected.

"See?" Arios said, pulling back. "You’re reacting to my movements instead of anticipating them. You need to read my intentions, not just my actions."

Greg nodded, his brow furrowed in concentration. He tried again, this time focusing on his footwork. Arios continued to press him, giving him subtle nudges and pointers. "That’s it. Good. Now, let’s talk about blade precision."

He had Greg practice a series of simple cuts and thrusts, but Arios watched him like a hawk. "Your blade is wavering," he pointed out, tapping Greg’s sword with his own. "A fraction of an inch can be the difference between a hit and a miss. Focus on the tip of your blade, It should serve as your eye to the target. Every movement should be purposeful, every swing should be a precise hit."

They continued this grueling training for a few hours, the repetitive motions and constant critiques wearing on Greg’s confidence. His early cockiness was replaced by a look of intense focus. Arios was relentless, pushing him past his perceived limits.

Arios was meticulously setting the stage for his plan. He had already thwarted Kyousuke’s scheme by preventing him from getting the test questions that would have aided Rian Blake. Now, he was prepping Greg, ensuring he would at least stand a fighting chance in the combat test that afternoon.

"Your opponent will not be kind," Arios said, his voice firm. "They will exploit every weakness. The combat test will be a test of raw skill, and your confidence alone won’t cut it. The only thing that will score you this test is your skill, and it is something we can both work on today."

Arios then demonstrated a series of movements that were flawless, his footwork a dance, his blade a blur of controlled motion. "You must understand your own style," he instructed. "It should be an extension of you. Your body and your blade must work together in perfect sync that suits you."

As the hours passed, students began to line up at the training hall, the air filled with their anticipation. The combat test was looming closer, and Arios took his place in line, a grim look on his face. This was it— the final piece of his plan. But then again, would he truly be able to outsmart Kyuosouke?