The academy hallways buzzed with excitement as students poured out of Arena One. Voices echoed from every direction.
"Did you see Lady Maki's final spell?!"
"That commoner blocked a Black Fang Bear head-on!"
"Elite Class is terrifying this year!"
The battle had ended, but the excitement certainly hadn't.
Meanwhile...
Keith walked beside Maki with the exhausted expression of a man who had already survived three separate disasters before lunch.
"...I can't believe that was our first class."
Maki casually stretched her arms behind her head.
"Pretty fun start."
Keith stopped walking.
"FUN?!"
Maki glanced at him.
"You're acting like you didn't enjoy it."
"I almost got flattened!"
"But you didn't."
"That's not the point!"
Maki laughed lightly.
"...You complain a lot."
"And you scare me emotionally."
"Fair."
The academy grounds remained crowded as students hurried between buildings while instructors shouted directions and schedules.
First-day chaos. Pure academic warfare.
As they walked, several students immediately straightened their posture upon noticing Maki.
"Lady Maki!"
"Good morning, Lady Maki!"
She waved casually.
"Yo."
Keith physically winced.
"...One day a noble's going to faint hearing you talk like that."
"Skill issue."
"That doesn't even make sense."
"It spiritually makes sense."
Keith sighed deeply.
"...Akira used to say weird stuff like that too..."
The words slipped out before he realized it.
For a brief moment, the surrounding noise seemed to fade. Maki's smile faltered ever so slightly.
Then—
"LADY MAKIIIIII!"
A blur shot toward them. Keith barely had time to react before a petite girl with bright orange twin-tails attached herself dramatically to Maki's arm.
"You were SO COOL earlier!"
Maki blinked.
"...Who are you?"
The girl gasped as if struck by an arrow.
"You forgot me already?!"
"Probably."
"OW."
Keith couldn't stop a small snort. The girl immediately spun around and pointed at him accusingly.
"YOU!"
"...Me?"
"You're the roommate!"
Keith looked offended.
"...Why does everyone keep saying that like it's a criminal title?"
The girl completely ignored the question.
"I'm Lina Bellrose!"
She struck a dramatic pose.
"Future top healer!"
Another pose.
"Current genius!"
A third pose.
"And full-time admirer of Lady Maki!"
Maki stared at her.
"...That's a lot."
"THANK YOU."
"That wasn't praise."
"Still counts."
Keith slowly turned toward Maki.
"...Why do you attract people exactly like you?"
Maki placed a hand on her chest proudly.
"I'm influential."
"You're contagious."
Lina nodded seriously.
"She's right."
"No she's not."
"Too late."
Keith immediately regretted engaging in the conversation. Lina suddenly leaned toward him with narrowed eyes.
"...So."
"...So?"
"...How much of Lady Maki's beauty do you witness daily?"
Keith nearly suffered cardiac arrest.
"WHAT KIND OF QUESTION IS THAT?!"
Several nearby students turned to look, Keith wanted the ground to swallow him whole while Lina remained completely serious.
"This is important research."
"There is NO research happening!"
Keith pointed at Maki.
"And I've only spent ONE night in the same dorm as her!"
Lina gasped dramatically.
"Only one?!"
"ONLY ONE!" He shouted then took a breath.
"It's only the first day of school after all?"
Maki burst out laughing. Then, with absolutely no intention of helping him, she casually added:
"Oh? So you're saying you'd like more nights with me?"
Keith's soul left his body.
"HEY! CALM DOWN!"
He pointed at her in pure panic.
"YOU'RE NOT MAKING THIS ANY BETTER!"
Maki wiped a tear from her eye from laughing too hard.
"...Okay, that one was funny."
"You're encouraging her!"
"Correct."
Lina nodded enthusiastically.
"I like her."
"Of course you do." Keith said placing his hand on his forehead feeling completely powerless to to even comment.
"She understands comedy." Maki added pointing at Lina.
"YOU TWO ARE THE PROBLEM!"
Maki and Lina exchanged a glance, then they both nodded at the same time.
"...He's fun."
Keith stared at them in disbelief, he looked around desperately for someone, anyone, to save him. Unfortunately for him, several students had stopped to watch and they were enjoying this far too much.
"Is that really Lady Maki?"
"She's completely different from the rumors."
"She's way more approachable."
"She's bullying that commoner."
"I'm standing right here!" Keith protested.
Lina pointed dramatically.
"See? Even his suffering is entertaining."
"Why are you like this?" Keith asked.
"Natural talent."
Maki nodded approvingly.
"She's got potential."
"Stop encouraging people!"
As the three continued walking, another student approached from the opposite direction, It was Ivys. The noble stopped briefly upon seeing the scene before him.
Lady Maki, the four-attribute commoner and a hyperactive healer hanging off Maki's arm.
"..."
He looked away, then looked back.
"...What am I looking at?"
"A disaster," Keith answered immediately.
"Friendship," Lina corrected.
"Comedy," Maki added.
Ivys rubbed his forehead.
"...I've known Lady Maki for years and somehow today is the first day I realize she's strange."
"Only today?" Maki asked.
"Unfortunately."
"Your observation skills need work."
Keith pointed at her immediately.
"Don't insult him. You're the problem."
Lina nodded.
"She's definitely the problem."
"Traitors," Maki muttered.
The four continued walking through the academy grounds, the afternoon sun was already beginning to descend. Students were heading toward dorms, training fields, cafeterias, and academy shops. The first day of classes had officially ended.
Or more accurately...
The first day of survival had ended. A loud bell echoed throughout the academy.
CLANGGGG!
CLANGGGG!
CLANGGGG!
An instructor's magically amplified voice followed.
"Attention students. All classes for today have concluded. Training grounds will remain open until sunset. Curfew begins at nine o'clock."
A collective sigh of relief spread through the academy. Many students looked exhausted,
others looked traumatized and a few looked excited. Elite Class somehow managed to be all three at once.
Keith released a long breath.
"...Finally."
Maki glanced at him.
"Tired already?"
"We fought a monster."
"We survived."
"We almost died."
"Details."
"THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT DETAIL!"
Lina nodded seriously.
"Near-death experiences build character."
Keith looked at her.
"Why are all of you like this?"
"Great minds attract each other," Lina said proudly.
Keith looked toward Ivys.
"Please tell me you're normal."
Ivys thought for a moment.
"...Compared to those two?"
"Yes."
"Then probably."
"Thank goodness."
The group reached a fork in the academy pathway. Ivys stopped.
"Our dorm is this way."
Lina immediately perked up.
"Oh right!"
She pointed dramatically at Maki.
"I'll visit your dorm someday!"
"No you won't."
"I definitely will."
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
"Absolutely."
Keith immediately started walking away.
"Nope."
Lina pointed at him.
"You're coming too."
"I was never invited."
"Exactly."
"What does that even mean?!"
Ivys sighed.
"...Anyway."
His gaze shifted toward Keith.
"Not bad today."
Keith blinked.
"...Was that a compliment?"
"Don't get used to it."
"It was a compliment."
"It wasn't."
"It absolutely was."
Maki nodded.
"Congratulations."
Keith looked genuinely confused.
"Why?"
"You've successfully unlocked Noble Friendship."
Ivys nearly choked.
"That is not a thing."
"It is now."
"No."
"Too late."
After a bit more arguing, Lina and Ivys eventually left. Lina's final words echoed across half the academy.
"BYE LADY MAKI!"
"BYE ROOMMATE KEITH!"
"STOP CALLING ME THAT!"
Silence finally returned.
Well...
Relative silence. The academy was still filled with thousands of students but compared to Lina? It felt peaceful. Keith and Maki continued toward their dorm, the evening breeze drifted through the trees, for the first time all day, neither of them spoke. Just walking.
Quietly.
Comfortably.
Then Maki suddenly spoke.
"...Today's been fun."
Keith looked at her.
"You've said that six times already."
"And I'll say it seven."
"You scare me."
"You've said that six times already."
Keith paused.
"...Fair."
Maki grinned victoriously.
"Got him."
Eventually the old dorm building came into view, the isolated one, the one nobody wanted, the one they somehow ended up sharing. Keith still couldn't believe it.
As they climbed the stairs, Maki suddenly stopped.
"...Hey."
Keith glanced back.
"What?"
For a brief moment she hesitated, something unusual for her.
"...Do you ever feel like you've forgotten something important?"
Keith blinked.
"...Sometimes."
More often than he liked.
Fragments.
Dreams.
Emotions.
Memories that felt just out of reach.
Maki looked toward the evening sky.
"...Yeah."
A strange silence settled between them.
Then—
"Probably nothing."
She immediately ruined the moment, Keith sighed.
"There you go again."
"What?"
"Creating deep emotional moments then
immediately throwing them off a cliff."
"It's a gift."
"It's a curse."
They finally reached the dorm room. Keith opened the door then froze.
"...Maki."
"Hm?"
"...Why is there food on our table?"
Maki blinked.
"...There wasn't food there this morning."
The two slowly looked at each other.
Then—
A folded note caught Keith's attention. He picked it up carefully. The message was short.
Congratulations on surviving your first day.
Consider this a gift.
- Selena
Silence.
Keith stared at the note.
"...Our instructor broke into our dorm."
"She's so cool."
"THAT'S YOUR TAKEAWAY?!"
Maki was already sitting at the table.
"Come eat before it gets cold."
Keith looked at the food then at Maki, then at the note. Then back at Maki.
"...You know what?"
"What?"
"I'm too tired to question anything anymore."
Maki smiled.
"Character development."
"I hate this academy."
"See you tomorrow, roommate."
Keith buried his face in his hands and somewhere deep down... He was starting to enjoy it.
Night fell over Azure Academy.
After an exhausting first day, both Maki and Keith had taken their baths and gone to bed earlier than usual. The dorm was quiet,
peaceful, only the sound of steady breathing filled the room. Then, around midnight...
Maki's eyes slowly opened.
"...Alright."
She sat up carefully and looked down from the upper bunk. Keith was sleeping soundly below. Maki leaned over the edge slightly.
"Buddy, I hope you're dead asleep."
No response. She narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
"Hmm..."
Leaning even further down, she studied him.
"...Yeah, I think he's dead enough."
Satisfied, she climbed down from the bunk.
Before leaving, she arranged several pillows beneath her blanket. From a distance it looked like someone was still sleeping there.
"Heh. Old-school decoy technique, plus why would he want to check in on a sleeping girl's bed."
Then she activated one of her skills.
"Stealth."
Instantly her presence disappeared.
No aura.
No sound.
No scent.
Even her body vanished from sight, the skill had come from a monster she'd eaten years ago, a Stealth Chameleon. Back then she'd almost thrown up after eating it.
Now?
It was one of her favorite abilities. Keith continued sleeping peacefully, completely unaware of anything happening around him.
Maki slipped out of the dorm unnoticed. A few moments later she cleared the academy walls. The instant she entered the night sky, her familiar black cloak materialized around her. Dark feathers formed along its surface,
the wings of a Tempest Raven unfolded from her back. She took flight.
Cold air rushed past her face.
"Can't believe I'm actually grateful for eating that Stealth Chameleon." She shuddered.
"Blugh. That thing tasted horrible."
Flying through the darkness, she enjoyed the freedom for a while. Then she spotted movement below.
A goblin nest.
Maki landed atop a nearby tree branch,
several goblins immediately looked up, their ugly faces twisted into disgusting grins. The moment their eyes landed on her, she felt her skin crawl.
"Ewwww."
The goblins began approaching. Maki physically recoiled.
"Nope."
She pointed toward them.
"Nope. Nope. Absolutely nope."
The lustful looks on their faces made her regret existing.
"Now I remember why I hate goblins."
Silver threads emerged from her fingertips.
The goblins never even had time to scream.
SHHHK!
The threads sliced through the entire group,
bodies collapsed instantly, silence returned.
Maki stared at the corpses.
She hugged herself.
"Absolutely horrifying."
Looking at the dead monsters, she sighed.
"And I can't even get useful abilities from goblins."
She kicked a rock.
"Seriously. What would I even get?"
She thought for a moment.
"'Goblin Stamina'?"
The image made her laugh.
"Hahaha! No thanks."
Leaving the nest behind, she continued flying through the night.
Not long afterward...
She found a dungeon. Maki landed quietly in front of the dungeon entrance. The moment she saw it, her confidence faded slightly.
"...Right."
Her smile weakened, this was dangerous even after all these years.
"Damn..."
She stared at the darkness within.
"This isn't the same as back then."
She clenched her fists.
"You were nine years old."
Still...
The memory remained, vivid almost too vivid like it happened yesterday and before she realized it the memory pulled her back.
Flashback
Maki was only nine years old, back then she had been far less experienced, far less cautious and significantly dumber. Night had fallen over the Eldridge Estate. Inside her room, Maki grinned excitedly.
"Alright!"
She jumped onto her desk dramatically.
"Time to experience a real fantasy-world dungeon raid!"
She pointed toward the window.
"And test out Devourer's Blessing!"
Needless to say this was a terrible idea. A few minutes later she successfully snuck out of the estate through a side entrance.
Avoiding guards.
Avoiding maids.
Avoiding everyone.
"Damn that was scary."
She sighed in relief.
"Good thing I still remember all my old Akira techniques."
She grinned proudly.
"Honestly, I've lost count of how many times I dragged Hayato into my nonsense."
The smile slowly faded.
"...Hayato."
The night suddenly felt lonelier.
"I really miss you."
She stared toward the stars.
"I hope you're in this world."
Her voice softened.
"I hope I'm not alone."
For a few moments she simply stood there.
Then she laughed awkwardly.
"If you are here, you're probably asleep in a comfy bed while I'm sneaking out and causing trouble."
That sounded exactly like their old dynamic.
The thought made her smile then she continued her adventure. Not long afterward she encountered her first monsters.
A group of Cobalts. Small blue-scaled creatures roughly her height. Maki immediately hid behind a bush.
"...Whoa."
Her heart raced, these weren't video games,
these weren't anime, they were real actual monsters. For the first time, fear crept into her mind then she slapped her cheeks.
"C'mon, Akira."
"You can do this."
Taking a deep breath, she stepped out. The monsters noticed her immediately, water gathered above her hand. A massive sphere of water formed overhead.
"Rain Bullets!"
Countless droplets fired like machine-gun rounds, the Cobalts were shredded instantly.
Maki blinked.
Silence.
Then—
"...That was way easier than I expected."
She looked at her hands.
"Damn, girl, you're actually overpowered."
Afterward she examined one of the corpses.
"...Now for science."
She cut off a piece of meat and Immediately regretting it.
"Damn this looks disgusting."
Still...
Science demanded sacrifice, She cleaned the meat using a sphere of spinning water.
Then paused.
"...Wait."
A realization hit her.
"I never thought about how I'm supposed to cook this."
After several minutes of experimenting...
She finally managed to heat water using magic, the meat boiled. Ten minutes later she took a bite, her face immediately twisted.
"...EWW."
She forced herself to swallow.
"This is terrible."
Then—
A voice echoed inside her head.
You have acquired the skill: Cobalt Strength.
Maki blinked.
"...That's it?"
She stared blankly.
"Cobalt Strength? That sounds incredibly boring."
Disappointed, she continued hunting.
Hours later...
She discovered a dungeon a real dungeon.
Her eyes lit up immediately.
"So this is a dungeon."
She grinned.
"Let's see what you've got."
The moment she entered, she found herself inside a massive crystal-lit cavern. The walls glowed softly the air felt strange.
Ancient.
Dangerous.
"Wow..."
"This place is huge."
BANG!
Something slammed into her.
Hard.
Maki flew across the cavern and smashed into a wall pain exploded throughout her body. She fell to her knees.
"What the heck just hit me?!"
Nothing appeared, nothing moved but she felt it. Something was there watching,
Waiting. Then instinct screamed Maki launched herself sideways.
"Water Jet!"
Water erupted from circles beneath her hands and feet, propelling her away. The spot she'd occupied exploded, stone shattered,
a deep crater appeared. Cold sweat ran down her back.
"...That would've killed me."
Immediately she retaliated.
"Water Blades!"
Multiple crescent-shaped blades shot through the cavern one connected. Blood splattered.
Then—
The creature revealed itself, Maki stared. The monster stared back.
Silence.
"...Ew."
A gigantic chameleon clung to the cavern wall. Its scales shifted colors constantly,
Its eyes moved independently. Its tongue hung out lazily. Maki looked horrified.
"No way."
She pointed at it.
"A giant chameleon?!"
The monster hissed, Maki's face twisted in disgust.
"...Why is everything in this world so ugly?"
The giant chameleon hissed, Its skin rippled as colors shifted across its body. One moment it was visible, the next it blended perfectly into the cave walls. Maki's eyes widened.
"...Okay that's actually creepy."
The monster vanished again. Complete invisibility. The only sound remaining was the dripping of water from the cave ceiling.
Drip.
Drip.
Drip.
Maki swallowed nervously, for all her confidence...She was still an eight-year-old girl standing alone inside a dungeon.
And for the first time since arriving in this world...
She felt genuine fear.
"Think, Akira... think."
Her heart pounded, the chameleon could hide It was fast. And whatever attack it used earlier had nearly knocked her unconscious.
Then—
A faint disturbance, her instincts screamed.
She immediately fired her water jets again.
BOOOOM!
The ground exploded where she'd been standing. Stone fragments flew everywhere.
The impact alone made her shiver.
"...That would've killed me."
The realization hit hard, this wasn't a game.
This wasn't an anime, If she died here that would be it. No protagonist rescue, no dramatic second chance, just death
again. The chameleon vanished once more.
Maki forced herself to breathe.
"C'mon Akira...You watched hundreds of anime, One of those has to help right now."
Nothing came to mind.Then an idea appeared.
A stupid idea.
A very Akira idea.
Which meant it might work.
She grinned.
"Oh...I got it."
Water began gathering around her.
More.
And more.
And more.
Until a massive sphere formed above her head. The chameleon continued hiding.
Waiting.
Hunting.
Maki snapped her fingers, the water exploded outward.
Not as bullets.
Not as blades.
As rain.
A giant rainstorm inside the cave.
SHHHHHHHHHH!
Water covered every surface.
The floor.
The walls.
The ceiling.
Everything.
Then—
"There you are."
A moving silhouette appeared, tiny ripples formed around the invisible monster, the water revealed its position. The chameleon realized too late. Maki pointed dramatically.
"Found ya!!"
The creature lunged.
"Water Cannon!"
BOOOOOOM!
The concentrated blast struck the monster directly, the force launched it across the cave. It slammed into a crystal-covered wall but it wasn't dead, far from it. The chameleon rose again.
Bleeding.
Angry.
And now much faster.
It vanished.
Reappeared.
Vanished.
Reappeared.
Each attack coming closer than the last, Maki accumulated bruises rapidly. A cut formed on her shoulder, another on her leg. She was getting tired, the monster wasn't.
Eventually she stumbled. The chameleon immediately pounced Its massive jaws opened. Rows of sharp teeth filled her vision.
For a moment time slowed.
"I'm gonna die."
The thought came naturally, just like it had during her final moments as Akira.
The alley.
The blood.
Hayato's terrified face.
The serial killer.
The fear.
"No."
Maki clenched her fists.
"I already died once I'm not doing it again."
Mana surged violently, far more than she normally used. Water erupted around her body, the cave trembled, the crystals glowed.
Even Maki herself looked surprised.
"GET AWAY FROM ME!"
The water condensed into a gigantic spinning spear then fired.
BOOOOOOOOOOOM!!
The attack pierced straight through the monster. The force shattered part of the cave wall behind it, the chameleon froze. Then collapsed.
Dead.
Silence.
Complete silence.
Maki stood there breathing heavily.
Bruised.
Bleeding.
Exhausted.
Terrified.
Alive.
"...Holy crap."
Her legs finally gave out. She sat heavily on the ground then started laughing. Half from relief, half from shock.
"I actually did it."
Her hands trembled.
"I actually survived."
A few tears formed in her eyes. Not from sadness, from the realization of how close she'd come to dying. Eventually she looked at the corpse.
"...You better have something cool."
She slowly carved out some meat and cooked it poorly as usual. Then forced herself to eat.
"Still tastes awful."
A familiar voice echoed in her mind.
You have acquired the skill: Stealth.
You have acquired the skill: Aura Concealment.
You have acquired the skill: Camouflage.
Maki blinked.
Then blinked again.
"...WAIT."
She stood up instantly.
"THAT'S AWESOME!"
All fear immediately vanished.
A few moments later—
She was sprinting around the dungeon invisible laughing like a maniac. Accidentally running into walls.
Falling over rocks.
Getting excited every time she disappeared.
"I'M A NINJA!"
THUD!
She walked directly into a crystal.
"...Ow."
The memory slowly faded.
Present Day.
Outside the dungeon.
Maki stared at the cave entrance.
"...Yeah I was definitely an idiot."
A pause.
"...Still am probably."
"Good thing I've become ridiculously overpowered."
Far away in the academy dorm Keith shifted slightly in his sleep.
For some reason—
He felt uneasy like somebody important was doing something incredibly stupid, which they were, again.
"...Akira..."
He murmured unconsciously. Then rolled over and continued sleeping completely unaware that the person he was dreaming about was currently diving headfirst into another midnight disaster.