Kaito, utterly done with the laughable, generic plot about the trio, lowered his head and closed his eyes.
He didn't need to see this, he played through this scenario countless times in SpellxEdge Online.
After Catherina's introduction was complete, Professor Aurora Sinclair moved on.
"Now, for your next class, Practical Training and Weapon Selection," she announced, her voice echoing in the now-quiet room.
"This session will be conducted in pairs. You will train and perform practical simulation battles with your chosen partner the following day."
The system suddenly popped out on top of his desk and showed the words;
Main quest:
Choose your weapon
Rewards:
Stat point +1
Market coins +100
Kaito surprised at the sudden notification smiled as if he was waiting for it to show up.
"I thought so, choosing a weapon is very important."
Then, Aurora, still standing beside Catherina Montaigne, added, "Because she is new to our class, I will choose one of you to be her partner for the time being."
Immediately, a sea of hands shot up.
Every male student, from the quietest nerd to the most boisterous noble, eagerly raised their hand, their faces alight with crushes on the stunning Catherina.
Even many of the girls raised their hands, keen to befriend the new, prominent female lead.
Kaito, hearing the sudden commotion, sighed internally.
"Well, it's obvious what's going to happen," he thought, his head still lowered.
"One of the two rivals will be her partner."
In the game, the player, if they were Eric, would choose whether to stay partnered with Gwen, the childhood friend, or Catherina, the literal female lead.
Either way, Darius, the rival, would get stuck with the girl not chosen.
Kaito let out another silent sigh. "When will this boring scene end? Why is there no skip button, ugh."
Suddenly, Aurora's voice cut through the clamor, sharp and commanding.
"You there, in the back! The one sleeping! Is this class boring to you?"
Her eyes, usually so captivating, held a challenging glint. She paused, looking at her student list.
"What was your name again? Ah, right. Kaito. Why don't you be Catherina's partner if you're so bored?"
Hearing his name, Kaito's head snapped up with a jolt, his hair messy from being pressed against his arm.
His face was a mask of utter shock.
"What?! Why?! There are so many other students who want to be her partner!" he protested, disbelief lacing his voice.
"What about Eric or Darius? Even Gwen could do it!"
Eric Lionheart, Darius Grimm, and Gwen Clover, hearing their names unexpectedly called out by an unknown student in the back, all tilted their heads.
All their gazes converging on Kaito with various looks of curiosity, annoyance, and surprise.
Aurora's expression remained firm.
"Well, everyone else was raising their hands, eager to be chosen."
"Only you were not," she replied, her logic utterly baffling to Kaito.
"That's why I chose you. Is that clear?"
Kaito couldn't believe the arbitrary logic the woman was spouting. His mind reeled.
"What the hell? Why did the plot change again? Is this my fault now?"
He stared, still unable to accept the bizarre turn of events.
Seeing the boy's hesitation, Aurora gave Catherina a pointed look.
"Catherina, please take the empty seat next to him."
"That way, he can't back out now."
Catherina, who had been standing silently beside the professor, also seemed genuinely shocked by the decision.
However, after a brief, contemplative look at Kaito, the only student not to have eagerly raised his hand to partner with her, a flicker of curiosity ignited in her blank expression.
It was enough to override her surprise, and she decided to comply, gracefully moving towards the back of the classroom.
The screech of the chair beside him cut through Kaito's chaotic thoughts like it was done on purpose.
He looked at the person who had just sat down. She looked back at him.
Kaito sighed and put his head back down on the table.
Seeing this, Catherine felt something shift within her. Frustration? Embarrassment?
It was a new feeling, something she, as the daughter of an important figure who leads a huge territory, had likely never experienced before.
She was surprised by how the boy had ignored her again after staring and sighing. Deciding to break the awkward silence, she said, "Let's be friends."
"As partners for the upcoming training, we should at least be acquaintances."
Hearing this, Kaito looked up and saw an extended hand.
But he felt something ominous radiating from the girl herself.
"Is she angry? It's like her eyes and smile are going to kill someone."
Having no choice, Kaito decided to just accept his fate and shake her hand.
Just then, the system suddenly popped up in front of him while he was looking at her:
Quest Complete!
Side Quest:
Make a Friend
Reward:
Stat Points +2
Market Coins + 200
Kaito suddenly realized he had finished the quest without even trying.
A wide smile spread across his face.
He shook Catherine's hand more happily now, completely ignoring the unsettling aura she had exuded moments before.
Catherine, baffled by the boy's sudden change in reaction, quickly pulled her hand away.
"Did my hand really feel that nice to him?"
"What the hell is this creep thinking while holding my hand?"
She wanted to glare at him, but Kaito was too happy about the rewards to notice her irritation.
After having made a "friend" in the most unexpected way, Kaito's mind immediately shifted back to his primary goal, getting stronger, and fast.
He had all these powerful main characters around him now, and an almost absurdly convenient plot developing, but he still felt inherently weak.
Then, a crucial detail hit him.
"Wait a minute," he murmured to himself, furrowing his brow.
"Weapon techniques. Those are given and picked right away after you create your character in the game, a basic starter skill."
"So why don't I have one right now? Is this how extras are treated?!"
He let out an exasperated sigh.
The thought of being deliberately handicapped, even in this new reality, was frustrating.
He decided to check his current player status, hoping the System would offer some clarity or, at the very least, an updated overview of his current standing.
"System," he called out in his mind.
The blue interface popped out, instantly updating with his current status.
Player Status
Name: Kaito Kuromaku Lv.: 1 Age: 16
Race: Human
HP: 50/50 MP: 10/10 SP: 30/30
Market Coins: 650
Stat Point Available: 3
Unclaimed Rewards: 0
Stats:
Strength (STR): 7
Agility (AGI): 5
Vitality (VIT): 5
Intelligence (INT): 5
Resolve (RES): 6
Charisma (CHA): 5
Luck (LCK): 5
Kaito's eyes quickly scanned the familiar blue interface.
He noted he still have 3 Stat Points Available.
That was more than he expected, likely a combined reward from his earlier actions and the 'Make a Friend' quest.
He also noted the 650 Market Coins listed, a substantial sum for someone who'd just arrived.
These resources would be key.
His base stats were all at 5, with his Resolve (RES) now standing at 6, a direct result of his quick thinking against Grand Master Greycastle.
He then examined his rewards again, murmuring, "Not enough, but it's a start."
He saw the 3 Stat Points Available and tapped his chin thoughtfully, his gaze sweeping over his current stats.
"System," Kaito commanded under his breath, his eyes fixed on the display. "Add 2 to Vitality."
He watched as the number for VIT flickered from 5 to 7.
"And add 1 to Strength." His STR stat immediately updated from 7 to 8.
He felt it immediately, a wave of subtle warmth spreading through his limbs as the points settled.
His breathing felt clearer, his muscles shivered a bit, and he felt a distinct increase in his overall health.
This new sensation already felt so far removed from his original dying body at the hospital.
Right after Kaito felt the warmth of his allocated stats, two more notifications popped up in his vision.
HP +50
SP +30
Arcane Market has new items available!
Shocked by the sudden notifications, Kaito immediately called out to the System in his head.
"Show me the Player Status again! Now, with everything updated!"
The blue interface shimmered back into view, displaying his new stats.
Player Status
Name: Kaito Kuromaku Lv.: 1 Age: 16
Race: Human
HP: 150/150 MP: 10/10 SP: 60/60
Market Coins: 650
Stat Point Available: 0
Unclaimed Rewards: 0
Stats:
Strength (STR): 8
Agility (AGI): 5
Vitality (VIT): 7
Intelligence (INT): 5
Resolve (RES): 6
Charisma (CHA): 5
Luck (LCK): 5
"Hwooo," Kaito breathed out, a small, satisfied sound escaping him.
"That felt good," he thought, a genuine sense of accomplishment washing over him.
Seeing my progress felt even better.
He looked at his new, significantly higher HP and SP, then his gaze drifted to his MP, still stubbornly at 10.
"Let's not think about that right now," he mumbled, shaking his head slightly.
"I don't even have spells to use magic or mana on."
Curiosity, however, quickly overtook his strategic musings.
"System," he called out in his mind, a spark in his eyes.
"Show me the new items available in the Arcensis Market."
"Let's see if I can actually buy anything with these coins."