The Imperial Academy's main training grounds stretched before Neil like an endless sea of polished stone and verdant lawns, dotted with towering spires that pulsed faintly with mana. It was the first day of combat class, and the atmosphere brimmed with tension and excitement. Students in pristine uniforms stood in neat lines, their weapons glimmering in the morning light. Swords, staves, bows—each symbolizing dreams of power and glory.
Neil adjusted the collar of his academy coat, letting out a calm breath. Beside him, Sophia Beth practically radiated confidence, arms crossed as her golden hair shimmered in the sun. Joan, as always, stood quietly to his left, her gaze sweeping the area like a hawk's—unmoving, yet alert. For all intents and purposes, the three of them looked like any other new students.
Except they weren't.
Sophia's system quietly pulsed under her skin, granting her god-tier boosts in magic control and elemental synergy. Joan carried an aura so ancient it seemed to warp reality around her faintly. And Neil… well, Neil had the Nexus.
He didn't flaunt it. He didn't need to. The Nexus was beyond comprehension, a system so omnipotent it barely needed to acknowledge threats. It didn't whisper arrogance into Neil's ear. It simply existed—absolute, infinite, and terrifying.
---
Instructor Garon's Voice Boomed
"Listen up, recruits! Today is not about drills. Today you prove yourselves. We will be running combat assessments—one-on-one duels. No killing, no crippling—" his eyes swept across the rows, "—unless you feel like explaining yourself to the Headmaster."
Students chuckled nervously. Neil didn't laugh. His attention was on the crowd, not because he cared about them, but because he felt something unusual—a presence that didn't belong.
Hmm… someone's masking their killing intent. A trained killer among children? Cute.
The Nexus pulsed a soft notification across his vision.
---
[Alert: Hostile Intent Detected]
Source: Unknown Student
Threat Level: … laughable.
Recommendation: Don't yawn during the fight.
Neil suppressed a grin. Figures.
---
Enter Elsie Varion
On the far side of the training field, a girl adjusted the strap of her gloves and exhaled slowly. Midnight-black hair framed her porcelain face, while a faint scar under her left eye hinted at the life she'd led—one filled with blood and blades. Elsie Varion. To the academy, she was another scholarship student from the frontier. To her employers, she was a dagger in the dark—a spy and assassin tasked with eliminating potential threats before they bloomed.
Neil Runders wasn't just a threat. He was the threat.
Elsie's lips curved into a smirk as she studied him. That's him? Doesn't look like much. Calm eyes, relaxed stance, oblivious to his own impending death. This will be quick.
The thought thrilled her. She'd killed knights twice her size and mages who could command storms. One teenage boy wouldn't change that. She cracked her knuckles and whispered, "Let's make this fun."
---
The Selection
"Next pair! Neil Runders versus… Elsie Varion!"
The instructor's voice cut through the chatter.
Gasps rippled through the group. Neil stepped forward casually, his hands in his pockets. Elsie followed, her posture loose but predatory—like a panther stalking prey.
"Ready?" Garon asked.
Neil nodded lazily. Elsie grinned, blades sliding into her hands with a whisper of steel.
"Begin!"
---
The Fight Begins
Elsie vanished.
One second she was there, the next she was nothing but a ripple in the air. Gasps erupted from the students as she reappeared behind Neil, daggers flashing toward his neck. Her movements were flawless—silent, precise, lethal.
The perfect kill.
Shkk!
Or it should have been.
Neil tilted his head lazily, and the blade cut through nothing but air. Before Elsie could process it, a hand closed around her wrist—gentle yet unbreakable.
"You shouldn't aim for the neck," Neil said softly. His voice wasn't mocking. It was worse—calm, instructional, as if talking to a child.
Elsie's stomach dropped.
He flung her away with the same effort one might use to swat a fly. She twisted midair, landing gracefully on her feet, but her heart hammered like a war drum.
What was that? Did he just… predict me? No… he didn't even try.
---
[Ding! New Achievement Unlocked: "First Bloodless Block"]
Reward: +10 Style Points
Comment: "Congratulations. You have ruined someone's career in under three seconds."
Neil blinked at the system message and sighed. Really? Style points?
---
Elsie Goes All In
Gritting her teeth, Elsie surged forward again. Shadows coiled around her form as her assassin's aura flared—speed amplifying, vision sharpening. This was her true self, the reason kingdoms feared her guild.
Fast. Faster. He can't keep up with—
Tap.
Her thoughts shattered as Neil flicked her forehead.
A simple flick. Yet the force sent her tumbling across the arena like a ragdoll. She rolled, skidding to a stop at the edge of the circle, lungs burning.
The silence was deafening.
---
[Ding! You have inflicted "Eternal Psychological Damage."]
Reward: +50 Nexus Points
Comment: "Why are you like this?"
---
Elsie coughed, tasting blood. Her daggers lay yards away, and the world spun. But worse than the pain was the realization clawing at her mind: I can't beat him. I can't even touch him.
Something cracked inside her—a belief she'd held for years, that she was invincible. And from those shattered pieces, something new bloomed. Obsession.
I need him… No one else has ever made me feel this powerless. I… want him.
Her fingers trembled, not from fear, but excitement.
---
Neil's Perspective
He walked toward her slowly, hands still in his pockets. "You done?" His tone was neutral, almost bored.
Elsie looked up through messy bangs, a wild gleam in her eyes. "…I'll follow you."
Neil blinked. "What?"
"From today… I'm yours."
---
[Ding! Major Flag Detected!]
Warning: You have attracted a Yandere.
Would you like to:
A) Run.
B) Run faster.
C) Pretend you didn't hear that.
Neil selected C without hesitation.
---
The Crowd Reacts
The students erupted into whispers.
"Did she just… confess?"
"No way. After getting humiliated like that?"
"She's smiling… is she okay?!"
Meanwhile, Sophia's eyes narrowed dangerously. Joan's expression didn't change, but the temperature around her dipped several degrees.
Neil sighed. Great. Just what I needed. Another headache.
---
Aftermath
Instructor Garon cleared his throat loudly. "Match over. Neil wins… obviously." His voice carried an undertone that said, What the hell is this kid?
Elsie stood on shaky legs, her eyes locked on Neil like a predator—not hunting, but claiming. The assassin had fallen, not in battle, but in love. And she wasn't letting go.
Neil rubbed his temple as the system threw another message at him.
---
[Quest Unlocked: "Keep Your Life Peaceful (Impossible)"]
Objective: Good luck, buddy.
---
End of Chapter 7
---