P.O.V. Cristóbal Xehanort
At that moment, I let out a clap loud enough to snap everyone's attention directly toward me. All eyes—including the gallery of spectators watching this conflict as if it were some bizarre soap opera—turned in my direction.
"Okay, we get your point," I began, walking slowly and non-threateningly toward Brandon. "You're strong, we're weak. You have a crush on Alicia, you're annoyed that we're close to her, and you want to use your 'powerful-noble-status' act to push us away. Honestly, you're acting like you've been rehearsing this moment for a long time. How many times did you practice that pose in your bathroom mirror?"
As I spoke, I watched Brandon's face cycle through a frantic pattern of expressions: indifference when he realized it was me speaking, a flash of arrogance when I mentioned his strength, and then a deep, adolescent flush—turning red as the fifteen-year-old he is—when I exposed his far-from-subtle fixation on Alicia. Finally, it settled on pure frustration.
Predictably, he gripped his wooden practice sword and unsheathed it in a clear threat. I glanced at the weapon and then back at him, raising an unimpressed eyebrow. This only irritated him further.
"You... you useless nobody! Who do you think you're talking to?!" He squeezed the wooden hilt so hard I could hear the grain groan and creak.
"Cris! Ugh... let me go, you bastard!" Lucius roared from the ground.
"Stay still," Saulo's calm voice drifted over, "or I might have to use more force than necessary."
"Screw you, Zipper-Eyes!"
"Zip... Zipper-Eyes?" Saulo muttered, momentarily thrown by the insult.
I glanced to the side. Lucius was struggling to rise despite Saulo's foot pressing down on him. Ignoring the pain that should have been agonizing, Lucius was slowly forcing himself up, the ground beneath them beginning to crack under the sheer pressure of their physical struggle.
"Relax, Lucius. He's not going to hit me. He's just smart enough to know why," I said. Lucius, Saulo, Brandon, and the rest of the onlookers stared at me, looking utterly bewildered.
Wait... are they seriously confused? I thought. Does this world really operate on flawed Shonen logic? Dammit... fine. I guess I'll have to be the one to bring common sense to a stupid school fight.
"Allow me to explain in simple, reasonable terms so we're all on the same page," I said, rubbing my eyes at the sheer annoyance of having to state the obvious. "It's crystal clear that you're stronger than me. You could easily beat me into a pulp, leaving me black and blue in a corner. We all know my class, and clearly, there's nothing I could do to stop you."
At my admission, Brandon smirked ironically, resting his wooden sword on his shoulder to affect a tougher persona.
"I see you know your place," he said with a smug grin, as if my next words would dictate whether he struck me or not. "So why do you claim it wouldn't be a 'smart move'?"
"We're at a school, for heaven's sake. Do you really think the Director wouldn't notice? No matter how influential your family is, Director Valerius holds far more sway. Do you truly want to tarnish your record just to bully a student? You might not care, but I'm certain your father would be quite displeased to see you bring shame to the family name."
My words made him go pale for a split second. It seems "Daddy" wouldn't take kindly to his son disappointing the lineage.
"Tch... for that to happen, someone would have to speak up, wouldn't they?" Brandon countered, striking the ground with his sword and leaving a crater much larger than one would expect from a wooden weapon. "And I don't believe anyone here wants to make an enemy of the Rigoberto family, right?"
He was trying to play the 'My father is rich and powerful, so stay quiet if you know what's good for you' card.
That's when I flipped my trap card.
"That might work on most students, but have you forgotten I'm a close friend of Alicia's?" I pointed toward her. Caught off guard for a moment, Alicia quickly caught on, nodding and adopting a stern, icy expression. "She is far more influential than you, Brandon. And I highly doubt she'll stay silent while her friend is beaten by a common bully with too much pocket money."
My words de-railed him. He began to grind his teeth, huffing in frustration before turning on his heel to call his subordinates.
"Dicatria, Zamtum, we're leaving. This idiot isn't worth the trouble... for now."
I heard that last part clearly. What a pain in the ass.
As Saulo released Lucius—who growled at him threateningly—and Mercedes gave us a final, disdainful look, I decided to cut the problem off at the root.
"Wait," I called out. He stopped, looking back with pure venom.
"What do you want now, loser?"
"I know this won't be your last move, and you clearly don't plan on stopping the intimidation or the harassment. To save myself from the inevitable 'ambush outside the school' or constant bullying, I propose a deal I'm certain you won't refuse."
For the first time, I saw a flicker of genuine interest in his eyes, rather than just contempt. I finally had his attention.
"...I'm listening," he said, turning fully and maintaining a pose he clearly thought was intimidating.
"What you want is for the 'low-class meathead' Lucius and the 'useless class' guy like me to stay away from Alicia. Whether it's out of noble honor or childish jealousy, you want us gone, right?" He reddened slightly but eventually nodded. "Then let's make a bet. Lucius and I will participate in the first-year school competition in two weeks."
A wave of shock rippled through the crowd. Even Lucius and Alicia looked at me in disbelief. The whispers of confusion were immediate—a guy like me had no business in a tournament. Brandon, however, just burst out laughing.
"Hahaha! You? A guy with the worst recorded class in history? Hahaha!"
"It's simple," I continued. "We both participate. If we manage to reach the Top 10 among all students, doesn't that prove we're worthy enough to spend time with Alicia? If that happens, you stop the harassment and cease all attempts—direct or indirect—to break up our friendship with her."
I saw Lucius perk up, stepping to my side to back me. "I'm planning on winning the whole thing, actually!" I resisted the urge to smack him to shut him up; I didn't need him raising the stakes for the sake of his ego.
"Mmmhmm... and what do I gain from all this?" Brandon asked. I simply shrugged.
"Lucius and I will cut all contact with Alicia. We won't speak to her ever again. Are you satisfied with that?"
My words took everyone by surprise, especially Alicia, who looked as if she had swallowed a lemon at the thought of us distancing ourselves. But the pompous idiot Brandon just pushed his hair back with an air of superiority and added his own condition.
"Fine. But you won't just distance yourself from her. You will withdraw from the school. A nobody with such a pathetic class deserves nothing less than expulsion. I don't know how the Director didn't kick you out the moment he saw that wretched result." He spoke with a mocking sneer.
I simply shrugged again. "Fine... it's a deal."
I extended my hand. With a look of disgust, he took it briefly before immediately receiving a handkerchief from Mercedes to wipe his palm, as if I carried some contagious virus. They turned and headed toward a more secluded training field.
Once they were gone, I turned to find a dejected Alicia and a worried Lucius staring at me. I raised an eyebrow at their expressions; they had clearly already written me off and were mourning my future withdrawal from the school.
"Okay, change those faces, you two. Do you really think I'd bet something like my education or my friendship with you, Alicia, on a whim?"
They both looked up at me.
"Lucius is the one who does reckless, nonsensical things," I said. "When have I ever made a bet I wasn't absolutely sure I could win?"
My words finally seemed to reach them. Alicia wiped away the tears that were threatening to fall from worry, and Lucius grinned—before realizing the hidden insult in my words. He tried to lung at me to put me in a headlock, forcing me to run. The idiot still hasn't mastered his strength, and one playful "wrestle" could end with my neck facing a direction necks aren't meant to face.
The school day ended relatively early, allowing me to return home. I told my parents about my class, and though they were visibly worried, they decided I shouldn't stress too much. They even offered to support me and teach me their trades—Apothecary and Blacksmithing—so I could help with the family businesses in the worst-case scenario.
But once I reached my room—a minimalist space since I didn't care much for the entertainment or music of this world—I went straight to my secret stash. I pulled out a well-hidden diary containing the plots of every anime I could remember and didn't want to forget as I grew up in this second life. Not every detail is clear—memories fade after fifteen years in a new body—but they will be more than useful.
Finally, I pulled out my status card and double-tapped it. The information expanded fully, visible only to my eyes, and a smile spread across my face as I read the most vital parts.
Name: Cristóbal Xehanort
Age: 15 (47)
Class: Vagabond (U) - (Unique)
Rank: F
Level: 1
Skills:
Wandering Through Worlds (Lv 1): The primary skill of a Vagabond. Since you never feel truly at home in one place, you can travel beyond your own world to others. [Time Dilataton: 1 Day in the Origin World = 10 Days in the Wandering World] [World Slots Available: 0/2]
Energy Adaptation: Like a wanderer, your mana adapts to its environment, allowing your magical energy to sync with any energy type from other worlds. (Does not increase base energy; only grants compatibility).
Master of All Trades (Lv 1): You learn with staggering speed, making you capable of mastering any craft or skill over time. Massively increases the ability to learn techniques, magic, and skills from those willing to teach you. [Lv 1: Beginner | Lv 2: Adept | Lv 3: Advanced | Lv 4: Mastery | Lv 5: Grandmaster]
After looking at the skills no one else knows about, I couldn't help but smirk to myself. I took my secret diary, written in Spanish—my original mother tongue and a language virtually forgotten in this world—and began to review which worlds I could visit. I weighed what each could offer in the short and long term, and most importantly... which ones would be the most fun.
[End of Chapter]