"WA-WA-WA-WAIT, WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?!!" Aiden was shocked to his wits as he stood up he was able to gather the attention of almost everybody in the cafeteria without noticing. "Just like I said, I order you to go out with me, nothing more and nothing less" Sara said as she dabbed her mouth with her handkerchief. "So..... Your answer?" Sara added.
Everyone couldn't believe what they were hearing, the prideful Sara actually asked someone out and it had to be Aiden, although people wanted to bicker with him, they wouldn't dare to since Aiden was the only one who could beat her, he was now considered the strongest of this small public school he goes too, but of course that title would be stripped of him once he graduates in the latter 5 months he's left with.
*Cough*
Aiden coughed in order to attract Sara's attention, "I'm sure that if you ask any other boy out there the only answer they would have for you is yes. After all you're all that, attractive, powerful, I doubt anyone would reject you" Aiden said with a very solid tone. "But perhaps that pride has gotten into you, you would even try to order me, going out with you. Although your reputation is very high, you need to also consider the pride of others. Ask again once you know how to at least ask someone out properly" Aiden added with a cold voice.
He left the cafeteria after saying those words while Sara was seating there with a disdainful look on her face. She gritted her fist but she let loose since she herself knows what she did wrong, she just sighed deeply and left the cafeteria about 20 minutes after Aiden.
As Aiden left the cafeteria, he wiped the imaginary sweat on his forehead, I suppose even for someone like him, the charm of Sara is very enticing to men, perhaps even women would be attracted to her. Although Aiden was feeling a little sad since he messed up that chance, he didn't even expect Sara to go up to him and order him to go out with her. He had gone back to the classroom as he grabbed another book he borrowed from the library, While reading the book, he saw Sara enter the classroom, he averted his gaze and continued reading but Sara kept sneaking glances at him which made him a tiny bit uncomfortable. Although he doesn't see it, what's telling him about this is his sixth sense. With Aiden getting real fighting experience down the dungeon, his fighting skills had increased vastly from that little time. The reason he was able to adapt rapidly was because even before the system, he had already trained himself intensely, and with the beating he receives from time to time, he could guess the opponent's movements. Though helpful in a fight, he did not think that there would be a time where it would be awkward for him.
He just made his concentration on reading the book deeper but it was still no good, there isn;t any signs of hostility or something, he didn't want this gesture of Sara to continue so he decided to ask it about her later after school, or class.
-Ringgg!!-
The bell alarmed everyone that it was time to go home, Aiden went in front of Sara's desk. "May I ask why you have been disturbing me for the past hours? Maybe you may not have realized it but I can see you in one way or another" Aiden asked that instance. "I already told you, I want you to go out with me" Sara responded while looking down. Aiden stared and didn't say a word, Sara noticed this silence. "Please?" She added.
"Then what do you find attractive about me" Aiden asked after Sara. "I-",she muttered. "Nothing? Right? Its probably just a silly promise you made to yourself, why should I go out with someone who never had actual feelings for me, love is that condition in which happiness of another person is essential to your own, does my happiness concern you or whatsoever? No, right? " Aiden grabbed his bag as his voice was heard by Sara. Sara thought about it for minutes but in the end she couldn't really come up with something. Aiden sighed deeply, If he accepted Sara the way she is right not, it won't be long until she finds someone who she'll truly like, love is so short, and forgetting it is too long.
He had now go back to the dorm and decided to rest, normally he would go to the Kobold Dungeon but he already reported it so he was bored out of his wits. He's back to square one of thinking how to get exp points. He recently heard from some of his classmates who doesn't live in the dorms that there was a game where he would be able to get fighting experience, it was like a simulation and when you enter the game it felt like real life, using that, you would be able to face off against other people too. Aiden who had no money couldn't bare to afford one so he was just there sitting. He was also thinking how he would be able to get money, the only thing he could think of was being an adventurer but he can't currently go out right now. He decided to sleep it off but he couldn't.
"What if she was able to think of something, do I still reject or accept" Aiden was currently in a field of brainstorming, as much as he wanted to say yes, he doesn't even know a single thing about her, of course there isn't something where someone you just barely met or barely know of will jump to lovers skipping the friends part. The only time he would interact with Sara was during the first 3 days of the month where they would exchange blows. He fell asleep in some time as he didn't realize the time.
----------------------
He arrived for the next day of school, as usual no one was seated since he was earlier than every student there was, after a few minutes, Sara also came in. Aiden averted his gaze hopefully thinking that she has a reason and if not, he hoped that she had already casted it aside. Sara only nodded when Aiden looked back at her again, she went to her seat. Aiden was about to sigh in relief when. "I want to ask again, Will you please go out with me" She asked, "I liked you because you're strong, I like you because you can protect me" Sara said while facing the blackboard in front. Aiden sighed, "Such a half hearted confession" He inwardly thought. "Right now, what you're saying is that if you find someone else stronger than me, you'll replace me that instant" Aiden retorted. "And when you confess to someone, be sure to at least face them" Aiden added. Sara couldn't say anything after that. "But even if you were to ask me considerately, I would still have the same answer which is no" Aiden added, Sara doesn't know but she felt downcast after she heard what Aiden said.
"Then-" When Sara was about to say something, Aiden interrupted "Although I did reject you, it doesn't mean I hate you so cheer up.... We can always be friends you know"... The dejected face of Sara turned to a slightly amiable expression on her face. "Then that works too-..." She replied in a gentle voice which almost sounded like it wasn't from her for the first time Aiden thought that Sara was so small, he was also happy that this matter has finally been step aside.
Sara on the other hand sighed deeply as her heart beat seems to be getting faster and faster, she was able to calm down, though she was rejected, it was still one step to getting closer to him, is what she thought. She does not know why she likes him nor why she wants to get close to him but nevertheless she felt relieved in the end.
Starting from that day then, Sara sat beside Aiden whenever they ate, she would sometimes go to the library with Aiden to study, she was like a stray puppy who found its owner but her refined movements and stern cold face says otherwise. It was another side of her that Aiden didn't know, though it makes him uncomfortable at some times, Sara was the first friend he made in all of his school life. When he was weak, no one wanted to be put on the same fate as him, when he got stronger, they got scared at him.
-------------
For the next few weeks, this is how Aiden's life worked, same old same old with nothing interesting happening until then. A teacher tapped the ruler on the board getting the attention of everyone in the classroom "In a few days from now, we will be doing a dungeon exploration, this dungeon is silver ranked so be careful, there will be some teachers protecting you so you can feel at rest"
Right now many students we're excited "We are giving you this chance solely for experience, once you become older, you might be encountering many dungeons such as these so please be sure to take note on what the teacher will say" the teacher added.
Aiden didn't show any expression on the outside, but he was very happy, he now had another excuse to go exp hunting. He waited until the day that he would see the familiar entrance and interior of that dungeon, he had also not been able to see quest notifications over the past few months which gave him a sour taste on his mouth, he hasn't been able to get stronger which is really bad for him. Although things can get easier as he gets stronger, it might take him at least 1 - 2 years just to be able to reach silver or gold ranked, and there will still be many ranks to go over, even someone who had reached the level of gold ranked can't be called powerful, only people who has the potential to reach diamond ranked can only you be called a genius but there will be still many people who are more powerful. Although there are not many people who had reached those higher ranks, the power they pack are considered to be able to move islands. People might think that its an overreaction but its actually an understatement since no one has seen the full power of someone in Red Star Rank or higher.
First, Aiden wanted to know how he could at least unlock location swapping, or teleportation, he needed at least one skill from the new ability he got. In just a few days, he was no in front of a familiar door. The trees that dimmed the sun light and the dirty muddied wall near them. As he entered, the familiar scent of air and cold pressure came to him. He was now smiling because there is a chance that he may level up, if some kobolds come, as long as he can steal some kills, he might be able to level up by bounds, there was also the idea where if he assists some people he might be able to get some experience points but of course he wasn't sure about this, but even so he would still do it.
As some students walked at the dungeon, a teacher who had the wind ability casted a wind barrier in order to stop and block attacks from ambushes making them safe. Some students who wanted to look good in front of girls boasted that they could take on Kobolds while some we're enticed by the different atmosphere they felt. The words of the teacher was heard by the students except for Aiden, he almost knows everything about dungeons from reading books and all, he knows how a bronze tier dungeon to a - diamond tier dungeon looked like and felt like, almost. After a hour of walking and exploring, that was where the kobolds came in, one was holding a torch, one had a bow, while 2 had a club, some teachers gathered at the front while the one who casted the defensive spell remained. Aiden hid a smile on his face as he used his ability.
[Host has assisted in killing a kobold]
[+50 exp]
[Host has assisted in killing a kobold]
[+50 exp]
[Host has assisted in killing a kobold]
[+50 exp]
[Host has assisted in killing a kobold]
[+50 exp]