When Arin was still on Earth, reading Humanity's Strongest Mage, there was one thing he knew for certain:
Tessa was the author's favorite character.
First of all, her relationship with Alex gave her plenty of privileges, LOTS of privileges.
Even though she was strong on her own, there were countless situations she couldn't handle, and Alex always swooped in to save her—effortlessly—keeping her safe every single time.
But that wasn't all.
As a devoted reader who had consumed countless novels, Arin could tell that Tessa wasn't just another hollow character. The author had clearly spent a lot of time crafting her, making sure she wasn't some half-baked side figure, unlike some of the other characters in the story.
Still, some things wouldn't stay the same with Arin in the picture.
********
Tessa lay cradled in Arin's arms, her sobs slowly subsiding as he walked toward the Academy wall in the distance.
"You want answers, don't you? About everything that's happening..." Arin's voice was low, his gaze fixed on the horizon ahead. He didn't slow his pace.
Tessa's head rested against his chest, her nod barely perceptible. Her body trembled slightly, a lingering effect of her earlier breakdown.
Arin sighed internally. He wasn't about to tell her the truth—that he was once a reader on Earth who'd died and ended up in this world. Or that his main goal now was to cause chaos and upend the storyline.
He couldn't very well say he was just a guy playing games for his own amusement, could he?
'What would she even think?' He stifled a smirk. 'Absurd', probably. But then again, he had no intention of telling her any of this.
As they neared the wall, Arin came to a stop. He glanced down at her, her grip still tight on his cloak. "You'll know when the time is right," he finally said, voice steady. "Just be patient."
Silence followed, broken only by Tessa's quiet sigh. She shifted in his arms, lifting her gaze to meet his.
"Alright then," she whispered, her voice hoarse but determined. "I just hope you'll be more open with me. We're working together, after all."
With that, she disentangled herself from his arms, standing on shaky legs. She glanced down, brushing the dirt from her cloak.
Arin merely grunted in response before stepping toward the wall. The opening they had created earlier was still there. Without hesitation, they both passed through, entering the Academy grounds once again.
Arin glanced at Tessa. Instantly, she understood. With a clap of her hands, she erected a Sound Barrier around them, ensuring no one would overhear.
Arin moved to the wall and carefully replaced the displaced section, sealing the entrance as if it had never been disturbed.
"Done," he muttered, turning back to Tessa.
She nodded, her focus lingering on him for a moment before deactivating the Sound Barrier. As the barrier dissolved, she wiped the remnants of tears from her face.
"About tomorrow," she began, her voice still slightly unsteady, "you told me to use my second fighting style, right?"
Arin had already started walking toward the dorms, Tessa falling in step beside him. "Yes. From here on out, our priority is confronting Alex. Using your second fighting style will ensure he doesn't recognize you when the time comes."
"Oh." Tessa nodded, processing his words. She understood what he was implying. When the time came for their eventual confrontation with Alex, they'd be wearing disguises—perhaps masks. Using her alternate style now would keep Alex from identifying her during the upcoming expedition.
"As for the expedition," Arin continued, "we'll go over the details tomorrow. It's crucial we don't rush anything or make careless plans."
"I understand," Tessa murmured. For a moment, she seemed lost in thought, her gaze distant. Arin noticed her silence.
"Tessa," he called, keeping his gaze forward.
She blinked, startled, snapping out of her daze. "Oh, sorry. I just... got caught up in my thoughts," she admitted, shaking her head as if to clear it.
Arin gave her a small, knowing smile. "Sometimes you need to get lost to find yourself."
Tessa squinted at him, unsure of what he meant, but before she could puzzle it out, Arin spoke again.
"I'll leave you here for tonight. Tomorrow, we'll meet again."
Tessa looked around, realizing they were already near the dormitories. She had been so lost in her thoughts that she hadn't even noticed how close they were.
"Remember," Arin said, his voice a bit firmer, "use your second fighting style tomorrow."
She nodded. "Okay," she replied softly.
Without another word, Tessa turned and silently made her way toward the girls' dormitory. Arin watched her go, only turning away once she disappeared from sight.
Satisfied, he headed toward the boys' dormitory. Once inside his room, he closed the door behind him, peeled off his mask and cloak, and collapsed onto the bed with a heavy sigh.
"I'm exhausted," he muttered, eyes already half-closed. His battle with Seraphine, coupled with the toll of the Extra's Stand skill, had drained him completely.
His mind wandered as sleep threatened to pull him under. There was something else he needed to do, something important.
But as his thoughts drifted, a wry smile tugged at his lips. "This might be the last time I get to enjoy the simple pleasure of sleep," he murmured to himself. "Might as well savor it."
And with that, he let the fatigue wash over him, his eyes closing as he finally gave in.
Unbeknownst to him, a system screen appeared just as he drifted off, displaying a rather unsettling message:
[The Chaos Element is still in its Initial Stage and was used.]
[Due to that, the Side Effects will now be applied.]
Meanwhile, in her own room, Tessa paced back and forth, her mind occupied with different thoughts.
She glanced at her bed, and instantly sat down on it, with a deep frown on her face.
Her eyes moved towards the table that was beside the bed. 'Or should I...?'