AWAKENING ARC
Episode 3:The Dawn of Dominance
ᜆᜒ ᜇᜏᜈ᜔ ᜂ ᜇᜓᜋᜒᜈᜈ᜔ᜐ
The day at school, Aro sat by the window, staring outside, lost in thought. The sunlight streamed through the glass, casting long shadows on his desk.
He clenched his fist, still trying to grasp the surreal reality he now lived in.
Yesterday, he had fought Bryan—the same bully who had tormented him in the past but later became his strongest ally. This time, Aro had faced him as an equal, breaking the chains of his former weakness. The moment had changed everything.
But now, something else gnawed at the back of his mind.
(Why did I get a reset? Who gave me these abilities?)
The accident, the mysterious voice, the system-like interface granting him skills none of it made sense. But amidst all that confusion, something else had happened.
A glitch.
A sudden error.
And then—
A vision.
A shadow bound by chains. Silent. Watching.
> !!!NOTIFICATION!!!
NEW SKILLS ACQUIRED
THANATOS CODE – ???
TEMPORAL DOMINION – ???
(What… are these?)
Aro's eyes narrowed. Every skill so far had come with an explanation, but these two? Nothing. No description. No hint at their true purpose.
(Who was that shadow? And why does it feel… familiar?)
Before he could process it further—
> !!!NOTIFICATION!!!
CHRONO NEXUS: TEMPORAL AWARENESS ACTIVATED
WARNING: INCOMING INSOLENCE
A voice broke through his thoughts.
"Oi! Aro, our boy!"
Aro's gaze flicked toward the direction of the voice.
Three figures stood at the front of the classroom. One of them—short, with a cocky grin—smirked down at him. Behind him were two others one muscular, nearly Bryan's size, and another tall, at least six feet.
For a moment, Aro's mind drew a blank.
(Who—?)
Then, something clicked.
> ETERNAL RESIDUE: DRAFT KNOWLEDGE LOADED
Memories resurfaced like a crashing wave.
Jerry.
A bully from his elementary days. A parasite who thrived on making others suffer. Back then, Jerry had treated him as nothing more than a "runner" a servant forced to buy food with his own money, only to be kicked down afterward as a twisted form of "thanks."
Aro's fingers curled into a fist under the desk.
Jerry laughed, oblivious to the storm raging in Aro's mind. "Didn't know you were in Section C too. Guess some things never change! Anyway, be a good boy and go buy me and my boys some snacks, yeah? Just like the old times."
The two companions behind him chuckled.
Aro remained silent, his eyes locked onto Jerry's.
> ETERNAL RESIDUE: DRAFT SIMULATION ACTIVATED
A ghostly playback of the past played in his mind the younger version of himself running out of the classroom, clutching his own money, returning with food only to be greeted by a cruel kick to the ribs.
His stomach churned.
Not this time.
(What if I refused? What if I fought back?)
Aro's mind spun through possibilities. A three-on-one fight. Could he win?
> TEMPORAL AWARENESS: STRATEGIC ANALYSIS INITIATED
CALCULATING PROBABILITY...
Success rate: 58%
Expected damage: 42% (Recoverable with special task)
(Hmm… Not bad.)
A surge of confidence flowed through him.
Aro's lips curled into a smirk.
He stood up.
Jerry's grin faded. "Oh? You wanna fight?"
Aro didn't answer. He simply took a step forward, his muscles tense, ready to move.
Just as he prepared for combat
"Alright, class! Sit down, all of you!"
The teacher's voice rang through the room.
Aro halted.
Jerry clicked his tongue, smirking as he leaned in and whispered, "Heh. You're lucky, Aro. But after class? Let's see if you still got that attitude."
His lackeys laughed as they returned to their seats.
Bryan, sitting three desks away, remained silent, watching.
Aro exhaled, forcing himself to sit down. Not yet.
As the teacher began the lesson, Aro turned toward the window, staring outside, lost in thought once again.
(If I'm going to fight them… I need information. Every detail. Every weakness.)
He commanded-
>ENABLE ETERNAL RESIDUE:
DRAFT gather information about jerry's fighting style and his companions
gathering complete..
>INTELLIGENCE AMPLIFICATION (x2)
Slowly, he analyzed Jerry and his companions—their movements, their past encounters, their fighting habits.
His mind sharpened. His memory became razor-focused.
CHRONO NEXUS ACTIVATED:
PERFECT COUNTER INTEGRATION
DOWNLOADING OPTIMAL RESPONSE...
10%... 25%... 60%... 97%...
100% SUCCESS!
WINNING RATE INCREASED TO 85%! EXPECTED DAMAGE TAKEN REDUCED TO 22%!
(Perfect)
Then-
"HEY! HEY!!"
Aro blinked. The classroom came back into focus.
The teacher was staring at him, arms crossed.
"Yes, ma'am?" he asked.
The class erupted into laughter.
"Yes, I'm talking to you!" The teacher sighed. "What's your name?"
Aro hesitated for a split second before answering, "Alvaro Ramirez… but you can call me Aro, ma'am."
Snickers filled the room. Someone muttered from the back—
"Aro, the living toy of the class! Hahaha!"
Aro ignored it.
The teacher clapped her hands. "Alright, Aro. If you were really listening, answer this What is a noun?"
> !!!NOTIFICATION!!!
A noun is the name of a person, place, thing, or idea.
Without hesitation, Aro repeated, "A noun is the name of a person, place, thing, or idea."
The teacher blinked, surprised. "Well… that's correct!"
Silence fell over the class.
Aro noticed something admiration. A few students nodded in approval.
(Heh. Interesting.)
For the first time in his life, he wasn't just surviving.
He was changing the game.
Okay, Aro, you may take your seat.
Now, I know you're not listening. The question I asked wasn't even related to our current discussion, but since you answered it correctly, I'll let it slide this time."
The teacher cleared her throat and faced the class.
"Alright, everyone, eyes on me. As I was saying—" she continued.
"We are all new here, so it's best if we introduce ourselves one by one. I'll go first.
I am Ms. Britanico, your class adviser and English teacher."
Aro glanced at Ms. Britanico, analyzing her.
She looks about 26 years old… Her style is a bit old-fashioned, but honestly, she's gorgeous and—
Before Ms. Britanico could catch him staring, Aro quickly looked away, his expression turning blank.
"Okay, after me, we'll start with the first student in this row. One by one, you'll introduce yourselves."
The introductions began, each student taking their turn. Then, a girl caught Aro's attention.
"Good morning, classmates. I'm Glenda, 12 years old. Nice to meet you."
Aro's eyes locked onto Glenda.
ETERNAL RESIDUE: Activate
DRAFT
Glenda's info loaded...
In Aro's past life, Glenda had been like a sister to him. Whenever he got injured from bullying, she was always there to treat his wounds.
One day, when Jerry and his friends were beating Aro to the brink of death, Glenda stepped in to stop them. But Jerry struck her across the face.
After that incident, Glenda distanced herself from Aro and started hanging around Jerry.
It wasn't just her company that changed. Glenda, the once simple and modest girl, transformed before everyone's eyes.
She abandoned her long, loose uniforms and began wearing skirts that barely reached mid-thigh, her blouses tighter and unbuttoned at the top, revealing a side of her that never existed before.
Her neat ponytail was gone, replaced by rebellious, wavy hair with streaks of color, a bold statement that she was no longer the innocent girl she once was.
At first, Aro was confused—until he discovered the painful truth.
Glenda had offered herself to Jerry in exchange for his promise to stop bullying Aro.
That was the day Jerry began his reign over the school, taking full advantage of Bryan's absence.
Bryan had been hospitalized after a violent encounter with students from another school, possibly orchestrated by Jerry. Rumors spread that Jerry had been working with gangsters, hiring thugs to take Bryan down.
Despite being a former bully, Bryan had become the school's protector, a leader of one of the most powerful factions in RSH (Royal Society High School)—the G.O.D. (Good Old Days).
Aro clenched his fist, looking at Glenda.
"I won't let it happen again… This time, I'm the one saving you."
Glenda was a simple yet breathtaking girl, though her beauty often went unnoticed. She wore a loose, long uniform that reached two inches below her knees, making her look modest and unfashionable—completely different from the other girls, who wore fitted blouses and skirts above the knee, accentuating their figures, many of them even wearing makeup.
As Glenda finished her introduction, she stole a quick glance at Aro—only to find him already looking at her.
Her face turned red.
The introductions continued until it was Bryan's turn.
"My name is Bryan. Bryan Ortega, 12 years old—single and ready to mingle!"
The class burst into laughter.
"I'm strong and reliable. You can count on me!"
Aro's awareness suddenly shifted toward Jerry.
He noticed Jerry smirking.
"So… as expected, Jerry is jealous of Bryan," Aro thought.
He narrowed his eyes.
"I know what you're planning, Jerry... and you won't succeed."
Aro smirked.
The introductions continued until it was Aro's turn.
Aro stood up firmly, his posture exuding quiet confidence. He walked to the front of the class, his steps measured and precise.
Just as he was about to speak—
> CHRONO NEXUS
> TEMPORAL AWARENESS
Object approaching. Considered an assault.
Preparing countermeasure.
Before he could finish processing the alert, a lunchbox came flying toward him at high speed.
Without turning his head, Aro casually lifted his hand and caught it mid-air, barely looking at it.
The class gasped.
A moment of silence followed before Aro held up the lunchbox and smirked.
"Oh! Sorry for the sudden pause, classmates. Did someone misplace their lunchbox here?"
Laughter erupted across the room. Even Ms. Britanico chuckled at the unexpected humor.
But not everyone was amused.
Jerry and his group sat frozen in shock. None of them had expected Aro to react so effortlessly. Jerry's eye twitched before he clenched his teeth in anger.
"I'll get you, Aro… just you wait."
Ignoring Jerry's seething glare, Aro continued his introduction.
"My name is Alvaro 'Aro' Ramirez 11 years old. And just to clarify, I am not the official person in charge of lost and found."
Another wave of laughter filled the classroom. Even Ms. Britanico let out a small chuckle.
Meanwhile, Glenda sat silently, watching Aro closely.
"He looks… different now," she thought.
He was taller than before. His posture was straight, confident—not like the hunched-over boy she remembered. His arms had definition now, a hint of muscle replacing what used to be frail limbs.
"Six months ago, I saw him sitting alone near the mini-store… He was thin, weak-looking, insecure. But now…"
Her eyes trailed over him as he stood at the front of the class, effortlessly commanding attention.
"Now, he's… in good condition. A very good condition."
She swallowed, suddenly feeling an unfamiliar warmth rise to her cheeks.
Aro, however, remained focused.
As he glanced at Jerry's group, he saw the anger behind their forced smirks.
"Let them plot. This time, I'm prepared."
With his introduction complete, Aro returned to his seat, his mind already calculating his next moves.
This time, things would be different.
This time, he wouldn't be the one suffering.
This time… he was the one in control.
As Aro sat down, the echoes of laughter and murmurs faded into the background. His eyes flickered toward Jerry, whose forced grin barely masked the storm of resentment brewing beneath. The game had begun, but this time, Aro held the cards.
Jerry and his lackeys had no clue. Glenda's silent gaze held questions she hadn't even realized yet. And Bryan… he was watching, waiting, measuring.
The past was written in blood and regret.
The future?
Aro would carve it with his own hands.
> !!!NOTIFICATION!!!
NEW QUEST UNLOCKED: SHATTER THE CYCLE
OBJECTIVE: REWRITE FATE. CRUSH THE PAST. DOMINATE THE FUTURE.
Aro's smirk widened.
They have no idea what's coming next.
[TO BE CONTINUED…]