Act - 9: ''The Playground Showdown''

Dio: "So, Aria, what's school like here? And the snow, I've heard it's amazing!"

Aria: "Oh, Dio, you're gonna love it! School's great, and when the snow comes, it's like a winter wonderland.

We can build snowmen, have snowball fights, all sorts of fun stuff!"

Dio: "Wow, that sounds awesome! I can't wait to experience it all."

Aria: "I know, right? It's gonna be so much fun!"

I nodded eagerly, masking my true feelings beneath an innocent facade.

I was excited, yes, but for reasons far beyond mere snowball fights and snowmen.

With the advent of social media like Talkbook, I was privy to everyone's lives, even before my arrival. It was as if I already knew my future classmates, their likes, dislikes, strengths, and weaknesses.

Armed with this knowledge from my past life, I was ready to make strategic moves to become the king of the school.

I turned to Aria, mustering up a smile.

"Can I go out and play? Mom won't be here until late in the evening."

Aria nodded, her expression kind.

"Sure, let's go together."

I hesitated, knowing what she assumed.

Going together meant I wouldn't want to be rude, even though I couldn't stand her, remembering how she treated me in my past life.

But I couldn't let that show. So, I plastered on a polite smile and followed her out.

As Aria led me to the children's park with its slides and swings, memories from my past life flooded back.

I couldn't help but notice a group of kids already there – four boys who seemed all too familiar.

It was on this very day, in my past life, that I first met them.

They had pretended to be my friends, using my gullibility to their advantage.

One of them had even borrowed my game toy, promising to return it.

But a week later, when I went to his house, he didn't give it back. In my naivety back then, I hadn't understood the cultural dynamics; it was vastly different from my life in the village.

I pretended not to care and settled on a bench with Aria.

She glanced at me, concern evident in her voice. "Don't you wanna play and make new friends?" she asked.

I took a deep breath, steeling myself against the flood of memories from my past life. It was time to regain my composure, to push aside the doubts and fears that threatened to consume me.

As I sat on the bench, I closed my eyes briefly, focusing on the present moment.

Yes, those boys had betrayed me once, but I wasn't the same person I used to be.

I had a second chance now, a chance to rewrite my story, to build genuine connections with others.

With renewed determination, I opened my eyes and looked over at Aria, who was now engrossed in a game of tag with the other children.

She seemed so carefree, so full of joy.

I couldn't let my past experiences taint the present.

"Hey, Aria," I called out, my voice steady. "Let's go swing!"

Aria turned to me, her face lighting up with a smile. "Sure thing, Dio! Race you there!"

As we made our way to the swings, I felt a sense of relief wash over me.

It was a small victory, perhaps, but an important one. I wouldn't let the shadows of my past dictate my future. 

Feeling the rush of air against my face as I swung higher and higher, I couldn't help but feel like a kid again. Aria and I were having a blast, challenging each other to see who could go the furthest with their swing.

"Beat that, Dio!" Aria called out, her laughter echoing in the crisp air as she soared through the sky.

I grinned, determined to outdo her.

"Just you wait, Aria! I'm gonna reach the moon!"

But just as I reached the peak of my swing, ready to launch myself into the stratosphere, someone suddenly grabbed hold of the chains, bringing me to an abrupt halt.

With a yelp of surprise, I tumbled forward, landing face-first in the sand.

Stunned and disoriented, I pushed myself up, spitting out a mouthful of sand.

Blinking away the grit from my eyes, I saw the faces of those four kids from before, their laughter ringing in my ears.

"It's our swing now, loser!" one of them jeered, his voice dripping with malice.

Aria rushed to my side, her expression a mixture of concern and indignation.

"Hey, leave him alone! You can't just take someone else's swing like that!"

But the chubby kid just laughed, mocking me further.

"Haha, a girl is defending him? What a wimp."

I remained calm, refusing to let their words get to me.

Instead, I decided to take a different approach.

With a surge of determination, I realized the importance of this moment.

If I didn't stand my ground now, my fate from this point forward would only become more challenging.

I needed to fight back.

Identifying the leader, Ted, the chubby kid, I knew he was the one I needed to confront.

With a rush of adrenaline, I screamed at the top of my lungs and lunged at him, catching him off guard.

My foot connected with his jaw!

A solid impact, sending a tooth flying out of his mouth.

The suddenness of my reaction stunned both Ted and his friends into silence.

They stared at me wide-eyed, their laughter replaced by shock.

I stood my ground, my heart racing but my resolve unwavering.

It was time to show them that I wasn't someone they could push around anymore.

As I stood there, adrenaline coursing through my veins, I could feel Aria's panic mounting beside me.

She pleaded with me to stop, her voice urgent and fearful, but I ignored her pleas.

This was a battle I had to fight on my own.

Meanwhile, Ted and his friends were frozen in shock, their expressions shifting from surprise to horror.

I half-expected Ted to fight back, to retaliate with equal force, but instead, he crumbled.

His eyes widened in terror, and before I knew it, he was sobbing uncontrollably, his pants soaked as tears streamed down his face.

"Mommy! Mommy!" he wailed, his voice trembling with fear.

I couldn't help but feel a pang of satisfaction at seeing him cower before me.

It was a stark reminder that I wasn't the powerless kid I once was.

In this life, I had the strength to stand up for myself, to protect myself from those who would try to harm me.

And as Ted's cries echoed through the park, I knew that from now on, no one would dare to mess with me.

Aria took Dio by the hand and hurriedly pulled him away from the scene, back towards the safety of the house, her expression a mix of worry and frustration.

"Dio, what were you thinking? You can't just go around fighting like that!" she scolded, her voice a mixture of concern and reprimand.

I hung my head, feeling a pang of guilt for causing Aria distress.

"I-I'm sorry, Aria. They were picking on me, and I couldn't just stand there and do nothing," i mumbled, my voice tinged with remorse.

Aria sighed, her frustration softening into understanding.

"I know, Dio, but violence isn't the answer. We need to find a better way to handle situations like this," she said gently, her hand squeezing his reassuringly.

I nodded, realizing the truth in her words.

"You're right, Aria. I'll try to do better next time," i promised, playing along but deep down i had no regret.

As Aria glanced at the clock, a look of concern crossed her face.

"I have to go home now, Dio," she said softly, her tone tinged with regret. "But don't worry, your mom will be here soon."

I nodded, feeling a sense of loneliness creep in as Aria prepared to leave.

"Okay, thanks for everything, Aria," I said, mustering a small smile.

"Goodbye, Dio," Aria replied, returning my smile before turning to leave.

Alone once again, Dio turned his attention to the system screen, which notified him of his level up to level 4 and prompted him to spend his points.

Excited yet cautious, he considered his options carefully.

With 10 points to allocate, Dio deliberated on the best way to enhance his abilities for the challenges that lay ahead. After careful consideration, he decided to distribute his points as follows:

Lvl:4

Strength: 20+2 points=(22) - Dio knew that physical strength would be crucial for defending himself and asserting his presence in this new environment.

Agility: 13+2 points=(15) - Dio valued agility for its versatility in both physical tasks and strategic maneuvers, allowing him to adapt swiftly to changing situations.

Intelligence: 5+3 points=(8) - Understanding that knowledge was power, Dio prioritized increasing his intelligence to navigate the complexities of his surroundings and outsmart any adversaries.

Endurance: 7+1 point=(8) - While Dio wasn't entirely sold on the concept of Endurance, he couldn't deny its potential benefits in unpredictable situations, so he allocated one point to this stat as a precautionary measure.

Charisma: 15+ 2 points=(17) - Recognizing the importance of social interactions, Dio invested in charisma to charm others and gain allies who could support him in his endeavors.

With his points allocated, Dio felt a renewed sense of readiness to tackle the challenges and opportunities that awaited him in this new life.