Chapter 6: Lunchtime Schemes

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Kazuki Raiden had only been at Kuoh Academy for a few hours, but he was already making waves. His arrival was nothing short of magnetic—he could feel the stares from both the boys and girls in his class. Some looked at him with envy, others with admiration, especially the girls. It wasn't surprising; Kazuki had always known he was a good-looking guy, but in this new body, he was a walking masterpiece. His sharp features, tall frame, and confident aura only added to his allure. Then suddenly he received his first quest.

[Host, you've just received your first official quest.]

[Kazuki's eyes widened in surprise. He quickly opened the system interface in his mind and read the quest details.

Quest: Defeat or Kill the Protagonist

Objective: Steal The protagonist Opportunitys or Kill the The Protagonist

Penalty for Failure: Death

Reward:?? ].

Kazuki's expression hardened as he stared at the details. The stakes were high, but he had expected as much. Still, the idea of killing Issei so early crossed his mind, and he wondered how it would impact the events of the story.

'If I kill him tonight, what happens?' Kazuki asked curiously to the system telepathically.he knows that the The protagonist going to die easily thanks to his plot armor.

[Host, you must not interfere too early,]the system replied in a serious tone. [Killing or defeating the protagonist before the canon events begin will disrupt the balance of the world. Your strategy should be to gradually weaken his influence, reduce his protagonist halo and take control of the events as they unfold. Patience is key." Kazuki sighed.

By the time lunch came around, a crowd of girls had gathered around him, all trying to get his attention.

"Kazuki-kun, do you want to have lunch with us?" one of the girls asked, blushing slightly. Her friends giggled behind her, equally smitten.

"Yeah, you should join us," another girl chimed in eagerly. "We can show you around the school. You must be new, right?"

Kazuki smiled at them, his expression polite but distant. He appreciated the attention, but at the same time, he had no interest in engaging with them right now. 'This could get annoying real fast,' he thought to himself, keeping his calm demeanor.

"I'm sorry, but I already have plans," Kazuki replied smoothly, his deep voice only making the girls swoon more. "Maybe another time."

The girls, though disappointed, accepted his response with a mixture of sighs and smiles. Kazuki nodded at them, then slipped away from the crowd and made his way up to the rooftop. It was a place he'd scoped out earlier, and he knew it would be quiet—exactly what he needed right now. Pushing open the door to the roof, Kazuki was greeted by a cool breeze, and he took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the attention from earlier lift off his shoulders.

Finally alone, he sat down on one of the benches and unpacked his lunch. As he ate, he couldn't help but chuckle to himself. 'Being popular is exhausting,' he thought, taking a bite of his sandwich. 'But I guess that's what happens when you're this good-looking.'

[Modesty is clearly not your strong suit, Host,] the system chimed in with a teasing tone. Its voice, feminine and slightly tsundere, had become a constant presence in Kazuki's mind. They had grown close over the past month, and the system's personality had evolved beyond its robotic beginnings.

'What's the point in being modest when you're objectively better than most?' Kazuki replied with a smirk.

[Fair point, I suppose. You certainly do have the looks to back it up.]

As Kazuki looked down at the school grounds below, he spotted someone familiar—Issei Hyoudou. The brown-haired boy was hanging out with his usual crew of perverted friends, ogling the Kendo Club girls through the window. Typical. Kazuki watched as the Kendo girls finally noticed the peeping toms and charged at them, wooden swords in hand. The ensuing chaos had Kazuki laughing quietly to himself. Issei and his friends were getting thoroughly beaten by the angry girls, their cries for mercy drowned out by the sound of wooden swords thwacking against their bodies.

'Look at him,' Kazuki thought, shaking his head with amusement. 'Such a typical pervert. He's lucky to have that plot armor.'

[Indeed, the Protagonist Halo is what protects him,] the system commented. [Without it, he'd be just another loser.]

'Yeah, that much is obvious,' Kazuki replied, watching as Issei crawled away from the Kendo girls in defeat. 'But how exactly does this Protagonist Halo work? How can I take it from him?'

[Ah, Host, you're thinking strategically now.] The system's tone shifted, becoming more serious. [The Protagonist Halo is a metaphysical construct that grants Issei luck and charm, particularly with women. It's the reason why he'll attract the affection girls despite his otherwise… unimpressive personality.]

Kazuki raised an eyebrow. 'So, if I want to weaken him, I just need to take away his opportunities, right? Like, if I steal his harem, that would weaken his halo?'

[Exactly, Host. His opportunities, especially his relationships with key characters, are what fuel his growth and power. Without those, he's just a normal human—nothing special.]

Kazuki grinned at the thought. 'So, you're telling me that if I take his heroines, I take away his power.'

[Precisely. But it won't be easy, Host. The Protagonist Halo ensures that these girls will fall in love with him without much effort on his part. You'll have to work for it.]

Kazuki chuckled to himself. 'Well, I've always enjoyed a challenge. And besides, what's the fun in things being easy?'

He watched as Issei continued his antics below, thinking back to the original story. While Kazuki found Issei's perverted tendencies ridiculous, he couldn't deny that the guy had potential. 'For all his flaws, Issei does have that Sacred Gear… and when he unlocks its full power, he becomes a real threat.'

[True, Host. Issei's Sacred Gear, the Boosted Gear, is one of the most powerful Longinus. Underestimating him would be a mistake.]

Kazuki nodded, his expression turning serious for a moment. 'I know. I'll take his heroines, but I won't let my guard down around him. Issei might be a pervert, but he's also the protagonist, and that means he's got hidden strengths. I'll play it smart.'

[Good. You'll need to be strategic, Host. The Protagonist Halo will make this more difficult than you might expect. But once you start pulling his heroines away from him, his influence will start to crumble.]

Kazuki leaned back on the bench, a confident smirk spreading across his face. 'I'll take them one by one. First, I'll weaken his halo. Then, I'll dismantle his story and make it my own.'

The system laughed, a mischievous tone in its voice. [I like the way you think, Host. You really are a villain at heart.]

'Hey, can you blame me?' Kazuki thought, grinning as he finished his lunch. 'Issei's got a harem handed to him on a silver platter. I'm just here to make sure he doesn't get to keep it.'

As Kazuki stood up, dusting off his uniform, he caught sight of Issei again, this time nursing his bruises from the Kendo girls. The sight was almost too much for Kazuki to handle, and he chuckled to himself, shaking his head.

'Honestly, with how much plot armor he's got, he'll probably survive anything.' He paused, a thought occurring to him. 'But still, I need to be careful. Issei might be a pervert, but his Sacred Gear is no joke. I can't afford to underestimate him, no matter how ridiculous he seems right now.'

The system's voice returned, more serious now. [You're right, Host. His Sacred Gear, combined with the Protagonist Halo, makes him far more dangerous than he appears. You'll need to play your cards wisely.]

Kazuki nodded. 'I know. But I'm not worried. I'll take it one step at a time. First, I'll charm the girls. Once that halo starts weakening, I'll deal with Issei when the time is right.'

As the bell rang, signaling the end of lunch, Kazuki made his way back to class, his mind already plotting his next move. He had plans—big ones—and he wasn't going to let some Protagonist Halo or sacred power stand in his way.

For now, he'd play the part of the polite, handsome transfer student. But soon, he'd make his move.

'This is going to be fun,' Kazuki thought, a devilish grin forming on his lips.

[Indeed, Host. Indeed.] The system's voice echoed in his mind, filled with excitement for the chaos that was to come.

**To be continued...**

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