Dramatic First Impressions

The first day of classes in 3D-ED was meant to showcase the major characters for the first act.

We had our MC, Roland Lionheart who was a Rank 3 master swordsman who could fight like an undead knight due to his healing magic.

We had our main female love interest, Marisa Sagewind who just clowned on everyone since she was already a Rank 6 mage.

We had the fake female love interest Evelyn vi Eternia who clowned on everyone she was a combined Rank 5 mage and warrior due to her special <Mana Body> that let her accept and utilize any energy.

There was the MC's rival, Issac Frostblade who was a Rank 4 mage specializing in ice magic and also decently skilled with a sword.

And then there was the Void Arbiters spy, Professor Harold Bottler who was funneling intel about useful students back to his org.

As for how these characters were showcased… well, the subject for the first day of classes was Gate Exploration.

Taking place in a fancy simulation room with preloaded monster data, the students would randomly be split up and have to work together to clear it.

However, it would come out that the simulation room got tampered with, and the students were actually put into a real gate.

Not that anyone realized it considering how quickly Marisa and Evelyn cleared it.

That was the agenda for today.

…So what the hell was going on?

"Greetings, students." 

A beautiful mature woman wearing a silver uniform was waiting in the simulation room for the students. Wavy lilac hair, piercing rainbow eyes. A warm but fake smile. 

Sweeping her gaze across the crowd, stopping very subtly on me for a moment, she nodded said, "My name is Sophia Lux. Though I usually work as the Headmistress of this Academy, Professor Bottler has taken a sudden leave of absence. Fortunately, I am more than qualified to substitute for Gate Exploration."

I'd say. I mean, I wrote you to be the veteran mentor figure who works to keep humanity safe… up until the monster outbreak where you die in a heroic sacrifice.

Hm.

…Let's not ever let anyone find out about these things. 

Fortunately, I didn't include mindreading in this setting, and the people in this world didn't know enough about the brain to mindread in the first place.

Sophia continued talking and said, "There's no need for attendance. I've already confirmed everyone is present. And you can all read, so there's no need to go over boring history. Instead…" She smiled and said, "Let's give you all a bit of hands-on experience with unexpected situations."

And with only that as a warning, the surroundings changed.

The plain white simulation room had been replaced by a dark cave, complete with stalactites and stalagmites. 

Most of my classmates were missing. And the ones closest to me had been swapped by…

Well, crap.

"Hm." Roland rubbed his chin and took a look around the place. "An unfamiliar location…" After that, he looked at me and the other person with us. "And unfamiliar allies…" 

As for who that other person was…

Evelyn gave a curt nod and said, "Shall we begin with introductions?" Placing a hand over her chest, she said, "My name is Evelyn vi Eternia. Though I am the Imperial Princess, please feel free to treat me as any other."

Roland nodded. "As you wish." He smiled and said, "I am Roland Lionheart. A pleasure."

After that, the two turned towards me.

I blinked, wondering how to respond.

And then three floating messages popped up in front of my eyes.

===

[Optional Quest: The Aloof]

Objective: As a first impression, play the silent, serious, and brooding type.

Reward: 1000 SP, Trait <Calm Mind>

Time limit: 3 seconds

[Optional Quest: The Fool]

Objective: As a first impression, be goofy and/or cringe

Reward: 1000 SP, Trait <A Fool's Divine Luck>

Time limit: 3 seconds

[Optional Quest: A Mile of Morales]

Objective: As a first impression, do your own thing

Reward: Varies

Time limit: 3 seconds

===

The timer ticked down before my eyes.

I wracked my brain on which quest to take.

And in the end…

"My name is Alexander Smith. Monsters from the gates killed my family. And to avenge them, I am prepared to die."

@$@#$@$#@#

Why did the Princess Bride come to mind of all things?

Bro! Stop memeing! 

Aaaahhhh.

This is what happens to my brain under stress. Nothing but old memes and cliches. @!#$@#$!$!@#

Silence.

A seeming eternity passed as I kept a straight face and both Roland and Evelyn processed my words.

But eventually, that crushing silence ended.

Evelyn lowered her head and said, "I am sorry for your loss. And… though I wish you well in your quest for revenge, I would rather you not throw your life away so easily."

Roland nodded. "I have a grudge against the gates and its monsters as well. But…" He shook his head and said, "Revenge can only occur if you are alive." He held out his hand towards me and said, "Let's work together to one day end these gates, Alexander."

I blinked.

…Okay. Either my poker face was better than expected or they saw me training yesterday and misunderstood something.

Either way, plus for me.

I grabbed Roland's hand and gave him a firm handshake. "Then I'll pray that day comes soon."

===

[Optional Quest: A Mile of Morales has been completed!]

> Analyzing your actions…

> Your natural disposition is towards the dramatic! Without flinching, you will pick the line with the most impact in any situation, and your actions will be seen in their best light.

> You have obtained the trait <King of Drama>!

> Roland Lionheart feels a strong bond! He now considers you a dear friend!

> Evelyn vi Eternia feels a strong admiration! She now considers you a person worthy of her respect!

> Sophia Lux feels a strong interest! She now considers you a worthy talent! 

> You have bonded with the one whose life will save the world, and with the ones whose deaths will hasten its destruction.

> A dramatic change! +10000 SP. Your current SP is 10230.

===

…Welp. There goes Plan A of not involving myself with the cast.

Guess we just have to go with Plan B of actively dealing with the plot then. Hah… I'll need to start taking notes.

===

There were a few things that you could do to determine the level of a Gate and the threat level of the monsters inside of it.

The first was to use a mana scanner. However, we obviously didn't have that.

The second was to run in blind and see for yourself. We could do that since my party members were strong… but it was also a bad habit to build.

The third was to manually check the mana density in the air. But that was something you could only do once you were past Rank 6 and began treading on your unique path.

But there was also one unique thing that I could do as the author. And also as a master speed reader from reading countless webnovels.

As for what that unique thing was… 

…It was pulling out my phone, using the search function to find my notes on monsters, and then skim it to find a matching 'set.'

Gates were very simply laid out.

A majority of monsters were of a certain rank, and the boss was a rank higher. 

Not only that, but monsters only spawned in certain habitats. 

And for a dark cave like this…

I instinctively held up my hand and shot a <Fireball > out into the darkness. 

A Shadow Claw, a rank 1 monster that looked like a corrupted weasel, immediately screamed and then dropped dead in a pile of ashes.

…Huh. So this was how <King of Drama> worked, huh?

Evelyn's eyes widened a fraction. "Impressive." She walked over to stare at the ashes and then plucked out a shimmering crystal. "From this… a rank 1 monster?"

Roland looked at me and said, "How did you see it?"

I didn't! My body just moved on its own after I recognized the situation!

…Is what I wanted to say. 

But instead… 

"Shadow Claws inhabit dark caverns and rest in shadows. I couldn't see it, but I took the necessary precautions."

…That should be a good enough explanation, right?

Evelyn stared at me with a faint trace of pity in her eyes.

And while I couldn't see it, I could imagine her affection bar rapidly increasing.

Hah… Let's not get too close. 

She needed to get Aerith'd at the end of Act 1 for the plot to stay on track.

Even if she was beautiful, kind, caring, and also a girl in a tough spot due to the expectations placed on her, I couldn't be too attached.

I mean, I wrote her off in cold-blood before, so I should be able to do the same here.

Roland hummed and then said, "Do you have a lot of experience in Gates, Alexander?"

"You could say that." I carefully scanned the surroundings again, cross-referencing them with the notes on my phone… Wait.

…Did they not see me use my phone? Or were they just being polite due to it being class?

Well, either way…

"I believe you two are superior combat personnel. If you don't mind, I will stay at the back and support with information and call out potential dangers. I would appreciate it if you two took point."

Evelyn laughed and said, "I did say to treat me as any other, but you took to it quite quickly, Alexander."

I suppressed the urge to smile at her cheerful expression. Instead, I said, "In combat situations, status is irrelevant. This may be a simulation, but it is important to stop bad habits before they form."

Roland nodded. "That's wise… Very well." He immediately took up a position at front with his sword drawn. "Since I specialize in swordsmanship, I will take the lead. Princ- …Evelyn. Please support me with your magic."

"Of course, Roland." Evelyn nodded and then looked at me. "Your thoughts, Alexander?"

"I will support with additional magic from behind. And for now…" I held out my hand and shot a compressed fireball down the dark passage ahead of us. 

A brief moment of illumination. 

During that, a dozen shadow weasels laying in wait were revealed.

And then there was a flash of red and burst of gold before they were gone.

…So this was what it felt like to be a mob character watching the MCs fight, huh?

I didn't even catch anything!

Roland called out from the other side of the passage and said, "There's illumination coming from up ahead, Alexander."

Evelyn called out as well. "There do not appear to be any further hostiles."

Professional and organized.

…To be honest, I was probably unnecessary for this ridiculous match up.

After all, they had more than enough raw power to punch through everything.

Still, knowledge was power too. And while I couldn't match them in combat, I definitely could in gate exploration. 

Now…

I quickly jogged to catch up, surveyed the situation, and then pointed where to go. 

"Those crystals are Corrupted Crystalis. They look pretty and don't seem to affect you, but if you use mana, you'll slowly get slowed down. There are three paths here, but since Corrupted Crystalis mostly grow with Rank 2 monsters or higher, following them should lead to the boss room. And in a place like this…

===

Roland followed Alexander's orders and easily dispatched the monsters that they came across in exploring the dungeon.

Not only that, but in following his orders, they were making rapid progress. 

…Well, Roland didn't know that for sure, but his intuition was telling him that it was correct. Just like how his intuition told him that Alexander was someone to keep an eye on.

Alexander Smith… it was a name that could be heard in any part of the Empire. A common name that people wouldn't bat an eye towards. Moreover, with his brown hair and green eyes, both additionally common features in the Empire, he was a man that easily blended in with the crowd.

It was suspicious.

This was their first day in the academy, and supposedly the first day exploring Gates. 

But Alexander moved around like it was natural, and also had knowledge about monsters and their habitats.

Roland did as well, but there was a marked difference.

Alexander always explained his actions, but there were times he acted first and explained afterwards. 

It was a sort of instinctive reflex that someone could only have after exploring Gates countless times in the past.

…But Alexander was weak. Much weaker than both Roland and Princess Evelyn.

Even so, Alexander had no issues ordering them around and taking the place of a tactical field leader. 

And then there was the matter of Headmistress Lux taking on the role of teaching the class…

…It was suspicious. 

Although Alexander's backstory of losing his family to gates and monsters was sincere, it didn't explain his capabilities. Someone that weak should not have been able to acquire that much experience.

So, objectively, Roland should be cautious of Alexander.

…And yet Roland's intuition was telling him that Alexander was not just an ally, but someone he shouldn't let go of no matter what.

During a lull in the combat where Alexander surveyed the surroundings, Roland took a glance over at Princess Evelyn to gauge her reactions.

As someone a step away from the threshold in both Magic and Arts, she should have finer tuned instincts than him. 

But she not only seemed fine with Alexander, she even seemed to be in admiration.

…Well.

Roland had his suspicions. But if even the princess felt that Alexander was fine, he'd go along with it for now.

Alexander hadn't been anything but useful and sincere, so it was the least that Roland could do.

===

> A miraculous coincidence! Roland's suspicions of your expertise have been wiped away due to Evelyn's admiration of your talent. +100 SP. Current SP: 10330.

> A stunning performance! Despite your lack of strength, your experienced actions in exploring the artificial Gate have impressed all who witnessed your actions! +100 SP. Current SP: 10430.

> You have found the Boss Room faster than any other groups of students! In addition, you have done so while highlighting the strength of Roland and Evelyn while minimizing your own! What a welcome revision! +200 SP. Current SP: 10630

It was a cheeky flurry of messages.

Since I couldn't pick up my phone right now, it seemed like the system saw it fit to spam the messages in my field of view instead.

I would have cursed it out, if not for the fact that it indeed seemed to have good timing.

We'd reached a safe spot in front of a giant pair of double doors. Just a small open area with a few stray rocks here and there.

Roland stepped forward and took a look around, observing a dark passage to the left, and then another to the right. After pausing and tilting his head to listen, he said, "It seems like our classmates are catching up."

Evelyn nodded and said, "Then we should hurry before they steal our accomplishments."

As if her words were the cue, another message popped up in front of my eyes.

===

[Story Quest: First twist, Boss Rush!]

Objective: Defeat the mutated Rank 5 <Raging Shadow Bear> before the other students arrive!

Success: +10000 SP, Rank 5 Artifact 

Failure: Roland's death. Evelyn's corruption. Various casualties. 

Time limit: 5 minutes

===

Son of a-

Okay. Calm down.

Even if Rob was a crappy fanfic writer, he was still sticking to the proper story bets.

This was similar too.

In the story, Roland came across the boss first and struggled due to it being stronger than him. Then Isaac would show up, taunt Roland, and then get knocked out. Then Evelyn and Marisa would come in to mop things up.

…But this was a Rank 5 monster. 

Evelyn couldn't beat it with us nearby since we'd be easy targets.

And not only that, but since the failure conditions were like that, it meant there was a hidden trap in the boss fight.

Evelyn's face suddenly appeared in my field of view. Concerned, she tilted her head and said, "Alexander?"

I stared back at her and then nodded. "Yes. We should hurry."

Right. 

At this moment, the only person watching us was Sophia.

And the only other witnesses were Roland and Evelyn.

I was already doomed to interact with them since I got matched up. And that Rob guy wanted me to revise my story to make things more interesting.

In that case…

This time, I moved forward and pushed the doors open. And as I did, I started mumbling under my breath. "Shut, the north, the south, the east, the west. Seal, the sky above, the ground below…"

"E-Eh?" Evelyn looked at me, confused. "That chant…?"

Roland quickly moved forward, sensing the danger immediately. "Alexander, wait!"

A massive shadowy figure with crimson lines running across its body charged.

I held up my hand and shouted. "My body as the vessel, I channel thee! Burst <Divine Spirit>!"

- Divine Spirit. A Rank 6 spell that purified the area with divine light and also smited the enemy targeted. 

Obviously, it was something I couldn't and shouldn't be using. But…

> An incredible revision! The setting <Mana Circle Overdrive> has been added! +10000 SP!

> Roland Lionheart's suspicions are replaced with horror at your bone-deep grudge!

> Evelyn vi Eternia's admiration turns into deep-seated fear for your life!

> Sophia Lux's interest turns into shock as she attempts to prevent a perceived fatal action!

> Your character's role has changed! Alexander Smith is now perceived as "Suicidal Maniac who will throw away his life to take down one more monster."

> Your mana stat will forcibly be reset to 0 for your actions!

> Your physical stats will be halved!

===

An action to save everyone, reduce variables, and take me out of commission while giving a plausible motivation towards all my actions.

White light filled the surroundings, my mana circles shattered and broke, my body drained of strength…

But then.

===

> (First twist, Boss Rush!) has been completed in record time with an unexpected method!

> Recalculating character impact on story… Confirmed. Impact to plot is minimal, but impact to character motivations is high. Proceeding with planned developments. Observing potential changes.

> You have received 10000 SP! Your current SP is: 30630

> You have obtained the Art <Mana Circle Overdrive>!

> You have obtained the Rank 5 Artifact <Artio >!

> The Inviter is amused at your revisions and wishes you luck on the rest.

===

Oh go to hell you fu-

===

[Status Screen]

Name: Alex Smith

Age: 18

Strength: 5

Agility: 5

Vitality: 5

Endurance: 5

Mana: 0

<Magic >

Rank 1: Basic Elemental Magic

Rank 6: Divine Spirit

<Arts >

Mana Circle Overdrive: By shattering your mana circles and performing a forced fusion, can perform one Rank 6 spell at the cost of all stored mana and halving physical stats.

<Inventory >

Artio - A rank 5 artifact. Fashioned after the bear goddess of the same name, it allows summoning a rank 5 familiar with the appropriate mana cost.

Total SP: 30630