Chapter 9: Jade Beauty of the Academy? Hell Nah!

05th January, Year 203 of the Universal Calendar. In the morning, Leon spent some time getting his mental state back to normal. Even after a good night’s sleep... if you could call a nightmare-filled sleep good... he still felt mentally drained. But thinking about the future and more importantly, his revenge on that beast—he pushed the pain to the back of his mind and focused on the present. What annoyed him the most was that he hadn’t managed to get the Energy Orb from the second Crimson Rabbit he killed. That fact alone added fuel to the burning need for vengeance inside him. After getting refreshed, he decided to head towards the cafeteria. He had already called in sick for a day, so repeating that wouldn’t work. Besides, there were many things he needed to take care of while he was still at the Academy. He put on the Academy uniform—a clean white shirt, a sharp black blazer bearing the Starlink Academy crest, and matching black trousers. As he adjusted the collar and looked at himself in the mirror, his thoughts drifted back to the plan he’d made for the immediate future. ’I’ve reincarnated right at the start of the game. Technically, it begins today, 5th January. And since there’s no protagonist this time, it means even more people are going to die in the first event.’ He clearly remembered the event. His class would be taken to a dungeon under the Academy for practical combat experience. But things would spiral out of control. The boss inside mutated into a Variant and ended up killing a large number of students. There were other details to the event too, but this was the core of it. ’My class has many of humanity’s elites. Losing them would be a serious blow to our future. I’ll just save them now... so they can save my ass later.’ Lost in thought, Leon exited the dorms. A few classmates greeted him on the way, but he only nodded in response and moved along. As he stepped past the main dorm gates, someone suddenly covered his eyes from behind. His reflexes, sharpened by trauma and paranoia, nearly kicked in. He was about to throw an elbow when the familiar teasing voice reached his ears. "Guess who?" Leon sighed in relief and answered with a flat tone, "President Gwen." "What? You know her too, Leo?" Silver pulled her hands away and stepped in front of him, raising a brow in mock confusion. Leon spared her a glance and smiled. She looked as beautiful as ever. But now that she was in the Academy uniform, her charm hit harder than usual. She wore a crisp white shirt tucked neatly into a black pleated skirt that left her soft thighs fully exposed. In a world where men were the vulnerable ones, this sort of outfit was the norm for women. "Of course not. How would someone like me know someone like her?" he replied with a smirk. "Come on, class starts soon." Silver narrowed her eyes and grumbled something under her breath, clearly annoyed by his joke. Still, she skipped forward and walked beside him. This was the first time Leon was truly taking in the full view of Starlink Academy, and to say he was impressed would be an understatement. The Academy was practically a futuristic town, filled with tall glass buildings, flying vehicles, pristine walkways, and advanced tech embedded in almost every surface. He had technically created this world, yet even he felt immersed and awed by its atmosphere. After all, he couldn’t put every detail in the game so whoever had turned this world into reality had even filled up those holes cleverly. While chatting with Silver, Leon headed towards the Combat Department. The Academy had four Main Departments—Combat, Strategy, Support, and Research. Students were required to attend basic classes in all four departments to ensure they could survive in the chaotic world outside. The previous Leon had been deeply involved with the Research Department. It made sense as he had always been a curious soul, constantly seeking the truth behind everything. As they neared their classroom, Leon noticed the sheer number of girls around him. There were so many of them that it was hard to even spot another guy. ’They say 85% of the students here are girls, and only 15% are male. That’s why male students get so much protection.’ "What’s wrong? You look like you’ve seen a ghost," Silver asked, raising an eyebrow. "Did one of those bitches bother you? Just say the word, and I’ll beat their arrogance into their DNA." "Relax. No one did anything," Leon rolled his eyes. "I was just thinking about something." He looked around again and noticed the unfriendly glares directed at Silver. His lips twitched. ’Wait a sec... am I the female cast of this story? Is this girl the protagonist fighting off rivals for me? Hell nah!’ Leon suddenly recalled something else—an internal Academy ranking. The "Prince Rankings," which listed the most handsome and desirable male students. It was basically the Academy’s version of a popularity contest... or a simp list, really. ’So it’s like the Goddess Rankings back on Earth... just gender-swapped.’ Leon wasn’t at the top, but he ranked fifth. His good looks and potential in the R&D department made him quite the catch in the eyes of many girls. He sighed, reached out, and patted Silver’s head. She blinked in confusion. "Okay, seriously, what’s with you today? You’re being weird." Still, she didn’t miss the glares she was receiving, and as usual, she completely ignored them. Being Leon’s best friend came with this kind of attention, and she was used to it by now. "Nothing. Just wondering if you’d like to come to the market with me later. I need to pick something up," Leon asked. He liked Silver. She wasn’t just a favorite character—she was one of the first ones he’d created when he was at his lowest. She’d technically accompanied him through his struggles. Naturally, he wanted to spend more time with her to deepen their relationship. Silver’s eyes lit up with joy. "Is this it? Are you finally accepting my proposal? Is this a date?!" "Well, I’ll need some time, and we might stop to eat," Leon said with a casual smile. "HURRAY!" Silver shouted at the top of her lungs, earning several stares. But she didn’t seem to care. She even flashed a smug smile at the surrounding crowd like she’d just won the lottery. Some girls clenched their fists in envy and frustration, but they held themselves back. Silver wasn’t someone to provoke lightly. Well, not all of them were scared of her. Just before they could step into the classroom, a new voice rang out from behind. "Oh my dear Silver, what’s with the smug look?" Leon froze. A bad premonition creeping upto his mind. ’No way... Gender roles are reversed, sure. But even tropes? Am I the jade beauty now? Is this turning into a battle of love interests where Silver fights for my honor?’ His face went stiff. ’Nope. Screw that. I’m not playing this game. I’ll fight to protect my women, not the other way around.’ But as he turned and saw who had provoked him, his lips twitched as he thought. ’On second thoughts, it’s not a bad thing to have your girls fight other bitches for you.’