"What!?" (Kira)

"What!?" (Fade)

Both Kira and Fade were so surprised that they ended up yelling very loud, attracting strange eyes from people. They looked towards Rio and then at Lia whose face has turned into a red tomato.

Seeing Lia behaving in this way they thought it was really true. For a while both of them just looked at Rio and Lia with bewildered expression on their face and then finally calmed down.

"uh, congratulations! Lia!" (Kira)

"y-yeah, th-thanks" (Lia)

Lia's face blushed even more, she looked at Rio and glared at him, yet Rio was just sitting there without any care in the world, as expressionless as ever.

He looked at Lia and smirked a bit. Seeing that smug face, Lia had a strong urge to punch this bastard, but she did not do so.

'I will see you later, just you wait, you idiot, I-I-I will...' (Lia)

While Kira started to ask several questions from Lia, Fade decided to use his skill, which his system can use to scan others information.

'[Appraisal]'

[Generation information...]

[Error!!!!!... retrying... Error!!!!!.... Retrying ...Error!!!!]

[Defending counterattack... high amounts of energy consumed...]

[deducting EXP to meet energy requirements...]

[Defending successful!]

[Appraisal failed!]

[System Warning!!!!]

[Please do not use appraisal on this individual again!]

[Otherwise system might not be able to function properly!]

[Due to high damage sustained, System will go offline for a day]

[10...9...8...7..]

[System shutting down!]

[...]

'WHAT!!!, WHAT THE F***!!!, WHAT HAPPENED.' (Fade)

'How can it be! Appraisal has never failed before!' (Fade)

Instantly Fade became even more vigilant against this dude named Rio. Fade knew that something has gone wrong. And due to the fact that this guy can even counterattack after detecting his appraisal, Fade's system has gone offline for a day now.

Not to the system has given fade a warning to not use appraisal on Rio again, otherwise system might sustain even more damage.

After seeing this Fade had a chill ran down his spine. He knew that everything he today has is given by the system. If something happened to his system, he will again be reduced to that helpless person who he once was.

Fade looked upward and found Rio was looking right in his eyes. He seems to have found out what Fade has done. Fade gulped his saliva and his whole body was covered in sweat.

Looking in Rio's eyes he felt the cold and ruthless nature hidden. Fade suddenly felt the feeling he has forgotten for a few months. The very felling that drove him into the depths of despair.

Fear

Fade was trying very hard to remain calm but, in his mind, he was already too scared to even scream or say a single sentence.

Just as Fade was in a very suffocating situation, a voice saved him suddenly:

"Hey, Rio, isn't it time we leave now?" (Lia)

"Yeah let's go" (Rio)

Rio and Lia both got up and left the restaurant.historical

Seeing them leaving Fade heaved a long sigh of relief. He had started to think that he will faint due to suffocation.

"What happened, Fade?" (Kira)

Fade just shook his head and clamed his beating heart down:

"Nothing" (Fade)

.

.

"Hey! Wh-why did you say that?" (Lia)

"What did I say? (Rio)

"Don't act like you don't know! Didn't you say that, that.. I-I...." (Lia)

"Heh, what did I say, I don't remember correctly why don't you tell me yourself~" (Rio)

Seeing that shameless smug face, Lia had a sudden urge to slash this bastard with her sword, she immediately brought out her sword from the space ring given by academy.

"I-I will wipe that smirk off today! Die you sex fiend!" (Lia)

"Heh, you won't be able to even land a single attack on me." (Rio)

"Yo-you! Die!" (Lia)

Rio just dodged those half-assed attacks without much of a problem. Anyway, he is already at the peak of C rank, while Lia is still in the D rank. It is impossible for her to land even a single attack on Rio.

After a bit of slashing with no result. Lia got frustrated and stopped taking long breaths. I normal situations, she would not get exhausted in such a small time but due to her emotions being disbalanced and her performing the sword techniques in unbalanced way, she ended up exhausted in just 10 minutes.

"Yo, exhausted already? Should I carry you, princess style? if you are unable to walk?" (Rio)

Hearing the remark from Rio, Lia subconsciously imagined herself being carried princess style...What! wait! Wh-what am I even thinking!?

'This bastard!' (Lia)

Lia glared at Rio with a death stare, but this only made her look cuter. But seeing that the situation had started to get out of hand, Rio decided stop teasing her more. She might end up crying if he continued doing this.

'I wonder how she will look like when crying after being teased.' (Rio)

'Huh, I am starting to have idiotic thought recently. No, no, I shouldn't make her cry.' (Rio)

Rio shook his head and patted the glaring cute girl's head.

"Okay, okay. Let's stop now. Do you want to eat ice-cream, my treat?" (Rio)

"I don't want to talk to you anymore!" (Lia)

"Good grief, and here I was thinking of buying a vanilla flavor one." (Rio)

"Who said I won't eat!! let's go!!!" (Lia)

Rio can even see stars shining in Lia's eyes after hearing about vanilla flavor. Seriously, no one would expect that the coldest and arrogant looking girl in the academy is so obsessed with ice-creams.

The duo bought ice-creams and sat at the bench near the small lake artificial lake.

The scenery and weather, everything seemed to has become livelier and more beautiful. It was already evening; the sun was now shining with red colour giving the atmosphere a calm and beautiful feel.

The slow breeze of air and the faint sound of tree's rustle added an amazing charm to the beauty of nature. It was a perfect time to say the feelings hidden in your heart now. It is now or never.

"I think, I like you, Lia" (Rio)

"WH-wha-wha, what are you saying so suddenly!" (Lia)

"What about you?" (Rio)

Seeing Rio become serious all of a sudden, Lia gulped and looked in Rio's dark black eyes directly. Although her face was becoming more and more red as the time passed, determination flashed in her eyes.

"I-I l-like yo-you to-too, R-Rio" (Lia)

Instantly, Lia's face became as red as a tomato, she lowered her head and tried to hide her embarrassment, but suddenly Rio sealed her lips. A romantic atmosphere appeared surrounded the two.

When Lia came to her senses, even her neck became red from embarrassment.

"It was Delicious" (Rio, whispered in a small voice)

Lia's phase became even more redder. Not being able to bear this much shock, she ended up fainting. Before she crashed Rio caught her.

"Good Grief~ Maybe I went too far." (Rio)

.

.

Behind a bush, several meters away from Rio and Lia.

A commotion has already erupted without the knowledge of Lia and Rio.

"wha-what! They kissed!!!" (Kira)

"Ye-yeah. I-it se-seems to be t-true" (Fade)

"I didn't expect that they have already gone so far!! Doing shameful things in broad daylight!!!!" (Kira)

"...." (Fade)

"What happened, why are you not saying anything, Fade?" (Kira)

Fade looked at the duo spending time with a romantic atmosphere and then he looked at Kira. Seeing his strange behavior, Kira immediately understood his meaning.

"We-well, I-if you want, w-we can also....." (Kira said in a very small voice)

Although, Kira was saying this in such a small voice. But Fade was able to hear her clearly. His face also turned red in embarrassment. Being inexperienced himself, he was also flustered hearing this. Not to mention, a kiss, He had never even held a girl's hand before.

Just as the two were still thinking about what to do next. They found that the effect of the artifact suddenly weakens. They have been using an artifact given by Kira's parents to make themselves invisible to people's sight.

Afterall if someone found them stalking, they will end up embarrassed. Due to which, when Rio and Lia had left after talking, Kira had proposed the idea to follow them.

Since, Kira was concerned about Lia's well-being and wanted to find out if she was not being deceived. Fade also accompanied her. The artifact they used to hide their presence can help them avoid the perception of anyone below A rank, as long as they don't use any attacking methods or the artifact run out of mana.

Since the artifact has now started to run out of mana its effect has started to weaken. Kira and Fade both decided to leave the place in order to not get discovered by Rio and Lia.

What they didn't knew was that, Rio had already sensed their presence the very moment they started following Him and Lia. Ever since Rio has acquired the skill 'true resistance' he can resist against any illusion and deceitful skill as simply as breathing.

But the skill 'true resistance' is not restricted to skill only, it can even resist against artifact effects and other unusual effects. Which helped Rio to directly avoid the artifact and sense them both following behind. But he didn't say anything.

The thing that surprised him more was the fact that Fade was lingering around here. If this continued how will he reach the place of the bomb? If he didn't reach there on time several normal folks will be killed. Far more damage will happen compared to the damage happened in the novel which Rio had read.

'do I have to fix this shit myself?' (Rio)

'Well, this mess is created by the butterfly-effect, caused by me, in the first place.' (Rio)

'I don't really want to do the hero's work, but since this involves the life of more than a thousand people, I should act this time, otherwise, I might not be able to sleep with peace tonight.'

A villainous smile appeared on Rio's expression-less face. Scaring the nearby people, some even ended up fainting due to the evil aura released by Rio subconsciously. (Do you think, Rio have the potential to be a villain? Tell me in comments.)

'It seems I will have to get involved with the main story myself this time. Let's dive in this shit-show for once.' (Rio)