My first class of the day was Basic Combat Theory with Professor Aldric, a gruff man in his fifties who looked like he'd rather be fighting monsters than teaching teenagers. The classroom was set up like a small amphitheater, with rows of seats facing down toward a practice area where the professor could demonstrate techniques.
I walked in and immediately noticed how the other students reacted. A few glanced up from their textbooks, did double takes, then started whispering to their neighbors. Marcus Vale had attended this class for almost two years, sitting in the back corner and barely participating. Today, I walked straight to a seat in the front row.
"Well, well," Professor Aldric said as he entered the room, carrying a practice sword. "Mr. Vale, how unusual to see you so eager to learn. Did you finally decide that combat theory might be worth your attention?"
In the original timeline, Marcus would have mumbled something and tried to disappear into his seat. Instead, I looked the professor straight in the eye and smiled.
"I've had some recent insights about combat, Professor. I thought it might be interesting to see how theory compares to practice."
The professor raised an eyebrow. Several students turned to stare at me openly now. Marcus Vale didn't speak up in class. Marcus Vale definitely didn't sound confident when he talked to teachers.
"Insights, you say?" Professor Aldric set down his sword and crossed his arms. "Care to share these insights with the class?"
"Sure," I said, standing up. "You were about to demonstrate the Five Basic Stances, right? The foundation of all sword combat according to the academy curriculum."
Professor Aldric nodded slowly. "That's correct. How did you know that?"
I shrugged. "Lucky guess. But I think there's a problem with how we teach them."
The classroom went dead silent. Even Professor Aldric looked surprised. Criticizing the academy's curriculum wasn't something students did, especially not students like Marcus Vale.
"A problem?" the professor said, his voice dangerously quiet.
"The stances are taught as separate positions," I continued, walking down to the practice area. "But in real combat, they're not static. They're transition points in a continuous flow of movement. Teaching them as isolated poses creates bad habits that get people killed."
[System Alert: Social dynamics shifting]
[Multiple individuals now viewing host as noteworthy]
[Quest progress updated]
I could feel the system's influence, but I ignored it. This was just common sense based on what I'd learned from the skill downloads, combined with knowledge from martial arts movies I'd watched in my previous life.
Professor Aldric was quiet for a long moment, studying me with sharp eyes. "Interesting theory, Mr. Vale. Would you care to demonstrate?"
"I'd be happy to."
I picked up a practice sword from the rack. The moment my fingers closed around the hilt, muscle memory from my newly acquired swordsmanship skills kicked in. The weapon felt perfectly balanced, like an extension of my arm.
"The First Stance," I said, moving into the basic ready position. "Usually taught as a static guard position."
I held the pose for a moment, then smoothly transitioned into the Second Stance, then the Third, demonstrating how each position could flow naturally into the next. My movements were fluid, precise, and completely unlike anything the original Marcus Vale could have managed.
"But if you understand the underlying principles," I continued, "you realize that combat is about controlling distance, timing, and angles. The stances are just tools to achieve those goals."
I moved through a more complex combination, blending all five stances into what looked like a choreographed dance. The sword cut through the air with perfect precision, each movement calculated for maximum efficiency.
When I finished, the classroom was completely silent.
Professor Aldric was staring at me like I'd just grown a second head. "Mr. Vale," he said slowly, "when exactly did you learn to move like that?"
"Recently," I said, setting the sword back on the rack. "Like I said, I've had some insights."
"That was intermediate level technique. Advanced, even. You performed movements that some of our third-year students struggle with."
I shrugged. "Maybe I'm a late bloomer."
The professor walked closer, his eyes narrow with suspicion. "Mr. Vale, I've been teaching at this academy for fifteen years. Students don't suddenly jump from barely functional to advanced overnight. What aren't you telling me?"
Before I could answer, the classroom door opened and someone walked in. I turned to see who it was and felt my stomach drop.
Seraphina Cross stood in the doorway, her violet eyes scanning the room until they locked onto me. Her expression was carefully neutral, but I could see the tension in her shoulders, the way her hands clenched slightly at her sides.
"Miss Cross," Professor Aldric said, clearly relieved by the interruption. "You're early for your advanced session."
"I apologize for the intrusion," Seraphina said, never taking her eyes off me. "I was hoping to observe today's basic class. I heard there was an interesting demonstration."
Word traveled fast in this place. I wondered how much she'd heard, how much she suspected.
"Indeed," the professor said. "Mr. Vale was just showing us some remarkable improvement in his technique."
Seraphina's expression didn't change, but I caught the flash of something in her eyes. Concern? Fear? It was hard to tell.
"How fascinating," she said. "Mr. Vale, isn't it? I don't believe we've been properly introduced."
She walked down to where I was standing, moving with the fluid grace of someone who'd mastered combat magic. Up close, she was even more striking than I'd expected, but there was something unsettling about the way she looked at me. Like she was seeing something that shouldn't exist.
"Marcus Vale," I said, extending my hand. "Pleasure to meet you."
She shook my hand, and I felt a subtle pulse of magical energy. She was scanning me, trying to read my magical signature or detect any unusual abilities. It was a technique advanced mages used to assess threats.
[System Alert: Magical scan detected]
[Counter-scanning initiated]
[Target analysis complete]
[Seraphina Cross - Detailed Analysis]
[Age: 17 (Regressed from age 23)]
[Abilities: Master-level Time Magic, Advanced Combat Magic, Prophetic Dreams]
[Current Status: Highly agitated, suspicious of host]
[Threat Level: High]
[Note: This individual possesses memories of a timeline where host did not exist as a significant factor]
So the system could analyze her regression abilities. That was useful information.
"The pleasure is mine," Seraphina said, but her smile didn't reach her eyes. "I've heard interesting things about your recent... growth."
"People talk too much in this place," I replied. "I just got serious about my studies."
"Of course." She released my hand and stepped back. "Professor Aldric, would it be possible for Mr. Vale to join the advanced session today? I'd be very interested to see how his newfound skills compare to students who've been training at this level for years."
The professor looked between us, clearly sensing the undercurrent of tension but not understanding it. "I suppose that would be acceptable, if Mr. Vale is willing."
I could have declined. The smart thing would have been to make some excuse and avoid direct confrontation with someone who knew the original timeline. But I hadn't come this far just to back down when things got interesting.
"I'd be happy to," I said. "It sounds educational."
Seraphina's smile became more genuine, but not in a good way. It was the smile of a predator who'd just cornered its prey.
"Excellent," she said. "I think we're going to learn a great deal about each other."