A single stone in the right place can start an avalanche.
And Riven Kael had just dropped a boulder in the middle of Valkyrion Academy.
The next morning started like any other—if you ignored the surveillance crows circling the tower, the tension that filled the halls like thick smoke, and the dozen students whispering about a "prince" who made the Prefect stutter yesterday.
Riven stepped out of his dorm in a fresh uniform, tie still untied, buttons slightly loose. Not out of laziness—but intention.
Let them stare.
Let them whisper.
Let them react.
His footsteps echoed confidently across the marbled floor, and the system chimed in.
Daily Bonus Activated: Notoriety +2
Status: Stirring Interest
Your name has been mentioned 43 times in morning campus chatter.
Achievement Unlocked: "You're That Guy."
As Riven approached the sparring coliseum for his first combat class, he caught sight of a small crowd gathered around one of the bulletin boards.
A challenge notice.
And his name was written on it in bold silver letters.
"Official Arena Challenge – Issued by: Kaela Drayne"
He blinked.
Already?
He hadn't even done anything yet—well, aside from clashing with Seria and smirking too confidently in front of the student body. But in Valkyrion, reputation spread like wildfire, especially when tied to women of influence.
And Kaela Drayne?
She wasn't just anyone.
Riven remembered her from the novel.
The "Warlord's Daughter." One of the strongest combatants in the entire academy. Tall, athletic, dangerously sharp with both words and blades. She was the type who respected strength and hated arrogance—unless you backed it up with power.
According to the original story, Kaela didn't even speak to the main character until chapter 20.
Now, she was challenging him by chapter 3.
"Damn," Riven muttered under his breath, half-amused. "I'm speedrunning the plot."
The arena was packed.
Rows of students filled the stands. Most of them curious. Some waiting for him to be humiliated. And a few… intrigued.
Riven stepped onto the sandy field with a slow, controlled walk. No armor. No flashy weapons.
Kaela was already there.
She wore a tight battle suit that hugged her toned frame, black and crimson, with fingerless gloves and dual sabers crossed behind her back. Her white-blonde hair was tied into a braided ponytail that swung like a blade with every step.
"You're late," she said, stretching her neck.
"I'm fashionable," Riven replied, cracking his knuckles.
Kaela tilted her head. "You're cocky."
"I'm confident."
"Do you know what happens when confident men face me?"
"They turn into fans?"
A few laughs rang from the crowd.
Kaela smirked.
"Let's see how long that tongue of yours keeps wagging once I break your ribs."
Combat Instance Detected
Duel Type: Public Spar – No Kill
Restrictions: Magic Seals, No Weapon Summons Outside Academy Limit
Opponent: Kaela Drayne – B-Rank Combatant
Side Quest Activated:
"Make Her Acknowledge You"
Survive 3 minutes without retreating
Land 1 clean counterattack
Reward: Taunt (D) + Favorability Increase
The bell rang.
Kaela shot forward like a blur.
Most people would've blinked and missed it—but Riven wasn't most people anymore.
Her fist aimed for his face.
He tilted his head just enough to let her knuckles graze his cheek—close enough to feel it, not close enough to hurt.
She followed with a spin kick.
He ducked. Her heel sliced the air where his head used to be.
He didn't strike back.
Not yet.
Instead, he moved like a shadow. Controlled. Intentional.
Let her test him.
Let her think he's dodging because he's scared.
Until she overcommits.
And she did.
A high kick, beautifully executed but wide. Riven stepped into the opening, slipped behind her guard, and—tap—flicked her braid with two fingers.
Not a punch.
A message.
Kaela froze mid-spin.
The audience gasped.
"What was that?" she asked, not turning around yet.
"A flick."
"Are you mocking me?"
"I'm flirting," Riven replied casually. "Big difference."
She turned slowly, her expression unreadable.
Then she laughed.
One clear, sharp chuckle.
Side Quest Complete
Favorability: +3
Status: Slightly Impressed
Reward Gained: Taunt (D) – Activate to provoke lower-rank targets into reckless behavior.
"You've got moves, Prince," Kaela said, stepping back to reset her stance. "But don't get cocky. You're good. I'm better."
"Then prove it."
She charged again—but this time, she wasn't reckless.
She was serious.
And Riven had to admit… it took all his focus just to keep up.
By the time the match ended—fifteen minutes later—Riven had two bruised ribs, a scraped shoulder, and one hell of a reputation.
But he was standing.
And Kaela?
She was smirking again.
"I'll keep my eye on you," she said, stepping past him. "Don't disappoint me."
"Was that a promise?"
"It was a threat."
But her smile said otherwise.
Later that night, Riven sat on the balcony of his dorm with the system interface open.
Relationship Web Updated
Seria Vale: Curious, Cautious
Kaela Drayne: Impressed, Challenged
Current Ranking: 26th out of 312 students
New Trait Gained: Stormstarter – Your actions cause ripple effects in people around you.
Riven sipped from a bottle of chilled elixir and stared at the glowing lights of the academy.
He hadn't even used his full strength yet.
He hadn't even unlocked the real quests.
And already… the dominos were falling.
One by one.
Exactly the way he wanted.
The First Kiss of Chaos
"Someone like you shouldn't be allowed to roam free."
That was how Seria Vale greeted him the next day.
Riven hadn't even reached the training halls yet when he spotted her—standing with her arms folded near the stairwell that led to the A-tower dorm rooftop. Her braid was tighter than usual, her lips pressed in a thin, irritated line. Something was bothering her.
She didn't wait for him to speak.
"You provoked Kaela Drayne. In public. During the first combat session of the term."
"She provoked me first," Riven said with a casual shrug. "And I won."
"You survived," she corrected. "That's not the same as winning."
"I think the crowd would disagree." He gestured loosely to the students who passed by, whispering, some pointing. "I'm trending."
Seria stepped forward, closing the gap between them.
"You're creating chaos," she said, her voice low. "You've been here for two days and already the student council has received six complaints. You undermined protocol, defied basic etiquette, and mocked the Prefect during an official report."
"I flirted," Riven replied. "There's a difference."
She clenched her jaw.
"You're enjoying this."
"I am."
"Why?"
"Because for the first time in my life, I'm not bound by anyone else's boring rules."
Passive Skill Triggered: Commanding Presence
Target's heart rate elevated
Emotional response: frustration + confusion
Side Quest Progress: Fracture the Mask — 72%
"I should write you up again," she said, though her voice had lost its sharpness.
Riven leaned forward, just a little. Enough to make her back press into the stairwell wall.
"You should," he said. "You really should. Tie me up. Throw me in detention. Pin me down and punish me properly."
Her cheeks flushed. For a split second, she actually faltered.
"You—" she began, but the words tangled in her throat.
"Seria," he said softly, "why do you care so much about me?"
"I don't."
"Then stop following me."
"I'm doing my job."
"Then stop looking at me like that."
"Like what?"
"Like you want to slap me and kiss me at the same time."
Silence.
The air between them turned still—like the second before lightning splits the sky.
Seria's hands curled at her sides, her lips parting slightly. She looked up at him, eyes wide and unreadable.
"You're... impossible."
Riven tilted his head. "You're beautiful when you're angry."
She didn't move.
Didn't flinch.
So he leaned in.
Close.
Too close.
System Notification:
[Milestone Opportunity: First Kiss of Chaos]
Trigger a reaction that shifts Seria Vale's alignment.
Warning: May result in permanent change of dynamics.
Reward: Skill Upgrade – Coercion (C)
"Don't," she whispered, her voice shaky.
Riven paused an inch from her lips.
"I will," he whispered back, "unless you stop me."
She didn't.
Not with words.
Not with hands.
And that was all the permission he needed.
He kissed her.
It wasn't soft.
It wasn't gentle.
It was heat, fire, defiance. A clashing of wills wrapped in silence. Her hands pressed into his chest—maybe to push him away, maybe to pull him closer.
For a second, the whole world faded.
Just lips, breath, and a tension that had been boiling under the surface since the moment they met.
Then—
She shoved him.
Hard.
Slap.
Her palm met his cheek, not with fury—but with confusion.
"You… you can't—"
"I just did."
Milestone Complete: First Kiss of Chaos
Seria Vale: Alignment Shift – Order → Conflict
New Status: Emotionally Compromised
Reward Gained: Coercion (C) – Can now delay target's physical reaction during conflict.
Seria stood there, frozen. Her face was flushed. Her hands trembled.
"I should report you," she whispered.
"Then do it," he said. "But next time, I'll make sure the second kiss is better."
And with that, he turned and walked away.
Back in his dorm room, Riven exhaled, letting his shoulders drop.
That had been a risk.
A big one.
But necessary.
He didn't just need to survive at Valkyrion.
He needed to shake the roots. To unsettle the pillars. To rewrite the rules.
And Seria Vale?
She was the first to crack.
As he sat by the window that night, the system buzzed again.
New Event Triggered:
The Council Watches
Several high-ranking students and instructors have taken interest in your actions.
Upcoming Threats:
Challenge from the Student Council Vice-President
Investigation Order from Instructor Hyemi
Suggestion: Prepare.
Riven grinned to himself, watching the stars flicker above the academy tower.
He hadn't come here to play the hero.
He was the chaos this world needed.
And he was just getting started.