"Remind me again why we're here?" Mario asked, dragging his luggage behind him, his boots kicking up dust as they crossed the sprawling cobbled entrance of the famed Arcane Blade Academy of Eastern Kingdoms.
"Because we failed the exam," Andrew replied, arms behind his head, grinning shamelessly.
"I almost passed!" Mario protested.
"You got a 13 out of 100, Mario."
"You weren't even present, Andrew!"
"Which makes my grade technically better than yours."
The academy loomed ahead like a castle stolen from a fantasy novel—tall towers with enchanted lanterns, a training yard with floating stone platforms, and a gate that shimmered with runes. This place was on a whole different level.
"Looks fancy," Mario muttered. "Think they have better food here?
Andrew smirked. "I'm more interested in the other specialty."
"You mean the legendary rumors?" Mario whispered. "About this academy having the most powerful students and… the most beautiful girls?"
Andrew's eyes sparkled. "Exactly. Imagine—new school, no yanderes. A clean slate. A fresh start. A new—dare I say it—harem route."
Mario stopped walking. "Are you trying to get us killed?"
"They can't possibly track us here," Andrew said, waving a dismissive hand. "We're across the continent."
"You said that last time," Mario deadpanned.
Room 608 was their new home: a spacious double room with separate beds, high arched windows, and a view of the central training dome.
Mario dropped his bag. "You think they'll suspect we're foreigners?"
Andrew shrugged. "We already look different, speak different, act different—what could possibly go wrong?"
"I don't even speak Japanese properly," Mario muttered, looking at the runes on the wall. "What if we were hit by a truck and this is just some long coma dream?"
Andrew flopped onto his bed. "Makes sense. Our neurons got synced in the hospital. Every time I take a sip of water, you randomly start laughing."
"Exactly," Mario nodded. "Also… are you sure we're not just figments of each other's imagination?"
Andrew turned to him with a grin. "If you're my imagination, why are you so dumb?"
The two laughed until the evening bell rang.
They changed into the academy uniform—fitted dark jackets, silver embroidery, and a badge with an unfamiliar sigil. As they walked through the halls, other students glanced at them—some with curiosity, others with envy.
It didn't take long for whispers to start.
"Are they the new transfer students?"
"From the Western Academy? I heard they fought in the war."
"Foreigners, huh? Let's see how long they last."
Andrew leaned over to Mario. "We're celebrities already."
"We're targets," Mario corrected.
"Same thing."
Before lights out, the two sat by the window overlooking the moonlit campus.
"You ever think about it?" Mario asked quietly. "Going back."
"To Earth?"
"Yeah. . Google. Football. Our actual lives."
Andrew smiled faintly. "If we could go back… I'd probably still want to come here. Just maybe with less being chased by obsessive girls."
Mario snorted. "You'd do it all over again?"
Andrew looked at the stars. "Yeah. Except this time, I'd make sure I win."
Mario grinned. "You mean get a full harem?"
"No," Andrew said. "Win everything. Strategy. Power. Legacy. And maybe… just maybe… avoid getting hit by another truck."
They both laughed.
Tomorrow, orientation would begin—and with it, a new chapter in their already twisted, chaotic, and unexpectedly hilarious isekai journey.