The chess invitation and anime adventures

The next day, Ars walked into the school, his mind still buzzing from the events of the previous day. But as soon as he entered the classroom, a hushed silence fell over the room. Everyone stared at him in shock, whispering to one another. It wasn't because of his usual awkward entrance or the fact that he had been the subject of rumors. No, today was different.

Before Ars had arrived, a group of unfamiliar people had entered the school. They weren't students, and they definitely weren't teachers. They were... official-looking? Maybe even important? Ars had no idea why they were there, but the whispers told him one thing: they were looking for him.

As he walked in, Sakura, his classmate, dashed toward him with a worried expression.

"Ars! Where have you been all this time? There were some people here looking for you!" she said, her voice a mixture of curiosity and concern.

Ars blinked. "People? What do you mean?"

Before Sakura could respond, a tall man in a sharp suit approached. He had the air of someone who took his job very seriously—like he was about to announce he'd just won the Nobel Prize in chess or something.

The man grabbed Ars by the arm and, without so much as a "hello," pulled him out of the classroom. Everyone stared, some with open mouths, others whispering in confusion.

"I'm the director of the Indian Chess Team," the man said, not even bothering to explain his presence in any other way. "We saw your brilliant moves at the chess tournament, and we're here to hire you."

Ars stood there, wide-eyed. "Wait, what? You want *me* on the team?" He had no idea what was going on.

The director nodded enthusiastically. "Yes! You've got exceptional talent. We need you to join the national chess team and represent India internationally."

Ars scratched his head. "Uh, I appreciate the offer, but I have an exam in two days…"

The director waved it off with a dismissive gesture. "No worries. We'll wait until your exam is over."

Ars hesitated for a moment, then sighed. "Okay, I guess I accept."

The director beamed, shaking Ars' hand. "Great! We'll be in touch." He handed Ars a phone card with a number scribbled on it. Then, without another word, he turned and left, his footsteps echoing down the hall.

As Ars returned to the classroom, the entire class swarmed him. "Ars! What happened? Who were those people? Why were they talking to you?" Sakura asked, her voice almost frantic.

Ars just shrugged casually, trying to seem cool despite the whirlwind of events. "They were from the Indian Chess Team. They want me to join them."

The room went completely silent, then erupted into gasps of astonishment. "No way!" someone shouted. "Ars, you're a freaking genius!"

"You're going to be famous!" another classmate yelled. "You're so lucky!"

Ars chuckled awkwardly, feeling a bit out of place in the spotlight. "Yeah, I guess… It's just chess, you know?"

The bell rang, signaling the end of the school day. Ars started to walk home, his head spinning with everything that had happened. But just as he stepped outside, a familiar voice called out to him.

"Ars!" Lissa Drake, the school's resident mystery girl and self-proclaimed anime expert, approached him with a mischievous smile. "How about you come with me? I've got an exclusive invite to my personal theater. We'll watch anime *all* night long. Unlimited. And I mean *unlimited.*"

Ars blinked. He hadn't expected his day to get any weirder. "Wait, *your* theater?" he asked, genuinely surprised. "I didn't even know you had a theater."

Lissa raised an eyebrow. "Well, now you do. So, what's it going to be? You in?"

Ars couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of the offer. "I mean... as long as there's no 'Isekai' with a guy getting hit by a truck, I guess I'm in."

Lissa's eyes lit up. "No promises, but I've got the whole *Re:Zero* series lined up. And a few random ones I'm sure you'll love. You ready for this?"

"Absolutely!" Ars grinned. "Let's go!"

Moments later, a sleek, black McLaren pulled up to the curb. Ars stared at it, wide-eyed. "Is... is this your car?" he asked.

Lissa nodded. "Yup. She's my baby."

Ars couldn't believe his eyes. "A McLaren?! Wow, this is seriously happening."

As they drove, Lissa glanced at him, smiling. "So, you're joining the Indian Chess Team now, huh? Big moves, Ars. I'm impressed."

Ars rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Honestly, I don't even know what's happening. One minute I'm at school, and the next, I'm getting recruited by a national team. It feels like I've stepped into some crazy movie plot."

Lissa grinned. "Don't worry, you'll get used to the weirdness. I live for this kind of stuff."

When they arrived at Lissa's mansion, Ars was absolutely floored. The place was massive, like something out of a fantasy novel. Guards were posted at every gate, and the driveway seemed to stretch on forever.

"Welcome to my humble abode," Lissa said with a smirk, as if she wasn't about to give Ars a tour of a luxury estate.

She led him into a private theater room that could have easily fit a hundred people. The walls were lined with posters of every anime series imaginable. "Feel free to sit wherever," Lissa said. "I've got snacks, drinks, and, of course, anime."

Ars sat down in one of the plush leather chairs and let out a breath. "This is insane."

Lissa flopped down next to him, a bowl of popcorn in hand. "I know, right? Now, get ready. We're watching *Re:Zero,* then we're jumping to the new season of *Dragon Ball Daima.* It's going to be a marathon."

As the anime started, Ars found himself completely hooked. He laughed at the ridiculousness of some of the Isekai tropes. "Wait, so this guy just gets reincarnated as a slime? Is this *really* what we're doing now?"

Lissa laughed too. "I mean, yeah, it's a whole thing. You'll get used to it. Just wait until you see the *Dragon Ball Daima* episode. It's absolutely ridiculous."

Hours flew by. Ars barely noticed the time as they watched episode after episode, the world of anime pulling him deeper into its strange, yet oddly captivating, grasp.

And just when he thought the night couldn't get any more absurd, Lissa turned to him with a smirk.

"By the way, Ars, you know what they say about people who join national teams... they get all sorts of sponsorship deals. We might be able to watch anime *and* get paid for it. What do you think?"

Ars blinked. "Wait, so you're telling me I could get paid to watch anime?"

Lissa grinned. "In a weird way, yeah. Welcome to the future, my friend."

Ars couldn't help but laugh. He'd gone from being a regular high school student to a chess prodigy getting recruited for an international team... and now, he was in a private theater watching anime with a millionaire.

What a weird, wonderful life.

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**End of Chapter 11**

*What's next for Ars? Will he take on the world of chess, or is anime going to steal his heart? Find out in the next chapter!*