Shirogane pedaled into the school grounds, smoothly weaving past students until he reached the designated bike parking area. He secured his ride, exhaling softly as he adjusted his uniform. Just as he turned towards the school entrance, his eyes caught sight of someone unexpected—the girl he had helped during the bullying incident.
She walked briskly toward the building, her expression set in its usual sharpness. As if sensing his gaze, she stopped in her tracks and turned towards him, her brows knitting together in irritation.
"What are you looking at?" she snapped, her arms crossed tightly.
'Damn, what's her problem?' Shirogane thought, his expression unchanging.
"Aren't you the girl I saved the other day?" he asked, tilting his head slightly.
The girl huffed. "I didn't ask for your help. I can manage myself."
Shirogane's brow twitched slightly. 'Cute face, sharp tongue—what a combo.'
A smirk tugged at his lips as he teased, "Do you want another hearing?" His tone made it obvious he was joking, but the girl's expression only darkened further.
With a swift turn, she stomped away with an indignant "Hmph!" leaving Shirogane standing there, mildly amused.
'Maybe I should've let that guy slap her once… Just kidding, no way I'd stand by while someone was in trouble.'
Shaking his head, he adjusted his bag and headed toward his classroom.
The atmosphere in the classroom was calm—eerily so. The teacher droned on, marker gliding across the blackboard with slow, deliberate strokes. Students sat in silent boredom, some diligently taking notes while others merely daydreamed.
Shirogane leaned back in his chair, careful not to attract attention, and subtly pulled out his gadget under the desk. The soft glow of the screen reflected in his sharp blue eyes as he scrolled through the abilities listed.
'Hmm, efficiency? So, it focuses on practical applications like cooking, studying, cleaning, and more. Social… I'm guessing this enhances charisma and overall social skills. Flow state… that's definitely for combat. That goddess sure gave me some interesting abilities.'
He smirked as his eyes landed on one in particular—Tactics. 'This one could be useful… Maybe even help me make Shinomiya confess her love to me, just like in the real show.'
He scrolled down a bit more. 'Crafting, huh? His brow lifted with interest. Could come in handy if I ever need to build something—or fix up that rice cooker, I could make money from this,
Lost in thought, he barely noticed when the room fell silent. A shift in the atmosphere made the hairs on the back of his neck stand. He looked up just in time to see the teacher staring directly at him.
"Shirogane, why don't you answer the question on the board?" The teacher's gaze was sharp, expecting him to falter.
Shirogane internally cursed. His mind had been preoccupied, and he hadn't even glanced at the board. Without hesitation, he scrolled to the Analytical Skill and pressed [Upgrade].
A split second later, the world around him seemed to warp.
Time slowed.
A golden light erupted from his body, flickering like electric sparks dancing across his skin. A subtle wind kicked up around him, rustling the pages of notebooks nearby. The glow was faint—imperceptible to his classmates—but only he can see it, it was overwhelming. He felt an unfamiliar rush coursing through his veins, a surge of heightened awareness.
On the way to the board, Shirogane recalled the equations written on it. With his newly enhanced analytical skill, the numbers and formulas aligned effortlessly in his mind. He picked up the chalk and confidently wrote down the answer, each stroke deliberate and precise.
The classroom held its breath as he turned back with a smirk.
The teacher blinked in surprise before nodding approvingly. "Correct."
Shirogane returned to his seat, barely containing his excitement. His heart pounded in his chest as he gripped his desk.
'Holy crap! That was insane! I can't believe how smooth that felt. It's like my brain just leveled up!' he thought, barely stopping himself from grinning too wide.
Then his mind wandered back to the moment he pressed the upgrade button.
'Good thing it didn't strip me down and put me in a Sailor Moon transformation sequence or anything. But that lightning and glowing aura—man, it was like I was about to transform into a titan! I'm the only one who can see that stuff… right?'
Despite the rush of adrenaline, his expression remained neutral. Then, realization struck him.
'Damn it! I upgraded something I barely need!' He sighed internally. 'I was already kind of smart in my past life. I should've boosted my social skills instead. What a waste.'
Resigning himself to his decision, he exhaled and decided to move forward. 'Oh well, nothing I can do about it now. I'll just have to complete another mission to level up again.'
He pulled out his gadget once more, scrolling through his remaining skill options.
'Where was I? Ah, right. Endurance and Analytical were the last two I checked. Endurance could come in handy for sports. Maybe I should boost that next—'
A notification flashed across the screen.
[New Mission: Turn an Enemy Into a Friend.]
Shirogane furrowed his brows. 'What kind of mission is that? That's ridiculous. Can I refresh it or something?'
He tapped the screen a few times, but the mission remained unchanged.
'It's not like I have any enemies or anything… or do I?