[Kushida Kikyo's Affection +1 (Initial impression from their first contact: fairly good). Current: 16 (Neutral).]
After a few simple pleasantries, Kushida Kikyo excused herself, saying she still had to go meet the other students. Like a fluttering butterfly, she drifted away lightly, leaving behind a faint fragrance.
Toudou Shizuka watched her retreating figure, his gaze narrowing slightly. Kushida's A-level skill set, especially [Expression Management and Emotional Camouflage A-level], was a perfect disguise and a weapon for socializing. But the requirement of 60 trust meant that obtaining her core abilities would require him to delve into the social network she had carefully woven, perhaps even touching on the truth she kept hidden... The risks and rewards went hand in hand.
He looked away and said to Kanzaki and Kobashi Yume, "Let's go too. How about we check out the library first?" The priority was to increase his presence and value in Class B, steadily gain the favor of people like Kanzaki and Ichinose, unlock those useful B-level skills, and save up points to buy his next talent ([Deep Sleep] was his next target). As for the top-tier skills of Kushida, Horikita, and even the S-rank bigwigs in Class A... he still had a long way to go.
Sunlight streamed through the glass windows in the corridor, illuminating the path ahead and casting long, interwoven shadows across the floor. Toudou Shizuka walked among his Class B companions, wearing the gentle smile that belonged to "Toudou Shizuka." His thoughts raced as he planned how to make the most of every chance to cooperate with his class, how to show his value without drawing attention, and how to quietly forge the key called "affection" bit by bit. The road of cutthroat competition really did demand careful steps at every turn.
The library at Kōdo Ikusei High School was a standalone modern building, its vast glass curtain walls letting in plenty of light. Towering bookshelves stood like silent giants, and the air was filled with the quiet scent of paper and ink. Unlike the bustle of the opening ceremony, the only sounds here were pages turning and the occasional hushed conversation.
Toudou Shizuka, Kanzaki Ryuji, and Kobashi Yume entered the library. Kanzaki had a clear goal and headed straight for the history and school-annals section. Pushing up his glasses, he began searching with a sharp gaze. Kobashi Yume, meanwhile, was drawn to the dazzling array of fashion magazines and popular novels, and hurried over with shining eyes.
"Toudou, look! The latest issue of Vivi! And this..." she exclaimed softly.
Toudou Shizuka smiled at her. "Take a look first. I'm going to find some information over there." He pointed toward the shelves on regulations and education management. That was exactly where he wanted to go.
The [Accelerated Thinking (Basic)] talent turned his gaze into a precise scanner, swiftly sweeping over the category labels and titles on the spines: Kōdo Ikusei High School Student Handbook (General Edition), Campus Facilities Usage Guidelines, Club Management Regulations... These were all public, basic rules known to everyone.
He needed something deeper.
His fingertips skimmed a row of book spines while his mind raced through scattered fragments of memories from his previous life: short-video clips, discussions of fan-made adaptations... What were the keywords? "Special Exam," "Class Evaluation," "Points Rule," "Dropout Mechanism"... The Chairman had mentioned them, but only vaguely.
In an inconspicuous corner, several slightly worn booklets with plain covers caught his attention. Their title was Kōdo Ikusei High School Internal Management Regulations (Reference Appendix · Historical Supplements). They weren't kept in a prominent place and looked more like archived materials.
Toudou Shizuka's heart stirred, and he pulled one out. The paper had yellowed slightly, and the print was rather small. He flipped through it quickly.
Most of the contents were still elaborations on the public rules. But when he reached the middle, a small bold heading caught his eye:
[General Principles and Potential Consequences of "Special Exams"]
His spirits lifted. With [Thought Acceleration] fully engaged, his eyes darted over the clauses below:
Purpose: To comprehensively assess students' individual abilities (leadership, decision-making, execution, cooperation, adaptability, etc.) and the overall strength of their class.
Format: Highly varied, covering Academic Competitions, Sports Competitions, Survival Challenges, Strategy Games, Social Practices, and more. Specific content and rules are announced temporarily by the School Authority.
Core of evaluation: Results-oriented. Performance during the process is considered only for reference.
Consequences: ...(unclear; Xiao Ming, the student in the math textbook, got it dirty)
At the class level: Exam results directly and significantly affect the class's rating for that month (S/A/B/C/D), which in turn determines the number of base points awarded (the differences are enormous). In extreme cases (such as repeatedly placing last while performing extremely poorly), there is a risk of Class Demotion (system prompt: this is a highly confidential deduction; the handbook does not state it explicitly).
At the individual level: Those who excel in exams may receive huge Private Points rewards and special access to resources (such as one-on-one tutoring from teachers and access to special equipment).
Those who make serious mistakes or cause major losses to their class may face massive deductions in Private Points, or even... expulsion (the handbook mentions this vaguely; it must be understood in conjunction with the general School Rules).
Expulsion!
Toudou Shizuka's pupils contracted slightly. Although the Chairman had hinted at it, the relatively clear indication in the handbook's appendix, combined with his strong impression of "expulsion" from fragments of memories of his previous life, instantly confirmed the rule's authenticity and cruelty. This was no longer a vague warning, but a Damocles Sword hanging over their heads!
He quickly memorized the key points, especially "results-oriented" and "risk of expulsion." The handbook gave no specific examples of exams, but this was already a very valuable clue.
"Toudou, did you find anything?" Kanzaki Ryuji had come over without him noticing. He was holding two school yearbooks, his brows furrowed. "The records about the teaching model in the school history are vague. They only emphasize 'competition' and 'practice,' with no specific details."
Toudou Shizuka calmly closed the handbook and returned it to its place, putting on a thoughtful expression that suggested he had found something but wasn't certain. "Kanzaki, I found an appendix to the management regulations. It mentions that the core of evaluating 'Special Exams' is 'results-oriented,' and it... seems to say that if an individual makes a serious mistake, they might drag down their class and even... face a severe penalty."
He deliberately used vague but alarming phrases like "seems to" and "severe penalty," without directly saying "expulsion."
Kanzaki Ryuji's glasses flashed, and his gaze turned razor-sharp. "Results-oriented? Severe penalties?" He immediately grasped the key point. "Where's the handbook? Can I see it?"
"Over here." Toudou Shizuka led him back, took out the handbook again, and opened it to the crucial page. Pointing to the clause that vaguely mentioned expulsion, he said, "Look here. Combined with the rules on serious misconduct in the general School Rules, the punishment seems... extremely severe."
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