Three A-rank skills! Toudou Shizuka silently marveled. As expected of Kushida Kikyo, who was known in the original story as a "Social Monster." Almost all her abilities were focused on interpersonal skills, and she had reached the level of a master in that field. This kind of talent... no, these skills, were exactly what someone as "quiet" as him lacked most.
Just then, an exceptionally striking figure with an air of distinction entered his scanning range. The person sat by the window in an isolated seat midway down the bus. He had a tall, well-proportioned build and dazzling long blond hair. At that moment, he was gazing slightly to the side at the streets rushing past the window, his posture so elegant and relaxed that he seemed to be sitting in his own luxury car, completely out of place amid the crowded surroundings.
[Scan target: Kouenji Rokketsuke] [Skill tree unfolding...] Aristocratic Demeanor and Etiquette (comprehensive): B-rank (elegant mannerisms ingrained to the core) Art Appreciation (covering multiple fields): B-rank (possessed a deep aesthetic sensibility) Multilingualism (fluent): B-rank (English, French, and more) Financial Investment (basic theory): C-rank (possessed relevant knowledge) Classical Music (Piano Performance): C-rank (reached a certain level) Self-Awareness and Mental Strength: A-rank (highly self-assured, not easily influenced by others)
Toudou Shizuka narrowed his eyes slightly. Kouenji's skill tree was as dazzling as a peacock displaying its feathers. Though most of his skills were B- or C-rank, they covered an extraordinarily broad range, and the A-rank [Self-Awareness and Mental Strength] stood out in particular. It was probably one of the reasons he dared to act so independently and treat rules as though they didn't exist.
Our protagonist, Toudou Shizuka, was like a ghost lurking in the shadows. His gaze silently roamed the crowded bus as he used the system, greedily scanning one future classmate after another, as though inspecting a series of treasures waiting to be unearthed.
[Scan target: Hirata Yousuke] Team Coordination and Organization: B-rank Emotional Soothing and Mediation: B-rank Basic Leadership: C-rank ... [Scan target: Karuizawa Kei] Reading People (small groups): B-rank Attachment to the Strong and Seeking Protection: C-rank Basic Fashion Coordination: C-rank ... [Scan target: Ken Sudō] Basketball (top high school level): A-rank Burst Strength: B-rank Irritable and Impulsive: D-rank (negative trait?) ...
Every name and every skill lit up a small piece of the puzzle in Toudou Shizuka's mind, outlining a corner of the future that awaited this academy of survival of the fittest. He was like a thief who had just entered a treasure vault, his heartbeat quietly quickening with anticipation.
Just then, the bus gave a slight jolt as it braked. A gray-haired old woman, leaning on a cane, shuffled aboard through the front door and searched the crowded bus for an empty seat. According to the usual script, this was the moment for someone in a priority seat to get up.
Almost instinctively, with a sense of foreboding that felt somehow destined, Toudou Shizuka turned his gaze toward the back of the bus.
A boy sat by the window in the very last row. He wore the same brand-new uniform as everyone else, yet it seemed like a costume that had nothing to do with him. Beneath his short silver-gray hair was a face showing no obvious emotion. His head was slightly bowed, his eyes half-closed, as if he were immersed in his own world and indifferent to all the commotion around him—including the old woman who needed a seat. He gave off a strange sense of "transparency." Though he was sitting right there, he seemed to blend into the air around him, easy to overlook.
Ayanokouji Kiyotaka.
Toudou Shizuka's heartbeat skipped a beat, and his thoughts focused instantly.
[Scan target: Ayanokouji Kiyotaka] [Skill tree unfolding...]
Whoosh!
Unlike the smooth lists that had unfolded when he scanned other people, the moment Ayanokouji's skill tree appeared, countless entries started scrolling down like a waterfall! The speed and sheer volume of information far surpassed anything he had seen before!
Combat Skill (military-grade mixed martial arts): S-rank (the pinnacle of human combat techniques) Firearm Mastery (proficient with multiple types): S-rank (flawless from theory to practice) Tactical Analysis and Planning (instant): S-rank (battlefield-level command ability) Intelligence Gathering and Counter-Reconnaissance: S-rank (professional agent level) Psychology (application and manipulation): S-rank (insight into and influence over people) Disguise and Stealth: A-rank (near-perfect) Driving (multiple types of vehicles): A-rank Multilingualism (fluent): A-rank Computer Skills (hacker level): A-rank Physical Fitness (overall limits): A-rank (approaching the limits of human physiology) Pain Tolerance: A-rank Drug Resistance: A-rank Learning Ability (theoretical absorption): A-rank Mathematics (advanced applications): A-rank Physics (advanced applications): A-rank Chemistry (advanced applications): A-rank ...
The densely packed entries kept scrolling. The glaring "S-rank" labels burned into Toudou Shizuka's retinas like red-hot brands, searing themselves into the depths of his consciousness! The first entry in particular, [Combat Skill (military-grade mixed martial arts): S-rank (the pinnacle of human combat techniques)], radiated an oppressive force that left him breathless.
So this was... the "greatest masterpiece" created by the White Room? The pinnacle of the human skill tree? Toudou Shizuka's mouth went dry, and he could hear the rush of blood pounding in his ears. The system's cold verdict, "the human pinnacle," struck him far harder than any written description could have.
At the front of the bus, a small drama was unfolding over the seats. The students sitting in the priority seats looked at one another, their eyes darting around as they tried to pass the responsibility between them. None of them got up. The old woman awkwardly held on to the railing. Ayanokouji Kiyotaka maintained his indifferent, uninvolved expression, as if everything around him were separated from him by a thick pane of glass. He didn't even lift his eyelids.
Toudou Shizuka forced himself to look away from Ayanokouji and stop paying attention to the moral dilemma unfolding before him. He lowered his head again and poured all his attention, all his thoughts, into the dangerous red entry flashing on the right side of the system interface before him, in Ayanokouji Kiyotaka's skill tree—[Combat Skill (military-grade mixed martial arts): S-rank]!
[Enter the Virtual Training Ground to simulate learning the target skill: Combat Skill (military-grade mixed martial arts)?] [Warning: S-rank skill training is extremely intense and places a heavy mental burden on the trainee. The risks of a first attempt by a beginner are unknown. Confirm?]
Confirm!
The instant the thought crossed his mind, Toudou Shizuka felt as if a tremendous, irresistible force had yanked his soul out of his body! The light, sounds, and smells of the real world—the bus engine's rumble, the students' murmurs, the scent of early summer morning air—receded and blurred, until they were completely shut away.
He plunged into darkness.
The next second, he felt his feet touch solid ground. He stood on an endless, cold, smooth black plane. Above him stretched a false white sky, glowing with a steady, cold light. There was no wind, no sound—only absolute silence and an emptiness that made his heart tremble.
Ten meters ahead, a figure silently took shape. Short silver-gray hair and a gaze coldly indifferent to the extreme—it was a virtual projection of Ayanokouji Kiyotaka. The projection showed not the slightest unnecessary expression or emotion. Like a perfect puppet programmed with combat instructions, it silently "watched" Toudou Shizuka.
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