New Skill

He glanced at the entry in his field of vision representing Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, whose affection was still at 0 (No Interest). Then he remembered Kouenji Rokketsuke at the Kendo Club recruitment booth, stretching as if no one else existed, his posture impossibly elegant.

[Target: Kouenji Rokketsuke]

Aristocratic Demeanor and Etiquette (Comprehensive): B-Rank (Core Skill)

Self-Awareness and Mental Strength: A-Rank (Core Skill)

[Affection: 0 (No Interest)] — To unlock any skill, affection must be ≥ ??? (System Notice: Target is extremely unusual. Conventional social approaches are ineffective. You must pique his "interest" or find "common ground.")

Kouenji... A faint smile tugged at Toudou Shizuka's lips. This "beautiful guy," who existed outside the rules, might lead to another unexpected side story. But for now, his priority was to cultivate the fertile ground of Class B.

He pushed open the door to Dormitory 307, and warm light filled the room. His single dorm room was his safest haven—and the starting point for his next round of "rat race."

The warm current of Deep Sleep flowed through him. He needed a good rest to build up his strength for tomorrow, when he would continue playing the gentle, quiet "Toudou Shizuka" of Class B, who occasionally provided key information. The twin hunts for points and connections never stopped.

(Rat race—rat race—rat race)

The Commercial Street on campus was bustling with people that weekend, the sunlight falling warmly across its clean streets. After finishing an intense Sanda Club training session, Toudou Shizuka decided to use his rare free time to stock up on essentials and relax his taut nerves.

First, he went to a large general supermarket. Thanks to [Thought Acceleration], his shopping list was already clear in his mind: High-Energy Protein Bars (to replenish what he'd burned during intense training), instant Black Coffee (to stay alert and pair with Deep Sleep for an efficient cycle), a few basic but comfortable solid-color T-shirts (for training and everyday wear), and several concise reference books related to his subjects (to improve his study efficiency).

He knew exactly what he wanted and moved briskly, weaving between the shelves with his Shopping Cart and picking up everything he needed. At checkout, more than two thousand points were deducted from his Private Points Card, but his balance remained substantial.

The sunshine was lovely as he left the supermarket with his shopping bags. Toudou Shizuka slowed his pace and enjoyed the leisurely weekend air. Shops lined both sides of the Commercial Street; enticing aromas wafted from the cafes, new releases filled the bookstore windows, and the game center echoed with excited noise.

"Toudou! What a coincidence!"

A lively voice called from behind him. Toudou Shizuka turned to see Kobashi Yume, her hair in twin tails, carrying several paper bags printed with a Dessert Shop logo alongside a girl from her class (Random Girl D). Her face was beaming with satisfaction.

"Good afternoon, Kobashi." Toudou Shizuka smiled warmly. "Looks like you found some good stuff." His gaze swept over the bags.

"Hehe, the Strawberry Cream Cake Roll at the new Sweet Workshop is suuuuper good! Want to try some, Toudou?" Kobashi Yume enthusiastically recommended it, moving to open the bag.

"Thanks. I just bought some things, but I'll definitely try it next time." Toudou Shizuka politely declined with an easy smile. He could tell Kobashi Yume's affection had reached a tipping point through their steady, everyday interactions (current: 39/40, Close).

[Kobashi Yume's affection +1 (chance encounter, sharing happiness). Current: 40 (Close)!]

[Target skill unlocked (Kobashi Yume): Infectious Vitality B-Rank. Simulation Privilege!]

Toudou Shizuka's heart stirred. He'd reached 40 affection points! He had unlocked his first B-Rank skill! [Infectious Vitality] wasn't as core as Ichinose's leadership charisma or Shiranamii's Information Synthesis, but it could work wonders when it came to raising spirits and bringing people together, especially during Class Activities or whenever morale needed a boost.

What's more, mastering a B-Rank skill would grant him 20 Simulation Points! That was a timely windfall, given how tight his current points reserve was (20 points).

"Okay, then—you have to come next time!" Kobashi Yume said with a grin, not pressing him. "We're off. We still have to check out the new hair accessories over there!"

"Sure. Have fun." Toudou Shizuka watched them leave, in high spirits. He decided to find somewhere quiet and start simulating the new skill right away.

At the end of the Commercial Street lay a relatively quiet Green Leisure Area, with several benches. Toudou Shizuka chose a spot in the corner, set his shopping bags by his feet, closed his eyes, and pretended to take a nap.

He focused his mind and locked onto the icon that had just lit up on the System Interface in his field of vision: [Infectious Vitality B-Rank].

[Enter the virtual Training Ground to simulate learning the target skill: Infectious Vitality B-Rank?]

Confirm!

His consciousness shifted.

Scene: A virtual classroom with a gloomy atmosphere and low morale. The projected students all looked listless and dejected, as if every ounce of their enthusiasm had been drained away. Scene information: [Simulation Scene: The class has suffered a minor setback (such as losing a sports match), and morale is low. Training objective: Use your infectious vitality to significantly improve the mood of at least five classmates within three minutes (make them smile or speak up positively).]

Toudou Shizuka found himself standing beside the podium. He took a deep breath and tried to recall Kobashi Yume's radiant, sunlike smile and lively body language. He tried to grin, but it came out stiff and forced.

"Come on, everyone... don't lose heart, ya know! Next time... next time will be better!" He tried to raise his voice, but it came out dry and unconvincing.

The projected students looked up at him with even more bewildered expressions, some seeming to wonder if he was an idiot. The mood grew even gloomier.

[Failure: Insufficient infectious vitality; you had the opposite effect. Evaluation: Stiff expression, unnatural tone, lacking sincerity and empathy.]

((งᵒ̌皿ᵒ̌)ง⁼³₌₃)

Scene Reset.

Toudou Shizuka tried a different approach, attempting to imitate the way Kobashi Yume shared little joys. "Hey! Listen up! I just found out the vending machine has a new Peach Soda, and it's super good! It's chilled! Let's go get some and try it!"

(Σ(ﾟ∀ﾟﾉ)ﾉ)

This time, a few of the projected students looked up, showing a little interest, but soon lowered their heads again and muttered, "Not in the mood," and "Forget it."

[Failure: Poor choice of topic; you failed to reach the heart of their feelings. Evaluation: You didn't understand the root of their low spirits, and your topic stayed superficial.]

Once, twice, ten times...

Toudou Shizuka kept hitting walls in the gloomy virtual classroom. He tried exaggerated gestures, but ended up looking like a ridiculous clown. He tried telling an inspiring story, but it was hollow and dull. He tried getting everyone to chant a slogan, but hardly anyone joined in, and the result was painfully awkward.

(▄█▀█●)

Through countless failures, Toudou Shizuka gradually realized that B-Rank Infectious Vitality wasn't simply about having a radiant smile or a loud voice.