The Dark and Inferior "Idol"

It's a heartfelt, genuine outpouring of love for life and a positive attitude, an ability to keenly capture the low points of group emotions and find that tiny fulcrum that can leverage positivity, a transmission art that ignites the inner flames of others with one's own enthusiasm. This requires sincerity, empathy, and a sense of timing.

When the scene unfolded again, Toudou Shizuka didn't speak immediately. He first walked over to a female projection who looked the most dejected, head bowed, playing with a pen. Without condescension, he crouched down, bringing his gaze level with hers, a gentle, understanding smile on his face (utilizing A-Rank Affinity), and softly asked, "Are you particularly upset because you missed that crucial ball just now?"

The female projection was taken aback, her eyes reddening slightly, and she nodded.

Instead of saying "It's okay," Toudou Shizuka said in a tone that was slightly annoyed but still bright, "Ah, I get it! I was super annoyed too! I really thought I could catch it! That feeling, it's like... um... like finally queuing up for a limited-edition cake, and then you slip and drop it! Super--ly--frustrating, right?"

(Look at my pocket (இωஇ) No money)

He used a slightly exaggerated but very relatable metaphor, instantly hitting the core of her current "extreme annoyance."

The female projection was amused by the unexpected analogy and let out a weak smile through her tears. Though the smile was faint, her emotions clearly began to loosen.

[Success: Core emotion understood, resonance generated. Negative emotions significantly alleviated.]

Toudou Shizuka seized this moment of loosening, stood up, and his voice rose a little, carrying a vitality of "shared suffering" and "full of hope." "But! Look!" He pointed to the bright sunlight virtually projected through the window (scene setting), "The weather is so nice today!

Even Mr. Sun is cheering us on! What's one mistake? We're Class B! Let's unite, practice extra hard next time, and reclaim our honor! When that happens, I'll treat everyone to the new Peach Soda to celebrate our revenge! How about it?" He strategically threw out positive signals of "unity," "effort," and "future celebration."

[Success: Positive emotions ignited, objective achieved (5 or more people showing smiles or expressing agreement).]

[Understanding: Infectious Vitality B-Rank: 18.33%... 45.76%... 82.14%... 99.99%!]

Information flooded in! Countless fragments of knowledge about emotional transmission, empathetic entry points, positive suggestion, and body language coordination, crashing and merging with his own countless clumsy attempts and realizations in that stuffy classroom! A warm, sun-like power seemed to infuse his mental core.

[Congratulations Host! Successfully mastered skill: Infectious Vitality! Level: B-Rank!]

[Acquired Simulation Points: 20 points!]

[Current Simulation Points: 40 points!]

Consciousness returned to reality. The hustle and bustle of the commercial street re-entered his ears, and the sunlight warmed his skin. Toudou Shizuka opened his eyes, the corners of his mouth involuntarily curling into a brighter, more infectious smile than usual. He felt his spirit had also been positively "infected," becoming a little more optimistic. Good, another practical skill acquired, and his points replenished.

He picked up his shopping bag, preparing for another important task of the day—procuring intelligence-gathering equipment. The target shop was a moderately sized but well-regarded "Precision Electronics Workshop" on the commercial street, known for selling various professional and specialized electronic devices.

The "Precision Electronics Workshop" had a small storefront with a cool, professional interior design. The glass counters displayed various miniature cameras, voice recorders, listening devices, high-powered binoculars, and more, starkly contrasting with the casual atmosphere of the commercial street outside. The shop was quiet, with only the faint hum of the air conditioning.

Toudou Shizuka pushed the door open, and a crisp wind chime sounded. Behind the counter, a middle-aged man in a gray work uniform, wearing black-rimmed glasses and with slightly greasy hair, looked up. His eyes were somewhat gloomy, and he scanned Toudou Shizuka with a professional scrutiny before lowering his head to fiddle with a miniature camera in his hand.

[Scanning Target: Clerk Yamamoto]

Electronic Device Repair (Mastered): B-Rank (Core Skill) Precision Instrument Debugging: C-Rank Social Skills (Low): D-Rank Mental State (Paranoid/Potentially Dangerous): D-Rank (Significant Negative Trait)

[Affection: -5 (Indifferent. Is work really that unpleasant?)] - Worthless target.

Toudou Shizuka's heart skipped a beat. Mental state "Paranoid/Potentially Dangerous"? That wasn't a good sign. He remained composed, walked to the counter, and his gaze swept over the displayed items.

"What do you need?" Clerk Yamamoto asked, his voice hoarse, without looking up.

"Please show me that button-type miniature camera, and the voice recorder with the longest battery life next to it." Toudou Shizuka's tone was calm as he pointed to the targets inside the counter.

Yamamoto then lazily stood up and took out the devices Toudou Shizuka had specified, introducing their parameters with professional-enough movements: "...This camera is 1080P HD, wide-angle, built-in 32GB storage, 5-hour battery life... This voice recorder has good noise reduction, 72-hour battery life, and strong concealment..."

As Toudou Shizuka listened, he picked up the devices and examined them closely, [Thought Acceleration] rapidly analyzing their cost-effectiveness and applicability. Just as he was about to confirm his purchase, the wind chime at the shop door sounded again.

A figure entered somewhat awkwardly. She wore large black-rimmed glasses that covered almost half her face, with long bangs hanging down, almost obscuring her eyes. She was dressed in a baggy, dull-colored hoodie, exuding a strong aura of wanting to shrink into a corner.

[Scanning Target: Sakura Airi (Class D)]

Photography (Composition and Light Capture): A-Rank (Core Skill, suppressed state) Observational Skill (Detail Capture): B-Rank (Core Skill, suppressed state) Social Phobia (Severe): A-Rank (Negative Trait, significantly suppressing other abilities) Self-Perception (Extreme Inferiority Complex): A-Rank (Negative Trait)

[Affection: 0 (No attention)] - Unlocking any skill requires Affection ≥ 60 (High Trust) or a special trigger to remove her psychological suppression.

Sakura Airi? Toudou Shizuka instantly recognized the girl who had a very low presence in the original work but possessed photographic talent. A-Rank photography and B-Rank observation skills! But they were suppressed by A-Rank social phobia and inferiority complex! The unlocking difficulty was extremely high, requiring "high trust" or a "special trigger."

Sakura Airi kept her head down, barely daring to look at anyone, and her voice was as faint as a mosquito's: "Excuse... excuse me, do you... do you have... replacement camera lens cleaning cloths? The... the most ordinary kind..." She seemed to just want to buy her item and escape immediately.