Chapter 223
Strength: 21
Physical condition: 21
Agility: 21
Spirit: 21
Skills: Combat lv.5 (0/10), Writing lv.5 (0/10), Abnormal Correction lv.6 (0/20), Miscellaneous
Talents: Vajra Glaze lv.6 (0/20), Gluttony lv.5 (0/10), Sun Kin - Star Power lv.6 (0/20)
Pending condensation: None
Optional tasks: ① Inheritance and Procreation; ② Immortal's Blessing
Source Power: 20 → 10 (Current efficiency: 6 → 8 per month)
With all attributes at level 21, they have all entered the Transcendent Realm.
In addition, there are two extraordinary talents: [Vajra Glaze] and [Sun Kin - Star Power].
In the skill section, the original level 5 [Abnormal Neglect] was automatically upgraded to the extraordinary skill [Abnormal Correction] after 10 units of Source Power were invested, and it also merged with the level 5 talent [Turn Misfortune into Good Fortune into Good Fortune].
Its function is to retain the effect of making people ignore you, while also correcting factors that are unfavorable to Aragaki Shun within a certain range.
There are two specific manifestations: one is invisibility—not only can one disappear from the sight of others, but when the skill is actively activated, one will not be monitored by props such as cameras.
The second is inaudibility—not only can it disappear from others' hearing, but it also cannot be recorded by props such as recorders when the skill is actively activated.
In modern society, this would be considered a fairly practical supernatural skill. If it were to continue to be upgraded, it might evolve into effects similar to "the face of a god cannot be looked at directly" or "the voice of a god cannot be heard."
The final benefit was that the efficiency of automatically acquiring Source Power each month increased from 6 to 8.
This signifies a significant increase in his passive influence in the world, or in terms of global attention, after he became Transcendentalist.
Normally, this thing becomes increasingly difficult to improve as you progress, so the fact that it could increase by so much at once naturally made Aragaki Shun extremely satisfied.
Before the bell rang for the first class, Aragaki Shun and several of his lovers arrived at the classroom, so they weren't actually late because of their morning antics.
The only problem was that this morning exercise was quite time-consuming, and in the end, everyone simply skipped breakfast and went to class on an empty stomach.
Mainly because it's really not necessary--
Amazingly, even the physically weakest Shiina Hiyori, after a whole night of exhaustion and a morning of turmoil, felt surprisingly energetic and radiant after recovering.
In short, no one felt hungry at this stage. Instead, they felt a warm, comforting feeling all over, as if they were filled with sunlight. So they simply skipped breakfast and rushed into the classroom.
The key point is that today is the last day of the second semester of this academic year, so there are no other teachers' classes. Only Chie Hoshinomiya announced some precautions for the winter break in class.
"During the winter break, some facilities on campus will be undergoing special renovations, so entry is strictly prohibited. Please remember this. Also, today is the graduation ceremony, and club activities are suspended. Please return to your dormitories as soon as possible."
Chie Hoshinomiya, with her long, waist-length brown hair, stood with her hands on her hips, smiling as she looked down at everyone below the podium, which made her cunning light purple eyes appear even more lively.
Today she changed into a white shirt, and the navy blue wool coat complemented the plaid pattern of the pleated skirt. The skirt swayed with her steps, like concentric circles of star trails.
All I can say is that this not-so-young female teacher still loves to act young and cute.
However, among the faculty and staff, it seems that their own homeroom teacher doesn't have a very good reputation?
"Everyone worked hard this semester to maintain our position in Class A, so you can have more fun during the winter break. If any of you want to confess to your crush during Christmas, you can also seek relationship advice from the teacher."
"Finally, a reminder: if you cause serious problems during the winter break, it will affect the Class Points. Don't be careless; even during a long holiday, don't forget your responsibilities as a student!"
Clearly, the negative example here is Yamauchi Haruki, Kanji Ike, and others who were caught and expelled from school during summer vacation for trying to peep into the girls' changing room at the swimming pool.
Holidays simply mean no need to study; you can rest and have fun as usual. However, if you violate the rules, break the rules, or even commit crimes, you will still be punished by the school. In serious cases, you may be expelled and have to go through legal procedures at the police station.
Chie Hoshinomiya reminded them of this, and then led everyone to the Gymnasium for the graduation ceremony.
After the tedious process of the leader's speech was completed, the second semester of this academic year came to an end.
"It's really amazing, I never thought I would become a competitive eater one day."
After lunch, Aragaki Shun and Shiina Hiyori came out of the cafeteria together and took a leisurely stroll along the tree-lined avenue.
As for the other couples— Tachibana Akane is in Class A of the Third Year, Ibuki Mio is in Class 1-C, and Shiranami Chihiro, Wang Meiyu, and Yamamura Miki are whispering to their best friends in Class A.
They had also made plans with Hiyori, seemingly wanting to discuss how to allocate their time during the Christmas holidays, but the Literary Girl politely declined.
It's unclear what the girl said to Shiro-nami and Xiao Mei, but in the end, it resulted in the two of them strolling together on the tree-lined avenue.
Recalling his experiences since entering Advanced Nurturing almost nine months ago, Aragaki Shun remembers this as one of the rare instances where Hiyori had actively Hiyori —usually, the girl preferred to spend more time reading mystery novels in the library.
It was obvious that she wanted to discuss something important with him.
"I ate so much for lunch today, I'm worried I'll gain weight. It's really bothering me."
Listening to the Literary Girl patting her belly and expressing her worries, Aragaki Shun smiled slightly, finding it particularly amusing.
Because their physical fitness improved in a short period of time, not only Hiyori, but also Shiro-nami and Xiao Mei all turned into big eaters at noon today, eating the amount of food that they would normally need to eat two or even three times.
"Don't worry, this isn't a bad thing. It should return to normal by tonight and definitely won't ruin Hiyori's perfect figure."
Hearing the boy's teasing response, a thoughtful look flashed in the Literary Girl's eyes.
Shun-kun really doesn't hide anything from those around him.
With a slight sigh, Hiyori parted her cherry lips slightly, but instead of digging deeper as Aragaki Shun had imagined, she casually posed a question:
"Shun-kun promised me that for the next ten, twenty, thirty years, and even until the end of our lives, he would read our favorite books together... Does that promise still stand?"
Actually, I should have realized it sooner. Given Shun-kun's performance since entering the school and the details of our daily interactions, how could he possibly be an ordinary person!
A superpowered individual? A member of the so-called "other world" in novels? A legendary reincarnation of a god or Buddha?
Whatever it is, it's not from the same world as ordinary people.
But for Shiina Hiyori, there's only one thing she cares about—will you leave us?
The girl didn't ask so directly, but Aragaki Shun easily saw the worry on her face.
In response, the boy simply took her soft little hand, intertwined their fingers, and emphasized again:
"I have never lied to you, and I will never break my promise!"
At most, there are some secrets he won't reveal unless the time is right.
As for now, there's no longer any need to cover it up so vigorously.
Aragaki Shun certainly cannot be an enemy of the entire human world.
Conversely, as long as it doesn't develop to the most extreme point, there is no one or organization in this world who can be his enemy!
301. Hasebe wants to conceal Ichinose Honami's invitation.
December 23rd has arrived, marking the first day of winter break.
"How tragic, it feels like we're all destined to be alone this year."
At the Keyaki Mall's café, Kushida Kikyo had just finished strolling around with her classmates and decided to go in for a coffee and some gossip.
As soon as I sat down, I heard Inogashira Kokoro next to me resting her head on her arm and saying some discouraging things in a somewhat dejected manner.
Not only did Kushida Kikyo's eye twitch at this, but Sakura Airi, Hasebe Haruka, and Onodera Kayano, who were also called out, all showed subtle expressions—it really was a case of bringing up the most sensitive topic.
Of course, Hasebe Haruka mostly feeling guilty. After all, while her friend was starting to work hard because of her crush's encouragement, she seemed to have unknowingly carried out a sneak attack.
"Alone?"
"Kikyo should understand, right? Look at the nearby shops; tomorrow is Christmas Eve, and the day after is Christmas Day."
Inogashira Kokoro turned her little head to look at Kushida, and muttered this in a resentful tone.
Indeed, just as she said, the shopping mall was decorated for Christmas, making it almost seem like it wasn't even on campus.
Occasionally, male and female students who appear to be couples will pass by.
"Haha~ Well, it wasn't anything special, just an ordinary day."
Seeing her best friend looking so dejected, the little angel with short brown hair didn't know how to comfort her, so she could only laugh it off and pretend not to care.
"That's a lie. It's impossible not to care. If I were the only one who was treated like a pitiful nobody because I was lonely, that would be a terrible experience."
Onodera Kayano also chimed in with her own comments, completely empathizing with Inogashira Kokoro's thoughts.
"It seems like all sorts of rumors are circulating in the class." Hasebe Haruka glanced at Sakura, who was cowering beside her, and subconsciously echoed her sentiment.
"That's right, that's right. Like whether someone is dating someone else, whether they've spent the night together, and so on. Also, like being single because you like someone, but you're inexplicably given pitying looks..."
And so, the three girls chatted amongst themselves, discussing their plans for the next two days of the festival, and before they knew it, the atmosphere around them became exceptionally lively.
Unsurprisingly, as they continued to complain, the conversation eventually turned to Kushida Kikyo.
"Speaking of which, isn't Kikyo the most popular among us? On Christmas Day, I'm sure many classmates will want to ask you out."
However, before Kushida could respond to this envious remark, Inogashira Kokoro refuted Onodera Kayano's statement on her behalf.
"It's true that Kikyo is very popular, but she's everyone's little angel. I don't think any boy in the class would be silly enough to invite her to Christmas, right?"
After all, Yamauchi Haruki and Kanji Ike were both expelled from school. Even if other boys weren't particularly smart, they wouldn't be as lacking in self-awareness as those two.
After two semesters, Kushida got along well with everyone, regardless of whether they were boys or girls. After Horikita Suzune and Koenji Rokusuke transferred to her class, there was no one left in the class who wasn't her friend.
But it was precisely because of this impartial attitude that everyone could see that the girl had no intention of finding a boyfriend in Class D.
Unless someone is extremely shameless, they probably wouldn't intentionally humiliate themselves and make things awkward for both parties at Christmas, right?
"Ah~ that makes sense," Onodera Kayano thought for a moment and agreed with this statement, but quickly raised the next question with great interest, "I remember that Kikyo and Aragaki have always had a good relationship, didn't you think about making an effort during Christmas to win over our new Student Council President?"
"That's right! That's right!" Inogashira Kokoro's eyes seemed to be shining as she joined in the cheering. "During the Sports Festival, Kikyo was even carried in a princess carry. If it were me, I definitely would have kissed her without thinking."
"Hehe~ Kokoro, you really have no shame, but I can understand. After all, that's Aragaki- kun. I've always wanted to touch his abs. I wonder how he trains to win first place in every sport. If only he could hug me tightly..."
"Hey~ Xuan Nai said I'm shameless, but you're clearly the one who's bolder and more daring, aren't you? Do you have to call out my name in your dreams to fall asleep at night?"
Seeing her two best friends getting more and more carried away, Kushida Kikyo couldn't keep her composure any longer. In order to stop them from teasing her, she simply shifted the topic to Sakura Airi, who was sitting next to her with a notebook and hadn't said much.
"Xiao Airi, if you were willing to dress up nicely, you could definitely charm a lot of guys. Haven't you thought about confessing your feelings to your crush during Christmas?"
The brown-haired girl looked at the seemingly unremarkable, even somewhat rustic, red-haired girl with pigtails with a smile, her teasing tone seemingly carrying a deeper meaning.
After Wang Meiyu transferred classes, a loophole appeared in the small circle of close friends that Kushida had built for herself. Therefore, starting from the second semester, she kept trying to reach out to marginalized groups, hoping to find suitable green leaves to complement the flower.
After all, that's how the school atmosphere is in this country. To have enough status in the class, you have to have your own social circle, and the quality of the members in that circle can't be too low.
For example, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka was considered one of the lowest-ranking members of Class D because he hung out with Yamauchi Haruki, Kanji Ike, and others during the first semester.
Kushida's goal is to get along with everyone in the school, but if she lacks her own core circle, others will think that she lacks a team to rely on, and therefore subconsciously underestimate her class status.
However, Wang Meiyu's vacancy is not so easy to fill. That seemingly unassuming blue-haired girl with pigtails is actually one of the top students in Class D. Even though her social skills are not very good, she is still considered to belong to the top tier by everyone in the class.
Now that such a high-quality supporting role is missing, Kushida can only compensate for the lack of quality by recruiting more people from marginalized groups.
There's no way around it; the other girls in the class, who all hold considerable positions, are all vying for Karuizawa's attention. Given her personality, she wouldn't do something like poaching someone or directly challenging them.
As for bringing boys into her circle... the antagonism between boys and girls in Class D is already quite severe due to the outrageous actions of Yamauchi the beginning of the semester. Doing that would only lower her reputation.
In short, after much deliberation, Kushida finally managed to bring Onodera Kayano, Sakura Airi, and Hasebe Haruka into his small group.
Onodera is among the top girls in Class D in terms of physical ability, especially in Swimming, while Hasebe is exceptionally beautiful and has a figure that sometimes makes Kushida secretly jealous.
As for Sakura Airi in the end, she originally just wanted to show her kindness and solidify her image by being helpful, just like Inogashira Kokoro. She could also win over Hasebe by doing so.
But after getting to know her, she discovered that this unassuming country girl seemed to be hiding some intriguing secrets, and her figure and appearance seemed to be no less than Hasebe's?
Coincidentally, Kushida has a particular fondness for uncovering other people's deepest secrets.
"Huh? Me?"
The red-haired girl, as if just awakened, pointed somewhat hesitantly to herself.
"No! No, it won't do! It's not the right time yet!"
Seeing Kushida nod, Sakura immediately recalled the promise she had made with Aragaki Shun—
"Listen to me, Airi, even if it's just for my sake, try your best to become number one in Class D."
"Once you become the top student in Class D academically and improve your physical fitness, how about transferring to Class A and becoming my girlfriend?"
The red-haired girl knew she didn't have a very good memory, and based on past experience, she wasn't exactly academically inclined.
But... but, this was the only thing she was confident she could accomplish.
For some reason, ever since that promise, Sakura felt that her concentration had improved a lot. She could now calm down and slowly digest and absorb knowledge that she couldn't understand in the past.