Behind the Smile

[Ding! Newbie quest complete! Rewards being issued...]

[Congratulations to the host for obtaining: Combat Mastery (Master Level)!]

A warm current, accompanied by countless muscle memories and combat instincts, instantly surged into the limbs of Ayanokoji Kiyotaka (Yang Ye).

He could clearly feel that this body, which had already undergone the original owner's brutal training, was now brimming with even greater explosive power and refined combat techniques.

However, time in the classroom seemed to remain frozen.

Dead silence.

After he uttered the words, "Especially your legs, the lines are perfect," the entire Class D fell into an unprecedented state of dead silence.

Everyone's expression looked as if it had been frozen in place—shock, disbelief, and even a hint of pity, as if looking at a Champion. Confessing to Kushida Kikyo was bold enough, but to do it in such a... "direct" way? Was this really that expressionless Ayanokoji Kiyotaka with the minimal presence?

The smile on Kushida Kikyo's face froze completely.

That perfect, angelic mask showed a clear crack for the first time. Stunned disbelief, shame, and a trace of deep-seated, offended coldness flashed rapidly through her eyes. She even subconsciously pulled her skirt down.

"Aya... Ayanokoji-kun..." Her voice carried a hint of a tremor, but her powerful instinct for pretense allowed her to adjust quickly, forcing back that smile of someone who was startled yet struggling to maintain politeness. "Th-this kind of joke isn't funny at all! Please don't make jokes like this again!"

She attempted to categorize this incident as a "bad joke," which was the most decent way to resolve it.

But Ayanokoji Kiyotaka (Yang Ye) only looked at her calmly. In those eyes that originally lacked luster, there was now a hint of the detachment that only the transmigrator Yang Ye possessed—a gaze that saw through everything.

He knew that her inner state at this moment was nowhere near as calm as her surface.

"It wasn't a joke," he replied blandly, his tone devoid of any fluctuation.

"You..." Kushida Kikyo was momentarily speechless, her cheeks flushed with anger, yet she could not afford to lash out in front of everyone.

"Hey! Ayanokoji!" A voice full of dissatisfaction rang out; it was one of Kushida Kikyo's supporters. "How could you say such rude things to Kushida-san!"

"Exactly! That's outrageous!"

The murmurs in the classroom began to buzz.

"Has Ayanokoji... lost his mind?"

"He actually said he likes her legs... Is this guy a pervert?"

"Kushida-san is so pitiful, being pestered by someone like that..."

Facing the accusations and strange looks from the crowd, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka (Yang Ye) felt no ripples in his heart; he even felt a little like laughing.

Compared to the annihilation of his soul, what were these accusations? He was more concerned now with what quest the system would issue next, and... how this Kushida Kikyo, with her "angelic" exterior and "demonic" interior, would react in private.

He ignored the surrounding noise, nodded slightly at Kushida Kikyo—then, he turned around and walked straight back to his seat amidst a sea of complex gazes, as if he had just finished a routine classroom recitation.

Throughout the afternoon, a strange atmosphere permeated Class D.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka had become an invisible focal point, but no one dared to approach him directly. As for Kushida Kikyo, although she continued to smile and interact with her classmates, her gaze would occasionally sweep over Ayanokoji with an indescribable sense of scrutiny and coldness.

The bell for the end of the school day finally rang.

Students began to pack their bags and leave the classroom one after another.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka (Yang Ye) was also tidying his things in a leisurely manner. He could feel a gaze locked onto him, lingering and persistent.

Sure enough, when most of the people in the classroom had left, Kushida Kikyo walked over. The smile was still on her face, but the temperature of that smile was chillingly low.

"Ayanokoji-kun," her voice was very low, audible only to the two of them. "Could you please stay for a moment? There are some things I would like to discuss with you alone."

In her eyes, there was no longer the usual friendliness, but rather an undeniable, almost threatening implication.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka (Yang Ye) looked up at her, understanding in his heart. What was meant to come would eventually come.

"Sure," he replied briefly.

"Then," the smile on Kushida Kikyo's face vanished instantly, her tone icy, "please follow me to the rooftop."