Quite a few people secretly stifled their laughter, their shoulders shaking as they dared not let it show in front of the teacher.
Kazami Saku slowly sat back down in his seat. Looking at Chabashira-sensei's back at the podium, he was left with endless mixed feelings.
The moment he had said those words, an ordinary, peaceful school life had waved goodbye to him for good. From now on, probably everyone in Class D would firmly remember that their class had a weirdo named Kazami Saku, nicknamed Big Brain.
The system interface hovered silently in his mind.
On the Emotion Points panel, the number slowly ticked upward, bit by bit, as all sorts of speechlessness, shock, and bewilderment from the entire class poured in without end.
Kazami Saku sighed softly. For the system traits, if I have to die of embarrassment, so be it.
The homeroom teacher's arrival made the noisy students gradually look away and return to their seats.
Chabashira Sae placed a thick stack of documents on the podium, nudged the folder with her slender fingers, and began handing out printed copies of the school rules and regulations to the class. Paper rustled as the documents passed along the desks into everyone's hands.
Only the soft rustling of paper remained in the classroom, everyone's attention focused on their homeroom teacher.
Only after everyone had a handbook did Chabashira Sae slowly begin to speak, formally announcing the Advanced Nurturing High School's special rules.
"First, I'll explain this school's core rules. During your enrollment, all contact with the outside world is prohibited. Phones and social media applications cannot be used for this purpose. You cannot contact family or friends, nor can you receive outside information."
At those words, a stir immediately swept through the classroom, and quite a few students looked startled and uneasy. Being unable to contact the outside world was undoubtedly quite a shock for new students who had only just left their families.
But Chabashira-sensei continued without the slightest change in her tone.
"However, the school has a full range of facilities, including shops, cafeterias, and entertainment venues. Everything you need for daily life can be taken care of on campus, so you don't need to worry about basic living needs."
Next, Chabashira-sensei handed out phones.
"Every month, the school will issue points to each of you."
The students operated their phones according to Chabashira-sensei's instructions.
"A hundred thousand points?!"
Someone could not help exclaiming on the spot, and the entire class erupted, cries of amazement rising one after another. A hundred thousand-that was not an amount an ordinary student had at their disposal.
Before everyone could finish taking in that number, Chabashira Sae continued explaining the rules.
"There's no need to be shocked. You have already proven your worth by gaining admission. Furthermore, points can buy almost anything on campus. Snacks, clothes, luxury goods-as long as you have enough points, you can purchase them within the bounds of school rules."
At those words, the whole class went wild.
Quite a few students' eyes lit up. A hundred thousand points, with which they could buy anything-a school like this was practically a dream.
Chabashira Sae calmly watched the varied reactions before her. Without explaining much more, she concluded flatly, "Those are the general rules. The handbook contains detailed provisions, so read it yourselves after class. Now, everyone assemble. We're going to the entrance ceremony."
At her command, the students rose, gathered their belongings, and filed out of the classroom.
But as the crowd moved, quite a few people could not resist sneaking glances at Kazami Saku, and snatches of their whispered conversations drifted into his ears.
"That's him, the guy who told everyone to call him Big Brain during his introduction."
"Why would anyone give himself a nickname like that...?"
"Is he really all right in the head?"
Whispers rose here and there, curious gazes continually sweeping over him. Kazami Saku walked forward expressionlessly, letting their various emotions flow endlessly into the ticking Emotion Points on the system panel as he sighed inwardly. Fine. The social humiliation came even faster than I'd imagined.
As he stepped out through the classroom doorway, Suzune Horikita also happened to leave her seat, following a step behind.
Her gaze swept over Kazami Saku, and the boy's whole face instantly fell. His brows and eyes drooped, the corners of his mouth turned down, and his entire face was filled with exhaustion, speechlessness, and a deep sense of helplessness.
"That's the expression of a deflated balloon that's been left by the roadside for another month."
Kazami Saku's mouth twitched at her words.
"Hey, wasn't a deflated balloon enough? Has anyone ever told you that the way you describe people is pretty harsh?"
Suzune Horikita did not stop walking, then stood at the side of the hallway and turned to look at him, showing no intention of reflecting on herself.
"No. Besides, I think my description was entirely accurate, without the slightest exaggeration."
She folded her arms, her cool voice carrying undisguised criticism. "You clearly knew what your actions would bring. The whole class would treat you like a weirdo, and everyone would point and talk about you. Since you already anticipated all the trouble that would follow, you shouldn't have done something so ridiculous in the first place."
Kazami Saku: ...She had already said everything there was to say.
"Thank you for your assessment." Looking utterly resigned, Kazami Saku spread his hands. He could hardly reveal the entire secret of the system traits in public, nor could he tell Horikita that he had been forced into it so he could copy other people's abilities.
Kazami Saku raised his head, a trace of reckless acceptance entering his eyes. "Since I've already made my decision, of course I have to follow this road to the bitter end. If I give up halfway, wouldn't I have endured all those strange looks for nothing?"
I can't exactly stand up now and take it back by saying, "Everyone, don't call me Big Brain. I was joking earlier." That would make all the humiliation he had suffered before a complete waste.
Suzune Horikita's brow twitched slightly at his words. She could not understand Kazami Saku's logic at all.
"You know it's the wrong choice, yet you insist on gritting your teeth and seeing it through? That doesn't count as perseverance. You're simply desperate to save face."
"You can't put it that way." Kazami Saku waved a hand. "What if I get lucky along the way, and the name 'Big Brain' ends up doing something unexpected?"
Suzune Horikita felt a faint ache in her temples at his words and had no desire to keep arguing with him. Trying to reason with a weirdo who had made up his mind to follow one road to the bitter end was simply a waste of her mental energy.
Not far away, Kushida Kikyo walked slowly while paying attention to their conversation. Hearing Kazami Saku's declaration, she paused briefly.
Kazami Saku felt the gazes coming at him from every direction. The Emotion Points on the system panel were still slowly rising.
"Suit yourself." Suzune Horikita left him with those words and stopped engaging with him. She turned and quickly caught up with the group heading to the entrance ceremony, as though every additional second she spent with Kazami Saku would drain a little more of her mental energy.
Kazami Saku watched her retreating figure and gently let out a breath.
Then I'll follow this road to the bitter end. His legend officially began here.
Before you continue