Mineta's bathroom mirror had become more than just a reflective surface—it was now a training tool. Standing before it at 5:30 AM, he wasn't just washing his face or brushing his teeth. He was conducting an analysis.
[Ultimate Training System] Daily Self-Assessment Initiated | Charm Training Module: ACTIVE
He leaned closer, examining his complexion. After two weeks of the System's recommended hydration regiment, dietary adjustments, and specialized stretches, subtle changes were becoming visible. The perpetual tired look around his eyes had diminished. His skin had a healthier glow. Not dramatic—nothing that would make people stop and stare—but noticeable to anyone paying attention.
"Morning progress check," he murmured, tilting his head from side to side. The System responded with a translucent overlay in his vision.
[Ultimate Training System] Physical Assessment: Skin Clarity: +12% (Hydration Protocol: Day 14) Eyestrain Reduction: +8% (Screen Time Regulation: Day 10) Posture Alignment: +17% (Daily Correction Exercises: Day 16)
Mineta straightened his back, rolling his shoulders into the position he'd been practicing. Shoulders back but relaxed, spine straight without being rigid, chin level rather than tilted down as had been his habit. It still required conscious effort, but it was becoming more natural each day.
A knock at the bathroom door interrupted his analysis.
"Minoru? You've been in there for twenty minutes," his mother called.
"Sorry! Just finishing up!" He quickly splashed water on his face and dried off.
When he opened the door, his mother blinked in mild surprise. "Have you been getting more sleep? You look... different."
Mineta felt a small surge of satisfaction. If even his mother was noticing, the changes were real, not just numbers on his System interface.
"Been taking better care of myself," he replied with a small smile. "Training isn't just about muscles."
His mother's expression softened with something like pride. "Well, it suits you. Breakfast is ready when you are."
As she turned to go, the System chimed softly:
[Ultimate Training System] External Validation: First Physical Change Noticed | Charm: +0.2
At school, Mineta sat straighter in his chair, his posture correction exercises transitioning from deliberate practice to unconscious habit. The System had emphasized that charm wasn't about dramatic gestures or pickup lines—it started with presence, with how you occupied space.
During lunch break, he caught his reflection in a window. The boy looking back at him wasn't quite the Mineta from a month ago. He was still short, still had purple hair, still had that distinctive look. But something was shifting.
[Ultimate Training System] Confidence Assessment: +28% from baseline | Charm: 5.1 (+0.3 from yesterday)
He pulled out his personal notebook—not his quirk analysis one, but the self-improvement journal the System had suggested he keep. In it, he'd been tracking not just exercise regimens and dietary changes, but also social interactions, body language adjustments, and grooming improvements.
Today's entry was simple: Mother noticed skin improvement. Posture maintenance up to 37 minutes without conscious correction (new record). Eye contact with Sato-sensei maintained appropriately during questions (no staring, no avoiding).
He was halfway through an additional note about voice modulation practice when a shadow fell across his notebook. Looking up, he found himself face-to-face with Kohaku, a classmate he'd barely exchanged ten words with all year.
"Hey, Mineta." She tilted her head slightly. "Did you do something different with your hair?"
Mineta blinked in surprise. He had, actually—a subtle styling technique from a YouTube video the System had recommended, using just enough product to tame his wild purple locks without looking unnatural.
"Just trying something new," he replied, maintaining the casual-but-confident tone he'd been practicing.
[Charm Training Mode: ACTIVE] Social Interaction: Natural Response | Delivery: +0.3%
Kohaku nodded approvingly. "It looks good. Less... all over the place."
"Thanks," Mineta said, resisting the urge to overexplain or make an awkward joke. The old Mineta would have either stammered nervously or said something inappropriate. The new Mineta—or at least, the Mineta he was becoming—just accepted the compliment with a smile.
"We're getting together to study for the math test later. Library after school. You're pretty good at calculus, right? You should join us."
Mineta managed to keep his expression neutral despite his shock. An actual invitation? From a group that had never included him before?
"Sure," he said, keeping his voice even. "That sounds good."
As Kohaku walked away, the System pulsed excitedly:
[Ultimate Training System] Social Milestone: First Unprompted Invitation | Charm Effect: CONFIRMED [Hidden Achievement: Natural Integration | Reward: Confidence Skill Tree Branch Unlocked]
Mineta couldn't help the small grin that spread across his face. It was working. Everything—the posture, the skincare, the voice training, the subtle styling changes—it was all coming together to create something greater than the sum of its parts.
After school, Mineta found himself at a library table with four classmates he'd rarely interacted with before. The study session was genuinely focused on math, but during breaks in the discussion, he noticed something strange—they were actually talking to him. Including him. Not as the weird kid, not as the target of jokes, but just as another student.
During a moment when the others were debating a complex equation, Mineta caught his reflection in the darkened window of the library. The evening light hit his face at an angle that highlighted the changes—his clearer skin, his more confident posture, the alert but relaxed look in his eyes.
[Ultimate Training System] Physical Assessment Update: Posture Efficiency: 82% (Natural Implementation Phase) Rest Position Analysis: Balanced, Open, Non-threatening Overall Physical Presence: +21% from baseline
But it wasn't just the physical changes. It was how he carried himself. The sticky ball throwing practice had improved his hand-eye coordination and his proprioception. The ricochet training had enhanced his spatial awareness. The System's confidence exercises had literally changed how he moved through space.
On the walk home, Mineta pulled out his phone and took a selfie—not out of vanity, but as documentation. He compared it side by side with one from three weeks ago.
The difference was subtle but undeniable.
His skin was clearer, yes. His posture was better, true. But it was his eyes that showed the biggest change—they were focused, calm, confident. Not darting around nervously or staring inappropriately as they once had.
[Ultimate Training System] Comparison Analysis: Visual Charm Factor +14% [Special Notification: Physical Enhancement Milestone Reached]
When he got home, his father was in the living room reading the newspaper. As Mineta entered, his father glanced up—then did a double-take.
"Minoru," he said, lowering his paper. "You look... taller."
Mineta checked his stats. His height hadn't changed at all. But his posture? His presence? The way he carried himself? That had all transformed.
"Just standing straighter, I think," Mineta replied.
His father nodded approvingly. "Good. Confidence matters. People respond to it."
Coming from his typically reticent father, this was practically a motivational speech. Mineta felt a warm sense of pride as the System registered the interaction:
[Ultimate Training System] Parental Recognition: Second Physical Change Noticed | Family Bond: +0.3
That night, after his regular quirk training session in the garage (the ricochet practice was coming along nicely), Mineta sat at his desk and opened the System's interface to check his comprehensive stats.
[Ultimate Training System – Stats Panel]
Stats: Strength: 5.7 (+0.3) Agility: 5.8 (+0.2) Dexterity: 7.2 (+0.3) Endurance: 6.1 (+0.3) Intelligence: 10.0 (+0.2) Charm: 5.4 (+1.1) 🌟 NOTABLE INCREASE
🪄 Skills Panel: Quirk Proficiency: 11.3% (+0.7%) Strategic Thinking: 9.2% (+0.7%) Swing Training I: 8.4% (+0.6%) Basic Manipulation: 4.5% (+0.6%) Sticky Ball Ricochet I: 2.3% (+1.3%) Charm Proficiency: 3.9% (+2.1%) 🌟 NOTABLE INCREASE Social Awareness I: 2.8% (+1.9%) 🌟 NOTABLE INCREASE Confidence Posture: 16.7% (+5.2%) 🌟 NOTABLE INCREASE
🌲 Skill Tree Progress: 🔗 Mobility Tree: [Basic Balance] → 27% | [Swing Training I] → 8.4% 🧠 Tactical Tree: [Basic Strategy] → 14.8% | [Environmental Analysis] → 3.5% 🕷️ Sticky Arts Tree: [Basic Manipulation] → 4.5% | [Variable Adhesion] → 1.2% ✨ Charm Tree: [Social Presence] → 2.8% | [Confidence Posture] → 16.7% | [Visual Appeal] → 5.2% (NEW)
The changes in his charm-related stats were remarkable. The System had allocated more resources there based on his recent successes, creating a positive feedback loop. The new branch—Visual Appeal—had automatically opened after the physical changes reached a certain threshold.
"So it's not just about looking good," Mineta murmured as he read the skill tree description. "It's about intentional presence."
The System confirmed:
[Ultimate Training System] Charm Tree Insight: Visual Appeal isn't about conventional attractiveness, but about intentional self-presentation, consistent grooming, and matching your appearance to your goals.
Below this explanation was a notification that made Mineta's heart skip:
[Ultimate Training System] Major Milestone Approaching: Visual Appeal + Confidence Posture + Ricochet Skill Synergy Potential [Predicted Outcome: "The Tactician's Presence" - Special Ability] [Estimated Requirements: Visual Appeal 10% + Confidence Posture 20% + Sticky Ball Ricochet II Unlocked]
Mineta stared at the notification. A special ability? A synergy between his physical presence and his quirk? The possibilities made his head spin.
He closed the interface and walked to the full-length mirror on his closet door. He didn't pose or flex or make faces as he might have done weeks ago. He simply stood, relaxed but intentional, and looked at himself.
"I'm still Mineta," he said softly. "But I'm becoming Mineta 2.0."
The boy in the mirror looked back with clear eyes and steady posture—still short, still purple-haired, still unmistakably himself. But now there was something else there too. A glimmer of what he could become.
[Ultimate Training System] Self-Image Alignment: 62% (+18%) [Hidden Achievement: True Self-Recognition | Reward: Mental Fortitude +0.5]
Tomorrow would bring more training, more practice, more growth. But for tonight, Mineta allowed himself a moment of genuine satisfaction. Not arrogance, not false bravado, but true recognition of how far he'd come.
The changes weren't just in the mirror. They were in how the world was beginning to see him—and more importantly, in how he was beginning to see himself.
[Ultimate Training System] End of Day Assessment Complete | Daily Charm Growth: +1.1 (Highest Single-Day Gain) [Daily Training Recommendation: Continue Visual Appeal Development While Maintaining Ricochet Practice]
He fell asleep that night with a small smile on his face, dreaming not of being someone else—but of becoming the best version of himself.