Ryuga had to admit, this was not what he expected.
When you consider high-end schools, you'd typically expect the students to be well-behaved and properly disciplined, and that was true.
Looking around at the other students in his new class, they struck him no different to the image of average high school students in his head.
Some who were normal and were just talking, others who preferred seclusion or silence, and others who were more or less rude in many ways.
He could literally see one of the students in the row he was sitting in with his legs kicked up on the desk, completely inappropriate.
For an extremely high-end school, he'd honestly expected the students to be disciplined, calm, and overall just stiff in terms of behavior.
Perhaps it was just his lack of exposure to public education that he had the wrong idea, or maybe it was just this school.
Some had already formed friendships groups, and some kept more to themselves.
Ryuga was in the latter of those two situations, sitting in the back row of the class with a book in his hands that he was casually reading,
Although he certainly was reading the contents of the book, he was currently using it at this time to mask the fact that he was looking at his status screen.
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[STATUS]
• Name: Hiroshi Ryuga
• Skills: [Boxing (Master)] [Bloodlust - Variant: Spider (Elite)] [Parkour (Elite)] [Cooking (Master)] [Swimming (Master)]
.
Parameters (Stat Tokens: 50):
• Strength: 7.5 (3/15)
• Agility: 7.1 (4/15)
• Intellect: 6.9 (8/10)
• Dexterity: 7.0 (2/15)
• Willpower: 7.4 (5/15)
• Fortitude: 15.0 (0/55)
.
Stat Token Conversion Rate: 1/5,000 Points (Points Available: 0)
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After having managed to complete the mission, he had received the Swimming skill at the Master level, courtesy of the Skill Token.
That wasn't his main focus though, he was more thinking about how he should allocate the fifty Stat Tokens he earned from the mission.
He already knew that he wanted to use however many was required to help boost Intellect up, this was a school after all, that parameter would do him very well.
[INTELLECT: 6.9 —> 7.0]
[INTELLECT: 7.0 —> 7.1]
[INTELLECT: 7.1 —> 7.2]
[INTELLECT: 7.2 —> 7.3]
Upgrading Intellect consumed a total of forty-seven Stat Tokens, leaving him only three to his name. Since allocating them now wouldn't be enough to improve anything, he decided to keep hold of them for now.
With a small sigh, Ryuga closed the menu before looking up from his book. Another very useful feature of the System was that he could see parameters.
He wasn't talking about his own, no... he could literally see the parameters of any other person he was looking at. Just like how he could see his own in his 'Status' screen.
On top of that, he had even been given a brief description of each and every person. Some more extravagant than others. Although a majority were rather average, had found some who were VERY interesting. In fact, many were interesting, but some stood out especially to him.
The first one, a rather narcissistic blonde male...
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[STATUS]
• Name: Koenji Rokusuke
• Occupation: First-Year ANHS Student
.
Parameters:
• Strength: 9.4
• Agility: 9.2
• Intellect: 9.0
• Dexterity: 9.2
• Willpower: 9.5
• Fortitude: 9.4
.
Description: Narcissistic and arrogant in nature due to his upbringing, he looks down on those he sees as inferior. Uncaring of how his actions may affect others, he displays an extreme level of selfishness
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Just looking at the guy in question combing his hair while staring into a hand held mirror, narcissistic was honestly understating it severely.
Looking at the stats though, Ryuga couldn't help but say that Koenji was more than deserving of his arrogance. The Strength, Willpower, and Fortitude parameters were very impressive, the others certainly as well.
For a supposedly arrogant individual, he seemed to be capable of controlling his emotions incredibly well. Looks can be pretty deceiving.
Speaking of which...
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[STATUS]
• Name: Kushida Kikyo
• Occupation: First-Year ANHS Student
.
Parameters:
• Strength: 6.2
• Agility: 6.0
• Intellect: 6.6
• Dexterity: 6.0
• Willpower: 7.5
• Fortitude: 5.0
.
Description: Displays an overly friendly personality willing to help anyone. However, this is all a facade to hide her rancorous nature. Willing to go to countless lows to satisfy her own personal interests
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Her parameters weren't anything special, aside from Willpower which was one level above his own. It was her description that stood out.
It was a common scenario, an angelic individual who hides their own demonic self underneath a mask of deception.
As for the last sentence, Ryuga couldn't help but wonder just how low she'd be willing to go to satisfy these so-called personal interests.
Honestly, her very character severely rubbed him the wrong way. Someone like this... he couldn't help but feel the urge to crush her.
Anyway...
Next up were his two classmates who sat directly on either side of him, both who just like himself have been keeping to themselves.
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[STATUS]
• Name: Horikita Suzune
• Occupation: First-Year ANHS Student
.
Parameters:
• Strength: 7.2
• Agility: 7.0
• Intellect: 8.0
• Dexterity: 7.1
• Willpower: 7.0
• Fortitude: 6.6
.
Description: She possesses a cold and serious demeanor, preferring to self-isolate herself from any interaction with others. Has an obsession to prove herself to her older brother
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From the description alone, Ryuga could tell that she'd definitely be hard to get along with and that she probably had a hard time even trusting another person.
Then again, perhaps he himself wasn't too much different to her, he wasn't exactly the most trusting individual either.
Her physical strength was also very impressive, considering how lean she appeared.
'Horikita...?' Ryuga pondered for a moment. 'The student council president also shares that name, and they have similar features as well. He's most likely the brother then.'
While Ryuga hadn't spoken with the brother in question, he had seen the person back during the opening ceremony prior to coming to class.
Now, the last person... he was the MOST interesting.
═══════════════
[STATUS]
• Name: Ayanokoji Kiyotaka
• Occupation: First-Year ANHS Student
.
Parameters:
• Strength: 9.8
• Agility: 9.7
• Intellect: 9.1
• Dexterity: 9.7
• Willpower: 9.8
• Fortitude: 9.8
.
Description: The greatest masterpiece of the White Room, possessing a monstrous ability to adapt as well as having an incredible instinct for survival
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Those parameters were simply monstrous, there was honestly no other way to describe them. How could someone so lean possess such strength?
He knew that the higher the stats become, the greater the difference between each. For example, the difference between 6.0 and 6.1 was nothing compared to the difference between 9.0 and 9.1.
What the heck was the White Room?
Ryuga was a bit doubtful about the Intellect stat, it was on the lower side than the rest. Seeing as how he was described as a masterpiece, he doubted something like academics would be left out of a so called greatest masterpiece.
Now that he thought about it though, Intellect represented something like natural talent, and was impossible for people without a System like himself to improve.
Even though his Intellect parameter wasn't as high as others here in the class, Ryuga's dedication to study definitely would give him top grades.
'Monstrous adaptability and an incredible survival instinct?' Ryuga frowned slightly as he reread this part. 'Whatever this White Room is, it can't be simple...'
It seems like his classroom had some exceptional individuals.
Well, there were naturally also those who stood on the opposite end of exceptional. Three individuals really stood out in that regard.
Turning his gaze slightly, Ryuga frowned as he looked at the three males that were seated on the far right back corner of the room.
Ken Sudo, Kanji Ike, and Haruki Yamauchi.
All of them had abysmal Intellect stats, Ike and Yamauchi being 3.2 and 3.0 respectively, with Sudo being the lowest at an astonishing 2.8.
Just looking at their stats, the only impressive one was Sudo with his physical strength, guess he had to compensate somehow with that horrendous Intellect.
"...Why are you staring at me?"
"Hm?" Ryuga blinked once before shifting his gaze to the speaker, who was revealed to be none other than Horikita. "I wasn't looking at you, but past you."
Ryuga's response was given in a calm and bored tone, to which Horikita turned her head slightly to look at who or what Ryuga was looking at.
When she realised, a look of disdain flashed on her face.
"Pathetic, isn't it?" Horikita scoffed as she returned her gaze to her own book. "An elite school, yet this is how some students choose to behave."
"Maybe there's more than meets the eye." Ryuga scoffed himself as he knew very well that wasn't true. "Though, I doubt it."
Horikita glanced up from her book, watching as Ryuga had already gone silent and, like her, was now reading the book in his hands.
"Are you...wearing contacts?"
"...?" Hearing this question, Ryuga raised an eyebrow slightly. "No, my eyes are completely natural."
While his golden eyes were indeed unique due to their almost metallic shining appearance, Ryuga personally didn't think they were anything truly special.
Horikita didn't respond back, but stared for a moment before noticing the gloves he had on. She didn't ask about them though, they had nothing to do with her.
"I'm surprised you could keep up a conversation, albeit a short one."
This time, the speaker was none other than Ayanokoji who had spoken in a dull and emotionless tone befitting of his blank expression.
"She looks like she can't socialise."
"Like you're one to talk, and was that supposed to be an insult?" Horikita, without even looking up, responded in her usual cold tone. "I choose not to interact, there's simply no need."
"Wow, cold." Ryuga huffed in amusement before looking at Ayanokoji. "Maybe deep down underneath that frost is a warm heart who secretly desires attention."
Hearing this, Ayanokoji looked at Horikita. "...Really?"
Ryuga deadpanned. "Doubt it."
Horikita's simply response. "Hmph."
"Wouldn't really hurt you to at least try to socialise more." Ayanokoji gave a quick sigh. "Oh, right...Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, nice to meet you."
"Hiroshi Ryuga."
Silence then reigned, and after a few seconds, both Ayanokoji and Ryuga turned their gazes to look at Horikita who was reading.
"Are you not going to introduce yourself?" Ayanokoji asked in his dull voice. "Both of us already have."
"Why should I?" Horikita asked coldly without taking her eyes off the book. "I have no reason or obligation to give you my name."
"You may not know this..." Ryuga started as Horikita glanced up at him slightly. "Unless you're passing strangers, a conversation typically starts with an introduction."
"This one doesn't."
"We're classmates, and also sitting next to each other." Ayanokoji added with another sigh. "It's really inconvenient not knowing your name."
Horikita merely stared at them, to which they stared back, and this stare down continued on for a while before the former sighed with closed eyes.
"Horikita Suzune."
"Wasn't so hard, was it?"
Horikita didn't even amuse Ryuga with a response, instead opting to read in complete silence as the latter shrugged slightly before doing the same.
Seeing that the conversation, if you could even call it that, wasn't going to progress any further. Ayanokoji sighed before relaxing in his chair.
As time went by, Ryuga had stopped paying attention to the class's antics and was focused entirely on the book he was reading.
Though, the various cameras set up within each corner of the room was more than a little annoying. Weren't four cameras kind of excessive?
In any case, although he was reading, he still had enough awareness to realise that his classmates had begun to introduce themselves.
A common practice within newly formed classes, at least as far as he was aware.
'An introduction, huh?' Ryuga thought to himself as he glanced up from his book. 'Perhaps it'd be better for me to skip that, sounds like a pain...'
Individual introductions amongst small groups like just now with Horikita and Ayanokoji was one thing, but a whole class intro session?
"Are you going somewhere?" Ayanokoji asked after seeing Ryuga stand up from his seat. "Homeroom starts in less than ten minutes."
"Just getting a drink, I won't be long."
With that, Ryuga calmly walked towards the door at the back of the classroom. He noticed a few watch as he did so, but ultimately he ignored them.
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Ryuga hadn't lied when he answered Ayanokoji.
After leaving the classroom, he went to a nearby water tap inside the building just a few meters away. Filling his hands with water, he gently splashed it on his face.
Shaking his head, he threw off a number of water droplets from his face. Using both arms as support, he used the tap as a stand to rest as his upper body was leaned over it.
'Even after all this time, this is the extent of my communicational skills...' Ryuga sighed inwardly to himself before muttering. "Pathetic."
He wasn't shy, it was more like he didn't trust people enough to even desire conversation. His issues have gotten better over the years, but certainly were still there.
Perhaps the only reason he could talk with Ayanokojia and Horikita on the same flow was because they were both similar to him in demeanour.
When it came to more energetic people, keeping up with their flow in a conversation was just something he couldn't comfortably deal with right now.
"Are you finished?"
Ryuga didn't flinch at the sudden unfamiliar voice, instead pushing himself up into a straight position before turning his head.
When he did, a female student with long black hair with blue strands tied into twin tails appeared in his vision. A small frown on her face, along with a pair of bored and/or disinterested eyes.
Since Ryuga was quite a bit taller than she was, the girl naturally was now looking up at him as the former blinked his eyes a few times.
"Yeah, go ahead..."
Ryuga calmly stepped aside, allowing the girl to walk in front of the water tap. As he was about to turn and walk away, her voice rang out once more.
"Shouldn't you be in class?" The girl asked with a hint of confusion. "Homeroom should be starting in less than five minutes."
"It's fine, my class is close by anyway." Ryuga responded casually. "On that topic, aren't you also not in class at this time?"
"Too noisy." This was the simple response Ryuga received. "They're doing introductions and the atmosphere is... bubbly, to say the least. Doesn't suit me."
"Guess we have the same reasons." Ryuga scoffed slightly after hearing this. "Hiroshi Ryuga, Class 1-D."
"Himeno Yuki." After splashing her own face with water from the tap, she too introduced herself. "From Class 1-B."
"Class 1-B, huh?" Ryuga repeated casually as he held his chin. "That's quite a bit of a walk from here, they surely have water taps over there."
"Well, yeah. Of course we do." Himeno rolled her eyes slightly. "Just wanted some distance. Though, knowing a certain girl, she'll come running to bring me back."
"A certain girl? Would she happen to have long pinkish hair, a pair of blue eyes, and an aura that seems to scream friendliness?"
"Yeah." Himeno responded before eyeing him suspiciously. "How'd you know?"
"Because that's probably her running over here now."
"Huh?"
Himeno turned her back to face Ryuga as she could now see the very girl she was talking about, running down the hallway while waving one arm.
"Himeno, there you are!"
The loud and cheerful voice of the incoming student sounded, accompanied by the sound of her footsteps smacking against the ground as she ran.
"Thank goodness I found you, homeroom is beginning soon!" The pink-haired girl panted slightly as she stopped in front of them. "Why did you leave?"
"I was just getting a drink." Himeno responded helplessly with a sigh. "There was really no need to come running looking for me."
"I just didn't want you to end up being late..." The pink-haired girl smiled before giving a small laugh. "Hm? Oh, is this a friend of yours? Nice to meet you, I'm Ichinose Honami of Class 1-B!"
"N-Nice to meet you..." Ryuga responded after a small delay. "Hiroshi Ryuga, Class 1-D."
"It's my pleasure, Hiroshi. It's good to see that Himeno is making friends outside of our class as well!"
"We only just met." Ryuga scratched his cheek with one finger as he replied. "We're more acquaintances right now than friends..."
"I see, but you seem to get along just fine." Ichinose smiled as she looked between them. "I'm sure you'll be friends before you know it."
"R-Right..."
"Alright, you can head back, Ichinose." Himeno chimed in as turned the girl in question around. "I'll head back soon too, you just go ahead."
"Eh? Well, okay." Ichinose replied, although with a bit of uncertainty. "Just make sure to get back in time, you don't want to be late!"
"Yeah, yeah. Get going."
With that, both Himeno and Ryuga silently watched as Ichinose began running back in the direction that she came.
"...The heck was that?"
"What do you mean?"
"The awkwardness!" Himeno raised her voice slightly. "You spoke to me just fine, then you got all weird with Ichinose. Don't tell me you already fell for her?"
"That-."
"No, you aren't flustered at all. More unsure and confused than anything." Himeno seemed to mutter as she leaned her face closer to his. "What's up with you?"
"Personal space, please." Ryuga gently pushed her face back before sighing. "I just can't communicate well with more... energetic and overly friendly people."
"Huh, so that's it?" Himeno crossed her arms after hearing this response. "We aren't so different, though at least I can talk to those people without looking like an idiot."
"...Whatever." Ryuga rolled his eyes. "I'm gonna head back to class, don't want my teacher to come hunting me down. You should as well."
Already in the middle of walking away, Ryuga waved his arm farewell without looking back at the girl who silently watched him leave.
Not long after, she too turned to leave.