The air in the faculty wing was thick with the scent of floor wax and old paper. Unlike the student dorms or the vibrant cafeteria, this part of the school felt like a tomb. It was where the true architects of our misery designed the hurdles we were forced to jump. I adjusted the strap of my bag, my heart a steady, mechanical thrum against my ribs.
[SYSTEM ALERT: RESTRICTED ZONE]
[DETECTION RISK: MEDIUM]
[ACTIVE SKILL: CALIBRATED STEALTH (LEVEL 1) — PASSIVE]
I didn't need to break into a room. In a school governed by information, the best data wasn't locked behind a keypad; it was discarded in the periphery. I walked past the faculty lounge, my eyes scanning the transparent panels of the office doors. Most teachers were gone, likely attending a late-night briefing about the very exam I was hunting.
I stopped at a recycling bin near the copier. It was a gamble, a move so cliché it felt beneath the System's dignity. But as I leaned over, the interface shimmered, highlighting a crumpled sheet of thermal paper buried under a stack of syllabus drafts.
[ITEM DETECTED: DRAFT LOGISTICS MANIFEST]
[ANALYZING...]
The text was fragmented, obscured by ink smudges and folds. I focused my intent, pouring five of my precious Influence Points into the System's processing core. The blurry kanji began to sharpen, shifting and realigning until a cohesive picture emerged.
Project: Island Initiative. Duration: 7 days. Survival protocols engaged.
"A survival test," I whispered. My breath hitched. It wasn't just a wilderness excursion; it was a localized society experiment. The school was going to dump us on a deserted island and watch us claw each other's eyes out for points.
"Looking for extra credit, Ren?"
The voice was like a bucket of ice water. I straightened up, my muscles locking into a defensive coil. Standing at the end of the hall was a man who radiated a quiet, predatory authority. Manabu Horikita. The Student Council President.
[TARGET: MANABU HORIKITA]
[SOCIAL VULNERABILITY: 5% (IRON CLAD)]
[AUTHORITY LEVEL: MAXIMUM]
[WARNING: HOSTILE INTENT DETECTED]
"I lost my way to the library, President," I said. I didn't back away. Backing away was an admission of guilt. "The architecture in this wing is quite repetitive."
Manabu walked toward me, his footsteps echoing with a terrifying precision. He stopped exactly two feet away, encroaching on my personal space just enough to assert dominance. He didn't look at the recycling bin. He didn't have to. He looked through me, searching for the crack in my composure.
"You are the student who approached my sister earlier today," Manabu said. It wasn't a question. He had eyes everywhere. "A boy from Class D attempting to negotiate with a Horikita. It's an amusing thought, if it weren't so pathetic."
"I don't find it pathetic," I replied, my voice holding steady. "I find it necessary. Your sister has a goal, and I have the means to help her achieve it. Whether you approve of the method is irrelevant to the transaction."
The air grew heavy. The System's danger gauge spiked into the red, a frantic crimson light bleeding into the edges of my vision. Manabu reached out, his hand moving with a speed I couldn't track. He grabbed the collar of my blazer and slammed me back against the wall.
[PHYSICAL TRAUMA DETECTED]
[STAMINA DROPPING]
"Listen carefully," Manabu hissed, his face inches from mine. "My sister is a flaw. She is a defect that thinks she is a masterpiece. If you interfere with her growth—or if you attempt to use her as a shield for your own mediocre ambitions—I will ensure your expulsion is the swiftest in this school's history."
He released me. I slid down the wall slightly, gasping for air as my lungs rebelled against the sudden impact. My interface was flickering, the "Social Vulnerability" readout on Manabu briefly flashing a single word before disappearing: Pride.
"Get out," he commanded, turning his back on me. "And consider this your only warning. The student council does not tolerate parasites."
I didn't answer. I stood up, brushed the dust off my blazer, and walked away. My chest burned, and my pride stung worse than the physical impact. But as I rounded the corner, a cold smile tugged at the corners of my mouth.
[INFLUENCE GAINED: 25 POINTS (RESISTANCE BONUS)]
[NEW DATA ACQUIRED: THE PRESIDENT'S PROTECTIVE INSTINCT]
I had what I needed. I had the confirmation of the island exam, and I had something even better: the knowledge that Manabu Horikita was afraid of what I might do to his sister. He called me a parasite, but you only fear a parasite when you know it has the power to change the host.
I made my way back to the dorms, the moon hanging like a pale, judging eye over the campus. As I entered the elevator, I saw a familiar figure leaning against the far wall. Ayanokouji. He was holding a carton of milk, looking as if he had never experienced an emotion in his entire life.
"You're late," he said.
"I had a meeting with the President," I replied, watching the floor numbers climb.
Ayanokouji took a sip of his milk. "He's a difficult man to impress. Did you get what you were looking for?"
I looked at him, and for a split second, the System didn't show "Unreadable." It showed a blank, white void—an infinite space where information went to die.
"I got exactly what I deserved," I said as the doors opened. "And I think the school is about to get the same."
I walked to my room and locked the door. The interface expanded, filling the dark room with a soft, blue glow. I had the points. I had the secret. Now, I just had to decide how much Horikita was willing to pay for her survival.