"2. Confess to Shirazaki Kaori and receive 'Collection of Healing Girl Doujinshi'."
"3. Make Shirazaki Kaori confess to the host and receive God-tier magic—Vibration Magic!"
Mission duration: three days.
"Vibration Magic? What is that?" Hiyama asked, his eyes immediately drawn to the reward for the third option.
[Vibration Magic: The caster can freely cause vibrations (intensity can be adjusted) in any medium. It is an ultra-God-tier magic capable of making the atmosphere vibrate, splitting the sea, and triggering earthquakes and tsunamis!]
Hiyama was stunned!
This magic was far too familiar, wasn't it? Wasn't it the magic version of Whitebeard's Tremor-Tremor Fruit!?
If it really had the power of Whitebeard, that would be too overpowered!
In comparison, what kind of rewards were those first two options?
Especially the second one, "Collection of Healing Girl Doujinshi"?
Was it confirming that his own confession would definitely be rejected?
And then this was a tool for him to deal with himself after being rejected!?
Well, thank you very much, System!
From the first choice, Hiyama had realized that this system was definitely not a serious one!
All the options were full of malicious humor!
"I choose three," Hiyama said.
[Selection successful, timing begins]
[Please note, this mission is a special reward mission. Please complete the mission within the specified time.]
A red countdown timer appeared in the corner of Hiyama's vision.
"There's even a time limit?" Hiyama was startled.
He feared there would be some penalty if he exceeded the time limit.
Given the system's malicious humor, Hiyama had no desire to experience any punishment it might impose.
"Make Shirazaki Kaori confess to me..."
Under normal circumstances, this was an almost impossible task!
Because Shirazaki Kaori clearly had someone in her heart, and that was Nagumo Hajime.
And given the original Hiyama Daisuke's initial favorability towards her, which was almost negative, wanting her to confess to him under these circumstances was simply an impossible task!
But it wasn't entirely without a solution.
Hiyama turned his gaze to the young man, Nagumo Hajime, who wore a look of reluctance.
At this moment, the golden-haired young man, Amanogawa Kouki, whose Heavenly Job was Hero, spoke out loudly,
"Alright, since there's nothing else, everyone go train!"
"Especially Nagumo, you're too weak right now. Don't drag everyone down later."
"If it were me, to become even a little stronger, I'd even use my free time for training. You all better be serious too."
Amanogawa Kouki, whose Heavenly Job was "Hero," had the highest stats and the most skills among everyone.
He was, in fact, the strongest among this group of high school students, with high hopes placed on him by this world's Church and King, regarded as the savior who could rescue the world.
And he himself seemed to be deeply engrossed in this identity.
This speech fully demonstrated his overwhelming arrogance and his condescending attitude towards the two weaklings, Nagumo and Hiyama.
Before Hiyama could say anything, Nagumo spoke bitterly,
"You're right, I should go."
It seemed Amanogawa Kouki's words had hit him hard; his retreating figure looked somewhat desolate.
"Let me tell you something: Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river."
Hiyama dropped the phrase and followed after him.
"Thirty years...?"
"What does he mean by that?"
Amanogawa Kouki asked with a puzzled expression.
"Who knows? Perhaps it's some strange riddle," Yaegashi Shizuku said coldly.
"Ah, I didn't even get to say goodbye to him...."
Shirazaki Kaori looked at Nagumo Hajime's retreating back with a worried expression, wanting to stop him, but it was already too late.*
Chapter 4: Young Man, Do You Want to Become Stronger?
"Hey, are you just going to put up with this?"
Hiyama quickly caught up to Nagumo Hajime and said.
"What do you mean 'put up with it'? I'm weak to begin with."
Nagumo Hajime said sullenly, without turning his head.
"What if I told you I have a way to make you stronger?" Hiyama said with a wicked smile, looking like a pyramid scheme leader.
"What did you say!"
Nagumo Hajime stopped, looking at Hiyama with surprise.
Ever since he learned of his Heavenly Job, Nagumo Hajime had been going back and forth between the library and the training ground every day, just to find a way to become stronger.
But he had found nothing.
And now, Hiyama Daisuke, who had always liked to cause him trouble, was actually telling him he had a way to make him stronger?
"Impossible! Besides, why would you help me?"
Nagumo Hajime's suspicion did not lessen.
Although Hiyama Daisuke had just helped him in the training ground, Nagumo Hajime still didn't trust him deep down, after all, Hiyama Daisuke had bullied him in school more than once or twice before.
"Didn't I just say it? I want to be friends with you."
"Isn't it normal for friends to help each other?" Hiyama looked at him and said.
"Friends..."
"Were those words you just said serious?"
Nagumo Hajime was somewhat incredulous; he had always thought Hiyama was joking when he spoke in the training ground.
"Of course! A gentleman's word is his bond!"
Hiyama laughed.
He remembered that in the anime, Nagumo Hajime was ostracized by his entire class, which of course had a lot to do with his own reclusive and introverted personality.
Combining with Hiyama Daisuke's memories, Hiyama deduced that Nagumo Hajime definitely had no friends.
At this point, if he could become his first friend, he would surely gain Nagumo Hajime's immense trust.
As long as he gained Nagumo Hajime's trust, the mission to capture Shirazaki Kaori would have a breakthrough.
Hiyama figured out the key to capturing Shirazaki Kaori.
It wasn't about Shirazaki Kaori herself, but about the person she loved, which was Nagumo Hajime!
Hiyama also wasn't worried that Nagumo Hajime wouldn't take the bait, after all, the "become stronger" bait was too tempting for him.
Indeed.
"Can you really make me stronger?" Nagumo Hajime hesitated.
"Of course."
Hiyama smiled, "Let me see your Status Board first."
Everyone in this world had an item called a Status Board, a silver plate about twelve centimeters long that could display one's status as objective data.
Furthermore, this Status Board was also an identification card in this other world; one generally needed to present their Status Board when traveling to other cities.
Nagumo Hajime took out his Status Board and handed it to Hiyama.
His stats were as follows:
Status Board: Nagumo Hajime, 17 years old, Male, Level: 1
Heavenly Job: Synergist
Strength: 10
Stamina: 10
Resistance: 10
Agility: 10
Magic: 10
Magic Resistance: 10
Skills: Alchemy, Language Comprehension
The average stats for commoners in this world were around 10, meaning Nagumo Hajime's attributes were completely those of a commoner, plus the production-type skill of Synergist.
It was understandable that he was called a good-for-nothing.
"How... how is it?"
Nagumo Hajime asked.
"Garbage stats, garbage skills, a complete garbage status," Hiyama said honestly.
"Are you here to help me, or to insult me!?"
Nagumo Hajime's face turned pale, almost losing confidence from Hiyama's Strike.
"But it's not entirely hopeless."
Hiyama changed the subject.
"For example, your Synergist, I think it still has a lot of room for development."
"What do you mean?" Nagumo Hajime asked curiously.
"People in this world generally use Synergist to make things like swords and armor because they only know about weapons like swords."
"But we are different."
"We are teenagers from the 21st century of Blue Star; our horizons are far wider than theirs."
"You mean..." Nagumo Hajime's eyes widened.
"That's right, we can completely create more powerful weapons, like guns."
In an instant, a new world seemed to open up before Nagumo Hajime's eyes!
Then he fell into thought, muttering, "Guns... theoretically, they can be made, but what about gunpowder...?"
"And what material should be used for the bullets...?"
Seeing him deeply engrossed, Hiyama smiled, "I've told you this much; the rest you'll have to figure out yourself."
Nagumo Hajime came to his senses and said gratefully, "Thank you, Daisuke."
"If it were just me, I would never have thought that Synergist could be used this way!"
"It's nothing, nothing. We're all friends, after all."
Nagumo Hajime became even more excited upon hearing this, as he confirmed that Hiyama truly wanted to be his friend.
For someone like him who had no friends, it was naturally a very happy thing.
Afterward, Nagumo Hajime and Hiyama parted ways; he hurried off to the library to research.