I gripped the paper cup of premium blended coffee, my new [Stamina Potion], with a white-knuckled desperation that threatened to dent the cardboard. The cold ceramic of Mr. Tanaka's fruit salad container seemed to radiate judgment.
He was a Department Head—a living, breathing final exam of corporate hierarchy. I couldn't see his stats, but the air around him felt dense with experience and political [Aura (Rank B)].
"Mr. Tanaka, sir," I repeated, my voice now a nervous squeak. "I... I ran down the fire stairs."
"The fire stairs?" Tanaka's eyebrows arched, reducing his [Suspicion] level by exactly zero percent. "Why, Minami? Is the elevator broken? And why, precisely, are you gasping? You look like you've just been chased by the police."
Tanaka [Suspicion] Level: 80% → 78%. (Minimal decrease due to weak excuse.)
He's applying pressure. His strategy is to force a confession. My [Intelligence] must find an explanation that is true from my perspective, but mundane to his.
My mind raced. I couldn't mention the System. I couldn't mention the near-death experience of the ceiling fan. I needed a universally acceptable, yet slightly embarrassing, excuse for a weak programmer running out of breath.
"Sir," I started, trying to inject sincerity into my voice, "I felt... lethargic. Hana-senpai suggested I needed to address my health. I saw the quest pop up... I mean, I saw the clock, and realized I needed to push my physical limits to increase my focus for the afternoon stand-up."
I had used the magic words: Hana-senpai (authority), health (unquestionable corporate concern), and focus (productivity).
Tanaka squinted, holding the fruit salad like a tactical shield.
Tanaka [Suspicion] Level: 78% → 65%. (Success! Relatable, self-deprecating excuse was moderately effective.)
"A new fitness regime, Minami? Commendable, if slightly alarming," Tanaka said, finally lowering the salad. "But that doesn't explain your choice of beverage. That premium blend is highly overpriced. If you're focusing on health, perhaps you should save your money."
Damn. He's probing my financial decisions! This wasn't a stat check, it was a managerial audit!
I had 4 [Stamina Points] remaining. I had to use them defensively. I decided to employ a low-cost, social application of [Telekinetic Field].
I focused my last remaining energy not on the man, but on the delicate balance of the fruit salad in his container. I visualized a tiny, imperceptible thread of force tugging at a single, plump blueberry on the very top.
Action: [Apply Telekinetic Field (F): Subtle Misalignment]
Cost: 2 [Stamina Points]
Success Chance: 50% (Dexterity 4 is barely enough for fine control.)
A searing spike of pain flared behind my eyes. I maintained a frozen, innocent smile, channeling the internal agony into my explanation.
"Sir, this isn't for health," I lied smoothly. "This coffee... this is my pre-stand-up meeting ritual. I need the high-grade concentration boost, especially after solving that legacy code bug. I view it as an investment in my productivity."
Just as the word "productivity" left my mouth, the blueberry I was focusing on trembled on the plastic lid.
Flick.
It didn't fall, but the sudden, minuscule shift in weight was enough. Tanaka's massive hand reflexively tightened, crushing the plastic container and sending a violent spray of pink syrup from a half-eaten strawberry onto his pristine white shirt.
Tanaka froze, staring in horror at the stain blossoming across his chest.
[Telekinetic Field (F)]: 25% Progress to Level 2.
[STAT] Gained! [Dexterity] +1 (Stat now 5/5—Average!)
Tanaka [Suspicion] Level: 65% → 0% (Distraction applied. Target Focus shifted to [Shame/Laundry].)
My Stamina was drained (2/10), but the victory was complete. Tanaka's mind was now solely occupied with dry cleaning and shame.
"Oh! Mr. Tanaka, I am so sorry!" I exclaimed, applying the appropriate amount of fake concern. "That was awful timing! Let me get you a napkin!"
"No! No, Minami, it's fine," he hissed, his face red with a mixture of anger and humiliation. He clutched his stained shirt. "I... I need to go. Carry on with your 'regime.' Just... focus on your work."
He pivoted sharply and practically fled toward the restroom, the fruit salad forgotten.I leaned against the pillar, the lingering pain in my head fading as my Stamina slowly ticked up to 3/10. I had won. My Level 1 self had defeated a B-Rank corporate boss using a single blueberry and a professional excuse.
Hidden Quest Complete!
Reward: [Experience] +100, [Reputation] +5 (With Hana-senpai, due to timely return.)
New Skill Unlocked! [Social Camouflage (F)] (Allows protagonist to blend into stressful corporate environments with minimal exposure.)
[Level Up!]
The blue screen flashed, brighter and more complex than before. The XP bar was full.
Kaito Minami
Level: 2
[STATS]
Strength: 4 (No change)
Dexterity: 5 (New!)
Stamina: 1 (No change to base)
Intelligence: 7 (No change)
Willpower: 3 (New!)
[SKILLS]
Telekinetic Hold (F): 10% Progress to Level 2.
Coding (D+): 89% Progress to Level C.
Social Camouflage (F): 1% Progress to Level 2.
Level 2! I now had enough base stats to feel truly alive. The exhaustion was still there, but it was overlaid with a euphoric sense of accomplishment.
I finished the premium blended coffee—the bitter potion tasted like pure victory—and headed back to the office, my new [Dexterity] allowing me to navigate the fire stairs with much more grace.
I arrived back at my cubicle ten minutes before the stand-up meeting. Hana-senpai looked up, relief flooding her expression.
"Minami! You're back! You missed all the excitement—the fan technician swore he saw a ghost move a mug stack right before he left," she whispered. "Are you really okay? You're sweating, but you look... manic."
I sat down, my posture instantly snapping into the perfect, unassuming form of a junior programmer ready for the afternoon grind. I activated my new skill.
[Social Camouflage (F)] Activated! (Effect: Reduces visible stress by 15%.)
"I'm fantastic, Senpai," I said, offering a tired but confident smile. "The run helped clear my head. I'm ready for the stand-up. What's the latest update on the 'Project Phoenix' deadline?"
Hana-senpai looked at me strangely for a moment, then shrugged, satisfied. "It's been moved up by a week. You know, just standard corporate pressure. Nothing exciting."
I looked at the monitor, already anticipating the new quest.
A deadline moved up by a week? That's not just standard pressure. That's a High Difficulty Raid Quest.
I took a deep breath, ready to face the screen. The System did not disappoint.
System Alert: Major Quest Chain Unlocked!
Quest Title: Project Phoenix: The Seven-Day Grind
Description: Survive the newly compressed, mandatory deadline for [Project Phoenix]. This requires maximum focus and optimization of all available [Coding] and [Stamina] resources.
Objective: Deliver fully debugged Project Phoenix code by the new deadline.
Reward: [Level Up!], [Coding Skill] Level C, [Cash Bonus] $50,000$ yen, and [New Skill Slot] unlocked.
Failure Condition: Missing the deadline results in [Job Termination] and severe [Stat Loss].
Seven days. I could feel the code calling to me—a vast, poorly documented dungeon filled with semicolons and legacy loops. But now I had [Dexterity 5], [Willpower 3], and a Level 2 System.
I grinned, typing one handedly while channeling my regenerated Stamina into my focus. The real game had just begun.