I had just completed the final debugging sweep for the night. It was past midnight, and the residual hum of the office felt less oppressive and more like the low idle of a high-performance gaming rig. My [Spacebar Shield] had held, neutralizing the worst of the [Mental Strain] debuff, but the continuous Stamina drain (0.2 points per minute) meant I needed a reliable, passive recovery system for Day two.
My fire stairs sprint was a high-yield, high-cost action. I needed a low-cost, repeatable action.
My eyes fell back on the plastic water bottle. I picked it up, shaking the cold liquid gently.
Item Found: [Purified Water (Source: Corporate Desalination Plant)] Hidden Property: Grants a temporary [Clarity] buff when consumed while [Coding] is active.
"A temporary Clarity buff," I murmured. "This isn't a simple healing item; it's a [Focus Catalyst]."
I opened the System interface and queried the water's properties further.
Function: [Analyze Consumable Synergy]
Target: [Purified Water]Consumption Rate: 200 ml (Standard Glass)Synergy Result: When combined with a focused activity like [Coding], grants [Clarity] (+10% Coding XP) and initiates minor, passive [Stamina] regeneration bonus (+0.05/min).
The 0.05 Stamina regeneration bonus was tiny, but it was permanent for the duration of the buff, and it stacked with the minimal 0.1 bonus from my isometric tension pose. Crucially, it was passive and didn't require me to risk running into Mr. Tanaka on the fire stairs.
Day Two: Establishing the Loop
I decided to treat the second day of the Phoenix Grind as a resource optimization challenge. I arrived at 9 AM sharp, grabbed a large glass of the corporate water, and immediately activated my [Spacebar Shield].
[Stamina] Current: 6/10
[Stamina] Recovery (Passive): 0.1 (Isometric) + 0.05 (Water Clarity) = 0.15/min
[Stamina] Drain (Active): 0.2/min
I was still draining Stamina, but much slower than before. I could now code for nearly an hour before needing to execute a high-cost recovery action.
I sat down and started coding Function Beta, pouring the water into a mug to avoid raising suspicion.
This is the flow. Code, sip, recover, repeat.
Ten minutes into my grind, the first major interruption of the day arrived: Mr. Ishida.
The Section Chief walked into the department and headed straight for my cubicle, holding a thick, freshly printed report—a sure sign of trouble.
"Minami," Ishida said, his voice flat. "I need you to halt your work on Function Beta immediately. I need a preliminary diagnostic report on the server load predictions, formatted for the Executive Team. This is a priority one task."
System Alert: Quest Deviation!
Quest Title: The Ishida Interruption Objective: Deliver the diagnostic report within 60 minutes without compromising Project Phoenix progress. Challenge: Report requires [Data Mining] (Skill Check: Coding B). Failure Condition: Missing the 60 minute deadline results in [Reputation Loss] (Minor).
A high-level [Data Mining] challenge! My [Coding] was only Rank C. Ishida was setting me up to fail, or at least, to look slow.
"Sir, I can start right away," I said, my [Social Camouflage] smoothing the tension in my voice.
I knew I couldn't brute force the Data Mining check with my current skill level. It would take me at least two hours. But I had one advantage: the [Clarity] buff.
I took a large, deliberate sip of the purified water, ignoring the slightly metallic taste.
[Clarity] Buff Refreshed.
I looked at the data mining framework. I channeled my [Telekinetic Hold (E)] not onto the spacebar, but onto the complex data array itself.
Action: [Telekinetic Hold (E)] + [Clarity] Synergy. Attempt: Force-optimize Data Mining parameters. Cost: 3 [Stamina Points] (High cost due to complexity). Success Chance: 70% (Clarity and high Dexterity bypasses Coding penalty.)
I used the psychic energy to literally impose order on the chaotic array of data, forcing the retrieval parameters to narrow with perfect, geometric efficiency. The Stamina drain was swift and painful, but fleeting.
WHIRR. The server fans kicked into high gear, the sound briefly dominating the office.
On my screen, the raw data consolidated instantly, the complex diagnostic patterns resolving into clear, executable charts.
[Stamina] Current: 2/10
[Telekinetic Hold (E)]: 20% Progress to Level 2.
[STAT] Gained! [Intelligence] +1 (Stat now 8!)
The raw data was ready. Now I just needed to format the report. The entire Data Mining process had taken less than ten minutes.
I spent the next twenty minutes crafting the report using the precise, high-level vocabulary I knew the Executive Team appreciated.
I printed the report and handed it to Ishida, precisely thirty minutes after he assigned it.
Ishida stared at the thick, perfectly formatted stack of paper, then back at the clock. His lips pressed into a thin line. He had clearly expected me to take the full hour, giving him time to criticize my poor time management.
Ishida [Reputation] Level: -10 (Impressed/Annoyed).
"Remarkable speed, Minami," he said, grudgingly. "Return to Function Beta. And try to keep that focus."
Progress and Peril
I immediately returned to my cubicle, heart pounding. The Stamina drain was reaching critical levels, but I had successfully defended my progress and gained a key [Intelligence] stat point.
I took another long sip of water. I needed to automate my Stamina recovery now.
I pulled up the System menu again. I targeted the isometric tension posture—my only passive Stamina gain.
Function: [Analyze Isometrics]
Result: Converting [Strength] training into a continuous, passive [Aura] field can be achieved at Level 3.
Current Level: 2.
"Level 3," I sighed. "I'm close, but not close enough."
I looked at my Project Phoenix progress. I was at 30%. Three more days of this intense, focused grind, and I would hit Level 3 and potentially unlock the passive [Stamina Aura].
But I needed to survive the night first. I looked at the bottle again. I had found the secret to daytime efficiency, but night required more.
The office contains more than just water. It contains hidden [Rations] and powerful [Consumables].
I decided on a risky new course of action for the night: instead of running the fire stairs, I would use my [Telekinetic Hold] skill on all the office supplies within my cubicle—a massive, complex psychic load—to train the skill to Level 2 and force a [Level Up] before morning.