Cherreads

Chapter 17 - This Feels Too Good

The final bell shrilled, signaling the end of classes.

Kaito, with a burst of unexpected energy, immediately shot out of his chair, a stark contrast to his usual slow, unhurried pace.

He walked past Catherina's desk, not even glancing her way, and she felt a familiar prickle of annoyance.

"He just ignored my presence again, didn't he?" she thought, a small frown creasing her brow.

Just as he reached the classroom door, Kaito subtly turned his head, only offering her the side of his face.

"See you tomorrow, princess," he called out, his voice carrying a light and teasing tone, before he darted out of the room and vanished from sight.

Catherina froze, her eyes wide.

A deep red flush immediately bloomed across her cheeks, reaching the tips of her ears.

For a second, she was utterly stunned, her mouth slightly open.

Then, the shock gave way to furious anger.

"You—!" she practically shrieked, scrambling to her feet and whirling towards the door, ready to pursue him.

But when her gaze landed on the empty doorway, he was already long gone.

A peal of laughter cut through her indignation.

Gwen, wiping a tear from her eye, approached Catherina and lightly tapped her shoulder.

"Aren't you two cute?" she giggled.

"You looked like you guys had a lot of fun together today, Catherina."

Catherina whirled on her, her flushed face still a picture of indignant surprise.

"What fun?!" she exclaimed, throwing her hands up.

"I don't know what you're talking about!"

Eric and Darius, who had been lingering nearby, now caught up to Gwen. Eric, ever earnest, stepped forward.

"If you have a problem," he offered, his expression concerned, "should I talk to him and make him stop doing it if you're uncomfortable, Catherina?"

Before Catherina could even answer Eric, Gwen let out a soft sigh.

She quickly grabbed both Darius and Eric by their arms, gently but firmly pulling them toward the door.

"Sorry, Catherina," Gwen called out over her shoulder, a small smile playing on her lips.

"This guy's too clueless to understand. See you tomorrow!"

"What?!" Eric protested, bewildered as he was hauled away.

"I told you I'm not!"

Darius, meanwhile, groaned as he was dragged along.

"Why am I being pulled away again?!" he grumbled, looking back at Catherina with a confused expression.

Catherina simply waved back at them, a small, knowing smirk touching her lips.

As the last of her friends disappeared, she turned and headed out of the classroom, making her way back to her dorm.

---

After a day of training and attending his other classes, Kaito finally returned to his room.

The soft lamplight barely reached the far corners, leaving him in a comfortable quiet as his thoughts turned to his plans for the simulation exam next week.

This was his chance to really make a move.

He took a deep breath and quietly called out, "Player Status!"

Player Status

Name: Kaito Kuromaku Lvl: 5 Exp: 5/20

Age: 16 Race: Human

HP: 235/235 MP: 85/85 SP: 145/145

Coins: 810

Stat Point Available: 10

Unclaimed Rewards: 3

Stats:

Strength (STR): 14

Agility (AGI): 10

Vitality (VIT): 11

Intelligence (INT): 9

Resolve (RES): 10

Charisma (CHA): 9

Luck (LCK): 9

---

Kaito's eyes scanned his updated Player Status, a thoughtful hum rumbling in his chest.

His gaze lingered on his Stats section.

"Strength at 14, that was well past 10."

"But now, Vitality was 11, Agility was 10 and even Resolve was 10 too."

He waited, a familiar anticipation building, expecting the System to chime in with some notification for hitting a stat milestone.

Silence. He frowned slightly.

"No reward notifications? That's odd."

"Usually, there's a bonus for reaching certain stat thresholds."

His eyes then drifted lower on the status screen, catching sight of a detail he hadn't focused on before.

Unclaimed Rewards: 3

A lightbulb seemed to flicker on in his mind.

He blinked, connecting the dots.

"Ahh, is that it?" he murmured aloud, a small smile forming on his face. He finally understood.

"System, I want to claim my rewards now!" Kaito declared, his voice filled with anticipation.

Almost instantly, three new notifications popped up, confirming his deduction and bringing a fresh wave of excitement.

Agility (AGI) Reached 10!

Rewards:

HP +30

SP +50

Coins +100

Vitality (VIT) Reached 10!

Rewards:

HP +30

MP +10

SP +30

Coins +100

Resolve (RES) Reached 10!

Rewards:

HP +20

MP +30

SP +10

Coins +100

Kaito quickly called out, "Player Status!" eager to see the changes reflected.

Player Status

Name: Kaito Kuromaku Lvl: 5 Exp: 5/20

Age: 16 Race: Human

HP: 315/315 MP: 125/135 SP: 235/235

Coins: 1110

Stat Point Available: 10

Unclaimed Rewards: 0

Stats:

Strength (STR): 14

Agility (AGI): 10

Vitality (VIT): 11

Intelligence (INT): 9

Resolve (RES): 10

Charisma (CHA): 9

Luck (LCK): 9

---

Kaito's eyes, still fixed on his updated status, widened with pure, unadulterated glee.

The sight of his significantly increased HP, MP, and SP, combined with the new stack of coins, was too much to contain.

A triumphant shout burst from his lips, and he started jumping up and down right there in his room, like a child who'd just discovered a secret stash of candy.

His earlier contemplation of the exam's dangers was temporarily eclipsed by the sheer, exhilarating thrill of becoming undeniably stronger.

Kaito's chest still heaved, but now it was from pure exhilaration rather than exertion. He stopped his jumping, a wide, goofy grin plastered across his face. His eyes, still fixed on his Player Status, now zeroed in on Stat Point Available: 10.

"Oh, hell yeah!" he muttered aloud, punching a fist into the air with renewed vigor. "Ten points! This is perfect!"

He paced a few steps across his small room, a rapid-fire internal debate already sparking in his mind.

"Alright, ten points. This isn't just a random handout, this is strategic."

"How do I maximize this before the exam?"

"More Strength? That would make my hits even harder, clear through defenses faster."

"Or Agility? If I can be even quicker, my dodges will be untouchable, and my attacks will be a blur."

"That duel proved speed is key for me."

"But then there's Vitality... more HP means I can take more hits, a bigger buffer against those tougher monsters I'm expecting."

He rubbed his chin thoughtfully, his earlier carefree joy morphing into focused determination.

"Hmm," he murmured to the empty room.

Kaito snapped his fingers, a sudden clarity washing over him.

"Duh, what am I even saying?" he muttered to himself, shaking his head.

"It's simple! I just have to make the last three stat types to 10 so all of them are at least 10."

He looked at his Player Status and then commanded the System.

"Add one stat point to Intelligence, Charisma, and Luck!"

Two new System notifications popped up for Kaito, confirming the bonuses from his recently upgraded stats:

MP +10

Intelligence (INT) Reached 10!

Rewards:

MP +50

Coins +100

Charisma (CHA) Reached 10!

Rewards:

HP +10

MP +10

SP +10

Coins +100

New Skill Acquired!

Aura

Type: Passive

Description:

Your strong Charisma creates a controllable Aura. You can amplify it to greatly boost your ability to convince, trick, bargain, or scare others. Alternatively, you can lessen your Aura to become unnoticeable and blend into crowds.

Luck (LCK) Reached 10!

Rewards:

Coins +500

New Skill Acquired!

Lucky Break

Type: Passive

Description:

Your high Luck causes small, fortunate events to happen around you. You might narrowly avoid danger, find that equipment performs better than usual, or stumble upon unexpected chances when you least expect them.

---

A satisfied grin spread across Kaito's face as he surveyed his updated status.

The influx of HP, MP, SP, and Coins was great, but it was the new skills that truly lit him up.

"Lucky Break... Aura..."

He replayed the skills' descriptions in his mind, feeling a surge of power and potential he hadn't possessed moments ago.

Then, a thought hit him, stopping his internal celebration cold.

"Wait a second..."

He frowned, racking his brain.

"These skills... 'Aura' and 'Lucky Break'... I don't remember these being in the game at all."

"Not as standard LCK 10 or CHA 10 rewards, not even as hidden skills for the protagonist."

His eyes widened slightly.

"Is this... exclusive to me?" The idea sent a thrill through him.

Especially "Aura." It's a passive skill, so it's always on. And it says it affects people "around me."

"Does that mean everyone?"

He considered the implications, a subtle gleam entering his eyes.

"Yeah... both of these skills are going to be incredibly useful for me."

After contemplating on his unique new skills, Kaito didn't bother calling up his Player Status again.

His mind was already set on further power-ups.

"Add 3 to Strength, 2 to Vitality, and 2 more to Agility!" he commanded the System.

As the words left his mouth, a familiar warmth spread through his body, quickly intensifying.

He felt his muscles subtly thicken, his bones grow denser, and a new surge of quickness flow through his limbs.

A notification popped into his view, confirming the changes while he was still feeling them.

HP +20

SP+20

A deep, satisfied sigh escaped Kaito's lips as he stretched, feeling the renewed surge of power through his veins.

His muscles felt tighter, his reflexes sharper, and his mind clearer.

The recent notifications just confirmed what his body already told him.

"Hwoo... this feels too good," he murmured, a wide, contented smile spreading across his face.

"I might get addicted to it." He chuckled, a genuine, joyful sound filling his room.

"Getting stronger while being able to monitor it like this... it gives me so much fun and joy."

Kaito's gaze drifted from his Player Status, still glowing faintly in his mind's eye, towards the window.

Outside, the last vestiges of twilight had faded, replaced by the deep velvet of night.

He could see the faint glow of distant academy lights, but his room was bathed in the soft, intimate glow of his desk lamp.

"Right," he murmured, a hint of reluctance in his voice.

"I've got a lot of coins now, but..."

He yawned, stretching his arms above his head, a wave of comfortable exhaustion washing over him.

"I guess I can just continue this tomorrow."

"It's already late, and I already got more than I wanted today."

He leaned back, a satisfied smile on his face. Today was definitely a good day.

More Chapters