Waking up a bit earlier than usual, Hikaru fought against the urge to stay in bed.
"Not today," he murmured as he got out of bed, determined not to give in to laziness. Heading to the bathroom, he washed his face, letting the cold water help shake off the lingering drowsiness.
Without wasting time, he went to the kitchen and prepared a simple breakfast. The meal, though modest, gave him the energy he needed to face the day.
Back in his room, Hikaru picked out his clothes. "So, today's the day..." He sighed, still uncertain about how he should feel. He had never imagined he'd get another chance to attend school, much less in a completely different world. But here he was, about to embark on a new beginning.
"I hope I survive..." With a nervous laugh, he left the apartment, heading toward the school.
The day was pleasant. The soft sun and the cool morning breeze created an atmosphere that could almost be described as perfect. "Great weather for some training," Hikaru thought with a slight smile but quickly reminded himself that he didn't have time for that.
"Maybe it's a sign that things will go well." The gentle breeze seemed to carry away his worries, allowing him to enjoy the walk. It wasn't long before he arrived at the school gates. Seeing the massive entrance and the building ahead, Hikaru couldn't hide his amazement.
"One thing is seeing this in an anime. Another is witnessing it in person." He was awestruck by the size of the school and the pristine landscape surrounding it. It felt like stepping into a painting.
While he admired the view, the system decided to make its appearance.
[Generating Quest...]
[New Quest – Make Friends!
The Host cannot be a lonely outcast in this world. Make friends!
Reward: All stats, except Lucky, will increase by 1.
Time Limit: 48 hours.]
"Hey, I'm not that much of a loner!" Hikaru protested.
[In the past few days, you've only talked to me, Host.]
The system's undeniable logic made him sigh. "Fine, fine. Maybe it's a good idea..." Accepting the quest, he realized the reward was more than welcome.
"A stat boost? Sounds great!" Feeling motivated, Hikaru entered the school, momentarily forgetting his earlier fears.
After a long and tedious opening ceremony, he was assigned to his classroom. "Hikaru Tanabe... Hikaru Tanabe..." Searching for his name on the second-year class lists, he finally found it. "Got it! 2-B... Wait, isn't that the class of perverts?"
His eyes quickly scanned the list of names. There they were: the infamous Issei, Matsuda, and Motohama. "Of course..." With a sigh, he noticed another name that caught his attention: Kiba Yuuto.
"Well, at least there's someone normal in this class," he thought, trying to cheer himself up.
Hikaru headed to the classroom and found an empty seat at the back. 'Lucky—or unlucky—me, it looks like I'll be sitting near the pervert trio,' he thought, glancing warily at the three who were already whispering and laughing among themselves.
Soon, the teacher entered and began the lesson, asking each student to introduce themselves. Hikaru noticed the disparity between the number of boys and girls in the class, as well as the girls' adoration for Kiba. Watching them sigh as Kiba spoke made Hikaru feel pity for him.
'That must be unbearable...' he thought, but it didn't take long for him to realize that he was attracting some attention as well. His appearance and the fact that he was new to the school had several girls eyeing him with curiosity.
'These stares are killing me!' A shiver ran down his spine as he imagined what they might be thinking.
Luckily—or unluckily—the girls' attention shifted thanks to the pervert trio, who spent the entire period making inappropriate comments and jokes about their female classmates.
Hikaru found himself torn. "Should I thank them or be annoyed by these guys?" In the end, he opted to silently thank them, relieved not to be the center of attention anymore.
When the first period finally ended, Hikaru rested his head on the desk, mentally exhausted. "I survived... barely."
While he was lost in thought, a calm voice called out to him. "That must've been tough for you."
Lifting his head, Hikaru saw Kiba Yuuto standing beside him, smiling kindly. His flawless appearance and refined demeanor made Hikaru think, 'An angel...'
Of course, he couldn't be further from the truth.
"Yeah, that was anything but easy," Hikaru replied with a wry smile, trying to hide his discomfort.
Kiba chuckled lightly. "Hahaha. It's nice to meet you, Hikaru Tanabe. I'm Kiba Yuuto."
"Pleasure's mine." Despite his initial reservations, Hikaru couldn't help but feel some sympathy for Kiba.
As they talked, Hikaru didn't notice the stares of the girls in the room, who had begun fantasizing about strange scenarios involving the two of them.
Then, the system reappeared.
[Congratulations on quickly completing the mission!
All stats increased by 1 point!
Bonus Reward: 1 System Enhancement Point.]
Hikaru was surprised by the outcome. Suddenly, he felt something different in his body. His strength, reflexes, and even his perception seemed sharper.
"This is amazing..." he murmured, only to notice Kiba's curious gaze.
"Something wrong?" Kiba asked, sensing that Hikaru's presence had subtly but significantly changed.
"Oh, it's nothing." Hikaru tried to brush it off, but Kiba made a mental note. 'I need to inform Rias about this.'
Shortly after, Kiba ended the conversation. "I need to go. I have club duties. Let's talk later."
"Sure, see you." Hikaru waved goodbye, fully aware of which club Kiba was referring to.
Not wanting to draw the Devils' attention too soon, Hikaru decided to head to the cafeteria to grab something to eat. "If I'm going to survive this place, I'll need energy."