The morning sun streamed through the classroom windows, casting soft golden light across the rows of desks. Steven walked into the room, his every step filled with an unshakable confidence. How could he not feel confident? He had mastered subjects most students struggled with, gaining an intellectual edge that made him far ahead of anyone in the school.
Steven took his seat, leaning back slightly as Mrs. Langford, the English teacher, entered. She exuded her usual energy, her enthusiasm contagious as she began her lesson.
"Good morning, class," Mrs. Langford said, her voice bright. She turned to the whiteboard, where she wrote in bold letters: Persuasive Writing.
"Class, remember," she said, turning back to them, "a strong persuasive essay not only presents compelling arguments but also connects emotionally with the reader. Let's explore how we can achieve this."
The whiteboard quickly filled with diagrams and notes in colorful markers as Mrs. Langford explained the nuances of crafting an engaging essay.
At the back of the class, Steven sighed. While his classmates scribbled down notes or stared blankly at the board, Steven doodled in his notebook. He already understood the lesson perfectly. His pen moved across the page, sketching the classroom scene—Mrs. Langford at the front, some students diligently taking notes, others whispering, and a few slumped over their desks, half-asleep.
As Steven continued drawing, a notification appeared in his mind.
[Sketching. Skill Unlocked: Sketching (Basic Proficiency: 1/10).]
Steven smiled. He hadn't expected something so casual to be a trackable skill, but it made sense. The system rewarded effort in all areas. He continued sketching, adding details with every stroke of his pen.
His skill quickly advanced as the classroom scene came to life on the page.
[Sketching Proficiency Maxed. Level Up: Intermediate Proficiency (10/100).]
Satisfied with his work, Steven leaned back and mentally summoned the system panel. The familiar holographic display materialized before him, listing his stats and skills.
[Stats]
Strength: 7 (+2 from previous training)
Agility: 6.5 (+1.5 from previous training)
Stamina: 9 (+3 from previous training)
Intelligence: 12 (+5)
Charisma: 6 (+1)
Creativity: 9 (+3)
Combat Proficiency: Intermediate (25/100)
[Skills]
Basic Mathematics Understanding: Intermediate (27/100)
Basic Chemistry Understanding: Intermediate (24/100)
Basic Physics Understanding: Intermediate (25/100)
Basic Biology Understanding: Intermediate (30/100)
Basic English Understanding: Intermediate (30/100)
Basic Politics Understanding: Intermediate (22/100)
Basic World History Understanding: Intermediate (25/100)
Basic Economics Understanding: Intermediate (26/100)
Basic Geography Understanding: Intermediate (27/100)
Basic Computer Science Understanding: Intermediate (32/100)
Basic Cooking: Intermediate (36/100)
Knife Handling: Intermediate (18/100)
Temperature Control: Intermediate (19/100)
Deboning: Intermediate (16/100)
Boxing: Intermediate (23/100)
Military Combat: Intermediate (25/100)
Basic Swordsmanship: Basic (8/10)
Sketching: Intermediate (11/100)
Steven's eyes lingered on his Creativity stat, which had increased by three points. The panel disappeared with a thought, and he returned to his sketch, adding finer details.
Beside him, Veronica, his deskmate, glanced at his notebook. She was an elegant and sharp girl, widely considered one of the brightest students in the class. In her eyes, Steven had always been an average student at best—lazy, uninterested, and unremarkable. She had been surprised when Steven solved a difficult math problem yesterday, but she dismissed it as a fluke.
Seeing him now, sketching during class instead of paying attention, she smirked. "Back to your usual self," she thought.
Mrs. Langford's voice interrupted Veronica's thoughts. "Students, I'd like you all to write an essay on the topic of Environmental Pollution and its Impact. This will be graded and contribute to your class performance points. Don't take it lightly."
She handed out blank sheets of paper as the class stirred to life. Veronica turned to Steven with a smirk.
"You should've focused on the lecture," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "You can always sketch something on the paper if you can't write the essay. Maybe Mrs. Langford will give you a pity point for effort."
Steven smirked back, unfazed. "I'll take your advice," he said lightly, taking a sheet from Mrs. Langford.
As soon as the sheet was in front of him, Steven began writing. His essay flowed effortlessly, weaving together the causes of pollution, its devastating effects on plants, animals, and humans, and practical solutions to combat it.
While the rest of the class struggled to fill half a page, Steven's essay spanned an entire sheet. He glanced at Veronica's paper. She had barely filled a third of hers.
Satisfied, Steven flipped his sheet over and began sketching on the back. His pen moved swiftly, creating a vivid image of the earth divided in two. One side depicted barren land, dead trees, and gray smoke billowing from factories. The other side was lush and green, with solar panels, wind turbines, and thriving wildlife.
When Steven submitted his sheet, Veronica glanced at it and rolled her eyes. From her angle, all she could see was the poster on the back. "He really did take my advice," she thought, amused.
Mrs. Langford began evaluating the essays. Veronica's essay was the first she reviewed. She smiled approvingly. "Veronica, this is good. Nine out of ten. You've done well, but there are a few areas you could improve. For example, here—this phrase could be stronger."
Veronica nodded, jotting down the feedback.
Then Mrs. Langford moved to Steven's sheet. She expected something average at best, maybe even copied from Veronica, as she had assumed Steven's sudden brilliance yesterday was a one-off. But as her eyes scanned the essay, her expression shifted from surprise to awe.
Steven's essay was concise yet detailed, persuasive yet practical. The arguments were strong, the solutions innovative, and the language impeccable. When she turned the page and saw the poster, she was even more impressed. The illustration perfectly complemented the essay, capturing its message in a single glance.
"Steven, this is excellent. Full ten points," Mrs. Langford announced. "And I'll give you an additional five points for the poster. Well done."
The classroom erupted in murmurs. Veronica's jaw dropped. "But Mrs. Langford," she protested, "Steven drew a poster when you asked for an essay."
Mrs. Langford shook her head. "Veronica, Steven's essay is exceptional. Adding a relevant poster is a smart and professional technique often used in journalism to engage readers. You should all take note of this."
She handed Steven's sheet to Veronica. "Here, read it. After you're done, take it to the stationery office and have copies made for the class."
Veronica reluctantly took the paper and began reading. As her eyes moved over Steven's words, her earlier disdain melted into astonishment. The essay was brilliant, far beyond anything she could have written.
The rest of the day followed a similar pattern.
In math class, Mrs. Thompson handed out a challenging assignment filled with tricky problems. While the class struggled, Steven breezed through the questions, finishing long before anyone else. Even Veronica, one of the top students, found herself stumped by the first few problems.
In French class, Steven's performance stunned the teacher. When asked to read and translate a paragraph, he spoke with the fluency and accent of a native speaker. His translation was flawless, and his pronunciation impeccable.
In chemistry, Steven balanced complex equations with ease, identified chemical reactions on sight, and explained their mechanisms as if he had been studying them for years.
Physics and economics were no different. Steven solved intricate numerical problems in physics, citing the laws and their historical contexts. In economics, he provided clear, insightful answers to questions that left others scratching their heads.
By lunchtime, Steven had become the center of attention among the teachers. In the staffroom, his name was on everyone's lips.
"Did you see Steven's performance in my class today?" Mrs. Langford said. "That essay was remarkable."
"And the way he solved those math problems," Mrs. Thompson added, shaking her head. "He's like a different person."
The teachers agreed—Steven Blake was no longer the student they thought they knew.
While the teachers discussed Steven's transformation, the students of Classroom 8B gathered at the school basketball court. Some played basketball, dribbling and passing the ball, while others stood in clusters, chatting.
The topic of conversation was the same in every group: Steven Blake.
"I had no idea he was so good at French," one student said.
"Did you see him in physics? He solved those problems like it was nothing," another added.
Veronica stood on the sidelines, watching Steven from a distance. For the first time, she found herself genuinely curious about him. Steven Blake was no longer just the quiet, average guy at the back of the class. He was an enigma—and one she intended to figure out.