Kanzaki Ryoma remained calm despite the instructor's praise.
"You're too kind, instructor."
The instructor patted his shoulder. "Keep it up. I'll be watching your progress."
A strong performance in the shooting drills would give Ryoma a solid chance at graduating at the top of his class. That, in turn, would make the instructor look good. Training a star student meant better performance reviews and possibly even bonuses.
But among the students, Ryoma's performance sparked doubt and debate.
"Did he just get lucky? I barely hit the sixth ring with a rifle, and pistols are even harder to aim with!"
"I got a seven, and even that took a ton of focus. This guy hits a nine on his first try?"
"Maybe it's a fluke. If he keeps hitting high scores, then we'll talk."
The murmurs of skepticism filled the training hall, but Ryoma wasn't concerned.
Meanwhile, the Yasuhisa twins, Kurona and Nashiro, kept their thoughts to themselves. They weren't the type to engage in idle gossip.
The two sisters sat side by side as usual, a mirror image of one another. They both chose pistols, but their dominant hands were different—Kurona used her left hand, Nashiro her right.
Their first shots were impressive, both within the eighth ring, solidifying their reputation as some of the top students in the class.
Kurona glanced at her twin. "Looks like we're not the best anymore."
Nashiro responded quietly, "Maybe, but he might not be better than us in other areas."
The twins had been at the top until today. Ryoma's sudden arrival and dominance in shooting had caught their attention.
---
Ryoma was far from satisfied with his first score.
"Nine rings is good, but not good enough."
He lined up his second shot, keeping his breath steady, adjusting his posture to minimize shaking. With his strength, recoil wasn't an issue.
The second shot barely missed the tenth ring.
"Close."
But on the third shot—
BANG!
The bullet pierced the center of the target. Ten rings. A perfect bullseye.
The entire room took notice.
"Three shots, all within nine rings, and one perfect ten? That's not luck anymore."
"Damn... He's really good."
"I hope he didn't hear me doubting him earlier. That'd be embarrassing..."
With his third shot, Ryoma silenced the skeptics.
The only ones still unconvinced were Kurona and Nashiro.
Not ones to back down from a challenge, the twins quickly took their second shots, aiming to surpass him.
But—
Kurona's next two shots landed at eight and six.
Nashiro's both hit seven.
A poor result compared to their first attempt.
Their frustration was obvious. They had tried too hard and overcompensated, leading to worse accuracy.
Just then—
Ding! The system has activated a God-Tier Choice!
[Choice 1: Ignore Kurona and Nashiro, staying uninvolved. Reward: 1 Fusion Point.]
[Choice 2: Offer to coach them in shooting, showing your patience and skill. Reward: 10 Fusion Points.]
[Choice 3: Walk over and taunt them—"If you're bad at this, just practice more." Reward: 50 Fusion Points.]
Ryoma paused for a moment.
"...The system's giving too much. Guess I know what I have to do."
He casually walked toward the Yasuhisa twins.
The sisters glanced up, confused by his sudden approach.
Then, with a completely neutral expression, he dropped the bomb—
"If you're bad at this, just practice more."
[Ding! Choice 3 completed. 50 Fusion Points earned.]
He turned and walked away without another word.
Kurona and Nashiro sat there, stunned for a moment.
Then—
"...What did he just say?"
Their expressions darkened.
"He didn't just say that..." Nashiro muttered, her face flushing red with irritation.
"That jerk! He's just better at shooting, and suddenly he thinks he's some kind of genius?" Kurona's eyes narrowed.
Her frustration boiled over.
"Nashiro, we can't lose to him next time."
"We won't," Nashiro agreed.
They weren't used to losing—and certainly not to someone who had just transferred in.
The rest of the class, meanwhile, was entertained.
"Whoa. Ryoma really just provoked the Yasuhisa twins. He's bold."
"They're some of the best students here. It's gonna be fun watching this rivalry."
"Yeah, but Kurona and Nashiro aren't just good at shooting. They're all-rounders. He'd better be good at everything if he wants to keep up."
---
After the shooting practice ended, Ryoma tested out other firearms, including rifles and sniper rifles.
But to him, they all felt like toys.
The real highlight of his training would be Quinque combat, but that wouldn't start until the next practical session.
By noon, the students gathered at the cafeteria, which quickly became packed.
Ryoma arrived early, securing an empty table before the crowds rushed in.
The room filled fast—too fast. Those who arrived late had to share tables.
And that's when—
Kurona and Nashiro entered.
The twins glanced around, quickly realizing there were no other seats left.
Their only choice?
Sit with the annoying guy who insulted them earlier.
Kurona's eye twitched. Nashiro frowned slightly.
But with no other option, they walked over and sat directly across from Ryoma, their expressions barely hiding their frustration.
Ryoma, meanwhile, took a bite of his food.
Then, without looking up, he casually greeted them—
"Didn't think we'd be having lunch together."
Kurona and Nashiro's irritation grew.
This was going to be a long meal.
====
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