3 [Chapter:3][Scholars are OP.]
Instead of going back to highly focused studies, Echo put a timer for forty minutes and resumed his actions without using the 'Focus' skill.
Forty minutes later, he looked at the log thoughtfully.
"I didn't get any stats raises…"
This could mean three things.
One, the limit of how much he could raise a stat is 5, or 5 for a certain set of actions like learning about mathematics.
This would be the worst possible situation, as the former would mean he'd have to rely solely on level ups and any special 'loot' he may get his hands on to raise his stats, while the latter, while better, would mean he would at some point run out of ideas to raise them up.
Two, the one hour time period is due to 'Focus'.
He had spent over half an hour solving problems when he was interrupted, and with another forty minutes, that was already over an hour. So 'Focus' might have a hidden side effect which allows him to raise his stats every one hour.
Three, which is also the most plausible one, the one hour he spends doing said action in order to raise related stats should be uninterrupted.
"I'm betting on number three…"
With that thought in mind, Echo sets the timer to sixty minutes and resumes his problem solving…
"…"
"…"
"…"
"Sigh…"
He sighed as he realised he still had the same problem.
"I can't concentrate properly…"
Shaking his head, he reset the timer before using 'Focus' this time.
. . . . . .
. . . . . .
((You studied seriously. Intelligence increased by 1.))
((You studied seriously. Wisdom increased by 1.))
"Hmm?"
Echo blinked his eyes as he glanced at the timer, seeing a few minutes left.
"I guess the EXP bonus of 'Focus' applies to stats as well…"
He decided to call it 'Stat EXP'.
"That makes…the normal EXP, Skill EXP, and Stat EXP…considering how much the bonus increases per level, at max level, the skill will double all three forms…"
Once again, he reaffirmed that his decisions, both of choosing the 'Scholar' Job and learning the 'Focus' skill, were the correct ones.
"The current bonus is 6%…in a few minutes, it should change to 7%."
Looking at the time, he realised he still had three more hours till dinner.
"That's 3 Intelligence and Wisdom, and possibly another level…"
Echo considered himself a rather lazy youth, but…
"This is pretty nice…"
Being able to see the results of your efforts, your progress, in plain sight…who wouldn't enjoy it?
. . . . . .
. . . . . .
"Dinner time!"
The blue haired little girl, Rhianna, exclaimed as she took her seat at the table.
Dinner time is when the whole family of four gather together and eat while chatting. Well, the three women chat while the only male in the family simply listens quietly.
Still, it was only then, and during breakfast, that the four get to spend time together unconditionally. And during Sundays too. It's one of the reasons why the family was so close.
"What's on the menu today?", asked Leah as she sniffed, her eyes brightening at the familiar scent that reached her.
"Since we're back in Japan after so long, we have…!"
Aya placed the dishes while giving out dramatic announcements, making the siblings giggle.
"Miso Soup! Can't have a meal without it."
"Onigiri! In four different flavours too."
"Curry! Hot and spicy."
"Sushi, Sashimi, and Takoyaki!"
"Katsudon! Tempura! And Chankonabe!"
Nearly ten different dishes were placed on the table, making the two siblings gulp while Aya smirks. As for Echo…
'Eating is no longer necessary for me to survive…just as I no longer need to go to the bathroom, or even breathe. Though, I guess I might lose HP if I suffocate? Need to experiment on that…'
Echo was busy in his thoughts, his expression still the same outside.
"Wow! I don't know half of these but they all look delicious!"
Rhi nodded her head like a woodpecker in response to Leah's exclaim as her eyes remained glued to the dishes, a small trail of drool finding its way from the side of her lips which she quickly wiped away.
"Since we're back in Japan, how about we follow that ritual?"
The three, including Echo who came out of his thoughts, nodded as all of them clapped their hands and muttered,
""Itadakimasu!""
Then, the war began,
"Hey! That's mine!"
"You snooze you lose, Rhi!"
"Hehe, here you go E-kun, eat up while it's hot."
"Ah! Mom! No fair!"
"Hehe! What's that saying big sis? Karma is a bi-mmf!"
"Language young lady!"
"…"
The dinner table was filled with shouts and laughter, and Echo, the only silent one, felt his lips curl up ever so slightly as a strange, rather weird looking smile appears on his face for a split second before disappearing.
'Lots of things changed today…'
'We came back to Japan after almost ten years…'
'Rhi is going to attend a new high school called Kuoh Academy…'
'Sis is going to be a teacher in the same school…'
'Mom is happy we are back as she gets to meet old friends of hers she lost contact with…'
'And I…I got this strange System that already changed my life…'
'But…I guess somethings don't change…'
'Like how Rhi is still awkward around me…thought, hopefully, I can change that soon.'
'Or how sis still can't cook something that doesn't look like nuclear waste…'
'Or how mom still thinks the three of us don't know that none of us are really blood related…'
'Or…how much I love this family…'
Just then, the table suddenly becomes quiet as Rhianna looked at Echo who sat beside her.
"O-onii-chan…"
Echo turned his head to look at her, his blank eyes staring right into her blue ones making her squirm.
'…I'm sorry…'
He couldn't help but apologise. He didn't want to be that way, he didn't want to make her uncomfortable, yet he was helpless.
Perhaps, with this System, he would be able to act a little more 'natural'. Even if his problem isn't solved, he could at least get an 'Acting' skill to fake his emotions right? It might be a lie, but at least it would hurt less than the truth…
"U-umm…"
Rhianna gulps loudly as she looked like she was mustering up her courage. She took a deep, long breath, trying to articulate her words, during which Aya and Leah looked at her with encouraging smiles and Echo tried his very best to do the same, though he decided not to smile since the last time he did, the frighteningly strange smile ended up making her cry instead.
"Ca-can you come with me to school? As a student?"
"…"
The room froze after her question, as Aya and Leah's expressions turned bitter.
Indeed, she had no idea why her big brother had dropped out. To her, however, it was a chance. A chance to spend more time with him, a chance to possibly get closer to him.
'I don't want us to be like this…even though you are the same to me and mom and big sis, they always look at you with love, but me…'
'I want to get closer to big brother too! I don't know why you look at me so coldly, and I might have been scared before, but now I know. It's not because you're angry with me. And it's not because you don't love me either. So…'
She wanted to say all her thoughts out loud, to share them with him, but she found the words stuck in her throat. No matter how much she tried to, those hollow eyes, that blank face, it made her shiver unconsciously…
"Yes."
"…"
"…"
"Eh?"
As the three women blinked in confusion, Echo's plain voice echoed in the room.
"I don't mind studying again."
. . . . . .
. . . . . .
"…"
"School…huh?"
Echo looked at the ceiling blankly, before he sighed.
"The first request from my little sis…what kind of monster would I be if I said anything but yes?"
It would make a major dent in his free time. Not only would he no longer have as much time to grind his skills or even level up, his freedom would be restricted as well.
Not to mention, he would also have to roam outside, meaning the chances of him meeting supernatural beings skyrocketed.
But…
"It's not like there aren't advantages."
Since self studying alone could give him experience to level up his 'Scholar' Job, what would being taught by professional teachers do?
While Kuoh might be a fairly small city, only recently having its name changed from 'Kuoh Town' to 'Kuoh City' in fact, it's school, which had been an all-girls academy until recently, was actually quite famous.
Not to mention, since 'Scholar' was a Job, then 'Student' should be one too right? He dropped out in the middle of his second year, meaning he would have to repeat it along with Rhi. Who knows, they might even be in the same class.
Anyway, while the 'Student' Job might not give him combat related skills, it doesn't change the fact that levelling it up would still give him the same 10 Stat Points any other Job would. Not to mention, since he could level up the 'Scholar' Job without fighting, he should be able to do the same with 'Student' Job.
Of course, that's assuming he even gets a Job like that, but if he does…
"Three birds? No, more like four birds with one stone…"
Learning in school would let him learn lots of knowledge related skills. Perhaps most of them would be useless in fights, but life isn't all about fighting.
He might get a new and easy to level Job.
He should be able to continue levelling up his 'Scholar' Job, and possibly at an even faster rate.
And most importantly, after nearly fifteen years, he finally had the chance to get closer to his little sister.
"Wait, there should be lots of people in the school right? Then, based in the original, using 'Void Fade' to effect all of them would probably give loads of EXP…"
Turns out, it's five birds with one stone. And since he would have to use 'Focus' to not get distracted during class practically all the time, along with the usual Stat gains from studying…
"Seven birds with one stone. What more can I ask for?"
And as if waiting for his question,
((A new Quest has been generated.))
The [Game] gives him a sudden prompt, as the Quest window which Echo didn't bother opening appeared before him.
. . . . . .
[Quests]
[Model Student]
Type : Instance
Description : You're going to re-enter an important phase of your life, but as a changed man. With your new found abilities, it should be child's play to excel in anything you take on, even studies.
Objective : Earn the top score in the entrance exam to get admitted into Kuoh Academy
Reward : 500% EXP | Unlock function [Daily Quests]
Optional Objective : 1) Learn all knowledge necessary for all years of school before classes start
2) Join a club and level up related skills(s) to at least level 20
3) Acquire and level up the [Student] Job to at least level 50
Rewards : 1) 100% EXP | 1 Lottery Ticket
2) 100% EXP | 1 Lottery Ticket
3) 100% EXP | 1 Lottery Ticket
Penalty : None (Instance Quests have no penalties)
. . . . . .
"Eight…nine…ten…Eleven birds with one stone."
At that point, Echo actually felt like laughing a little. Unfortunately, the last time he laughed, a joyous occasion turned as quiet as a funeral.
He never laughed again since that day.
"The entrance exam is 10 days away. And classes are scheduled to start in thirteen days…"
Thirteen days to catch up on three years worth of knowledge? No, not even three. Since the optional quest said 'all years of school', he would probably have to go through elementary and middle school knowledge as well.
So over ten years worth of knowledge and thirteen days to gain it all.
"Easy right?"
He shook his head with a sigh.
"Well, we never know until we try."
Thus, his studying / levelling marathon began.
