After a day of celebrating the css's successful promotion, on May 2nd, Hikaru woke up even earlier than usual. Today marked the 30th day since he started using the [Athletic Booster], meaning his stamina would finally see a ge.
"Huuh!"
Following the routine he had developed over the past month, he pleted his m workout. Standing in the er of the school field, he checked his system interface while sweat trickled down his jawline, soaking a rge portion of his short-sleeved shirt.
> [Current Exercise Time: 60 minutes]
[Daily Exercise Goal Achieved, Data pition plete]
[Athelic Booster in Effect: 30/30 Days pleted]
[Physical Ability: 3 → 4]
[Athelic Booster (30 days) has expired]
Seeing the system notification pop up, Hikaru wiped his face with his hand before stretg out both arms. He swung them forcefully a few times but didn't feel any drastic difference.
Although he could tell that his physical fitness had signifitly improved over the past month, the actual sensation of leveling up his stamina stat wasn't as dramatic as he had anticipated.
"Let's try running another p."
He refocused on his body a off again. This time, airely different feeling enveloped him. The previous sense of weakness and fatigue had pletely vanished. In its pce was a steady, seemingly endless supply of energy flowing from within him.
"So, this is what it feels like to level up my Physical Ability."
After quickly finishing another p, a smile appeared on his face. Waking up early every day for the past month hadn't been in vain. If his stamina tio increase, the ges in his physical dition would be even more dramatic.
Hikaru reopened his system interface. Yesterday's [Trading Shop] refresh had provided some excellent items—[Athletic Booster] had appeared for a sed secutive month.
However, as he looked at the details of the supplement, he noticed a new update in the description.
> [Athletic Booster (30 Days)]
[Enhances physical ability through tinuous exercise. Upon sed purchase, the training iy doubles. Training modes include running and swimming. Each requires one hour of exercise per day.]
"Swimming?"
He ruffled his hair, surprised that the booster's training regimen had evolved. Running had already bee sed nature to him—waking up early to jog was no problem. But now, adding swimming into the mix would require a separate time itment.
The Advanurturing High School did have swimming pools, but they weren't accessible to students at all times.
"Looks like I o check with a teacher. Regardless, I 't stop my stamina training. It has to tinue."
Hikaru wiped his fad headed back to his dorm.
---
After sh and ging into his uniform, he arrived at the first-year s. As soon as he ehe hallway, he spotted a crowd gathered around the door, all fixated on the newly updated css sign.
Sihe css had been promoted, the metal pque outside the door had been ged to dispy "Css 1-A." The gathered students, both boys and girls, peered at it with excitement, their faces filled with pride.
"Hikaru-kun, good m!"
Someoiced him approag and greeted him enthusiastically.
"M, everyone." He smiled and the group clustered around the sign.
"Hikaru-kun, e take a look! Our css sign officially says A-Css! Isn't it amazing?" Shibata grabbed his arm, dragging him forward.
"How does it feel? A sense of honht? This is all thanks to you earning that 100-Css Points!"
"It does feel great. But let's not get pt—we o maintain this position."
After stepping into the , Hikaru immediately spotted Iose sitting at her desk. As always, she was surrounded by a group of girls chatting cheerfully.
"Good m, Hikaru-kun." The pink-haired girl greeted him with a bright smile.
"M, Iose-san."
Yesterday, around midday, Iose had successfully pleted the Private Point Fund colle. Each student had tributed half of their newly received Private Points, totaling 50,000+ points per person.
That meant she now had over 5 million Private Points in her possession—a staggering amount, already a quarter of their 20 million goal.
"Do you have any pns this afternoon, Hikaru-kun? I found a new recipe yesterday. It's for some kind of ese cuisine, and I remember you really like that, right?" Iose's eyes sparkled with anticipation as she looked at him.
"Oh? But I actually have something I o take care of today, so I might not be able to head straight back to the dorm."
"What is it? Meeting another friend?" she asked pyfully, emphasizing the word "friend."
Hikaru chuckled. "Nothing like that. It's just something for myself."
"I've retly taken an i in swimming, so I wao ask Hoshinomiya-sensei if there are any avaible pools at school. If I get permission to use ohat'd be great."
"Swimming?" Iose's eyes widened in surprise. "Are you pnning to join the swimming club? I remember someone from our css is in it. Wao ask for you?"
"Nah, I just want to swim. If I join a club, I'd have to attend scheduled activities, and that's too much hassle."
Joining a club would only be a burden. With all the css petitions and internal struggles, he had no time for that.
"In that case... I e with you?" she asked, tilting her head slightly.
"Hmm, I guess. But won't it be a hassle for you?"
"Not at all! I don't have any pns today, so I go with you."
"Alright then."
---
After school, Hikaru and Iose left the together. During lunch, he had already spoken with Hoshinomiya-sensei. Currently, there were two swimming pools in the school's gymnasium—one was reserved for the swimming club and was off-limits tur students. The other was used during P.E. lessons but was closed to students ohe gym shut down for the day.
However, this was Advanurturing High School, and the S-System overruled all schutions.
Using his Private Points, Hikaru directly iated with the administration through Hoshinomiya-sensei and purchased exclusive access to the sed pool from 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM for 100,000 points.
Now, all he o do was retrieve the key from the facility manager.
After a short walk, the two of them arrived at the faculty offiside the gym. Inside, a young female teacher sat at her desk. She had already received firmation of the transa from the school and had the key prepared.
"Excuse me, are you Sonoda-sensei? I'm Hashima Hikaru from 1st Year A-Css." He greeted politely. Iose followed suit.
"I'm Iose Honami from the same css."
Sonoda Rina, the young teacher, stood up and gnced betweewo students before tilting her head slightly in curiosity. "Why are there two of you? The access permission was only grao one person."
"The permission is mine. Iose-san is just apanying me." Hikaru smiled.
"Oh, I see. You two must be pretty close."
Sonoda-sensei let out a soft chuckle, giving Hikaru another once-over. He was tall, well-built, and had a posed demeanor—an obvious mag for attention. No wonder he had a girl following him just to pick up a key.
"Here, this is your spare key."
She handed him a numbered key, then gave a stern reminder.
"Even though you purchased access, there are a few rules you must follow."
1. You must leave the facility by 10:00 PM sharp. The entrance is monitored, and any viotion will result in revoked access.
2. The access is for you alone. Bringing others is strictly prohibited.
3. Other students may also have access during your time slot. Ighem and carry on with your training.
"I uand. I won't break the rules, Sonoda-sensei."
After receiving the key, Hikaru and Iose left the office.
As they walked away, Sonoda muttered to herself, "He's only the sed person to apply for after-hours pool access... after Hoshinomiya-sensei's favorite student. If they meet, things might get iing."
~~~
Read 30 Chapters Ahead!
> patreon./HudaLin
