Episode 2 - The Tutorial Heroine (4)
Naoya had finally tracked down the Tutorial Heroine. Although he couldn't be entirely sure that Hatayama Megumi was indeed the Tutorial Heroine—since there was no explicit indication—she seemed to fit the bill perfectly. Naoya was convinced she was the one.
Back at home, he sprawled out on his bed, staring at the ceiling as he tried to recall how to access the game interface.
"Okay, how do I open that again... Uh, let's see... Status Window?"
He said this aloud because he'd read about similar interfaces in countless novels. While it wasn't strictly necessary to vocalize it—he could've just opened it with his mind—the familiar window interface panel still appeared before him.
---
Name: Naruse Naoya
Age: 18
Attributes:
STR: 15
DEX: 28
CON: 30
INT: 41
WIS: 20
CHA: 8
---
"I've got one attribute point to allocate. Where should I put it?" Naoya muttered, his fingers tracing along his chin as he scrutinized the glowing panel before him.
Allocating attribute points was a game-changer. The choice of where to place these points could alter the entire gameplay experience. For example, boosting the STR (Strength) attribute would dramatically enhance his character's capabilities. It meant he could lift weights that were otherwise impossible to move, handle tasks with newfound ease, and excel in martial arts, making his combat skills far more effective. Each point invested in STR translated to a tangible boost in power and prowess, shaping his character's potential in powerful ways.
However, he had no idea how this would translate to real life. This wasn't a game anymore, and he wasn't sure if adding a point to STR would have the same effects as it did in the game. It seemed more logical to invest in INT, but given the scenarios he might face, boosting STR felt like the safest bet. He was uncertain about how it would work, but increasing STR seemed like a solid choice.
"I guess I'll go with STR for now," he decided. With a determined nod, he allocated the attribute point to STR.
---
Name: Naruse Naoya
Age: 18
Attributes:
STR: 15 +1
DEX: 28
CON: 30
INT: 41
WIS: 20
CHA: 8
---
He didn't sense any immediate shift after allocating the attribute point. It felt as if nothing had changed at all—though that was to be expected with just a single point.
"Well, I guess I'll need to invest more points to see any real impact," he mused aloud. "I should also explore other ways to boost these attributes."
In the game, there were various mini-games designed to enhance attributes. One such mini-game was lifting weights at the gym. Although it only increased your strength by one point per session, it was a tried-and-true method, proving to be more reliable and efficient than grinding attribute points through quests.
However, this was real life, and it was hard to imagine that mini-games would actually appear here. The thought seemed almost absurd. But if lifting weights at the gym could genuinely boost his STR, then perhaps it was worth exploring.
"I guess I'll have to start hitting the gym too," he muttered to himself, the weight of the decision sinking in. "Can't believe I'm actually considering this, especially since I've never set foot in one before."
Naoya was an otaku, and the gym had always been a foreign concept to him. The very idea of it felt surreal, but the prospect of increasing his strength made it tempting.
***
Hatayama Megumi was a devoted otaku, with a deep passion for BL and shoujo mangas, otome games, and light novels. Her immersion in these worlds was driven by her social anxiety—she preferred the company of fictional characters to real-life interactions. Her head was usually bowed, her eyes rarely meeting others.
But at home, she transformed. Surrounded by her beloved otaku treasures, her demeanor was lively and joyful.
"Hehehe... Masamune-kun is always so cool. I really wish Luka-kun would notice that he already has feelings for him..."
Megumi lay sprawled on her stomach, deeply engrossed in her BL manga. Her feet swung back and forth playfully from the edge of the bed, and her giggles punctuated the room with a soft, excited rhythm.
"Hehehe..." she chuckled, lost in the pages of her manga, her eyes sparkling with delight. The blissful moment was interrupted by a sharp knock on her door.
"Megumi! You're going to be late for your class if you don't get a move on!" her mom called out.
"O-Oh yeah! I'm coming out now!" Megumi called back, her voice slightly muffled. She sighed wistfully, "I'll finish this after school." Carefully placing the manga back on the shelf, she reluctantly left her room.
After a quick scramble to get ready, she headed out the door, leaving her cherished manga behind for later.
***
Megumi fell into her usual pattern of keeping her head down, her twintail hairstyle bobbing as she moved. Her glasses, thick as bulletproof glass, gave her eyes an intense focus. She slipped into her seat with a practiced ease, her shoulders slightly hunched. As always, no one bothered to approach her. It was a daily routine for her.
The teacher's voice sliced through the classroom murmur. "Alright, class, I'm handing back the assignments from yesterday. I'll announce your scores as I return them."
The teacher began, one by one, calling out names and handing back the papers. Hoshizaki Kana's name echoed through the room—she had earned a nearly perfect 98/100. Megumi's heart pounded in her chest as her name was called next. The teacher's gaze was fixed on her paper as he announced her score: a perfect 100.
"What?!" Kana shot up from her chair, her eyes wide with shock as she stared at Megumi. Her reaction left Megumi—and the teacher—baffled.
"Uh, is something wrong, Hoshizaki-san?" the teacher asked, glancing at Kana with a look of confusion.
"N-Nothing..." Kana mumbled, sinking back into her chair, but her eyes remained locked on Megumi.
From that moment, Megumi knew trouble was brewing.