Chapter 26: Ten Percent Discount

.**[Profession Level Up:

Swordsman: Intermediate (500 proficiency points required for the next upgrade)]

[Profession Skill:

Rurouni Kenshin (Whenever the host uses any bladed weapon, they will find it particularly easy to handle.)]

[New Profession Skill Unlocked:

Swordmaster's Soldier (Whenever the host uses any bladed weapon, they will receive a +100 combat power boost.)]

[Current Profession Points: 1

Current professional skill points can be converted into general skill points, requiring: 300,000 yen]**

"So this Swordmaster's Soldier skill is meant to boost my combat power?"

Looking at the skill description on the system interface, Fujino muttered softly, "This skill came at the right time."

If his understanding was correct, then Swordmaster's Soldier should be a passive skill that boosts combat ability just by using a sword or blade-type weapon.

Honestly, this was exactly what Fujino desperately needed right now.

His base combat ability was probably around D rank. By using Detective Boost and stacking it with an enhancement card, his combat power could barely reach above D+.

Now that he had triggered the Swordmaster's Soldier skill, theoretically, his combat power could probably reach C rank.

And that was just raw combat power.

If he added his perception enhancements into the equation, Fujino figured that he might even stand a fighting chance against someone like Miwako Sato with her C+ level combat ability.

Pulling his thoughts together, Fujino turned his gaze to the Swordsman profession's skill points again.

"So these can be used to upgrade any professional skill?"

Gazing at the newly appeared General Skill Points option on the profession interface, Fujino couldn't help but weigh his options.

According to the system's description, if a profession leveled up but didn't unlock any new skills, then the remaining profession points could be converted into general skill points for 300,000 yen.

General skill points were pretty self-explanatory.

They were universal skill points that could be used to level up any skill.

Fujino hesitated for a moment as he looked at the big 300,000 yen conversion button on the system interface. After a moment of thought, he decisively converted that one leftover professional point into a general skill point.

[300,000 yen has been deducted from the host's balance.]

[1 general skill point acquired.]

[Current balance: 1.55 million yen…]

Hearing the notification sound in his ears, Fujino took a deep breath, then immediately allocated that one general skill point to Student Discount.

[Student Discount (Advanced): Enjoy a 10% discount both in the system and in real life!]

"10% off now?"

Looking at the upgraded system description of Student Discount, Fujino couldn't help but suck in a breath of cold air.

A 10% discount—this was insane. It was practically like clearance sale prices… And it could be used both in real life and inside the system.

With the discount upgraded, Fujino immediately went to a convenience store to start testing things out…

Beep beep beep!

With the sound of the barcode scanner beeping, the accumulated amount was displayed on the register.

The cashier glanced at the total of 5,200 yen, momentarily pausing in surprise.

After confirming that the amount was correct, she softly said to Fujino, "Sir, that will be 4,700 yen."

Without changing his expression, Fujino took a 5,000 yen bill from his wallet and handed it to the cashier.

"Here's your 300 yen change."

"No need, just give me a few packs of gum."

"Alright."

Pushing open the convenience store's door, Fujino tossed the bag of daily necessities into the back seat of his car, pulled out a stick of gum, and started the engine.

"So something that originally cost 5,200 yen now only costs 4,700 yen with the Student Discount, huh?"

Chewing the gum, Fujino couldn't help but sigh. "This Student Discount skill… is terrifying."

———

The next day, Teitan High School, 2nd Year Class B.

"My injury?"

—

Fujino glanced at Ran and Sonoko standing beside his seat, feeling somewhat puzzled.

He didn't recall ever getting injured…

At least Suzuki Sonoko and Mouri Ran shouldn't have known about anything like that.

"Fujino-senpai, you didn't get hurt?" Ran asked in confusion.

Then she cast a suspicious gaze at Fujino.

Could it be that Fujino-senpai is deliberately hiding it because he's afraid we'll worry…?

"But the newspaper said you were heroically injured while taking down a drug cartel on Tsukikage Island, didn't it?"

As she spoke, Ran handed a newspaper over to Fujino.

"Newspaper…? There's such a thing?"

Fujino took the newspaper with a puzzled expression and began reading it.

The entire page was covered in dense layouts and text.

In the largest section, there was a prominent photo of himself.

Below are headlines from various news outlets:

[High School Detective Solves a 12-Year-Old Bizarre Murder Case — The Killer Turned Out to Be...]

[High School Detective Fujino Toji Single-Handedly Takes Down Drug Cartel, Heroically Injured!]

[Fujino Toji's Trip to Tsukikage Island — The Unspeakable Secret with the Island's Beautiful Doctor]

"..."

Fujino was speechless.

Good grief, are all reporters this outrageous these days?

What's this about "single-handedly" dismantling a drug cartel on Tsukikage Island? And what's this nonsense about an "unspeakable secret" with the island's female doctor?

Since when did I have an affair with Asai Narumi?!

These shameless reporters… absolute degenerates!

"Fujino-senpai, did you take down a drug cartel all by yourself?" Sonoko's voice sounded in his ear.

Fujino looked up and saw her staring at him, curiosity written all over her face.

Ahem!

Fujino coughed lightly and explained, "Taking down an entire drug cartel alone… Sonoko, you're giving me way too much credit."

"So it's fake?" Sonoko asked in confusion.

Then, frowning slightly, she pressed, "Then why does the report say you took down a drug cartel?"

Scratching the back of his head, Fujino replied, "Probably because I subdued two drug dealers…"

"Oh, so it was just two dealers…"

At first, Sonoko looked a bit disappointed, but after realizing what he just said, her expression shifted to one of shock: "Wait, what?! Fujino-senpai, you subdued two drug dealers… That's amazing!"

Sonoko stared at Fujino's handsome face, the smile on her lips growing wider, and her fangirl expression barely concealed.

Even if it wasn't as outrageous as the newspaper claimed, just the fact that he subdued two drug dealers alone… It was like something straight out of a dream—like a real-life prince on a white horse!

"Just a small matter…" Fujino waved his hand modestly, though the lovestruck gaze Sonoko shot at him was making his scalp tingle with discomfort.

At last, he understood why Kudou was so keen on being a detective.

Being admired by young girls was a pretty good feeling.

Suddenly, something came to his mind, and he turned to Ran and Sonoko to ask, "By the way, what's this story in the paper about that haunted incident at the Medieval Museum?"

(End of this chapter