Ayanokoji was never the type to indulge himself in fancy cooking, he simply ate whatever could provide him with the nutrients he needed.
Despite his lack of experience in the field of culinary arts, even he could understand and appreciate Ryuga's level of expertise in the field.
Ryuga didn't make anything too complicated or fancy, just a simple Japanese style dinner, nothing too much and nothing too little.
"I was gonna ask how it is, but I guess I got my answer."
Ryuga looked at Ayanokoji in amusement, although the latter still maintained his usual look, he was eating through his food pretty damn fast.
"I wasn't really optimistic since you didn't seem to be the type to cook, but you weren't lying." Ayanokoji responded as he continued eating. "Thanks for the food."
"No need to thank me." Ryuga waved it off as he sat down. "I didn't really have too many options of what to cook though, these dorms really are minimalistic."
He had noticed the lack of available cookware and overall furniture in the dorm, it was honestly kind of depressing.
Although it may hurt a bit, he may have no choice but to invest in some cheap but reliable cooking equipment if he was going to be making his own food from here on.
In the long run, doing so will save him the potential need to go out to eat. He had seen some of the prices, some were borderline criminal.
"If you don't mind me asking, what made you come to school here?" Ryuga decided to ask straight up. "Obviously, there are the promised benefits. But any other reasons you have?"
"Reasons?" Ayanokoji blinked at the sudden question as he seemed to ponder his next words. "Nothing much really, I guess you could say I wanted a normal peaceful school life."
"A normal peaceful school life, here in an elite government funded institute?"
Ryuga asked with a slight deadpan on his face, Ayanokoji just went silent as he too realised how absurd his reason was.
This school was far from anything you could call normal, so finding a normal school life, let alone a peaceful one, here was ridiculous.
"I don't think I need to tell you that, that sounds crazy." Ryuga then shrugged nonchalantly. "Well, whatever your reason, I won't pry."
"Thanks..." Ayanokoji nodded. "What about you?"
"Me? I may sound a bit hypocritical, but it's pretty much the same as what you said." Ryuga replied before taking a sip of water. "And I didn't really have too much of a choice."
Ayanokoji asked curiously. "What do you mean?"
"Let's say my guardians recommended me to this school. I would've been fine with a normal school, but who was I to turn down being able to go to an institute of this caliber? It was both a choice, yet wasn't at the same time."
"I mean it is the most prestigious school in the entire world."
"Exactly." Ryuga nodded after hearing this. "Speaking of that, what do you think of this school? As Horikita said, it's rather generous, no?"
"Well, yeah." Ayanokoji agreed. "We get a monthly allowance and are given access to essentially an entire small city worth of facilities."
"Yeah, it's pretty crazy. With how much they've given us, it won't be long before many people end up spending all their points away."
"It should be fine." Ayanokoji's words made Ryuga cock an eyebrow in confusion. "Well, they have a bunch of free stuff being given out, there is a limit though."
"...Free stuff?"
"I saw it in the convenience store not too far away." Ayanokoji explained. "They were giving out free cheap everyday items, each student could only take three things per month though."
"I see..."
If that wasn't enough of a hint then Ryuga didn't know what was, it was basically screaming that points weren't exactly abundant.
The fact alone that they give free stuff was already proof, but along with a limitation for each student per month, that meant there were enough who needed them for the school to put a limitation.
"How much free stuff was left?"
"How much?" Ayanokoji blinked before looking up as he seemed to be recalling. "Well, the basket looked to have been recently restocked."
"Hoh? Why do you think they're giving stuff out for free, Ayanokoji?"
"Uhh, for students who used all their points?"
"Which is rather strange, isn't it?" Ryuga smiled slightly as he leaned back with his arms supporting himself. "From what I know, all students should've received their allowance, as you put it, today. That includes the seniors, so why?"
"Well, I don't really know..."
"It's a mystery, isn't it?"
Ryuga had noticed how Ayanokoji seemed to dodge answering some things, or kept his answers as least informative as possible.
Although he didn't understand the latter's reasonings, he could at the very least tell that Ayanokoji probably knew more than he let on.
On the topic though, Ryuga had a few assumptions regarding the free items.
There were many surface level explanations, but the one he personally believed was that the items weren't there as a simple gesture of good will, but out of necessity.
If students couldn't pay for essential areas items for everyday life, then many issues regarding student hygiene and possibly more would be on the school's head.
A student was a student, and the school was responsible for them.
This would also help solidify his idea that the points given each month aren't fixed. If this was true, the next main question was what determined the amount.
He knew that merit and value most likely played a crucial role, but in what way was it calculated to produce a value that would then reflect their given points.
"Actually..." Ayanokoji suddenly spoke up as Ryuga waited for him to continue. "I've been meaning to ask, why do you wear gloves?"
As he asked this, Ayanokoji glanced down at Ryuga's hands which both were completely covered by a pair of black gloves.
Not thick gloves used to protect the hands, but thin gloves that still showed off Ryuga's strong yet slender hands.
"Everyone has their secrets, Ayanokoji."
"Oh, I see."
With that, Ayanokoji wisely shut his mouth about the topic. Although Ryuga was sugarcoating his words, he was essentially telling him to shut up and move on.
He normally would've at least tried to ask one more time, but a certain look in Ryuga's eyes made him quickly reconsider. It was only for a moment, but that was all it took for Ayanokoji to see something.
After all, for someone like him, he was very familiar with the look that Ryuga had in that short instant. Though, perhaps he was just imagining it, but Ryuga's expression may be even worse then his.
That short change in expression caused even someone like him, who had originated from the White Room, to almost shiver. Fear, a concept he never thought possible for him. Just who was Ryuga?
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After Ayanokoji had left to return to his own room, Ryuga had made a quick trip to the convenience store. True to Ayanokoji's words, they indeed were giving out free items.
Although he did go just to confirm that Ayanokoji wasn't just lying to him, that was only the secondary reason, the primary being that assuming it was true then who was he to refuse free items?
"I see..." Ryuga muttered to himself as he placed the plastic bag holding the items he had taken from the convenience store before opening up his system. "So, points really do refer to the school point system."
He had never understood what the conversion feature at the bottom of the 'Status' page in his system was, but now that he was in school, it all became clear.
The points that were under his possession could be converted into Stat Tokens for him to improve his parameters.
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[STATUS]
• Name: Hiroshi Ryuga
• Skills: [Boxing (Master)] [Bloodlust - Variant: Spider (Elite)] [Parkour (Elite)] [Cooking (Master)] [Swimming (Master)]
.
Parameters (Stat Tokens: 3):
• Strength: 7.5 (3/15)
• Agility: 7.1 (4/15)
• Intellect: 7.3 (2/15)
• Dexterity: 7.0 (2/15)
• Willpower: 7.4 (5/15)
• Fortitude: 15.0 (0/55)
.
Stat Token Conversion Rate: 1/5,000 Points (Points Available: 75,500)
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'So, instead of missions and individual practice, this is also a method to improve my parameters.' Ryuga thought to himself as he read the screen. 'Five thousand per Stat Token is expensive though, is it even worth it?'
Even the current number of points he had right now could only get him fifteen Stat Tokens, it really wasn't worth it, at least not right now.
On top of that, unless the system had its means, he had no idea how the school would react to unregistered use of points. From the rules he skimmed over in the rulebook, he had no doubt there at least was a department in the school overlooking the transition of points.
'Even then, I first at least want to figure out just how significant points are here before I just throw them into the converter.' Ryuga sighed as he closed down the system. 'Miss Chabashira said points could buy anything, but to what extent does that reach?'
If Chabashira truly did mean anything in the literal sense, he wanted to know the limits of that, and there had to be one. This was a school, even if it emulated real-life society.
"Now that I think about it, it really is messed up..." Ryuga gave a small laugh. "If her words were true, then it really is like the real world. People can complain all they want, but money can buy many things. Technology, entertainment, food... and even the law."
As much as you want to deny it, it's a fact that people with money can buy pretty much anything as long as they pay enough. Countless criminals have escaped the law by buying people's silence, it's truly pathetic.
Ryuga, after taking his clothes off and leaving just a pair of shorts on, dropped onto his bed as he silently stared up at the ceiling.
"I can't help but wonder. Is this school as corrupt as the real world, or is it just a cheap imitation?"
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The next day came and it was honestly bad, not horrible, but certainly not good either. Looking around at his peers, he had noticed some who weren't paying attention and were doing their own things.
Although they tried to be discreet, with four whole cameras watching, there was simply no way in hell were they getting away with it.
However, even some of the more obvious ones, such as Sudou who could literally be seen sleeping in his chair, was not being reprimanded by Chabashira despite his actions.
'Why is she ignoring all of this?' Ryuga frowned while taking notes on the lesson. 'A scolding is typically what a teacher should do if a student misbehaves, or am I wrong? That's how a normal school should work...'
Then again, this was anything but a normal school. Advanced Nurturing High School was established to produce the elites that will one day be expected to become the very pillars of the country itself.
'Perhaps... Perhaps they expect us to already understand what is expected of us.' Ryuga came to this conclusion after considering the nature of the school. 'For future elites, I guess the school expects that we should at least know proper discipline.'
It did make sense, respect and proper school etiquette was something taught to all kids as they grow up even all the way from pre-school. For high school kids, it should have long since been drilled into their brains.
If even someone like him who had not even experienced a full period of elementary school before entering high school was capable of showing proper discipline, then everyone else here should as well.
But seeing the situation, obviously not...
He could honestly see all of their reputation rapidly falling right now, and if his conclusions regarding the points was correct, he wouldn't be surprised if the number of points they receive crumbles.
'Honestly, this school's method of operation is giving me a headache...' Ryuga sighed to himself before shaking his head and looking ahead. 'Actually, would it be possible to buy information from Miss Chabashira?'
She did say points could buy anything, and perhaps that extended beyond material items. If this was true, then the value of points had skyrocketed even further and would start confirming his thoughts from yesterday.
No doubt it'd be expensive though, he'd be asking for information regarding how the very school itself functioned, that kind of information could not be cheap.
However, just maybe he could get some free information...
═══════════════
[STATUS]
• Name: Chabashira Sae
• Occupation: ANHS Class 1-D Homeroom Teacher
.
Parameters:
• Strength: 5.6
• Agility: 5.5
• Intellect: 8.2
• Dexterity: 5.5
• Willpower: 8.8
• Fortitude: 8.6
.
Description: A former student of Class-D in Advanced Nurturing High School, filled with countless regrets and wishes to find solace by seeing to that the Class-D she teaches rises to the top and overcomes Class-A, allowing them to fulfill their promised dreams
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Ryuga went silent and narrowed his eyes while reading the screen given to him, it truly did provide him with much more than he ever could've hoped for.
He was honestly surprised by her stats, that Willpower and Fortitude were no joke, though looking at how Chabashira carriers herself, perhaps it wasn't too surprising.
'Formers student, huh?' Ryuga paid particular attention to the description provided about Chabashira. It gave a simple summary of her backstory, but that wasn't all. 'This school really is interesting.'
This description alone revealed an incredibly important factor in the school's system, and that was that there seemed to be a hierarchy among the classes. Based on the sentence, Class-A was the top, and as for Class-D, he was willing to bet they were the bottom.
It was a simple sequence of lettering, A was first, B was second, C was third, and D was fourth. The questions he had now were what determined who went into what class, and what method was used to judge whether one class was above another.
As for why Chabashira seemed so desperate to make Class-D rise, that answer actually laid in the final parts of the description. The reason was to fulfill the class's dreams.
'This actually makes a lot of sense, only those who have proven themselves deserve those promised benefits.' Ryuga came to this conclusion, and was confident about it. 'However, assuming an entire class can rise together through whatever system the school uses, what about those who have done nothing yet have gained the benefits?'
If the whole purpose of the school was the train elites to become the pillars of the country's future, then how could they just let those in the class who have done nothing be given such rewards? It didn't make sense.
'Wait, unless they don't...' Ryuga narrowed his eyes as he spun his pen around his finger. 'I need to think using my previous analogy. The school system is like a company, and the classes are like departments. As long as a department shows their worth, they are given greater benefits and support. In other words, this school functions as a meritocracy.'
In a company, the departments or teams as referred to in particular businesses, have to show their worth. The one who proves superior gets rewarded more than the others, and if one loses all worth, they don't get anything.
It's a competition, if the other departments prove inferior to the one that proves to be the best, it is possible for them to be outright disbanded. This very same system is also used within each of those individual departments.
The members of them have to work and prove their worth within the team, and what happens to those who prove to be nothing more than stones that hold back the others from rising?
'...They get laid off.'
Ryuga honestly wanted to laugh, this made sense to him. If he used this analogy to explain this school, the classes are stepping stones for each other until the superior one proves themselves in the end and claims it all.
And along that way, many things have to be given up to rise to the top, it was a sadistic form of investment. They have to give something up to gain more, that's what investment basically was.
'In other words, those undeserving students most likely don't get the benefits.' Ryuga couldn't help but smirk a little as he eyed a certain few in the class. 'They serve as the unfortunate roles in each class, on the way, they probably get expelled... they're sacrifices.'
There will always be individuals who share similar strengths in a team, and naturally there were also those who possessed unique skillsets that earn them their place. For those who don't stand out, it's a battle of survival.
This school wasn't just a cut-throat competition between classes, but classmates as well!
For Ryuga, he refused to be the sacrificial lamb.