Chapter 2 • Light's Subtle Manipulation

On his way out of the classroom, Light noticed a young woman in the distance with a large fortune.

"200 Fortune...".

Compared to Rias's, it might not have been as impressive, but it was still a sum worth paying attention to.

Picking up his pace, he soon approached the young woman, standing a short distance from her.

Quickening his pace, Light gently touched the young woman's shoulder to get her attention.

 "Yes?" The young woman seemed genuinely surprised.

Her intense reaction made Light arch an eyebrow.

"Did you drop this?" - Light asked, holding up a book.

"It's not mine." She declared.

"I see. Then I'll have to take it to the lost and found later." Light commented, tucking the book into his pocket: "I'm Light Yagami. And you are?"

"Megumi Kato." - she replied. "I know who you are. You have a certain notoriety at school."

"Really?" Light smiled. "For what reason?"

"It's best not to go into details." She replied.

"Haha." Light let out a short laugh.

Wanting to prolong the conversation, Light complimented Megumi: "You're beautiful. How come I never noticed you before?"

With a modest expression, Megumi replied: "Oh, thank you. It's the first time a boy has said that to me... Well, I have a weak presence, so it makes sense that you wouldn't have recognized me before."

As they progressed down the corridor, their conversation developed spontaneously, touching on subjects such as the school routine, teachers and personal interests. When they reached the bathroom door, they had to say goodbye, and they did so cordially.

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[Megumi Kato changed her attitude towards the Host, Tomoya Aki lost 50 Fortune points, while the Host's Fortune points increased by 50 and his Fate points by 250].

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Light hesitated as he entered the bathroom, clearly surprised as he hadn't expected such a turn of events.

"Indeed, worthy of the main heroine," muttered Light reflexively.

As he entered the bathroom, he made his way to the cabin and closed the door behind him.

"Physical training increases my physical power?" - thought Light.

[Yes]

A cold response echoed in his mind.

"Interesting..." Light smiled a little, flushed the toilet and left the bathroom, heading back to the classroom.

At the entrance, he made a cordial gesture to the teacher and resumed his seat.

As she settled down, she opened her notebook and began to copy what was written on the board. As he did so, under the desk, he discreetly manipulated small sparks of dark purple lightning that danced between his fingers.

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Lunchtime.

In the corridor reserved for first-year students, Light observed one young man in particular. His eyes had a golden glow, and his hair, a shade of orange-brown, was spiky and of medium length. He was addressing Light.

Next to him walked a young woman with long black hair that reached her waist, complemented by a fringe that covered her forehead and deep brown eyes.

"Kotegawa-san, look out!" The approaching boy shouted, apparently tripping over an invisible obstacle, and reached out towards the girl's chest.

"Yuki Rito!!!" Kotegawa Yui's reaction was immediate, expressing great irritation.

"He'll end up falling on another girl, and now it'll be Kotegawa Yui..." Someone commented.

However, before Rito could complete his fall on Yui, Light intervened. He quickly pulled her back, saving her from the imminent fall. This caused Rito to lose his balance even more, falling on his own and casting a confused look in their direction.

However, something that went unnoticed was a subtle flash of dark purple lightning that hit Rito, giving him a small shock, especially in a delicate area, which immediately distorted his expression.

"Did he do it deliberately?"

A murmur of suspicion grew among those present, many already convinced by the look on Yuki Rito's face.

"Did you notice his expression when he turned around before he fell? He was obviously frustrated at not falling on the chair of the disciplinary committee, hence the displeasure."

"I saw that!"

"I always knew! I always knew he did it deliberately, but nobody took me seriously!"

"How is he still at school after so many incidents?"

"It's unbelievable..."

Rito, still sitting on the floor and regaining his composure, certainly heard the whispers and felt the disapproving looks. He seemed to want to justify himself, but the pain he felt was evident. His hands were on the affected area and his facial expression was clearly altered.

Witnessing this scene, some people began to mutter and point at Yuki Rito, and the disgust was evident in their voices and expressions.

Not far away, a young woman with short purple hair was watching Rito with a confused look on her face, as if she was internally debating something.

 "Yuki Rito! Stay away from me, you pervert!" - exclaimed Kotegawa Yui, appearing from behind Light after thanking him, her face tinged with indignation.

Light, keeping a low profile, only cast a disapproving glance at Rito, without saying anything. After Kotegawa Yui walked away, he did the same.

"Kotegawa-san, please let me explain! It's a mistake!" Rito tried to catch up with her, but curiously stumbled once again, this time heading for another student: a remarkable-looking girl with messy blonde hair and deep brown eyes.

"Rise, attention!" He warned Rito, but again his hands reached out towards her chest.

Luckily, Light was paying attention and managed to pull the young woman away in time, preventing Rito from touching her.

And, like a repeat of the previous incident, Rito continued his unbalanced movement until he finally found the ground, avoided by everyone around, especially the girls, who treated him like a plague.

"Thank you," said Rise, with a look of genuine surprise. She seemed amazed at Light's speed.

"Hmm," was all Light replied. He noticed Rise's inquisitive expression, but chose not to give any details.

Before leaving, he cast a cold, indifferent glance in the direction of Rito, who remained on the ground with no one willing to help him. He decided to leave, especially after noticing a notification appearing before his eyes.

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[You are the reason why the Chosen One of Fortune has been humiliated in public several times. Yuki Rito's mental state has been damaged. Yuki Rito's Fortune value has decreased by 50 points. The host's points increased by 50, and the destination's points by 250].

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"Heh... He ended up with only 250 fortune points." Light reflected: "Losing so many points because of a humiliation... That must certainly have affected him deeply."

As Light walked away, Rito gave him a suspicious look and frowned.

At dusk, Light arrived at his residence.

"Welcome, Light."

Upon entering the room, Light was greeted by the sister of the body into which he had transmigrated. Possessing the memories of the body's former inhabitant, he didn't feel uncomfortable seeing her, especially as the former owner was of few words and naturally reserved.

"I'm back." Light said, casting a brief glance at her before going to the fridge to get a bottle of water.

Pouring the water into a glass, he asked: "Where's Mom?"

"She went shopping, I think." She replied with a mischievous expression: "I didn't pay much attention, so I'm not sure."

"Got it," muttered Light, finishing his water before walking towards the bedroom.

"Light, could you help me with my math homework?" Sayu asked with a sweet countenance.

"Later, I'm going to take a shower now," Light replied.

"All right," she signaled positively with her hands and gave him a radiant smile.

As Light entered his room and hung up his backpack, he lay down, lost in thought.

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[Congratulations on completing the first slap in the face of the day, Host! You've successfully passed the beginner stage. Here's a present].

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"A starter pack?"

Light selected the gift icon that appeared.

Suddenly, an intense glow made him close his eyes, and when he reopened them, he noticed that the contents of the screen had changed.

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[Congratulations on your incredible luck]

[Items received] :

[Random Skill Thief Card] 3x, [Fortune Teller Card] 3x, [1/3 World Seed Fragment] 1x.

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Light, curious, rested a hand on his chin and asked: "What is this world seed?"

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[A World Seed, once refined, can allow the creation of a world within itself. That world can maintain its own life and ecosystem.]

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"Fascinating. A universe inside me?" He pondered quietly.

An item with this capacity would be considered divine.

As he considered this potential, Light's eyes twinkled.

He was already pondering escape strategies should he find himself in threatening situations in the future.

Having an internal refuge would be perfect.

After all, you never know when you'll be faced with adverse circumstances.

However, at the moment, he only had a fraction of that seed.