The School tour and Getting Ready to Game.

As we left the auditorium, we were curtly approached by who I presumed to be a faculty member. She was radiating with joy and determination. Adding to that, her young age of twenty-one, small stature of 161 centimeters, long orange hair, and big green eyes, she was amazing in most of our eyes. Her outfit was equally elegant, she wore a large white ribbon in her hair, a blue two-piece blazer and skirt, and a white collared shirt underneath that only served to emphasize her already large boobs.

Sweeping her eyes over us with an enthusiastic smile, Yukizome-sensei's voice cut through our conversations, instantly capturing everyone's attention. "Hello class. My name is Yukizome Chisa, the Ultimate Housekeeper and your teacher for the school year! You may call me Yukizome-sensei. For now, I'll give you a tour of the first floor of the school ending with the dormitories. Both of which are divided by gender—male and female".

Despite her simple words, my blood froze, and my heart pounded a thousand beats a minute. It wasn't disappointment or even excitement, I simply remembered a comment Junko had made a few days prior: How funny it would be if I was suddenly put in the girls' dorms. Paranoid, I spared a glance at Junko out of the corner of my eye. Junko's mischievous smile did nothing to ease my anxiety. I was still praying to every god out there though.

As such, I took a glance at Yukizome-sensei; the look of what I thought was concealed pity she gave me was not comforting to me. The last course of action was asking Mukuro herself since Junko was too far away for me to get there subtly.

Slowly turning to my right, I approached Mukuro like I was a man on a mission. With measured steps, I gently entered her personal bubble; something she lightly blushed at, but didn't show too much aversion to. Cuteness aside, I was brimming with suspicion and curiosity. I spoke to Mukuro in an almost whispering plead. "No. She. Fucking. Didn't".

Seemingly aware of thought process, Mukuro was slightly confused; however, her eyes screamed probable guilt louder than any voice could. Seemingly, life wanted to soothe my diminishing spirit, as she graced me vocally with an honest answer that surprised me. "I don't know. Junko has always enjoyed the...simpler things chaos can bring. Maybe it's not that bad, or as bad as you think at least".

Before I had the chance to respond, Yukizome-sensei clapped her hands once and continued without flair. "Let's get started. There's a lot to show you in such a small amount of time. On the first floor we have—".

Yukizome-sensei turned from us and started walking down the hall, prompting us to follow her. None of us hesitated, moving on instinct. Taking this opportunity to walk alongside Mukuro, my speed synchronized with hers and she was glancing at me with what I believe was excitement and anticipation.

Since I knew teasing her the same way as Junko wouldn't work, I tried a different approach. Instead of simple flirting or innuendos, I treated her like a human being; I wasn't sure how common that was as the Ultimate Soldier. In a semi-whisper, I started talking unprompted. "You look well today, Ikusaba-san. Once the tour is over, what next? I'm thinking about meeting more of our classmates."

Without softened eyes, Mukuro's voice held something akin to appreciation and another emotion I couldn't identify. "Junko and I will probably unpack first. After that, like you, I plan to meet the rest of our classmates and build a... rapport," she said, hesitating slightly before choosing her words carefully.

It was well-hidden, but I was sure she almost said report. I'm not entirely sure why she would correct herself though, many soldiers are trained to assess the mental state of allies and enemies. Still, I wasn't sure and didn't see a reason to worry. I gave a nod I wasn't sure she could see and responded with a tone of understanding. "I see. Is there anyone that catches your interest?"

Mukuro's immediate answer caught me off guard. 'You, Sakaki-kun,' she said, her voice barely above a whisper. It seemed like a slip of genuine interest, and my heart skipped a beat hearing it.

Shaking off my surprise, I smiled to myself and decided to throw caution to the wind. "I see. I find you interesting as well. Also, I'm not into formalities too much. If you want, you can use my first name. I offer you exclusive use." I added with a hint of humor.

I found her reaction pleasing, widened eyes of surprise followed by opening her hands. She gave a thoughtful look before answering me calmly. "If you want me to, Hideaki-kun. In that case, please call me Mukuro".

Normally, a quick answer like that would shock me in Japan. However, I knew her sister was the sort to call someone by their first name two minutes after meeting someone. More than that, she was the Ultimate Soldier; a soldier that wasn't technically an adult. It wouldn't have surprised me if she worked with people from the middle east or other non-Asian countries. I was overjoyed, and I'm certain my tone showed it.

"As you wish, Mukuro-chan. Actually, would you want to hang out tomorrow? If things go down the way I think they will, I might need backup that I have nothing to do with what's coming up and"—noticing the dejected look on her face, I quickly backtrack—"I honestly enjoy your company. You are one of the only ones I know here, and I don't have an interest in the one with a God complex. No idea what his name is though".

If my eyes are to be believed, Mukuro was holding back a much bigger smile at my words and replied in a soft voice like she usually does. "I'd like that, Hideaki-kun".

Sensing the lull in our conversation, we continued in comfortable silence. In contrast, Yukizome-sensei was flourishing with excitement and measured words that sounded improvised. "First, we'll head to the gymnasium. This is where you'll have your physical education classes, and where many of our athletic events and competitions take place. As Ultimate students, maintaining your physical health is just as important as your academics".

While I was impressed, I was sure I heard Sakura mutter a borderline silent approval. I couldn't blame her, it was massive and well-equipped. From standard exercise machines to specialized obstacle courses, they wasted no expense. Even a recluse like me was interested in training with Sakura. Mukuro as well, if she let me.

As far as the first floor went, that was all that caught my interest. I didn't care for eating food that wasn't prepackaged or made myself, so the cafeteria was mostly pointless to me.

Without paying much more attention, I checked the cellphone and noticed two things. First, the cellphone passively mapped locations I was visiting and named them. Second, my chat was having a full conversation without me.

Eleven: What is sensei, san, kun and chan?

Miles_Morales: Is this really the stream you were talking about?

Web_Slinger: Miles, would I lie to you? Mr. Stark didn't recognize this tablet, and the guy knows who I am. Plus, none of us could find information on this Hope's Peak Academy place. At this point, I want royalties for more web fluid and rent. We're also famous, probably.

Reporter_MJ: Peter, you have to admit this is hard to believe. Despite saying that, we're seeing it with our own eyes.

Web_Slinger: I know, I know. But, we're FAMOUS across the Spider-verse, MJ. Imagine the movies we could make.

Miles_Morales: @Eleven, they're in the country Japan. They use what they call honorifics. They add them to the end of someone's last name usually. Sensei means teacher. San is basically mister or miss. Kun and chan are more friendly and depends on the person and whether or not you use their first or last name.

Eleven: Thank you. Why won't he talk?

Reporter_MJ: He can't. If what he said earlier is true, he doesn't want anyone knowing about this. We can see it and it's hard for us to believe. If he told others that can't see this, that would be bad. It's honestly amazing he can talk to us mentally.

Web_Slinger: Except, that may become moot sooner or later. The blond girl figured something out quite a while ago. If what we've seen is true, there's no possible way for her to know about what the stream is. She just knows there's something.

Miles_Morales: And when she questions him, he won't have an answer she can believe. That is, if he even wants to tell her to begin with. They met not that long ago, right?

Web_Slinger: Yeah. He has to start thinking of excuses now. Their flirting seems to be genuine, but she wants something from him too. On the plus side, Hideaki knows this and they are stuck in a dangerous back and forth until someone says something. The only question remains: What does she want exactly?

Reporter_MJ: Maybe she wants to get closer to find out about the stream itself? How did she notice in the first place?

Web_Slinger: She approached him when he was recording an intro video with his cellphone a few days ago, so I believe satisfying her curiosity is a secondary objective. Hmm. She might have noticed the glancing to his left. She's a lot smarter and more observant than she lets on, and she probably knows Hideaki knows that.

Miles_Morales: But Pete, wouldn't that put him on edge? Even if they have their weird back and forth going, wouldn't he keep himself at arms length?

After reading the messages, I instinctively took a momentary glance over at Junko who looked as bored and indifferent to the tour as I was. The contrast from Peter's statement could be considered jarring, but it was obvious to me she already figured something out as well. It wouldn't be the System or even the basic nature of the stream, but that also made things more difficult.

When people smelled news they wanted to know, they frequently obsessed over it until they got answered or something more interesting came along. That was the problem: For Junko, I didn't think there was anything more interesting than something she didn't or couldn't know.

Feeling anxious, I discreetly acknowledged Miles and MJ with a thumbs up before mentally interjecting myself into the conversation. 'Welcome Miles, MJ. Miles, being on edge is synonymous with being off balance. This forces a person to acclimate to whatever or whoever is causing them problems. If that happens, she could hypothetically test where I draw the line on something today and compare where I draw it next month or year. Not that it matters without more than one possible cause'.

Miles_Morales: Cause?

Reporter_MJ: And her sister?

Restraining myself from shrugging, I knew those were easy questions with far more complex answers. Pulling out my cellphone to quickly check the System for anything regarding orientation or meeting my classmates, I continued speaking.

'I've only known them for a few days, but I believe their interests align due to Mukuro-chan's loyalty to Junko-chan, rather than the cause itself—which I'm guessing is chaos. If I'm right, I don't know what they want to do that would be considered chaotic. This is all conjecture though, and they haven't acted malicious towards me'.

Before anything else could be said, I discretely raised my hand in a stop motion for the chat. It was as I thought: meeting each Ultimate resulted in rewards dependent on their impression of me. Most of the rewards were the same across the board—increased proficiency in public speaking, improvisation, acting, and investigative journalism.

However, each Ultimate also brought unique benefits. For Kyoko, it was an increase in deductive reasoning. For Sakura, it was physical fitness, and for Sayaka, my singing skills improved. While not earth-shattering, these enhancements could prove useful. I wondered what kind of rewards I might receive in a different world, like Final Fantasy—perhaps actual powers or weapons, or even companions to fight alongside me.

I quickly summarized this for my viewers. 'Meeting my classmates and getting a favorable impression nets me rewards. Aside from Junko and Mukuro, I only seem to become more skilled in some areas as a Polymath or qualities I already possess.'

As I was marveling at this, we began moving to the second floor. My cellphone was "downloading" a detailed map as we went along, ensuring I wouldn't get lost. Suddenly, I felt a hand on my shoulder, gently guiding me towards the stairs. It was Mukuro. She gave me a slight nod, a nearly invisible smile gracing her lips. I returned a grateful smile and mouthed my thanks.

Up ahead, Yukizome-sensei was waiting for us, her expression shifting to one of annoyance. She pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes, silently demanding my attention. With a sheepish grin, I offered her a silent bow of apology. I basically smiled and nodded.

'See you later, everyone,' I thought to my viewers as I slid my cellphone into my pocket.

Moving a bit closer to Mukuro, who stiffened slightly but didn't seem to mind, I caught her eye for a moment. She quickly averted her gaze, but the progress we were making in building a rapport was evident. Before I could think further on it, Yukizome-sensei's voice drew my attention.

"Here we have the library. Through financial supporters and extensive searching, we have some of the rarest books in the world. Of course, they are at your disposal for as long as you need them. We only require that you return the books in the same condition they were taken."

I'm neither proud nor ashamed of my decision, but I decided I would steal the rarest books before I left for other worlds. This would likely remain my home though. Other than that, there wasn't anything interesting and it was too late in the day to see the remaining floors. So, we were escorted to the dorms.

⁂

The walk to the dorm was short, but it was uncomfortable. First, it was little more than a history lesson in between. Essentially, Hope's Peak was opened several hundred years ago by Kamukura Izuru. The purpose was to develop and research notable talents of those in high school. Next, "a reserve course was added in hopes of unifying the ordinary and extraordinary for a brighter tomorrow". While it made me gag, it was actually interesting as well. She was classist without realizing it. For a school like this to be open for centuries, I was impressed.

Second, the path was significantly less traveled. The grass was far livelier, the birds were more skittish than those out front, there weren't any crushed leaves or grass, and the number of security cameras was nearly zero. It was quite unnerving. The idea of missing students wasn't hard to believe if it happened here. I would mention traveling in pairs or trios around here at a later time.

Until then, we reached our destination quickly and Yukizome-sensei turned to look at us to see if we were still with her and paying attention. Satisfied, her smile grew a bit wider and she tilted her head while explaining the dorm rules and regulations.

"I told you earlier, but to reiterate, the dorms are divided into gender—girls in the left building and boys in the right. While the boys and girls may visit each others' common rooms, they are not allowed in each others rooms without signing in or past eight PM! Failure to comply will result in severe punishment, enforced by yours truly. There is also a curfew starting at ten PM and ending at four AM".

"Each room is already outfitted with a bed, desk, personal bathroom, dresser, and closet. You may unlock your room by using your E-Key. They have been assigned a room number by now and will appear next to the sign in list when you first enter your dormitory. Everything you purchased from the school store has also been delivered. I hope you have a lovely day and look forward to teaching all of you". Finishing with a content look, she gave us a bow and left promptly.

Pulling out my E-Key, I was no longer worried Junko had done something since no one mentioned anything to me. In other news, I still hated the name of the thing. Ignoring my hatred, I turned to my favorite girls of chaos and gave a wink and smile before walking towards my dorm while waving goodbye. I didn't bother watch their reactions, but I assumed Mukuro blushed and Junko was amused. I'm sure it was cool and not at all cringe.

The dormitories looked the same, except one said male on it while the other said female. The walls were white in color with oak brown doors and one white pillar on each side of the door. It was strangely American, but we're not savages. Overall, I found it to be bland in appearance.

Inside was a different story. The common room was massive, off white walls with a brown hardwood floor. The boards were exceptionally long, reaching all the way across the room. The walls themselves were decorated with various staff members that served as our overseers for the school year. It was classy, if Peter's message was to be believed.

The kitchen could be seen from the entry, and had marble counters, paired well with black cabinets and a pure white tiled floor. The fridge might as well have been a towering stainless steel box, able to fit me inside six times over. The oven, microwave, and coffee machine was typical in comparison. I looked forward to checking it out later.

Next was the small counter next to the door when you first entered. On it was a sign in sheet with a paper next to it telling us our room numbers. Wasting no time, I hurried over and began searching for my name. Since I was in room 103, I didn't have to look long and felt satisfied with everything so far. I wasn't sure, but I had assumed we were supposed to have someone watching us.

Looking at everyone else, I could tell all of us wanted ready to settle in. Between orientation and listening to two separate lectures, we were drained. Walking to my room, I used the E-Key(ugh) and entered slowly. Everything was as Yukizome-sensei told us, but I also found a shelf filled with books. Spending a few minutes searching through the selves, I noticed each was a book of non-fiction; ranging from medicine to engineering. I suppose they wanted to provide me with the tools to further myself in my talent.

Right as I was about to unpack everything, I heard a knock at my door. Unsure of who it could be, I turned to answer the door and saw the insulted guy from earlier. Standing at a whopping 160 centimeters, he had brown hair, washed out hazel eyes and an ahoge. He was wearing a beige hoodie and black pants. All in all, he gave good vibes. Without a doubt, he was this world's protagonist.

Greeting me first, albeit nervously, "Hello. I'm Naegi Makoto, the Ultimate Lucky Student. Sorry to bother you; I'm just trying to get to know everyone since we got cut off at the orientation earlier".

I sympathized with those that lack confidence, and I could see why he would. Aside from his talent being less tangible than most, it was intimidating being surrounded by those with great potential. I gave him a grin and talked casually. The shy kind always reacted better when you did.

"Hey, nice to meet you, Naegi-kun. I'm Sakaki Hideaki, the Ultimate Polymath. Please come in, it would be awkward to stand there there the entire time".

With a shy smile, he walked in and took a cursory glance. I couldn't see his facial expression, but I didn't have to. His exclamation showed enough. "Wow! You have a lot of books"—his voice turned thoughtful, and almost resigned—"makes sense, being the Ultimate Polymath and all".

Considering I was barely average in intelligence before I came here, I understood where he was coming from. I also never thought of luck as less of a talent that mine. "Luck is a talent because it affects those that create opportunities for themselves. Applying to Hope's Peak Academy alone means you already know this".

A shiver ran down my spine as Naegi chuckled nervously, his finger scratching his cheek. "To be honest, my luck is usually bad. It comes and goes sometimes. Ah, I didn't mean to be rude. Do you need help unpacking? I finished unpacking my things a minute ago".

Noting his genuine nature, I declined politely. "Thank you, but I haven't decided on my layout for everything yet. We can keep talking if you want though. Actually, I would like your opinion on some video games I can play if you don't mind. Unless you aren't interested in them".