Rei stood quietly near the gym's side wall. Loud echoes of bouncing balls and shouting students filled the air.
He didn't plan to come here. But somehow, the classmates who used to ignore him had invited him. Or more accurately, dragged him along.
The reason? His sudden appearance changed. A clean haircut. Tidy clothes. A good rank on the test.
To them, he wasn't invisible anymore.
"Catch!" someone shouted.
A basketball slammed into his chest. Rei barely managed to grab it before it hit the floor.
"Come on, Kurohara! Join us for one round."
Rei blinked, unsure what to say.
Before he could think of an excuse—
[System Notification]
New Task Unlocked:
Score a point during this match
Reward: Strength +1, Agility +1, 150 CC
Bonus: Survive the humiliation. Dignity not guaranteed.
He stared blankly.
"Survive the humiliation? Are you serious?"
[System Response]
You accepted the invitation. This is on you, Host. Also, please keep your spine intact.
Rei sighed and looked at the court. His classmates had already picked teams.
Someone tossed him a jersey.
"You'll guard Yuji."
"He's the captain. Don't worry, he won't break you."
Rei's stomach twisted. Yuji was tall, confident, and athletic.
This would be a disaster.
The game began.
Rei ran up and down the court, awkwardly flailing his arms. His body struggled to keep up, but he pushed himself harder.
His feet were clumsy. He couldn't shoot. Couldn't pass well. And guarding Yuji felt like trying to stop a boulder with a leaf.
Sweat soaked his shirt.
Still, he didn't quit.
[System Notification]
+1 Stamina (Body Pushed Beyond Limit)
The ball came toward him again. "Kurohara, you're open!"
Rei caught it, panicking. The opposing team rushed toward him.
He jumped.
The ball flew.
Off-balance. Wrong angle.
But somehow—
It landed clean through the hoop.
A perfect swish.
The gym fell silent for two seconds.
Then—
"Did he just score?"
"No way… did he aim for that?"
Rei stood frozen.
Then casually turned away, pretending it was nothing.
Inside, his heart nearly exploded.
[System Notification]
Task Complete Reward: Strength +1, Agility +1, 150 CC
Additional Note: No one believes you did it on purpose. Keep up the mystery.
He sighed quietly and walked back to his team.
After the match, several classmates patted his back.
"That was impressive!"
"You hiding skills or what?"
Rei laughed nervously. "I guess I got lucky."
[System Response]
You tripped mid-air. That was luck.
Before he could respond, a girl from his class approached him. Long brown hair, sharp features, and curious eyes.
"You're Kurohara, right?" she asked.
"Yeah."
"That shot. It was cool."
"You think so?" he blinked.
She nodded, smiled a little, and walked away.
He stood still for a moment, blinking again.
Not far away, a girl stood near the fence, arms crossed, quietly watching.
Her eyes followed Rei as he spoke to the girl. Her expression was unreadable.
But then—
"He changed," she murmured under her breath. "But why?"
One of her friends, passing by, noticed her.
"You, okay?"
She blinked, offering a calm smile. "I'm fine."
Later that day
Rei sat beneath a tree behind the school building, sipping on a bottle of water.
His legs ached. His shoulders hurt.
But inside, he felt a strange kind of joy.
He had pushed his limits again.
And he wasn't invisible anymore.
[System Notification]
Business Kit Feature Expanded: Local Market Tasks are now available.
New Quest: Earn $100 through legal business activities.
Time Limit: 6 Days.
Reward: +150 CC, Business Tier Upgrade, One Random Business Perk.
"Seriously?" Rei muttered under his breath. "You used to give me quests like 'fix your hair' or 'talk to someone.' And now you're throwing me into capitalism like I've got a stock portfolio?"
He looked up at the ceiling as if the system could hear his sarcasm. "You're getting way too bold for a system that used to cheer me for brushing my teeth."
The system screen flashed with a cheesy business logo. It even played a tiny trumpet sound.
"Are you mocking me now?"
[System Response]
You've inspired my sense of style.
Just then, the screen glitched.
Flickered once.
Then again.
[Hidden Quest Unlocked: Awaken the Spark]
Condition: Unknown Time Limit: Unknown
Rei frowned.
"…What?"
[System Response]
Accessing data... Error. Unknown command.
The wind picked up slightly.
For a second, Rei thought he heard something.
A whisper.
A voice from far away, like it came through a dream.
But when he turned, no one was there.
He blinked and shook his head.
Maybe it was just the wind.
End of Chapter 6