Friday morning buzz was different. Nervous energy crackled before the weekend. Li walked into Oakridge Middle, his [Situational Awareness] tingling faintly. He spotted Brad and Derek loitering near the water fountain, but they seemed distracted, hassling a skinny sixth-grader for his chips. Not me. Not today. Li slipped past, heading for homeroom.
[DAILY TASK GENERATED: CLASSROOM PARTICIPATION]
Objective: Volunteer to answer a question in two different classes.
Reward: +100 XP, Skill: [Quick Thinking Lv.1] (Slightly faster mental processing under pressure)
Failure: Status Effect: Invisible Student (-5% PER in classroom settings)
Volunteer? Li's stomach clenched. He was the kid who perfected the art of sinking into his chair. But… +100 XP and a new skill? He needed every advantage. In History, Mr. Kowalski droned about the Boston Tea Party. "So, why were the colonists so ticked off about the tax?" Kowalski scanned the room. Li's hand felt like lead. He forced it up, halfway, elbow glued to the desk.
"Li? Haven't seen that before. Go ahead," Kowalski said, surprised.
"Um… taxation… without representation?" Li managed, his voice barely above a murmur.
"Exactly! Good." Kowalski nodded, moving on. Li exhaled, his heart pounding. One down.
Science class was worse. Mrs. Rigby asked about Newton's First Law. Silence. Li gritted his teeth. Do it. For the XP. His hand shot up, straighter this time. "Yes, Li?"
"An object at rest stays at rest, and an object in motion stays in motion... unless acted on by an unbalanced force," Li stated, clearer now.
"Perfect! See? Simple inertia." Mrs. Rigby beamed.
[DAILY TASK: CLASSROOM PARTICIPATION - COMPLETE!]
Reward Claimed: +100 XP, Skill: [Quick Thinking Lv.1]
Level Up! Level 3 Achieved! All Stats +0.5!
Level Progress: Level 3 (75/300 XP)
The mental coolness from [Quick Thinking] settled in immediately. Concepts seemed to organize themselves faster in his head. Level 3! Stats boosted across the board. DEF was now a slightly-less-pathetic 8. STR 9.5. He felt… incrementally stronger.
Lunch was the gauntlet. Li grabbed his tray – mystery meat and soggy fries – and scanned the cafeteria. His usual spot, a corner table near the trash cans, was occupied by a noisy group. The only other option was near the windows, perilously close to where Brad's crew held court.
[OPTIONAL QUEST: TERRITORY CLAIM!]
Objective: Sit and eat lunch at a table NOT in your usual isolated corner for the entire period.
Reward: +150 XP, +1 AGI (Agility), Reputation: "Not a Complete Ghost" (Minor decrease in bullying attempts from low-level aggressors)
Failure: Status Effect: Cafeteria Target (Increased Aggro range from bullies)
High risk, high reward. 150 XP! And Agility? That could help him dodge… things. He took a deep breath, channeling [Stubborn Resolve]. *DEF +2. Let's see if it works on social intimidation too.* He walked, tray held steady, towards the window table. Eyes followed him. Whispers started. He slid into a seat, back straight, facing the room. He felt exposed, a bug under a magnifying glass.
Halfway through his unappetizing fries, the shadow fell over his table. Brad. Derek lurked behind him, smirking.
"Look who's trying out for the popular table," Brad sneered, swiping Li's milk carton. "This seat taken, Chink?" He slammed his fist on the table, making Li's tray jump.
Li didn't look up immediately. He finished chewing a fry, painfully slow. The system's DEF boost felt like an invisible layer of padding against the verbal assault. He met Brad's eyes, using [Stubborn Resolve] consciously. "Yes," Li said, his voice surprisingly steady thanks to [Quick Thinking]. "It is. By me."
Brad blinked, thrown. This wasn't the script. "You got a smart mouth all of a sudden?" He leaned in, his breath hot and sour. "Maybe you need another locker introduction?"
Li calculated. Brad was bigger, stronger. Direct fight? Suicide. But [Situational Awareness] pinged – Mrs. Davies, the strict assistant principal, was patrolling near the lunch line, looking their way. Li raised his voice slightly, just enough to carry. "Do you want Mrs. Davies to give you another Saturday detention, Brad? Or maybe juvie this time? I heard Principal Vance is cracking down."
Brad froze, glancing towards Mrs. Davies. His face contorted with rage, but also hesitation. He hated detention. "This ain't over, freak," he hissed, low and venomous. He shoved Li's tray off the table. Food and milk splattered across the floor. "Oops." He turned and swaggered away, Derek laughing.
Li sat amidst the mess, his heart hammering, but a fierce grin spread beneath his stoic expression. He hadn't won a fight, but he hadn't backed down. He hadn't been shoved. And he'd stayed seated.
[OPTIONAL QUEST: TERRITORY CLAIM! - COMPLETE!]
Reward Claimed: +150 XP, +1 AGI (New AGI: 10.5)
Reputation Gained: "Not a Complete Ghost" (Effect Active)
Level Progress: Level 3 (225/300 XP)
Mrs. Davies arrived, frowning at the mess. "Li? What happened?"
"Brad Jenkins knocked my tray over, ma'am," Li said calmly, meeting her gaze. "Accidentally, I'm sure." The lie felt smooth, aided by [Quick Thinking].
Mrs. Davies sighed, looking towards Brad's retreating back. "Clean this up, Li. And Jenkins... I'll be having words." She moved off.
Li grabbed napkins, cleaning the mess. The cafeteria hummed around him. Some kids looked away quickly. A few looked at him with something new – not respect, but maybe… curiosity? He wasn't invisible anymore. He'd claimed his territory, one sticky, food-stained square foot at a time. And his AGI felt just a little bit sharper. Next time, maybe I dodge the tray.