The thought of Chika plagued him as he walked to his last cla.s.s of the day . Something felt off, wrong . So many bad feelings this day, but that glitch for Chika's type . It never happened with anyone else . Could it be…a barrier? Toru asked of her something the other day . Did he know of Chika's not-so-average level but said nothing? He ran a mental tally on her a.n.a.lysis, though the tinge of guilt slapped him around like the back end of a fishtail .

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First, she emitted enough jealousy aura to fill the tank of a large plane and well-before the appropriate level . They were good friends, but he didn't try anything yet . Second, the level . Sure, Clare was level twenty-two, but for someone who trained like her, that was understandable . Chika on the other hand, not so much . Third, the type glitch . What could that be hiding? Chika texted him a lot, but more like a girlfriend, rather than a friend, which he was okay with—besides, anime girls, being anime girls . But…something about that… . The signs . The glitch . The random letter within that glitch that may not be just random . Fourth, her skillset . Deep slash level fifteen . Holy s.h.i.+t—Clyde could only dream of the perks . Triple thrust . These were skills of a blade . Skills… of a blade . Glitched type . Immense jealousy that promised something later . Deep slash level f.u.c.king fifteen, while level eighteen .

Oh s.h.i.+t .

Clyde's anime trope senses had ramped into severe mode . Not Chika… . Not his friend . He wanted to scream at the sky . She was so funny, smart, pretty . But aren't they all? But…she showed nothing . s.h.i.+t! s.h.i.+t! s.h.i.+t! If Chika was what he suspected, and Toru knew, he'd rain h.e.l.l on him then get the f.u.c.k out of dodge .

His last cla.s.s helped clear his mind just a bit, rewarding him with a silent grin .

[You have reached Crafting level 3! The world of creation is becoming clearer to you!]

Clyde fell back to worry as he left the final cla.s.s . How did he miss these signs? He shook his head, clearing his mind . He wasn't a G.o.dd.a.m.n harem main character, yet he let things slip like one . He let the trope bully him right into a nightmare . He was an idiot and now could be paying for it .

He decided to wait for a bit in a private study room of the library . It was empty, except for the student a.s.sistant playing on her phone . That's when he remembered the book in his inventory . He pulled it out .

[You have found the book of Flash Step . Item value: priceless . Opening this book will teach you the special ability, Flash Step . Warning, it will vanish after one use . ]

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Like before, the book gave an intense s.h.i.+mmer into golden sparkles, inserting the knowledge into his head like a downloadable program .

[You have learned the special ability, Flash Step!]

[Let it be known that special abilities, unlike special attacks, can be efficiently used outside of battle . They will still consume MP . ]

Abruptly, the door to the study room closed with a thud and someone ran off . Clyde leapt from the chair and hurried after the perp . No one was there when he left the library . The girl at the counter didn't budge, her headphones and calm demeanor, signaling that she wasn't the spy .

"Did you see who ran through here?" Clyde asked . The girl shrugged .

"No idea who she is . "

"She? What'd she look like? What color was her hair?"

"I don't trust you, perv," said the girl said then tuned him out .

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"Are you serious?" Clyde said . "Oh my go—"

He stormed out of the library, but before setting off to find Toru, his eyes stopped at the suggestion box pinned on the wall . He wrote, "Tell your student a.s.sistant, the girl that's here after school, to do her f.u.c.king job!" then put it inside without signing his name . Anonymous baby, he thought .

He turned and noticed something on the ground, inches ahead . A card . Great, another G.o.dd.a.m.n unneeded annoyance, Clyde thought . Why were they appearing around him?

[You have found an Action card . Item cla.s.s: bizarre . Fever Draw, a card said to be a tool of a once legendary deck . ]

[The cards effect's and abilities cannot be revealed to you until the contract is formed . ]

Clyde shook his head then put the card in his inventory . Maybe he'd fetch a good price for it later . He sent a text to Harumi, calling a meeting . She, Toru, and Kitome would meet him on the rooftop . As he searched for the nearest set of stairs, Clyde was struck with the familiar feeling of being watched .

"s.h.i.+t," he said softly . He flash-stepped around the corner, only to b.u.mp into the popular girl . "f.u.c.k s.h.i.+t s.h.i.+t . "

Maki .

Level: 8 .

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Type: Egomaniac .

Relations.h.i.+p: unknown .

HP: 100%

MP: 100%

Stats: Relations.h.i.+p isn't high enough .

Special abilities: Relations.h.i.+p isn't high enough .

Skills: Are we really doing this again, ya dolt!

Magic abilities: see above, dunderhead .

Secrets: see above . Goofball .

"Sorry about that," Clyde said then attempted to step around her . Maki blocked his path, smirk on her face .

"What's your name, new boy?" she said, standing in Clyde's personal bubble . Her body language laid it out too much on the seduction . She either had faith that her ridiculous fan club would sp.a.w.n out of nowhere to save her or held no sense of danger to potential a.s.sailants .

"It's Clyde," he said then tried to walk off again, but the egomaniac wasn't having it, blocking his path again, smiling .

Clyde's temper was finally about to peek its head—because his day wasn't going quite well, when Toru suddenly walked in between the two of them . His manner disappointed Clyde a little .

"Oh, Maki," he said, blus.h.i.+ng . "Hey . "

Clyde could feel the enmity ooze off the young woman, but she still held onto her friendly mask .

"Hi Toru," she said, eyes never leaving Clyde . Toru gave her a blank stare, possibly insulted for being half-ignored .

"Anyway Toru, let's go," Clyde said . "We still have to talk about that thing . "

Maki looked as if she wanted to object but the duo was already halfway down the hall . Not today b.i.t.c.h, he thought .

Sadly, as he took the last step to the rooftop, Clyde's thoughts trickled to his friend . His friend, who may not be right in the head…

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