After settling Mashiro in the staff room earlier, Rito returned to his classroom.
Saruyama was already there, laughing in his usual boisterous way while chatting with another boy Rito didn't recognize at first.
A moment later, it clicked—Itsuki, Amane Fujimiya's best friend from Angel Next Door.
"Yo, Rito!" Saruyama waved him over, pulling him into the conversation.
Itsuki was polite and easy to talk to, though Rito noticed he carried himself with a quiet composure that made him stand out from Saruyama's rowdy energy.
They traded light banter, nothing too deep, but it felt natural.
As expected, Fujimiya himself wasn't much for words—he responded briefly whenever Saruyama drew him in, but his eyes drifted toward the window more often than not.
Still, Rito didn't mind. Just being able to talk with others outside his usual circle felt refreshing.
Once class began, Rito took his seat and tried to focus, though every now and then his eyes wandered.
Sometimes toward Haruna Sairenji, her soft features framed by her neatly tied hair. Sometimes toward Yui Kotegawa, who sat with her back straight, posture disciplined even while flipping through her notes.
When the lesson ended, the teacher tasked Yui with carrying a stack of books to the office. Rito instinctively moved to help.
"I could have taken care of it alone," Yui said, her tone brisk, chin slightly lifted.
"I know," Rito replied with a small smile. "But you've helped me plenty before. Let me return the favor at least once."
Her steps faltered for the briefest second. Then, almost too softly to catch, she muttered, "Thanks." The words carried a genuine warmth that contrasted her sharp tone. Before Rito could react, she hurried away, cheeks faintly pink.
Rito chuckled to himself as he returned to class, shaking his head at her tsundere-like retreat.
From the corner, Hina-sensei had been watching, her lips curved in a knowing smile.
The next period carried on without much fuss, but beneath the ordinary rhythm, subtle shifts began.
Haruna found herself watching Rito more often than she realized. His easy smiles, his casual kindness—whether helping Yui or chatting freely with others—it all stirred a faint unease in her chest.
Is he… getting more and more popular?
The thought pricked at her heart, a whisper of panic that she quickly tried to smother. But Risa and Aya noticed her lingering gaze immediately.
With a mischievous grin, Risa leaned close, her hand darting to squeeze Haruna's backside.
"Kyaa!" Haruna squeaked, bolting upright with her face flushed scarlet. She glared at her friend, who only giggled.
"What are you spacing out about, Haruna?" Risa teased, eyes glinting. "Thinking about a certain someone~?"
Haruna sighed, her embarrassment only deepening as Aya covered her mouth to hide a chuckle. Whatever tension she had been feeling a moment ago vanished like mist, leaving only the flustered warmth of her friends' relentless teasing.
It was break period before Rito realized it. He leaned back in his chair, stretching slightly, his eyes flicking toward the glowing blue panel hovering faintly before him.
[High School Study Lv. 2 → 32/100]
The number had climbed a little higher since morning. Just a small bump, but enough to bring a faint smile to his lips. Progress was progress.
But that wasn't what made his heart stir. His gaze slid lower, to the new entry flashing at the bottom of the list.
[Skill Unlocked: Shinobi Rush (Active)]
Rito exhaled slowly, still hardly believing it. An active skill—completely different from the usual passive boosts that quietly built up over time. This one had teeth. A power with a "supercharge," as the description had put it.
A skill that, when activated, would pull the abilities of a shinobi from the Naruto world into his body for one full hour. Every ten minutes, a new shinobi's essence would layer on top of the last, stacking together like cards in a deck. Six in total by the end.
He could almost see it in his mind: Naruto's raw energy, Sasuke's Sharingan precision, and Minato's blinding speed. If luck favored him… the combinations could be terrifying.
But of course, there was the catch. Stage 1 abilities only—bare-bones, the foundation level of each shinobi. No sage modes, no perfect Susanoo, no teleportation masteries. And worse, luck could just as easily hand him the skills of a no-name side character whose contribution in canon had been little more than cannon fodder.
Still… Rito grinned to himself. His life had always been tangled with misfortune, but when it came to games and draws, his luck wasn't half bad. Maybe this was one roll of the dice he could actually trust.
"Oi, Rito, what are you grinning about?" Saruyama's voice broke his thoughts. The boy plopped down beside him, talking about where they should grab lunch.
Before Rito could answer, a buzz spread through the class. Students' heads turned toward the door, whispers filling the air.
Rito followed their gaze—and froze.
Mashiro stood in the doorway, her golden hair catching the light like strands of spun sunlight. She didn't move, didn't speak, and simply scanned the room until her amber eyes found him.
"Mashiro…?" Rito blinked, already standing before he realized it.
Haruna's lips parted in quiet surprise as she, too, recognized the girl. Kotegawa's brows furrowed, her sharp eyes flicking from Mashiro to Rito with a silent question.
When he approached, Mashiro stepped forward, reaching for his sleeve without hesitation. Her fingers curled around the fabric, her voice soft, almost childlike.
"Rito."
"What happened?" he asked gently, bending a little to meet her gaze.
"Hungry."
The blunt reply made him chuckle. "Figures."
Saruyama, watching the exchange, gawked. Mashiro, one of the most beautiful girls he'd seen, was tugging on Rito's sleeve like it was the most natural thing in the world—it was enough to make his jaw drop.
"Uhh… lunch, right?" Rito said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Guess I'll help her out again." He glanced apologetically at Saruyama and Itsuki. "Sorry, guys. Go on ahead without me."
"Wait, Rito—who is she?" Saruyama demanded, eyes wide with envy.
"Idiot," Rito shot back halfheartedly, though his tone lacked any real bite. "She's the daughter of my mom's friend. Came from overseas, doesn't know her way around. That's all."
Saruyama didn't look convinced, but Rito was already walking away, Mashiro still tugging lightly at his sleeve.
At the canteen, Rito helped Mashiro with her order. She stared at the menu like it was written in code, her blank expression unchanging until her eyes caught on something familiar—her favorite sweet.
"Again?" Rito sighed, though his lips curved in amusement. He bought it for her anyway but held it back until she promised to finish her proper meal first. Mashiro blinked slowly, then gave the faintest nod, sealing the deal.
Carrying their trays, they looked for a table—only to find a group of familiar figures waving them over.
The Nakano quintuplets.
"Rito-kun! Over here!" Yotsuba called, her bright energy leaving him no room to escape as she and Itsuki pulled them toward their table.
Mashiro followed without complaint, sliding into the seat beside him. The quintuplets' eyes lit up immediately.
"Wow," Itsuki teased, leaning forward with a mischievous glint. "Another beauty with you today, huh?"
Rito laughed awkwardly. "It's not like that. She's Mashiro—daughter of my mom's friend. She's a famous artist, but… well, let's just say she's a little blank when it comes to everything else."
The girls exchanged intrigued looks, already whispering among themselves.
Ichika smirked, resting her chin on her hand. "Oh, speaking of blank, Rito… Yotsuba told us about that incident."
"Eh—!" Rito froze, his face burning.
"Wha—Ichika!" Yotsuba flailed, cheeks red as she tried to cover the topic, but the damage was done. Nino's eyes narrowed dangerously, a sharp glare pinning Rito in place.
He stammered, fumbling through an explanation, barely saved when Yotsuba herself—face aflame—backed him up in a rush of words.
The teasing subsided eventually, but not before Ichika's smirk deepened and Miku shook her head quietly, lips twitching.
By the time it ended, Rito sat slumped in his seat, Mashiro quietly nibbling her dessert beside him.
"…Why does it always turn out this way?" he muttered under his breath.
Because no matter what he said, no matter how much he explained, the label had already stuck.
Pervert.
And judging by the amused looks surrounding him, he wasn't shaking it off anytime soon.