Skill 3 hadn't changed much; it only added a chance to reflect mental-type spells. Of course, if used skillfully, it could still yield surprisingly effective results.
What truly caught Luo Jie's attention was the newly appeared Skill 4.
Unlike weapons of other rarities, a Golden-grade weapon was guaranteed to gain a new skill upon reaching max level. This new skill often represented a qualitative leap for the weapon itself. A max-level Golden weapon could even hold its own against a Purple-grade weapon one tier higher in a direct clash, overcoming the tier disadvantage solely through the power of its max-level skill.
Clearly, this new "Shikigami Seal" wasn't a complete skill. It required the user to personally seek out and seal a suitable creature's spirit, transforming it into a Shikigami—akin to a sword spirit—to truly fulfill the skill's potential.
This incomplete nature had pros and cons.
The advantage was the user's freedom to choose the Shikigami to seal. Since Shikigami originated from living spirits, their affinity with the user would significantly impact the difficulty of the sealing process and subsequent control. A high-affinity spirit would be far easier to work with.
The disadvantage was equally obvious. Finding a spirit highly compatible with the blade wouldn't be easy. If Luo Jie couldn't locate a high-affinity spirit promptly, or settled for sealing one with low affinity, Skill 4's effectiveness risked becoming disappointingly mediocre.
Furthermore, Luo Jie had some understanding of spirits from his past life. Explaining them in detail was complex, but simply put, they were pure spiritual entities retaining the consciousness and memories of their former lives. Because spirits carried these memories and awareness, sealing one as a Shikigami required targeting either a recently deceased spirit or one lingering due to special circumstances. Simply killing a target and trying to grab its spirit wouldn't work.
Therefore, until he found a suitable spirit, Skill 4 remained unusable as combat power.
With 16,885 points remaining, Luo Jie briefly considered, then allocated 4,000 points to max out his F-Rank Blue-grade item, the [USS Micro Drone].
He hadn't paid much attention to this little gadget before, but found it surprisingly handy in actual use.
USS Micro Drone
Type: Tool
Grade: F (Blue) - MAX
Description: A tactical reconnaissance drone issued by Umbrella Security Service (USS) teams. Features infrared thermal imaging and night vision. Maximum remote control range: 30km (20km without satellite signal). Capable of automatic target tracking and filming. Equipped with an anti-jamming communications module, allowing it to function as an aerial signal relay for tactical squads.
New Function: Squad Comms - Supports real-time voice and text communication for up to 20 users within a 40km diameter range.
The upgraded drone saw its max range increase by 10km. Its core functions remained largely unchanged, but it gained the crucial squad communication feature. While the 40km range was limited, it was perfectly adequate for small-scale tactical operations.
Having soaked long enough, Luo Jie stood up in the tub and stepped under the shower to rinse off. White suds swirled down the drain with the water. He shook his wet hair, reached for a large white towel from the nearby cabinet, and draped it casually around his neck.
Swoosh—!
Just as Luo Jie was drying his hair, the frosted glass bathroom door slid open. Ms. Shizuka, still gloriously nude, stood there framed in the doorway. Her messy blonde hair stuck out wildly as she yawned widely, shuffling sleepily into the bathroom.
(O_O)... (￣▽￣)
Their eyes locked for several seconds. Ms. Shizuka, seemingly oblivious to the situation, suddenly brightened up and waved cheerfully.
"Hey, Yoru-kun! Morning! I heard the shower and thought it was Rika! Haha... Need help scrubbing your back?"
"Uh... no, thanks. I'm done," Luo Jie replied. He briefly considered wrapping the towel around his waist but decided it would seem overly prudish given the circumstances. Maintaining a calm expression, he walked past her, the evidence of his involuntary reaction standing at attention.
Ms. Shizuka might have a slow reaction time, but she wasn't devoid of common sense. Emerging from the bathroom after washing up, she had once again wrapped her voluptuous figure in a towel. Luo Jie noted, however, that this state of partial concealment was arguably more enticing than her previous full nudity.
"Yoru-kun! What do I do?" Ms. Shizuka rushed up to him, panic-stricken, holding up a single, impossibly large cup of purple lace lingerie. Her voice trembled with a hint of tears. "My bra... the one I washed last night... it's still not dry!"
Luo Jie sighed, pressing a hand to his forehead. Just how high is my favorability with her that she's bringing me this kind of problem?
"Then just go without it," he suggested, shrugging helplessly.
"No! Absolutely not!" Ms. Shizuka leaned in, her face inches from his, expression deadly serious. "A bra is essential! Otherwise... when running... they'll get swollen..."
"..."
Alright, her focus might be slightly skewed, but her logic was unassailable. Luo Jie found himself momentarily speechless.
Joking aside, Luo Jie had anticipated this. He bent down, retrieved a plastic shopping bag emblazoned with "Minami Town Shopping Center," and handed it to her.
"Got you a full set of clothes and underwear inside, plus some sneakers... Oh, and a few hair ties too. Ms. Shizuka, you should really tie your hair up. It'll be more practical."
Ms. Shizuka opened the bag with skeptical curiosity. A gasp of disbelief escaped her lips as she pulled out a stylish beige jacket. "Wow! This is DK's new spring collection! It's so expensive... almost three months of my salary... I could never afford it..." Her eyes sparkled with delight.
Next came delicate lingerie. "Oh! LC's Royal Court series! They say the embroidery uses real gold thread...!" She held up the intricate purple lace pieces.
Then the shoes. "Ah! AD Flamingo series cushioning runners! Though the color might not perfectly match the outfit..." she mused, already lost in her fashion critique.
Still murmuring excitedly about her new acquisitions, Ms. Shizuka promptly untied her towel. Without a hint of self-consciousness, she began trying on the clothes right in front of Luo Jie, completely naked.
Sigh... Luo Jie started to remind her about modesty, then stopped himself. In just over a day, he'd seen practically every inch of the buxom teacher. Feigning prudishness now felt hypocritical.
"Hey! Yoru-kun! How's this? Does it fit?" Now clad in the deep purple, gold-threaded lace lingerie, Ms. Shizuka bounced lightly on her toes, giving a happy twirl before him.
Luo Jie nodded, his expression serene as still water. The breathtaking view of her ample curves mere feet away seemed to register no more than a gentle breeze or the moon's reflection. Utterly unfazed.
"It looks wonderful, Ms. Shizuka," he stated calmly.
He unscrewed the cap of his protein shake with perfect composure.
Slurp. Slurp.