Monaka toured the house with her Class 1-02 classmates, her voice brimming with excitement. "Look at this entrance, everyone! The doors swing both ways—wide and effortless!" "It's just like Leo-kun making a house so welcoming and wonderful!" she beamed.
Each time she praised the house, my name spilled from her lips. I scratched my neck, a bit embarrassed, but her joy warmed me. If she was this happy, my effort was worth it.
Onesco and Shinobuko, Monaka's guardians, loomed beside me, their eyes narrowed. "We thought your house would be utterly deplorable," Onesco scoffed. "Nin. A doghouse from hell, damn it," Shinobuko added sharply.
"Most classes manage one tiny hut per student." "Lower-ranked ones cram two students into a single shack." "But this? It's grand enough for all ten girls in our class!"
"Oh, that," I said, shrugging casually. "Monaka's class is all girls, so I figured you'd be safer together." "It's better for everyone this way, right?"
The black-and-white duo gritted their teeth, muttering, "Kuu!" "Such consideration… It's almost shameful!" Onesco admitted. "Nin. I respect you, even as a rival, damn it," Shinobuko conceded.
"But don't get cocky!" Onesco snapped, pointing a finger. "You're upgraded from horse bone to just a horse, a bad one!" "Nin. Stay away from Monaka-sama, or next time, we'll end you, degozaru."
"Thank you, I guess?" I replied with a wry smile. "Don't worry, I'll keep my distance from Monaka." They stormed off to inspect the house for "suspicious devices."
As they entered, their stern faces softened, entranced by the kinohi wood's scent. "Wow… it smells divine!" Onesco murmured dreamily. "Nin. So soothing… I could live here forever, degozaru."
Their awe didn't erase their view of me as an enemy. Yet, as I stood there, my body glowed faintly. A window appeared: You've leveled up to Level 4!
Another level? From building the house? I wondered, heart racing. Dexterity increased by 100 points! The "Dexterous Growth" skill was proving its worth.
"Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!" A piercing scream jolted me, echoing from Monaka's house. I spun around, pulse quickening, ready to act.
Earlier that morning…
Weiss, the leader of Class 1-20, stood alone, analyzing the situation with cold logic. Shacks are standard for pioneer schools, he thought, adjusting his glasses. Level 1 students lack tools and materials, but it's what we learned in middle school.
But his calm shattered each time he glimpsed my two-story house in his right lens. That's no shack! it's a mansion! Only a Level 10 could build that! His left lens reflected his class's pitiful huts, and his hands trembled.
As a Sage, my designs should be flawless!Yet Leopin, that jobless nobody, outdid me? Unacceptable! His pride stung, his composure peeling away like cheap paint.
Footsteps crunched behind him, and voices erupted in shock. "What the hell is that house?!" "Who built that? It's a real house!"
"It's Leopin's work, isn't it?" "No way that jobless guy made it!" "I heard he used to help carpenters; it explains a lot!"
"Hey, Weiss! What's going on?" "We followed your plans, gathered materials, and built the huts!" "How come ours are shacks while Leopin's is a masterpiece?"
"I knew exiling him was a mistake!" "Shut up!" Weiss barked, his voice cracking. "I'm a Sage! My decisions are perfect!"
"It's not my fault your huts are garbage!" "You built them wrong—blame yourselves!" The class's tension boiled over, voices clashing like swords.
No one was there to mediate, as I once might have. They didn't expect me to intervene in their mess. But fate had other plans.
DONGARA GASHAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Class 1-20's shacks collapsed in a domino-like chain reaction. The students' eyes darkened, their dreams crumbling with the debris.
"Aaaaaaa!!" They wailed, some falling to their knees. "Our homes—gone in an instant!" "We worked so hard for nothing!"
Weiss stood frozen, his glasses fogging with frustration. How did it come to this? he thought, fists clenched. Leopin's house stands tall, while ours lies in ruins!
Back at Monaka's house, I rushed toward the scream. Monaka stood at the entrance, surrounded by her classmates, pointing upward. "Leo-kun! A beam's loose, it's going to fall!" she cried.
A wooden beam had shifted, teetering dangerously above the doorway. Without hesitation, I switched to Carpenter and activated "Wooden Construction." My hands moved instinctively, as if guided by years of experience.
I climbed the frame, securing the beam with a Mokumigumi joint. The girls gasped as I worked, the beam locking into place seamlessly. "There," I said, dusting my hands. "It's safe now."
"Leo-kun, you're incredible!" Monaka exclaimed, clapping. Her classmates stared, their earlier skepticism replaced by awe. Even Onesco and Shinobuko exchanged reluctant glances.
"That was… impressive," Onesco admitted grudgingly. "Nin. You saved us, degozaru," Shinobuko muttered. "But don't think this makes us friends!" they added in unison.
I shrugged, unfazed. "Just doing my job." The house's kinohi wood filled the air with a calming fragrance. The girls relaxed, their earlier panic fading.
As I stepped outside, I noticed Class 1-20's collapsed shacks in the distance. They built without care, just like their betrayal of me, I thought. But I had no time to dwell on them, my own path was clear.
I opened my status window, checking my new skills. Level 4, with more professions unlocked. "Builder" caught my eye, promising advanced construction techniques.
Switching to Builder, I felt a surge of knowledge. Blueprint Creation: Design structures with enhanced durability. I envisioned a workshop next to Monaka's house, a place for crafting tools.
I gathered more kinohi wood from the forest, my stone axe singing with each swing. THWACK-THWACK-THWACK! The rhythmic chops echoed through the trees. In no time, I had enough lumber for a sturdy workshop.
Back at the site, I laid out the blueprint, my hands moving with precision. The workshop rose quickly, a single-story structure with a slanted roof. Appraisal: Highly durable, weather-resistant, boosts crafting efficiency.
Monaka peeked over, her eyes wide. "Another building, Leo-kun?" "Just a workshop for tools," I said, wiping sweat from my brow. "You're unstoppable!" she giggled, her voice like a melody.
The other classes watched from afar, their whispers growing louder. "He's building another structure? Alone?" "He's no ordinary outcast—that guy's a freak!"
I ignored them, focusing on my work. The workshop's walls gleamed with kinohi's subtle sheen. It was a sanctuary for creation, a testament to my skills.
As the sun dipped low, casting golden rays over the forest, I stepped back. Two structures stood proud, Monaka's house and my workshop. The other students' shacks lay in ruins, their efforts dwarfed.
They called me trash, but I'm building a future. My Endurance kept fatigue at bay, my Dexterity fueling my craft. Level 4, and I'm just getting started.
A new notification appeared: New Skill Unlocked: Structural Reinforcement. This would make my buildings even stronger, perfect for what lies ahead. The forest loomed, full of challenges, but I was ready to face them.