The two girls dragged Hani out of the gym. "I know a place, follow me," Emma said, leading the way to one of the training rooms specially reserved for her.
Hani waddled behind them, trying to figure out why they acted like this.
Why are they being so serious? It's inside the school, so it wouldn't have gone that badly. Hani struggled to grasp the situation appropriately.
For Hani, at the moment when Leo came at her with the intent to hurt, she did not even see it because in her eyes that attack had become slow and readable. She did not realise how much more powerful she had really become.
After being dragged into a practice room and door locked behind, Emma let go of her arm. She turned around, grabbing Hani's cheeks, shoving her head to the left and right. She got on her tiptoes to get a good look and ensure she was unharmed.
Hani was confused as she checked her. Eh... What is she doing?
Confirming that Hani was unharmed, Emma let out a loud sigh. Her face, which was full of concern, turned sour. With anger, she struck Hani with a strong force on her forehead.
Emma is a bit scary... Surprised by this, Stella backed away, letting go of Hani.
A sudden shock of pain on her head, Hani holds her forehead, crying out. "Emma, why did you do that?" Eyes watering, lips pouting.
"That was dangerous, Hani. Did I help you just so you could try and beat that stupid bastard? Seriously, Hani, he is still an A-ranker."
Realising the situation she was in, Hani dropped her head. In an apologetic whimper, she replied, "I am sorry, Emma."
Emma stared at Hani, watching her sulk. She shook her head. There are bigger things to talk about.
"Hani... How did you do it? Even I had difficulties breaking the third layer of the training core." Silence fell. Stella was in utter disbelief when hearing this for the first time. Did I just hear that right? Hani broke all the layers of the training core?
"Um..." She lifted her head just a bit, staring at Emma and then towards Stella, "Well... I just envisioned it the way you taught me the whole time."
"You must be wrong, Emma." Stella stood there, eyebrows creased, "Even most A-rankers can't break it so Hani should not be able to. I don't remember her having this type of capability."
Hearing these words come out of Stella's mouth, Hani's face fell. Ahhhh!... Stella thought I was just a weak, good-for-nothing this whole time? I know I was weak before, but does she have to say this right to my face? Even Emma did not say things like this. Hani's lips protruded even further as she pouted more deeply on the verge of tears.
"But I just did it... I have been increasing my stats the past few years, and I know I have been doing only extreme training in the past few months, but I tried my best! My stats have been increasing every day, you know!" Hani blurted out without taking a breath, wanting to prove a point.
"Ha?" Emma and Stella looked at her, confused. "What do you mean your stats are going up?" Emma crossed her arms, unable to follow this conversation.
"Eh... I mean exactly that... I look at my stats going up every day?" Hani was equally confused. What is so hard to understand about that? Do people not look at their stats as they grow them?
Hani tilted her head to the side, hand on her chin, trying to figure out what was wrong.
"Wait, Hani... how can you even check it every day... The ranking office only allows you to do this once a year. Are you sure you are not talking about something else?" Stella also joined in on the confusion.
"Eh. Um... why do you need to go to the ranking office?" Hani replies.
The three looked at each other in turns, wondering if they are even speaking the same language.
"Maybe you can try to elaborate on what you are trying to say?" Stella asked after a long silence.
"Ah, yes, of course!" Hani got flustered by this question. Am I dumb? Why don't they understand me? Stella probably thinks I am weak and dumb, too, now. Uahhh!
"Well...I open my stat box and look at the number, and—" Before Hani could finish her sentence, Emma interrupted.
"What do you mean, a stat box, Hani?" Emma was clearly frustrated, tapping her foot rapidly.
"Uh... the box that pops up when you want to look at your stats?" Hani replies like it's the most obvious answer in the world.
"Hani... that is not normal... one cannot look at their stats anytime they want. I think it's your skill!" Stella had made a breakthrough in this back-and-forth conversation. "Oh, that is so cool! What is your ability, Hani? I have never heard anything like this before!" Basically, jumping Stella, who comes from a scientist family, was fascinated. Like she had found a new specimen, she walked up, looking at Hani with gleaming eyes. A person being able to look at their stats on their own has never been done before.
Hani was overwhelmed by Stella's look, and while she felt like a toy on display, she did not hate the feeling. Her face was red as she tried to avoid eye contact, but she was able to basically feel Stella next to her.
"Um... Uh. It's just a weird F-rank skill... nothing great!" Hani tries to shuffle away from Stella, too much close exposure made her heart feel like it was going to burst. It was practically beating like a drum. Can she hear my heartbeat when she is this close? Why is it so loud? That would be embarrassing.
"Oh, whatever, it's still something I have never heard of before!" Stella took out her phone, ready to dial her brother, "I should talk to my family about this, they would be interested!"
Before she could even hit the call button, Emma, who was thinking this through, snatched it away. "Are you crazy? I am not letting you sell out Hani like that, being tested on for your crazy family's curiosity."
Stella, who had not thought about it, pouted. That is true. If I tell my parents, they will take away all my fun by trapping Hani. I should just keep quiet, it's not that big...
"Get out of the room, Stella. I cannot trust you." Emma shot a glance at Stella, who in turn refused to leave.
"No, pleaseeeeeeeeee! I promise I won't tell my parents. I promise!" Stella was excited and couldn't help but act childish at this point. Hani clutches her heart. Today is the best day of my life. I could die happy... I have seen so many faces of Stella.
Between the look of awe from Hani and the pleading puppy eyes from Stella, Emma gets even more irritated. "No! Get out!" Grabbing Stella by the arm. The sudden burst of anger put fear into Hani, who could not stop Emma from dragging Stella out. She gave a silent wave to Stella as the door slammed, and it was just Emma and Hani who were left.
"Ok, Hani, you have to be straight with me... I know you said your skill is 'All stats are intelligence'... right? So that means that every other stat is the same as your intelligence... right?" Hani nods, still looking at the closed door where Stella is behind.
"When we met, what was your intelligence level?"
"Um... around 15?" Hani made an estimate and was trying to think back.
"What is your status now, Hani...?" Curious, itching to know, Emma asked.
"If I look at it now." She lowered her eyes, looking at something in midair that Emma could not see. "It's 23!" Gleaming, she told Emma.
Emma's mouth dropped open. Shocked. Silence fills the room once again as Hani watches Emma, confused. "Emma?"
"23?!" Emma shouts, echoing the enclosed room. "Hani, what the hell? How did you even do that?"
"Is that good?" Hani was still oblivious to the situation.
"Hani... My magic is 24, and my strength is 25. You do realise that only people who train can even increase their stat above 10, which was normal for you being a genius, but to break into the 20s zone, not even that, be near 25, and the rapid growth is basically unheard of!" Emma could not believe what she was hearing.
"Hani.. My magic stat was 22 when I first acquired my skill, and with intensive training due to my privileges, I managed to increase it by 2 points in 3 years. This is already an abnormal pace, what you have doesn't.... 15 points to 23 is impossible." Emma could not seem to stop talking. Nothing about this made sense.
"Oh... Maybe cause I am just a genius?" the oblivious Hani, who had never given much thought to or researched the stats of others, made a suggestion that nearly made Emma go crazy.
"Hani..." Emma put her hand on her head, pressing her temples." For a genius, you are pretty slow." How the hell does a person increase 8 points in 3 years... but with her skill... no way
"No way... this can't be... Hani, don't tell me, are all your stats 23?"
Hani stared at her and answered nonchalantly, "Of course that's my skill", with a dumb, unknowing smile on her face. Hani seems to be ignorant of the position she was in.