Dusk had settled in by the time Drake made his way home.
His steps were light. Too light.
His heart was still racing.
I… lost my virginity.
The realization echoed in his mind like a victorious fanfare.
[Congratulations, Host.]
Drake grinned stupidly to himself.
"Yeah… thanks, Sys," he muttered, genuine gratitude lacing his voice.
The gift the system had given him was—no exaggeration—completely broken.
Titanic Endowment.
No matter how many rounds he went, his stamina never dipped. His body never complained. The only reason he had stopped wasn't exhaustion—
It was because Ava had been on the verge of collapsing.
That alone filled Drake with an immense, stupid amount of pride.
...
When he got home, the living room lights were on.
Maya was sprawled comfortably on the couch, eyes fixed on the TV. Beside her sat Elle, scrolling through her phone with intense concentration.
The moment Drake stepped inside, Elle visibly stiffened.
Then, slowly, she tried to shrink herself behind Maya's shoulder, as if hoping to phase out of existence.
Drake noticed.
He just smiled smugly.
Without saying anything, he headed for the stairs.
But before going up, he paused.
"I'm gonna be upstairs," he said casually. "Training. Don't disturb me."
He took two steps—then stopped again and turned back.
"Ah, Maya," he added, scratching the back of his head. "Can you tutor me again tomorrow? Math."
Maya turned toward him, blinking once… then smiled softly.
"Of course."
"Alright. Thanks."
Drake returned the smile and continued upstairs.
---
Once inside his room, he let out a long sigh and flopped onto his bed for a moment, staring at the ceiling.
Being tutored by a freshman…
I really am a lost cause.
He wasn't wrong.
If Maya had been an average underclassman, Drake would've never asked. But she wasn't normal—not even close.
She was a genuine prodigy.
Top scorer in mathematics across the entire school. She'd even beaten seniors in national-level competitions. More impressive than her intelligence was her ability to teach.
Most geniuses skipped steps, assumed understanding, and confused everyone around them.
Maya didn't.
She broke everything down cleanly, logically, patiently—turning nightmares into something Drake could actually understand.
Without her tutoring, he wouldn't have even scraped by.
He sat up, eyes gleaming.
"Enough with math," Drake muttered, excitement surging back into his veins.
"It's time to go steal Light's skill fruit."
He clenched his fist.
"System—let's go."
And in the next instant, Drake dematerialized—his body dissolving into light as he vanished from the room.
...
Drake materialized in a flash of light.
Stone beneath his feet. Cool air. The faint scent of incense.
He stood before a modest church in a quiet rural village, its bell tower rising just high enough to be seen over the surrounding houses.
This was it.
"So this is the church where Light gets his skill fruit…" Drake muttered.
[Host, hurry. The ceremony has already begun.]
"Already?" Drake frowned.
He was about to slip inside using Stealth Walk, wait for the perfect timing, and strike cleanly—
Then he paused.
"…No," he said, lips curling upward. "I've got a better idea."
...
Inside the church, sunlight filtered through stained glass windows, casting warm colors across the stone floor.
At the altar stood the Holy Sister.
She had long blonde hair that fell neatly down her back, clear blue eyes filled with calm authority, and wore pristine white and blue clerical robes embroidered with sacred symbols. Her presence alone commanded reverence—gentle, yet unmistakably powerful.
[Image Here]
Before her, six youths stood in a line.
"The skill fruits you are about to receive," the Holy Sister said, her voice smooth and clear, "are sacred fruits that grant abilities to those who eat them."
She gestured to the altar, where several strangely shaped fruits rested.
"Once you acquire your skill, you will be able to pursue a vocation suited to it—adventurer, artisan, mage, knight."
She paused, her expression turning serious.
"However, there is one inviolable rule that must never be broken."
She raised a finger.
"You may eat only one skill fruit in your lifetime."
A murmur spread through the church.
"Eating a second," she continued, "will poison your body instantly. Death is unavoidable."
"It's… lethal?" a blonde girl exclaimed.
Lena Floria—red eyes, soft features, a flower ornament tucked into her hair—looked visibly shaken. She was the heroine of this anime.
[Image Here]
"Many fools," the Holy Sister replied calmly, "have attempted to consume another fruit after being dissatisfied with their skill."
Her tone did not change.
"Every single one of them died."
Lena swallowed and turned toward the boy beside her.
"Did you know that, Light?"
Light Underwood—the main character, black hair, blue eyes—nodded.
"Yes. Anyone who wants to become an adventurer knows."
He clenched his fist slightly.
"Without a combat skill, you can't even stand at the starting line."
The Holy Sister nodded.
"As long as you eat only one fruit, there will be no issue," she said. "Gaining a skill is a miraculous experience."
She smiled gently.
"Now—step forward. It is time to begin your new lives."
A clerk approached Lena and guided her to the altar.
Light leaned closer and whispered, "Believe in it when you eat it. That's important."
Lena nodded nervously. "Alright."
She picked up a fruit.
And bit into it.
Light erupted from her body almost instantly.
Her entire form glowed, radiance flooding the church. She gasped as heat surged through her veins, her body trembling.
The Holy Sister's eyes widened.
"…This is—"
She stepped forward, awestruck.
"The skill Sword Saint."
The light was blinding, illuminating every corner of the church. Then, slowly, it faded.
Lena stood there, unharmed—changed.
"I… I would never have imagined seeing one born here," the Holy Sister said, her voice trembling with excitement. "In such a small village…"
"Sword… Saint?" Lena asked, still dazed.
"You are one of the chosen," the Holy Sister said reverently. "An adventurer awaited by destiny itself."
The church erupted.
Gasps. Cheers. Shocked whispers.
Lena returned to Light, still trying to process everything.
"That's amazing, Lena!" Light said honestly.
"I hope you get a combat skill too," Lena replied with a smile.
"Thank you," Light said, taking a breath. "Then—it's my turn."
He stepped up to the altar.
His hand hovered over a fruit when—
The church doors slammed open.
Every head turned.
A red-haired young man staggered inside, clothes tattered, breathing hard.
"Pant… pant…"
Drake wiped sweat from his brow.
"Guys," he said between breaths, "you… forgot me."
Silence.
The Holy Sister frowned slightly. "Forgot someone…? I was told only six youths were coming of age in this village…"
Before she could think further—
Drake ran a hand through his hair and straightened up, his expression shifting into shameless confidence.
"How could you forget," he said smugly, "the most handsome guy in the village?"
The villagers stared at him.
Blankly.
Do we know this guy?
"Maybe," Drake added smoothly, "it's because I live alone up in the nearby mountains. Otherwise there's no chance you would have forgot such a perfect being."
Without waiting for permission, he strode forward—
And snatched the fruit Light was about to take.
"Hey—what are you do—?!"
Crunch.
Too late.
Drake had already taken a bite.
"Nooooo!" Light cried out like he'd just lost the love of his life.
Light surged around Drake's body.
Warmth flowed through him—but far less than he had expected.
The Holy Sister sighed, clearly displeased by his actions, and activated her appraisal skill.
She looked at Drake.
"Your skill is…"
She paused.
"…Fruit Master."
Drake smiled.
He would've been disappointed—
If he didn't know exactly how terrifying that skill truly was in this world.
To be continued...
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