CHAPTER 2: Status and Reflection

Chapter 2: Status and Reflection

"What!? My intelligence is 12!? Is this thing saying I have the brainpower of a goldfish? And my other stats… they’re even worse!"

Frustration bubbled inside me as I scanned the numbers again. Then, my eyes landed on the Skill section. Before I could react, the text expanded, revealing a full description.

[Intuition] (Lv.1)
A passive skill that grants the user heightened awareness of their surroundings.

"So… I can sense danger? Is that what it means?"

But something was off. If Intuition was a passive skill, then why did the Passive section still say Locked? Was this skill considered both a passive and an active ability at the same time?

Before I could dwell on it, memories started to surface.

Yesterday… that moment.

I had finally gathered the courage to do something I’d been waiting so long for. I asked her—the girl I liked—if she wanted to be my girlfriend.

She said no.

Everyone in class laughed at me. Not because she was trying to embarrass me—I don’t think she meant to—but because I was an idiot who blurted it out in the middle of class without thinking.

That was the real mistake. Not the rejection itself, but the fact that I made a complete fool of myself in front of everyone. I wasn’t even that sad about her answer… I was just crushed by the fact that from that moment on, I’d be the class laughingstock.

What was I even thinking? She had so many guys interested in her—handsome guys, rich guys, guys smarter than me…

"Stupid intelligence stat."

After that, though… it’s a blur.

There’s something missing. I know something happened next, but no matter how hard I try to remember, my head starts aching—like something is blocking my memories.

But now, here I am. Standing in the middle of an open grassland. With a status screen.

"This… this is just like those manga and anime, isn’t it? When someone dies and gets reincarnated as an overpowered protagonist…"

What was it called again? Isekai?

Now I really wished I had actually read more of those stories.

Still, if this was anything like those, then I had a plan.

Step one: Fight monsters and grind for levels.
Step two: Find civilization—maybe a village.
Step three: Become the strongest.
Step four: Fall in love…?

Wait. That part could wait.

Yeah, let’s save the “falling in love” thing for later.