69novels Page 116
Page 116
"How could that be? Emotional reasons play a part, but ultimately, it's based on rational considerations."
Ashikaga Miwa walked to the table to the side, picked up her gold-rimmed glasses and put them back on, then turned around to look at Asagiri and Kato Megumi, and slowly began to speak.
"I had dealings with you guys before all this happened. Instead of going to some so-called suicide bombers whose trustworthiness is questionable to get into the game, it's better to invest directly in you guys, whom I think I can completely trust and who are the strongest players at this stage."
"Of course, I don't want to gain anything from this game or the players' power. My goal remains the same: to change the atmosphere within Shuchiin Academy. Through this period of special training, I've come to know Yuuki and Kato quite well. They are both kind and gentle people. From my perspective, I hope that players like you will survive to the end, and..."
At this point, Ashikaga Miwa paused slightly, looked at Asagiri's face, and slowly began to speak.
"I hope you live. I will do everything I can to help you survive and make sure you can accomplish what we agreed on."
"That's it."
Asagiri nodded noncommittally, then walked up to Ashikaga Miwa, extended her hand, and said with a smile.
"So, deal done?"
"Ah."
Ashikaga Miwa grasped Asagiri's hand and smiled slightly.
"Deal done."
As Ashikaga Miwa finished speaking, a phantom tarot card suddenly appeared in mid-air and slowly landed in Asagiri's left palm.
"A new Persona slot...The Pope, perhaps..."
Asagiri watched as the phantom tarot card with the Pope's image gradually disappeared into her palm, then looked at Ashikaga Miwa and smiled.
"Congratulations, Ashikaga-sensei, for playing such an important role in unlocking my Persona slots."
"Although I don't know what Persona is, but..."
Ashikaga Miwa sighed, rubbing her forehead, and couldn't help but complain.
"You brat, you're as arrogant as ever."
……
Later that evening, at Asagiri's house.
"Utsunomiya-kun, here, a Coke."
Having just finished showering, Kato Megumi dried her hair, her bare, fair feet stepping onto the wooden floor. She opened a can of Coca-Cola that she had just taken from the refrigerator and handed it to Asagiri.
"Thank you."
Asagiri took the cola, took a sip, and then put it aside. Looking at the various fighting techniques and weapon usage tutorials sent by Ashikaga Miwa on her laptop, and the file folder on the table containing Ashikaga Miwa's handwritten targeted training plan based on the abilities of the four members of the team, as well as some precautions for teamwork and possible tactical suggestions, she said softly.
"Why aren't you going home? Why are you staying here with me to do this research? Won't your parents worry?"
"It's okay, they've all gone on vacation, I've been home alone these past couple of days."
"If you stay up all night, you'll be sleepy in class tomorrow...?"
"Utsunomiya-kun, have you forgotten?"
Kato Megumi smiled slightly and spoke softly.
"I could just sleep in class and the teacher wouldn't even notice."
55
Chapter 55 The Assassin Girl is Too Desperate.
"Sigh, Miss Assassin is too reckless."
Hearing Asagiri's teasing tone with a smile, Kato Megumi removed the hair tie from her wrist, tied her long, loose black hair into a high ponytail, and then calmly said while organizing the information provided by Ashikaga Miwa.
"Whether it's my reasoning skills or my fighting talent, I can't compare to Kotoko and Asuna. I'm just an ordinary person, but even though I'm just an ordinary person, I don't want to be the one who holds everyone back. In order to be able to help everyone... and to help you, I will definitely give 100%... no, 120% effort."
"Haven't I already told you? You're anything but ordinary."
Asagiri picked up her laptop and placed it on her lap, then opened the combat skills training videos sent by Ashikaga Miwa and chuckled.
"Asuna, Kotoko, and I are all people with very distinctive personalities, who might seem a bit abnormal to normal people. Furthermore, our styles of doing things and our thoughts are completely different. Yet, you have gained the unanimous approval of all three of us and become a member of this team. This is enough to prove your worth."
"Yes, that's why I can't hold everyone back."
Kato Megumi picked up the file containing Ashikaga Miwa's handwritten information and couldn't help but ask.
"I have a question for you."
"what?"
"Based on the patterns we've observed, the rewards the system distributes after players complete a level are most suitable for the player themselves. And since the four of us are all advanced players, we can even customize the type of rewards, right?"
"Correct."
Kato Megumi looked puzzled and thoughtful.
"But if that's the case, do we still need Mr. Ashikaga to develop any special training plans or enhancement programs based on our individual abilities?"
Upon hearing this, Asagiri shrugged and said nonchalantly.
"You'll know just by looking at it."
Although Kato Megumi didn't quite understand Asagiri's meaning, she obediently nodded, opened the file bag, took out the special training plan for Ashikaga Miwa based on her personal abilities, and began to read it carefully.
[Suggestions for Phantom's Future Development]
The first sentence that caught her eye made Kato Megumi almost lose her composure. Seeing such serious words, Kato Megumi couldn't help but picture Ashikaga Miwa's meticulous and serious face, which Asagiri called an abstinent middle-aged woman, and she almost burst out laughing.
However, what she saw next surprised her.
Based on Phantom's unique talents and abilities, the following development path is recommended for its future development.
[1. Prioritize enhancing melee and direct combat abilities to acquire powerful close-range attack skills and skills that allow you to traverse space, such as teleportation or blinking, enabling you to quickly close the distance to the enemy and deliver a fatal blow before they are aware of the Phantom's presence.]
[2. Acquire long-range sniping skills, enhance agility, and combine with exclusive talent abilities to transform into an archer-type character who can shoot enemies from afar and launch surprise attacks from the side during frontal battles to support the squad.]
【3. Develop based on unique abilities, without needing to acquire too many offensive skills, and transition into an intelligence-gathering reconnaissance profession (Note: If someone in the team already has reconnaissance abilities, this type of profession is not recommended)】
[4. Also based on exclusive abilities, try to acquire some trap-related skills. While ensuring that you remain undetected, set up controllable traps in advance on the battlefield to give the team a combat advantage.]
Upon seeing the development path suggestions written by Ashikaga Miwa, Kato Megumi silently recited them, feeling that her future development ideas were gradually becoming clearer.
"Master Ashikaga, she..."
"The rewards that the system issues after clearing a level are the rewards that players think they need most and want most, but they are not necessarily the rewards that are most suitable for the player."
Asagiri paused for a moment before speaking.
"She has a great strategic mind, and don't forget, she is one of the key organizers of the fighting competition. Training and cultivating fighters is also one of her strengths. Although players and fighters are not the same, it is the wisest choice to entrust Ashikaga Miwa with the task of formulating future development paths based on each person's characteristics. Although I am the leader of the squad, I am more skilled at on-the-spot command during battle."
"Huh? You mean... Ashikaga-sensei is better than you in this area? That's not like the kind of thing you would say. Aren't you supposed to be an all-around genius?"
"Indeed I am."
Asagiri first replied without any modesty, then added with a smile.
"Everyone has their own expertise. I could also devise a development plan for each of you, but Ashikaga Miwa is top-notch in this area. And because she's not a player, but an outsider, she can maintain a more objective perspective. For example, in the last instance, we used up the Reversal Pocket Watch because we didn't expect Sato to swallow the bomb beforehand. But does that mean our top priority should be developing the ability to see through people? No, so having Ashikaga Miwa provide assistance in this area is the wisest choice."
After saying this, Asagiri paused for a moment before speaking calmly.
"If you know that someone is better than you in this area, but you don't seek help because of your pride, then that's not confidence, but foolish arrogance."
"Um……"
Kato Megumi nodded thoughtfully, then stared at Asagiri's profile and smiled slightly.
"Whether as Utsunomiya or as the team leader... I feel like I know you a little more now."
"The atmosphere is getting a little ambiguous, Kato-kun."
"what?"
Upon hearing Asagiri's words, Kato Megumi belatedly realized that she had unknowingly sat down next to Asagiri, their thighs almost touching.
She quickly moved to the side, pursed her lips, and whispered.
"Feel sorry……"
"No need to apologize."
Before Kato Megumi could even offer her apology, Asagiri spoke bluntly.
"It would be even better if you could sit directly on my lap, I can't even imagine how comfortable that would be."
Megumi Kato: "...You're talking in abstract terms again."
Asagiri smiled and asked in return.
"Then how about I sit on your lap?"
Kato Megumi: "...Please be normal, Utsunomiya-san."
Watching Asagiri put the laptop back on the table and walk to the empty space in the living room, Kato Megumi's eyes revealed a thoughtful look.
She discovered something.
Actually, Utsunomiya has a very high EQ.
The previous time, the other person realized that she wanted to call Asuna and Kotoko by their first names, take their relationship to the next level, and become close friends, so they called her by her first name.
Just now, Utsunomiya seemed to be saying abstract things, but actually, she was afraid that Utsunomiya would feel embarrassed or shy because of that situation, so she used an abstract joke to directly change the atmosphere.
It is precisely because Kato Megumi is the kind of girl who is sensitive and good at reading the room that she was able to notice this.
"You keep watching, I'll just fulfill Hat Mita's wish."
"Persona, Mita".
"Ta-da! The hat's here!"
Seeing Hat Mita, with her sweet smile, appear in the living room and deliver an inexplicably cool opening line, Kato Megumi suddenly felt a little nervous.
To fulfill Hat Mita's wish?
Here? In front of me?
"Phew, it's finally my turn! Now it's time for the fun games!"
Hearing Hat Mita's words, Kato Megumi's heart was in her throat, and she became uneasy.
She's usually quite calm, but not this calm. If Hat Mita really pulls out the mysterious purple mood later... should I avoid her, or should I stay here?
Fortunately, what Hat Mita took out of her inventory next was not a mysterious little toy, but a light pink electric guitar.
"Ta-da! Let's play the guitar!"
Hat-wearing Mita ran to the living room sofa with her guitar and sat down, crossing her legs and swaying her upper body. She didn't have the quiet and dignified demeanor of a typical young girl; instead, she was lively, energetic, and adorably adorable.
"Ding-deng-deng~"
Before she started playing, Hat Mita patted the spot next to her and smiled at Asagiri.
"Mr. Player, come sit next to me!"
"it is good."
Seeing Asagiri walk over and sit down with Hat Mita, for some reason, even Kato Megumi herself didn't realize that her expression had become somewhat like she was sulking.
……
A few hours later.
"Well……"
Kato Megumi raised her hand and rubbed her tired eyes. Seeing that Asagiri was still browsing recent news on her laptop, trying to see if she could get any valuable information, she didn't look tired at all. She spoke softly.
"Utsunomiya-kun, are you hungry? I'll go make some food."
"Cook?"
Seeing Asagiri's somewhat surprised expression, Kato Megumi said angrily.
"What do you mean? Although my cooking skills are definitely not as good as Asuna's, I'm still very confident that I can make a simple miso soup or something."
"I didn't mean to look down on you."
Asagiri waved her hand and said with a smile.
"But don't we have instant noodles? Why bother cooking? It's too much trouble."
Kato Megumi tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and smiled gently.