~~~(POV: Scott Cassidy)~~~

~~~(Location: Escalator, J&R Memorial Mall, Optimum Island)~~~

~~~(Date, Time, Year: August 15th, 6:09 PM, 2020)~~~

~~~(Age: 19 Years)~~~

Out of all the locations students gather on campus, the mall is where you'll find the highest number aside from the education buildings. It's undoubtedly the place to be if you want to mingle with people your age.

The mall is serving a different purpose today. All the first years are here getting everything they need for their dorms. Clothes, food, and entertainment. Spending their large sum of points like there is no tomorrow.

There are multiple pitfalls to giving 10,000 points to every first-year student. Since Ms. Amanda didn't tell the class how to earn more Personal Points, it'd be wise to save them.

Deciding to share the information I know with anyone is up to me. As far as I can tell, I'm the only one in my class willing to be cautious with my points.

I've seen several of my classmates; they're burning through their points.

I'm in competition with them just as much as I'll be helping them. It's certainly a complex environment to adjust to, even for me. My system makes everything almost trivial, but the unpredictability of human nature is volatile.

The ride up the escalator ends, and my focus shifts to clothes stores nearby. As I'm walking by, I can see girls buying clothes without regard for price.

This entire first month will pray on the weaknesses of the new students. Just like the girls, boys are in the electronics store. Buying expensive consoles and PCs. It's a lesson about financial maturity.

No one in the first year knows how to handle 10,000 dollars; they can freely spend however they want. That's what I've concluded on my own.

One Personal Point equates to one USD, and that's a power first years aren't ready for.

Jennifer taught me whatever I asked or what she thought was important. On the one hand, she also intentionally left information for me to find out. Likely Duncun's idea, forced upon Jennifer.

Wouldn't be the first time.

I stop in front of a restaurant. The chalkboard outside lists some of the prices of meals, drinks, and tables. Ranging between 100 points and 400 points.

It's packed with first-years only. Eating meals worth hundreds of dollars. There seems to be an inflation attached to Personal Points.

Only occurring at certain stores, shops, and restaurants. It's something to look more into. An anomaly shouldn't be allowed to pass by like everyone is letting it.

Someone telling them how the point system works can change all this. It won't be me that does it. The more points they burn through, the bigger advantage I'll have.

Personal Points are the lifeblood of our careers here. Without them, you're life becomes far more complex than needed. If I want to, I can buy the cooperation of students in my class. Still, there are things I'll need to test.

Especially the limits of Personal Points.

Rule number four; Anything on campus grounds can be bought and sold using Personal Points.

If that's indeed true, it explains why this place is a metaphorical jungle.

My thoughts are stopped as I find a relatively empty store. It's a low-cost clothes shop. One that hasn't seen anyone today.

In the middle of my search for my sizes, a voice I know grabs my attention. It's arrogant and full of cockiness. It's not hard to know who it is.

"Well, this is a first. I can't say I've seen someone from class 1-G yet. Figures an individual of your level would shop in this place."

[Justin Dermell is looking to have some fun at your expense.]

The intensely green, dead eyes I carry shift to look at him.

He's standing there with an amused look on his face. How he knows I'm from class 1-G is unknown to me. He's talented according to the system; I suspect he's researched all the classes. Remembered all the students of his year on his own accord.

That's something I'm not wasting time on. It won't serve a purpose for me, but for someone like him, it's perfect.

"Why are you here."

His amusement seems to only grow at my dead-toned response. The words don't sound like a question as they leave my lips. More on the line of slight demand.

[Justin Dermell can clearly tell average provocation won't work on you.]

"Oh? Am I not welcomed in a store meant for the lower class? I'm financially free to shop at any store I want. Why shouldn't I familiarize myself with every location in this mall?"

The condescending and provoking tone is laced with arrogance. He's probably pissed off everyone he's talked to. However, I want to know his greatest weakness and shortcoming.

I use Analytical Vision to target the specific part of Justin I want to know. Analytical Vision doesn't reveal just general information about people. I can specify my search, and since my Perception is 451. I'll learn what I want without issues.

---[Requested Specific Information On Target]---

[Analysis Instance: Justin Dermell wears an almost impenetrable armor. His looks, status, and wealth make it hard for anyone to break through. His aloof and disregarding attitude makes it hard to control him.]

[Greatest Weakness: He's deeply lost in his failure to protect his mother. Using his father's cruel treatment of his mother will work splendidly in manipulating or provoking him. However, no one has ever tried this or known of it.]

[Greatest Shortcoming: There are few fields that Justin lacks success in. However, he consistently fails to protect those he truly cares about. Bring up this failure, and you'll cement yourself as his enemy.]

The information is shown to me, and I take it all in with little more than a couple of seconds used up. My silence seems not to affect Justin.

I could use the information I just learned to provoke him, but that's totally and completely unnecessary. Instead, I'm going to throw a curveball at him. Something that could throw him a little off his game.

"It seems you've come to the same conclusion I have."

My chosen response to his question has the desired effect I want.

I'm giving off a false assumption he knows what I know. But I can tell he doesn't have the same knowledge about Optimum that I've got.

The neutral voice that answers his provocation causes him to narrow his eyes ever so slightly. I turn my own away from him and look back at the package of socks I'm checking out.

[Justin Dermell is genuinely curious about what you mean by that.]

[Justin Dermell doesn't like that you know something important going on, and he doesn't.]

Silence comes from the boy.

I take the package of socks off the shelf and place them in my handbasket. Turning around to the other side of the aisle where the underwear is.

"Now... What exactly do you mean by that? Know something I don't?"

That tells me my words had more of an effect than I initially wanted. Could be good or bad. I've yet to see which one from this point.

The arrogance is still there, but not nearly as heavy as before. There is more curiosity in his voice than before. My curveball did indeed work. A subtle move is more effective than one swinging for his greatest weakness and shortcoming.

There will be a situation where the information I've learned works wonders, but this isn't that situation.

He takes a few steps closer, and his eyes follow where mine are at. The price of the underwear. It's cheap, 15 Personal Points. His eyes are slightly narrow again.

[Justin Dermell suspects what you're referring to is regarding Personal Points.]

He's a smart one. Getting that critical information from my inspection of the prices. He steps away from the aisle and pinches his chin in a slightly thinking manner.

[Justin Dermell will find out more about Personal Points after this.]

[Justin Dermell is interested in what else you might know.]

[+3 points to your relationship with Justin Dermell.]

[Current relationship (Strangers) level with Justin Dermell: 8/100]

"What's your name, 1-G student."

His voice is making it sound like it's not a request. I could give him a runaround. Make him tell me his name first. He doesn't know that I already know it, or perhaps he already suspects I do. A man that arrogant would.

[Justin Dermell is losing what little patience he has.]

It seems my subtle manipulations and misdirection worked wonderfully. I've achieved the desired outcome. The easy thing about working with arrogant people is how easily blinded they are. You could say that for Justin, but his intellect makes up for that flaw just a bit.

"Inconsequential."

The uncaring and unemotional tone in my voice causes a smile to crack in the corner of his mouth. This is how you play someone like Justin. You tell them exactly what they want or like to hear.

[Justin Dermell is very intrigued by your unusual response.]

[Justin Dermell has never heard someone refer to themselves as inconsequential.]

[+5 points to your relationship with Justin Dermell.]

[Current relationship (Strangers) level with Justin Dermell: 13/100]

"Ahahahahaha!!"

He begins laughing ostentatiously, I'm exactly where I want to be with Justin. He's a high leveled and gifted individual.

If only he weren't so prideful and arrogant, he'd be a force that's unstoppable among anyone other than myself. Pride is the deadliest sin for a reason; Justin is a prime example of a victim of exceeding pride.

Easily manipulated.

"Well said; enjoy shopping at this abysmal place. I have a date with a third-year babe I don't want to miss."

[Justin Dermell has lost all interest in this conversation.]

He leaves quickly, and I thank the girl that he plans to be with at the moment. She's saved me a long and tedious conversation with Justin. Besides, now I've gained valuable information on a powerful enemy in the future.

That is if he entertains anything that'll happen during his stay at Optimum. If he sees nothing to gain from participating or giving his full effort, he won't waste a splinter of energy doing so.

Now, since that's concluded, I can return to what I was doing. I spend the next 35 to 40 minutes carefully selecting what I need from various stores in the mall. Going for the best balance between price and quality.

I have a few bags in both hands as I'm carried down, floor by floor, thanks to the escalator. It's been a productive couple of hours. I've learned integral information about my own class and about a powerful individual in class 1-B.

Knowing that my class doesn't see the relationship between Personal Points and Merit Points will prove valuable. It won't last long, and soon all the first years will understand.

A month of time is when the first refresh of Personal Points is supposed to occur. Jennifer told me the first time it happened in her year, five out of the seven classes received almost no Personal Points.

Which is why I plan to make my Personal Points last.

The floor I want to stop on comes up, and I get off the escalator. I'm in a section of the mall filled with activities students can do.

While betting Personal Points in said activities.

I have no intention of playing any games or letting my skills reach the light of day. I'm here to see what other people are capable of. If someone is good enough to bet Personal Points on what they're doing, they must be good at it.

It's an effective way to see and find talented individuals. As I'm walking down the tiled path, a particularly lively department is grabbing everyone's attention.

Once I get a closer look, it's a large game room. One that's split between a gaming arcade and a board game arcade.

The tables where board games are played have a small touchscreen computer attached. Same with the arcade games and consoles.

I approach one, ignoring the growing group around a specific table. I touch the screen with my finger. Plastic bags prove no issue to get around.

These touchscreens are where students can bet their Personal Points. Set up wagers and conditions. It's a sophisticated way to challenge and entertain the students. No doubt. There is a mix of all years here too.

Now that my curiosity is settled, I go to the surrounded table. It's mostly silent, only with some whispers here and there.

It's a chess game between two girls. One of them is of a more petite size and a lighter blond. Her vibrant hazel eyes clash with the hair on her head. The other is a taller girl, more filled in the areas men enjoy.

She's got black hair and ocean-blue eyes. They're both very pretty in the eyes of men, but I can tell just by looking they're both very intelligent.

They seem to be second-years.

"I'm impressed, Carly. You're proving to be a difficult opponent. It's clear that you have something to prove by how aggressive you're playing."

The petite girl has an airy voice that's soft and gentle. The mocking mixed with it almost makes her sound like she's not insulting you. The girl she's playing against, Carly, shows that her words don't affect her.

I easily move through the crowd and look at the touchscreen attached to the side of the large wooden table.

They're playing for 100,000 Personal Points. To the years above mine, that's probably an amount that's considered average.

Still, that's like playing for 100,000 dollars. That goes a long way for things in this mall. But based on seeing this, a game played for an amount this high, I can deduce something important.

Methods to gain, spend, and lose a large portion of Personal Points exist. Rule number four works in synchronicity with this theory.

"Save your insults for those it'll work on, Jenevive."

I've got both of their names now. I won't use Analytical Vision on them, haven't been given a reason to.

Not yet.

Not being in my year means they're low in terms of threat. Students from different classes from advanced years can attack, but it's not a common occurrence.

Jennifer made that clear. If it does happen, it's something to pay attention to.

I'm willing to bet my older sister knows these two. I don't see why she wouldn't. She's a brilliant student herself.

My attention falls on the chess match itself, and it's a sophisticated game. I'd say around 1800 or 1900 if it were rated. White has a slight advantage based on the position of the pieces.

I watch Jenevive reach for the white rook and castle her king. From what I can see, the game will go on for longer than I want to watch. So I step away and head for the exit.

My time at the campus mall has ended, and I want to return to my room. I've got everything a campus student needs.

Reaching my dorm building takes around 25 minutes, but I get there. I'm glad I live on a lower floor, but if I had a choice, I'd live on ground level or the first floor. It's a personal preference more than anything.

As I open the door to my room, one of the elevators down the hall opens. I don't turn to see who it is since it wouldn't usually concern me, but this time it does.

"Well, it's nice to see you're preparing for your first month on campus!"

The voice is slightly elevated and brimming with excitement. My head turns with slowness, and Jennifer is walking in my direction. The look on my face doesn't change, but a slight twitch of my eyes can be seen from where she's at.

A twitch that my sister does see.

[Jennifer Cassidy is annoyed that you look like you're not happy to see her.]