I Will Grind My Way To Godhood

A wide sports field, where eight high school boys in athletic wear were racing along the rubber track.

This was a thousand-meter sprint test for the boys.

Yet, for some reason, though it was merely a class physical test, the sidelines of the track were unusually crowded with students.

Especially girls.

They wore short-skirt uniforms that were not meant for athletics, clearly not there for gym class, their eyes all locked onto the boy leading the race by a significant margin.

As the leading boy crossed the finish line, the gym teacher accurately pressed the stopwatch in his hand.

"Xue Jing, 2 minutes 36 seconds 79."

The gym teacher announced the time with a hint of disbelief, while the student responsible for recording seemed momentarily stunned, then quickly noted the time down in his notebook.

Xue Jing gradually slowed to a stop, slightly out of breath.

From the sidelines came the murmured excitement of the girls, but he paid it no mind, instead looking at the semi-transparent panel only visible to him.

[Completed thousand-meter test, running experience +20]

[Running Lv3]

‘Gained 20 points, slightly more than usual…’

He then turned his gaze to another skill displayed on the panel.

[Charisma LV2]

【Someone has developed a fondness for you, Charm Skill experience +1】

【Someone has developed a fondness for you, Charm Skill experience +1】

【Someone has developed a fondness for you, Charm Skill experience +1】

【Someone feels...】

A flurry of notifications filled the screen, showing the "Charm Skill" increasing visibly at a rapid pace, soon reaching a certain point. Even though it slowed down, the increments of +1 continued sporadically.

‘This useless skill seems to be leveling up quickly,’ Xue Jing said with a hint of helplessness.

He surveyed all the skills displayed on his interface.

【Fitness Lv2】

【Wellness Lv1】

【Culinary Arts Lv2】

【Running Lv3】

【Charm Skill Lv2】

‘This is my harvest for the month.’ A faint sense of satisfaction welled up in Xue Jing's heart.

He was a transmigrator.

A month ago, he found himself inexplicably transported to a world that bore a semblance to the Earth of his previous life, taking on the identity of a high school senior named Xue Jing, along with inheriting his predecessor's memories.

Facing him as part of the transmigration was this semi-transparent panel.

Xue Jing called it the skill panel.

Whenever he mastered something to a certain degree, the corresponding skill would activate on the panel.

From then on, the more he practiced this skill, the more experience he gained, enhancing his mastery and understanding of it.

Practice led to skill improvement; effort was rewarded, nothing was in vain.

Take "Running" for example. After activating it half a month ago, he advanced to Level 3 within just two weeks. His 1,000-meter run time improved from 3 minutes and 42 seconds to 2 minutes and 36 seconds.

Achieving such progress without much effort and without professional guidance was an impossibility.

Yet, with the mystical aid of the skill panel, he accomplished it effortlessly.

Moreover, the level-up in "Running" not only increased his speed and understanding of running but also significantly improved his physical attributes. Xue Jing marveled at this.

At that moment, another male student crossed the finish line.

"Li Ge, 3 minutes 22.17 seconds."

The gym teacher stopped the stopwatch.

This was an excellent result for a high school student, but with Xue Jing's impressive performance, the gym teacher remained unfazed.

Li Ge, out of breath, slowed his pace and walked over to Xue Jing, one hand on his knee, the other resting on Xue Jing’s shoulder, speaking intermittently:

“I demand an immediate urine test on you… you must be on drugs, how else can you run that fast…”

Xue Jing chuckled, just about to respond when he noticed a group of female students in school uniforms noisily chatting by the track.

One among them, a pretty, delicate girl with a slim figure, blushing slightly, walked towards Xue Jing.

She carried a stack of pristine white towels in her hands, her slender, pale legs beneath her short skirt so bright in the noonday sun they almost seemed to glow.

Li Ge took in the scene too, said nothing, but silently removed his hand from Xue Jing’s shoulder and stepped aside.

As he walked away, he muttered, shaking his head, "Pointless effort."

He thought, our star from the elite class is unattainable even for our classmates, let alone for these little girls.?

The girl with the towel seemed oblivious to his muttering. She approached Xue Jing shyly, looked up into his eyes, gathered her courage, and said, "Senior, wipe your sweat."

Xue Jing glanced around, hesitated but then took the towel, saying, "Thank you."

Apparently unexpected that Xue Jing truly accepted the towel, the girl froze for a moment, her face blooming with a rosy blush, "You… you’re welcome."

Having said this, she promptly turned and jogged back to her friends, her steps a little bouncy.

As soon as she rejoined them, her friends started teasing her loudly. At one point, one said something quite embarrassing, prompting the girl to chase her with a few playful swats, all the while stealing a few discreet glances at Xue Jing.

Meanwhile, Xue Jing’s classmates who were also attending the physical education class witnessed the whole scene, shaking their heads with a laugh. Some female classmates clicked their tongues, seemingly in disdain.

Xue Jing wiped the slight sweat off his forehead with the towel. Whether it was an illusion or because the towel had been nestled against the junior girl for too long, it seemed to carry a faint fragrance.

【Someone has developed a considerable liking for you, Charisma Arts experience +45】

Li Ge approached, curiously pinching his chin, "Strange, you didn't refuse this time. Have you finally come around?"

"Hey, as they say, keep the good things within the family. If you're really interested, someone from our class..."

Xue Jing shook his head and interrupted, "Not interested."

"Then why not?" Li Ge asked.

With a finger, Xue Jing spun the towel in his hand like a basketball and said casually, "It takes quite some courage to give me a towel in front of so many people. If I refused, someone with a thinner skin would probably be traumatized."

After a pause, Xue Jing continued, "If she truly has intentions, I'll just reject her when she approaches me alone."

Li Ge shook his head, sighed, and said, "You've considered even that. You're as mature as a corporate drone... It's because of this that the junior girls keep trying their luck, even though they know it's hopeless."

"You should just choose someone from our class to date, put an end to all this."

"The boys at Qingcheng High have been suffering because of you, Xue the Scoundrel. The junior girls are pining for you, and the younger boys are left without any attention. Aren't you afraid they'll band together to challenge you to a dark duel?"

Xue Jing glanced at his Charisma Arts panel.

【Lv2】

He closed the panel and patted Li Ge on the shoulder, saying, "I'll count on you to protect me then, good buddy."

Li Ge quickly waved his hands, "No need for that."

......

Xue Jing stood at the edge of the track, hands on his hips, breathing steadily as the other students sprinted past him, the gravel crunching under their feet. The Gym Teacher, ever vigilant, marked time on the stopwatch, glancing up occasionally to ensure everyone was present and accounted for.

Nearby, Student Recorder scribbled notes, capturing each participant's performance with precision.

Li Ge, standing next to Xue Jing, nudged him gently with an elbow. "You sure have a way with people," Li Ge remarked, nodding towards the crowd where the Unnamed Pretty Girl lingered, her attention fixed unwaveringly on Xue Jing.

"It's nothing special," Xue Jing replied, a modest smile crossing his face, "Just part of the charm."

(End of Chapter)