The city felt different on the way home.
Not louder. Not brighter. Just… quieter.
Like something had shifted inside him, and the rest of the world hadn't caught up yet.
He climbed the narrow staircase to his third-floor apartment—the one-bedroom box he'd called home since his "I'll make it on my own" phase began. Paint chipping off the door. Pipes that hummed at night. A place that smelled like instant ramen and missed opportunities.
He stepped in and shut the door behind him.
The silence inside wrapped around him like a heavy coat.
He dropped his bag. Sat on the edge of the bed.
What the hell just happened?
Last night, he was broke, bitter, and alone.
This morning?
He had her.
And a voice in his head.
"A system," he muttered to himself, rubbing the bridge of his nose.
He looked around the room like someone might be watching. Nothing but the same peeling walls and the blinking router light.
"All right," he said quietly. "Let's see if I'm just losing it."
He closed his eyes. Focused.
"System…"
---
A sleek black panel shimmered into view behind his eyelids, as if projected in the space between thought and light. It wasn't overwhelming this time—it fit now, like it belonged in his head.
"Okay…" he whispered. "What exactly can you do again?"
[I am an adaptive sensual and emotional resonance interface. I convert powerful emotional and physical interactions, particularly with women, into quantifiable energy that enhances your growth]
[That growth may be physical, financial, social… or personal]
"…You're saying sex gives me stats?"
[Only if it's real. Felt. Resonant. The deeper the connection or craving, the more Emotional Capital you generate. You've earned 480 + 100 from Yumi.]
"Damn." He blinked.
"Noted. Show me my options."
---
[ STATS ATTRIBUTE ]
[ Focus -------- 5 ]
[ Charisma ------ 7 ]
[ Stamina ------ 6 ]
[ Libido ----------- 6 ]
[ Composure ---- 5 ]
[You can increase your stats using 1 MP]
[Available MP : 5.8]
---
[FEATURED SKILLS]
▸ Voice of Velvet (Passive) – 3.5 MP
▸ Client Pull Boost (Business) – 2.0 MP
▸ Instant Cash (¥100,000) – 2.0 MP
▸ Confidence Surge (Stat Boost) – 1.5 MP
▸ Body Sculpt (Passive) – 6.0 MP
:
:
---
[ADVANCED (LOCKED)]
[These will unlock as you earn more points and tilt your alignment]
---
"Fuck it."
"Let's see if this thing's actually real."
His eyes locked onto the option:
[Instant Cash – ¥100,000]
[Cost: 2.0 MP]
[Transfer directly to linked wallet?]
He barely hesitated.
"Confirm."
---
Ping.
His phone buzzed.
He looked down. Notifications.
His eyes widened.
{Yucho Wallet Deposit – ¥100,000($700)}
He blinked once.
Then again.
And then he laughed—loud, sharp, hysterical.
Like he'd just won the goddamn lottery in a room full of debt collectors.
"OH MY GOD. I'm rich. I'm ACTUALLY rich! What the hell—who the fuck—what cosmic glitch gave this to ME?!"
He was pacing now, hair wild, shirt half-buttoned, eyes lit like he'd just discovered fire.
He stopped and looked up, whispering to the ceiling, "I don't know which ancestor I owe this to… but thank you. Thank you for not dying in vain."
Then he paused, narrowed his eyes, grinning.
"Though I highly doubt I did anything in this life to deserve it. Bad host? Wrong guy? Wrong timeline? Doesn't matter. I'm keeping it."
---
"All right," he said aloud, voice low but certain, "I got stamina. I got money. But what I don't got… is a damn clue how any of this works."
The UI shimmered to life above him.
[You may ask]
He smirked. "Well, since you're feeling generous, explain these skills to me. Like I'm five."
[Confirmed. Explaining as if user has the mental age of five]
"…Wow. Okay. You got jokes."
[Sarcasm module: adaptive. Proceed]
---
Riku sat up, scrolling through the skill panel again.
▸ Voice of Velvet (Passive) – 3.5 MP
▸ Client Pull Boost (Business) – 2.0 MP
▸ Body Sculpt (Passive) – 6.0 MP
▸ Confidence Surge – 1.5 MP
He tapped his chin.
"All right, what's Voice of Velvet? Sounds like a dating coach dipped in chocolate."
[Passive vocal enhancement. Infuses speech with subtle sensual resonance. Works best in close-range interactions. Useful for seduction, negotiation, pillow talk]
"…So like… verbal foreplay cheat code?"
[Simplified: yes]
He grinned. "Okay. Noted. What about Client Pull Boost?"
[You're welcome. Boosts your magnetism in business and emotionally receptive targets. Does not fix stupidity]
"Rude," Riku muttered.
---
He hovered over one that made him pause.
▸ Body Sculpt – 6.0 MP
"Sounds expensive. What's this do? Abs? Jawline? Biceps? Or just help me survive round three with Yumi?"
[All of the above. Passive physique tuning. Slightly addictive. Improves visual appeal, endurance, and recovery. Minor subconscious posture correction]
"Wait—addictive?"
[Mild side effect. Users often enjoy being admired]
"Oh no," he grinned. "Anyway, put that in the maybe pile."
---
But his eyes narrowed when he saw the bottom of the UI.
[Alignment: Resonance 52% | Corruption 48%]
He frowned.
"Okay. Real talk. What the hell is this Corruption thing? I keep seeing it grow. Am I turning into a villain or something?"
[Corruption is not evil. It is influence]
"…Explain."
[The system draws power from emotional impact.
'Resonance' means connection. Intimacy. Trust.
'Corruption' means dominance. Obsession. Control.
The more you influence others through power or dependency, the more Corruption grows.]
Riku blinked.
"So, if I'm gentle, I get Resonance. If I'm rough, I get Corruption?"
[Approximately. But context matters. Seducing a married woman slowly may build Resonance.
Owning her completely—body and mind—builds Corruption.]
"That sounds… really hot and really terrifying."
[Welcome to growth]
---
Riku exhaled, quiet.
"So what happens if my Corruption hits 100%?"
[Unknown. No host has survived that threshold. Most are consumed or crowned.]
"…Crowned?"
[Your journey is your choice. Will you be adored… or obeyed?]
The system pulsed once—soft, then gone.
Riku leaned back again, head buzzing.
"Okay. So… skills are like flavors. Corruption's like spice. And I'm one more milf away from either a love story or a cult."
He smiled.
"I can work with that."
---
His gaze flicked back to the system.
[Available MP : 3.8]
Still enough to move the needle.
He opened the Attribute Upgrades tab and hovered on one in particular.
"Let's disribute points."
"System, add one point to stamina, one charisma and one Libido"
[Stamina – 6 → 7]
[Charisma – 7 → 8]
[Libido – 6 → 7]
[Confirm? ]
"Confirm."
[Remaining MP : 0.8]
A strange warmth rushed through his chest, then pulsed lower.
Like blood flow, but sharper. Cleaner.
He could feel his core settle. Breath deepen. Shoulders square just a little more.
He flexed his fingers.
Smirked.
"I was passive last night," he muttered, sitting back on the bed. "She led. I followed. I didn't even last that long."
He leaned forward, elbows on knees.
"But that was yesterday's me."
He looked down at his hands.
Tonight?
He'd be the one in control.