West checked his system interface and decided to buy a few more buffs from the shop.
He ended up spending around 300CP more leaving his balance at around 500.
Then he paused when he spotted something while scrolling through shop.
"...Wait."
A new option sat there quietly...
[ Increase Skill Slots +3 ]
Cost: 500 Cuckpoints
West stared.
"You’ve been here this whole time?"
The system, of course, did not respond as he scrolled.
The pain-to-power skill was still there costing 450CP.
Unfortunately, he only had around 500CP left so he could only spend it on one or the other. However, he didn’t want to end up exhausting all of his CP to purchase either of them because you never could tell when CP could come in handy
He sighed and closed the interface.
"...I’ll need to raise my CP so I can purchase them both soon."
He felt the hunger... the need to optimize...
To push further...
To want more even after gaining more than he ever thought possible.
Those old sayings were right.
Power didn’t satisfy... It expanded desire.
He thought about how much more CP he could have gained if he hadn’t passed out... If Nina had stayed...
He shook his head.
What was done was done.
He checked the time... Today was sunday which meant...
"...Dad’s coming home today."
That ruled out inviting anyone over.
He stretched and decided to make himself useful.
He started to clean the apartment but before he could do more, Gor’thala stopped him and used magic to make everywhere spick and span.
"Wow... I guess magic makes everything easier... thanks Gor’thala," West voiced while heading for the kitchen.
Gor’thala simply bowed and said; "At your service, master."
For the cooking, Gor’thala watched because she didn’t know how to make human dishes.
After seeing West make a meal, she decided that next time she’d take care of it.
By the time his father returned, the place smelled warm and lived-in.
His dad paused at the doorway.
"...Did you cook?"
West grinned. "Miracles happen."
His father laughed and handed him a small bag.
"I got you something."
West blinked. "For me?"
"Don’t look so shocked."
West accepted it, genuinely surprised.
They talked for a bit about nothing important... Just work, news and the weather.
Normal things.
Then his father yawned and headed to his room.
"Gonna nap. Don’t burn the place down."
"No promises."
Once the door closed, West exhaled.
Perfect timing.
He needed to go out.
There was an establishment he’d been meaning to visit.... A place that dealt in awakened artifacts, relics... items recovered from ruins.
This was somewhere he had sourced over the internet.
Black market-adjacent but... respectable enough.
He showered and dressed carefully
He dyed the white part of his hair back to black.
Blending in mattered today.
When he looked in the mirror, he paused.
"...Huh."
His body was changing. He spotted muscles where there hadn’t been before... his jawline was more pronounced... his eyes were clearer and dangerous enchanting. There was a strange magnetism to them.
It wasn’t drastic but it was undeniable... charm, seduction and aura... they were doing their work.
"...This could be a problem," he muttered.
So he disguised himself, mask over the lower half of his face and wearing a hoodie.
This was mostly due to where he was headed. Of course, he intended to hide his identity especially because he wasn’t affiliated with any gang.
Even then...
The moment he stepped onto the street, he felt lingering eyes.
It wasn’t intentional... people’s gazes were pulled toward him before they even realized it.
Women especially.
A few turned their heads... one slowed her walk while another outright stared.
West sighed internally.
"...If my face was uncovered, this would be chaos."
A guy beside him suddenly snapped at his girlfriend, "Why are you staring at him?!"
The girl flushed.
"I wasn’t—!"
West glanced over casually.
"Relax," he said lightly. "She just recognizes quality when she sees it."
The girl’s face went red while the guy turned furious.
[ +1 Cuck Points ]
West smiled behind his mask.
"...Guess the grind never really stops."
The guy stepped over, standing before West.
"Oh you thing you’re so smug mouthing off, eh tough guy?" He brandished a dagger almost instantly.
"What do you have to say for yourself now..."
He expected West to be scared but instead West responded calmly; "Better put that away before you hurt yourself."
The guy gritted his teeth in annoyance; "You’ll regret saying that..." just as he was about to step forward, the girl came in between and shook her head.
"Pete, stop..."
He gritted his teeth even harder and raised his hand, before swinging it towards her cheek.
Pah!
"Out of my way dumb bitch," the moment the girl fell, he lunged forward with the blade but West simply stepped to the side and stuck a foot out.
Pete tripped over the foot and stumbled embarrassingly, causing the dagger to clutter out of his grasp.
West on the other hand slowly stepped forward and leaned downwards to pick the girl up gently.
He slowly caressed her cheek and smiled from underneath the nose mask; "Are you okay?"
Her eyes lit up as she nodded slightly. "Thank you..."
"You’re welcome... feel free to give me a call when you’re willing to get with an actual man and not a dog who raises his hand on you," West smoothly typed his number into her phone which he also helped her pick up and then handed it to her.
[ + 5 Cuck Points ]
Her face beamed up as she smiled fully, blushing while Pete on the other hand stumbled upwards with a look of humiliation.
"How dare you hit on my girlfriend right in front of me?!" He yelled in anguish and picked the dagger up once again before rushing forward and stabbing out.
West didn’t move out of the way this time, he simply grabbed Pete’s arm when the dagger was inches away from his face.
"Get a load of this guy..." he turned to the girl smoothly and then said; "Actually, don’t..."
Before Pete realized what was happening, his entire worldview was flipping upside down.
In the next instant, he crashed into the wall by the side and lost consciousness.
West dust nonexistent dust off his clothes and smiled at the girl again before leaving.
"I’ll expect your text," his voice drifted off into the distance as he waved without looking back.
The girl on the other hand, kept gushing long after West had left.
"He’s so cool..."
She had completely forgotten about her boyfriend who laid passed out by the side.
•••
•••
Even at noon, a pale mist hung in the air like a permanent veil, curling around skyscrapers and weaving through elevated highways of Misty High City.
The city had earned its name not only from the natural fog rolling in from the coastal ridges but from the secrets that thrived beneath its skyline.
At the heart of the financial district stood a structure that did not blend in...
It dominated.
The Virelli Branch Estate.
It was a fusion of old-world aristocracy and modern fortified architecture. The building rose like a stone citadel among glass towers. Dark marble pillars lined its exterior. Iron-carved gates bearing the family crest... a coiled serpent wrapped around a crown—guarded the entrance.
Tier 1 awakened guards stood at every visible checkpoint.
Tier 2 enforcers were positioned subtly across the rooftop balconies.
Surveillance drones drifted silently above like mechanical hawks.
This wasn’t just a family branch, it was a power statement.
Inside, the estate exuded quiet wealth. Smoothly polished dark floors that reflected chandelier light... Long crimson carpets ran across the main corridors... Paintings of former patriarchs and matriarchs hung in gilded frames along the walls with 5heir eyes seeming to follow anyone who walked beneath them.
Timothy Virelli walked down one such hallway with a straight posture and raised chin.
His expression was composed as two personal Tier 1 guards followed a few paces behind him and behind them walked thw Tier 2 spokesman.
The hallway was long and echoed with every step they took.
As Timothy moved forward, a pair of elders stepped out from a side chamber.
Both wore tailored suits with subtle serpent pins on their lapels.
"Timothy," one of them greeted warmly.
He stopped immediately and bowed slightly, respectful but not submissive.
"Elder Corvin. Elder Mathis."
The older men smiled.
"We heard of your recent exploit," Corvin said. "Saving an entire residential neighborhood from collapse during that ruin breach."
Mathis nodded approvingly. "The media has been relentless. For once, they’re praising us."
A faint smirk appeared on Timothy’s face.
"Just doing what was necessary."
Corvin stepped closer and patted Timothy’s shoulder.
"Perhaps we’ve been too harsh on you because of your sister’s exploits."
Mathis added, "Keep this up, and you’ll silence quite a few critics."
Timothy accepted the praise with poise.
"Thank you, Elders. I will continue striving to bring honor to the family."
They nodded approvingly and stepped aside.
Timothy resumed walking and his guards followed.
The corridor eventually ended at a massive double door made of blackened oak reinforced with steel carvings.