[STATUS SCREEN]
Name: Eiden
Gender: Male
Level: 1
EXP: 10
Height: 5.8 ft
Strength: 15
Speed: 17
Intelligence: 22
Charm: 7 (Assimilation: 3/3 – Finalizing…)
Status Points: 3
Skills: None
Harem Count:0
The mirror didn't show much.
Same dark hair. Same face I'd gotten used to frowning at in the reflection for years. A little sharper now, maybe. Like someone had taken a file to the edges of my features and thought, "Eh, good enough."
I leaned in closer. "Still me. Just... shinier me."
There was a new subtlety to my expression—like confidence was considering moving in, but hadn't signed the lease yet.
> "Charm 7, assimilation complete in... moments," System-chan hummed somewhere near my left eardrum. "Congratulations, Host. You are now officially slightly above average."
I squinted at my reflection again. "Slightly above average. That's the bar?"
> "Statistically speaking, above average appearance correlates to increased approachability and social success. You may begin to notice subtle differences in perception. Blushes. Pauses. Awkward hesitations. Please utilize these changes responsibly."
I rubbed my jaw. "Responsibly, huh."
The phrase 'weaponized attractiveness' floated into my brain. I smirked and flicked at my reflection.
Then my thoughts stalled.
A slow crawl of curiosity pulled me inward.
"Wait… what happens if I upgrade Charm to 8 before this assimilation finalizes?"
There was a beat of silence. Almost like System-chan sighed.
> "Denied. Host must wait for full assimilation of current Charm level before next increment is permitted."
"Okay. But say I waited like, one more hour. Charm 7 fully done. I still have points. Can I then go to 8 right away?"
> "No. Visual stats such as Charm, Strength, and Speed are physiologically constrained. Host's body must undergo natural stabilization post-assimilation. Charm may only be upgraded again after 3 months of real-time have passed."
Three months. I let that sink in.
Not days. Not weeks. Not a cool-down bar I could tap away with enough EXP.
Three entire months.
I groaned and dropped back onto the bed. "So I'm stuck with 7 for a quarter of the damn year?"
> "Affirmative. Charm 7 is currently undergoing facial re-alignment and presence calibration. Interruption during this process may result in undesirable side effects, such as asymmetrical dimples or inconsistent eyebrow appeal."
I stared at the ceiling. "Eyebrow appeal?"
> "Severe cases may result in 'weird vibes.'"
The system went quiet.
I pulled the pillow over my face and screamed into it—quietly. Just enough to relieve the itch under my skin that came from waiting. Always waiting.
The ceiling didn't judge, so I let my mind roll.
Three months. Long enough for someone else to build a harem and buy matching jackets.
Long enough for Ruel to reinforce his grip on Lyra, maybe even drag another girl in. That smug, pretty-boy aura of his probably had no restrictions.
But me? I had rules, cooldowns, timers. Like my life had turned into one of those games that throws "You must wait 7 hours to harvest again" into your face after five minutes of progress.
I scrolled my mental status window again. Three Status Points just sitting there. It felt like leaving cash in my pocket and refusing to spend it just to prove a point.
But spending it now… wouldn't do anything for my Charm.
And Charm was the only currency that mattered in this twisted game.
I tapped the edge of my mental display. "Fine. Let's think."
Strength and Speed were tempting. They'd help if I ever got into a fight—or a chase. But they had a 2-day lock-in period before benefits started to show. Not worth it yet.
Intelligence? That one kicked in immediately. But my 22 was already above average. Anything more might make me sound like an overclocked professor in casual conversation.
Nah. No upgrades for now.
A faint ding echoed in my head. Not System-chan. Something… quieter.
I sat up.
No notification. No popup.
Just a weird feeling.
Like something in the air had shifted around me, subtly acknowledging that I had reached some internal threshold.
I checked the mirror again. Still me. But… not quite.
If I smiled—just a small one—it looked like it belonged there now. Less forced. Less practice, more instinct.
I exhaled.
"You're getting dangerous," I muttered to myself.
But dangerous to whom?
To Ruel?
To Lyra?
Or maybe… to the guy I used to be before all this.
The knock on the door broke my chain of thought. Not loud. Just sharp and fast.
"Eiden! You in there?" Sasha's voice.
I stood up. Let the system screen dissolve.
One step, two, then I paused.
My reflection caught my eye again. A flicker of something in my gaze. Determination? Calculation?
I didn't know yet. But I'd find out.
"Yeah," I called. "Coming."
Great — here's the direct continuation of Chapter 5 from where Eiden says "Coming," with everything you specified:
Sasha noticing his subtle charm changes and teasing about skincare
Saturday, no school — Eiden decides to go out
Luxurious car and girls triggers realization about money
Internal reflection on money vs effort in attracting girls
He uses all 3 Status Points on Intelligence
Assimilation is instant (as it's not physical), with no visible changes
Mentions needing 15+ Intelligence points assimilated at once for effects to show
Ends with him determined to earn points and make money.
The door opened with a gentle creak, revealing Sasha holding a steaming mug and a suspicious squint.
She gave me a once-over. "You… look different."
I raised a brow. "Define different."
She tilted her head. "Your skin. It's… clearer? And your face looks less like someone who lost an argument with a fan."
"Thanks," I muttered.
She leaned closer, peering like a detective with a magnifying glass. "You wearing something? Moisturizer? Face serum? Don't tell me you're finally using that green tea cleanser I gave you two years ago."
I blinked. "Uh. Yeah. Sure. I… dug it out of the drawer."
She narrowed her eyes. "Which one?"
I opened my mouth. Closed it. "The… green one."
She snorted. "They were all green."
I shrugged, sidestepping the trap. "Maybe I'm just glowing from inner peace."
"You look like you slept through a facial appointment," she mumbled as she walked past me, mug in hand. "Saturday miracle."
Right. Saturday.
No classes. No system-assigned escort missions.
Which meant… I was free to move. Think. Hunt.
I walked to the window, watching the sun stretch long over the pavement below. My phone buzzed once — probably a meme from Sasha's weird cat group. I ignored it.
What I needed was movement. Stimulation.
"Park," I muttered.
Somewhere public. Somewhere I could observe. Think. Maybe run into a new target. Maybe spot another harem I could dismantle brick by emotional brick.
The streets were already alive when I stepped out. Vendors. Students on late breakfast runs. Occasional joggers pretending they liked cardio.
I walked slow, hands in pockets, blending in with the weekend rhythm.
Then I saw it.Sleek. Black. Probably German.
A car that didn't belong in this part of the neighborhood — the kind with tinted windows and silent engines that cost more than my tuition.
It rolled past me like a shadow, and through the slightly lowered window, I caught sight of them:
Three girls. Laughing. Perfect hair. Designer sunglasses.
One of them leaned forward, tapping on her phone, while another tossed her head back at something the third said.
I didn't even look at the guy driving.
I didn't need to.
Money.
It hit me like a cold glass of logic to the face.
I could get girls without money, sure. That was what the system was for.
But with money?
It was just easier. Smoother. Automatic.
Like having a cheat code before you even triggered the tutorial.
My jaw tightened. My hand clenched around the phone in my pocket.
This system — this stupidly specific, rules-heavy, morality-dodging system — wanted me to take girls from harems. Not the world. Not the environment. Not the system itself.
So I needed leverage. I needed options.
And that meant intelligence.
Real intelligence.
Not just the 22 I was sitting on.
I opened my Status Screen in my mind.
> [Status Points Available: 3]
No hesitation.
"Invest all 3 in Intelligence."
> [Confirmed. Intelligence: 22 +3]
[Assimilation… Complete.]
Instant.
No glow. No rush. No brain-on-fire epiphany.
Just a faint lightness, like someone had adjusted the lighting in a room I'd been sitting in my whole life.
I waited a second.
No sudden new language. No math genius awakening. Just… slightly clearer recall. A few memories from this morning aligned more sharply. A sentence from Lyra yesterday played back with subtle tone I hadn't caught before.
Marginal. But real.
> "Reminder," System-chan chirped helpfully. "For noticeable enhancements to cognitive perception, a minimum of 15 Intelligence Points must be assimilated at once. Current upgrade: baseline expansion only."
So no superbrain. Not yet.
I clicked my tongue. "Figures."
Still. I wasn't disappointed.
Twenty-five Intelligence wasn't nothing. It would help me plan. Spot openings. Recognize patterns. And more importantly, it was laying the groundwork for something bigger.
Because now, I had a new goal.
Get smart fast and think of a way to get money .
To be continued....