Chapter 7: LEVEL UP

It looked like I had leveled up.

I closed the door behind me and stepped inside. Because I had to walk the rest of the way home, I arrived a bit later than usual. The moment I entered, I could hear Hubert and Sarah arguing loudly upstairs. My little stunt on the bus had clearly worked.

Old me would’ve felt guilty. Old me would’ve apologized.

But fuck that miserable guy. I wasn’t playing by those rules anymore.

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TARGET: Sarah Angi

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[ RELATIONSHIP ]

> Partner: [Hubert]

> Loyalty: 73% [▼2%]

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[ SYSTEM SYNC ]

> Favor: 2%

> Threat: None

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> GRIEVANCE LOG

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Another 2% loyalty down. Nice.

At the same time, the asshole across the hall had already started his nightly performance. Loud, exaggerated moans echoed through the thin walls. What a fucking night.

I sat at the table and opened the system menu.

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LEVEL UP ! [1➔2]

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> LUST REFILLED

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[!] UNSPENT POINTS: 5

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> [CHA] : 5 [+]

> [END] : 5 [+]

> [PER] : 1 [+]

> [LCK] : 3 [+]

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Five points, huh?

I dumped four points into Perception, bringing it up to 5, and put the last point into Charisma. After confirming, the menu refreshed instantly.

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MAIN MENU

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NAME: Chance Brooks

LVL: 2 [30/125]

RANK: -

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[ CORE STATS ]

> CHA: 6

> END: 5

> PER: 5

> LCK: 3

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[ ENERGY ]

> LUST : 140/140

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[ ACTIVE PERKS ]

> [The Outsider]

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SIN POINTS: 150

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The argument upstairs finally stopped. For a few seconds there was silence, then the loud sex noises from next door took over again.

Heavy footsteps suddenly came down the stairs. I quickly opened my door and peeked out.

Sarah was storming down the hallway, clearly furious. She hadn’t even changed properly. She was wearing a thin white tank top with no bra underneath, her full breasts swayed heavily with every angry step, her hard nipples clearly visible through the thin fabric. The tank top was slightly crooked, riding up and exposing a strip of soft skin on her stomach. She had on tight grey shorts that hugged her wide hips and thick thighs. Her wavy hair was messy, and her cheeks were flushed with rage.

But then something came into view. A pop-up. It basically let me know that since my perception skill was high, I could see more stuff about her... interesting.

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GRIEVANCE LOG

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Target: Sarah Angi

Subject: Husband

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> Forgets Anniversary

> Poor Hygiene

> Ignores her at dinner

> Dismisses her Feelings

> [!] Stifles Creativity

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[!] NEW SECRET BOND

Topic: Art/Painting

Hidden from: Hubert

Hidden from: Chance

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Nah, not the time. I needed to focus.

Sarah didn’t even glance at me as she headed straight for the building exit.

This was a perfect chance. I grabbed my keys along with my coat and followed her outside.

"Hey," I called out. "Sarah."

"Not now, Chance," she said without stopping.

"Are you okay?" I asked, catching up to her.

"No, I’m not." She stopped near the same tree where I had saved the cat and let out a frustrated sigh. "God... he can be such a jerk sometimes."

Sometimes?

"I heard you guys arguing," I said carefully. "Are you alright?"

She crouched down beside the tree. "You heard it?" She shook her head. "I’m sorry..."

I noticed a group of guys loitering outside, just across the street. They were staring. Hard. One of them nudged his friend, pointing at the way Sarah’s thin tank top left nothing to the imagination in the cool night air. Sarah was aware of them... and she was trying to cover herself.

The System flared to life, highlighting the threat in red.

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PERCEPTION PEEK

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[!] OBSERVATION:

Sarah feels exposed.

The cold is making her

body react, and she’s

becoming aware of

unwanted eyes.

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[ ! ] OPPORTUNITY:

The Protector

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[ ACTION ]

Drape your coat over

her shoulders. Block

the loiterers’ view.

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COST: 10 Lust

EST. GAIN: ??

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"Hey," I said. "Sarah."

"Mm?"

Without waiting for her to answer, I stepped into her space, not in a creepy way, but in a way that physically blocked the view of the guys across the street. I stripped off my coat and draped it over her shoulders. It was still warm from my body heat.

"Put this on," I said softly. "It’s freezing out here, and there are creeps everywhere."

Sarah looked up at me, startled. She clutched the lapels of my jacket, pulling it tight around her. The scent of my cologne and the sudden warmth seemed to hit her like a wave.

"Chance... you don’t have to—"

"I want to," I interrupted, looking her dead in the eyes. "Hubert might not care if you’re out here shivering and being stared at, but I do."

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EXPLOIT SUCCESS

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Action: The Protector

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> Sarah Favor: [▲10%]

> Sarah Mood: [Grateful]

> Loyalty: 70% [▼3%]

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REWARD: +30 EXP

+60 Sin Points

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I crouched down beside her, glancing up at the window of my bedroom for a moment.

Fucking Hubert...

There was a time when helping someone would’ve made me feel good about myself. That person died the night I got beaten half to death. Now, the only thing that mattered was results. Favor points. Lowering her loyalty. Pulling Sarah closer to me and away from that worthless husband of hers. Then fucking her right under his husband’s noise.

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OPPORTUNITY DETECTED

[Grievance: Dismisses Feelings]

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[ SUGGESTED RESPONSE ]

"Hubert might not be, but I’m a good

listener, Sarah. You can talk to me."

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COST: 10 Lust

EST. GAIN: ???

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"Hubert might not be, but I’m a good listener, Sarah. You can talk to me."

She stayed silent for a few seconds, then her voice cracked.