Eventually, the apartment fell silent as night took over the city.
West stood.
"It’s time."
Aria nodded reluctantly.
She walked him to the door of the study, opened it slightly, and peeked out.
The living room was dark.
She gestured and West stepped out quietly.
They moved toward the apartment entrance together.
West reached for the handle and then—
The lights came on.
Ross stood there, leaning against the wall with his arms folded.
West froze.
Aria froze.
Ross tilted his head.
"...You’ve been here this whole time?"
Aria stepped forward immediately.
"Yes."
Ross’s eyes shifted to her.
"And you didn’t tell me?"
Her expression hardened.
"How could I?"
She crossed her arms.
"You’ve been hunting him like prey with the rest of those other gangs."
She gestured toward West.
"Poor guy just wants to be left alone."
Ross’s jaw tightened.
"You’re supposed to be on my side."
His voice wasn’t loud but he looked passed.
Then he looked at West again and his expression changed instantly.
The anger disappeared, replaced by a friendly smile.
He stepped closer.
"I can protect you."
West said nothing.
Ross continued.
"There are many benefits to joining the Black Furnace gang."
Aria threw her hands up in frustration.
"See? This is exactly why I didn’t tell you!"
Ross ignored her completely, keeping his focus on West.
He stepped even closer now.
Close enough to examine him carefully.
"...How many branches do you have?"
West’s eyes met his but only responded with silence.
Ross’s smile widened slightly.
"It’s more than one, isn’t it?"
West remained expressionless while Ross continued analyzing aloud.
"There’s no way you’re that strong without activating your branch."
He leaned in slightly.
"As a summoner, you should even be weaker physically."
His eyes sharpened.
"So definitely... more than one branch."
West shrugged casually.
"It doesn’t matter."
He stepped past Ross.
"I’m heading off now."
He paused briefly.
"...I hope no one follows me."
Ross turned quickly.
"Wait."
West didn’t stop but Ross didn’t stop speaking...
"You don’t understand what you’re sitting on."
His voice carried greed now.
Barely concealed.
"The rewards."
"The power."
"The opportunities."
He stepped forward again.
"Our boss would value someone like you immensely."
Inside Ross’s mind, calculations ran endlessly.
Recognition.
Promotion.
Status.
Power.
All within reach.
If he could bring West in.
West didn’t turn around.
"I’m not interested."
He opened the door and left.
Aria immediately stepped between Ross and West.
"If you go after him—" she voiced with a cold tone.
"I’ll break up with you."
Ross froze in place.
---
Outside, the night air felt cool, quiet and peaceful.
Finally, West could move on the streets again without being chased.
He walked toward the bus stop as streetlights illuminated the empty road.
He exhaled slowly and then a familiar presence appeared beside him.
Gor’thala had emerged silently, walking beside him with her massive figure towering over everything.
She looked down at him.
"...Master was copulating with the human woman."
West eyes widened as he froze mid-step.
He turned sharply.
"Shush!"
He lowered his voice.
"You saw that?"
She nodded calmly.
"I did not wander far."
Her voice remained neutral.
"I had to protect master."
West rubbed his face.
"...Of course you did."
She continued walking beside him with a thoughtful expression.
"...Why does master’s woman stay with another male?"
West blinked.
"...What?"
She elaborated calmly.
"She resides with another male."
She tilted her head slightly.
"Is this how humans behave?"
She paused.
"Do humans share partners?"
West sighed deeply.
"It’s complicated."
He looked ahead.
"...She’s not officially my partner."
Gor’thala frowned faintly... she didn’t understand.
Even after he tried explaining.
Her mind struggled to comprehend human relationships.
They were inefficient.
Confusing.
Illogical.
She recalled the sounds from earlier.
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"...The human woman was very loud."
West coughed awkwardly while she continued.
"...Was she enjoying it that much?"
West laughed softly.
"You’ll understand someday."
Gor’thala entire mind went blank as she stopped walking.
Her thoughts froze.
"Does master intend to copulate with Gor’thala?"
Her heart skipped.
West immediately noticed her expression and turned around.
"That’s not what I meant!"
He rubbed his temple.
"...Forget it."
He exhaled.
"It’s time to go home."
Gor’thala nodded as her body dissolved into light, returning to the summon domain.
Inside the summon domain, she stood silently, thinking.
Her hand rested over her chest, feeling her beating heart.
"Gor’thala would not refuse if master desired it..."
Her loyalty was absolute.
---
West boarded the bus completely unaware of Gor’thala’s thoughts.
He sat quietly and watched the city pass by through the window.
Tonight had been chaotic, violent, intimate and transformative.
He returned home later, collapsed onto his bed and slept.
---
Light filled the room as Morning came.
West groaned softly and before he could sit up, multiple system notifications appeared in his line of sight.
[ Achievement Completed: Defeat Multiple Awakened Opponents ]
[ Opponents Defeated: 4 Tier-1 Awakened ]
[ Achievement Rank: Rare ]
[ Rewards Granted: ]
+300 Cuck Points
+10 Strength
+10 Speed
+10 Confidence
+Skill Acquired: Combat Instinct (Passive)
West’s eyes widened but before he could react—
Another notification appeared.
[ Achievement Completed: First Sex ]
[ Status: Completed ]
[ Rewards Granted: ]
+350 Cuck Points
+15 Seduction
+10 Charm
+Special Trait Unlocked: Dominant Presence
West sat upright instantly.
"...What?"
Then—
A third notification appeared.
[ Hidden Quest Completed ]
[ Quest Title: Forbidden Proximity ]
[ Objective: Have sex with target while partner of target is within immediate proximity ]
[ Status: Completed ]
West’s eyes narrowed as he recalled back at the apartment with Ross.
His eyes narrowed.
The system responded accordingly.
[ Rewards Granted: ]
+550 Cuck Points
+20 Seduction
+15 Confidence
+New Skill Acquired: Emotional Manipulation (Lv.1)
West stared at the screen.
His total Cuck points had skyrocketed from this one encounter and his power had just increased dramatically.
West sat upright on his bed with the early morning light spilling across his face as the system interface hovered before him.
His eyes locked onto the number displayed boldly at the bottom of the panel.
[ Cuck Points (CP): 2,876 ]
He exhaled slowly.
"...That’s insane."
This was by far the highest amount he had ever accumulated.
He had enough to reshape himself entirely and not just by buying skills or increasing sub stats but also with buffs...
The traits...
The passive enhancements...
He navigated to his SKILLS panel.
---
[ACTIVE SKILLS — Equipped: 3 / 3]
• Adrenal Control — Lv.2
• Shadow Anchor — Lv.1
• Silver Tongue — Lv.1
[LOCKED SKILLS — Unequipped]
• Emotional Manipulation — Lv.1
• Combat Instinct — Lv.1
---
West frowned slightly.
"Only three slots..."