Liam sat frozen, his eyes scanning the endless cascade of glowing blue letters and numbers sprawled across the screen. His mouth hung slightly ajar as if his brain was lagging behind his sight, trying to process it all.
"This… this is insane," he muttered under his breath, his gaze darting from one stat to the next. "It's literally like a game profile. EXP, levels, stats… I actually have to grind like some RPG character to get stronger."
Xena nodded, her tone calm but tinged with pride, as though she'd been waiting for him to say that. "That's right. As you level up, you'll grow stronger. Your body, your abilities, even your aura. You gain EXP from completing quests… or from certain activities."
Liam arched a brow and let out a short, incredulous chuckle. "Activities like sex, huh?"
Xena's lips curved into a small, knowing smile. She didn't answer, but her silence was loud enough.
Liam scrolled down the glowing display… to his stats, squinting at the numbers as if they personally offended him. "Strength, ten. Agility, five. Stamina, five." His lips curled into a groan. "God, this is so pathetic. I'm basically weaker than a video game tutorial character."
Xena chuckled softly, the sound low and melodic, though there was a bite of sarcasm in it. "What were you expecting? To start out as a god?"
"Not a god," Liam muttered, rubbing the back of his neck, "but at least… I don't know, something less embarrassing."
Xena's eyes glimmered in amusement as she leaned closer, her voice deliberately smooth. "Oh, don't pout. The average grown human male has a strength stat of twenty."
Liam scoffed. "Is that supposed to make me feel better?"
Xena giggled. "Yes. Yes it is."
Liam sighed. Then a thought popped into his mind. "Wait. What about an Awakened? What's their average strength stat?"
"Fifty," Xena said without hesitation.
Liam scoffed, leaning back with a bitter smirk. "Figures. No wonder those guys can destroy cities in minutes. With numbers like that…"
Xena's eyes softened, her voice steadier this time. "Don't be discouraged. You'll increase your stats as you level up and spend stat points. Eventually, you'll surpass even an Awakened, and strength won't be something you envy.. it'll be something you own."
He nodded slowly, exhaling through his nose. "Yeah, that's if I even survive tonight first," he thought. The words stayed locked inside his head… but when he glanced at Xena, she was smiling knowingly.
Heat crept up his neck. She had heard that.
He cleared his throat and leaned forward, feigning casualness. "Well, at least my charisma's still pretty good." His mouth tugged into a smug smirk.
Xena quirked a brow, lips twitching. "Maybe it's because you're so handsome." she teased.
That hit Liam square in the chest. He blinked rapidly, laughing awkwardly, his cheeks betraying him with the red flush that spread across it.
"Handsome? Please. I'm just an average guy." he said.
"Yeah. You definitely are," Xena agreed with a chuckle, though inside, her mind disagreed. Liam was definitely above average. Messy hair, sharp jawline, charming smile and icy blue eyes that gleamed under the light… there was something about him that felt dreamy.
And even Xena had to admit… he was an alluring piece of work. She caught herself staring and quickly looked away, clearing her throat.
"Anyways.. your charisma is an important asset to the Lust System," she explained. "With it, you can practically bed women with a few words and a smile alone."
Liam shifted uncomfortably, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah… got it. You don't need to explain further."
She chuckled and nodded, letting the subject drop.
Liam's eyes moved again, this time catching on the line: Stat Points. He tilted his head, squinting. "Huh. What's this about?"
Xena leaned back on her hands. "Every day, you'll receive ten stat points, which you can allocate into whichever stat you choose, however you please."
Liam was excited by this. It wasn't particularly common to receive anything for free in the world today. His eyes lit up with boyish curiosity. "So I can add them now?"
"Sure." Xena replied.
Liam stared hard at the screen, contemplating how to distribute the available stat points.
You've got decent charisma, and perception," Xena pointed out, interrupting his thoughts. "Looks like you're built more for charm than brawn. But I suppose you'll need more than just looks and senses to survive what's coming."
Liam smiled wryly. "And here I was hoping charisma would let me talk a monster into falling for me instead of fighting." he sighed dramatically.
That earned him another laugh from Xena, warmer this time. "You'd be surprised. But trust me… monsters don't care for words."
Liam chuckled. She was right. He needed more than charm and senses to survive. He needed power. Strength. Stamina. Agility. Defense. Things that will keep him alive.
And after a while, he made his decision.
"Alright… I'll add five points into stamina, and five into agility," he said. "They're the weakest of my stats."
"Wise choice," Xena teased, lifting her glass again. "Because honestly, you look like you'd pass out from doing a single push up."
Liam's jaw dropped in mock offense. "Haha. Good one." he muttered sarcastically.
Xena giggled. Her laugh was light and unguarded, bubbling out of her before she could stop it. And in that moment… her head tilted back, blue hair catching the dim glow, lips parted in genuine joy.
Liam found himself staring.
She caught him, her smile faltering as her eyes locked on his. For a heartbeat too long, neither of them looked away. They just stared at one another.
Then, as if burned, they both snapped out of it and turned back to the floating screen, their cheeks reddened.
Liam cleared his throat. "So… how do I actually distribute the points?"
"Just give the command," Xena replied smoothly, her voice steadier than her heart. "Either spoken aloud or in your mind. The system responds to intent."
"Alright," Liam nodded in understanding and was about to do as told, when her voice suddenly cut in sharply.
"Wait."
Liam blinked, confused. "What?"
"I want to try something." Xena said, her eyes glimmering with mischief.
And before Liam could protest, she reached out… her slender fingers extending toward the screen. And then…she pressed her index finger into the glowing interface.
And it didn't pass through.
Instead, the blue surface rippled like liquid beneath her touch. Calmly, she moved her hand across it as if swiping a tablet screen.
Liam's jaw dropped. He had tried to touch the screen before, but the interface didn't responded to him physically. His fingers passed through it.
Yet here she was, her own fingers gliding effortlessly across the screen like glass.
She tapped on Agility, and suddenly a small [+] symbol appeared beside it.
"What the…" Liam whispered, stunned.
With practiced ease, Xena pressed the plus button five times. The number shifted with each touch, climbing from 5 to 10. Below, the Stat Points count ticked down from 10 to 5.
Then she moved her hand to Stamina and did the same.
When she finally pulled her hand back, she exhaled, a satisfied smile curving her lips.
Liam turned to her slowly, voice low and disbelieving. "How the hell did you do that?"
Xena tilted her head slightly, eyes glimmering as if she didn't understand. "Do what?"
Liam blinked at her, incredulous. "The screen. You touch it like it was solid. Like as if it were a device," he said, still stunned. "Even I can't do that. So how did you?"
Xena chuckled softly, a sound that rolled smooth and unbothered, her shoulders lifting in a small shrug. "I don't know. Maybe it's because I was once integrated with the system… or because I'm psychic." she replied simply, with no trace of deception in her voice. She was telling the truth.
Liam stared at her for a moment before huffing a laugh, shaking his head. "Wow. Can you possibly be any more amazing?"
The words slipped out without much thought, but Xena's composure wavered. She gasped softly, her lips parting as the compliment affected her more than expected. Her cheeks flushed bright red, and her heart raced faster than usual.
She turned her face away quickly, as if hiding from the intensity of his gaze. "It's nothing, really." she muttered, voice softer than before.
Liam's chuckle lingered, warm and unassuming, before he returned his attention to the glowing system screen. His eyes scanned it until they landed on a new word.
"Regeneration…" he read aloud, leaning closer. His eyes widened as he read through the ability's info. "Woah. This… this is insane."
Xena smirked knowingly. "That ability can heal even severed limbs. It's the reason you were healed from the knife wounds last night."
Liam's jaw slackened slightly before a grin pulled at his lips. "So you're saying, I don't have to be afraid of getting hurt anymore? I'll just… heal?"
Careful, now," Xena teased, her tone light but her gaze serious. "Regeneration is a great ability to have. But it takes a toll on stamina. And it doesn't mean you won't feel pain from the wounds before they heal."
Liam shrugged nonchalantly. "That's okay. I'm already used to pain."
Xena paused, reflecting on his words. The casual way he said it tugged at something inside her. Her expression softened, her teasing fading into a quiet sympathy.
She looked at him intently… like she was seeing beyond his words into the hurt that had shaped them.
Liam's attention shifted again, eyes catching on another glowing section of the screen. "System module…" His brow furrowed as he read furthe.
He blinked as shock flashed across his face. "Wait… the Warlord and Hero systems are still here?"
Xena's lips curved into a knowing smile, her voice rich with pride. "That's the beauty of the universal system. Its core function is the power to unlock and activate multiple systems. The Lust System is just a starting module. In time, you'll unlock the Warlord System, Hero System… and many more."
Liam's eyes widened, imagination already spinning. Endless systems. Endless ways to grow stronger. He let out a low laugh. "That's incredible. It means I won't have to rely on the Lust System alone."
Xena chuckled. "Precisely."
Liam exhaled as the info on the screen finally came to an end. His gaze flickered back up, making sure he hadn't missed anything.
Then he found something.
"Shop points, huh," he murmured. His brows knitted together. "I'm guessing they're unavailable because the shop is locked?"
"Yes," Xena said. "When the shop unlocks, you'll be able to use shop points to get anything from it. You can get shop points from quests or by simply converting your lust points into it."
Liam nodded. "Yeah. Lust points are the currency for skills and buying stuff. I already got that part."
"Good," Xena said. "And once other systems are unlocked, the points generated from them would be eligible for conversion as well."
Liam hummed, thoughtful, scanning further.
That's when he saw it.
"Sin alignment… sin energy?" His confusion hung heavy. "What are these?"
He turned to Xena.. only to see her frown, genuine uncertainty clouding her features.
"I… I don't know," she admitted slowly. "They weren't part of the system when I carried it. It must've appeared after integrating with you. Maybe your soul modified it."
"Modified? Is that possible?" Liam asked.
"Maybe." Xena replied. Her tone was cautious. "The Universal System isn't just programming. It's tied to the essence of the universe. Which makes it… unpredictable."
Liam's eyes went wide. "Wait… are you saying the system has a mind of its own?"
"Yes." Her tone was steady, serious. "It's the system that decides the nature of quests and controls the reward algorithm. But sometimes, it can act… beyond logic."
Liam leaned back, exhaling slowly. "This is way more complicated than I thought. Honestly… I still have a hard time processing it all."
Xena's lips curved into a tender smile. She reached for him.. bolder this time, and placed her hand over his.
Warmth sparked through the contact.
"Don't worry," she murmured. "I can explain everything that's not clear to you. I'm not going anywhere."
Liam exhaled. His heart eased. He smiled at her, nodding.
Their gazes locked, lingering too long, a tether tightening between them. It felt like falling without moving, like speaking without words.
Liam cleared his throat softly, voice lowering as he decided to push further. "You can read minds, right?"he said, his voice low. "Then tell me… what am I thinking about?"
Xena gazed deeply into his eyes, then she chuckled softly, her smile the most beautiful he had ever seen.
"You're thinking about how beautiful I am," she said, smiling. "And you're also thinking of how… you're not worthy of doing it with me."
Liam's lips tugged wryly. "Yeah. That's the truth… I'm not."
"Don't say that," Xena whispered quickly, shaking her head. Her cheeks tinged pink again, but her voice carried conviction. "Of course you're worthy of me, Liam. You're worthy of my first time."
The words hit him like a blade softened by warmth… startling, tender, undeniable. He had suspected… but now it was certain.
She was a virgin too.
His heart pounded with conflicted emotions. But her next words shattered his restraint.
"Liam, I want to do this with you." Her voice was low, earnest, edged with vulnerability. She leaned closer, face inches from his. "Maybe it's just the whiskey talking… but I think you're amazing."
"I've seen everything about you… your memories, your struggles, your pain, your sacrifices," she continued. "I could tell from these things, that… you're a great guy. And I don't think anyone could be more worthy of doing this with me."
Liam eyes widened, his heart raced. Her words broke something inside him. It was like someone had finally seen him, acknowledged him, accepted him beyond the walls he'd built. It was a weight lifted, replaced by a longing he couldn't suppress.
He leaned in closer, until their lips hovered breaths apart, his voice hushed with a teasing wryness. "You know… it's not right. Prying into my head like that. That's invasion of privacy."
Xena's eyes widened, guilt flickering across them. "Oh, I… I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to. I was just—"
"Checking if I'm a suitable host for the system?" Liam finished for her, his voice calm. "I know. And I'm not offended. In fact, I don't really care if you read my thoughts. I've got nothing to hide." He shrugged with a smile.
Xena bit her lip, a small laugh slipping past. "Something tells me you'd be the kind of partner who's very honest."
Liam's grin was sharp, playful. "Well, that depends on the kind of partner I have. If it's a girl who can read minds… then yeah, consider me the most honest man alive."
Xena shook her head, laughing softly, her eyes glowing with something warmer than amusement. "You're hilarious. And your thoughts… they're fascinating."
Liam inched closer to her, their breaths mingling. His voice lowered, a whisper charged with heat. "Really? So what am I thinking of right now?"
Xena's lips curved knowingly, her gaze holding steady. "You're thinking of kissing me."
Liam didn't deny it. His eyes burned into hers. "Can I?" he asked softly, earnest, never breaking eye contact.
Xena's breath hitched, then steadied. She shook her head slowly. "No..." she whispered, her lips curling into a mischievous grin. "…allow me."
And before Liam could react, she closed the space, her lips pressing against his in a soft, trembling kiss.
It was tentative yet electric… his first, and undoubtedly hers too. It was a kiss that wasn't just a kiss, but the beginning of something deeper. Literally.