Lila's apartment was a chaotic shrine to her F-rank life. Dungeon gear: dented daggers, a cracked leather chestplate, and a suspiciously sticky pair of boots, spilled across a sagging couch.
Her streaming setup dominated the tiny living room: a wobbly desk with a flickering monitor, a tangle of cables, and her drone perched like a grumpy pet. Krent stood in the doorway, clutching his phone, trying not to trip over a stray mana crystal on the floor.
"Welcome to my palace," Lila said, kicking a pile of energy drink cans under the couch. "Don't trip. Or do. It'd be funny."
Krent snorted, stepping inside.
"This place has… character." He meant it. The mess felt lived-in, real, unlike the polished penthouses of S-rank streamers he'd seen on X. Lila flopped onto a chair, gesturing at the desk.
"Laptop's there. Show me your editing magic, Mr. Media Production."
Krent set up at the desk, their knees brushing as Lila leaned in to watch. Her scent, sweat mixed with something floral, hit him hard, and his Libido stat (18, he cursed internally) sent a warm flush through him. He opened the coffee shop video on her ancient laptop, its fan whining like a dying engine.
"Okay," he said, ignoring his racing pulse. "Your raw footage is solid, but it needs polish. Trim the dead air, add some zooms, maybe a cheeky caption or two." He clicked through the editing software, showing her how to cut a shaky frame where he'd nearly dropped his phone.
Lila leaned closer, her shoulder grazing his. "Not bad. Where'd you learn this?"
"College. Before I realized tuition was a scam for the Unawakened." He smirked, but there was a bitter edge to it. "Spent two years learning to make viral vids, only to find out nobody hires you unless you can shoot fire from your ass."
She laughed, her breath warm against his cheek. "Yeah, well, being Awakened ain't all it's cracked up to be. My last dungeon run? Slime got my dagger stuck in its goo. Took me an hour to pull it out, and my stream had three viewers." She sighed, leaning back. "My family keeps sending me clips of Aurora Blaze, she's S-rank, pulls millions of views. They think I'm failing on purpose."
Krent glanced at her, catching the vulnerability in her eyes. "That's rough. But you're out there fighting. Most people would've quit."
Her lips quirked. "You're not as cynical as you act, huh?"
"Caught me." He grinned, their eyes locking for a second too long. The system's voice purred in his head.
[Skill Unlocked: Allure Glance. Boosts Charisma by 10% in close proximity. Activate?]
Krent's throat went dry. He didn't mean to activate it, but his gaze lingered on Lila's lips, and she blushed, looking away.
[Skill activated. Target response positive] the system noted.
He shook his head, focusing on the screen. This thing was going to get him in trouble.
They spent the next hour editing, Krent guiding Lila's hands on the mouse when the software glitched. Her fingers were calloused from dagger work, but soft in a way that made his stomach flip. "Like this," he said, voice low, as they added a caption: "F-rank life: coffee and goblin blood."
Their laughter filled the room, and for a moment, Neon City's chaos felt far away.
"Okay, upload it," Lila said, nudging him. Krent posted the clip to X, tagging it with #AwakenedLife and #UnderdogVibes. Within minutes, notifications pinged, 20 views, a few likes, and comments.
[Lila's kinda cute when she's not stabbing things] Krent's system chimed.
[Fame Points +20. Current progress: 32/100]
A popup appeared in his vision: [Libido Stat: Enhances conquest potential, social, romantic, or otherwise. Leverage wisely]
Krent nearly groaned. Conquest? The system was about as subtle as a brick.
Lila stretched, her jacket riding up to reveal a strip of toned midriff. "I'm changing. This jacket's killing me."
Before Krent could respond, she disappeared into her bedroom, leaving the door cracked. He busied himself with the laptop, but his eyes flicked to the gap. Lila pulled off her jacket, revealing a tight tank top, then swapped her jeans for loose sweatpants. The curve of her hips caught the light, and Krent's Libido stat pulsed like a warning siren.
[Stay focused, Krent] the system teased.
[Or don't. Your call]
He tore his gaze away, cheeks getting red, as Lila returned, oblivious to his internal meltdown.
"Better," she said, flopping beside him. "So, what's your deal? Why're you so invested in helping me? Most Unawakened guys would rather hate on me than team up."
Krent hesitated. He couldn't tell her about the system, not yet, but he owed her something real.
"I'm tired of being invisible," he admitted. "No powers, no prospects. Watching Awakened like Aurora Blaze live the dream… it stings. But you? You're out there fighting, even when it sucks. I respect that. Plus, you're not bad company."
Lila smirked, but her eyes softened. "Careful, you're gonna make me blush. Last guy who said nice things was an E-rank asshole who ditched me after one dungeon run. Thought he was too good for an F-rank."
"His loss," Krent said, voice firm. "I'm not here to ditch you."
Her smile lingered, and the air between them thickened. Their knees brushed again, and neither pulled away.
Krent's Allure Glance was still active, making his words feel smoother than usual. "We're gonna make your streams blow up," he said. "You're more than F-rank material."
Lila chuckled, but there was a spark in her eyes. "You're trouble, Krent Sakado."
They turned back to the laptop as more notifications rolled in. The video hit 50 views small, but huge for Lila. Comments poured in, mostly positive, but a few stung:
- F-rank weakling, stick to coffee.
- Why's she even trying?
Lila's jaw tightened, her fingers clenching.
"Assholes," she muttered. "I'm not weak. I just need a better shot."
Krent saw the fire in her, the same stubborn spark he'd felt when the system chose him. "Then let's give 'em one," he said. "Next dungeon run, we film it together. Action, banter, the works. Show them you're no pushover."
Lila's eyes lit up. "You're serious? You, an Unawakened, in a dungeon?"
"I've got tricks," he said, tapping his temple with a grin. The system pinged, right on cue.
[Sub-Quest Unlocked: Collaborative Content. Film a dungeon run with Lila]
[Reward: 30 Fame Points, Skill Unlock.]
Krent's heart raced. This was it, his chance to climb higher, with Lila by his side. But as they packed up the laptop and she brushed past him, her hand lingering on his arm, the system's earlier "intimacy" prompt echoed in his mind.
The line between ambition and attraction was blurring, and Krent wasn't sure which was pulling him harder.