[ L.U.S.T INN — Daseos's Room ]
Daseos remained seated on his bed, his mind wrestling with the enigma of the suddenly appearing interface.
'Will the wealth points go down every time I spend money?'
Daseos pondered, feeling a budding frustration with the lack of instructions accompanying the system.
If spending money meant a deduction of the wealth points then even if Daseos proceeded to earn a boatload of cash, would it mean that he'd be unable to spend it?
The plethora of doubts whirled in his mind, but due to the limitation of his current circumstance, he was temporarily unable to test out his theories,
With a mental shrug, he conceded, 'I'll work it out, one way or another, when the time comes…'
Returning his focus to the perplexing system displayed before him, his attention was drawn to the indicators labeled [P:] and [M:].
==========
[ Daseos Demon — T0 ]
Wealth: 250,637
P: 178
M: 162
==========
In truth, he had a budding theory about what those initials could represent.
'[P:] must stand for some kind of physical rating...like the PhysRat everyone knows about,'
He mused silently, his mind racing.
'And [M:] might be pointing to a mental or spiritual metric.'
He was familiar with the concept of PhysRat, a common term in the world of villains.
Although the non-villains were generally unaware of the nuances of villainy cultivation, it was no secret that a substantial physical rating was foundational in ascending the villain hierarchy.
A quick online search will also state that after reaching Tier 3, Villains will normally awaken unique gifts and abilities of their own, this is where their spiritual or mental prowess would become an integral factor to their cultivation.
His fingers drumming against his thigh, he whispered to himself,
"If the only metrics on this system are Wealth, P, and M... could it potentially bolster my Physical and Mental stats using those wealth points?"
In Antagonia, low-tier villains were a dime a dozen. Yet those who progressed to medium and higher tiers were few and far between.
The simple reason?
The astronomical costs involved in amassing the resources needed for cultivation, especially at the upper echelons.
To hone oneself further, to break through the barriers of their tier, demanded resources. And those resources didn't come cheap.
Top-tier villains shelled out fortunes to just nudge their stats, emphasizing the stark economic divide in the villain world.
Take the Tier 1 Physical Refinement Pill for instance — its price matched the hefty application fee of the Villain Ascendancy Trials.
A staggering $50,000 for an entry-level pill!
That's the entire Villain Ascendency Trials Application fee!
An amount that dwarfed the life savings of many an Antagonian household.
And with each ascending tier of these coveted pills, the price didn't just hike; it exploded.
Could this novel system be the key to shattering these financial shackles?
A broad, eager grin carved its way across Daseos's face as he contemplated the possibilities.
"But... how do I convert these points into a higher PhysRat?"
Daseos's voice was tinged with desperation.
"Give me a sign! A clue! Anything!"
He sighed, the weight of his frustration evident in his tone.
Never had Daseos, in all his life, wanted an instruction manual so badly!
Daseos's eyes bore into the interface, hoping against hope that it would yield some results.
He cried out, "System… System… Give me some P!"
Silence.
"Mr. System, I want to buy some P!"
" ... "
"Hellloooo~ Are you there? Knock Knock… Anyone home?"
" ... "
"Open Sesame?"
" ... "
"Abracadabra!"
" ... "
"Win-fucking-gardium Leviousa!"
" ... "
Daseos gritted his teeth, his hands balling into tight fists at his sides as he growled out another command to the elusive system,
"Respond, damn you!"
He couldn't help but burst out,
"FUCK!!!"
Visibly frustrated, Daseos's face reddened, his eyebrows furrowing in sheer annoyance.
"You better pump up my PhysRat or I swear I'll find a way to kick your ass!!!"
Suddenly, the once static display blinked with change.
==========
[ Daseos Demon — T0 ]
Wealth: 240,637
P: 179
M: 162
==========
Daseos leapt up, his eyes wide with disbelief,
"It worked? What kinda SM shit is this?"
As he rose, a sharp, biting pain shot through him.
But it was fleeting.
Almost immediately, it dissipated, replaced by a gentle, almost electrifying sensation that spread throughout his limbs.
Taking a deep breath, the cool tingling feeling engulfed him, causing a shudder of pleasure.
"AHHHH~"
A playful grin remained on Daseos's face.
"Bitch! Add to my PhysRat! Or I'll shut you down!"
A jolt of pain coursed through him, promptly followed by a surge of delightful satisfaction.
A strange cycle had started: a command led to pain, and pain gave way to a sense of euphoria that he couldn't quite describe but enjoyed immensely.
"I'll deactivate you if you don't add another point!"
"Ouchhh!! AHHHHHH~"
A mixture of agony and pleasure painted his face with various expressions, from squinted eyes and clenched teeth to relaxed features and a pleased sigh.
It was comically extreme, the way his body responded — pain and pleasure, frustration and satisfaction — all playing out in quick succession.
"I'll deactivate you if you don't add another point!"
A sharp yelp followed the threat, leading to another round of this peculiar yet addictive cycle.
His loud, satisfied moans resonated in the enclosed space, the unique blend of agony and bliss strangely harmonious as he went back and forth with the unresponsive system, the room filled with his alternating cries of pain and murmurs of pleasure.
==========
[ Daseos Demon — T0 ]
Wealth: 180,637
P: 185
M: 162
==========
Just as Daseos was bracing himself for another round with the unpredictable system, an abrupt series of knocks echoed in the room, breaking his concentration and bringing him back to the reality of his surroundings.
*Knock!* *Knock!* *Knock!*
Slightly flustered, Daseos hurried to gather the scattered envelope of money.
His heartbeat pulsated in his ears, a rhythmic drum accentuating his slight panic as he scampered toward the door.
Heart racing and face tinged with a flush of embarrassment mixed with the afterglow of his unusual yet fruitful interaction with the system.
"Huhhh~ Huhhhh~ Who is it?"
Heart racing and face tinged with a flush of embarrassment mixed with the afterglow of his unusual yet fruitful interaction with the system, Daseos finally opened the door, still panting slightly, prepared to face whoever awaited him with a disheveled look and a mix of fear and excitement in his eyes.
"Ummm... Daseos… Were you… Touching yourself?"