"…Oh. Their hearts."
Issei blinked, rubbing the fresh slap mark on his head. He gritted his teeth, but his excitement didn't wane. If this was what it took to unlock the sacred art of picking up girls, then so be it!
Blake, meanwhile, kept a straight face—but barely.
If they actually bought this, he was going to lose it.
A Foolproof Plan
"Alright, listen up," Blake continued, his tone grave. "Your next step is to immerse yourselves in the ultimate training regimen."
The three leaned in.
"You need to play dating sims—specifically, Reverse Harem and Cross-Dressing Academy."
Issei's eyes widened. "Wait, what?"
Blake nodded solemnly. "You must role-play as the heroine in these games. Only by fully stepping into a woman's shoes—thinking like her, feeling like her, living like her—can you hope to understand the true essence of a woman's heart."
There was silence.
A long silence.
Issei and his friends stared at Blake, their brains struggling to process this revelation.
"…We have to… play as the girl?"
Blake nodded. "Exactly. Play at least a hundred of these games. Immerse yourselves. Become the heroine. Once you master this path, you'll understand women on a level no ordinary man can."
The trio gulped.
Blake almost lost it right there.
"With this knowledge," he pressed on, keeping his voice serious, "you won't just date women—you'll make them chase after you. Wealthy, beautiful women will come running at the mere crook of your finger."
Issei's hands shook. His friends' faces were filled with overwhelming awe.
Blake could see it—the moment of epiphany.
The moment stupidity triumphed over reason.
The Awakening
"Master… You're a genius!"
Issei's eyes burned with newfound enlightenment. His lips quivered, his soul shaking with emotion.
"We've wasted our lives, dreaming of harems, not realizing the true path to success! We were unworthy of a woman's attention! But you… you have opened our eyes!"
Tears glistened in his eyes.
Blake coughed, keeping his smirk hidden. "Well, I only had to master fifty games to get where I am today. But you guys? You might need a hundred."
"…Fifty?"
They stared at him, their respect reaching godlike levels.
Blake nodded sagely. "I hope you can surpass me. Now, I have to head to the Kendo Club."
He turned to leave, lifting a hand in a graceful, mentor-like farewell.
"Good luck, my disciples."
"YES, MASTER!"
The three dropped to their knees again, bowing so deeply that their foreheads nearly hit the pavement.
Blake walked away with perfect composure.
The moment he turned the corner—
He burst out laughing.
---
"Let's go! We're starting now!"
As soon as Blake disappeared, Issei and his friends sprang to their feet.
Ignoring the weird looks from nearby students, they bolted out of the school with one mission in mind—
To buy every damn dating sim they could find.
Meanwhile, the students who had witnessed the entire thing stood there, completely baffled.
The Puppet Master
A soft, playful voice rang in Blake's mind.
"Master, you're so naughty."
Blake smirked, adjusting the strap of his bag. "It was for the mission. Otherwise, do you think I'd waste my time screwing with those three idiots? I'd rather be training."
Sia giggled. "Mm~ but do you think it'll work?"
Blake's smirk widened. "Oh, it'll work. Those kinds of games? They're a bottomless pit. Once you fall in, there's no getting out."
He had seen it happen before.
He had seen lives ruined.
This world… didn't know the horrors of trap-filled dating sims.
A New Challenger Appears
By the time Blake reached the Kendo Club, the day was already winding down.
The moment he stepped inside, heads turned.
The club members watched in awe as he began his training, moving with effortless grace and power. Occasionally, he'd offer guidance to a certain female member—a character who appeared in the original story.
The training stretched on, the sun sinking behind the horizon.
Before long, the dojo was empty.
Everyone had gone home.
Except Blake.
After wiping off his sweat, he slung his sword bag over his shoulder and made his way toward the school gates.
And that's when he felt it.
A presence.
A Midnight Duel?
In the shadows near the school gate, a lone figure stood.
Dressed in black, face hidden behind a mask, they clutched a longsword in their hand.
Their stance was steady. Focused.
They were waiting.
For him.