NOVEL NEXT Chapter 4: Chapter 4: First night out
[Host: Mize Adhart]
[Int]: 5
[Str]: 3
[Wis]: 6
[Dex]: 5
[Agi]: 5
[Beauty level]: 65
[Cute level]: 60
[Charm level]: 64
[Current points]: 32,100
[Note: The exchange rate between points for appearance is 1,000 points for 1 increase. For physical attribute points, it is 10,000 points for 1 increase.]
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He glanced at his stats, eyebrows knitting together as he mulled over the numbers.
His hand rested thoughtfully on his chin, contemplating what these attributes meant and how they might work.
"What's the basis of me earning points, really?" he asked aloud, hoping the system would provide an answer.
[Anything that is from being a normal female habit and action to anything beyond the depraving and moral degradation line.]
The response felt vague, unsettling even.
Mize frowned.
"That sounds vague."
[As in, the closer the host's nature and actions are to the goddess trait, the higher the points the host can gain.]
[With points, the host can enhance the current appearance and even physical or spiritual attributes]
[And like the divine, there are good divine and evil divine, one of kindness and the other of deprivation, or one can be both]
The answer hit him like a slow, creeping realization.
He stared at his reflection, his ruby eyes glinting with a mix of intrigue and disbelief.
"So, you're telling me I should be a whore?" he asked, his voice soft but laden with a dark curiosity.
[The partner can be repeated, a sole partner, or anything that the host wishes. It is entirely up to the host's decision]
[If the host values pure love, then the host can go for a single target at a time]
[And if the host values the opposite, the host can proceed to do so]
[The path of the strong knows no line between the good and evil]
Mize's lips curled into a small smile, his mind playing with the possibilities.
His eyes glinted under the soft bathroom light, the reflection of his transformed self shimmering in the mirror.
"I see..." he muttered, his soft hum escaping from the lip.
Mize's eyes flicked back to the last column on the panel, locking onto the number of points he had amassed over time. The smile that tugged at the corner of his mouth was apparent.
"32,100 points..." he whispered to himself. "Enough for 32 appearance points or just 3 physical points according to the exchange rate"
He mulled it over, the gears in his mind turning slowly. **Physical points would be useful**, no doubt about that.
Having more strength, agility, or dexterity might come in handy for situations he couldn't foresee yet.
But there was a catch, he had no baseline for these physical stats.
He didn't know what a mere three-point increase in strength or agility would even feel like. Would it make him noticeably stronger, or would the change be so subtle it wouldn't matter?
His fingers tapped lightly on the translucent panel as he thought.
"But appearance... that's a known quantity," he muttered under his breath. "I already know what I look like, and if 32 points could push my beauty or charm to another level..."
He trailed off, a gleam in his ruby-red eyes.
The thought ignited something deep within him like a slowly growing flame—a kind of forbidden flame that he shouldn't have harbored about in the very first place.
He had always wondered what it would be like to wield the kind of power that came not from physical strength, but from sheer allure.
Beauty as a weapon, charm as a tool to bend others to his will.
The idea of using his appearance to manipulate situations... to watch as people fell over themselves trying to impress him, to bask in their admiration and then discard them like broken toys when they no longer amused him.
He smirked at the thought, a bit of self-blaming that such thoughts existed somewhere at the back of his mind.
"How would it feel to go on a date and never have to pay... to make someone fall head over heels, only to ditch them the moment they've served their purpose?"
It was a twisted fantasy, but the thrill of it made his heart race.
He had always been curious—what was it like to be adored by everyone, wanted by all, yet unattainable?
To live in a world where every glance from a man was filled with longing, where every compliment was laced with desperation, knowing full well none of them would ever have the slightest chance with him?
"Absurd," he muttered, shaking his head slightly.
But the smirk on his lips said otherwise. The idea of it all was intoxicating, an exciting prospect that made his chest tighten.
He bit his lip as he weighed his options. Physical strength would be useful, but appearance—that was something he could exploit immediately.
"Beauty," he whispered, almost to himself. It wasn't just vanity.
It was a tool, a weapon, something that could open doors and control the narrative around him.
"Well, now I sounded like a pervert huh, an evil one at that"
His fingers hovered over the exchange option on the blue panel. The allure of those thoughts was extremely tempting, so tempting that he felt, the consequences could be thought later.
He had always been a loner, discarded on the corner, and was raised in an abusive household that caused him severe depression even till now.
He still remembered it, the moment the world changed, the first day of it was filled with excitement and also anticipation.
Perhaps he has many friends in this different version of the earth?
Perhaps a close friend?
Perhaps even someone to talk to normally without being looked down upon?
Perhaps not being sexualized or taken advantage of?
Wrong, he was utterly wrong as everything else remained the same other than the changes in the world itself. As for him and his life, nothing much changes as he is and will always be the sole loner in the corner of the classroom.
32 points.
"I guess it's time to see what 32 points of beauty look like" The thought of this ignited in an instant after the train of self-depreciating thoughts had occurred just now.
Without any hesitation, he then hovered his fingers over the panel once again, his eyes locked onto a certain number of meters that highlighted the beauty words on it.
"There is no indication that per points will increase as so, so I should pour 1 first to see how it changes" He murmured to himself, a voice that wasn't loud nor quiet, just barely enough for him to hear within this confine of his room.
And if his guess were true, then he had made the best choice not to invest in the physical increases first instead of this. Who knows how many points it will take just to increase it by one, given how expensive and hard it is to gain points?
Thus it happened, as his finger tapped over the plus button on the side of the beauty column.
Ding, well... it's just a ding but the number remained the same.
"As expected, no way it can be that easy to increase these points" Mize smiled knowingly as he had anticipated this situation to occur.
"then... let's see how many points are needed just to increase this beauty trait by one" His fingers kept brushing the column one after another, the noise that it made each time tingled his ears.
Ding...
Ding...
Ding...
That was not until this tenth press, that the number finally changed.
[Beauty level]: 66
"It increased!" Mize shrieked with a smile.
Though...
"Just by one point... " His smile faded into the dark shade on the side, as the light of the room didn't reach far enough to cover the corner of this room.
Well, it was to be as expected, but he can't help but be disappointed over this revelation. He hoped for the impossible to be possible despite the low chance of it happening.
"Well... that's better than nothing. I guess... " He mused
Mize watched as the blue panel flickered slightly, recalibrating the numbers after his exchange. His beauty points, which had sat comfortably at 66, surged forward, ticking up by 2 more points to reach 68. The changes were subtle yet undeniable.
His reflection in the mirror shimmered as if the very air around him had shifted to accommodate this new level of allure.
He stared at his face, his ruby-red eyes more captivating than before. The contours of his features seemed slightly sharper, more refined as if an artist had taken a brush and perfected every angle.
His skin, already smooth, now appeared flawless, glowing with a soft, radiant sheen. The cascade of hair falling over his shoulders looked fuller, with a shine that caught the light just right, each strand flowing like silk.
The dress, too, seemed to fit him more perfectly than before, as though his body had subtly adjusted to enhance its presentation.
Every fold of fabric, every accessory, seemed to highlight his appearance, amplifying his grace and elegance. His once-slightly awkward height now worked in his favor, giving him a delicate, ethereal presence.
He took a step closer to the mirror, marveling at the transformation. It wasn't a complete overhaul—he hadn't expected that—but the subtle enhancements were more than enough.
"I'm close…" Mize murmured, admiring the way his features had subtly adjusted to this newfound level of attractiveness.
"And I can control the length of my hair at will? that's convenience"
"Let's go for a walk, shall we?"
Mize smiled effortlessly at his reflection, a beauty so carefully sculpted it now felt surreal, even to him.
His ruby-red eyes flickered toward the window, capturing the dazzling city lights that stretched beneath the dark sky, casting a neon glow over the towering skyline.
The chaotic dance of cars and pedestrians below seemed distant as if it were another world altogether. His world was far more serene and centered entirely on him.
Turning away from the window, Mize strode toward the front door of his apartment, unlocking it with an elegant flick of his wrist.
His other hand grasped the black heels he had selected earlier—modest by today's standards, but still striking.
With slow, deliberate movements, he bent to slide the heels onto his feet, feeling the unfamiliar weight pressing against his soles. It was cold...
The discomfort was palpable, a jolt of realization that this current self would be his new self from now on.
With a soft *click*, the door swung open, and Mize stepped out into the corridor. The hallway stretched long and narrow before him, bathed in a brighter-than-usual glow.
The pale fluorescent lights buzzed slightly overhead, an almost imperceptible hum that cut through the otherwise quiet air.
It was unusual—the landlord, notorious for cutting corners, had splurged on keeping the lights on longer than usual.
A fleeting thought crossed Mize's mind. **Perhaps there was some sort of inspection coming up.** He shrugged the idea away as quickly as it came.
His heels echoed crisply against the concrete floor, each step deliberate.
He moved with elegance, his small black bag—more a metallic-styled pouch than a true handbag—tucked neatly under his arm. It was sleek, understated, carrying only the essentials: his phone, a small wallet, and a tube of lipstick he hadn't even intended to use.
Room 456. He passed the number without so much as a glance back. The number meant nothing to him, just a space where he lived, slept, and bided his time.
The corridor stretched on, familiar in its mundanity. Apartment doors, all identical except for the tarnished brass numbers, lined the walls. It was a far cry from the glitzy nightlife outside, but it suited Mize. He didn't need the world's attention here—he needed it out there.
As he approached the lift at the end of the hall, Mize briefly considered the stairs to his right. He had no intention of walking tonight, this stroll wasn't about exercise. Instead, he pressed the button to call the lift. The glowing numbers above the doors flickered and then began their descent from the 70th floor, slowly counting down to his level.