The café smelled of burnt espresso and desperation, its flickering neon sign barely holding on outside.
Krent leaned back in the rickety chair, his free water sweating onto the table as Lila sipped her latte.
Her drone, a clunky model with a cracked lens, sat dormant between them, its red light off but still looming like a third wheel. Neon City's glow pulsed through the grimy windows, casting pink and blue streaks across Lila's pink hair.
Krent caught himself staring a bit too long.
"So," Lila said, swirling her coffee, "you think you're some streaming genius who can save my channel?" Her tone was skeptical, but her eyes held a flicker of hope.
Krent grinned, leaning forward. "Not a genius, but I've got skills. Studied media production in college, before I dropped out, anyway. I know angles, editing, how to hook an audience."
He didn't mention the part where his final project was a cat video montage that got 47 views. Still, his Charisma stat was at 15, according to that weird system, gave him a confidence he wasn't used to.
Lila raised an eyebrow. "Media production? And you're out here smashing goblins with bottles?"
"Hey, times are tough for the Unawakened." He shrugged, but his smirk faltered. "You know how it is. The 10% get the glory, the rest of us scrape by."
She snorted, but her expression softened. "Yeah, well, being F-rank isn't exactly glamorous either. My streams barely hit double digits. My family thinks I'm gonna be the next S-rank superstar, but…"
She trailed off, staring into her cup. "They don't get it. Solo dungeon runs are brutal, and nobody watches a nobody."
Krent felt a pang. He knew that underdog grind too well, bounced from job to job, always one rejection away from giving up. "Sounds like we're both fighting the same shit system," he said, voice quieter. "Maybe we can change that, together."
Lila's lips twitched into a half-smile. "Smooth talker. What's your big plan, then?"
He tapped his phone, an old model with a cracked screen.
"Your streams are all dungeon fights, right? Goblins, slimes, maybe a dire rat if you're lucky. It's repetitive. People want *you*, not just the action. Let's shoot a behind-the-scenes vid. Show the real Lila, grit, struggles, maybe a cute coffee moment like this."
He winked, testing the waters.
She laughed, a sharp, genuine sound that made his chest tighten. "You're cocky for a guy with no powers."
"Charisma passive effect: Target's mood improved," the system's sultry voice purred in his head. "Keep pushing, Krent. She's warming up."
Krent nearly choked on his water. Passive effect? Was his 15 Charisma making her laugh, or was he actually funny for once? He shook it off, focusing on Lila. "Let's try it. A quick clip, right now. Just us talking. I'll upload it to X, see if it sticks."
Lila hesitated, then shrugged. "Fine. But if this flops, you're buying me another coffee."
"Deal." Krent propped his phone against the sugar jar, hitting record. "Alright, Lila, tell the world why you keep fighting goblins when you could be, I dunno, streaming cat videos."
She smirked, leaning into the frame. "Cat videos? Nah. I fight goblins because I'm stubborn. And maybe I like proving people wrong." Her voice had a fire to it, and Krent nodded, playing along.
"And what's the worst part of being F-rank?" he asked, keeping the vibe light.
"Besides the shitty pay? The loneliness." Her eyes flicked down, then back up. "You're out there, bleeding for views, and nobody cares unless you're throwing fireballs or flying."
Krent felt that one in his gut. "Yeah, but you're still out there. That's more than most." He paused, then grinned. "Plus, you've got me now. I'm basically your hype man."
Lila laughed again, louder this time, and the system chimed softly.
[Fame Points +5. Video uploaded to X. Current progress: 12/100]
Krent glanced at his phone, 12 likes already. Not viral, but a start.
They wrapped the clip, and Lila leaned back, looking almost impressed. "Okay, that wasn't awful. You might actually know what you're doing."
"Told you." Krent pocketed his phone, his heart was racing.
The system's voice, Fame Points, Lila's smile, it was all clicking. For the first time in forever, he felt like he wasn't just drifting.
Lila drained her latte and stood.
"Come on. My place is nearby. We can review the footage, maybe plan the next one." She paused, smirking.
"Unless you're scared of my shitty apartment."
Krent chuckled, standing.
"Scared? Nah. I live in a shoebox with a cat who hates me." But as they stepped into the neon-lit street, the system's voice cut through again, sharper this time.
[Intimacy opportunity detected. Proceed to accelerate Fame Point growth? Accept for sub-quest update.]
Krent froze mid-step, his pulse spiking. Intimacy? Was the system suggesting… what, exactly? He glanced at Lila, her hips swaying slightly as she walked ahead, drone trailing behind. Her jacket rode up just enough to show a sliver of skin, and his Libido stat at 18, he remembered with a grimace, suddenly felt like a neon sign in his brain.
"Accept or decline, Krent," the system teased. "Fame waits for the bold."
He swallowed hard, catching up to Lila. Her apartment wasn't far, just a few blocks through Neon City's chaotic streets. They passed food stalls sizzling with mana-infused skewers and vendors hawking cheap dungeon gear. Lila chatted about her last failed stream, a slime that ruined her boots, and Krent nodded, half-listening, his mind stuck on the system's prompt.
Was this how he'd climb? Charm, flirt, maybe more? He wasn't some sleazy pickup artist, but the system's nudge felt like a shove toward something bigger.
Lila's laugh, her fire, the way she looked at him when he made her smile, it wasn't just the system. He liked her. But how far was he willing to go for power?
They reached a rundown apartment building, its elevator creaking as they rode to the fifth floor. Lila's door was scuffed, with a faded "Welcome" mat that looked anything but welcoming. She unlocked it, glancing back at him.
"Don't judge. It's home."
"No judgment," Krent said, but his voice was tight. The system's prompt hovered in his mind, a glowing temptation. Accept or decline?
As Lila pushed the door open, he felt the weight of the choice, Neon City's glow fading behind him.