His gaze lingered on the number for several seconds.
[Shop Points: 100]
Kyle exhaled slowly. `So this is what all that risk amounted to.`
It wasn't much—not when measured against the things the shop was displaying. Still, complaining was pointless. What mattered was how to use it.
His eyes moved across the categories.
[Skills] - [Weapons] - [Artifacts] - [Consumables]
Kyle selected [Skills] first.
A list unfolded instantly before his eyes.
At the top were high-rank skills—powerful, refined... and absurdly expensive. The prices alone made Kyle swallow.
He scrolled down. Rank C—still out of reach. Rank D—no difference. Finally, rank E.
Kyle paused, his brow twitch.
"...You've got to be kidding me."
The price was still higher than what he had. Even the lowest-rank skills were out of reach.
He leaned back slightly, arms crossing. "...Tch."
The realization didn't frustrate him as much as it clarified things. The system wasn't going to hand him power just because he wanted it. Every step forward would have to be deliberate.
Kyle exited the skills tab and opened [Weapons].
Blades. Spears. Bows. Some enchanted, some reinforced with materials he didn't recognize. A few looked impressive—deadly, even.
Also expensive.
He skimmed through them without much interest.
`A strong weapon won't help if I don't know how to use it.`
Kyle didn't have much experience in combat, and his class [Mind Controller] was never meant for direct fighting. He was aware of that from the moment he chose it.
Rather than fighting himself, his strategy was simple: control those who were stronger, especially after realizing that he control could control animals—perhaps even monsters.
After a while, he closed the weapons tab, then shifted his gaze to the remaining option.
[Artifacts].
He smirked. `Here's where the good stuff usually is.`
The moment he opened it, the screen shifted, revealing a lot of items—polished rings, glowing amulets, shadowy cloaks, and stranger objects with different power.
But it was all carrying prices that made his jaw clench.
`Three hundred points for a basic mana-charged necklace? Five hundred for gloves that supposedly enhance grip strength? What fucking robbery...`
His eyes skimmed across the rows, dismissing anything beyond 100 points outright.
From studying the shop before, he realized that there are different grades for artifacts, just like skills. He also noticed that the weapons have the same grades as artifacts.
Based on their listed prices, he arranged the grades from lowest to highest: Common, Rare, Epic, Legendary, Mythic, Godly.
The high-grade artifacts were not available for purchase with what he had, of course. For this reason, he was browsing the lower-grade artifacts.
Kyle scrolled further and further... Then stopped.
[Mind Reach Ring - Common Grade]
[Effect: Increases the effective range of all mental-based skills by +20%.]
[Restriction: Requires Intelligence stats above 15.]
[Price: 90 Shop Points]
Kyle stared at it for a long moment. Then, slowly, a smile crept onto his face.
`There you are.`
His current control range wasn't small. He could already influence targets within a good distance—but distance had been his biggest limitation more than once.
Too far, and the skill failed. Too close, and he risked his life.
A wider range meant more room to maneuver, more safety, and more options.
`If my current range is around fifteen meters... a twenty percent increase puts it closer to eighteen.`
Three meters didn't sound like much, but in reality? It was everything. It was the difference between a clean control and a desperate gamble.
`This fits me perfectly.`
No unnecessary power. No wasted function. Just a quiet, precise improvement to what he already did best.
Without hesitation, he purchased it. The points vanished, and the ring materialized in his palm: a simple silver band etched with faint, spiraling runes.
He slid it onto his finger. A cool tingle spread up his arm before fading.
"Good," he exhaled, closing the shop interface.
`Weapons can come later. Skills too.` he lay back slightly. `For now, this was enough.`
---
As the night deepened and the dinner dishes were cleared away, a tense anticipation filled the air of the house.
Eleanor, having bathed and changed into a simple but sexy nightgown, couldn't help but feel a flutter of nerves and anticipation in the pit of her stomach.
She kept glancing toward the bedroom door, wondering what would happen tonight. The memory of Kyle's cock down her throat lingered, making her lick her lips unconsciously.
Alden, noticing her distraction, cleared his throat. "Is something on your mind, honey?"
Eleanor startled, realizing she had been staring off into space. "Oh, n-no, just... tired from the day."
Alden nodded, but there was a hint of suspicion in his eyes. He had seen the way she had looked at Kyle earlier, the way she eagerly took his cock into her mouth.
The memory still filled him with a confusing mix of humiliation and shameful arousal.
As the clock ticked on, the household grew quiet.
Suddenly, the bedroom door creaked open, revealing Kyle. He stood there, smirking at them, dressed only in a pair of loose-fitting pants.
Eleanor's breath caught in her throat as she saw his clearly defined abs.
"Alden," Kyle smiled. "I hope you don't mind if I borrow your wife for the night. I need her help with a few things."
Alden swallowed hard. "I... I suppose that would be alright. Just... be gentle with her."
Kyle chuckled. "Oh, I don't intend to be gentle at all. But don't worry, I'm sure your dear wife will enjoy every moment of it."