Somewhere… .

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"I SAID CALL ME DARK, YA VILE WOMAN!" Dark paid for the sus.h.i.+ then stormed out into the streets of Lot City . Selkie followed, laughing .

"You're such a chuuni . "

Suddenly, heavy rain blasted from the mouth of the sky as if mocking the young man . As he reached shelter, someone b.u.mped into him . Good thing he had enhanced stats, or he'd be flat on his back, humiliated before these extra dimensional buffoons .

His glare set on a girl with brilliant red hair .

"Great sacred power, power that chose me, a.n.a.lyze," he whispered .

Name: Melody

Level: 17

Type: sweet talker .

Relations.h.i.+p: Neutral .

HP: 100%

MP: 100%

He dismissed the prompt . What in the great void's name was a sweet talker? The girl gave him an apologetic smile .

"Sorry," she said in a voice that made his heart skip a beat . Maybe two .

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"It—it's fine," Dark said, his blush covering his face from ear to ear .

"Stop ignoring me," Selkie said, ruining the moment of eye contact . Dark glared at her . "C-h-ar-l-es . " She enunciated every bit of his name, as if trying to seduce him .

Dark shook with anger then took a deep breath . When he let it out, his calm returned .

"I hate you," he said .

She whispered in his ear,

"You could try to lose your virginity from that girl . "

"I'm not a virgin," he whispered back in a hiss . Selkie gave him a skeptical look .

"Yeah yeah, Mr . Dork of the chuuni . "

"It's Dark! And stop calling me that . "

"Chuuni, chuuni . "

"You stupid—"

Melody's laughter canceled the banter . The redhead wiped a tear from an eye .

"Dark?" she said, a malicious grin on her face .

"Tell him it's a dorky nickname," Selkie said .

"It's an alias," Dark said . He decided not to talk about the dormant power stored deep within his right hand . This mortal girl wouldn't believe him anyway .

"I see," Melody said . "Are you from out of town, if you don't mind me asking . "

"I'm from the great—"

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"Of course," Selkie interrupted . "We're just pa.s.sing through . "

Melody nodded, still smiling . Dark felt like his face would fall off from his own blush . Not only was she the most beautiful girl he'd seen in his life, her voice was heaven . He wanted her to dive into his arms and stay with him . He'd dive into her arms!

[Selkie has forcefully activated your Balance Establisher . The effects of maximum charisma have worn off . ] .

Dark flinched . The girl before was still incredibly attractive, but her voice didn't have that strange, unnatural effect on him . He glanced at Selkie . There was a twinkle in her eye .

He felt humiliated a little, but also fascinated . That power . If only he knew how to be smooth with girls! He'd maybe get Melody's phone number . Or…get laughed at . The usual . Not counting the annoying teasing girls that called him unmanly things like, "cute . " He wasn't cute!

He shook away that thought . He was the great, Dark . The future conqueror of this miserable world . The one who'd put this Viper in his place . And Selkie would stop picking on him as he'd be exalted . The greatest of all words .

The rained came to a sudden stop .

"I'm Selkie," the green-haired young woman said, offering a hand .

"Melody . " The redhead shook it then looked at Dark . "Should I continued to call you Dark?"

"You could call him Charles . Or Charly . "

Dark glared daggers at Selkie .

"What's the point of having an alias if you're going to throw my name into the wind?"

The second the two began to bicker, Melody laughed .

"Can I give you my number?" she said . "I'd like to talk with you again sometime . Can't remember the last time I had a good laugh . "

"Really? I mean, sure," Dark said, nearly cursing himself . Why did he have to be such a loser in front of pretty girls? h.e.l.l, if he didn't know Selkie, he'd probably find himself babbling like an idiot just to get one word out .

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He forced himself to remain composed when they traded numbers . He also tried not to react when she traded with Selkie too—if they got buddy-buddy behind his back, he'd be ruined .

"You've been nice company," Selkie said, "but it's time I take this chuuni-for-brain off . "

She pulled Dark along .

"Why do you insist on embarra.s.sing me in front of women?" Dark said when they were out of sight .

Selkie shrugged .

"It's painful to watch," Selkie said . "You should be thanking me anyway . Besides, girls would devour a pure boy like you, turn you into an obedient dog or an attached idiot . "

Dark nearly spat .

"As if I'll let that happen . I'm Dark for a reason . "

Selkie let out an exasperated sigh .

"Let's just get this search done, so we can go on . I…I can sense someone . Whoa . " She stopped and pulled Dark into an alleyway . "Someone of the true power is in this city . "

Dark nearly leapt into the sky .

"Is it the Viper?"

"I don't know . We'll need to track it . Then a.n.a.lyze . "

"Then I'll kick a.s.s and the glory of Dark will reign forever!"

Selkie rubbed off the cringe .

"Charly, you need to focus on losing your virginity . Then talk adult plans . "

She started forward leaving the young man standing, glaring .

Present… . . .

Sunday . Week 2 . Year 1 .

Clyde frowned at the chessboard and then at Harumi . She grinned .

"Checkmate . "

He almost flipped the table . Invite her over, he thought, spend more time with her, he thought . She was a pleasant sight and person to be around . He had to work very hard to look her in eyes, not at the melons of the heavens . And to think his alarm ruined the chance to—Clyde pushed away the dirty thoughts . This d.a.m.n world was starting to poison him . He wasn't sure if minded…

"I suck at this," he said . "Pretty sure a grandmaster like yourself was pretty bored . "

Harumi shook her head .

"Your expressions made this so much fun," she said then laughed . "Try not to flip the table . "

"That obvious?" Clyde said .

"Maybe . " She walked over to the young man and pulled him up . "Up for an after-storm walk?"

"Sure . "

[Your relations.h.i.+p with Harumi has changed from friend closer level 1 to friend closer level 2!]

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