[Class: Awakened]
[Rank: S]
[Infinite Skill Tree]
I sat on the edge of Melissa's bed and stared at the window in the dark room.
'The idea of saving the skill tree for later really does not exist anymore,' I thought to myself, rubbing the back of my neck.
My life is on a timer, and I need every single advantage I can get right now.
I looked at the currency counter at the top of the screen.
Total Points: 800 Desire Points.
I scrolled through the available branches.
Trees:
- Perception
- Charm
- Control
- Presence
- Lust (Specialised)
'Seriously?' I let out a tired sigh.
'I honestly thought this system would be a lot more about levelling up my combat abilities or getting a stronger sword aura. But everything here is entirely focused on sex, charm, and psychological manipulation.'
It was annoying, but I analysed everything properly.
Complaining about the tools you are given is a great way to end up dead.
For now, I need to properly split my hard-earned points across these specific categories to effectively seduce Sianna before my time runs out.
I made my choices carefully, feeling the knowledge of the skills slowly settling into my brain as the points drained from my account.
I started with the Perception Tree.
Understanding exactly what a woman is thinking before she even speaks is half the battle.
[Emotional Insight Lv. 1 -> Lv. 2]
[Micro-Expression Reading Unlocked -> Lv. 1]
[Cost: 200 DP]
Next was the Charm Tree.
I need to make sure every word I say to her sounds perfectly natural and effortlessly confident.
[Voice Control Lv. 1 -> Lv. 2]
[Conversational Flow Unlocked -> Lv. 1]
[Cost: 200 DP]
Then came the Control Tree, which was going to be my main focus for this operation.
The push and pull of a conversation is where you actually win someone over.
[Pressure Timing Lv. 1 -> Lv. 2]
[Emotional Anchoring Unlocked -> Lv. 1]
[Cost: 250 DP]
For the Presence Tree, I needed something to hold her attention.
[Eye Contact Hold Unlocked -> Lv. 1]
[Cost: 80 DP]
Finally, I dumped my last few points into the Lust and Desire Tree to make sure she felt the heat when I pushed her.
[Tension Amplification Unlocked -> Lv. 1]
[Cost: 70 DP]
[Total DP Spent: 800]
[Current Balance: 0 DP]
After carefully confirming my choices, I quickly sneaked out of Melissa's noble dorm, made my way back to my own room without getting caught by the night wardens, changed into a fresh academy uniform, and headed straight to the morning lectures.
The first two classes passed quickly.
Then the third block started, and Sianna walked into the room.
She looked tense, and throughout the hour-long lecture, she never looked my way even once.
My eyes were completely fixated on her, watching the way she moved behind her desk and the way she gripped her chalk a little too tightly.
I could clearly feel the nervous, erratic energy radiating off her.
She was hyper-aware of my presence in the room and was using every ounce of her willpower to pretend I did not exist.
When the final bell rang to dismiss the students, the class erupted into a loud chatter.
Students started leaving their desks and piling out into the hallway.
Sianna immediately dropped her chalk and started packing her leather bag with rushed, frantic movements.
I stood up from my chair and grabbed my bag, preparing to approach her.
But suddenly, a hand grabbed my wrist.
"We need to talk right now, Shane," Zephyr demanded, standing directly in my path with his bright yellow eyes narrowed in suspicion.
"Not now," I said flatly.
I effortlessly pulled my hand out of his grip and completely brushed past him. I did not have the time or the patience to deal with the protagonist's paranoia today.
I walked out the door and saw Sianna hurrying down the crowded corridor.
Her dark hair was actually still loose from this morning, falling softly down her back instead of being tied up in her usual strict bun.
"Professor," I called out, making sure my voice carried over the noise of the students.
She stopped walking and slowly turned around, kept her posture extremely guarded, and her eyes pointedly looked at the wall over my shoulder instead of looking at my face.
"If this is about what happened this morning, then there is nothing to discuss," she spoke quickly, her tone defensive and slightly breathless.
"I simply trained you in sword forms, and then I left. That is all."
"It's not," I said.
My delivery was short and perfectly controlled.
I took one single step closer, giving her just enough space so she did not feel trapped.
Then I delivered the line she was not expecting to hear from me.
"I just wanted to apologise."
The confusion hit her instantly. Thanks to my Micro-Expression Reading, I saw the moment her mental defences completely short-circuited.
She had braced herself for pressure, expecting me to flirt, to tease her, or to aggressively continue what we started in the gym.
But instead, she got complete emotional distance.
"... Apologise?" she repeated softly, finally letting her eyes meet mine.
"I crossed a line earlier," I said, maintaining my calm composure with absolutely zero excuses or surface-level manipulation. "That is entirely on me, and it was out of line."
I let the words hang there for a second, letting the Emotional Anchoring take root. I established myself as a mature adult taking responsibility, not a hormone-crazed teenager.
Then I hit her with the most important line of the entire interaction, utilising my Pressure Timing skill to pull back incredibly hard.
"You don't have to worry about it ever happening again."
The psychological reaction was instantaneous and fascinating to watch.
My skills painted the emotions clearly across her face.
First, there was a wave of relief that she did not have to deal with a messy scandal. But right underneath that relief, there was a very sharp, undeniable spike of disappointment.
I was voluntarily taking away the attention she secretly craved in her lonely life, and it left her deeply confused.
"...Good," she finally managed to say, her voice sounding a little bit hollow.
She said it was good, but her feet did not move a single inch; they just stood there in the middle of the hallway, lingering in my space.
I used the Eye Contact Hold skill and looked deeply into her eyes, letting the Tension Amplification skill subtly charge the quiet air between us.
The silence was intimate with unspoken words, completely wrapping around us while the other students walked past, oblivious.
I let the tension peak, and then I slowly broke eye contact.
"You are a really good teacher, by the way," I said softly, throwing out the final hook.
It was the perfect finishing move.
It gave her the deep professional respect and personal validation she had desperately worked for every single day.
It was a warm emotional anchor right after a cold withdrawal.
I did not wait for her to respond and just started walking away down the corridor, and I did not look back over my shoulder to see her reaction.
Leaving first always shifts the power dynamic.
As I turned the corner near the archway, I saw Melissa leaning casually against the wall. Her arms were crossed under her chest, and she had clearly been watching the entire interaction from a distance.
She watched Sianna's composed, strict facade completely crack and crumble in the middle of the hallway.
Melissa slowly turned her head and looked right at me.
A wicked smirk spread across her face.