Damon paused for a moment. So recording an abnormal object meant getting the person's genuine recognition?
If that's how it works with friends… what about enemies?
There's no way he'd have to shake hands and make peace with an enemy just to record them as an "abnormal object," right?
Compared to making friends, Damon preferred simply ensuring the other party would never suffer.
He looked at Madison in the driver's seat.
"Madison, what about you? Am I your best friend?"
Madison rolled her eyes.
"Of course. If you're not my best friend, then who is? I'm definitely not giving some other stinky guy a ride."
[Abnormal Object Madison Montgomery has been recorded, gaining 500 Abnormal Points. Current Abnormal Points: 500/600.]
Ah, that felt good!
Damon was quite satisfied and wondered if forcing an enemy to say something similar could also record them.
He then checked the new functions added in the small version upgrade.
"Special Effects Function? Allows changing skill effects freely? What's the use of this?"
"Wait… maybe… it is useful!"
Damon imagined himself casting Flamestorm, while enemies mistake the soft "water" effect as just visual obstruction, yet it burns them along with the ground…
Changing water skill effects to fire, turning raging lightning into invisible wind, replacing lethal "Death Finger" effects with the holy Divine Light…
How shocking and surprising would that be?
In short, the Special Effects Function was like a unique illusion magic, but superior to normal illusion magic.
No one could detect flaws with the naked eye — only the visual appearance of the skill was changed, while the core remained the same.
"Activate Enemy-Friend Recognition Function!"
Damon turned on the new function. On his 3D view, green, yellow, white, and red dots appeared.
White dot: Damon himself.
Green dots: only two — Maria and Madison.
Yellow dots: the most numerous — passersby, neutral units.
Red dots: very few…
Damon scanned in the direction of the red dots and saw three men dressed as homeless people, giving him an evil glare.
He shrugged. Homeless people were common in this country — nothing unusual.
"So red dots indicate units hostile to me?"
"And green dots are those I can absolutely trust — essentially, teammates recognized and recorded by the Golden Finger?"
Damon had it figured out. This function was excellent. Within the 3D view, he could easily distinguish friend from foe. No more worrying about ambushes or betrayal.
Loyal or treacherous — he could tell instantly.
There was a brief silence in the car.
Soon, they arrived at Maria's home.
It was a villa with a small garden, extremely luxurious.
Madison was surprised. Judging by Maria's behavior, she didn't seem like she came from a wealthy family.
Public high schools aren't for the nobility — how could rich kids suffer this way?
Bullied? Did they think Franklin just watched for fun?
Maria seemed to notice Madison's puzzled glance and awkwardly lowered her head, softly opening the car door.
"Thank you for taking me home. See you next week."
Maria mustered courage and spoke to Damon in as calm a tone as possible. But Damon could hear the tremor in her voice — clearly, Maria wasn't feeling calm inside.
Damon raised an eyebrow and smiled.
"Maria, would you like to join us for a Crystal Lake vacation tomorrow morning? Today's my birthday."
"Ah? Sorry, I didn't know."
Maria panicked. Thinking of her best friend's birthday and having no gift ready, she blamed herself.
She wanted to agree, but thinking of her strict father and her mother who loved her but always deferred to him, she had neither the strength nor courage to nod.
"Uh… sorry, tomorrow maybe…"
Damon shook his phone gently and still spoke kindly:
"No problem. If you change your mind, you can contact me via phone."
"Then… goodbye!"
Damon got into the car, and Madison slowly started driving.
Maria watched the car gradually disappear into the distance, feeling even more dejected.
How much she wanted to say yes immediately… but she lacked the courage to challenge her father.
Numbly, Maria returned home, ignoring her mother's calls, and locked herself in the bathroom.
Staring into the full-length mirror by the dressing table, her vision blurred for a moment.
In the reflection appeared another version of herself — identical in appearance but darker and more spirited — her dark persona, Airam!
Airam curled her lips into an evil smile and said:
"Congratulations, Maria. You've found a true friend. He's handsome, strong, isn't he?"
Maria blushed slightly, recalling the strong body she felt when bumping into Damon.
Airam didn't get jealous. Instead, she continued:
"You like him, I like him too. I think… we could try to take it further."
Maria instinctively protested:
"N-no, we can't! We're friends! He only sees me as a friend!"
Airam, with a seductive tone, whispered:
"It's fine. He treats you as a friend. You can give him a child, and use the child to maintain our friendship with him."
Maria was stunned for a moment.
"Wait… you can do that?"
Then she shook her head firmly.
"No, we can't. He has a girlfriend, Madison is amazing…"
"Look at me, Maria."
Maria instinctively met the eyes of her reflection in the mirror.
Those mischievous, charming eyes were how she imagined herself.
Her mirrored self was confident, excellent…
"Maria, the me outside the mirror…"
"Look closely at this beautiful girl — like the most perfect work of art sculpted by the Creator. How beautiful she is, how… irresistible!"
"Damon said your name is lovely, and that you are excellent. So, lift your head, be confident, and don't let him down!"
"Remember one thing: you are equally outstanding!"
"And also…"
Airam's voice sparked a desire in Maria.
"And also what?" she asked.
Airam smiled wickedly:
"He is so strong, as hard as steel. Madison can't have him all to herself."
"Imagine it — she'll be harshly overpowered like a doll."
"As a friend, you're his only other friend…"
"In the most critical moment, how could you not step up to help your friend Madison, and satisfy the other friend as well?"
"We're all friends — no need to be polite. You're good, I'm good, she's good, he's good."
"Is… is that really how it is?"
At first, Maria felt it made sense.
Everyone being happy together — that's what truly matters, right?
If Madison can't manage it alone, as a friend, Maria could at least help a little.
At the very least… she could at least give a little push, right?