Gideon thought he had been doing well.
Actually, he had been doing well for himself for quite a long time now.
He graduated high school with an impressive record.
His parents were well-off, and his part-time freelancing job brought in some easy money on the side.
He even got accepted into the infamous Ichrite Academy.
He stood just shy of six feet tall, was rather good-looking, and, at one point, had managed to get himself a hot girlfriend.
Ah yes, his girlfriend.
A young woman named Sofie.
A blonde who usually kept her shoulder-length hair in a ponytail, with smooth fair skin anf captivating eyes. She had a sweet, friendly personality, capable of talking to anyone (perhaps a little too friendly), and most importantly, she had all the right proportions for a model: a generous bust, a narrow waist, and a noticeably pronounced butt.
Basically, everything most guys would consider attractive.
He really should have seen the signs.
December 25th.
On that day, Gideon decided to be a good boyfriend, and along the way, purchased a neatly wrapped gift, something he knew Sofie had been eyeing for weeks. However, what he saw upon reaching her apartment and peeking through the already opened door completely shattered his by heart and spirits.
What caused one to cheat on their partners?
Was it boredom, curiosity, dissatisfaction, or simply a lack of respect?
Whatever the case, the reason was definitely a lack of something.
In this case, it seemed his girlfriend... no, ex-girlfriend wasn't satisfied with their sexual life.
Because she had no problem with accepting another guy, with a much larger flagpole, balls deep inside her.
"Tsk."
Recalling that dreadful memory, Gideon's jaw tightened, and he shook his head slightly, trying to push the images away.
The wound was old now, but it never fully healed.
"What's the time?"
Gideon glanced at the sleek, black watch on his wrist.
"Already past eight," he muttered to himself, running a hand through his hair. The apartment was quiet, save for the faint hum of the air conditioner.
A part of him still flinched at the memory, though he refused to let it control him anymore.
He stood up and stretched, feeling the stiffness in his shoulders.
Months had passed since that fateful Christmas, but the experience had left an imprint. It had made him wary, calculating, and perhaps a little colder than he used to be. He didn't trust easily, and he had learned not to rely too heavily on others for validation or happiness.
In fact, he stopped talking to girls altogether, along with people in general for that matter.
His phone buzzed on the table.
Gideon picked up his phone and scrolled through the notifications. A message from his friend reminded him of the upcoming test.
Reading it, he grimaced.
Oh, right. I almost forgot about that. Just because I'm depressed doesn't mean I'd skip my studies!
As if that weren't enough, the instructor for this particular course was notoriously strict. One could not hope to pass her class by slacking off!
He let out a pitiful sigh and decided to scroll through the rest of his notifications, checking if he'd missed anything important.
Apart from the occasional trivial news, there wasn't much of significance.
Surprisingly, there were even dozens of messages from his ex-girlfriend, Sofie. Her texts dominated his notification bar, which spammed over a hundred unread messages.
She was still unaware that he knew about her betrayal. From her perspective, it must have looked like he had ghosted her out of nowhere.
What was he supposed to do? Confront her about cheating?
Honestly, he didn't know what he'd do if he saw her face-to-face. Whatever happened, it wouldn't be pleasant. So, he pulled away.
Cheat on me?
Don't worry. I'll kindly disappear from your life.
Sometimes, walking away was the best thing to do.
"Huh? What's this?"
Tilting his head, Gideon noticed something strange. Among the notifications, one in particular caught his attention.
It was from an app he didn't recognize.
«Cycle of Depravity»
He frowned.
'What is this? Some kind of game. I don't remember downloading something like this though.'
Judging by the title, it sounded like an erotic game, something he would never have downloaded on his phone. Could it be an ad?
Curiosity got the better of him, and he tapped the notification. The screen shifted to a loading interface, confirming that the app was indeed installed on his device.
But why couldn't he remember when or why he had downloaded it?
Gideon shrugged.
Maybe it was just some weird app he had accidentally installed. He was about to swipe it away when a soft chime echoed from his phone, followed by a low, melodic voice.
"Greetings, Master. Do not be alarmed. I am the system of Cycle of Depravity, an interface designed specifically for you."
Gideon froze, staring at the screen.
"What? Interface… for me?"
The voice continued.
"Yes, I am a manifestation of your unique skill, [Cycle of Depravity]. Through me, you can capture and manipulate the properties of anything within your phone's reach. Reality, in a sense, bends to your perception of it once it is recorded here."
What is this nonsense? Manipulating things caught on the phone? Seems like a game with a strange plotline. You have my interest so let's play along.
Skeptical, he smiled and asked. "So you're saying I can… manipulate things through this?"
The AI or whatever it was answered with a faint, knowing chuckle.
"Precisely. Objects, and even… living entities, once captured by your device, can be analyzed, modified, and reshaped according to your will. Your imagination defines the boundaries. Your skill fills in the gaps."
"How interesting."
"Interesting is indeed an interesting word to use in this situation. This is simply an extension of your innate potential."
With a pause, the AI added smugly.
"But I can sense that Master is still skeptical about the app's capabilities. Why don't you snap yourself and test the capabilities on your person?"
Gideon blinked at the screen, the soft glow of the app casting an eerie light across his face.
"Test it on myself? What… exactly do you mean by that?"
The AI's voice replied:
"Simply use your device to capture your own form. Observe, manipulate, and experience the changes firsthand. You will understand the potential of your skill far better when applied personally."
He hesitated, staring at his reflection in the dark screen.
Manipulate myself? What could possibly go wrong…?
The thought sent a shiver down his spine. This wasn't like any game he'd ever encountered. There were no graphics or levels, only an interface that seemed to read his very thoughts.
After a moment of indecision, curiosity won. Gideon raised his phone and tapped the "capture" button.
Accompanied by a 'snapping' sound, the screen began to change as new data appeared.