"…Pleasure System?"
The words left Sam's lips slowly, uncertainty flickering in his eyes.
For a moment, the room felt heavier.
Then Noah began to explain.
"Boss, your current system will be temporarily disabled," he said, his voice steady.
"In its place, a new system will be activated for a duration of one week."
A faint pause.
"This system is designed to accelerate your growth… far beyond normal parameters."
Sam's eyes sharpened.
"Accelerate… how?"
Noah replied,
"The Pleasure System operates based on emotional stimulation. It is designed to push you toward actions that maximize satisfaction, desire, and happiness—thereby increasing your overall growth rate."
Sam went silent.
Faster growth.
A shortcut.
Exactly what he wanted.
"…I understand," he said after a moment, his voice firm.
Inside, however—
A strange uneasiness lingered.
Still, he pushed it aside.
"I'm ready."
There was a brief silence.
Then Noah spoke again—this time, slightly slower.
"Due to your current level, I will enter hibernation until your original system is restored."
Sam blinked.
"…What?"
A flicker of disappointment crossed his face.
"…It's just one week," he muttered, forcing resolve into his voice.
"I'll get through it."
Noah didn't respond immediately.
Then—
His tone changed.
It became sharper. Heavier.
More serious than ever before.
"Boss. Listen carefully."
Sam froze.
"No matter what happens…" Noah continued,
"do not use the reward points granted by the Pleasure System."
Sam frowned.
"…Reward points?"
Noah explained:
"Within that system, completing quests will grant you additional stat points. These can be freely distributed to enhance your abilities."
Sam's eyes lit up slightly—
But Noah cut him off.
"It is critical that you do not use them."
Silence.
"If you allocate those points," Noah said, his voice now almost cold,
"there is a high probability that your original system will never be restored."
Sam's heartbeat spiked.
"…Never… restored?"
A chill ran down his spine.
The excitement from before faded—replaced by hesitation.
He swallowed hard.
"…Got it," he said quietly, nodding.
For the first time—
This didn't feel like a simple shortcut.
Then—
[ Pleasure System Activating… ]
[ Warning: Low-Level Host Detected ]
[ Warning: System Instability Possible ]
Sam's eyes widened.
"…System instability?"
His voice rose slightly.
"What kind of failure are we talking about?!"
No answer came.
"NOAH!"
A new screen appeared instantly.
Sam looked at it—
And his expression fell.
[ Noah — Hibernation Mode ]
"…You've got to be kidding me."
Before he could react—
[ Warning ]
[ Warning ]
[ Warning ]
The alerts flashed violently across his vision.
A sharp dizziness hit him.
"Wha—?"
His body suddenly felt heavy.
Unbearably heavy.
His eyelids dropped.
"…No… not now…"
He tried to move.
Tried to stay awake.
But something pulled him down—
Deeper.
Stronger.
Like being dragged into darkness.
"Dammit…!"
His voice faded.
His vision blurred.
And then—
Everything went black.
Sam fell into a deep, unnatural slumber.
[ Detected: King's Blood ]
[ Stabilizing System… ]
[ System Stable ]
[ Activation Successful ]
[ Pleasure System Activated ]
Silence.
A few minutes passed.
Then—
Sam's eyes snapped open.
"Hah—!"
He shot upright, breath uneven, as if he had just surfaced from deep water. His heart pounded violently against his chest.
For a moment, he didn't move.
His gaze darted around the room—
The walls.
The ceiling.
His hands.
Everything looked… normal.
"…Oh, thank God," he exhaled, running a hand through his hair.
"Nothing's changed…"
But something felt off.
Subtle.
Invisible.
Yet unmistakable.
He clenched his fist slowly.
"…Noah?"
A familiar screen flickered into existence.
[ Noah — Hibernation Mode ]
Sam stared at it for a second.
Then sighed.
"…Right. That means I'm on my own."
His expression hardened slightly.
No guidance.
No warnings.
No safety net.
Only the system.
"…Fine," he muttered.
A faint determination returned to his eyes.
"Then I'll figure it out myself."
He straightened his back.
Took a breath.
And spoke clearly—
"Status… open."
The moment the words left his mouth—
The screen responded.
But—
It wasn't the same.
The familiar blue interface was gone.
In its place, a deeper hue emerged… a mix of crimson and violet, pulsing faintly like a heartbeat.
[ PLEASURE SYSTEM — STATUS ]
Name: Sam
Level: 1
[Core Attributes]
• Strength: 5
• Stamina: 6 (+1)
• Agility: 5
[ Emotional Metrics ]
• Desire: 12
• Satisfaction: 3
• Control: 8
[ Special Condition ]
• King's Blood — Dormant (Stabilizing System)
[ Reward Points ]
• Available: 0
Sam's eyes moved slowly across the screen.
"…This looks… different."
Very different.
"Emotional metrics…?"
He frowned.
"Desire… Satisfaction… Control… what is this....?"
But even as he said it—
He could feel it.
A faint pull in his chest.
Like something inside him was… reacting.
"Boss…" Noah's warning echoed faintly in his memory.
Do not use the reward points.
Sam clenched his jaw.
"…Yeah. I remember."