Level 6 - I'm a Social Weakling (1)
"What level is Master right now?"
"Level 5."
"And his powers worked on me, a level 9?"
"It was a bit surprising."
It's common for lower-rank sub-traits to surpass level gaps depending on their grade, but mine takes it to an extreme. Lately, I've even started thinking that F-rank might actually be better than S-rank.
"My experience is maxed out right now. It's hit a wall."
"...A wall, huh."
Last night when I checked before bed, I was still short on EXP, but this morning it was like this. Probably because I climaxed watching Hyemi milk Hyeun dry from the morning—her ecstatic face replaying that memory was legendary.
"We should avoid them for now. Ayoung-ah, tell them I went to the bathroom. Hide on the rooftop."
"Master, I'll go with you."
"You sure?"
"If things get dangerous, we might need force, and I'm stronger than you anyway."
True enough. My abilities are all mental manipulation, useless in a straight fight. I figured I'd hypnotize them if it came to it, but...
They probably won't come unprepared.
They'd expect mental manipulation from me. High chance they've brought a level 10 hunter or something to block it. That weird phone call even warned that level 6 or below was risky.
"This mess is my fault, right...?"
"Technically, yeah, but it's ultimately my fault for not being careful."
I'd been too complacent. If Hyeun reacted like that, I should've sensed something off and chased sooner. And honestly, Hyemi was just doing her job.
I'm a criminal, after all.
Did I awaken and not report it? Check. Abuse my powers for personal revenge? Check. Start sexual harassment to silence someone? Check. All of the above. Too many crimes to deny I'm a criminal.
Of course, I'm not saying it's unfair. My awakening ability being mental manipulation wasn't my choice. If it were any male awakener trait, I could've reported honestly and lived happily—but mental manipulation? No matter how I spin it, only bad outcomes come to mind.
Mental manipulation means awakening revocation surgery.
For women, that means carving out the mana-storing breasts entirely. For a man whose mana pools in the dick...? I don't even want to imagine.
"Just gotta break the wall... But why am I hitting it at level 5?"
Not just level 5—I've hit walls often before. Sure, it's common at 5, but after the last one, couldn't it let me pass this time...?
"Master, you know my trait is contract-based, right? Spending cost to form contracts with new spirits, strengthen them, or level up the trait itself."
"Yeah, I think Hyeun mentioned it."
"All three growth paths require separate contracts. EXP rises naturally with spirits, but to break walls, I need to pay via contract."
In other words, her contracts could shatter walls.
"You don't mean..."
"It's my mess. Let me fix it. The memories needed scale with my level, but..."
"You could hit level 10 right now. Maybe that's better."
"Even if I level up, I won't get stronger right away—still A-rank. Not enough to protect you."
"That call might not even be trustworthy. You're overthinking it—"
Hyemi smiled brightly and shook her head. Her words rang true enough, and she insisted I remember that voice. If I couldn't trust it, trust her instead.
"I'm just delaying a bit. Unlike others, I know when I'll hit 10. I just need time—let me use a little for you."
"Hyemi..."
A knock echoed from the rooftop door. They'd figured us out.
"My name is Yoo Hyemi. I request a contract from the Trait System."
Light shimmered from Hyemi's horns like heat haze. Her hair fluttered unnaturally, and green light burst from her clasped hands in prayer.
"The principle of all creation crumbles in distorted memory. In exchange for that memory, I desire a rise in trait level."
Intense light flared at the tip of her left horn. She grabbed it instantly and snapped it off with a twist.
Horn shatters!
She held out the broken horn with a joyful smile amid the sharp sound.
"I've always been Master's property. This isn't mine—it's yours from the start."
"Hyemi..."
"Quick, take it and level up. No time."
The transparent horn shard pulsed with white light like a living thing. As I gripped it, a warm embrace enveloped me.
When I came to, the light inside was gone.
Trait level has risen!
It really leveled up. Hyemi clutched her head, probably from a migraine—overdid the memories?
"You okay?"
"My level?"
"Up. Checking sub-trait now."
She trusted that caller's words, so this should solve it. Or level 6 makes me strong enough to hypnotize cops anyway.
I'm a Social Weakling (F)
Perfectly conceals mana to prevent detection of awakening status or mana presence by the caster.
It's real.
If this hides awakening even from inspections... I could just go with the cops worry-free.
As I examined it, the rooftop door burst open with a bang.
"Doesn't seem like anyone's here?"
"Hm, thought it'd be the rooftop since it's right above. How much time left?"
"Plenty."
"Search here first, then—"
Explosion from bathroom area!
We held our breath—explosion from the bathroom?
"Sounds like the bathroom!"
"I'll check it—you guys review CCTV."
Once the cops left, we exhaled. Close call.
Time to test the trait. "Designated target?"
It targeted me, but needed object selection to activate. No people—only one item.
Just in case, I designated the irreplaceable horn shard and activated.
"Ugh...!"
Dizziness hit, strength drained from my body. Faint mana from the shard felt like it could cancel the trait. Sealing mana in the object?
"Did it work...?"
Standard awakening check... eyes first.
I removed my brown contacts and checked via phone camera.
Brown.
Post-awakening, my eyes stayed glittering gold. Now back to brown. Hides all awakener signs, not just mana.
"Park Eunhyuk-ssi. We know you're here. Come down."
"Tch..."
Wanted more confirmation—CCTV already nabbed us.
If mana sealed in this shard, carrying it was risky.
"Hyemi, hold this. Give back when I return."
"Yes. Come back safe."
"Yeah."
Shard left my hand—powerlessness crushed me. Trait senses vanished like they never existed. Trait window wouldn't open.
No joke.
Turns me fully civilian, undetectable. Foolproof.
"Ah, there you are."
"What's this about? I was napping—tired."
"Napping right after clocking in? Funny story."
"Managers are fine as long as work's done. You wouldn't know."
"Yeah, well. I'm just the report guy. Park Eunhyuk-ssi, you're under emergency arrest for awakener crimes and failure to report. We have a warrant."
"Male awakener? That's impossible—warrant for that?"
The cop grinned awkwardly but pulled cuffs.
"Higher-ups say possible female disguising as male. Cooperate."
"Unfair, but guess I gotta go."
"Yes—if proven innocent, compensation's hefty."
"Nice."
Buy toys for the kids with it. They sulked last time I couldn't play—quantity over quality fixes that.
"Ugh!?"
"Sorry. You're special custody—sedated till inspection."
"Warn a guy..."
"Can't risk resistance."
Familiar syringe in my neck. Strong sedative, even for awakeners. Blocks my mental trait—they knew.
Not universal, so sedate and transport. Good I leveled up—otherwise doomed.
How'd that caller know?
Damn, this stuff's potent.
Effects hit fast—sleep crashing. Or because I'm baseline human now? Any lapse, I'm out.
Huh?
Stumbling to transport, felt eyes on me. Spotted a sniper-like device on a distant building, person rising beside it.
That person... staring right here...
"Ah..."
I passed out before identifying them.