Ultimate Weapon (1)
I'd carried the fainted Silk Blond back to the 3rd Team Annex and had Ia Ris check her head in the infirmary. That's when my plan for a safe hypnosis life popped into my mind.
It was simple: I'd subtly hint to these S-rank bitches that the moment they realized the Hypnosis App was fake, I'd bolt. That way, they'd dive even deeper into the hypnosis act to keep from blowing their cover. I'd play dumb like I still thought the app was real, while they hid the truth—pure mutual deception. This setup would make my fake hypnosis life way safer moving forward. Ska Rate, Lapis Julie, Silk Blond... all of them. They'd been faking hypnosis for half a year now, and it showed—they'd gotten sloppy. Hell, they weren't even bothering with the act anymore, just claiming they were under while acting normal.
If this charade kept up and I didn't show any suspicion about the app, they'd start wondering why. They'd gotten careless, sure, but if I didn't suspect a thing, they'd get suspicious. Talk about unfair. But what could I do? I had been hiding that I knew it was fake.
Yeah, it was time to inject some tension back into this lax half-year of hypnosis play. And right now, with Silk Blond still carrying on like she was under hypnosis, I kicked off the plan.
I'd figured she'd come looking the second she woke up, but not this fast. Not this blatantly rubbing up on me. When she called me "Master" in the main hall—packed with people coming and going—I nearly shit myself. I barely dodged disaster with some quick improv, swapping "Malangi" for "squishy pudding," but looking back? That was razor-edge dangerous.
My rep in the guild was already "the pervert who harasses every woman he sees." If a big shot like Silk Blond showed up calling me Master? That nasty rumor turns stone-cold fact. Anything involving an S-rank awakener is instant headline fodder—"S-rank Awakener's Lewd Private Life!"—and my name plastered right there. The whole world would know me as the freak turning Silk Blond into his pet. Fuck.
Just imagining it made me want to curse. For a guy chasing a flat, wave-free peaceful life? Unacceptable. My heart was pounding, back of my neck slick with cold sweat.
"Suuuuuuck♡... Haaang♡"
But the very woman threatening my peaceful future? She was just burying her nose in my chest, sniffing happily and letting out blissful little hums.
Honestly, after that near-miss aging me a decade, I wanted to roll up my sleeves and beat her ass myself. But I had business with her first—revenge could wait. I gently stroked her golden locks and called her name.
"Malang, look here for a sec?"
"Hm? What..."
I whipped out my smartphone and flashed the Hypnosis App screen right in her face. Her eyes glazed over on reflex, and I leaned to her ear, whispering:
"Wake from the hypnosis now. Forget everything that happened while you were under. You'll snap awake when I flick my finger. Got it?"
Silk Blond hesitated—like she wanted to keep going—but finally nodded reluctantly.
"Y-yeah... Got it..."
"Good. Time to wake up, Senior."
I grabbed her waist, lifted her off my lap, and snapped my fingers.
Snap.
Her eyes lit up the instant the sound hit. Still amazing every time. How the hell do they turn their eyes on and off like that? That flawless on/off switch had me convinced the app was real for half a damn year. If I hadn't hunted down the original in the app store and seen it wasn't there, I'd still be fooled.
S-rank eye control was perfection—probably some insane mana manipulation. As an F-rank, I couldn't even dream of trying it. Just... S-ranks are nuts.
"Hm? P-Potsi? Why am I... here...?"
Her brazen, infuriating act snapped me out of it. Silk stared at me with those wide, innocent eyes like she had no clue—but the flush staining her cheeks screamed she was still revved up. Whatever. I'd play along.
I let out a silent sigh and kept my voice steady. "Found you passed out under my desk, so I pulled you out and woke you. Why the hell were you sleeping there? What were you up to? And how'd you even get into the Scout Leader's Room?"
"Uh, uh? Oh, right—the 'woke up from sleep' setup. Makes sense, avoids awkwardness..."
Her mumbling was crystal clear. Looked like she'd immersed so hard in her Malang act that her IQ had dropped to actual bitch-in-heat levels. Made sense—she'd climaxed out a hundred times mid-roleplay. Some brain damage was inevitable. S-rank or not, she'd bounce back soon. If not, drag her to the infirmary.
"Should I call Potsi? No, no—takes too long. Gotta meet the other S-rank bitches ASAP, tell 'em: never let Potsi find out the app's fake. One slip-up and we're done."
I ignored her not-so-subtle muttering. She wrapped it up with a decisive nod, locked eyes with me, and spoke up.
"Just snuck in somehow. I'll explain later. Came 'cause I missed your face, Potsi. Anyway, got stuff to do—see ya. Call me anytime you miss me."
With that, Silk Blond strolled right out of the Scout Leader's Room.
Click. The door shut softly. I darted to the desk, checked the CCTV feed for the hallway outside, and finally exhaled.
"Phew... Fucking exhausting. Shit."
Her heading off to warn everyone not to spill the app was fake? Plan was rolling perfectly. But man, it pissed me off anyway. Only three days since I learned the truth, but it felt like a month and a half.
"Webnovel terms? These three days could fill 41 chapters. What kinda maniac burns 41 chapters in three days?"
Fuming, I glared at the floor and flipped off the Earth author butchering my life's novel.
"Eat shit, you motherfuc—wait. What's that...?"
Right as my heartfelt bird headed for Earth's core, something yellow caught my eye in the corner of my vision. On the floor: that yellow dog collar—the one that turned Silk into Malangi.
"Did Senior drop it?"
Makes sense. She'd been off earlier—face pale, on the verge of collapse. Probably dropped whatever she was holding. She'd looked so rough I'd hugged her tight to comfort her. Figured as an S-rank, it wasn't physical—psychological. Thought sniffing me might help? Stuck her face in my chest. Worked like a charm.
How much does she like me? Next time another bitch rages or gets emotional, should I just open up and say, "Wanna sniff my chest?" Worked on Senior, at least.
I filed away this new S-rank crazy-bitch escape tactic, then picked up the collar with the hand I'd been flipping off with.
"Hate to admit it, but... she was kinda cute with this on."
Silk as a golden retriever—ears, tail, panting and begging? Hit every male fantasy button. I already thought she was the world's hottest normally, but after her betrayal? She wasn't a woman—just a monster wearing a stunning woman's skin.
But seeing her collared as Malang? Hate to say it, but my heart definitely skipped. If Ska hadn't forged my mithril-level patience, I'd have forgiven everything and jumped her bones right there—family planning on the spot. Animal ears and tail? Nuclear-level destructive power.
"...If I use this 'collar's' power, even an F-rank like me could get popular, right? Not just with S-rank crazies—with normal girls too?"
Back at the orphanage, I was popular. That was it. Post-orphanage, academy days? Outside Ska and Lapis Julie, I never spoke to any girl twice.
Early on, a few gave me good first impressions. Thought, Finally, normal friends! Even looked forward to the next day. But come morning? They all avoided me outright—looks of disgust. Ska laughed her ass off: "See, Paster? Only I talk to you, hang with you. Be grateful. No one else would bother with a loser like you."
Still burned. I'm that type: zero appeal to the opposite sex. Guild same—team leaders, Ia Ris, Dr. Emme aside, I was invisible. Worse after the "pervert flashing his dick at women" rumors.
"But with dog ears and a tail...! I could be Mr. Popular!"
Happy circuit spinning, but deep down? I knew. Silk looked cute collared because her base was drop-dead gorgeous. Me wearing it? No change.
Still, clinging to that sliver of hope, I snapped it on. No one's around anyway. Weird? Take it off.
Click. White light flooded the Scout Leader's Room. Silk's was gold—probably shifts with the wearer's mana.
Light faded. New sensations: heavy weight at my lower back—tail. And on my head... clearer than hearing. Touched: soft, warm. New ears.
"Whoa, ears and tail. Fucking awesome."
Curious what I looked like, I headed for the desk mirror—
BOOM!
Something shattered. Sound rushed closer. Before I could react, the Scout Leader's Room door exploded inward. Culprit: fiery red long hair whipping in the wind, long coat billowing, black high-leg latex suit hugging every curve.
The bitch I knew too well—the one I always dodged. Ska Rate.
"Grrrr...!"
Ska's face was pure rage. No clue why, but she was always pissed anyway—not weird.
"Hey! Paster! What the hell were you doing with Silk Blond in here—"
She roared... then froze, staring at me like she'd seen a ghost. Words died on her lips.
I'd braced for the tirade, but nada. Could only tilt my head like a curious pup.
"...Ska?"
"H-Hau♡"