Cosmic Paragon

"Eh?"

Simon glanced in the direction that Drake had pointed and suddenly stopped.

Drake encouraged. "You know just go over say a few words, just talk to her."

"Boss you can't be serious." Simon hesitated. He had also started calling Drake Boss, mimicking the Twins and the Wolff Brothers.

Drake nodded and said convincingly. "Of course I am. Just get up there what's the worst that could happen?"

"You're right. Alright I'm going in." After taking a deep breath Simon advanced.

"That's the spirit." Drake patted his shoulder and encouraged. But then as Simon got closer to the girl, a bag of chips appeared in his hands out of nowhere.

'This should be good.' He thought munching on a chip.

Simon didn't waste any more time and directly walked up to the girl.

Drake estimated. "Five minutes. I give him five minutes. Mm..." He suddenly stopped hallway through his words because he noticed that Simon was coming back.

Drake was a bit confused so he asked, "What happened! did you forget something?"

"Well I said Hi." Smiled Simon.

"And?" Drake inquired.

"I told her she looks nice."

Drake's eye twitched and he asked. "Then what, Don't tell me that's it?"

"What she looks like she's going to work." Shrugged Simon.

Drake massaged his temples with one hand and said slowly. "Five seconds! You lasted five seconds and you look so satisfied. Usually when a guy is feeling that new clothes/new shoes confidence boost they are capable of taking a lightning bolt to the chest and shrugging it off like its nothing but dust thanks to the bonus invincibility. But you only lasted five seconds and you're done? That's not even enough time for a proper introduction." He was flabbergasted by how well the guy was taking it.

Drake finally understood just how serious the situation was. 'This might be a record! But then again I can't be too hard on the guy. At least he had the balls to walk up to the girl and talk to her.' thought Drake. Then he shook his head and left it at that.

Meanwhile Drake decided in his mind 'I will do my best to fix this problem.'

Raising his head to look at Simon he asked. "You like video games Simon?"

"Huh?" Simon was surprised by the sudden question.

Drake repeated. "I asked if you liked video games."

"Yes, I mean are you kidding me? I love video games." Simon affirmed, but he did not comprehend how what they were doing had anything to do with video games.

"That's good. Because what we're doing today is similar to playing video games. And this is the dungeon." Drake gestured to the Park with a wave of his arm.

Simon couldn't help but inquire. "I'm sorry, I thought we came here so you can teach me how to pick up girls."

When Drake heard the question he nodded confirming and said, "That's exactly what we're going to be doing. Picking up girls is just like playing a game. This park right here is the dungeon I chose for you. And right now, every single girl is your prey."

Simon nodded finally understanding Drake's reference.

Drake waved a come along gesture and started off. "Come on let's get something to eat. While we walk I want you to pay attention to everything around us. To be specific, pay attention to the girls reactions."

Simon nodded and kept throwing glances around as they walked. But he failed to see anything out of the ordinary. Well except maybe a few short glances that were thrown by a few people but that was only normal as it was natural for people to shoot glances at strangers passing by.

They stopped at a food stall and ordered. While they waited for their order to be packed,

Drake glanced at Simon and asked. "So, did you notice anything?"

"Huh, is there something I'm missing?" Simon turned to him.

"I meant about the girls we passed by." Drake specified.

But simon shook his head and said, "Not really. I mean there were a few casual glances thrown by two girls, though it was you they were looking at. But that's only natural right."

Drake nodded. "It's good that you caught that part. I guess I should expect nothing less from a telepath. Now let me blow your mind. Don't make any abrupt movements, but while you didn't notice, when we were walking three girls showed interest in you, seven were curious, one was indifferent and three showed disdain."

"What! There's such a thing?" Simon's eyes widened he was shocked. He very nearly turned to look but managed to stop himself in time.

Drake nodded in confirmation. then he continue saying. "Yes. That means you have a high chance of being successful if you were to approach at least eight girls here."

Simon was elated at Drake's words, but then he inquired. "How come I didn't notice anything?" This puzzled him. He was a Telepath, and noticing details should be his strong point so how come he hadn't while Drake had?

Drake shook his head and explained. "That's because you don't understand girls enough to recognise the signals. I on the other hand do. There's a special scale used to measure girls interest level. Girls give different signals at different levels and there are four standard levels on the scale. These are; repulsed, indifferent, curious, and attracted."

"Here's your order" a man said and handed two packages over to them.

After paying The two went over to a bench where they sat to eat.

Drake resumed saying, "like I was saying, girls interest level is only one part of the puzzle. If you want to talk to girls it takes Knowledge of how females think, confidence, charm, experience, and more. To put it in one word, it takes game."

"Game?" Simon recognized the word, but did not really understand the meaning in this scenario.

Drake grinned and nodded. "That's right, Game. That's how we refer to skill at interacting with females. They use the term too when they say 'You've got Game.' They understand. Most of them won't admit it though. The term game is meaningful. This process of approach between men and women is a lot like a game. In fact, if you could successfully change your way of seeing interactions with females as a game, then you would already be far ahead of most men."

Simon was silent, trying to digest Drake's words. It all sounded simple, but was it really? 'I suppose it shouldn't be hard. After all, I am a master gamer. Viewing myself in a third person perspective shouldn't be too hard.' He thought

Drake smiled at this then turned his gaze to the people all around the Park while saying. "Now pick a target."

"What?" Simon was not sure he understood what Drake just said.

"You heard me. Pick a girl any girl." Drake said confirming Simon's thoughts.

But how am I supposed to know the ones that are interested in me? There were only very few girls earlier so the possibility of narrowing down the eight girls was good. But there's like a hundred girls in the Park by now, how am I supposed to find them.

"That's your problem, not mine."

Aw come on, you could just point them out for me since you already know them.

And make things easier for you? Hell no! I don't care if you have to approach a hundred girls before running into one that's curious or attract . towards younger

"Alright, I choose her. Simon nodded in a girls direction.

Drake looked up and saw her. She was a pretty girl with long blonde hair and she wore a blue dress. There were three other girls with her, but it seemed she was the leader of her clique, as the others crowded around her putting her in the prime position.

Drake's eyes squinted slightly when he saw her before turning his gaze to Simon again, Drake warned him. "Careful son, that's a Lord Grade floor Boss you're lusting after. I'm not looking down on your level, but that one will chew you up and spit you out like an angry Mutant Poison Dragon. Pick another one..."

"Okay that one!" Simon saw that serious look and understood that Drake was cautioning him not to bite off more than he could chew. So he quickly selected another one.

Drake burst out into laughter when he saw the target. "Haha! The man wants to die!"

Simon couldn't help but feel a chill in his spine that made him shiver at the sound of that laugh. "Come on it's not that exaggerated right." He asked.

Drake shook his head with a rueful smile. "Boy you have no idea. Those ones are at a level a bit too high for you. tone it down a little and please try to chose a lone target." He said to Simon.

While he could here a bit of doubt in Simon's voice, his eyelids twitched. 'Are you kidding me or does this guy just enjoy courting death.' thought Drake.

The girl Simon had just chosen as his target looked like a rich young lady from a reputed family and she was being surrounded by friends right now. There was also that look in her eyes that spelt E.X.P.E.R.I.EN.C.E.D. This girl has been in the game for a long time, she was the kind of target that would only give face to Alpha's. A typical 'Queen-B'. And not the good safe kind of 'B'.

Choosing this girl was no different from simply begging for something terrible to happen to you right now.

"Okay fine. Pick a girl, pick a girl." Simon had a deep frown on as his gaze roamed. "How about her?" Simon called out as he settled his gaze on a pretty girl walking her dog.

Upon locking his gaze unto the girl Drake nodded. "Nice! Now go get her contact details."

"Say what now?" Simon stopped.

Frowning slightly Drake frowned. "You know I'm starting to get annoyed with you making me repeat myself every time I say something. Just go over there, talk to her get her contact details, and come back. Did that sound too complex for you or maybe you would like me to say it in a different language for you to understand? I can say it in thirteen other languages, so you choose." He really disliked the way he had to not only repeat himself but also explain.

Simon shuddered slightly upon seeing Drake's face darkenning. So he hastily said. "No, I heard you perfectly the first time. What I meant was, how the hell you expect me to do that?"

Drake snorted. "Isn't it simply just walking over there talking to her getting the damn number and coming back?"

Simon shook his head like a rattle. "No, no that is not simple. That is not simple at all. What do I even say to her?"

After a few seconds and a bit of education, the new clothes immortality effect had worn off Simon and he was now capable of thought again.

"What if she snobs me? Or laughs, or slaps me in the face? Or even worse, what if she makes her dog attack me? Or what if other guys that like her see me walk up to her and they come beat the crap outta me? Or..." Simon suddenly started listing up all the possible ways that things could go wrong.