Farmboy becomes King with the Lust System

Elise's eyes widened at Jae's quiet "Thanks," her cheeks flushing a soft pink that caught him off guard. The training yard's dusty air seemed to still for a moment, the distant shouts of other students fading as she held his gaze, her usual indifference replaced by something warmer.

Before Jae could process it, she leaned in, her lips brushing his cheek in a quick, shy peck.

The warmth of her breath lingered on his skin, and Jae's heart stuttered, a mix of surprise and something else, something he hadn't felt since Clara, stirring in his chest.

Elise stepped back, her blush deepening, and hurried to heal Amira and Jeon, leaving Jae standing there, his hand instinctively touching the spot where her lips had been.

The class's whispers buzzed around him, but, he didn't care. That small gesture felt like a win bigger than the flag he'd just claimed.

xxx

That night, Jae was sprawled across his dorm bed when a sharp ding jolted him awake. His eyes snapped open, his heart already racing as the familiar green glow of the Lust System filled the small room.

The air was cool, tinged with the faint smell of wax and old stone, and the system's panels cast eerie shadows across the bare walls. "Not again," Jae muttered, his voice rough with sleep, as he rubbed his gritty eyes.

He swiped at the air, pulling up the map, and his breath caught. The red dot was blinking, as always, but it wasn't pointing to the usual cave in the hills. This time, it was somewhere closer, inside the academy compound.

"What the hell?" he whispered, his pulse quickening. A mission on school grounds?

That was new. And dangerous. Sneaking out of his dorm was one thing, but prowling around the academy, where teachers and guards could catch him, was a whole other level of risky.

Still, the memory of the system's penalty (halved stats, weakness, failure) loomed like a shadow. He wasn't about to let that happen.

Jae rolled out of bed, the cold floor biting his bare feet as he yanked on his clothes. He moved quietly, his heart pounding as he slipped out of his room, the door creaking softly in the silent hallway.

The academy was a maze of stone corridors, the air heavy with the scent of dust and faint traces of mana from daytime classes. Every step felt like a gamble, his ears straining for the clank of a guard's armor or the shuffle of a teacher's robes.

He kept to the shadows, his boots barely whispering against the floor, following the system's map as it guided him outside to the training fields.

The night air was sharp, smelling of grass and damp earth, and the field stretched out before him, dark and empty.

The map led him to a spot near the edge, where a jagged hole yawned in the ground, a cave entrance he swore hadn't been there before. Jae frowned, his skin prickling.

Had the system conjured this place out of nowhere, or had it always been hidden, waiting for him? Either way, it was creepy as hell.

He slipped inside, the air turning damp and sour, thick with the familiar stench of spider ichor. His heart kicked up a notch as the system chimed:

< Quest: Kill 30 Spiders. Reward: Shadow Cloak.>

"Thirty?" Jae hissed, his voice swallowed by the cave's oppressive darkness. That was nearly double his last mission. But the reward, a Shadow Cloak that could make him undetectable by senses and magic, sounded like a game-changer.

He summoned his Mana Blade, its blue glow cutting through the gloom, and got to work. The spiders came fast, their hairy legs scraping the stone like knives. Jae was a machine, his boosted stats making him faster, stronger.

He targeted their underbellies, slashing with precision, green ichor splattering his boots. One tried to flank him, but he used Phantom Step, blinking behind it and driving his blade through its soft gut.

The rest fell in a blur of slashes and dodges, his muscles burning but his focus razor-sharp. By the time the thirtieth spider collapsed, Jae was panting, his clothes slick with sweat and ichor, but the system's chime brought a grin to his face.

<Quest Complete: Shadow Cloak Acquired.>

The cloak materialized in his hands, its fabric dark and weightless, like woven shadow. The description read:

<Shadow Cloak – Shields the user's presence, rendering them undetectable by senses and magic.>

Jae scoffed, shoving it into his inventory. This was a steal for just 30 spiders, the cloak's power would be very useful.

He slipped out of the cave, the night air hitting him like a cold slap as he trudged back toward the dorms, his body screaming for rest. His boots crunched on the grass, the academy's dark silhouette looming against the starry sky.

He was almost at the dorm entrance when a soft voice stopped him cold. "Jae?" His heart skipped, and he turned to see Elise, her small frame outlined by the faint glow of a nearby torch.

Her eyes were wide, curious but not accusing. "What are you doing out here?"

Jae's mind raced, his pulse spiking. "Hey, I just… needed some fresh air," he said, forcing a casual tone despite the sweat dripping down his neck.

Elise tilted her head, her gaze flicking to his soaked clothes. "Why are you so sweaty, then?" she asked, her voice gentle but probing.

He scrambled for a lie, his stomach twisting.

"Couldn't help it, I was doing some training," he said, flashing a weak grin. To his relief, Elise smiled, her cheeks tinting pink. "That's why I'm out here too," she said. "Wanted to practice a bit." Jae raised an eyebrow, surprised. "Didn't know you were that dedicated," he said, his tone teasing but warm.

She blushed deeper, looking away. "I'm not that serious," she mumbled.

Jae chuckled. " I need someone like you in my life… to keep me serious," he said and Elise laughed

"I could use someone like you in my life." She said. "Someone brave, to push me."

"I have to get back to my room," Jae said, his voice heavy with exhaustion. "I'm beat." Elise nodded, then, to his surprise, tiptoed up and pecked his cheek, her lips warm and fleeting.

She stepped back, blushing furiously, and Jae grinned, his heart lighter as he turned to leave.