Chapter 13 - Jokes and stat b.u.mps
Ben unlocked another system function!
He asked the system and it explained the Attraction system would indicate the attraction level of a woman towards him when they spoke. "Isn"t this like an NPC favorability system in games?" His eyes s.h.i.+ned! This excited him for several reasons!
First, this favorability system would be very helpful! How useful was it for a clueless nerd to know how a girl felt about him? The answer was obvious! Second, he now knew that by learning more about being a pick up artist, his system would unlock more abilities!
After calming down, Ben went back to listening to Beluga, who explained attraction further: "The reason seduction skills can raise attraction is that it isn"t fixed, atraction is a perception! It can change inside a female"s mind! Thus, by saying and doing various things, a pick up artist can raise attraction."
Ben swallowed. "What kinds of things?"
Beluga smirked. "To put it in obvious terms, you have to do things females find attractive. There are hundreds of different techniques. Let"s start with the basic layer of building attraction through speech, which is communicating attractive qualities about yourself that aren"t clear on sight. That may include accomplishments, interesting stories, and things that show your high value. So Ben, tell me. What are some attractive things you"ve done?"
Ben was deep in thought for a full minute...Then, he had it. "15-game win streak in Rocket League?"
"...We"ll skip that. The entire section, we"re skipping it. I"ll ask you again in the distant future. You"ll have to work on it, but it"s okay…" Beluga a.s.sured him.
"That is pretty amazing though." At least the fellow nerd Antonio was impressed.
"Alright, how about this…" Beluga said. "Ben, do you know any good jokes?"
Ben"s face became full of confidence as he nodded and smiled. As an internet Otaku for so many years, how could he not know excellent jokes? He knew the best jokes!
It was his time to s.h.i.+ne. Ben saw a single girl sitting and reading a book nearby. He approached her.
"Excuse me miss…"
"Yes?" she responded.
"Is that the new Harry Potter?" Ben asked in a curious tone. This was one of the new openers Beluga gave Ben, to ask a basic question about an item of the girl"s such as a book, a phone, a strange piece of clothing, etc. It was a simple opener to break the ice and was strong in its flexibility; You could adjust it to many situations.
[Target"s current attraction level: indifferent]
Above her head, the system produced a small pop-up screen visible to Ben only. It displayed on its own without Ben having to request it.
As she responded to Ben, he prepared his follow-up joke.
***
Antonio and Beluga watched on in support and antic.i.p.ation.
When the woman started cursing Ben…the antic.i.p.ation disappeared, but they still supported him!
When the shoe flew at Ben"s head and bounced off…their support also withered, sprouting shock in its place.
Ben walked back to Antonio and Beluga with a new b.u.mp on his head.
Antonio questioned Ben, "What Joke did you use?"
"Your momma"s so fat—"
"Stop!" Beluga realized he should"ve been more specific about the jokes. "Try ones that aren"t insulting." Then Beluga gave Ben a joke to try on another woman.
Speaking with the last girl, Ben had watched her attraction level change from indifferent to disinclined, and then to disgusted. The system explained to him the attraction levels from worst to best: [mortal enemy-disgusted-disinclined-indifferent-curious-interested-attracted-fangirl]. So far, Ben had started at indifferent, which he reasoned was because of his average 5 in looks.
Armed with better material, he spotted another woman and tried again. He opened her in a similar way to the last one, but when it came time to tell the joke, he stuttered because he wasn"t used to telling it, and it failed.
Ben returned in disappointment when something happened that brightened his mood.
[Congratulations! You"ve completed the Weekly Challenge: It"s a numbers game - Open 100 women]
[Completion status: 100/100]
[Distributing reward: Stat Point(Random) x1]
[a.s.signing Stat: Communication + 1]
[Congratulations! You"ve unlocked the Achievement: Junior Opener(common) - Open 100 women]
[Distributing reward: PUA Points + 100]
Ben was ecstatic! Not only did he finish the weekly challenge, but there was even a hidden achievement for the same accomplishment—two for the price of one! Even though he only had 450 points and needed 50 more to get a Low Level Mystery Box, he was still excited! He browsed the next Weekly Challenge.
[Weekly Challenge: Handful of digits - Acquire phone numbers from 3 women who are interested in you]
[Reward: Stat Point(Random) x1]
[Completion status: 0/3]
After reading the challenge, he took the description to mean the attraction levels of the 3 women had to be at least interested. He a.s.sumed it was to stop him from finding loopholes. As far as seeking loopholes, Ben didn"t bother wasting time doing so. He still remembered when this shameless system told him no slam donkeys and no pay-pigging when he had only thought of some possibilities.
Ben"s communication stat went up from 3 to 4. Unlike looks, this wasn"t a stat where he could notice the difference in a mirror. He was anxious to see if the higher stat would change the results of his approaches so he searched for a new target right away. After selecting one, he took a deep breath and stepped forward.
It was time to see what his new communication stat could do.