Ultra-Level Weeb: Rise in an Awakened World

"Even before we worry about the cost," she continued, "we’ll have to find out whether any are even available."

She paused thoughtfully.

"And don’t expect a single bottle to be enough. Forming your first mana ring will probably require at least two... perhaps even more."

"That means we’ll likely need well over ten thousand units just to buy two or more." she also wanted to mention he should try making one himself but then they would need recipie and it’s gonna make him wait more longer which wasn’t really good.

"I have saved up a bit..." max said with hesitation from revealing the whole number as he still had some left from the illegal organ harvesting he did, but with what zerena has giving him, he chosse to told that number alone, "it’s about 2700 hundred...I can make up about 1000 more..."

For a brief moment, Zerena almost asked where he’d managed to save that much money.

Then she stopped herself.

Instead, a slow, satisfied smile spread across her face, one that Max had gradually learned usually meant she was about to propose something that benefited her at least as much as it benefited him.

"Don’t worry," she said. "I’ll cover the rest."

It sounded generous.

In truth...

It was also convenient.

Every time Zerena helped him, another quiet debt formed between them. Gratitude had a habit of making people stay longer than they originally intended.

The more he owed her...

The less likely he’d be to leave.

And even if the thought ever crossed his mind, she’d simply make sure he accumulated enough favors that walking away would become increasingly difficult.

Her smile widened ever so slightly.

"But..." she continued, "...before I buy them for you, how about we earn a little more money first?"

Max almost asked how much more she wanted to earn.

After all, compared to the money he’d already made for her, the amount she was offering him felt almost symbolic.

Each Minor Healing Potion sold for around five hundred and fifty units.

Over the past several days, he’d consistently been producing ten bottles from every batch.

Just the potions he’d brewed during the last two days had already brought in well over ten thousand units.

Compared to that...

The few thousand Zerena was now offering to help with barely felt like a fraction of what she’d already earned through his work.

Of course, Max understood it wasn’t quite that simple.

The herbs, laboratory, equipment, and everything else had all been paid for by Zerena.

Even so...

A small part of him couldn’t help feeling that the profits were leaning rather heavily in one direction.

While Zerena kept insisting they needed to earn more money, she’d overlooked one rather inconvenient detail.

Max couldn’t exactly do that by himself.

Not because he lacked motivation.

Simply because, for the system to pay him...

She had to do her part first.

Unfortunately for Zerena, her part of the arrangement was considerably less dignified.

Max’s contribution came afterward.

Hers came first.

And somehow, the system had decided that the potion business should begin with her quietly sacrificing another small piece of her pride.

At the moment, she was practically draped over him as he lay on the bed beneath her.

She kissed him with far more determination than romance, drawing him into another deep kiss with the single-minded focus of someone trying to finish an unpleasant chore as efficiently as possible. The force of it was enough that Max’s head kept lifting slightly from the pillow every time she pulled him closer.

Watching her now, it was difficult to believe this was the same woman who, not long ago, had treated even a brief kiss as an unforgivable assault on her dignity.

Life, Max reflected, really did take some bizarre career turns.

Max had no idea what had gotten into her.

For the past several minutes, Zerena had been kissing him with an intensity that bordered on excessive, showing no signs of stopping until she finally pulled away with a quiet breath.

She looked slightly out of breath herself.

"...Did any new tasks appear?" she asked.

Max simply stared at her.

For a few long seconds, his brain appeared to have temporarily vacated the premises. Whatever she’d just done had left him looking as though she’d thoroughly rebooted his entire nervous system.

Eventually, he managed a slow shake of his head.

"No..."

Still leaning over him, Zerena absently rubbed slow circles across his chest with her palm. A faint look of disappointment crossed her face.

"...I even tried kissing you more disgustingly than before," she muttered. "I thought maybe that shameless system of yours would get inspired and hand out another task."

Max blinked a few times before his thoughts finally returned.

"...Then..." he said, clearing his throat, "...how about we try something different?"

He looked at her hopefully.

"Or maybe we could finish one of the other tasks instead?"

Zerena let out a weary sigh before rolling off him and settling onto the bed beside him.

She didn’t bother answering.

Max, meanwhile, looked mildly disappointed.

For approximately three seconds.

Then, apparently deciding disappointment was an inefficient use of his hands, he immediately returned them to their usual destination, absentmindedly cupping her breasts while his thumbs idly brushed over her nipples.

Neither of them had much to do for the next few hours.

Since the task required her panties to be worn for at least three hours before they counted again, Zerena had suggested trying to provoke the system into assigning another task while they waited.

Unfortunately...

The system seemed to have taken the morning off.

"...That’s no good," she muttered.

Glancing at the clock, she let out another sigh.

There were still two full hours left.

Two hours.

She absolutely was not spending that entire time lying here while Max treated her body like a hobby he’d recently become far too passionate about.

And kissing him for two more hours sounded even worse.

Her lips were already beginning to feel dry.

At this rate, she’d need lip balm more urgently than another batch of potion ingredients.

If Zerena had stopped to think about it for even a moment, she might have realized something rather obvious.

No one was actually forcing her to keep trying to provoke the system. She could’ve gone for a walk, read another book, checked on the laboratory.

Done almost anything else.

Instead...

She remained exactly where she was.

In fairness, Max wasn’t making rational thought particularly easy.

His attention had already wandered back to her chest, his hands settling there with the effortless familiarity they’d developed over the past week. Whatever thoughts Zerena had been trying to organize quickly dissolved into a series of increasingly distracted sighs as he continued stubbornly occupying himself.

"...What else do you think might make a new task appear?" she asked, glancing down at him.

Almost absentmindedly, her fingers drifted into his hair, gently combing through it before giving it a small, encouraging stroke without her even realizing she’d done it.

Max’s lips curled into the faintest smile.

Exactly as he’d hoped.

The bait had worked.

Ever since the old tasks had disappeared, he’d been quietly dropping little suggestions here and there, knowing Zerena’s practical side would eventually start looking for ways to trigger new ones if it meant earning more Forbidden Points.