The Shameless Urban System: Lust and Laughter

Chapter 5: The Flawed Invisibility Skill

Mariam stood frozen, her breath coming in ragged gasps that made her silk blazer rise and fall sharply. Her sharp, typically ice-cold eyes now flickered with the fire of rage, yet beneath it lay a genuine glimmer of fear. She glared at Rendy, a man she had usually dismissed as a useless pawn, now standing before her with a boldness that bordered on insanity.

"You... you are threatening me?" Mariam hissed, her voice low and dangerous, audible only to Rendy.

Rendy did not back down. Instead, he took a step closer, letting the scent of his masculine cologne mixed with a touch of cold sweat from the adrenaline reach his boss's senses. "This is not a threat, Ms. Mariam. It is a partnership for our mutual safety. Modibo already has proof of our little moment. If you do not make my position official right now, the entire board of directors will see photos of that massage tomorrow with a much worse narrative attached."

Standing in the doorway, Modibo remained pale. His hands, clutching his phone, were trembling. He wanted to deny it, to shout that Rendy was just bluffing, but the way Rendy’s gaze locked onto his jacket pocket made Modibo’s nerve fail. Tucked inside that pocket was a brown envelope containing the report on the Green Oasis project embezzlement he had just manipulated. How did Rendy know?

"Modibo!" Mariam’s voice exploded, shattering the tense silence.

Modibo jolted. "Y-yes, ma'am?"

Mariam took a long breath, trying to gather the remnants of her shattered dignity. She adjusted the collar of her blouse, which had become slightly disheveled from her earlier reflex. "What Rendy said is true. He just finished the pressure test I set for him. That massage... it was part of an emotional control exam."

The explanation was absurd, even by the standards of the most casual office. But since it came from the mouth of the authoritarian Mariam, no one dared to argue. Moussa and Amadou, who were peeking from the hallway, exchanged confused glances.

"So," Mariam continued, her voice returning to its flat, professional tone even though a flush still lingered on her cheeks, "Rendy will be promoted to my special assistant starting tomorrow. Modibo, since you had the audacity to enter without knocking, you will receive a formal warning. Now, get out! All of you!"

Modibo did not wait for a second order. He turned and half-ran toward his office, terrified that Rendy would actually expose the contents of his pocket in front of Mariam. The other staff scattered like rats spotting a giant cat.

Once the door clicked shut, leaving only Rendy and Mariam alone, the atmosphere grew heavier. Mariam approached Rendy, the tips of her heels touching his shoes. She looked up, her eyes flashing.

"You win this time, Rendy," Mariam whispered, her hand suddenly gripping his tie and pulling him until their faces were mere centimeters apart. "But don't think this is over. Once I find a gap to destroy you without dragging my own name through the mud, you will wish you had never been born."

Rendy swallowed hard. The pressure from this woman was immense, but the System in his head rang with a jarring, cheerful tone.

[DING! EMERGENCY MISSION COMPLETED!]

[Success Rating: S (Shameless Level Max!)]

[Reward: 500 System Points, Stamina Stat +2, and Active Skill: 'Short-term Invisibility' (Duration 30 Seconds).]

[Warning: The 'Short-term Invisibility' skill only hides the user's biological body. Clothing and accessories remain visible to the naked eye. Use wisely (or mischievously).]

Rendy nearly choked on his own spit reading that final warning. "Only the biological body? That means if I wear clothes, my clothes will look like they are floating around like a ghost?"

Mariam yanked her hand away from his tie. "Get out of my office. Now!"

Rendy bowed slightly, a crooked smile tugging at his lips. "Certainly, Boss. Thank you for the promotion."

Once he exited Mariam’s office, Rendy didn't return to his desk. His mind was racing. Modibo had evidence that could destroy him, and Rendy knew his threat had been nothing but a bluff. He needed physical proof from Modibo’s pocket before the man could ruin him.

Rendy walked toward the quiet hallway near the archives, adjacent to Modibo’s office. He looked left and right. Clear.

"System, activate Invisibility!" Rendy shouted internally.

[Confirmation: Activating 'Short-term Invisibility'. Duration: 30 seconds. Countdown begins upon the user removing all clothing.]

"Damn it! So I have to be naked?" Rendy whispered in a panic. His logic raced. If he didn't do this now, Modibo would burn the documents. But if he did, he risked becoming the biggest exhibitionist in corporate history.

Rendy slipped into the narrow, dark stationery storage room. With frantic, panicked movements, he stripped off his jacket, shirt, and trousers, until only, ah, no, the system said all clothing. With a heavy heart and overwhelming shame, Rendy shed his underwear too.

Now, in the middle of a room filled with A4 paper and printer ink, Rendy stood bare.

[Invisibility Skill: ACTIVE! Time: 30... 29... 28...]

Rendy looked at his hands. Magic! His hands slowly faded, becoming transparent until he could see the floor beneath them. He cracked the door open and slipped out. It felt incredibly strange. The cold office AC touched every inch of his unprotected skin, providing a tingling sensation that made him want to sneeze.

He sprinted silently toward Modibo’s office. His heart pounded—not just from the mission adrenaline, but from the fact that he was running buck naked through a still-busy office.

"Moussa, did you see the storage room door open by itself?" Amadou’s voice drifted from down the hall.

Rendy held his breath, pressing against the wall. Fortunately, his transparent body didn't cast a clear shadow under the uniform fluorescent lighting. He reached the door to Modibo’s office. It was closed, but not locked tight.

Rendy pushed it slowly. *Creeak.*

Modibo was sitting at his desk, back to the door. He was busy rummaging through his drawers, panicked muttering spilling from his lips. "Where... where are the matches? I have to burn this right now before that bastard Rendy does something!"

Rendy saw the brown envelope lying on the desk, right next to Modibo’s phone.

[Time Remaining: 15 seconds.]

Rendy moved. His bare feet made no sound on the thick carpet. He reached out his transparent hand to grab the envelope. However, just as his fingers were about to touch the paper, Modibo suddenly turned around.

"Huh? A breeze?" Modibo frowned, feeling the displacement of air as Rendy moved.

Rendy froze in a semi-crouched position, his transparent backside only centimeters away from a stack of files on the guest table. He held his breath until his chest ached.

Modibo stared at the slightly open door, then back at his desk. He grabbed the envelope. Rendy snorted in frustration. Dammit, his target was taken!

[Time Remaining: 8 seconds.]

Rendy had to act. He couldn't take the envelope by force, or it would look like a floating envelope attacking Modibo. He needed a temporary hiding spot to figure out his next move, or at least wait until Modibo let his guard down.

The only place nearby was the space under Modibo’s desk, which was quite spacious and shielded by a front panel.

Rendy crawled under the desk just as the numbers above his head hit:

[Time Remaining: 3... 2... 1... SKILL DEACTIVATED.]

Zapp!

Rendy felt a warm sensation wash over his body, and in an instant, his tanned skin became visible again. He was now curled up beneath the desk, completely naked, his knees pulled against his chest. The smell of citrus air freshener and the slightly musty odor of Modibo’s socks assaulted his nose.

"Damn, damn, damn," Rendy whispered silently. He was trapped. He couldn't leave without being seen, and he had no clothes to preserve his dignity.

Suddenly, the chair above him creaked. Modibo sat back down. Rendy could see Modibo's pair of black loafers just ten centimeters from his face. If Modibo stretched his legs forward even a little, he would kick Rendy right in the face.

Rendy closed his eyes, forcing his breathing to remain shallow to avoid making the slightest sound. The extra stamina from the system felt useful now; his muscles held the awkward position without trembling.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.

"Come in!" Modibo barked in an annoyed tone.

The door opened, and a pair of elegant high heels stepped into the room. Rendy recognized those shoes. It was Fatoumata, the administrative staff known for being the quietest yet most observant person in the office.

"Mr. Modibo," Fatoumata’s voice was soft but firm. "Ms. Mariam asked me to pick up the Green Oasis project report. She said there are inconsistencies she wants to personally review."

Rendy felt his heart nearly jump out of his throat. If Fatoumata took the report, his mission was a failure. But if he stayed here, he might end up in jail as a perverted stalker.

"T-that report? Oh, I'm still reviewing it, Fatou. Tell Ms. Mariam I’ll hand it over myself this afternoon," Modibo replied, his voice slightly higher from nerves.

"But sir, Ms. Mariam said 'now'," Fatoumata insisted. She stepped closer to the desk.

From his position under the desk, Rendy had a very... unstrategic view. He could see Fatoumata’s smooth calves and a glimpse of her tight black pencil skirt. In this life-or-death situation, his brain, influenced by the 'Shameless System', provided a flash of mischievous thoughts about what it would be like if Fatoumata knew there was a naked man right beneath her feet.

"Fatou, don't you understand? I'm busy!" Modibo snapped, slamming his hand on the desk.

The impact caused a pen on the edge of the desk to roll and fall... right under the desk.

The pen landed perfectly between Rendy’s splayed legs.

Rendy’s eyes widened. Fatoumata reflexively leaned over to pick up the pen.

"Let me get that for you, sir," Fatoumata said.

The world seemed to slow down for Rendy. Fatoumata’s head began to lower, her eyes turning toward the darkness beneath the desk. Rendy held his breath, squeezed his eyes shut, and pressed his body against the back panel of the desk with all his might, using his last bit of stamina to cling like a gecko so he wouldn't touch the floor.

Fatoumata’s face was now level with the edge of the desk. She looked into the void.

"Huh?" Fatoumata muttered softly.

Rendy felt his world was coming to an end. He could already imagine tomorrow’s headline: 'Model Employee Found Naked Under Colleague's Desk, Claims He Was Searching for Illusions.'

However, the darkness under the desk and Rendy’s position pressed against the top of the panel saved him for a few critical seconds. Fatoumata grabbed the pen quickly without realizing that the black shadow above her was a human body dripping with cold sweat.

Fatoumata stood back up. "Here is the pen, sir. And about Rendy..."

That name made Rendy alert again.

"What do you mean by Rendy?" Modibo asked curtly.

"Don't you find it strange?" Fatoumata’s voice dropped, sounding more intimate now. "The Rendy we know wouldn't dare touch Ms. Mariam like that. I think... he has a big secret. Something that suddenly made him so confident."

Modibo laughed cynically, his voice sounding very close right above Rendy’s head. "Confident? He’s just lucky trash. I’ll make sure whatever secret he has is buried with him. Fatou, you know why I like having you here? Because you know when to keep your mouth shut and when to help."

Rendy felt his anger boiling. Modibo wasn't just a crook, but he was also trying to manipulate Fatoumata. However, amidst the rage, a crazy idea popped into Rendy’s head as the system gave a new notification.

[DING! SIDE MISSION DETECTED!]

[Title: 'The Under-Table Saboteur'.]

[Objective: Take the document from Modibo’s hands without making Fatoumata scream. Use any method available.]

[Reward: 'Silent Step' Skill & Charisma +5.]

Rendy stared at Modibo’s feet, which were only wearing socks because the man had kicked off his shoes under the desk to relax. A very, very 'shameless' plan began to form.

He reached his hand out slowly, his trembling fingers approaching the toe of Modibo’s foot, visible through a small hole in his sock.

'Forgive me, Modibo. But you started this,' Rendy thought maliciously.

Rendy began to tickle the sole of Modibo’s foot with the tip of his fingernail as gently as possible, creating an unbearable ticklish sensation just as the man was trying to look cool in front of Fatoumata.

"So, Fatou, about our plans for tonight.... HIIIIK?!"

Modibo suddenly jumped in his chair, his legs jerking hard until his knees hit the underside of the desk with a loud THUD.

"Mr. Modibo? Are you okay?" Fatoumata was surprised to see her boss suddenly perform a strange dance move in his chair.

"N-nothing... there’s... there’s a bug!" Modibo yelled, his face turning red from holding back laughter and the extreme ticklishness. He tried to look down, but Rendy quickly pulled his hand back into the shadows.

While Modibo was busy soothing his ticklish feet, the brown envelope on the desk shifted due to the impact. Its edge was now hanging off the desk, right within Rendy’s reach.

This was his chance.

Rendy reached out, grabbed the edge of the envelope, and pulled it slowly into the darkness of the under-table space.

"Sir, it seems like you should have your nerves checked," Fatoumata said with a feigned tone of concern. "You look very... unstable today."

"I am stable! I just, wait, where is the document?!" Modibo stared at his desk, which was now empty of the brown envelope.

He looked at the floor, to the left, to the right. Nothing. His eyes slowly began to head back under the desk.

Rendy hugged the document to his naked chest, his sweat soaking the report paper. He knew, this time, he really couldn't run if Modibo looked down again.

But just at that moment, the door to Modibo’s room swung wide open without a knock.

"Modibo! Fatoumata! Why are you still here?"

Mariam’s voice, thundering from the doorway, saved Rendy once again. Mariam stood there with an impatient expression, holding another folder in her hand.

"Ms. Mariam! The document... the document is gone!" Modibo stammered, standing up in a panic until his chair tumbled backward.

"What do you mean gone?! I just gave you five minutes!" Mariam stepped into the room, the scent of her strong perfume starting to dominate the space, masking the musty smell of Modibo’s socks.

Now, under that desk, Rendy was trapped with three pairs of feet surrounding him. One wrong move from anyone, and it was over for him.

However, amidst the deadly tension, Rendy realized one thing.

Mariam’s focus was entirely on Modibo, and Fatoumata stood slightly back from the desk, clearing a path for Mariam.

Rendy spotted a gap between Fatoumata’s legs that led directly to the slightly ajar door.

"System, are there any other gifts that can help me get out of here while naked?" Rendy asked himself in desperation.

[DING! SPECIAL OFFER!]

[Purchase 'Transparent Cloak' (Single use) for 400 Points? (Item will instantly cover your body without needing to remove anything—but it only lasts 15 seconds).]

"BUY!" Rendy shouted internally without a second thought.

Suddenly, a thin, nearly invisible fabric appeared in his hands. Rendy immediately draped it over his body and the document.

He began to crawl out from under the desk, maneuvering between Fatoumata’s legs. He could feel the warmth of her calves as his shoulder accidentally brushed against the fabric of her skirt. Fatoumata flinched slightly, assuming it was just a draft or the rustling of her own clothes.

Rendy kept crawling, slipping past Mariam, who was busy berating Modibo. He felt like the horniest secret agent in the world.

Just as he reached the threshold of the door, he heard Mariam’s voice suddenly soften.

"Wait... what is that smell? Why does this room smell like... Rendy?"

Rendy froze in the doorway. "Damn it, the system didn't say the perfume wouldn't disappear too!"

He had to run. Now. Before his 15 seconds were up and he became the main attraction in the office lobby.

Rendy sprinted as fast as he could toward the storage room where his clothes were kept. Behind him, he could hear Modibo’s confused shouting and the sound of Mariam’s footsteps drawing closer to the hallway.

"Who’s there?!" Mariam yelled.

Rendy reached the storage room door. 3... 2... 1...

POOF!

The transparent cloak vanished. Rendy lunged into the room and slammed the door shut just as Mariam appeared at the end of the hall.

He leaned against the back of the door, panting heavily, clutching Modibo’s corruption documents as if they were the most precious treasure in the world. He was still naked, sweaty, and his heart was hammering like a war drum.

"That was insane," Rendy whispered to himself. "That was absolutely insane."

He hurriedly pulled his clothes back on with lightning speed. As soon as he finished buttoning his shirt, a soft knock echoed on the storage room door.

Rendy stiffened. "Who is it?"

"Rendy? It’s me, Fatoumata."

The voice was soft, but there was a tone in it that Rendy couldn't quite decipher.

"I know you're in there. And I know... what you were doing under the desk earlier."

Rendy felt his blood run cold. How could she know?

"Open the door, Rendy. Before Ms. Mariam finds me talking to this door," Fatoumata whispered again.

Rendy took a deep breath, straightened his tie, and opened the door a crack. Fatoumata stood there, staring at him with a gaze that was incredibly intense. She didn't look angry; she actually looked... impressed.

"You dropped this when you were crawling out," Fatoumata said, handing him something that made Rendy’s face burn red to his ears.

It was a small piece of paper that had fallen out of his wallet under the desk, a coupon for an adult store that a friend had once given him as a joke.

"And Rendy..." Fatoumata leaned in, whispering right into his ear until her warm breath gave him goosebumps. "Next time you want to hide, make sure you don't wear such distinct perfume. It’s... very tempting, but very dangerous."

Fatoumata winked and walked away, leaving Rendy frozen with a million questions swirling in his head. But before he could process what had just happened, the system pinged again with a terrifying red warning tone.

[WARNING! S-RANK TARGET: AMINATA (CENTRAL CEO'S SECRETARY) IS HEADED TO THIS FLOOR FOR A SURPRISE INSPECTION!]

[NEW MISSION: HIDE THE CORRUPTION DOCUMENTS OR YOU WILL BE FRAMED AS THE CULPRIT!]

Rendy looked toward the hallway. In the distance, a woman radiating an aura of authority far stronger than Mariam’s was walking toward him, surrounded by security guards.

And Rendy realized he was still holding the documents in his hand.