The forest didn't sleep. It watched.
As night fell, the trees leaned in like voyeurs, their knotted branches clawing the sky. Insects chirped like they were laughing. Somewhere in the distance, something howled, and it wasn't a wolf.
I wasn't sure if I should set a trap or dig a grave—mine or hers.
Kaelira. The fox girl.
She could smell blood like perfume. Move like shadow. Grin like sin. Damn.
And I had six days and twenty-three hours left to make her fall for me.
Piece of cake.
I stood under a crooked willow, flexing my fingers. I had nothing on me—no weapons, no skills, no clue, not even a full clothes. Just the System's smug blue glow, and a body that felt more like an avatar than flesh.
[DING!]
> Daily Reward Claimed: Bronze Lootbox (1x)
Opening...
A small, floating chest materialized in front of me and burst open with a fizzle of pixelated sparks. Inside was:
Worn Iron Dagger (Common): +2 Attack
Hardtack Ration (Stale): Restores 5 HP
Flint & Steel (Fragile)
I stared at the items.
"Well," I muttered, gripping the dagger's leather-wrapped hilt, "it's not much… but at least it's stabby."
The blade felt light, eagerly active. Like it wanted to be used.
My gut twisted. No way I was fighting Kaelira head-on. That was suicide on its own.
So I thought.... I needed planned so I plotted.
Make her fall for me. One way or the other, she had to. She must.
And what the hell did that mean, exactly? Like, romantically? Sexually? Magically?
I called up the interface.
> Objective: Seduce Kaelira the Feral Flame
Progress: 0%
Tips: Kaelira values strength, cunning, and boldness. Fear is death. Hesitation is weakness.
Warning: Gift-giving is ineffective. Affection must be earned through dominance or submission (target-dependent).
Well, shit.
This wasn't going to be hearts and flowers. It was going to be blood and fire.
---
I found her soon again by scent. Not mine— but hers. The forest reeked of wet earth and pine, but beneath it was something else. Wild. Sweet. Like cinnamon laced with venom.
She'd made camp in a sunken grove, half-hidden behind a curtain of moss. Firelight flickered through the trees. I crept closer, the dagger sheathed at my hip, my body low, my breath shallow.
She was lounging on a stone outcropping like a queen in heat.
Naked.
Not fully though. But enough.
Her leather top hung loose, straps unbuckled, and the skirt she wore—if you could call it that—was more suggestive than modest. Her long legs were bare to the thigh, gleaming in the firelight. Her tail swayed slowly behind her, hypnotic.
She looked up. Eyes locked to mine like she had sensed me before I even stepped into range.
"I was wondering when you would. show up again," she purred.
I stepped into the firelight, dagger at my side, every nerve buzzing.
"Thought I'd let the murder attempt cool off first."
She laughed, rich and dangerous.
"Good choice. You still smell like prey… but at least you came back. That's something."
I didn't flinch as she rose to her feet and stalked toward me, bare feet silent on the moss. She circled me slowly, tail brushing against my thigh.
"I've had dozens like you, you know," she whispered in my ear. "Dropped into this world with stars in their eyes and blood in their mouths. All of them thought they were the main character."
"Let me guess," I said, voice low. "You gutted them all."
She grinned. "The boring ones, yes."
My pulse thudded.
Don't flinch. Don't break. She feeds on fear.
I turned to face her.
"I'm not boring," I said.
Her eyes narrowed. The firelight caught her fangs. "Prove it."
I kissed her.
Hard.
Faster than we both thought, our mouths collided—her lips hot, sharp, tasting of ash and spice. Her claws dug into my back, not quite drawing blood. Her tail wrapped around my waist like a rope of fur and muscle.
For a second, the world vanished. Just her. Me. The fire. Our breath, ragged, and steaming.
Then she shoved me back— real hard.
I hit the moss with a grunt. My HP dropped another two points.
She stood over me, panting, flushed, eyes gleaming.
"…Bold," she murmured, licking her lips. "I like the boldness in you."
[DING!]
> Progress Updated: 12%
Affinity Shift: Neutral → Intrigued
I stared at the System text hovering in my periphery, half-dazed.
Kaelira sat beside me, crossed her legs, and tilted her head.
"Tell me a story, Roy Quinn. Something brutal. Something real. If you lie, I'll know."
I sucked in a breath.
"You want brutal?" I asked her.
She nodded. "No one lies in their last story. Especially not when they think they'll live to tell the next."
So I told her. About Earth. About the games. The killstreams. The hacking. The backstabs. The night I got rich off a double betrayal, letting two rivals slaughter each other while I livestreamed their deaths and took all the bets.
I told her about the last job. The payout. The gun.
And the moment everything ended.
She listened in silent. Her eyes never left mine.
When I finished, she leaned close. Her breath was warm.
"You are a monster."
"Guilty."
She laughed, surprisingly.
"I like monsters. They make better lovers. And better enemies."
Then, without warning, she stood.
"You'll sleep here tonight," she said. "Not with me. Not yet. But near."
She tossed a fur blanket toward me like a queen tossing scraps to a dog.
"Don't touch me again unless I let you. Next time, I'll bite."
She vanished into the shadows behind her tent, tail flicking a final tease.
I lay there, heart pounding, blanket draped over me like a trophy.
[DING!]
> Progress Updated: 19%
Kaelira Status: Watching you.
One kiss. One story. One step closer to not dying.
And gods help me…
…I was starting to enjoy it.
It seemed fun. No, it was really becoming fun.