The first thing I registered when I woke up was the light. Not the harsh, demanding light of a city morning, but a soft, golden glow that filtered through the sheer curtains, painting stripes across the wooden floor. The air smelled clean, tinged with the scent of pine and damp earth from the river valley outside. The second thing I registered was the warmth pressed against my back and the steady, gentle rhythm of breathing beside me.
We had fallen asleep tangled together, exhausted in the best way possible after a night where we'd explored every inch of each other, rediscovering a connection that had been dormant for years. Now, in the quiet of the morning, I found Isabel already awake. She was sitting up in bed, a plush hotel robe wrapped around her, a steaming mug of coffee in her hands. She was staring out the floor-to-ceiling window, a small, serene smile on her face as she watched the morning mist dance over the surface of the river below.
She looked radiant, completely at peace. It was a look I hadn't seen on her in a long, long time. This was perfect.
Quietly, I slid out of bed and walked up behind her, wrapping my arms around her waist and pulling her against my chest. I rested my chin on her head, inhaling the faint, sweet scent of her shampoo.
"How are you doing?" I murmured, my voice still rough with sleep. "Are you fine?"
She tilted her head back to look at me, her brown eyes sparkling. She leaned up and pressed a soft, warm kiss to my cheek. "Everything is perfect," she whispered, her voice filled with a genuine joy that made my heart swell. "My very long desire… it's completed. And now I'm enjoying this beautiful scenery with you, Adam. I am so lucky."
She looked so cheerful, so utterly content, that I felt a wave of protectiveness wash over me. This. This was what I wanted to fight for. This feeling, this person.
Then, a mischievous glint appeared in her eyes. She turned slightly in my arms, a playful smirk gracing her lips. "But, Adam… don't think I've forgotten about last night. You were like a beast. I still can't believe how much I…" she trailed off, her cheeks flushing a delightful shade of pink, "...how much I moaned."
A matching smirk spread across my face. "Oh, really?" I scooped her up effortlessly, carrying her bridal style. Her coffee mug wobbled precariously, and she let out a small shriek of laughter. "Because I think I want to do a lot more of that."
"No, you bad man!" she laughed, hitting playfully at my chest. "I'm going to take a shower. We also need to go back home. Mom called me this morning, asking if we were okay. I already ordered room service. You go get breakfast and get ready."
"Okay, okay," I chuckled, setting her down gently on her feet. She gave me one last quick kiss before disappearing into the bathroom, the sound of the shower starting a moment later.
Just as she'd said, room service arrived shortly after with a trolley laden with food—pancakes, eggs, bacon, fresh fruit, and more coffee. The timing was perfect, as Isabel emerged from the bathroom wrapped in a fluffy towel, her hair damp and her skin glowing. We sat by the window, eating a sweet and peaceful breakfast in the cradle of nature, the world outside our little bubble feeling miles away.
We talked about everything and nothing. Old school memories, silly jokes, plans for the future that felt less like dreams and more like possibilities now. But as we finished eating, her expression grew more serious.
"Adam," she began, setting her fork down. "I have some doubts."
I leaned back, sipping my coffee. "What's on your mind?"
She looked at me, her brow furrowed with confusion. "I'm hearing so many rumors about you. Crazy rumors. That you beat up the school's boxing champ. That you… that you kissed his girlfriend. And that you've started your own guild—'The Hunter's Guild'."
Her eyes searched mine for an answer, a mix of concern and curiosity in their depths. I held her gaze, knowing I couldn't lie to her. Not about this.
"It's all true," I said simply.
She looked dumbfounded, her mouth opening and closing for a second before she found her words. "Why? Adam, why would you kiss her?" I could see the frustration, the flicker of jealousy in her eyes. It was a fair question, but the real answer was tangled up in a system she couldn't see, a reality she wouldn't understand.
System, you really know how to make my life complicated.
I couldn't tell her that a glowing red screen had essentially forced me into it with a high-stakes mission. "It's… complicated, Isabel. It wasn't what it looked like." It was a vague, pathetic excuse, and I knew it. I quickly tried to steer the conversation away from that particular landmine.
She let it go, for now, but her concern shifted. "Okay… then why the guild? Starting a guild to fight against bullies… Adam, that's dangerous. You could get seriously hurt. Or worse."
This, I could explain. This, she needed to understand. My posture straightened, and the easygoing mood of the morning evaporated, replaced by a cold, hard resolve. I could feel the familiar anger stirring in my gut.
"Do you remember Friedrich? And Lina?" I asked, my voice low.
She nodded slowly. Of course, she did.
"What they did to me… that betrayal, the humiliation… it's not something I can just forget. It's inscribed in my soul, Isabel. Every time I close my eyes, I see their smug faces. I want my revenge. I need it. The Hunter's Guild isn't just about fighting bullies. It's about building something strong enough to crush anyone who stands in my way. It's about making sure no one can ever do that to me again."
As I spoke, I could feel my own words stoking the fire inside me. My hands clenched into fists, and I'm sure my eyes were turning blood-red with the intensity of my emotions.
Isabel didn't flinch. She just watched me, her expression softening from concern to a deep, profound understanding. When I finished, she reached across the table, took my hand, and then stood up, moving around the table to wrap her arms around me from behind, hugging me tightly.
"Then I want to join," she said, her voice firm and resolute against my ear. "I want to join your Hunter's Guild."
I turned in her embrace, confused. "Why? Isabel, this is my fight. It's dangerous."
She pulled back just enough to look me dead in the eyes, her gaze unwavering. "I want to help you. I want to be by your side. And I'm not asking you, Adam. I'm ordering you."
She had already made her decision. There was no arguing with the steel in her voice. Seeing that determination, that fierce loyalty shining in her eyes, I couldn't stop her. I wouldn't want to.
A slow smile spread across my face. "Okay," I said, my heart feeling lighter than it had in years. "Welcome to the team."
The drive back to the city was mostly quiet, but it was a comfortable silence. We left the serene riverside valley behind, the hum of my bike's engine a steady drone as we merged back into the flow of civilization. After about an hour, we pulled up to our house. Today was Sunday, which meant my mom would be home, and likely Isabel's mom, my aunt, would be over too.
I parked the bike, and we walked up to the front door, a silent, shared understanding passing between us. We were about to face the parental inquisition.
The moment we stepped inside, my mom called out from the kitchen. "Oye! Both of you are back!"
My aunt was on the living room couch, and she looked up, her eyes narrowing with suspicion. "And where have the two of you been?"
Isabel, the traitor, gave them both a bright, innocent smile. "Hi, Mom! Hi, Auntie! Adam is here, he'll explain everything. I'm so tired, I'm going straight to bed."
And with that, she breezed past them and disappeared up the stairs, leaving me standing alone in the entryway, the sole target of their combined curiosity. I shot a glare up the stairs after her. Traitor.
I turned back to face them, plastering on my most charming smile. "We were at a friend's birthday party last night," I explained smoothly. "It ran pretty late, so we just crashed at his place. Didn't want to wake you guys."
It was a flimsy excuse, but they seemed to buy it, or at least they didn't press the issue. With a sigh of relief, I made my own escape, heading up to my room.
I closed the door behind me and collapsed onto my bed, the exhaustion from the weekend finally catching up to me. I stared at the ceiling for a long moment before my curiosity got the better of me.
"System, open my panel," I muttered.
The familiar, translucent white screen shimmered into existence before my eyes. I was just expecting to see my usual stats, but a series of notifications immediately popped up, one after the other.
[NOTIFICATION] You have successfully completed Love Mission: [Childhood Lover]!
[NOTIFICATION] You have successfully completed Side Mission: [Quality Time]!
[NOTIFICATION] Calculating rewards… You have been rewarded with: Skill [Charmer], 100 Prayer Coins, 3x Random Skill Vouchers, +200 Stat Points.
My eyes widened. That was a serious haul. "System, explain the [Charmer] skill," I commanded.
[Charmer] is a passive skill that permanently increases the Host's charm and charisma. With this skill, you will be more easily noticed and favored by the opposite sex.
Interesting. So, I'm officially a lady-killer now? Could have used this in high school.
"And the vouchers?"
Random Skill Vouchers can be used in the System Store. When used, you will receive a skill at random from the available pool. They have been added to your inventory for future use.
I decided to hold onto those for now. A random skill could be incredibly powerful or completely useless. Better to save them for when I might need a miracle. Then my eyes landed on the last reward. 200 stat points. That was huge.
"System, can I use these points on my Elites?"
Yes. The 200 stat points can be allocated to your own stats or distributed among any of your registered Elites as you see fit.
I thought about it for a moment. I could give myself a massive boost, or I could strengthen the whole team. For now, the best move was to wait. I'd save them for an emergency, a trump card I could play when we were in a tight spot.
As I closed the notification windows, I noticed the main panel had changed. There were two new tabs at the top, glowing faintly.
[King's Elite] and [King's Harem]
"What's this?" I asked aloud.
For successfully acquiring your first Harem member, these functions have been unlocked. You may now view the detailed status of your Elites and your Harem.
My first Harem member. Isabel. A strange mix of pride and possessiveness washed over me. I clicked on the [King's Harem] tab first. As expected, a single profile was there. I opened it.
And my jaw hit the floor.
Status:
Name: Isabel Wilson
Strength: 150
Agility: 170
Endurance: 130
Mentality: 200
Intelligence: 190
Mana: 0
Potential: SSR+
Skills: [Expert in Tachi], [Expert in Karate], [Expert in Kungfu], [Great Learner], [Professional Athlete]
Passive Skills: [Decisive], [Charismatic], [Spirit Booster], [Chang'e]
Superpower: [None]
"What the hell?!" I yelled at the empty room. "System, explain these stats! How is she this perfect? Three expert-level combat skills? What are these passive skills? SSR+ potential?!"
The system's reply was, as usual, blunt and insulting. When you were engrossed in your pathetic life of self-pity, she was working hard. Her stats reflect her dedication. As for the passive skills, you should be able to understand [Decisive] and [Charismatic] on your own.
"Yeah, yeah, I get those," I grumbled. "What about the other two?"
[Spirit Booster] allows her to uplift the morale of a team, increasing their combat effectiveness in dire situations. [Chang'e] is a reference to the moon goddess from a certain mythology. The goddess is known for her eternal beauty, innocent nature, and pure love. Isabel bears a strong resemblance to these qualities.
My brain felt like it was short-circuiting. "Wait… so you're telling me I'm with a literal goddess?"
No, you dumbass, the system retorted instantly. She only resembles her. It is a title reflecting her innate qualities. Do not get ahead of yourself.
"You're pretty harsh, you know that?" I muttered.
I state facts. The Host should think before he speaks.
Shaking my head, I closed Isabel's ridiculously impressive stat sheet and opened the [King's Elite] tab. The profiles for Jack, Padro, Qasim, and Ken were all there. But someone was missing.
"System, where's Anna? Why isn't she here?"
I believe you have forgotten the rules that were described earlier. A woman can only be a member of the Harem or a prisoner. She cannot be an Elite.
The memory clicked into place. The system had mentioned something about that before. "But why? That seems like a stupid rule."
You are literally a bird-brain, the system sighed, the text conveying an almost palpable sense of exasperation. Try to remember our first meeting. I told you there is a power hierarchy: Harem, Elites, and Army.
"Can you explain it again? Briefly."
Listen carefully, Host. The Harem is not just for the King's entertainment. They hold major influence, second only to you. Your women are more powerful and more devoted to you than your Elites could ever be. Your Army has very little growth potential, and your Elites have more, but your Harem members have as much growth potential as you wish to give them. They are your true power.
The system's words hung in the air,重い.
Think about it. Why are there separate, high-reward missions specifically for women—the Love Missions? Why is the penalty for failing them castration? Why is the system forcing you to complete them? Why was creating a guild only a side mission? You have now seen why Anna's stats, and now Isabel's, are so much more incredible than any of your male Elites.
It was a paradigm shift. I had been thinking of the guild, my Elites, as my primary strength. But I was wrong. The foundation of my power, my true trump cards, were the women I brought to my side. A cold, calculating part of my brain began to churn, reassessing everything.
With this new understanding, I opened the stats for my Elites. I noticed immediately that everyone's numbers had increased significantly since I last checked.
Status:
Name: Jack Mullar
Strength: 87
Agility: 60
Endurance: 90
Mentality: 85
Intelligence: 77
Mana: 20
Potential: S+
Skills: [Kendo], [Swordsman I]
Passive Skills: [Courage], [One Last Push]
Superpower: [None]
Status:
Name: Ken Pots
Strength: 145
Agility: 100
Endurance: 120
Mentality: 82
Intelligence: 50
Mana: 25
Potential: S
Skills: [Gymnast], [Judo Expert], [Capoeira I (Novice)]
Passive Skills: [Extrovert], [Powerhouse]
Superpower: [None]
Status:
Name: Padro Escobar
Strength: 60
Agility: 55
Endurance: 70
Mentality: 255
Intelligence: 110
Mana: 40
Potential: A+
Skills: [Anything a Weapon], [Brawler]
Passive Skills: [Optimistic], [Realist], [Provoker]
Superpower: [None]
Status:
Name: Qasim Khan
Strength: 130
Agility: 95
Endurance: 115
Mentality: 65
Intelligence: 70
Mana: 10
Potential: A
Skills: [Wrestling], [Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu I (Novice)]
Passive Skills: [Pessimistic], [Idealist], [Peacemaker], [Mercy]
Superpower: [None]
The stat increments seemed random, with no clear pattern, but everyone was stronger. I had a lot of questions.
"System, explain the new skills, like [Swordsman I] and [Capoeira I (Novice)]. And why do they have mana now?"
Elites cannot gain random skills like the Host. They are granted skills based on knowledge they already possess. The system simply formalizes and enhances what they know. This is a limitation of the Elites. They cannot learn anything you want them to; they can only improve upon what is already there.
As for the skill names, the words 'Swordsman' or 'Novice' represent the tier of the skill. The Roman numeral 'I' represents the level within that tier. Each tier has five levels. For example, if Jack progresses his [Swordsman] skill through all five levels, he may unlock the next tier, such as [Swordmaster]. Most skills follow this pattern of tiers like Novice, Veteran, Expert, and so on, though some exclusive skills have their own unique ranking systems.
Regarding their mana, that is irrelevant for now. You must complete more missions to unlock the systems that utilize it. Consider it a placeholder for future potential.
My head was swimming with information. The hierarchy of power, the limitations and potential of my Elites, the true role of the Harem, the mechanics of skill progression… it was a lot to take in. I lay there, staring at the glowing screens, my mind racing to deduce and categorize every piece of new data. My path forward was becoming clearer, but also infinitely more complex.
With all these thoughts swirling in my head, a deep exhaustion finally settled over me. The system panel blurred, my eyelids grew heavy, and I dozed off, sinking into a deep, dreamless sleep.