The air in our makeshift guild room was thick with a new kind of energy. The fear from our encounter with Kevin Lucas was still there, a faint, lingering ghost, but it was overshadowed by a hard-won unity. We had faced the abyss, purged our own weakness, and come out stronger for it.
"Let's start the meeting," I said, my voice cutting through the quiet. I looked around the table at the faces of my inner circle, my team. My family. "First of all, congratulations to everyone. We've cleared our motivations, and we've defeated some of the core members of the Ruthless Animals. But we are all in a true war now. And it's going to be tough."
Jack nodded, his expression grim. "He's right. The top two of the Ruthless Animals are on a whole other level. Defeating them isn't going to be an easy task."
"I know it's not an easy task, but we have to do it," Tiffany said, her voice as cool and sharp as ever. "I have some connections in a military school. If we need them."
"Thank you, Tiffany," I said, giving her a nod of appreciation. "But this is our war. And brute force is not going to be beneficial against monsters like them."
Padro, ever the fighter, looked confused. "Then how can we defeat them?"
"You just order us, my lord," Ken declared, his voice ringing with a familiar, unwavering loyalty. "We will execute your command without question."
"Don't worry," I said, a slow, confident smile spreading across my face. "I have a plan."
Isabel and Anna both leaned forward, their eyes wide with curiosity. "What plan?" they asked in unison.
"As I said," I continued, my gaze sweeping over the table, "conventional means are not suitable for this war."
Tiffany interrupted me, a single, perfectly sculpted eyebrow raised. A flicker of understanding, of sharp intelligence, glinted in her green eyes. "Don't tell me you're about to…"
I let my grin widen. "You're absolutely right. I'm talking about unconventional means."
The room fell into a dead silent. They were all staring at me, trying to process what I had just said.
Jack was the first to break the silence. "What do you mean by that, bro?"
"As we all know," I began, my voice taking on the calm, analytical tone of a strategist laying out his battle plans, "Friedrich is their financial supporter and strategist. Lina is their informer. We need information about every single one of them. We have to destroy them, one by one. And that means we need information. Information about their families, their friends, their backgrounds, their sources of power… everything."
Tiffany nodded, a look of cold, clinical approval on her face. "I agree. Brute force is not a good way to win this. But the problem is, how can we achieve that? How do we get that kind of information?"
I turned my gaze to the quietest person at the table. To the girl who held the key to our entire operation. "Anna," I said, my voice gentle but firm. "Can you do it?"
Everyone was shocked. Anna herself startled, her amber eyes widening in a mixture of fear and disbelief. "Leader… do you really think I can do this?"
I looked her straight in the eye, pouring all of my confidence, all of my belief in her, into my gaze. "I know your capabilities, Anna. And I want you to dig deeper into them. I know you are an amazing computer programmer and a brilliant hacker."
She was still confused, her own self-doubt a formidable barrier. "But… do you really think I can do it?"
"I believe in you," I said, my voice unwavering.
Something shifted in her then. The fear in her eyes was replaced by a fragile but real spark of determination. She took a deep breath, and when she spoke, her voice was stronger than I had ever heard it. "I will give my best, Leader. I will give you all the details you need by tomorrow."
"Excellent," I said, a genuine pride swelling in my chest. "Now, let's move on to the next thing. We need a spy."
"Yes, a spy is necessary," Jack agreed.
"But none of us can become a spy," Isabel pointed out, her own strategic mind already working. "They know all of our faces."
She was right. It was a problem. A problem I didn't have an immediate solution for.
And then, the door to our guild room creaked open.
Two beautiful girls stepped inside. The first had sleek black hair with the ends dyed a vibrant, fiery red in an ombre style. Her eyes were a deep crimson, her lips were a natural rosy pink, and her fair skin seemed to glow. She had a perky ass and a nice, voluminous bust. She was, in a word, enticing. The other girl had a warm, brown skin tone that contrasted beautifully with her silver-blonde hair. Her eyes were a warm, gentle green, her lips a deep, luscious red, and her body was all soft, alluring curves. They were both amazing.
I stood up and walked towards them, my own skills activating instinctively. [Casanova]. [Incubus]. [Chanakya]. [King's Aura]. [Charmer].
"How may I help you, beautiful ladies?" I asked, my voice smooth and polite.
The brown-skinned girl spoke first. "I am Maya Danvers."
The other girl followed. "I am Chloe Stephen."
Then, they spoke in perfect, breathless unison. "We want to join the Hunter's Guild, Leader!"
And with that, they threw themselves into my arms. In a flash, I had Chloe on one side, Maya on the other, both of them grabbing my waist, pressing their bodies against mine. I was completely surrounded, and completely amazed. What the hell was happening here?
Then, Isabel came running, her face a mask of pure, unadulterated fury. "Leave my stepbrother alone, you two bitches!" she shouted. She was definitely angry. But in her haste, she tripped, and was about to fall. I reached out and grabbed her, pulling her into the already crowded embrace. Now I was surrounded by three beautiful, enticing women.
Padro, Ken, Anna, Jack, and Tiffany were all just staring at us, their eyes wide with a mixture of shock, amusement, and utter disbelief.
Tiffany was the first to speak, her voice dripping with an icy annoyance. "Leader, do we need to leave the room? It looks like you're quite busy handling your personal fan club."
Jack was outraged. "Are we in some kind of harem show right now?" he grumbled.
Padro, on the other hand, was in awe. "Some ignorant people say the leader is doing aura farming," he said, shaking his head in admiration. "But in reality, the aura needs to take notes from the leader. Woah!"
"More queens," Ken declared, his eyes shining with a fanatical light. "This is absolutely right for a majestic figure like my lord."
Anna just blushed, her own voice a timid whisper. "Hmm… the leader is so amazing, handling three at a time."
I didn't have the words to reply. I looked at Isabel, who was still glaring daggers at her two friends. "What are you so angry about?"
"Leader, we are Izzy's best friends!" Chloe said, tightening her grip on my arm.
I looked at Isabel. "Is this true?" She just nodded, still pouting.
"We want to join, too," Maya said, her own voice a pleading murmur. "Please let us join."
I was totally entangled, a human sandwich between three beautiful, and very determined, women. And then, just when I thought things couldn't possibly get any more chaotic, a familiar, icy voice cut through the room.
"Well, well. My soon-to-be boyfriend is cheating on me."
I looked up and saw Stacy Brooklyn standing in the doorway, her arms crossed, an unamused expression on her face.
Okay, I thought, my mind reeling. Now there are four of them.
It was time to take control. I gently untangled myself from Isabel, then from Chloe and Maya. I stood in the center of the room, surrounded by four stunning, and very intense, women.
"Ladies," I said, my voice calm and authoritative. "We should all sit down and talk about this. Ken, arrange three more chairs."
Soon, we were all seated around the table, a new, expanded council of ten, including me.
"Listen, everyone," I said, my gaze sweeping over the new faces. "I will handle every problem, one by one."