"You want me to what?!"
Jin's voice rose higher than he anticipated. Realizing his mistake, he put a hand on his mouth, squeezing his lips shut.
The Demon King in the crystal prison just concluded a tale that lasted for a while, and Jin had almost forgotten that the orc soldiers were still on the hunt for him.
"You want me to what?" he repeated, lowering his voice.
The demon growled, narrowing its red glowing eyes. "A single touch to this crystal, and you and I will be merged; body, mind, and soul. You will have access to all of my Ether, and when I am powerful enough, I will manifest a new body for myself."
The idea of sharing his body with a strange mystical creature claiming to be a Demon King, made Jin's stomach churn. But that wasn't the part of the tale he was actually worried about.
"No..." He shook his head, "That doesn't really bother me. I'm talking about the next thing you said after that."
"In exchange for my power, you will help restore me to my full strength."
Jin nodded. "Yeah, that part. How did you say I was going to do that?"
The Demon let out a low growl, "You have to find my seven ex-wives and steal the powers I had once shared with them."
"And how am I supposed to do that?"
"When you find them... you must seduce them."
The word 'seduce' rang in Jin's ears like a tiny bell.
"I'm sorry, I don't think I'm getting this right." He closed his eyes for a moment, stepping back from the crystal. "You want me to find your ex-wives, and sleep with them?"
"Yes... That's what seducing means."
Jin felt his chest tighten. The very thought of talking to a woman made his heart race, let alone convincing one to sleep with him.
He immediately recalled the countless times in college he'd tried to engage with females; the embarrassing blunders he'd made in his attempt to woo them, and the humiliating rejections he'd received from them afterward.
If he couldn't attract young females then, how the hell was he going to seduce adult women?
"Just to be clear... You want me to seduce the same women who betrayed you, stole your powers, and locked you in here two thousand years ago?"
The more Jin said it, the more convinced he was that his mission was nothing short of impossible.
"I was naive to share my powers with them," the Demon King continued, "and their betrayal led to my defeat at the hands of Heaven's enforcers. I lost my body, my powers, my throne... everything. This is the only way I can get it all back."
As the Demon-King concluded his tale, Jin let out a deep sigh. He too, knew what it was like to be betrayed by the one he trusted the most.
An image of Saiko flashed in his mind, short and passing. The beautiful memories he'd made with her, were now replaced by the heart-clenching memory of her riding on another man.
"I get it," he said. "I was betrayed too—by the only girl I ever fell in love with."
The Demon King gave a nod. "Then, you know why you must free me."
Jin lowered his head, his gaze falling to his feet. The Demon King's offer was tempting, but the thought of tying himself into a war he didn't fully understand made his stomach tighten.
"I... I'm... not sure ..."
The demon let out a chilling growl. At the same time, the crystal's red light magnified tenfold.
"I am offering you a chance to grasp real power! A chance to conquer the world by my side! You'll be a great fool, if you choose not to take it."
Jin frowned. "I'm not interested in conquering this world or seducing your wives. I just want to return home. To my world."
A slight crease appeared on the Demon's forehead. "You're not from this realm?"
"No, I'm not. I don't even know where this is."
"Hmmm," the demon growled. "No wonder you smell different."
Different? How?
"Very well," said the demon, "I will grant your wish. Restore me to my full power, and I will return you to your... realm."
"You can do that?" Jin asked, his eyes widening.
The crystal prison began to glow again as the demon's aura flared. "I am Draco Navaria, the Demon King of Elysara. I have conquered worlds and defeated proud gods. There is nothing I cannot do."
Jin swallowed, scared by the demon king's vibrant display, but the hope of returning to his own world drowned out the fear.
His reservations about seducing the Demon King's ex-wives remained, but if there was a chance he could return to Earth and fulfill his dream of becoming an actor, he had to take it.
"Fine," he said. "I'll accept your offer."
"Wise decision," the Demon King replied, a thin smile appearing on his lips. "Now, come closer to me."
Jin stepped forward, his footsteps reverberating around the empty cavern. He reached for the iron bars, then hesitated, ruminating on his decision once again.
"Almost there..."
He took another step, wondering why his heart was thudding so fast, when all of a sudden, a sound of boots marching on rubble reached his ears, accompanied by an all too familiar hoarse voice.
"There he is!"
Jin tilted his gaze toward the yell. The second orc soldier had found his way into the cavern, closely followed by the first.
Immediately, he dashed towards the bars and stretched his arm toward the crystal pillar within.
"Shit!" he muttered, "I can't reach it!"
"He's trying to free the Demon King!" The second orc yelled. "Stop him!"
The orcs charged toward Jin, each one brandishing a deadly melee weapon. Within seconds, they covered half the distance to him.
"No... no... no."
Cold beads of sweat formed on Jin's forehead, his heart racing as he tried to force himself through the narrow iron bars. After struggling for a moment, he managed to get his head through.
Heavy footsteps closed in behind him, loud and menacing. He closed his eyes, and with a deep breath, reached for the glowing pillar once again.