Kade Rivers opened his eyes to a blinding white void. No walls. No ceiling. Just endless, humming light and a strange weightlessness that made it feel like he wasn't standing on anything at all.
A voice—smooth, mechanical, almost seductive—spoke out of nowhere.
*"Welcome, Kade Rivers. You have been selected as a Player in the Pleasure System."*
"What the hell?" Kade muttered, stumbling forward, only to realize he was naked. A flash of heat crawled up his neck as he instinctively covered himself. "Where am I? What kind of sick game is this?"
The voice continued, unfazed.
*"You have been chosen based on compatibility, hormonal response, and suppressed subconscious desires. Prepare for system initialization."*
Before he could respond, a surge of energy lifted him off the ground. Glowing circuits snaked through the floor—or whatever was beneath him—wrapping around his body like vines of light. His skin tingled. His muscles twitched.
*"System scanning… initializing biological readout."*
A semi-transparent screen blinked to life in front of him. Kade blinked at the display.
*Name:* Kade Rivers
*Player Type:* Candidate
*Stats:* Strength — 5
Endurance — 6
Dexterity — 4
Pleasure — 2
Residual Value — 30
"What the hell is a 'Pleasure' stat?" he asked aloud, frowning at the pathetic number.
*"Stats reflect your current physical and psychological disposition,"* the voice replied. *"You may enhance them through quests, interactions, and system challenges."*
"Perfect," Kade said dryly. "Stuck in a fantasy sex game and I'm underpowered. Classic."
A second screen popped up.
*Quest #001: Touch to Survive*
*Objective:* Engage in a physical interaction within the next 5 minutes.
*Reward:* Player Rank Upgrade + Basic System Approval
*Failure Penalty:* Neural Shutdown Simulation
Kade squinted. "Excuse me, *neural what now*?"
A countdown started ticking in the top corner of the display: *4:59… 4:58…*
Here's the *second half (next 500 words)* of Chapter 1:
---
*4:35… 4:34…*
Panic clawed at Kade's chest. He looked around wildly, but the void offered nothing—no doors, no people, no escape.
"You're kidding me," he muttered. "How am I supposed to interact with anyone when I'm alone in a glowing box?"
As if responding to his frustration, the space around him rippled.
A silhouette appeared ahead, shimmering into focus like static solidifying into a human shape. A woman—no, a program. She was tall, curvy, with glowing blue eyes and skin that almost looked metallic under the light.
"NPC Generated: Basic Interaction Model — Asha," the system announced.
Asha stepped closer, smiling gently. "You seem overwhelmed, Player Kade. Would you like assistance completing your first quest?"
Kade's brain short-circuited for a second. She wasn't real… right? But her voice was soft, her body warm as she reached for his hand, her touch feather-light.
"This feels too real…" he whispered.
Asha's fingers curled around his wrist. "Consent detected. Quest progress: 25%."
Kade swallowed hard. "You're tracking percentages?"
"Of course," Asha said with a smile. "Everything counts here. Touch, emotion, intention. You're being evaluated, Kade. Every moment."
"Great," he mumbled.
"Quest progress: 60%."
Kade looked down at their joined hands, then met her eyes. "Do I have a choice in any of this?"
"You always have a choice. But choosing nothing has consequences."
*3:02… 3:01…*
He took a deep breath, then squeezed her hand.
*Quest progress: 100%. Quest complete.*
A soft chime rang in the air. The screens reappeared.
*Congratulations. Rank upgraded: Player Tier — Bronze*
*System Access: Partial Unlocked*
*Reward: +2 Pleasure, +1 Charisma, Basic Wardrobe*
In a flash, Kade found himself clothed in sleek black trousers and a fitted shirt. He exhaled shakily.
"Okay. So I'm in a system that wants me to survive using… connection?"
"Among other things," Asha said. "There are other players. Other rules. This is only the beginning."
Kade's heart thudded. He wasn't sure if it was fear, adrenaline, or something else.
But one thing was clear—he wasn't in the real world anymore.
And whatever this system wanted from him… it was only getting started.