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The clock on his laptop screen ticked past midnight, casting a harsh blue glow over Alex's cramped apartment in downtown Seattle. At 24, he was the epitome of mediocrity a freelance coder scraping by on gig apps, buried under student loans and a mountain of takeout boxes. His social life? Nonexistent. Dates? A distant memory from college, back when he still believed in rom-com endings. Now, his evenings blurred into a ritual of isolation: code until his eyes burned, then escape into the one thing that never judged him porn.
Tonight was no different. Or so he thought. Slouched in his gaming chair, sweatpants tented, Alex clicked through tabs with mechanical precision. The video on screen was one of his regulars: a sultry brunette in a dimly lit room, her whispers pulling him deeper into that familiar haze. His hand moved in rhythm, breaths shallow, the world narrowing to pixels and pulse. "Just this once," he muttered, knowing it was a lie. It had started as stress relief after his last breakup two years ago, when Sarah called him "too vanilla" and ghosted. Now? Addiction. Hours lost to rabbit holes of amateur clips, VR simulations, anything to fill the void. But the high never lasted. Post-climax crash hit like a truck: emptiness, shame, the gnawing question Why can't this be real?
As the video peaked, his screen glitched. A flicker, then a pop-up exploded across the display, oversized and insistent, blocking everything. No X to close it, no scroll bar. Bold red letters screamed:
**CONGRATULATIONS, LONER #47,893!**
**You've hit 10,000 sessions. Eligible for UPGRADE.**
**Tired of pixels? Crave the real deal?**
**SIGN UP FOR THE LUST SYSTEM**
**Power. Pleasure. Conquest.**
**[YES/NO] – One-time offer. Accept and transcend.**
Alex blinked, heart still racing from the interrupted scene. "What the fuck?" He laughed, a bitter bark. Another scam ad, probably laced with malware. These sites were riddled with them fake cams, virus traps. He jabbed at the keyboard, but the pop-up wouldn't budge. The "NO" button grayed out, unresponsive. "YES" pulsed invitingly, like it was alive. Curiosity prickled. *Ten thousand?* He hadn't tracked it, but... yeah, it tracked. Shame burned his cheeks. "Screw it," he grumbled, mashing YES just to make it vanish.
The screen went black. Then white-hot pain lanced through his skull, like someone jammed a spike into his temple. Alex screamed, clutching his head as the room spun. Visions flashed: swirling voids, naked forms writhing in ecstasy, chains of glowing energy linking bodies in impossible tangles. His body convulsed, chair toppling as he hit the floor. *This isn't a glitch. This is—* Darkness swallowed him.
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When Alex woke, the stale apartment air was gone. Replaced by something crisp, laced with salt and wildflowers. His eyelids fluttered open to a canopy of emerald leaves rustling overhead, sunlight dappling through in golden shafts. Birds chirped exotic, melodic, nothing like Seattle's pigeons. He bolted upright, heart hammering. "Holy shit... where...?"
Jungle. Thick vines draped ancient trees, flowers blooming in vibrant scarlets and indigos that hummed with unnatural luminescence. In the distance, waves crashed against an unseen shore. No laptop, no chair—just him, in his ratty sweatpants and faded Metallica tee, sprawled on mossy ground. Panic clawed up his throat. "This is a dream. Acid flashback? I didn't drop acid!" He pinched his arm—sharp sting. Real. Too real.
A low growl echoed from the underbrush. Alex froze. Yellow eyes gleamed between ferns, belonging to... a wolf? No bigger, with scales glinting along its flanks, fangs like daggers. It prowled forward, muscles rippling under fur that shifted like smoke. *Level 3 Forest Shadebeast,* his mind supplied unbidden, the words floating in blue text only he could see.
Before he could scream, another surge hit his brain. The air shimmered, and a translucent interface materialized— ike a HUD from a VR game, but seamless, etched into his vision.
**[LUST SYSTEM ACTIVATED.]**
**[Host: Alex Thorne. Age: 24. Vitality: Low (Pathetic baseline detected).]**
**[Initialization Complete. Welcome to Elysara – Realm of Eternal Desires.]**
**[You have been transported via Dimensional Lust Link. No return without conquest.]**
**[Core Directive: Harvest Lust Energy to ascend. Seduce, dominate, empower. The stronger your desires, the greater your reign.]**
Alex's mouth went dry. "System? Like... those webnovels? This is insane." But the wolf-thing lunged, shattering denial. Claws raked air inches from his face as he scrambled back, tripping over roots. Pain exploded in his side a shallow gash, warm blood soaking his shirt. The beast circled, saliva dripping, eyes locked on easy prey.
Run or die, instinct screamed. But his body felt heavy, uncoordinated. Then, the system pinged again.
**[Emergency Skill Unlock: Charm Pulse (Level 1). Cost: 10 Lust Points. Generate a wave of subtle allure to disorient lesser foes. Earn points through intimate acts—flirtation (1-5 pts), touch (10-50), consummation (100+). Current LP: 0.]**
**[Adapt or perish, Host. First blood fuels the fire.]**
"Intimate acts? With a *monster*?" Alex yelped, dodging another swipe. The shadebeast's paw clipped his shoulder, sending him sprawling. Desperation surged—*fuck it, anything to survive.* He focused on the prompt, willing it to activate. A mental click, and warmth bloomed in his chest, spreading like liquid heat down his limbs. No points? The system hummed: [Borrowed Activation: Debt of 10 LP. Repay via future conquests.]
He locked eyes with the beast, pushing the energy outward. It wasn't words—just a vibe, raw and primal. His gaze softened, body language shifting from fear to... invitation? The air thickened with an invisible musk, sweet and heady. The shadebeast paused mid-prowl, nostrils flaring. Its growl faltered into a confused whine, head tilting as if scenting something irresistible. Scales rippled, and it backed off, tail low, before slinking into the bushes with a final, lingering glance.
Alex slumped against a tree, gasping. Blood trickled from his wounds, but the pain dulled to a throb. "Did I just... flirt with a wolf-dragon? And it worked?" Laughter bubbled up, hysterical. This was either the best wet dream ever or the start of a nightmare.
The interface updated:
**[First Conquest: Minor Success. +5 LP (Beast Disorientation). Total: -5 (Debt Pending).]**
**[New Quest: Survive the Verdant Wilds. Locate the nearest village. Seduce an inhabitant for full initiation. Reward: Basic Skills Unlocked, 50 LP. Failure: Deletion.]**
**[Map Fragment Unlocked. Nearest Settlement: Willowbrook Village – 2 miles east. Beware: Goblins patrol the paths.]**
Goblins. Of course. Alex pushed to his feet, wincing at the gashes. No phone, no wallet—just him and this... *Lust System*. Part of him rebelled . This is rape-y, objectifying bullshit.But survival overrode morals. The system's voice not spoken, but felt whispered in his mind: Desire is power here, Host. Embrace it, or be consumed.
He trudged east, vines snagging his clothes like eager fingers. The jungle teemed with life: butterflies with wings like stained glass, fruits dangling temptingly from branches. His stomach growled—he hadn't eaten since noon. Plucking a purple berry, he hesitated. *Poison?* The system chimed: [Scan Complete: Lustberry. Restores 10% Vitality. Side Effect: Heightened Sensitivity (Temporary Arousal Boost). Consume? Y/N]
Arousal boost? Great, fruit porn now. But hunger won. He bit in juicy, tart, exploding with flavor. Warmth flooded him, wounds knitting slightly, but a flush crept up his neck, skin tingling. Every brush of leaf against arm felt electric, stirring unwelcome heat below the belt. "Focus, idiot," he muttered, pressing on.
An hour in, voices drifted through the trees harsh, guttural. Goblins. Three of them, knee-high gremlins with warty green skin, crude spears, and loincloths that left little to the imagination. They huddled around a crude map scratched into bark, chittering in a pidgin tongue. One pointed east, toward the village. *Scouts,* Alex realized. *Ambush waiting.*
Hide or fight? He ducked behind a boulder, pulse racing. The system offered: **[Skill Suggestion: Whisper of Temptation (Level 1). Cost: 5 LP. Implant a subtle urge in a target's mind jealousy, curiosity, lust. Borrow available.]**
Debt be damned. He focused, targeting the largest goblin, a brute with a scarred ear. The energy flowed, invisible thread weaving into the creature's thoughts. Look behind you. Something... enticing.
The brute froze, sniffing the air. His beady eyes darted to Alex's hiding spot. But not with aggression with confusion, then a leering grin. He muttered something, shoving his comrades. They argued, spears clattering, before the brute slunk off alone toward the boulder, loincloth twitching.
Alex's stomach twisted. What now? The goblin rounded the rock, spotting him. "Human... pretty smell," it rasped in broken Common, drool flecking tusks. Up close, it reeked of rot and unwashed fur, but the Charm Pulse lingered, making its gaze hungry rather than murderous.
This is your power, the system purred. [Opportunity: Minor Seduction. Extract info via touch. +20 LP potential.]
Revulsion warred with necessity. Alex stood slowly, forcing a smirk he didn't feel. "Hey, ugly. Lost?" He extended a hand, palm up the universal sign of parley, laced with that borrowed allure.
The goblin hesitated, then grasped it, rough palm callused. Contact sparked: energy surged, the system's drain kicking in. The creature shuddered, eyes glazing as lust energy siphoned pure, raw desire pulled like a vein tapped. "Village... traps. Queen... wants tribute." It babbled, spilling details: Willowbrook was a starter human settlement, ripe for raids. The goblins served a "Lust Witch" in the hills, demanding beauties as offerings.
**[Seduction Success: Interrogation Complete. +25 LP. Debt Cleared. Total: 25.]**
The goblin swayed, spent, then collapsed in a snoring heap drained, not dead. Alex yanked his hand free, wiping it on his pants. "Jesus... that was too easy. And weird as hell." But power hummed in his veins now, wounds fully healed, muscles subtly firmer.
He bound the goblin loosely with vines no need for more enemies and slipped past the others, map details burned into his mind. The path cleared, Willowbrook loomed: thatched roofs peeking through trees, smoke curling from chimneys. Voices human, melodic carried on the wind. A woman laughed, light and inviting.
As he crested the hill, the village unfolded: cobblestone paths, a central square with a fountain shaped like entwined lovers (Elysara's aesthetic, apparently). Farmers hawked glowing fruits; children chased iridescent chickens. But tension simmered guards in leather armor patrolled, eyes on the treeline. Goblin threats, Alex guessed.
He stepped into the square, pulse quickening. Eyes turned: curious, wary. And there, by the fountain, she stood. The first real beauty in this mad world. Tall, with sun-kissed skin and curves hugged by a simple linen dress, auburn hair cascading like a waterfall. She dipped a bucket, humming, unaware of the newcomer. *Elara,* a system tooltip whispered. Level 2 Herbalist. Latent Desire: Stability in chaos.
Alex's borrowed sensitivity flared her scent hit him like a drug, floral and warm. The system's quest pulsed: **[Initiation Target Acquired. Approach. Reward Awaits.]**
But as he took a step, a horn blared from the woods. Goblins dozens poured from the trees, spears high. Screams erupted. The brute from earlier? No, a full raid. Chaos exploded: villagers fleeing, guards clashing steel on scale.
Elara dropped her bucket, eyes wide on Alex the stranger in odd clothes. "You! Help or run!" she shouted, grabbing a staff from the fountain's edge.
Trapped between opportunity and onslaught. Alex grinned, adrenaline surging. Time to test this system for real.
**[Quest Update: Defend and Claim. Save her unlock first Harem Bond.]**
The first goblin charged. Alex dodged, Charm Pulse ready. Let's see how far lust can go in battle...
(End of CHAPTER 1)
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