Morning hit like a brick. A sexy, soup-flavored, slightly bruised brick.
I sat up in Raven's bed—again—with Mei knocking on the door like she was trying to summon the undead.
"Hirooo~!" she sang. "Come on! There's a healer girl doing aura cleanses! They say it boosts stats! You need it! You smell cursed!"
"I smell like victory and repressed trauma," I muttered, dragging myself out of bed.
Raven stirred from the chair, cracking an eye open. "She's not wrong. You've been twitchy all night."
"I have many reasons for that," I said, reaching for my shirt. "Most of them start with horny system effects and end with 'sleeping next to someone who could break my spine mid-dream.'"
"You're still breathing," she said. "That's a good sign."
I grinned. "Trying not to get used to it."
Later – Courtyard Healing Tent
The moment I stepped into the healer's tent, I regretted everything.
Not because it was bad. Oh no.
Because it was very, very good.
The tent was filled with incense smoke and soft cushions. Warm lights flickered against pale silk curtains. And at the center was her.
White robe. Gold earrings. Long silvery hair tied loosely at the nape. Big, soulful eyes that looked like they could forgive your sins right before she committed a few of her own.
"Welcome," she said, voice like warm tea sliding down your spine. "You must be Hiro."
I blinked. "Do I… know you?"
She smiled gently. "Not yet."
[New Character Detected – Class: Empathic Healer]
Name: Lira
Bond Type: High Compatibility
Passive Aura: Calming Touch – Temporarily lowers Hostile Intent and Libido Surge
Quest Available: "Touch of the Heart"
"I've heard about you," Lira continued, gesturing for me to sit. "The boy with the strange aura. The one who fights like he has something to prove."
"I fight like I don't want to die. The proving part is just bonus points."
She laughed, a soft melodic sound that made my brain short-circuit for a second.
"I'd like to cleanse your aura," she said. "Just a small ritual. It'll help with lingering corruption… and maybe even your sleep."
"You're saying I'm… dirty?"
"I'm saying your energy feels like a coiled spring covered in sin."
"…That's fair."
I lay on the mat. She knelt beside me, placed her hands just above my chest—not touching—and started humming softly.
The effect was instant.
Warmth bloomed from her palms like a slow orgasm. My limbs tingled. My thoughts drifted.
Then she leaned in.
Too close.
Her breath touched my ear. "You have… a strange class, don't you?"
[Warning: Detection Skill Detected – Lira is Probing Your Class Information]
Do you want to resist?
Hell yes.
[Resisted: 62% Success]
Your class remains hidden. But she suspects something…
She didn't react. Just smiled… slowly.
"I can't quite see what you are. But whatever it is… you're dangerous."
"Is that a compliment?"
"It's a warning."
[Bond Progress – Lira: 0% → 6%]
Curiosity Sparked
Then, out of nowhere, a familiar voice cut through the tent.
"Hiro."
Raven.
She stood in the entrance, arms crossed, eyes locked on Lira.
The vibe shifted instantly.
Lira stood gracefully. "You're early."
"I wasn't planning on coming," Raven said coolly. "Then I saw this idiot walk in like a lamb to slaughter."
"I was getting healed," I said, sitting up. "It was relaxing. My chakras are fabulous now."
"Your pants are tighter."
"I can't control the system," I muttered.
[Libido Meter: 68%] – Temporarily suppressed by calming aura
Raven walked over, eyes still fixed on Lira.
"You done probing him?"
"I was helping."
"You were sniffing."
[Tension Detected – Harem Candidate Conflict: Passive Jealousy Triggered]
Effect: Raven Bond +2% (Denial Stage)
"Okay," I said, standing up and waving my hands, "before this becomes a hot-tension chick-fight, let me just say: no one sniffed anyone. Probably."
Raven turned to me. "You trust her?"
"She's got gentle hands and she glows. That's at least two points in her favor."
"…Idiot."
Outside the Tent – Moments Later
Raven walked beside me in silence.
"She's dangerous," she finally said.
"Everyone is these days."
"She's too calm. Too controlled. Something's off."
"You jealous?"
"I don't get jealous."
[Bond Progress – Raven: 20% → 23%]
Trait Flagged: Protective Possessiveness – Early Onset
I grinned. "Not even a little?"
She punched my shoulder. Lightly. "Don't push it."
Then, quieter: "Just… be careful. Power makes you a target. Yours is drawing attention."
She wasn't wrong. Even with my class hidden, people felt it.
The system was leaking something. Desire? Energy? Aura?
Or maybe it was just me.
Either way… the stakes were rising.
That Night – Elsewhere
Lira stood in front of a small altar. Her fingers traced glowing runes along her skin.
"He resisted my probe," she whispered.
A hooded figure behind her stepped forward. "Do we proceed?"
"Oh yes. He's the one."
She smiled, wicked and serene.
"And when I touch his core… he'll beg for more."