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Ding!
VESSEL ACQUIRED—REO MIKAGE!!!
Crimson red seeps out, staining the sidewalk underneath the crumpled body. Strands of purple hair stick unnaturally to the sticky forehead, the skin translucent and pale. Clouds of smoke billow up from the truck not too far away.
After speeding down the empty street, blowing right through a red light, the truck had swerved at a terrifying speed onto the sidewalk in an attempt to avoid hitting another car. It crashed headfirst into a streetlamp and claimed lives in the ten seconds before it collided as if it was the grim reaper, descending onto the mortal realm with no regard to human lives.
Sirens screech into the frigid night air. Soon, the shadows of the night dance with a kaleidoscope of colors, light fracturing and reflecting off the smoky clouds. An eerie sense of a panicked calm settles into the bones of the witnesses, a chill creeping slowly down their spine.
Reo stares at his mangled body. It's unrecognizable.
It couldn't be him—he's still here.
He's still alive.
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Ding! Ding!
A transparent square pops into his vision, words bold and eye-catching. Reo narrows his eyes, turning his gaze from side to side and yet the square continues to be centered, never leaving his vision. Blinking a few times does nothing, the square present even against the shadows of his eyelids.
Confusion beats through his still heart, a headache starting to throb at his sensitive temples as he takes in his surroundings.
Stark, white walls seem to stretch to the heavens above him. For as far as he eyes can see, the walls continue to climb to never reach the ceiling. The longer Reo stares, the more dizzying it becomes. Reo closes his eyes and takes in a deep breath. This unknown environment is shrouding him in unease. An invisible weight presses down on his shoulders, digging its obscure claws into his skin.
When Reo opens his eyes, movement catches his attention. Beneath his feet, the floor below Reo shimmers iridescence, captured starlight rippling underneath the surface. It reflects his silhouette faintly, shimmering off of the loose white clothes he's adorned in. He's captivated by the sight. All prior thoughts flee his mind and melt into the ebb and flow of the sea of stars.
A thin line of glimmering stars emerge from the ground and swirl around the transparent square. The stars burst around it in a tiny display of fireworks, drawing Reo's attention closer and closer to the square. It's obvious the stars want him to read what's scrawled on the square. To read exactly what Reo's been ignoring ever since his conscious woke up.
Reluctantly, Reo leans forward, the words brightening as he closes in.
[ WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF HAKUHO! ]
Evil and darkness has descended upon the world of Hakuho. At the hands of a vile villain, the future of the world is precarious and terrifyingly unknown. Only the bravest and most pure hearted hero can stand a chance against this evil power that has cultivated for centuries! Gaining magical experiences and powerful skills with the assistance of righteous maidens, the hero fares a chance to save the world for not himself, but for the citizens across the nation.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO ACCEPT THE ROLE OF HAKUHO'S HERO?
YES OR NO
The words sink into his chest.
The world of Hakuho? Hakuho's hero? A villain that has been gathering power for an undetermined amount of centuries? This must be the cause of the weight heavy on his shoulders. How can Reo save the future of a world he's never heard of before—a world that never had a place for him in the first place?
How can Reo save citizens of Hakuho when he couldn't even save himself?
"No."
There's no hesitation.
Reo stares down at his hands, his fingers a ghastly pale with a slight tremor. Chaos flashes in his vision. The crimson red a puddle underneath his fingers, staining them with a metallic warmth. The screams, the sirens, the tire screeching against the pavement, the metal caving in with a sickening crunch—they all blare through his mind, one after another before merging into one homogenous cacophony.
His ragdoll body's tossed into the air. His head's slamming against the corner of a brick building. Blood pours and gushes from his wounds, choking his gasping throat.
Unbearable pain seizes his body. Flashbacks of his childhood, of the tumultuous time during his puberty, of secondary school, of university and interning at his father's business flicker through his head, an overwhelming sorrow bursting out of his heart.
Everything's vanishing at the tips of his bloody fingers.
And yet, he stands here. In this endless white, empty room, he feels nothing. Reo's fingers graze over his chest, his heart silent and frozen in its cage of bones. He clearly died at the hands of a reckless driver. Reo had stood over his body, watching the life escape it in tendrils as the paramedics whisked him away on a stretcher.
He was pronounced dead before they even made it to the hospital minutes away.
What could a dead man from one world do for another world that's pushing all its trouble onto his shoulders the second he's coherent? What could a dead man even do for himself? No longer living in the world he's grown up in, thrown into another world and expected to fulfill a soul-crushing mission, how could Reo accomplish anything?
This isn't his world. What sentiment does he hold for it? None. While his life hadn't be all rainbows and sunshine in his original world, he was satisfied. He had friends who he trusted with his life. He had a well-off family who loved him and spoiled him rotten. All that was missing was a blossoming romance.
Reo was just another normal guy. He wanted to fall in love with someone he could see spending the rest of his life with. Reo had devoted his school life to studying and learning business tips and tricks from his father. He wanted to be in a good spot in his life before finding someone to be with. Now, the heart fluttering moments of finding the one was gone, a pipe dream flushed down the toilet with his life.
If he couldn't go back to his original world, he didn't want anything to do with Hakuho. This isn't his world. He doesn't belong here. This had to be a dream. Dying an unprecedented death, waking up in another world, and then being asked to be its hero isn't something happens. Ever.
Right. A dream. That's all this is.
Reo's not dead.
A sharp pain shoots through his head. Reo grimaces, hands flying to clutch at his temples, fingers curling into his purple hair. It's a fleeting pain, lasting for a moment, but it's enough to have Reo gasping for a breath. Sweat beads along his forehead, eyes rimmed a faint pink.
There's a pounding in his ears, a sensation he can't quite put his finger on because it's not his heart. His heart's no longer beating against his chest, it's not pumping any blood through his body—what blood does he even have left? It's all left behind in his world, staining the concrete with his life force.
Ding! Ding!
The transparent square emits an electronic whine and starts to tremble, the translucent sides glitching into blurry spikes. The letters rearrange, a shimmering noise accompanying it, forming a face that twists into a frown for a second and then into a pout the next, repeating the motion endlessly.
"No." Reo repeats, a chill seeping into the refusal.
Static replaces the facial expressions. A familiar question materializes in the center, glaring straight at Reo.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO ACCEPT THE ROLE OF HAKUHO'S HERO?
YES OR NO
The question stabs into Reo, an incessant reminder that he's not in his world. He's not living the life he's lived for years. In this world, is he even Reo? Reo isn't a hero and certainly not one who's capable of saving the future. Pampered throughout his entire life from the moment his first trembling breath in the hospital room to the moment he entered the world of business and marketing, Reo barely knew how to take care of himself.
And now to be presented with the daunting task of being in charged of the lives of countless others sends his mind in a dizzying whirl.
Anybody with a sense of normalcy (and a sliver of self-deprecation) would find this whole situation impossible. To grow up with the mindset to save the world and be an honorable person would be one thing. Perhaps, Reo would be more willing to take on the grand task.
But that's not how Reo grew up.
Reo didn't learn how to grow up to be a hero. On the weekend mornings he was allowed to watch cartoons, he cared less for the superhero shows and more about the books in his father's study. His role model wasn't someone who wore a cape and had unnatural powers. His role model wore a suit and showered him with everything he could ever need as a kid.
Reo learned how to grow up and be Reo.
Ding!
CONTINUED REFUSAL WILL RESULT IN DELETION—!!!
Deletion?
A sneer stretches the corner of his lips derisively. His words come in pants of restrained anxiety and disbelief. Fingers curl into his palm, nails engraving half moons. "Then do it. I don't belong in this world. I refuse to be a hero. I've already died once, just let me rest in peace!"
To Reo, existing and living in this world as if his original life means nothing is an impossible responsibility to take on. He's retained all of his memories and emotions. How is supposed to go on in a new world when he aches for his old life?
Reo feels ridiculous, yelling out at this transparent square as if it could understand the turmoil raging on inside him. As if it's a sentient being—
Wind rushes from below Reo, sending strands of his purple hair whipping around his face. His cheeks sting from the force and a stream of iridescent light swirls around him, too fast for his eyes to focus on. The stream engulfs the transparent square. A blinding glow bursts from the center and Reo throws his arm up to cover his eyes, a twinkling sound carried by the gust of wind crashes over him.
Seconds pass by and suddenly the force lessens, silence descending upon Reo with a deafening weight. Reo slowly lowers his arm and if his heart had been working properly, he's sure it'd stop beating at the sight of the shimmering form in front of him.
The twinkling stars flicker in and out of existence. The transparent square has disappeared and in its place stands a humanoid entity a little shorter than Reo but with an imposing presence bearing down on him. In the dancing glow of the stars, Reo can barely make out the disappointed facial expression and the hair that blooms wildly behind their back.
This is perfect. Now, he can yell at something that resembles a person.
"Delete me. I refuse to become this world's hero." Reo swallows around a dry throat, the words coming out weak but determined. His emotions have been dormant, brewing deep within him, waiting for the right moment to spill over. A tsunami of despair and disbelief wreaks havoc through him. "Even in this world, I'm a dead man walking. Why should I care about being deleted?! This isn't the world I grew up in. Even when reality bore down on me heavily, I still loved that world. I don't want to exist if it's not the world I was born in."
Reo's chest rises indignantly, the emotions and feelings cascading out of him in a flurry of words.
"That's a shame." The voice that emits from the shimmering form is airy with a touch of the twinkle of the stars. "The life you loved ended with a horrific death for you and yet, you hold onto it as if it's a cherished universe. As if fate hadn't chewed you up and spat you out."
The voice stuns Reo. The glow radiating off of the form flickers with life, its lines wavering as it speaks. Rubbing his eyes a few times doesn't make it go away and the more its words sink in, the more confused Reo becomes. But within that confusion lays a fury, blazing with incredulity.
Reo's well-aware as a child, he had a lot of things handed to him on a silver platter. The older he became, though, the harder reality weighed on his shoulders. The rose-tinted glasses covering his eyes shattered, replaced by a life hardened through resilience. His life may not have been perfect, but it had been his life.
Reo's just a normal person with precious memories and cherished ones who he's held dear in his heart for years. To imagine for even a moment that he would give all that up to become a hero for another world is a ridiculous notion. None of those memories or the ones he's known matters here.
And to be a hero—wouldn't that mean his life would be in constant danger? Reo would have a glaring target on his back for the monsters and villains lurking in the shadows. Getting struck by a truck is at least a foreseeable death, even if Reo or the many bystanders could do nothing to prevent it. But if Reo's to find himself face to face with a monster ten times his height with a insatiable hunger in its bloodshot eyes, how is he supposed to figure that out?
"If fate's plans were to chew me up and spit me out here then I want nothing to do with fate. I'd rather just wither away like I should have in my coffin!" A tight feeling curls into his chest.
The shimmering form shifts to the side as if mimicking a curious head tilt. "Is that so? Hm. That proves to make things a little difficult for me. Are you afraid? Humans tend to fear the unknown, but so many before you cling onto the aspect of living that it overrides that fear. I'm curious as to why you're so averse to it."
Fear.
Reo sucks in a shuddering breath. This tight feeling in his chest permeates, enveloping itself around the panting breaths stuck in his chest. A ghost of fear strikes his still heart.
Squeezing his eyes shut to block out the blazing glimmers of the stars, Reo's vision fills up with a deep darkness. A piercing ringing echoes in his ears, pain stabbing at his mind and embedding itself within the bursts of stars behind his eyelids. His knees give out and he collapses onto the starry floor, trembling hands burying themselves into his hair as his forehead hits the ground.
Fear.
When he stared down at his corpse, the eerily peaceful expression on his face, he had been scared—scared that his existence ceased just like that, scared about how his family and friends would take the news, how the sorrow would seize hold over their hearts. Scared, fearful of a future ripped from his hands.
Fearful of living a life that doesn't belong to him.
Reo croaks, voice hoarse from the tears threatening to explode into a sobs. "So what if I'm scared? I don't know anything about this world! I want nothing to do with its future when mine crumbled at the hands of fate for no good reason. If fate wants me dead then who am I to refuse it?"
"But was it not fate that brought you here? It's giving you an opportunity. Are you blind?" A hint of laughter laces its voice and it seems to flick strands of stars over its shoulder. "You're scared. A scaredy-cat is what they would call you back in your world, correct?"
Reo shoots a glare up at the form. Was it so wrong to do things within your expectations and limits? He's a scaredy-cat, sure, he's never been one to break the mold.
"What's your point?!"
"Does it not appeal to you that you could be a scaredy-cat in your old world, but a hero in this one? If it helps to ease your fear, I'd be with you every step of the way. I am, after all, responsible for you the second your soul had crossed the boundaries into our agency." Crouching down in front of him, the shimmering form closes in, its bottom hovering centimeters off the ground. Closer up, Reo's able to catch its features better—a hint of pink, pretty eyelashes framing its round, honest eyes and an interesting braid on the side of its head—and the twinkle in its voice sounds even more ethereal. "You can consider us a team. Look, you even made me take on this form and I never have to."
There's something about the way it talks to Reo that his mind dizzy and dazed, barely able to keep up with the conversation. Reo grits out. "Is this how it feels to be brainwashed?"
"Maybe? Is it working?" A gleam flashes briefly from the form.
"Delete me."
"No can do!"
"Why? When you asked if I wanted to accept the role of the hero, there was a no option as well. And I chose that. Are you saying you're not a man of his word? Or…what are you? An alien?" Exasperated, Reo narrows his eyes, scanning up and down the figure. An alien would make the most sense even if its appearance is far from the typical green aliens he'd see on TV.
"Aliens." A sparkling scoff shifts the stars into a displeased expression. "I'm offended you'd call me an alien. Those brain dead lifeforms are the bane of my existence. Anyway! There is an option to say no, but…well, I only need a few more assignments before I'm free from this hellhole—I can't let you say no. If you're worried about dying in this world, you don't have to. Being a hero gives you what we like to call: the protagonist halo."
Ding!
A transparent screen shimmers in front of Reo.
[ THE PROTAGONIST HALO—!!! ]
Bestowed onto a fledging hero, the Protagonist Halo is here to assure you'll never have to worry about a fruitless death! The universe is on your side, granting you a magical luck that will provide aid in next to impossible dangers. A once-in-a-million chance!
COST: Free!
ACCEPT? YES OR NO
Reo eyes it warily. The more he stands here, listening to the not alien, the more he believes this is a scam. He's being scammed before ascending up to the heavens. This whole hero business must be a test to see if he's worthy. "But I haven't accepted the role of the hero."
"Yet."
A sigh escapes through Reo's pale lips. The rampaging emotions have cooled down under the sightless stare from the shimmering form. Reo's walls have weakened, his resolve crumbling through his fingers in an instant. He just wants to move on and it seems the only option he has is to become Hakuho's hero. No matter how much he fights it, Reo's starting to believe it's a useless argument.
He's at the mercy of fate.
"What," Reo inhales, fingers shaking with submission pushes at the floor, shifting himself up into a sitting position, "what do I get out of this?"
An iridescent rainbow floods through the form. It pulses a few times as the words rearrange itself on the screen. Reo watches on with a resigned exhale, his breath lost in a sigh and his cheek rests against his palm. The tight feeling in his chest has unfurled.
"If you so wish it, you may return back to your original world. To your original body."
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[ INCOMING MAIN QUEST—!!! ]
As the hero of Hakuho, boundless hope and unwavering faith shrouds you as the symbol of salvation. You must conquer the slumbering villain before he wreaks havoc on the world, causing the devastating destruction of the world!
— 0/1 Slumbering Villain Conquered!
REWARD: A wish that transcends worlds and universes.
ACCEPT? YES OR NO
[ INCOMING SIDE QUEST—!!! ]
Encounter and recruit the maidens crucial to leveling up! Experience the worldly pleasures with each maiden to acquire a skill that will greatly benefit in the grand, final battle with the vile villain!
— 0/10 Maidens Encountered & Recruited!
— 0/10 Maidens Experienced Worldly Pleasures!
— 0/10 Skills Gained!
REWARD: Experience points to level up skills acquired and a loyal harem at your beck and call.
ACCEPT? YES OR NO
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"Are side quests necessary?" Reo's gaze slides over to the form after he confirms his acceptance towards the main quest. Reluctance tugs at the back of his mind, but he's so worn down from everything that has happened. He has no will to continue arguing about his original world and how he's being scammed before he can rest in peace.
The faster he gets a move on, the faster he can obtain this 'wish that transcends worlds and universes'.
"No. There are other ways to gain skills and experience." The twinkle brightens as it speaks, a satisfaction brimming along its inflection. It had successfully convinced Reo to accept the role and it was now sparkling brighter and brighter. "But this side quest is the easiest way to do so. Does having a harem not fancy your interest?"
"Not at all."
Not when Reo has no interest in the fair maidens this world has to offer. He's not even sure if he'd be able to feel any type of pleasure with a maiden. For as long as he could remember, he's always been partial towards the same gender.
"Noted! The side quest will not be accepted, but it will continue to be an option if you choose to change your mind."
"What did you note exactly?" Reo rubs the space between his furrowed eyebrows. Anything this form has to say brings nothing but headache after headache.
"Call me Chigiri."
"Call you what?"
"Chigiri." The stars making up the entity in front of him fluctuate, the emitted glow dimming as it transforms from a humanoid to a small creature that greatly resembles a domestic house cat. It prances over to Reo and circles around him, its voice no longer resonating around Reo but inside his head instead. "That's the name that was given to me from the agency. You can call me that. Now that you've accepted your role and the main quest, we will be transported to the proper world in ten minutes."
"Sure." Seeing the little feline weaving in and out between his legs, Reo can't help but feel a sense of familiarity. Animals have always found a soft spot in his heart. Reo catches himself from leaning down and attempting to pet Chigiri. "Um. Would I be able to ask what this agency is?"
Chigiri wiggles its tail. A star that flickers between yellow and pink sits at the tip of its tail and with each sway, sparkling dust seems to sprinkle hundreds of little glimmering particles around it. Chigiri crouches down, butt wiggling a few times before launching itself onto Reo's shoulder.
The weight is feather light on his shoulder and Reo's not sure if it's because of his constitution at the moment or because Chigiri really does weigh nothing. A chilly sensation settles into his skin at the touch. Chigiri makes itself comfortable, paw-like limbs hanging over Reo's collarbone. "The agency has no official name. The agency is in charge of guiding chosen souls to worlds that are in peril. As you know, the future of Hakuho is at the hands of a villain who's been gaining power over centuries. Hakuho is one of many worlds at the brink of destruction and so to help guide our chosen souls, the agency recruits beings like me."
Reo's temples throb with his headache. He rubs along his forehead, a sigh lodged in his throat. As his hand falls to his side, Chigiri reaches up to press its paw against the center of his forehead and a cooling sensation spreads through him, dispersing the headache in moments.
"Oh, thanks." Reo blinks at Chigiri, watching him retract his paw. His head feels a hundred times lighter now. "Hm. You called it a hellhole before, didn't you?"
"Oh." A soft, laughing hum radiates from Chigiri. "Nobody truly loves the employer they work for, now do they? And nobody in their right mind would be okay after traveling to countless worlds. I'm just…merely ready to be free."
Chigiri leans its chin onto one of its arms, a wistful expression clouding its eyes. Before Reo could question anymore, his vision whites out and an indistinct heartbeat blooms in his chest.
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A waterfall crashes into the lake below, rippling violent waves of cold water across the surface. At the base of the torrent of water, a shower of razor sharp droplets of water forms a misty haze, cloaking Reo's figure as he scales the narrow path. The rough surface of the mountain wall behind him digs painfully into his back, snagging onto the folds of his jacket. Rogue water droplets slice at his fair skin, a stinging pain left behind by shallow cuts.
A maiden shrieks from afar. More shrieks join her shrill voice and fear strikes Reo's chest. He scurries along the narrow path faster, right foot slipping against a mossy rock at the end. He swallows back a yelp as his body lunges towards the ground.
Days have stretched into weeks and weeks have morphed into months. Somehow a year has passed since Reo accepted his main quest. He's traversed the towering mountain ranges, crossed the treacherous waters of a sea monster's cove, and stumbled one too many times into a hostile mercenary camp. Reo's body has toned in places he's never knew could be toned. So when his body is sent crashing to the ground, sliding against the slick surface of the cavern's floor, he's not surprised.
This world has tested too many times on what kind of injuries he can sustain or how long he can last on the edge of death before his protagonist halo flips on. His pain tolerance has increased tenfold, hundredfold—pain is but a fleeting feeling nowadays.
The floor shifts underneath Reo. The sudden decline of the floor sends him soaring downwards into the shadows of the deep caverns. The weightless sensation twists his stomach uncomfortably, his deep purple eyes flickering with surprise. Unshed tears prick along the rim of his eyes from the sudden rush of wind against them.
Chigiri materializes on his head with a sparkling hum. The twinkling stars in its tail sways at the back of Reo's head and an even deeper twinkle settles in its eyes. "How thrilling!"
Though, Reo's eyes water from the stinging force, his face is relatively expressionless. These situations no longer sent his barely beating heart into overdrive. But hearing Chigiri's sparkling exclaim next to his ear, Reo can't hold back his lips twitching into a smile.
Reo admits—rather reluctantly—that Chigiri has wormed its way into Reo's good graces.
Without Chigiri as his faithful companion throughout these long days and nights, Reo surely would have succumbed to loneliness, his mind going crazy. While Chigiri has multiple forms, able to shift into whatever it pleased, Reo has come to learn the little feline form is Chigiri's favorite. Not only does it help regulate his energy the best, but Chigiri can easily tuck itself around Reo's neck or in his collar for a free ride around the vast land.
As an entity of unknown origins, Chigiri defies all logic. Chigiri weighs no more than a breeze against his neck, its words are spoken inside Reo's head, and above all else, its form shimmers endlessly with stars plucked from the sky.
Chigiri's the least odd entity out there. One look at Chigiri and Reo forgets about the monstrosities he's encountered. Some monstrosities have haunted his dreams for weeks on end. Such as the sea monster—its cove is home to a skeletal being thousands of meters tall, its eyes narrowed into ruby slits and its gaping mouth as dark and deep as the starless sky. Poisonous tentacles elongate from its hollow cage of bones and slither in the air from the back of its neck. Its bony arms taper into piercing sharp fingers, long enough to enclose around any poor fisherman caught in its stormy waters.
The sea monster waits, suspended in the air above the crashing waves. It moves easily between the air and the waters, taking in anything that breathes as its replenishment.
Reo had been caught in its claws, barely making it out alive when his protagonist halo emitted a radiant light, blinding the skeletal giant and rendering it immobile for a few precious seconds—long enough for its grasp to loosen and for Reo to slip through its bones. Reo had no choice but to go straight back into the chaotic sea. His boat had long been demolished by the unforgiving waves, pieces of wood and debris littered about the ripples of the water.
One particular piece of wood seemed to float by out of nowhere. It had been large enough for Reo to clamber onto and his arms wrap around it tight to keep himself from sinking back into the waters. With a teasing glow from his otherwise invisible halo, a tremendous wave swept him away, all the way to safety.
Most other monstrosities have paled in comparison to the sea monster.
Shrieks echo on the horizon, muffled behind the torrential curtain of water. Soon, the sounds of the outside world becomes lost and distant the deeper Reo falls into the cavern. Reo sighs. Without a doubt, Reo would much rather risk his life like this than succumb to the clingy hands of the fair maidens.
In search of shelter for a night or two, Reo had merely wandered into a bustling merchant town. The endless forests and stretches of plains were exhausting and unpleasant and after days of camping out underneath the starry sky or the rustling leaves of the trees, Reo yearned for a plush bed, a fireplace to warm his bones and a feast to fuel his soul.
Reo just wanted a place to recharge.
Alas, as the budding hero of Hakuho, Reo's reputation proceeds him far across the land. Tales of his heroic deeds have become enchanting words on a storyteller's tongue, an exaggerated performance to engage all ages of all genders and species. What catches most spectators' attention though is his hair.
The moment Reo stepped foot into the merchant town, the sun rays brightened around him. Sunlight shines through his hair, the wine hues glimmering like a twilight sky when the light hits it just right. While this world may exist in a realm where anything is possible and everything impossible exists, Reo has yet to meet anybody with hair as vibrant as his.
Wherever Reo goes, he is a beacon for attention. Whether he tries to hide his hair with a cloak or with a hat, the attempts always fail so Reo takes the attention in stride. Much better when he feels in control than having someone expose him at the most random times. Most people enjoy staring at him from afar, but the ones who are bold enough to approach him are relentless.
Like the maidens who ran after him as he was leaving the merchant town. There are times where the maidens only want to shower him with the most exquisite flowers and trinkets. And then there are times like the most recent where they're screaming about bedding him.
Chigiri had expanded the transparent screen in front of Reo, gently reminding him of the side quest that he has yet to accept. One of the maidens required to complete the side quest had evidently been in the midst of the crowd of eager maidens.
[ SIDE QUEST—!!! ]
Encounter and recruit the maidens crucial to leveling up! Experience the worldly pleasures with each maiden to acquire a skill that will greatly benefit in the grand, final battle with the vile villain!
— 0/10 Maidens Encountered & Recruited!
— 0/10 Maidens Experienced Worldly Pleasures!
— 0/10 Skills Gained!
REWARD: Experience points to level up skills acquired and a loyal harem at your beck and call.
ACCEPT? YES OR NO
Reo had waved the screen away. A harem of maidens?
The thought sends shivers down his spine. Truth be told, Reo had completely blocked the side quest out of his mind. Reo enjoys the beauty of the fair maidens. They're soft and alluring, voices a whisper of a kiss against his ears when they're not screaming after him. But that's where it starts and ends—an appreciation of beauty.
The fair maidens do nothing to excite him romantically or sexually. Now, if it's of the same gender, that could potentially be a different story. Perhaps not a harem, but Reo would definitely be more inclined to give them a sliver of his attention. Not too much though. After all, Reo has to find this vile villain and figure out how to conquer it.
As Reo ponders through the tidbits of intel he's gathered along his journey, he hits a hard bump. His body is sent flying and crashing into a nest of crumpled blankets and plush pillows, his breath catching in his throat at the impact. Reo releases his breath in a soft groan. The pain in his back had accumulated from the narrow path near the waterfall and from the slide down into the depths of the cavern. His back's now faintly throbbed with an ache and the landing had only served to amplify the pain.
Chigiri perks up, glancing around the cave with curious flicks in its tail. "What an interesting place you've stumbled upon. It seems someone had been using it as a home. I don't sense any malice, but I'd keep your guard up."
"Don't need to tell me twice." Reo mumbles under his breath, slowly pushing himself up from the makeshift bed. A thin mattress is underneath him and without the abundance of blankets and pillows on it, it'd be severely uncomfortable to sleep on.
Tugging a potion bottle out of his bag, Reo tugs the cork out of it and chugs the miraculous liquid down. His pain tolerance may have increased, but that merely means the second he feels a prick of pain, his injuries are bad enough that he needs to tend to them. As the liquid slides down easily, Reo also gazes around the room. There's a sturdy desk to the side with a shelf full of weathered books next to it. Atop the rough surface is a candlelight that's luminous enough to light up the whole room and papers full of illegible scrawl.
On the other side of the room are more shelves. A countless amount of shelves filled with various monster parts and bottles and vials full of colorful liquids. The room exudes the aura of an alchemist. The unease growing in Reo softens a bit—alchemists in this world enjoy solitude to research whatever their heart pleases. All alchemists Reo has bumped into so far have been neutral, not caring who he was as long as he allowed them a moment to rave about their findings.
Reo wiggles his empty potion bottle, plugging the cork back in and sliding the bottle into his bag. Within seconds, Reo can feel the blood vessels in his back constricting to reduce the swelling of his bruising, the feeling peculiarly satisfying. His movements are less stiff and the scuffed skin along his body starts to repair itself.
Tilting his head, Reo scans the room. There's a hole near the ceiling where he must have fallen from and to the left is a dark tunnel the candlelight doesn't reach. The room is not spacious and the more Reo stands in it, the more it feels like the walls are closing in around him.
Chigiri bounces around the room, going from one surface to another. Its voice rings out as it disappears into a poof of stardust. "Watch out!"
In a stuttering second, Reo blinks and lunges to the side, feet tangling in the blanket as a figure looms in the shadows of the tunnel. A suffocating presence bears down on Reo, the pressure digging into his chest with an ominous grip on his sluggish heart. Reo's robbed of his breath in a mere moment.
Chigiri's warning had been appreciative, but how was Reo ever supposed to be able to defend against a power like this? Though, Reo's sure Chigiri would just remind him of his side quest where he would be able to gain skills and powers through his harem. Reo's made it just fine without them and he'll continue to do so—he's just at a loss from this pressure freezing him in place.
Misty eyes stare straight at Reo, radiant in the darkness. Wicked intent flashes in those cloudy eyes and pure, unadulterated fear floods through Reo. This was no ordinary alchemist. No ordinary alchemist would be able to wield such power without the aid of their potions and elixirs and yet, this overbearing presence before him has not moved a single muscle.
Reo wracks through his mind for a way out.
Chigiri! Help! Reo urges inwardly, hoping for a status screen or something from Chigiri's database. Chigiri offers assistance from time to time with the ability to expose the stats of whoever or whatever poses a threat to Reo. It's come in handy many times and has saved him before his protagonist halo needs to.
Of course, there are moments like when he was trapped by the sea monster where the information simply does not exist because of how powerful it may be.
"On it, boss~" Chigiri chimes. A burst of stardust only visible to Reo's eye blankets the figure in a moonlit glow. It takes less than a handful of seconds before Chigiri murmurs. "Oh…"
Oh?
Reo watches the ebb and flow of the stardust cluster together, rushing over to him before spreading out into a familiar, transparent screen.
[ SCANNING——SCAN COMPLETE!!! ]
NAME: Nagi ——
HP: ————
MP: ————
STRENGTHS: Excels in manipulation of the mind and body. Exploding elixirs. Rest omitted.
WEAKNESSES: ————
DANGER LEVEL: 1,000,000/10
AFFECTION LEVEL: -1000/100
PLEASE TAKE CAUTION!! THE PROTAGONIST HALO CANNOT SAVE YOU IF YOU END UP PROVOKING HIM AND MAKING HIM YOUR ENEMY!!
Affection level? Wait…what is that danger level?!
Reo's never seen such an incomplete status screen quite like this before. With little to no information listed, Reo would have been better off without knowing anything at all. But now knowing the danger level in regards to this alchemist and knowing the protagonist halo is suddenly useless, the fear intensifies within Reo, turning into a wave of panic.
Before Reo can question Chigiri further, the figure takes a soundless step into the room. Alarm bells explode inside Reo's mind, his flight mode triggered. But no matter how much he struggles against the invisible hold on him, Reo's unable to break from the pressure. Eyes widening as the figure steps into the candlelight, Reo's fingers curl around the handle to a dagger that's tucked into his belt.
Reo knows it's a losing battle, but the second the figure comes close and he's able to move even a single muscle, Reo's defending himself to the death. He's not about to go down without a fight. Even if every single nerve in him is trembling with fear.
A fluff of white messy hair is illuminated by the candlelight. Another step and the tall figure comes tumbling down onto the makeshift bed, his attractive features twisting with discomfort. The invisible hold around Reo releases in an instant. Reo inhales, unsheathing his dagger in a swift motion.
Reo exhales, poised to drive that dagger into the man's back. Just as he turns around, the pungent smell of metallic hits his nose first and then the sight of numerous arrows lodged in the man's back focuses in his view.
Chigiri materializes above the arrows, head tilted as it gazes down at the bloody sight. "He passed out from blood loss. You're no match for him. Reo, you should leave."
Furrowing his eyebrows, Reo takes a step back, tucking his dagger back into its sheath. He needs to run. He needs to get out of here before the man decides to wake up and go after him. Reo's well aware he's out of his league and staying around in this cavern would only serve him death on a platter. No protagonist halo was going to help him out of this situation.
Reo flicks his eyes back to the status screen, the last sentence glaring in his mind.
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A groan sounds from the bundle of blankets. An unknown pleasant scent of stewed meat and aromatics wafts through the cavern, a warmth spreading throughout the space that lulls the figure back into a drowsy daze. It's been years since such a warmth has radiated in this long forgotten space.
The quiet crackling sounds of a fire reaches his ears, seeping in through the cracks of his blanket cocoon. Idly, he shifts, searing pain igniting in the center of his back. Another groan slips out.
"Stop moving around so much. You'll undo all that hard work I did bandaging you up." An unfamiliar voice scolds him from outside the shadows of his cocoon. Despite the reprimanding tone, there's a hint of amusement that's lost in the click of a tongue. "If you're awake now, you might as well have some food before resting some more. This has been stewing for hours. Do you know how long I've been waiting for you to wake up?"
Sounds of a ladle rattling and the stew bubbling away rouses him enough to stick his head out, eyes squinting at the sudden brightness. Vibrant violet hair focuses in his gaze first and then the elegant features of the stranger from earlier appears. Seeing the stranger, his dormant powers flares up, exuding a pressure that rushes through the room—
A spoon's shoved in his mouth in an instant. The cooled off liquid fills his mouth with tender meat, falling apart the second it hits his tongue, and the savory spices warm him from the inside out, a foreign warmth tingling at his chest. It's delicious.
His powers retract in an instant. His misty eyes, droopy with the remnants of rest, stare up at the spoon the stranger's holding in front of him. The food's shoved into his mouth once more. Eating has always been a hassle, something he'd put on the back burner until absolutely necessary.
Being spoonfed like this, however, is something Nagi could definitely get used to.
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Ding!
+10 AFFECTION POINTS!!!
CURRENT AFFECTION LEVEL: -990/1000
Reo curiously stares at the sudden screen popping in between him and the sleepyhead. As Chigiri swoops around the transparent screen, starry tail flicking stardust into the candlelit air, he shoves another spoonful of the stew into this powerful entity—Nagi. Reo had Chigiri bring up his status screen multiple times after he had carefully tended to his wounds.
Each time, his eyes would scroll through the words, hovering over the danger level and then staring intensely at the warning at the bottom.
'PLEASE TAKE CAUTION!! THE PROTAGONIST HALO CANNOT SAVE YOU IF YOU END UP PROVOKING HIM AND MAKING HIM YOUR ENEMY!!'
Chigiri had been wary, citing numerous times about how dangerous this person was. After all, the second he had arrived to the cavern, Reo had been rendered frozen to his spot, unable to move a muscle. But after Reo's stubborn insistence on removing the arrows and applying a potent healing salve on the wounds, Chigiri could only watch from Reo's shoulder, providing all the necessary components Reo needed.
After all, if the biggest danger this Nagi provided was becoming an enemy of his, then naturally, Reo had to get into his good graces. As Reo's eyes flicker from the increase in affection points to Nagi's hooded eyes staring at the spoon in Reo's hand, Reo's own chest fills with a burning passion to live.
His ultimate goal in slithering into Nagi's good graces is an ally to protect him and aid him when the time calls for it. Obviously having someone who can subdue even the mysterious power of the protagonist halo would be able to stand a chance against the vile villain, the threat to Hakuho's future. With Nagi by his side, he's hoping to breathe a little easier.
The words scrawled on the screen scramble, the edges of the letters blurring into short spikes before smoothing out into new words, stringing about sentences as Reo's hand moves on its own, feeding another spoonful to Nagi's waiting mouth.
Chigiri's lithe form swirls around the screen, faint outlines of its paws landing on Reo's outstretched arm. It seems to scrunch its nose and tilt its head as it strolls up along Reo's arm. Clearly, Chigiri is still not pleased with Reo's train of thought.
Curling up on his shoulder, Chigiri's voice echoes lightly in Reo's mind.
"This might be more your style, Reo. Since you seem to enjoy going about life on the edge of a precipice." Chigiri's twinkling tone hardens. "But never forget, Reo, this person is dangerous. Very dangerous."
I know, I know. Reo inwardly waves a dismissive hand.
[ INCOMING SIDE QUEST—!!! ]
An injured youth has landed at your feet, pitiful and utterly —. Feed him well! Care for him and tend to his —! Raise affection level to —— the villain and help save the future of Hakuho!
— 0/1 Injured Youths Healed and ——!
CURRENT AFFECTION LEVEL: -990/1000
REWARD: Through hardship and rough waters ahead, an iron-steel anchor, heavy with absolute commitment, to reach the depths of a raging ocean, to keep you afloat and secured from the ever shifting shadows of the future.
ACCEPT? YES OR NO
The bowl empties in a matter of minutes and he refills it with another heaping scoop from the ladle. Blowing on the bowl before shoving more stew into Nagi, Reo reads over this new side quest. A few words are missing, but Reo's able to fill in the blanks relatively well.
He just needs to take care of Nagi, right? Easy peasy.
What really catches his eyes is the reward. An anchor to keep him afloat and secured. That definitely means he can gain Nagi as a valuable ally that'll be able to keep him safe and sound. Of course, he's going to accept this side quest. To guarantee a powerful ally would be a dream come true.
Yes, I accept!
The screen shimmers with a check mark across the center. It bursts silently into dissipating particles at the acceptance, leaving nothing to obscure his sight from Nagi now.
And the cherry on top is Nagi himself. Specifically, his appearance. From the sleepy dazed look in his eyes, the fluffy mound of clouds on top of his head to the toned body hidden underneath all the blankets, Reo's eyes are blessed. Unlike the maidens chasing him out of the merchant town, Nagi is Reo's type through and through.
Even the power he exerted over Reo had Reo trembling with a fragile desire he hasn't felt in a long time. With Nagi being obedient and eating the stew Reo had cooked for hours has Reo's walls weakening. He couldn't help it. How could someone on the edge of death be a threat to him right now? Especially when he looked incredibly soft and docile in his blanket cocoon.
"Reo." Chigiri whispers, its chilly paw thrumming with energy is pressed against the side of Reo's neck. It's a ticklish sensation that sends a shiver down Reo's spine. Chigiri pats him a couple of times, dragging him out of his uncouth thoughts. "Aren't you curious about the redacted words? You have the safety filter on that blocks out words inappropriate for children. Would you like to turn it off?"
Oh? Sure.
As Chigiri slips down from Reo's shoulder, the transparent screen materializes once again.
[ CURRENT SIDE QUEST ]
An injured youth has landed at your feet, pitiful and utterly aroused. Feed him well! Care for him and tend to his cock! Raise affection level to seduce and fuck the villain and help save the future of Hakuho!
— 0/1 Injured Youths Healed and Fucked!
CURRENT AFFECTION LEVEL: -950/1000
REWARD: Through hardship and rough waters ahead, an iron-steel anchor, heavy with absolute commitment, to reach the depths of a raging ocean, to keep you afloat and secured from the ever shifting shadows of the future.
Over the course of Reo feeding Nagi, affection points had been given every time the spoon slipped into Nagi's mouth. Realizing how easy the affection level was rising at the moment is ultimately lost at the edited redacted words now emphasized on the screen.
He had to have those kinds of relations with Nagi to complete the side quest?
Reo swallows past the lump in his throat, gaze shooting down to where Nagi's cheek is nuzzled into a blanket, Nagi's eyes following the path of the spoon from the bowl to Reo's lips where he blows on the lukewarm liquid and then to his own mouth. Despite the cooled liquid, Nagi continues to consume the stew until there's not a single drop in the cauldron.
Chigiri, are you being serious right now?!
But Chigiri's form has disappeared, leaving Reo physically alone with Nagi. Reo knows Chigiri's conscience is always attached to his so no matter how far they may be, Chigiri's always a thought away. Chigiri, however, does enjoy to leave Reo alone to sort out his turbulent thoughts by himself.
By no means is Reo opposed to having that type of relationship with Nagi. After all, it's been too long since he's even taken care of himself. And with Nagi's home hidden far away in a cavern that's protected by a treacherous waterfall, Reo can only assume Nagi's not one to mingle with people. Thinking how Nagi must be backed up has Reo's thoughts colliding with his emotions in a chaotic mess of a headache.
Nagi licks his lips, wiping the remnants of the soup off of his lips.
Closing his eyes and setting the spoon down in the bowl, Reo takes in a deep breath. In a poor attempt to regulate his breathing, he releases the breath in a slow, measured exhale.
"What's wrong?" Nagi asks. His voice is deep and melodious, ringing deep in Reo's chest as it holds a sleepy undertone.
"Nothing. Just a little tired, I guess." Reo opens his eyes and as he avoids Nagi's probing gaze, he busies himself with gathering the bowl and spoon, setting them in the cauldron and casting a simple spell to cleanse them.
As he had turned around, the transparent screen with his side quest follows him. It stays within his vision, shimmering with luminescent particles. Reo narrows his eyes.
Seduce and fuck the villain.
"Do you want to rest too?"
Reo swivels around, the motion so fast, his vision blurs for a dizzying second. When Reo focuses his attention on Nagi who makes no movement to unravel himself from the blankets, an invisible punch pummels into his stomach at the sudden realization. Nagi watches him with hooded eyes, the whisper of grey emitting a strength Reo can't fathom.
"Um." Reo's mind fumbles around responses, not one suitable in the least.
This Nagi—this docile, obedient youth curled up in his blankets as if he's two seconds away from falling asleep—couldn't be the grand villain Reo has to conquer. Though he may be powerful, he couldn't be the vile, slumbering villain who may cause the devastating destruction of Hakuho one day.
"I was trying to warn you, Reo." Chigiri mumbles, his form still nowhere to be seen. "I'm bound by a contract so I can't reveal too much information to you when it's your journey. But now that you have figured it out. Yes, Nagi is the one you must conquer."
No wonder the protagonist halo is no use against Nagi. If the protagonist halo could save him from the final boss then the world wouldn't need Reo. But the world needs him and Reo has walked right into the nest of this vile, destructively attractive villain.
"Fear not, though, my dear Reo. You need to only remember that there are more ways than one to conquer someone. To conquer does not necessarily mean to slay them." Chigiri's tinkling hum helps to calm the torrent of thoughts in Reo's mind.
That's right.
After all, instead of running away the second he had realized Nagi was injured, he had set about to make him an ally. Reo's thinking had always strayed away from the conventional. Now, it just means everything's intensified a hundredfold because Reo knows this could be either the start of salvation or the downfall of the land.
Thanks, Chigiri.
"You're welcome."
Nagi continues to stare at him. It's difficult to read any other emotion or feeling in Nagi's face besides the ever present sleepiness. Reo tries his best to mask the panic brimming within him. He truly can't help it. He's a bit of a coward even if he tries to convince himself that he's just trying his best.
Clearing his throat, Reo reaches into his bag, tugging out some fresh bandages. A secret thrill starts to spread warmth throughout his chest. "Let me change your dressings. With how badly you were injured, I'll reapply the salve. You can just turn onto your stomach and I'll take care of the rest."
+200 AFFECTION POINTS!!!
CURRENT AFFECTION LEVEL: -9750/1000
The screen glitches out. The letters and numbers blur together in a mess of static and foreign characters. One moment, the screen reads +20 AFFECTION POINTS!!! and in the next moment, it's reading +200 AFFECTION POINTS!!! Reo doesn't notice, too busy with carefully taking Nagi's bandages off his back, wincing at the amount of blood staining the gauze.
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"Reo…" Nagi breathes against the back of Reo's neck. Warm hands run down Reo's sides, fingertips lightly pressing into the flushed skin, before holding onto Reo's trembling hips. A breathless moan is muffled into Nagi's pillow, Reo's walls fluttering around Nagi's cock as he slowly fucks into him. "Reo feels good."
The words are whispered into his skin. They shiver down his spine and Reo can't help but push back against Nagi's slow thrusts, wanting him in deeper. Reo quite enjoys the way Nagi fucks him like this. Unhurried thrusts shoving his cock all the way in before sliding out to tease around the rim, skin against skin, as if Nagi's savoring every second of their time together.
This way, Nagi's cock is stretching him out nice and slow. Reo's able to feel the veins rubbing against his inner walls, coaxing the slick to coat the hard length, making the slide easier and wetter. Each rock of Nagi's hips, the tip of his cock kisses lightly at Reo's favorite spot, his skin slapping against Reo's, and Reo lets out a pleased moan, curling his fingers into the plush blankets that surround him with Nagi's presence.
With Reo's hair spread out on Nagi's pillow, eyes glazed over with lust, and his hips propped up, legs spread to allow Nagi access to his most intimate spot, Nagi can feel a possessive grip overcoming his rather dormant heart. Nobody has ever been granted the honor of joining Nagi in the little nest he enjoys burying himself into day after day. Nobody but Reo.
Ever since Reo invaded his life and privacy, Nagi has been unwittingly drawn to the other youth. He's long lost interest in people. Over the years of his long life, he's learned how betrayal lays in hiding in every corner of the land. It's easy for strangers to harbor ill intentions, hiding them behind disingenuous smiles and pretty words meant to coax the goodwill in his heart. But they can't hide the windows exposing their souls—their eyes.
Their eyes display their hidden intentions. It's pitifully easy for Nagi to shatter the glass to their feeble windows and expose their souls to the piercing gaze of his misty eyes. After countless situations where his life had been gambled too close to the edge of death, Nagi's disappointment and frustrations could only be released on the villages of those who wronged him.
Why should he spare the feelings or the lives of the ones who wronged him when they're the ones who, in the end, forced his hand?
And yet, there's a shimmer in Reo's purple eyes that captures Nagi's attention, pulling him until he's a mere planet in Reo's orbit. Perhaps it was the way Reo had tended to his injuries despite the warning Nagi had given him or the way Reo fed him spoonful after spoonful of stew without a single complaint. From the start, Nagi had allowed Reo stay in his little nest because Reo hadn't taken advantage of him when he was in a weakened state.
Because Reo had tucked him back into his bundle of blankets, hands gentle as they maneuvered the folds of the blankets perfectly around Nagi to envelop him just right. The candlelight had flickered a glowing light into Reo's pure eyes.
It didn't take long for Nagi to claim Reo.
Their first night together wasn't too long after Reo healed Nagi up, the injuries on his back melded together to a deep scar. Their first time had been nothing short of a disaster. Nagi hadn't been able to hold back his strength, ravishing Reo from head to toe and leaving him littered with bloody teeth marks and bruises wherever his fingertips touched.
What suffered the most on Reo's body had been his ass. Nagi hadn't prepared him carefully enough before he had thrusted his hard length into him, a pained moan ripping out of Reo's throat. Nagi's cock had invaded into his hole with subpar preparation and then Nagi was incredibly ruthless. The second Nagi sunk into that wet heat, feeling the tightness squeezing teasingly around his cock, he lost his sense of mind to the sudden explosion of lust within his body.
Nagi didn't last long the first time, coming in only a few thrusts, but his stamina wasn't something to dismiss. He fucked Reo long after Reo's consciousness started to fade in and out, his whimpering a murmur on his lips. Reo had taken a week to recover from that passionate night. He refused to let Nagi near him until he was able to move without wincing.
The second time, Reo took the matter into his own hands to set the pace and teach Nagi how to touch him without hurting him.
That Reo had been alluring, eyes shining with a playful glint, coaxing Nagi into a puddle of aching want in his hands. Similar to how Reo is now, pliant underneath with his eyes flickering between a yearning for more and a satisfied, pleasing crinkle in the corner of his eyes.
The arch in Reo's back is enticing and Nagi kisses all the way down to the middle of his back before tracing bites back up to his shoulder blade, teeth nipping at the skin while soft moans fill the electrifying air. The stinging pleasure from Nagi's tiny bites sends a surge of impatience through Reo. Nagi's burying his face into the side of Reo's neck, sucking in Reo's tantalizing scent—a blend of Nagi's own sleepy scent and a subtle hint of sunshine and fresh air. Reo had just come back from an outing, bringing home nourishing ingredients and a hand sewn blanket from one of the traveling merchants.
Nagi waits for him. Each and every day brings a bout of loneliness Nagi's unused to.
Reo tilts his head to where his nose brushes into Nagi's hair. Rubbing his cheek against Nagi's head, Reo's whispers are quiet amongst the strands tickling his skin, voice softly panting and seductive. "Nagi…you can go faster now. I want you deeper inside me. Please, Nagi…fuck me."
Nagi's thick cock throbs with an unyielding desire, the heat pressing into him igniting the pleasure within Reo. His breath stuttering in his throat, Nagi looks at Reo, their eyes mirroring the lusty haze clouding their minds. Reo smiles at him and presses a gentle kiss against Nagi's lips, encouraging him to ravish him more. Mind in a spiraling daze, Nagi slides his cock out, a whine dying in Reo's throat as he's flipped over onto his back. Nagi captures his lips in a proper kiss, smothering the whine into a gasp.
Reo's lips part as his tongue flicks out against Nagi's lips, tasting the salty beads of sweat. Nagi doesn't push back, allowing Reo to enter his mouth. Reo kisses him deeply, tongue pushing against Nagi's in a one-sided dance of dominance. Saliva starts to pool at the corner of their lips, their kiss quickly turning sloppy and wet.
Nudging his nose against Nagi's, Reo runs his hands down to wrap his slim fingers around Nagi's cock. It twitches the moment he touches it, the throbbing length sticky from the precome dripping down the tip and from the wetness inside Reo's fluttering hole. Nagi groans and it's low, rumbling through Reo's chest.
Outside of bed, Nagi's emotions ranges being sleepy to a little hungry to very drowsy. But within the sheets and the comfort of the makeshift bed, Nagi's more expressive—letting out little noises when he feels really good, voicing the desperate moments of wanting to be in Reo, of wanting to come deep inside him. His unusually pale skin flushes with a pretty, rosy pink and his eyes shine with an abandoned passion. Every little thing about Nagi embeds themselves into Reo's bones, igniting a blazing arousal.
Reo's hand slides up and down the length with ease. He twists his hand gently around the head each time, adding a little more pressure to send a tingling sensation down Nagi's spine. Reo kisses through every groan from Nagi, swallowing them down his throat and into the pit of his stomach where the desire intensifies with each second.
Nagi's already so big in Reo's hand, Reo's barely able to fully wrap his fingers around the thickness. The gentle stroking along Nagi's cock only serves to make him bigger and feeling the pulsing veins in his hand makes Reo's mouth water, his saliva spilling in lines down his chin and throat. Reo sucks on Nagi's tongue, muffling a moan as he spreads his legs, digging his heels into the thin mattress. Pushing the head against his twitching entrance, Reo quickens his hand.
A sharp gasp parts Nagi's lips even more. Pressing his forehead against Reo's, their lips separating with a line of spit still connected, Nagi fixes his fiery gaze on Reo. There's a mischievous glimmer in Reo's eyes, the candlelight hitting the violet tones and darkening them with its shadows, adding to the natural allure Reo possesses. Nagi's hips buck into Reo's hand and with where Reo's teasing the tip of his cock, he can feel Reo's rim giving way, only for him to be denied full entry. The puckered rim sucks him in teasingly, but with Reo still stroking his cock, the head slips right back out.
"Reo." It almost holds a whine to it as Nagi pants lightly against Reo's glossy lips. "I thought you wanted me to fuck you."
"I do." Reo whispers, fingers squeezing around Nagi's cock, a gasping moan leaving his lips each time Nagi's inside him. It's torturous for Reo too, to be teased so by his own doing. But the desperation starting to seep into the desire within Nagi's cloudy eyes stokes the building fire inside Reo. This version of Nagi is intoxicating. Where he's on the thinnest thread, about to snap and lose control.
"Let me inside you then, Reo. I want to come inside you—" Reo twists his hand at the right spot, robbing Nagi of his words as a wave of pleasure crashes into him. Nagi moans, hips rocking quickly into that delicious friction as spurts of come spray out over Reo's hand and onto his clenching hole. Biting down on his bottom lip, muffling his moans, Nagi's eyes flashes dangerously.
Shuddering as the last bit of his climax spills onto Reo's flushed skin, Nagi nudges his cock against the messy hole. "I wanted to come in you, Reo. Why didn't you let me come in you?" Nagi mumbles, his words almost incoherent. "You get so tight when I do…"
"Oh? But I love when you mark me with your come." Reo closes his knees around Nagi, eyelashes fluttering as his walls clench around Nagi's tip.
"Reo." Nagi practically growls out his name.
He snatches both of Reo's hands, licking the remnants of his spent off of it before pinning both hands above Reo's head. A drip of his come slips from his tongue, falling down onto his cock pressing into Reo. Narrowing his eyes playfully up at Nagi, Reo dares to have a cheeky smile on his face. Groaning under his breath, Nagi snaps his hips, shoving his cock in with a rough thrust. All the come and slick smeared over Reo's entrance squelches loudly at the intrusion, splattering onto their skin in a creamy mess.
Reo chokes out an airy laughter that twists into a moan, head thrown back, eyes rolling to the back of his head from the sudden burst of pleasure. Nagi fills him all the way up, his cock practically made for his hole. He fits like a puzzle piece, slotting in perfectly. Stretching Reo's hole with its thickness right to the point where it's almost uncomfortable, but the slight sting of pain adds to the growing pleasure.
Unlike earlier, however, Nagi doesn't go slow. His erratic pounding has no rhythm and the pace is almost dizzyingly hasty, a whimpering moan punched out of Reo with each snap of the hips. The creamy mess sliding in and out along Nagi's cock starts to foam from the friction, spilling out onto the blankets. It's wet everywhere. Underneath Reo, where their bodies join in harmonious fucking, Reo's cock pathetically leaking out precome, their panting mingling together as their tongues rub against each other in an open-mouthed kiss.
There's not a single spot on Reo's body that isn't sticky with some sort of liquid.
Nagi slides his fingers between Reo's, squeezing his hands as he presses closer to Reo. Lately, Nagi has noticed how faint Reo's heartbeat is. It speeds up whenever they end up tangled in bed together, but it's still nowhere near his rapid heartbeat. So moments like these when he can feel Reo's heartbeat thumping against his chest, Nagi wants more. With their first time in bed always at the back of his mind, Nagi pushes Reo's limits, but it's never anywhere near to where it's too painful for Reo to handle. Nagi just can't help but coax out more moans from Reo, pounding into that sweet spot of his that has him gasping for breath and clawing at his skin.
It's addicting how Reo's heart seems to only beat for him.
"I'm going to come, Nagi. Fuck me harder, please, Nagi, oh fuck." Reo gives a gentle suck on Nagi's tongue, digging his nails into Nagi's hands. His hips are bucking to meet Nagi's hard thrusts, his hole contracting around his cock to encourage him to go in deeper, harder, rougher—Nagi's breath quickens and he holds onto Reo tight, slamming into his messy hole with a relentless pace.
Reo's breath is ripped out of him, his chest heaving with gasps. Nagi's fucking right into his prostrate, the spot abused over and over again. Reo's legs cling around Nagi's waist, his heels digging into his back as the pleasure starts to blind Reo, stars dotting his vision the closer he approaches his shattering climax. Nagi twists his hips, angling them to push in even deeper to the point Reo's imagining the tip of his cock poking out from his stomach. Reo whimpers, tears stinging at the corner of his eyes.
Nagi releases one of his hands to stroke Reo, his hand sloppy and out of sync with his thrusts. But the overwhelming pleasure of being fucked and jerked off at the same time sends an electrifying shudder through Reo. Nagi has his forehead presses against Reo's and though Nagi's stare is piercing, almost feral, Reo holds onto his gaze as his climax sends him over the edge, a moan choking out of him as Nagi bottoms out, grinding into Reo with a rock of his hips.
"N-Nagi!" The intensity in Nagi's eyes as he watches him come is overwhelming and Reo's body trembles uncontrollably, Nagi's merciless grip on his cock stroking him to completion, squeezing out every gush of come. Reo's walls tighten around Nagi's own hard, throbbing length, the squeeze almost making Nagi come too.
Gasping, unable to handle the pleasure shooting through him, Reo pushes at Nagi's shoulder, hips twitching as he tries to catch his breath. Nagi merely kisses down along his jaw, nuzzling the bottom of his chin as he pays extra attention to the tip of Reo's cock, twisting his palm around it as little spurts of come continues to squirt out.
"Reo." Nagi moans out into Reo's sweet scent. "Reo…"
A blush colors Reo's cheeks at the sound of his name. His name has never sounded so nice coming from someone before and though his mind is hazy from coming, he presses himself up against Nagi, whispering into his ear. "When you come again, can you call out my name?"
Nagi blinks. He bows his head, forehead bumping against Reo's shoulder. His response is a nod, a light slap against Reo's cock while his own cock grinds against Reo's inner walls, and a shaky exhale of a breath, hot against Reo's skin.
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[ SIDE QUEST COMPLETED!!! ]
An injured youth has landed at your feet, pitiful and utterly aroused. Feed him well! Care for him and tend to his cock! Raise affection level to seduce and fuck the villain and help save the future of Hakuho!
— 1/1 Injured Youths Healed and Fucked!
CURRENT AFFECTION LEVEL: 1000/1000
REWARD: A SEISHIRO NAGI—Through hardship and rough waters ahead, an iron-steel anchor, heavy with absolute commitment, to reach the depths of a raging ocean, to keep you afloat and secured from the ever shifting shadows of the future.
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"Reo…don't leave me." Nagi murmurs, rubbing his cheek along Reo's shoulder. He blinks his weary eyes up at Reo. There's a flicker of vulnerability in the grey eyes, the mist growing darker the longer he stares at Reo as if flooding with an infectious affection.
"Why do you think I'd leave you? I always come back when I go out on my little journeys." Running his slender fingers through Nagi's hair, Reo attempts to smooth down the stray strands. Nagi leans into the touch. "I never stay away for long either. I don't particularly like to leave you here all by yourself."
"I know…" Nagi's voice trails off, a subtle drowsiness underlying his tone. Exhaling a soft sigh, Nagi curls around Reo's smaller body, pressing his face into his neck. "Hmph."
Reo chuckles softly. He smooths the bangs back from Nagi's forehead, pushing them out of his eyes and kissing the spot right above his eyebrow. This small display of affection from Nagi never fails to make Reo's emotions run haywire. After all, who would ever expect the great villain of Hakuho to be so submissive towards the apple of his eye?
Nagi may not be expressive, but he's steadfast in what he wants and the moment he showed a single ounce of interest in Reo had him glued to Reo's side, not even letting Reo step foot outside for a breath of fresh air. And staying cooped up in a cavern had Reo craving sunlight and fresh air on a daily basis. Hence, the occasional outing would be killing two birds with one stone—he'll be able to bask in the crisp, welcoming air of the sun-kissed nature and also complete the trivial minor quests Chigiri randomly throws him.
If the rewards for the minor quests were insignificant, Reo would decline them without a second thought. But he couldn't pass up the rare materials and ingredients to feed him and Nagi for days. Really, the driving force behind the acceptance are the gold coins. How else is he supposed to make money in this world? Becoming a traveling merchant or a mercenary hunting down bounties are both out of the question. He had to think about Nagi. Leaving him alone to his own devices wouldn't be ideal.
Reo has to keep an eye on the big, bad villain. Who knows when a switch could flip inside him and he decides to finally take a step out of the cavern to wreak havoc? If Reo stays by his side, keeping his bed warm, Nagi can't spare any thought towards world domination.
"I adore you, Nagi. How could I leave you?" Whispering against Nagi's cool skin, Reo smiles. He's told Nagi plenty of times how much he enjoys being in his presence, but each time still sends a shudder through the both of them. As if the truth is embedding itself into their flesh.
Nagi gathers Reo more into his embrace. His eyes close, a worn-out serenity etched into his features. But a second later, his eyes flutter open and his hands find their way to cup Reo's cheeks, tugging Reo down to look at him. "Do you like me, Reo?"
"Do I like you?"
"Yes."
Do I like you?
Does he like Nagi?
Reo's thoughts whirl around in his head. His gut reaction tells him to say yes.
And yet, he holds back because the basis of their relationship started with Reo's intentions of saving the land of Hakuho in order to go back to his original world. While he's grown used to Nagi's presence, showering with adoration and infatuation, could Reo say with his whole heart—that barely beats until Nagi claims him in bed where it wildly thumps against his chest—that he genuinely likes Nagi? Is Reo confident that his feelings aren't blinded by the main quest always being at the back of his mind, a glaring reminder that this world could crumble in a second?
But if Reo's to say no, would that mean Nagi could go on a rampage anyway? Would Nagi rage war against the lands for not receiving the answer he truly wants? That would mean the end of not only Reo's life but also the lives of all the citizens and magical beings that roam the vast lands.
Reo wants to give Nagi a confident answer. That's what he deserves after all the attention and care he pours into Reo himself. Things may have been hesitant and rocky in the beginning with Nagi on edge, curiously wary of Reo, and Reo treading carefully to not set Nagi off. But his actions have always been honest. Honest to Nagi when they're snuggling under the warm blankets and he's whispering fond words into Nagi's hair, lulling him to sleep. Honest to the lives he's responsible with, the land he vowed to save from the brink of destruction.
If he's honest to both of them, is he even honest at all? Are his feelings for Nagi genuine then? Reo's thoughts wander back to Chigiri's words.
Fear not, though, my dear Reo. You need to only remember that there are more ways than one to conquer someone. To conquer does not necessarily mean to slay them.
"Reo?" Nagi shifts, thumbs brushing along Reo's cheeks. There's a hint of uncertainty furrowing his brows together.
Taking in a deep breath, Reo releases it in a question. "Do you like me, Nagi?"
"Yes. I like Reo." Nagi replies with no hesitation. His eyes are unwavering as he stares into Reo's shining eyes, the candlelight highlighting the deep violet hues. Nagi closes in, his lips hovering over Reo's as he asks once more, "Do you like me, Reo?"
Just as Nagi's about to kiss him, he freezes, eyes trained on Reo and lips slightly puckered.
Chigiri shimmers into existence, a sparkling noise announcing his presence and the transparent screen with his main quest scrawled on it. There are tiny fireworks of starlit bursts in the corners. "Congratulations, Reo. You've completed your main quest!"
[ MAIN QUEST COMPLETED!!! ]
As the hero of Hakuho, boundless hope and unwavering faith shrouds you as the symbol of salvation. You must conquer the slumbering villain before he wreaks havoc on the world, causing the devastating destruction of the world!
— 1/1 Slumbering Villain Conquered!
REWARD: A wish that transcends worlds and universes.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO USE YOUR WISH? YES OR NO
Reo stares blankly. His gaze flicks around Nagi's face before over to Chigiri. A faint pink colors his cheeks and he clears his throat, swallowing down the embarrassment. But he can't help but hiss at Chigiri, "Thanks. Did you have choose right now of all times to tell me?"
Under the blankets, Nagi's still buried deep inside Reo's abused hole after painting his inner walls with his come. Nagi had been insatiable, waking Reo up in the middle of night with his face buried in between Reo's legs, mouth and tongue working him open. Weak to Nagi's puppy-like eyes (and the immense pleasure he feels when he surrenders his body to Nagi), Reo allowed Nagi to have his way with him.
"Sorry. You know I always try to give you two some privacy but since he's confessed his feelings for you, the main quest's completed. I get dragged out when the screen comes out. I can't help it!" Chigiri's voice shimmers with guilt. But Reo can still hear the happiness within it. "Hold on—"
A blinding light flashes through the room. The candlelight is engulfed by the light and the cavern walls start to fade, the silhouette of the desk and bookshelves merging into the whiteness. Even Nagi is swallowed up by the light, his touch a mere memory now as the world spins around Reo. The light consumes Reo's body and consciousness, a gasp ripping out of him when he feels his whole being sucked up.
There's no pain. A deep discomfort shoots through him. It lasts for a fleeting second before his vision adjusts and he's back in the stark, white room with ceilings stretching straight to the heavens. He looks down at his body, the familiar white clothes billowing around him from a chilly breeze.
Chigiri's humanoid form stands before him. Though he can barely make out the features on its face, Reo can feel the stare bearing down on him. Under the scrutiny, Reo can't help but squirm.
"No need to stay there when you've finished with your task. It's more comfortable here anyway." Chigiri murmurs as images of Reo and Nagi start to pop up around them, pasted onto the translucent screens. A hum emits from Chigiri. "You've done well. Are you ready to use your wish?"
Reo's mind goes blank.
He's not sure what he was expecting. There's no grand procession now that he's completed his main quest. There's silence and Chigiri who stares piercingly into Reo's soul. Here, Reo's heart no longer beats. It lays still in his chest as if the faint beating heart was a mere dream, an illusion of what he truly desires—but in reality, he's left his beating heart behind with Nagi.
"If I'm here…what's going to happen to Nagi? To conquer his heart meant I had to be by his side and if I'm no longer there then what happens to him? Would Hakuho not collapse in his hands anyway?"
The stars making up Chigiri's form shift into a pondering pose. "There's a carbon copy of you that remains there. So the world remains as if you are still one with it even if you choose to return to your original world."
A carbon copy of Reo? A clone? To snuggle and cuddle with Nagi in his place? The thought settles like a heavy rock in his stomach, twisting his guts into a painful uneasiness. Into an envious, disgraceful thought—that's his spot.
Reo hasn't thought about his original world since he first found himself in bed with Nagi. His thoughts and being were too absorbed in Nagi and the land of Hakuho to even spare a thought about his original world. If he was to return to his family and friends, would they even remember him? The time passing Hakuho could be completely different than his original world. Who's to say there's even anything left for him?
As if able to read his thoughts, Chigiri speaks up, "If you choose to return to your original world, you'd return back to before your death."
If that fates had dictated his death to throw him into a world where he's a fish out of water to then have Nagi land in his lap, falling helplessly in love with him, then would this not be a endless cycle? He returns to his original world before his death and then what? If he's not able to save himself, he'd end up dead on the streets no matter what.
"Would I have my memories?"
"Of Hakuho and of our exchanges? No."
Forgetting Chigiri and the land of Hakuho would be one thing. But how could he forget Nagi? Nagi who told him not to leave him and here he was, standing in another dimension, far away from Nagi. His fingers twitch. Standing here now, all the hesitation and turmoil he put himself through when Nagi asked him if he likes him seems quite trivial now.
The answer's so obvious.
If the fates put him through all of this to be with Nagi, then he can simply follow his destiny. It was only right for him to be by Nagi's side and ensure he doesn't go down the worrying path of destruction. If he's the one who needs to be with Nagi then he'd gladly do so. He has to go back to the one who cradles his heart with care.
"Chigiri. I would like to use my wish."
Chigiri brims with burst of stars. Another assignment will be complete after granting this wish and it'll be one step closer. "Are you sure?"
"Yes." Reo doesn't ponder over the wish for too long. He fixes a smile onto Chigiri's luminescent form. "I wish for your freedom, Chigiri."
The words bring Chigiri's glittering form to a dim halt. It glides closer to Reo as if to hear him better. No one has ever wished something for Chigiri before. "What? You do know that'd mean you'd be stuck in this world. Do you not wish to go back to your original world?"
"No. I'm not confident the fates won't send me through hell and back again. I'd rather not get run over by a truck and…" Reo clears his throat, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "I'd like to believe the fates brought me to Nagi and vice versa because of true love."
After saying the words out loud, both Reo and Chigiri let out a wincing squeak. Embarrassment colors Reo's cheeks a rosy hue, but he doesn't take back what he said. He has a lot more he could say about how the twisted the fates are to bring lovers across universes and dimensions to be together. But he spares Chigiri the dramatics.
Reo waves his hand, bringing up the translucent screen. He affirms his choice, the smile playing along his lips. The sooner he does this, the sooner he can get back to Nagi. "I am ready to use my wish, Chigiri. I wish for your freedom."
"Reo." Chigiri's voice seems to waver, tears swelling with the ebb and flow of stars. "Thank you."
"If we're to meet again, I hope you're happy."
Another blinding light blasts through the room. Another gasp rips out of Reo.
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A knock sounds on the wooden door. Nagi looks up from his arms crossed over the desk, smudging the ink on his papers. A silhouette can be seen through the small window Nagi affixed in the door. Rain storms the earth, its heavy drops of water clattering onto the roof of their humble hut. Reo places a lid on the bubbling pot before shuffling over to the door.
"Reo." Sitting up, Nagi narrows his eyes at the silhouette. He can't sense a presence through the door, but whoever is on the other side continues to knock, their sounds mixing in with the torrential downpour.
"I know, I know. Be careful. What if they're stranded? It's pouring out and I'd rather take my chances. I wouldn't be able to sleep knowing I turned someone away and they caught an illness and then passed from it." Reo shakes his head.
"How would you even know if they died from it?" Nagi mumbles, watching helplessly as Reo opens the door. A vicious wind gusts through their home, rattling the windows and sweeping through the opened books on the desk.
"Ah! I thought you'd never open. The storm is out to get me, I swear. Do you mind boarding us until the rain lets up a bit?" Striking red hair peeks over Reo's shoulder. Even more odd is the tuft of orange hair behind the redhead.
Reo stares at the stranger before him. His features are sharp, almost feline like. They're unfamiliar and familiar all at the same time and a pang of pain shoots through his head as if he's trying to dig up memories long forgotten.
Before Reo can even lift his hand to rub at his forehead, the stranger pokes at the center of his forehead. A cooling sensation diffuses underneath his skin, easing the pain away. Nagi had shot up from his chair, the legs screeching against the floor. His movement had caused the one behind the redhead to shift, ready to spring into action if Nagi's provoked.
Reo waves his hand to dismiss Nagi's worries. Clarity had sunk in. There was only one being Reo knew of who could dissipate his headache with a simple touch. Reo's grabbing onto the person in front of him, fingers gripping onto their soaked shoulders. "Chigiri?"
"Reo. Long time no see." Chigiri flashes a pleased smile, head tilted to the side. "You're going to let me in, right? I'm shivering and wet and would love it if you could invite us for dinner."
Chigiri stands before Reo, void of the shimmering, glittering stars that make up his form, but there's a particular unburdened shine in his eyes that Reo doesn't miss. Reo's own smile slips onto his lips and he ushers the two in despite the wary look in Nagi's eyes. He doesn't know how he'll explain his companionship with Chigiri to Nagi.
Reo just knows there's a relief flooding his heart at seeing Chigiri alive and well, that the fates brought them together again.