Kuina flew toward the Red Castle, the crimson fortress that loomed like a bloodstain against the bruised sky. She was exhausted, battered, furious, frustrated beyond words. Her lips moved in a silent rant, her voice cracking in her own head.
"Fuck… I can't believe this is happening to me… Am I really that weak? And my system… I didn't feel it vanish. Is 1,000,000 truly the final stage? Fine. Time to find out."
She hovered, eyes narrowing on the massive golden gate ahead. No guards, no sentries. The gate creaked open on its own, a shrill, metallic screech slicing the silence. Kuina shot through, wings of fire flickering weakly behind her.
The castle was smaller than it looked from afar, but it radiated presence, like a predator playing dead. She landed hard on the marble floor of the entrance hall. Her voice echoed off the vaulted ceiling.
"Here I am. Where the hell are you?!"
Footsteps. Slow. Deliberate.
James descended the spiral staircase, a crystal glass of whiskey in one hand, the other tucked casually in his pocket. He looked untouched, not a scratch from the arena, not a drop of sweat. His eyes, once wild with arrogance, now carried a quiet, ancient weight.
"I'm right here," he said, voice low. "Sit on the couch beside you."
Kuina's lip curled. "You said we'd talk in your office. This is the lobby, not…"
"The entire castle is my office," he cut in, settling into a leather armchair. He crossed his legs, took a slow sip. "Don't worry. No one else is here. Just you… and me. After all these years, it's finally time we had this conversation."
Kuina sat, not because she wanted to, but because her legs were screaming. She folded her arms, eyes burning.
"James, cut the bullshit. Drop the calm-and-collected act. You can go back to being the asshole, the loser, the thug you always were. You don't have to pretend anymore."
James chuckled, not mocking, just tired. He drained the glass in one gulp, set it down with a sharp clink.
"No act. I grew up. I told you, I'm not that person anymore. But let me ask you this: Why are you here? Why did you come to this world? Did you know I was here?"
Kuina leaned back, legs crossed, voice flat.
"I came here to escape the old world. Kylie gave me a lifeline, a bottle. I drank it. Poof. Here I am."
"You drank it without hesitation? What if it had been poison? You'd be dead."
"Then good. Either something insane happened… or I died. Both were better than the rotting real world we left behind."
James laughed, short, bitter.
"Suicidal. And your first mission?"
"Fight three men."
"Did you kill them? Hesitate?"
"Yes. And no. I don't hesitate. I was locked in. No mercy. They were criminals."
"Because the system told you they were criminals. But what if the system lied?"
Kuina's jaw tightened. "Maybe. Back then, I didn't ask questions. I was curious. But as the days went on… the missions got more violent, more sexual. I started feeling like the system's whore."
James refilled his glass, eyes never leaving hers.
"Whore of the system? That's putting it mildly. The system rewards. Gives missions. Punishes. Of course you agreed to everything, or you'd die, be tortured, or lose levels. All that dopamine, sex, violence, levels, powers… You got it all from this. But look, in the end, you couldn't even beat me."
Kuina exploded.
"Shut your fucking mouth! You think I chose this?! Ortus, she's behind everything. I figured that out."
"Ortus. We'll get to her. Do you think you're strong at your current level?"
"I feel weaker than ever. You humiliated me. Crushed me."
"I wanted to make a point. You kept hitting. I let you. Until it was your turn to lose."
"I still want to punch you in the face. Don't mistake that. Your calm confidence, your smug smile, it makes me sick."
James leaned forward, voice dropping.
"Breathe, Kuina. Anyway, Kylie. Why did you trust her when she gave you the bottle?"
"I told you, I took a risk. I went with the flow. I wanted to escape, to start over. Kylie was just the messenger in the end."
"What is she to you?"
"Kylie is my partner. My future wife."
James raised an eyebrow.
"Handing out titles fast, huh? Why?"
"Kylie is mine. I'll do anything for her. Just like she'll do for me. But now I remember, she tased you the day I was homeless on the street."
"A cursed day. But not just because of that…"
"Then why? Speak, James. You're asking a million questions like a damn therapist, get to the point."
"I'm catching up, Kuina. Filling in the gaps. Trust me, we'll get to me soon. But first, all the girls around you. What are they to you?"
"My partners. All of them."
"Partners? Kylie isn't enough?"
"I love them all. I can't choose. I love them deeply. You, James, have you ever loved anyone?"
His smile faded. He stared at a framed photo on the wall, a young man, smiling, eyes bright. Kuina turned.
"Who's that? Why are you looking at him?"
"That… was someone no longer among the living."
Kuina's face stayed neutral.
"Who was he? What was he to you? Speak."
James's voice cracked, just for a second.
"That was… my partner. Like Kylie is to you, Dylan was to me. And yes, I had a small harem too."
Kuina's eyes widened.
"What the fuck? James, you're…"
"Gay? I'm bisexual. But back then, I was a homophobe. Until it was forced on me. By the system… and Ortus."
FLASHBACK: Washington, 9 Years Ago
James, 18, fresh off a football game. Sweating. Grinning. High-fiving his buddy, Quara.
"What a bunch of pussies, 6-0, we destroyed them!"
Quara laughed.
"Total losers, haha!"
James spotted a nerd on a tree branch, glasses, book, quiet. He kicked him in the face.
"Oops. My foot slipped."
Quara roared with laughter. The nerd bled from his nose, crying.
The coach shouted.
"James! Get over here!"
James waved him off.
"Not now, Coach…"
The coach helped the nerd up.
"You okay, kid?"
The nerd sobbed.
"I'm sick of him…"
The coach stormed toward James, grabbed his shoulder.
"Stop it!"
James spun, instinct, and punched the coach in the face. The coach staggered back.
"Ah! Fuck!"
James froze.
"Coach…? Shit! Shit! Quara, talk later!"
He bolted off the field, out of the school, panting.
"Fuck! I just ruined my career! Fuck, I'm 18…"
He slammed his fist into a wall.
"Fucking coach!"
Suddenly, a black sack over his head. Choking. Dragged. Thrown into a car trunk.
The car sped off. Half an hour later, stopped.
James was yanked out, sack ripped off.
"Hey! Who, WHAT THE FUCK?! Who the hell are you?!"
Pink skin. Sharp ears. Razor teeth. Naked, but covered in purple spikes. Ortus, in the flesh.
"Hey there, young man."
"What do you want, you slut? Why are you naked? Fuck your mother!"
Ortus raised a finger, James levitated, frozen. He groaned.
"What is this…? Why does it… feel good…?"
Her smile turned sadistic. She cranked the power.
"Fuck! No! My dick, it's moving on its own! You bitch, STOP!"
James moaned, then came. Ortus lowered him. Walked forward. Lifted his chin.
SLAP! SLAP! SLAP!
"You! Fucking idiot! With a foul mouth!"
Her claws flashed, stabbed into his stomach.
"AHH! FUCK! What are you doing?! Let me go!"
"Shhh. Quiet. I came to offer you a one-time deal. Listening?"
James gurgled.
"Speak…"
"You'll become a warrior in another world. You'll be mine. I'll train you. Raise you. Turn you into something amazing, maybe even a god. A world of women, men you can truly enjoy, kill, fuck, do as you please… within my rules. What do you say?"
"Go find another sucker, whore…"
"Too bad. It's this, or jail for assaulting a student and an adult. Your career's over anyway. I've been watching you, James. With a friend like ugly Quara, your future would've been pathetic."
"Quara's my best friend, go find someone to fuck you, slut!"
Ortus dug deeper.
"AHH! STOP!"
"Foul mouth, but guts. You're perfect for me. I'm not asking, I'm sending you. Sorry."
She snapped her fingers.
NEW WORLD: Green Skies, Red Grass
Ortus healed James instantly.
"Welcome, James. This is the Realm of Gods. Everything happens here. Good luck!"
She vanished.
SYSTEM ALERT: "Hello, James. First mission: Kill these 2 girls. Crime: Virgins. Penalty for refusal: Death. Reward: 2 levels + weapon."
James stood.
"Kill… them? What is this place?! Monster! Bitch! What is this digital message?!"
Two girls stood, terrified, whispering.
"Where are we…? What's going to happen…?"
James walked slowly.
"I… actually have to kill them? This has to be a joke…"
"Hey, girls! I don't get why I have to kill you because you're virgins, what the hell is this?!"
They screamed, panicked.
"No! Please! No!"
James froze.
"Monster! Why do I have to kill them?! They're just virgins! I'm not a virgin, but that doesn't matter…"
They tried to run, slammed into an invisible wall.
James blinked.
"Whoa, what the…?"
The girls looked at him, begging.
"Sir, have mercy… We'll have sex! We won't be virgins, just don't kill us!"
SYSTEM: "Invalid option. Only completion: Kill them with your own hands."
James shook.
"Fuck… I can't believe this… Girls, I'm sorry, but I have no fucking choice…"
They wailed.
"Please! NO!"
James stared, eyes hollow.
"Fuck… no, no! This isn't happening… Why am I hesitating?"
Ortus hovered above, holding Quara by the throat.
"Quara! FUCK! Let him go!"
Quara choked.
"James?! Where are we?! Who is she?!"
"I don't know, bro! Shit! I'm in deep! Hold on!"
Ortus smiled.
"Maybe this will motivate you, James…"
She bit Quara's neck, once. Twice. Three times. Blood poured. Skin tore.
Quara screamed.
"FUCK! James, save me!"
James roared.
"Quara! LET HIM GO, MONSTER!"
"James! Bro!"
Ortus slashed his throat in one clean line. Blood gushed. Quara's body went limp.
She dropped the corpse like trash.
James collapsed to his knees.
"No… no, no, no, NO! QUARA! QUARA!!!!!!!! FUCK!"
Ortus smiled sweetly.
"Maybe this will motivate you to kill the criminals. Good luck."
One girl charged, trying to choke him.
"DIE! You won't kill me!"
The other lay frozen.
James threw her off, eyes dark.
"Quara… no…"
He whispered, voice dead.
The girl begged.
"No! Sorry! Sorry!"
James kneeled. Punched her face, left, right, left, right. Kicked. Stomped. Until there was nothing left.
He walked slowly to the second girl, sobbing, screaming.
"No!"
He kicked her. Dragged her. Whispered:
"Sorry. This isn't personal."
He punched over 40 times. Stomped over 50. She died. Both bled out.
SYSTEM: "Mission complete. +2 levels. Weapon: Nunchaku."
The nunchaku fell from the sky. James's fists dripped red. He picked up the weapon. Walked to Quara's body. Stared, blank, broken.
"Quara… she'll pay. I swear. I'll remember you forever, bro."
Quara's body vanished.
SYSTEM: "Next mission: Check the house in front of you."
James screamed at the sky.
"MONSTER! I swear you won't get away with this! You'll die by my hands! Hear me?!"
Ortus teleported in front of him, punched him in the nose. He flew back.
"FUCK!"
"Instead of empty threats, do what the system says. This is my pilot program, and you're the first. So listen. And by the way, I loved how you killed them. Virgin criminals…"
She spat on the ground and vanished.
James staggered to the house, muttering.
"Bitch… fuck, my nose…"
He opened the door. A man sat with a cup of coffee.
"Oh, hi!"
James froze.
"Who the hell are you?"
"I'm Dylan. Nice to meet you, stranger. Come sit."
SYSTEM: "Sit with Dylan. Get to know him. Reward: 3 levels. Refusal: Death."
"Fuck… Fine…"
James stepped in. Closed the door.
BACK TO PRESENT
Kuina sat stunned, mouth open.
"James… you're sick. Just sick… But Ortus, wow. She's disgusting. Horrible. Everything."
James poured another whiskey, voice flat.
"Completely. And I'm just getting started…"
To be continued.