The next morning, steam was gone, but the heat lingered.
Tidam walked through Central together — Tim at the front, Jenny's stride sharp beside him, Yuko and Amy flanking, Nina and Lacey close behind. People stared. Not just because Tidam had achieved the impossible — a registered five-member alliance — but because the women beside Tim looked like they'd walked out of five different fantasies.
At Central, the words carved deep into slate glowed in torchlight:
TIDAM.
Mission: Protect the women.
Tim felt something solid for the first time in weeks.
—
Three months later, Tidam was more than a name.
Nights were drenched in blood. Training became routine: Lacey crushing dummies with the efficiency of a CrossFit star, sweat streaming down her sports-bra-like top, muscles flexing each time she swung. Tim's eyes always lingered, even when he tried not to.
Yuko darted through shadows with a smirk, her skirt too short to hide the curve of her thighs, the way an idol's fancam would catch just enough to make fans go crazy. She always threw a glance over her shoulder at Tim, knowing he was watching.
Amy played bait, her hoodie slipping off her shoulder during drills, chest bouncing as she pretended to stumble. She pouted at Tim every time she got corrected, like a streamer begging for subs. His body tensed each time she leaned close.
Jenny's blade was flawless, her robe split high at the leg, flashing skin as pale as neon-lit porcelain. Every slash was clean, every curve distracting. She was the kind of woman Tim had seen once in an ad and never forgotten — sharp, sexy, untouchable.
And Nina… Nina turned training into seduction. She'd run her blade along her thigh during cooldowns, oil glistening across her skin, like she was advertising something far more dangerous than a weapon.
Tim tried to focus on leadership, but he was a man surrounded by temptation. His cock was often stiff during drills, his voice sharper than usual as he tried to bury it under orders. The women noticed. They always noticed.
—
But the days balanced the nights.
They swam in rivers, where Amy splashed him like a bratty kid while Jenny stretched out on the rocks, robe sliding dangerously low. Lacey laughed loud, dripping water down her cleavage like a slow-mo sports drink ad. Yuko filmed the chaos on a salvaged phone, muttering that if this were the old world, they'd all be trending. Nina, of course, made sure to "fix" Tim's towel every time it slipped — tugging it just a little too low before smirking.
Even at meals, the teasing never stopped. Jenny licking broth off her finger while glaring at him. Amy shoving meat into his mouth like she was feeding a boyfriend. Yuko whispering something dirty just low enough to make him choke on his drink. Lacey "accidentally" brushing against him while passing dishes. Nina? She just smiled, always the therapist, always the temptress.
It wasn't a normal alliance. It was a dangerous cocktail of lust, trust, and jealousy.
—
Then the notice came.
Alliance Mission — The Killing Marathon.
Rule: Survive five nights. Eliminate as many as possible. Top 10 Alliances will be rewarded. Fail, and be erased.
Tim ripped it from the board, reading it aloud.
Jenny smirked, brushing hair from her damp collarbone. "Finally. A challenge worth our blades."
Lacey tied her hair up, tank top sticking to her chest. "Top ten? We'll crush them."
Amy clutched Tim's arm, pressing soft against him. "But that means… fighting other alliances, right? Not just monsters…" Her voice trembled like she was both scared and secretly thrilled.
Yuko crossed her legs, the towel riding high. "Good. I was getting bored."
Nina leaned in close, her hand brushing Tim's shoulder, cleavage hovering in his view. "Let me be your eyes in the chaos," she whispered. "I'll make sure you see what no one else can."
Tim looked at them — sweat, skin, blades, jealousy, loyalty. His body burned hotter than the torches above.
Tidam wasn't just registered anymore.
They were official. And soon, the whole Ville would find out just how dangerous — and how irresistible — they really were.