Day 22 Post-Impact - Dawn
The combined forces gathered at the school gates.
Forty awakened total. Twenty-six from Harmony Sect, fourteen from Sunway. The largest military operation either faction had attempted.
Sarnav stood at the front, reviewing the assembled fighters. His soul perception painted them in emotional colors. Determination. Fear. Excitement. Bloodlust, from a few who'd lost people to raiders before.
The Sunway contingent included the three women he'd flagged.
Minji wore combat gear over her gaming hoodie, her purple hair tied back in a practical ponytail. She'd traded her usual cheerfulness for focused intensity.
Jade hung at the edge of the group, tablet in hand even now, probably running last-minute calculations. Her pale face showed nothing, but her aura flickered with nervous energy.
Ananya stood with the support teams, her small frame almost lost among the larger fighters. She caught his eye and offered a shy smile.
[PROSPECTIVE BONDS - STATUS CHECK]
[PARK MINJI: PRESENT - EMOTIONAL STATE: FOCUSED, EAGER TO PROVE HERSELF]
[WONG YUK-KING: PRESENT - EMOTIONAL STATE: ANALYTICAL, CONCEALING ANXIETY]
[ANANYA KRISHNAN: PRESENT - EMOTIONAL STATE: NERVOUS, HOPEFUL]
"Everyone knows the plan," Sarnav addressed the group. "Three teams. Alpha hits the front gate, draws their attention. Beta flanks from the east, cuts off retreat. Gamma holds the perimeter. No survivors escape to rebuild elsewhere."
Dr. Lim stepped forward. "Sunway stands with Harmony. Today we eliminate a common threat. Tomorrow we build something stronger together."
Murmurs of agreement rippled through the assembled fighters.
"Move out," Sarnav commanded.
The raider camp looked different in daylight.
The shopping complex they'd fortified was larger than Sarnav remembered, the barricades more extensive. His enhanced senses counted thirty-four hostiles inside, four awakened among them.
One more than their initial scout had detected. Someone had joined the raiders recently.
"They've got reinforcements," he said quietly to Chen Wei. "Four awakened now, not three."
"Can we still take them?"
"We can take them." Sarnav's eyes found the strongest signature in the camp. D-rank, like him before the breakthrough. A threat to the others, but manageable for his new power level. "I'll handle their leader. You coordinate the assault."
"Understood."
Sarnav moved to the Alpha team's position. Ishani was there, along with Hafiz and six others from Harmony. The Sunway additions included Minji and, surprisingly, Jade.
"I thought you were staying with the support team," he said to the hacker.
"Changed my mind." Jade didn't look up from her tablet. "I've identified their communication frequencies. I can jam them when you attack. No coordination, no reinforcements."
"Useful."
"That's why I'm here." She finally met his eyes. "Don't waste it."
Minji bounced on her heels, restless energy bleeding through. "When do we start? I've been practicing my illusions all week."
"Soon. Wait for my signal."
He moved through the assembled fighters, offering encouragement, checking equipment, using his soul perception to identify those who needed steadying. A word here, a nod there, small touches that built confidence.
Ananya was with the Gamma team, assigned to perimeter duty. She looked terrified.
"Hey." He crouched beside her. "You okay?"
"I've never fought before. Not really." Her voice trembled. "At Sunway, I stayed in the back. Supported. I've never actually..."
"You don't have to kill anyone. Gamma's job is containment. Watch the exits, alert us if anyone runs. That's all."
"What if someone gets past? What if I have to fight?"
"Then you use your power." He took her hand, feeling it shake in his grip. "Rhythm magic. You can disorient, confuse, throw off their timing. You don't need to be strong. You just need to be smart."
She looked at their joined hands, then up at him. "You really think I can do this?"
"I know you can."
[ANANYA KRISHNAN - EMOTIONAL STATE: STABILIZING]
[CONFIDENCE: INCREASING]
[NOTE: SUBJECT RESPONDS STRONGLY TO DIRECT REASSURANCE]
"Thank you," she whispered. "For believing in me."
"Always."
He squeezed her hand once, then moved back to Alpha team. The sun was fully up now, the assault window opening.
"Jade. Jam their comms."
"Already done." She smiled thinly. "They're blind and deaf."
"Then let's begin."
The assault was brutal and efficient.
Alpha team hit the front gate like a hammer. Sarnav led the charge, his B-rank power tearing through the makeshift barricades. Raiders scrambled to respond, but without communications, their defense was chaos.
Ishani's light blazed beside him, beams cutting down anyone who tried to organize resistance. Hafiz's lightning crackled through groups of enemies. The Harmony fighters moved with practiced coordination.
Minji proved her worth immediately.
Her illusions turned the raiders' own camp against them. Phantom attackers appeared from impossible angles, drawing fire away from real threats. Walls seemed to shift, doorways vanished, the entire complex became a maze of deception.
"Left corridor's clear!" she called, her power flickering around her hands. "But there's a group forming in the central atrium. Eight, maybe ten."
"I'll handle it." Sarnav pushed deeper into the complex, trusting his team to secure the cleared areas.
The raider leader found him first.
D-rank, as expected. A big man with fire abilities, flames wreathing his fists as he stepped into Sarnav's path.
"You're the one who's been causing trouble." The raider's voice was rough, scarred. "Thought you'd take what's ours?"
"I'm taking what threatens my people."
"Then come take it."
Fire erupted toward Sarnav.
He flew over it.
The raider's eyes widened. Flight was rare, a clear indicator of Nascent Soul or higher. Before he could adjust, Sarnav was on him.
The fight lasted twelve seconds.
Sarnav's enhanced strength, speed, and combat instincts overwhelmed the D-rank completely. Every punch landed, every dodge was effortless, every counter was anticipated and neutralized.
When the raider leader fell, unconscious and beaten, his followers lost the will to fight.
"Surrender or die!" Sarnav's voice carried through the complex. "Your leader is down. Your defenses are broken. This is your only chance."
Weapons clattered to the ground throughout the building.
The cleanup took longer than the fight.
Prisoners were secured, wounded were treated, the complex was searched for supplies and intelligence. Beta and Gamma teams reported minimal resistance, the raiders too demoralized to attempt escape.
Total casualties: Three wounded on their side, none fatal. Eleven raiders dead, the rest captured.
A decisive victory.
Sarnav found Minji helping to organize the prisoners, her illusions now used to keep them disoriented and compliant.
"Impressive work," he told her.
"Yeah?" She grinned, some of her usual energy returning. "I've been practicing. VR manipulation isn't just for games, you know."
"Clearly not. You turned their whole base into a trap."
"That was the plan." She fell into step beside him as he walked. "So, we won. What happens now?"
"Now we integrate. Combine resources, territory, population." He glanced at her. "What happens to you depends on what you want."
"What I want?"
"You could stay with Sunway. Keep doing what you've been doing. Or..." He let the implication hang.
Minji was quiet for a moment. "You're asking if I want to join Harmony Sect."
"I'm asking if you want to be part of something bigger."
"With you?"
"With all of us."
She stopped walking, studying his face. Her soul perception read curiosity, attraction, and careful calculation.
"I'm not naive, Sarnav. I've seen how you operate. The women around you. The bonds you're building." She crossed her arms. "Are you asking me to join your faction, or your harem?"
Direct. He appreciated that.
"Both. Eventually. If that's something you want."
"And if I just want to join the faction? Keep things professional?"
"Then we keep things professional. I won't force anything."
She considered for a long moment. "I'll think about it. The faction part, I mean. The other part..." A hint of a smile. "That might take longer."
"Take all the time you need."
[PARK MINJI - STATUS UPDATE]
[FACTION INTEREST: HIGH]
[ROMANTIC INTEREST: DEVELOPING]
[NOTE: SUBJECT PREFERS DIRECT COMMUNICATION AND CLEAR EXPECTATIONS]
Jade found him next.
She'd set up a makeshift command post in what had been the raiders' communication center, her tablet connected to their salvaged equipment.
"Interesting data," she said without preamble. "The raiders were more organized than we thought. Supply routes, trading partnerships, even diplomatic contacts with other groups."
"Useful intelligence."
"Very useful. I've already mapped their network. Six other raider bands in the greater KL area, all loosely affiliated." She looked up. "If we're smart about this, we can turn their infrastructure against them. Co-opt their contacts, absorb their territory."
"You've been busy."
"I'm always busy." She stood, stretching. "So. That display with the raider leader. B-rank?"
"Nascent Soul. Yes."
"That's faster than any progression model I've developed. Three weeks from awakening to B-rank." Her eyes narrowed. "Your system must be remarkably efficient."
"It has its advantages."
"I want to know more. About your system, your cultivation method, your... network." She stepped closer. "I've agreed to nothing yet. But I'm willing to listen. If you're willing to share."
"Information has a price."
"Everything has a price. Name yours."
"Join Harmony Sect. Bring your skills, your intelligence, your analytical abilities. Work with us instead of just alongside us."
"And in exchange?"
"Access. Not to everything, but enough to satisfy your curiosity. And protection. Resources. A place where your talents are valued."
She was quiet, processing. Her emotional state through soul perception was complex, layers of interest, suspicion, and grudging respect warring with habitual isolation.
"Trial period," she said finally. "One month. I work with your faction, observe your methods, contribute my skills. At the end, I decide whether to stay permanently."
"Fair enough."
"And the other thing?" Her expression didn't change. "The harem. I'm not naive either."
"Not part of the trial. If that develops, it develops naturally. No expectations, no pressure."
"Good." She extended her hand. "Then we have a deal. Idiot."
The insult was almost affectionate. He shook her hand.
[WONG YUK-KING "JADE" - STATUS UPDATE]
[FACTION STATUS: TRIAL MEMBER]
[ROMANTIC INTEREST: MINIMAL (CURRENTLY)]
[NOTE: TSUNDERE ARCHETYPE - AFFECTION EXPRESSED THROUGH INSULTS]
[APPROACH: PATIENCE REQUIRED]
Ananya found him last.
She was sitting alone near the complex's entrance, knees drawn to her chest, staring at the aftermath. The bodies had been removed, but bloodstains remained.
"Hey." He sat beside her. "How are you holding up?"
"I didn't have to fight." Her voice was small. "No one came my way. I just... watched. And waited."
"That's what you were supposed to do."
"I know. But everyone else was fighting, contributing, being brave. And I just stood there."
"You held your position. You followed orders. That's contributing."
"It doesn't feel like it."
He studied her profile. Delicate features, expressive eyes, the build of a dancer rather than a fighter. She wasn't suited for combat, and they both knew it.
"Can I tell you something?" he said.
She nodded.
"Not everyone needs to fight. Some people are meant to build. To create. To heal. To inspire." He turned her face toward him gently. "Your power is about rhythm. Harmony. Performance. That's not a warrior's gift. It's an artist's."
"Art doesn't matter in the apocalypse."
"Art is the only thing that matters in the apocalypse. It's what reminds us we're human. What we're fighting to preserve."
Tears welled in her eyes. "You really believe that?"
"I do." He wiped a tear from her cheek. "I've seen what happens to communities that lose their art, their music, their beauty. They survive, but they stop living. I don't want that for my people."
"Your people." She laughed weakly. "You make it sound like a kingdom."
"Maybe it will be. Someday." He held her gaze. "And every kingdom needs its dancers."
She stared at him. Something shifted in her expression, vulnerability giving way to something warmer.
"You're not like anyone I've ever met," she whispered.
"I'll take that as a compliment."
"It is." She leaned closer, her eyes flicking to his lips. "Can I... would you..."
She kissed him.
Soft, tentative, barely more than a brush of lips. She pulled back immediately, face flushing.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have, you have Nisha and Ishani and I'm not, I mean, I don't expect—"
He silenced her with a proper kiss.
Not gentle this time. Firm. Claiming. His hand cupped the back of her head, holding her in place while his mouth explored hers.
When they broke apart, she was breathless.
"Oh," she managed.
[FIRST KISS - ANANYA KRISHNAN]
[HARMONY ESSENCE: +1,000]
[COMPATIBILITY CONFIRMED: 88%]
[BOND POTENTIAL: WIFE #11]
[EMOTIONAL STATE: OVERWHELMED, ELATED, UNCERTAIN]
"That doesn't mean I expect anything," Sarnav said. "But I wanted you to know where I stand."
"Where do you stand?"
"Interested. Very interested." He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "But like I told Minji and Jade, nothing happens unless you want it to. You set the pace. You decide how far this goes."
"And if I want it to go far?"
"Then we'll get there. Together."
She was quiet, processing. Then she smiled, bright and genuine and beautiful.
"I think I'd like that," she said. "Getting there together."
[ANANYA KRISHNAN - STATUS UPDATE]
[RELATIONSHIP: POTENTIAL BOND INITIATED]
[EMOTIONAL STATE: HOPEFUL, COMMITTED]
[NOTE: FIRST KISS ACHIEVED]
[HAREM NETWORK STATUS: STILL REQUIRES FULL BOND (FIRST CULTIVATION)]
The return to base was triumphant.
The community gathered to welcome them, cheers erupting as the convoy rolled through the gates. The raider threat was eliminated. The alliance was cemented. The future looked brighter than it had in weeks.
Mythili was waiting in the crowd.
She pushed through to reach him, her face a mix of relief and residual worry.
"You're safe," she said, pulling him into a hug.
"Told you I would be."
"You always say that. One day you'll be wrong." She pulled back, studying him for injuries. "Any wounds? Any problems?"
"Nothing serious. A few scratches."
"Let me see."
"Mother, I'm fine."
"Let me see." Her voice brooked no argument.
He allowed her to inspect a minor cut on his arm, cleaned and bandaged hours ago. She examined it with the intensity of a surgeon.
"This should be looked at properly."
"It's already been treated."
"By who?"
"The medical team."
"I want Dr. Lim's people to examine you." She frowned. "You take too many risks, Sarnav."
"Taking risks is how we win."
"Taking risks is how people die." Her hand lingered on his arm. "I've already lost your father. I won't lose you too."
"You won't."
"Promise me."
"I promise."
She held his gaze for a moment longer, something complicated flickering behind her eyes. Then she stepped back, composing herself.
"Go. Celebrate with your people. Your... women." The word held no judgment, just acknowledgment. "I'll be in my quarters if you need anything."
She walked away before he could respond.
[MYTHILI KISH - INTERACTION]
[EMOTIONAL STATE: RELIEVED, WORRIED, COMPLEX]
[NOTE: MATERNAL CONCERN ELEVATED]
Day 22 Post-Impact - Night
The celebration was well underway when Nisha pulled him aside.
"I heard what happened," she said. "With Ananya."
"News travels fast."
"It's a small community." She crossed her arms. "You kissed her."
"She kissed me first."
"And you kissed her back. Properly, according to reports."
Sarnav didn't deny it. "Are you upset?"
"I don't know what I am." She was quiet for a moment. "I thought I'd be angry. Jealous. The usual things. But mostly I just feel... resigned? Like I knew this was coming."
"It doesn't change anything between us."
"Doesn't it?" She looked at him. "Every new woman changes things. The dynamic shifts. The time gets divided. The attention gets split."
"The love doesn't get split. It multiplies."
"That's a nice sentiment. I hope it's true." She sighed. "I'm not going to fight it. I already decided that. But I need you to understand something."
"What?"
"Ananya is sweet. Innocent. She's not like me or Ishani. She won't be able to handle being pushed aside or ignored." Nisha met his eyes. "If you bring her into this, you take care of her. Properly. No matter how many others come after."
"I will."
"Promise me."
"I promise."
She studied him for a long moment. Then she nodded.
"Okay. Then go find Ishani. She's been waiting for you all night." A ghost of a smile. "Something about celebrating properly."
"You're not joining us?"
"Not tonight. Tonight I need to process." She kissed his cheek. "But tomorrow... maybe we talk about how this all works. The three of us. Four of us, now."
"I'd like that."
"Good." She walked away, disappearing into the celebration.
Sarnav watched her go, feeling the complicated weight of everything he was building.
Then he went to find Ishani.
Ishani's room. Again.
She'd been waiting, as Nisha predicted. The moment he entered, she was on him.
"Took you long enough." She pushed him against the door, kissing him hard. "I've been thinking about you all day. Watching you fight, lead, win. Do you have any idea what that does to me?"
"I have some idea."
"No. You don't." She pulled his shirt over his head. "Watching you tear through those raiders. Seeing you fly. Feeling your power..." She shivered. "I've never wanted anyone the way I want you right now."
"Then take what you want."
She did.
She pushed him onto the bed, straddling him, her hips grinding against his growing erection. Her clothes came off in quick, practiced motions, revealing the athletic body he'd come to know intimately.
"I want to try something new," she said.
"What?"
"Everything." She positioned herself over his face. "Start here."
He obliged.
His tongue found her center, already wet with arousal. She moaned, grinding against his mouth, using him for her pleasure with uninhibited enthusiasm.
"Yes. Just like that. God, your tongue is amazing."
He worked her with focused attention, his enhanced senses reading every response, every shiver, every catch of breath. She came once, twice, each orgasm making her more sensitive, more desperate.
"Enough." She slid down his body, positioning herself over his cock. "I need this."
She impaled herself in one motion.
Both of them groaned. The sensation was intense, heightened by anticipation and victory and raw need.
"Ride me," he ordered.
She did. Hard and fast, her athletic body rising and falling with tireless energy. Her breasts bounced with each motion. Her moans filled the room.
"Sayang, yes! Harder! Make me feel it!"
He grabbed her hips, pulling her down as he thrust up, meeting her movements with equal intensity. The bed creaked beneath them, headboard slamming against the wall.
"I'm close," she gasped. "Don't stop. Don't you dare stop."
He didn't stop. He reached between them, rubbing her clit while maintaining the brutal pace.
She shattered.
Her orgasm was loud, visible, her whole body convulsing above him. He followed moments later, burying himself deep, filling her with his release.
She collapsed onto his chest, breathing hard.
"We're doing that again," she managed. "As soon as I can move."
"Give me five minutes."
"Three."
They managed four.
The second round was slower, more deliberate. He took her from behind, her face pressed into the pillow, his hands exploring every inch of her body.
"I love how you feel inside me," she moaned. "So deep. So full."
"You love everything about this."
"I do. I really do." She looked back at him over her shoulder. "I heard about Ananya."
"Does that bother you?"
"Should it?"
"I'm asking."
"No." She pushed back against him, taking him deeper. "I've accepted what this is. What you need. As long as you keep coming back to me, keep making me feel like this, I don't care how many others there are."
"I'll always come back to you."
"Prove it."
He did.
By the time they finished, both of them were exhausted, satisfied, tangled together in sweat-soaked sheets.
"One more thing," Ishani said sleepily.
"Mm?"
"Ananya. Be gentle with her. She's not like me."
"That's what Nisha said too."
"Then listen to us." She pressed a kiss to his chest. "Now sleep. Tomorrow's going to be complicated."
She was right about that.
[DAILY CULTIVATION SUMMARY]
[COMBAT ACTIVITIES: +5,000]
[LEADERSHIP BONUS: +2,500]
[FIRST KISS - ANANYA KRISHNAN: +1,000]
[INTIMATE ACTIVITIES - ISHANI: +12,000]
[TOTAL ESSENCE: 46,000 / 500,000 TO SOUL TRANSFORMATION]
[BOND STATUS - NISHA RAMACHANDRAN]
[RELATIONSHIP: SOULBOUND]
[EMOTIONAL STATE: ACCEPTING, CONCERNED FOR NEW ADDITIONS]
[BOND STATUS - ISHANI SUPPIAH]
[RELATIONSHIP: BONDED]
[EMOTIONAL STATE: SATISFIED, SUPPORTIVE]
[NEW DEVELOPMENTS:]
[PARK MINJI - FACTION INTEREST (CONSIDERING)]
[WONG YUK-KING - TRIAL MEMBER (1 MONTH)]
[ANANYA KRISHNAN - FIRST KISS (BOND POTENTIAL CONFIRMED)]
[HAREM NETWORK: STILL 1 FULL BOND SHORT OF ACTIVATION]
[NOTE: FIRST CULTIVATION WITH ANANYA WILL COMPLETE THIRD BOND]