The quest notification burned in her vision like an accusation, crimson text that demanded her attention while two men stood expectantly before her, both waiting for answers she couldn't give.
"We need to talk," Marcus said again, his voice low almost resembling a growl
"About last night," Kaisen added before Rem could respond, his gaze holding hers with an intensity that made her head ache "About everything."
The notification pulsed insistently, demanding she acknowledge its existence:
[ARIA'S FAVORITE - Part 1 of 5]
[The Goddess has decided you're her favorite toy]
[Objective 1: Purchase at least 2 skills from Path of Desire skill tree]
[Objective 2: Use Aria's Kiss item ]
[Objective 3: Successfully seduce someone using only words]
[Time Limit: 72 hours]
[Rewards: 750 LP + Special Skill + Next Quest Chain]
[Failure: Aria personally intervenes in your journey]
[Accept? Y/N]
"Fuck," Rem whispered while mentally clicking [Y]. The notification dissolved with a sort of mocking cheerfulness that made her skin crawl.
"Rem?" Kaisen's voice held concern now, clearly taking her curse as potential rejection of whatever conversation he wanted to have.
She needed space. Needed time to think, to figure out how the hell she was supposed to navigate this mess without everything exploding in her face. "I need time to think," she announced while deliberately looking at neither man. "Both of you. Give me an hour."
Marcus opened his mouth—but Rem turned and walked away before he could speak, heading toward the edge of camp where the white ash trees provided cover from observation. Behind her she heard Elise's quiet laugh followed by a murmured conversation she chose not to strain to overhear.
The forest welcomed her with its familiar silence, white bark gleaming faintly in dying evening light while shadows lengthened between tree trunks that seemed to go on forever. Rem found a relatively secluded spot maybe fifty feet from camp—close enough for safety but far enough for privacy—and finally let herself process everything that had happened in the past twenty-four hours.
After about ten minutes of just silence, she took a deep breath, and let it out.
"Time to actually look at what I'm working with," she muttered while pulling up her full interface for the first time since receiving the Path of Desire tree. The familiar blue screens materialized in her vision, displaying information she'd been too distracted to properly review:
[STATUS ]
Name: Rem
Level: 7
STR: 11
DEX: 12
END: 12
VIT: 12
CHA: 21
LST: 15 (LOCKED - 6 days, 21 hours remaining)
HP: 240/240
Stamina: 180/180
LP: 1325
[stat points: 0]
SKILLS:
Mutilate (Rank C, Apprentice): Devastating finishing attack on wounded enemies. Damage scales with target's injury severity.
Basic Strike (Rank D Apprentice): Foundation of combat techniques. Covers guards, strikes, footwork.
Seduction Basics (Path of Desire (Passive) Rank Ex Master): Natural grace in movement, +2 CHA, unconsciously alluring.
ITEMS:
Iron Longsword (Equipped)
Leather Armor Set (Equipped)
Travel Clothes x2
Rations x15
Health Potions x8
Stamina Potions x5
Night clothes x2
Aria's Kiss - Enchanted Lipstick (10 charges)
47 Gold Coins
Wet panty
STATUS EFFECTS:
LST Locked (Prevents LST increases for duration)
Seduction Basics (Permanent enhancement)
The numbers painted a picture of in her. Level 7 against beasts that should require level 25 minimum. Skills that covered basics but nothing advanced. Stats that were decent but not exceptional except for CHA which had no use in this forest.
"I'm not strong enough," she said aloud to the uncaring trees. "None of us are for what's coming."
Which meant getting stronger, and that meant spending LP wisely. The Path of Desire tree unfolded before her when she focused on it, displaying options organized by branch and tier:
TIER 1: FOUNDATION
Unlock Requirement: Complete Aria's Attention Quest
CORE BRANCH
1. SEDUCTION BASICS (STARTING SKILL)
Type: Passive
Effect: Natural grace in all movements, unconsciously alluring presence
Stats: +2 CHA
Description: Your body moves with fluid elegance that draws eyes without conscious effort. Every gesture, every step, becomes subtly enticing to those attracted to you.
Unlocks: Sensual Grace, Desire Sense
2. DESIRE SENSE (250 LP)
Type: Active
Range: 30 feet radius
Duration: 5 minutes
Cooldown: 10 minutes
Effect: Sense arousal levels and basic emotional states of all individuals within range
Description: Close your eyes and feel the pulse of desire around you. Know who wants what, who fears whom, who burns with need they try to hide. A sixth sense of the body is unlocked.
Unlocks: Empathic Bond, Lust Tracking (Tier 2)
3. SENSUAL GRACE (150 LP)
Type: Passive
Effect: Movement becomes hypnotically fluid when observed by attracted individuals
Stats: +3 DEX when being watched by someone attracted to you
Description: When eyes that desire you follow your movements, your body responds by becoming even more graceful. Dodges flow like water, strikes land with perfect timing, every action becomes a performance that captivates your audience.
Unlocks: Phantom Touch, Dance of Desire (Tier 2)
4. INTIMATE WHISPER (220 LP)
Type: Active
Range: 30 feet (requires eye contact to establish)
Duration: 5 minutes
Cooldown: 15 minutes
Effect: Speak directly into target's mind with your voice perceived as seductive/intimate regardless of actual content
Description: Lock eyes with someone and open a mental channel between you. Your words appear in their thoughts as whispers against their ear, breath on their neck, lips moving close to theirs.
Unlocks: Mental Caress, Shared Dreams (Tier 2)
DOMINATION BRANCH
1. CHARM (200 LP)
Type: Active
Range: Touch or 10 feet
Duration: 10 minutes
Cooldown: 30 minutes
Effect: Target becomes more receptive to your suggestions and presence
Description: Your words carry weight beyond their meaning. Suggestions sound reasonable, requests feel like good ideas, your company becomes desirable. lowers resistance to persuasion.
Unlocks: Command, Mesmerize (Tier 2)
LST Impact: +0.5 per use
2. ALLURE (300 LP)
Type: Passive Aura
Range: 15 feet radius
Effect: Constant weak attraction aura affecting all valid targets
Stats: +2 CHA
Description: You radiate desirability like heat from flame. Those nearby find themselves drawn to you, wanting to be closer, to have your attention, to touch you. Effect is subtle but constant, building over time.
Unlocks: Siren's Call, Dominating Presence (Tier 2)
LST Impact: Passive drain of 0.1 per hour while active (can be toggled off)
SUBMISSION BRANCH
1 YIELDING ESSENCE (200 LP)
Type: Passive
Effect: Gain +3 END when following orders from someone
Bonus: Stamina regeneration increased by 25% while being submissive
Description: Surrender grants strength. When you obey commands, your body responds with enhanced endurance and vitality. The more willingly you submit, the more power flows through you.
Unlocks: Sweet Surrender, Masochistic Thrill (Tier 2)
2. VULNERABILITY DISPLAY (180 LP)
Type: Active
Duration: 15 minutes
Cooldown: 1 hour
Effect: Intentionally show weakness to attract protectors
Bonus: Nearby allies gain +2 STR, you gain +3 VIT while active
Description: Let your guard down deliberately. Show fear, uncertainty, need for protection. Those who care about you feel compelled to defend and assist, gaining strength from their protective instincts while you become harder to harm.
Unlocks: Damsel's Reward, Bound Power (Tier 2)
LST Impact: +0.5 per use
SURVIVAL BRANCH
1. CUM ADDICT (100 LP)
Type: Passive
Effect: Can sustain on sexual fluids alone (replaces food requirement)
Bonus: Consuming grants temporary +1 END per serving (max 5 stacks, lasts 6 hours)
Description: Your body has adapted to extract nutritional value from others fluids. While disgusting to your former self, it's practical survival mechanism in world where food scarcity kills.
Unlocks: Essence Absorption, Nutritional Corruption (Tier 2)
LST Impact: +0.1 per consumption
Warning: Regular use increases dependency
2. CORRUPTED RESILIENCE (175 LP)
Type: Passive
Effect: Resistance to LST increases and negative status effects
Stats: +2 VIT
Bonus: LST growth rate reduced by 20%
Description: Your body adapts to the changes being forced upon it, building resistance while maintaining benefits. The system's influence becomes slightly easier to manage as you learn to work with it rather than against it.
Unlocks: Adaptive Corruption, Corruption Shield (Tier 2)
TIER 2: SPECIALIZATION
Unlock Requirement: LST 20+ OR Complete 5 Seduction-based Quests(Locked)
Rem studied the options with tactical consideration rather than embarrassment for once. The quest required at least two purchases, but which ones would actually keep her alive? Charm and Allure were tempting for control but increased LST with use will be a bother for now. The submission branch made her skin crawl with implications she didn't want to examine. Cum Addict was... no. Just no.
That left the Core and Survival branches.
"Desire Sense sounds good, a sixth sense huh? isnt that basically op?" she decided after several minutes of internal debate. "It lets me know what people are feeling before they act... its useful in combat and social situations both."
[Purchase Desire Sense for 250 LP?]
[Y/N]
She clicked yes and felt something shift inside her head. A new sense awakening, dormant until activated but ready when needed. It was as if she had grown a new invisible organ.
"Corrupted Resilience next," she continued while reviewing its description more carefully. "+2 VIT, LST growth reduced by 20%. That's what mama needs right now"
[Purchase Corrupted Resilience for 175 LP?]
[Y/N]
Another yes. This time the change was more physical—warmth spreading through her chest and limbs, vitality increasing slightly, body becoming marginally more resilient to damage and... other influences.
Her stats updated immediately:
VIT: 12 → 14
HP: 240 → 280
LP: 1325 → 900
"One more," she murmured while eyeing Intimate Whisper with interest. Mental communication could be tactically invaluable, let her coordinate silently or have private conversations without others overhearing. The 220 LP cost was manageable...
[Purchase Intimate Whisper for 220 LP?]
[Y/N]
Yes again. This felt different from the others—a tingling behind her eyes, awareness of mental space opening up, connection waiting to be established.
LP: 900 → 680
[Quest Progress Updated!]
[Objective 1: Purchase 2+ skills - COMPLETE ]
[Objective 2: Use Aria's Kiss - PENDING]
[Objective 3: Seduce with words - PENDING]
Two objectives remained, and one of them she could complete right now if she played her cards correctly. Kaisen was waiting back at camp, probably nervous about their conversation. Time to stop being reactive and start taking control of situations!
Rem stood from her spot with renewed purpose, brushing the white ash from her clothes while mentally preparing for what came next. She'd written Kaisen as a protagonist who collected women through charm and capability. Time to see how he handled being on the receiving end of it, pause.
Camp came back into view soon enough—firelight flickering against the gathering darkness, three figures visible around the flames. Kaisen sat slightly apart from the others, checking his sword rather intensely
She approached deliberately, boots crunching on ash loud enough that he looked up before she reached him. The nervous energy in his posture was obvious now that she knew to look for it—shoulders tense, jaw tight, hands gripping the sword hilt harder than necessary.
"Hey," he started when she stopped maybe three feet away. "About earlier—"
"Stop," Rem interrupted while closing the remaining distance between them, invading his personal space with confidence that felt foreign but somehow natural . "I don't want to hear apologies."
His breath caught when she reached up to trace fingers along his jawline, touch feather-light but deliberately intimate. "W-what?"
"You know what I want?" she asked while leaning in close enough that her lips nearly brushed his ear, voice dropping to sultry whisper that made him shiver visibly beneath her hand. "I want you to stop holding back."
"Rem—" His voice came out rough, strained, hands coming up but not quite touching her.
"Stop pretending you're being noble," she continued while her other hand settled on his chest, feeling his heart pounding beneath the fabric. "We both know what you really wanted to do last night. What you wanted to do now. What you've been thinking about every time you look at me."
His hands finally settled on her waist—tentative, careful, like he expected her to pull away. She didn't. Instead she looked up at him through her lashes, using every technique Seduction Basics provided to make herself irresistible in this moment.
"Tell me I'm wrong," she challenged while her fingers traced down from his jaw to his neck, feeling the rapid pulse there. "Tell me you haven't been imagining this."
"I can't," he admitted in barely more than whisper, eyes locked on hers. "I can't stop thinking about you. About—"
She closed the final distance between them, lips almost brushing his, sharing his breath while his grip on her waist tightened convulsively. "About what?" she prompted, voice a purr that seemed to bypass his rational brain entirely. Her breast pushed against his chest, emphasizing the nonexistent distance between them.
"Everything," he breathed against her mouth. "I want everything with you..... with you both "
The moment hung suspended—her lips a fraction of an inch from his, his hands on her waist, both of them frozen in tableau of barely restrained desire. She could feel him trembling slightly, could see his pupils blown wide with want, could practically taste his need in the air between them.
And then she pulled away completely, stepping back with small smile that she knew looked absolutely wicked in the firelight.
"I'll play with you later," she said while walking away without looking back, hearing his sharp intake of breath behind her. "When I'm ready, you greedy bastard~"
To think he would mention Elise while having her give him such attention, truly greedy.
[Quest Progress Updated!]
[Objective 3: Seduce with words - COMPLETE ]
[Excellent execution! The Goddess is pleased~]
Rem fought the urge to smirk at the notification while returning to the fire where Marcus and Elise both watched her with entirely too much interest. Kaisen remained where she'd left him, sitting there looking thoroughly stunned and probably sporting an erection that would be uncomfortable for the next while.
"That was cruel," Marcus observed with obvious amusement, having watched the entire exchange from his position. "Poor bastard didn't stand a chance."
"What do you want, Marcus?" Rem asked while deliberately not looking back at Kaisen, though she could feel his gaze burning into her back.
"Same conversation we were supposed to have," he replied while standing and gesturing toward the forest. "Your turn to hear me out."
Part of her wanted to refuse—she'd already completed two quest objectives and dealing with Marcus felt like inviting more complications. But the other part, the part that had enjoyed making Kaisen squirm, wanted to see what the confident healer had to say.
"Fine," she agreed while following him away from camp in different direction than before. "But you get ten minutes, not an hour."
They walked in silence until the fire became distant glow through trees, stopping in small clearing where moonlight filtered through the branches overhead. Marcus leaned against a tree, his breath over hers
"You're different from what I expected," he started without preamble. "When Elise hired me for this escort job, I thought you'd be the typical adventurer. Brash, overconfident, probably dead within a week."
"Flattering," Rem muttered.
"But you're not," he continued as if she hadn't spoken. "You're calculating. Smart. And pretty of top of that " His grin turned appreciative. "That thing with Kaisen just now? That was such a performance and you know it."
"Your point?"
"My point is that I respect it," Marcus said while pushing off the tree to close distance between them. "No guilt trips, no apologies, im not pretending to be someone im not, il say it openly that im willing to go after you."
He stopped maybe a feet away. "I used to be a mercenary" he explained, tone shifting slightly. "Served under Elise's family for five years, it was good work, decent pay, felt like I was making difference."
"What happened?"
"Massacre," he said simply. "It was an assassination disguised as a monster attack. My entire unit died protecting the family estate. I survived because I was off-site treating injured in the city." His jaw tightened. "Came back to find everyone dead. People I'd trained with, fought beside, taught myself.. Gone."
The raw honesty caught her off-guard, what was he getting at? "I'm sorry."
"Don't be," Marcus replied with shake of his head. "It taught me that life's too fucking short for regrets. You take what you want while you can because tomorrow you might be corpse in a ditch somewhere."
"That's why you're here? Protecting Elise? Chasing me?"
"Life debt," he confirmed. "Her family saved me when I had nothing. Gave me purpose, a reason to keep going. So when she needed escort through dangerous territory, I volunteered." He met her eyes directly. "But that doesn't make me saint. I'm still human with wants."
"Like me?" Rem asked, already knowing the answer.
"Like you," he agreed without shame. "I don't regret touching you last night. Won't pretend I do. You needed release, I wanted to give it to you, such perfection" His grin returned. "Simple as that."
"You're different from him," she observed while gesturing vaguely back toward camp.
"Very," Marcus confirmed. "Kaisen's looking for romance, for connection, for something meaningful. I'm looking for good time with someone I find attractive and interesting. Different goals entirely."
"And you think I'll just—what? Let you fuck me because you're honest about wanting it?"
"No," he said with laugh. "I think you'll make your own decision based on what you want rather than what either of us wants. You're too smart to be pushed into anything." He stepped back, giving her space again. "But when you do decide what you want from me? I'll be rea-."
Before Rem could respond, Marcus's entire demeanor shifted—relaxed confidence becoming alert tension in a heartbeat. "Something's wrong..."
She felt it too now that he'd pointed it out. The forest was too quiet. No bird calls, no insect sounds, none of the normal nighttime ambiance that should surround them. Just eerie silence broken only by distant crackling of their campfire.
"How long has it been like this?" she asked while her hand automatically went to her sword hilt.
"Don't know. Just noticed." Marcus already had bow in hand, arrow nocked. "We should get back."
They returned to camp quickly but carefully, both scanning the darkness between trees for threats. The others had noticed too—Kaisen stood with his sword drawn, his back to Elise's whose hands glowed faintly with gathering mana.
"Something drove the animals out," Elise said without looking at them. "Hours ago probably. We just didn't notice."
"What kind of something?" Rem asked while drawing her own sword, leather-wrapped hilt comforting in her palm.
"The kind that hunts in packs," Kaisen answered grimly. "Can you hear that?"
Everyone fell silent, straining to catch whatever he'd noticed. There—distant howling, and many at that, wolfs?
"They're talking to each other," Marcus said quietly. "Surrounding us."
Rem's blood went cold because she knew exactly what was coming. She'd written this encounter as test for the party later in the journey when they were stronger, better equipped, more prepared. But Aria had accelerated everything, had pushed challenges forward to force her into impossible situations.
"Flame-born wolves," she breathed while recognition crashed through her. "And worse things."
"You know what's coming?" Elise asked sharply.
"Fire-element beasts, there will be too many for us to fight head-on." Rem's mind raced through options, finding precious few. "We need to run or find a defensive position."
"Too late for either," Kaisen said while pointing into the darkness where eyes had begun to reflect firelight—multiple pairs, surrounding the camp completely. "They're already here."
The beasts emerged slowly from shadows with deliberate menace, letting their prey see exactly what hunted them. Wolves came first—six of them, each massive and wrong in ways that made Rem's skin crawl. Fur smoldering with internal heat, ember-orange eyes glowing in darkness, fangs that dripped liquid flame onto white ash that ignited where it fell. Two-core beasts, every one of them, dangerous even individually but working together as coordinated unit.
Behind the wolves came things that shouldn't exist—amalgamations of flesh and magic gone wrong, creatures with proportions that violated basic anatomy. Arms too long that dragged on ground Joints that bent backwards or in directions no joint should bend. Faces melted and reformed into mockeries of various species, jaws that unhinged too wide revealing too many teeth. Seven of them shambling forward with guttural sounds that might have been communication or might have been simple madness given voice.
Thirteen two-core beasts surrounding four people
"We're going to die," Marcus said flatly, bow raised but clearly understanding how outmatched they were.
"Not if we're smart," Elise countered while ice magic gathered more intensely around her hands. "These are two-core. We can handle two-core."
"Not thirteen at once we can't," Kaisen replied, though he didn't lower his sword. "Where are the adults?"
"What adults?" Marcus demanded.
"Three-core beasts always lead packs," Rem explained while her racing heart made it hard to think clearly. "These are just the fodder, children who have not even matured properly. The real threats haven't shown yet."
As if summoned by her words, the two-core beasts suddenly parted—wolves and amalgamations both moving aside to create clear path through the forest, The temperature dropped several degrees despite the fire-born creatures surrounding them, like reality itself recoiled from what approached.
But nothing emerged from the darkness yet. The pack just waited with eerie patience.