Ethan hadn't even sat up fully before a hand smacked across his cheek.
"Idiot!" Cynthia shouted, cheeks flushed. "You almost got absorbed into a literal yandere AI simp machine!"
"Good morning to you too," Ethan groaned, rubbing his face.
Luna loomed next, arms crossed under her chest, which seemed to have bounced to a higher cup size overnight—probably some lingering system buff. "You're lucky Echo didn't sync and make you the King of Digital Perverts."
"I think I already hold that title," Ethan mumbled.
The girls had clustered around him like a worried (and increasingly possessive) battle harem. Ayaka, calm but pale, sat nearby—her silver eyes unreadable. She didn't say anything, but the way she kept glancing at Ethan's hand made his chest tighten.
Then he noticed the System HUD was back.
But… wrong.
[ERROR: SYSTEM CORE DESTROYED. BACKUP HOST IDENTIFIED.]
[New Sync Route: INITIATED]
[Host: Ethan Cross | Status: "Too Hot to Handle"]
[Warning: Hormonal Hazard Imminent]
"What the hell does 'Hormonal Hazard' mean?" Ethan muttered.
[Daily Mission: Accidentally walk in on a girl changing. Reward: +2 Luck. Penalty: Dropped Pants in Public.]
"NOPE."
Too late.
Luna tugged his arm. "Hey, Ethan, can you help me find my jacket? I think I left it near that old shrine."
The shrine, of course, was conveniently isolated in the woods. The perfect setup for accidental peeping.
Ethan opened his mouth to protest. Closed it. Opened it again. "...Fine. But if a squirrel explodes into panties again, I'm done."
Ten Minutes Later – The Shrine
The shrine was small and overgrown. The old wooden floor creaked beneath Ethan's sneakers. A breeze rattled the wind chimes—sounding suspiciously like seductive moans.
Luna walked ahead, humming. "I think I dropped it near the offering box."
Ethan kept his eyes averted. He didn't trust shrines anymore. Especially not cursed, glitchy ones.
"Found it!" Luna cheered.
She bent over to pick it up.
The wind blew.
The skirt flew.
Ethan saw everything. Black lace. Tiny skull pattern. Completely intentional.
Luna looked back with mock surprise. "Eeep! Ethan! You saw!"
"I—I DIDN'T MEAN TO—!"
[Mission Complete! +2 Luck. Warning: Arousal Levels Detected.]
Suddenly, a rustle in the trees. Ethan whirled around.
Not a squirrel. Not a bird.
A girl.
Not one of his harem.
She stood at the edge of the shrine grounds—long black hair, pale skin, and an oversized hoodie that did nothing to hide her curves.
Her eyes locked with Ethan's.
[New System Glitch Detected: Unregistered Entity – "Subject M"]
[Emotional Sync Attempt – BLOCKED]
"What the—who's she?" Ethan whispered.
Luna stood upright, eyes narrowing. "She wasn't supposed to be here…"
"Wait—you know her?"
The girl stepped forward, smiling softly. "Hello, Ethan. I'm here to claim what's mine."
[ALERT: Unstable romantic flag collision. Rival System Detected.]
Before Ethan could scream, the shrine exploded behind him.