Chapter 2 – Selecting a Path
"DIEEEE!" a monstrous voice roared as a giant, broadsword descended upon my already battered body.
"NOOOO!" I screamed at the top of my lungs, dragging my bloodied self away from the blade as fast as I could.
The entire place was a bloody mess.
Heads were tossed at every corner and several bodies turned into bloody paste.
How am I supposed to fight something that dismembered Big Bone in a single strike?!
What the actual fuck!
This is no anime bullshit and I'm not some main character. At least I would have a reasonable ability if I was.
I screamed and pleaded for my life but yet the blade came crashing down.
Then suddenly everything went black.
"NOOOO!"
I found myself jolting up into wakefulness.
I could hear my heart pounding like an ancient engine inside my chest, almost bursting through my rib cage.
What the hell?
I was sweating buckets, my clothes immensely wet.
I looked around frantically, severely panting as I was barely able to breathe properly.
Immediately, I experienced a snap in my head, recalling the exact same incident where a blade descended on me again.
I hurriedly checked my body but there was nothing.
No blood. No injuries.
Absolutely nothing had happened to me.
Even my arm that I remembered being torn off from my body was back to normal.
What the hell is going on here?
I was dead.
I saw the team being massacred.
I witnessed Big Bone, a B class hunter, being torn into two halves despite his size.
My body crawled with a cold sensation that left me hugging myself.
It was a traumatic moment for me—for all of us.
So how am I still alive?
Was it a dream—no, a nightmare?
That's not possible.
My eyes strayed as I pondered on this, trying to make sense of my environment and soon, I realised that I was in a hospital.
"How did I get here?" I muttered to myself. "What's happening?"
Bzzt!
I noticed a sudden digital twitch in the air that drew my attention.
Bzzt!
[Welcome, host]
"The fuck?"
I pushed back on my bed a little, getting away from the floating message.
The events that have led to this point were yet to make any sense to me, not to talk about this one happening right now.
I could hear the digitised voice of the woman behind the message.
"What th—who are you?"
[The Harem System]
[You have been chosen by the Goddess of Love—Flirtella]
"Harem System? Goddess of Love?"
None of this was making any sense.
Ignoring my concerns, the panels continue to appear like what I was saying had no contribution to its purpose.
[Analysing…]
[Current charm appeal : 0]
[Assessment : Cuck]
"What did you just call me?"
[Cuck!]
I ground my teeth, ready to punch throw the floating message.
Who the hell just throws such a word around at another person like it's nothing?
[From the data that has been gathered from your memories, the assessment is 100% accurate]
[Thanks to the Goddess, Flirtella, that is about to change. Your life is about to change]
[Welcome to the Harem System, host]
[Please choose a path]
Gradually, I was starting to put two and two together.
The dungeon we had gone to raid with Big Bone was called the [Temple of Love].
There is no way it was a nightmare after all.
Those guys were indeed dead for real.
My arm was really torn from my body.
How come I have it now?
What happened?
There were still a few things I needed to figure out but I think I'd gotten the core explanation.
Whatever was happening with this so-called Harem System, it was definitely tied to the [Temple of Love].
[Please choose a path]
A list of possible decisions unfurled before my eyes.
It felt as if I was making a selection for a game character, only that I was the game character in this case.
[Demon Path]
[Nurse Path]
[Hunter Path]
[Maid Path]
[Prison Path]
[MILF Path]
[Furry Path]
…
My eyes grew extra wide as I was reading through this list.
The paths to select from were basically endless.
Who the fuck even drafted these paths?
"Nurse path?" I muttered, thinking out loud.
[Nurse Path Selected!]
"No! Wait! What the fuck!"
Just as I was still trying to save the situation, the door to the room opened up, drawing my attention.
"Oh… wow."
It was a nurse—a hot nurse.
She rushed in with urgency, staring at me as she stood at the door trying to catch her breath.
"Are you okay, Mr. Stark?" she asked with a soft tone of voice. "I was just in the next ward and heard you scream."
'Oh, shit!'
I chuckled nervously and scratched the back of my head.
"Sorry about that. It was just a nightmare."
The nurse approached me slowly until she was close enough to touch and feel my forehead.
She assessed my body temperature, along with other vitals. All the while bouncing her busty chest in my face as she smiled cutely from time to time.
"Your vitals are stable. You should get some rest, Mr. Stark. You are already making a good recovery."
I smiled right back at her and concurred with a nod. "I suppose so. Maybe I will go soon too."
She moved closer to me and stroked my hair gently and lovingly as one would caress a lover, flashing her boobs even more to my face.
"Maybe…" she replied, her voice had changed from soft to luscious, tender as if trying to lure me into her bosom. "We—I will do everything to make sure you are alright until then."
I looked at her, dazed by what she meant by that last statement. She had not said that in the normal way of reassuring me. If anything, she looked at me like she was going to eat me up.
She looked right back at me, her eyes already tearing through the hospital garment that I was on.
"And I mean… everything, Mr. Stark," she reiterated while massaging my chin quite softly.
"Thank you for your care, nurs—"
"Call me, Nurse Riya."