I squared my shoulders, meeting the goddess's gleaming eyes.
"I'll take the game," I said, my voice steadier than I felt.
Hell wasn't an option—not when I could play my way to a new life.
Her lips curled into a wicked, delighted smile, and before I could blink, she vanished.
A soft laugh echoed through the endless clouds, teasing, almost musical.
"Oh, Jason," her voice purred, now coming from behind me.
I spun around, but she wasn't there—only a faint shimmer in the air.
Then, a warm breath grazed my ear, and her fingers, light as a feather, brushed my neck.
I froze, my skin prickling as she materialized to my left, her body draped in that vibrant, barely-there outfit, her curves dangerously close.
"The game is simple, darling," she said, her voice a sultry whisper as she leaned in, her lips hovering near my jaw.
I turned to face her, but poof—
She was gone again, her laughter ringing out.
A soft touch grazed my lower back, and I whipped around to find her lounging on a cloud, one leg crossed over the other, her eyes glinting with mischief.
"You'll be in a world with four women. Your goal? Get each one to like you—say, a favorable score of 9 or higher, all at the same time."
I opened my mouth to ask a question, but her hand grazed my chest, her nails tracing a slow circle before she vanished again.
My heart thudded as her voice came from above, and I looked up to see her floating, her hair spilling like a cascade of fire.
"But here's the catch, Jason," she said, her tone playful but edged with danger.
"These women… they're not quite stable. Let's call them… emotionally intense. Push their affection too far—past 10—and they'll adore you a bit too much."
She snapped her fingers, and the clouds parted to reveal a vision: me, bound in chains, gagged, my wrists raw as a shadowy figure loomed over me, whispering my name with obsessive fervor.
The goddess appeared beside me, her hand sliding along my arm as she leaned in, her breath hot against my cheek.
"They'll lock you away, keep you all to themselves. A basement ending, if you will." Her lips brushed my ear, and I shivered. "But let their favor drop too low—below 1—and, well…"
Another snap, and I saw myself again, this time gasping for air as a woman's hands tightened around my throat, her eyes wild with betrayal.
The vision dissolved, and the goddess was behind me now, her fingers trailing down my spine. "They'll kill you, Jason. And trust me, it'll hurt."
I swallowed hard, trying to focus as she flickered out of sight again, her laughter echoing.
"Don't worry, though," she said, her voice now coming from all directions. "If you die, you'll respawn at the last save point. Those form automatically once you've raised each woman's favor by at least 1 point. Easy, right?"
She materialized in front of me, her body inches from mine, her eyes locking onto mine with a predatory glint. "You're free to do whatever you want in this world—flirt, charm, live your life. But don't try to run from them. You can't escape. The butterfly effect is very real here, and running will only make things… messier."
Her hand cupped my cheek, her touch warm and electric, before she vanished again, leaving me spinning in place.
"All you need to do is make them fall for you," her voice teased, now from my right. I turned, and there she was, reclining on a cloud, her legs stretched out, one finger twirling a strand of her hair.
"Love you just enough—but not too much. Keep them balanced, Jason. Not so little that they hate you, not so much that they're… obsessed."
"Oh, and one more thing," she purred, her voice teasing as she reappeared, "From time to time, you'll face… choices. Multiple paths, each with its own risks and rewards. A little moment where the world pauses, and you decide how to proceed." She winked, her smile mischievous as she flickered to my side, her fingers grazing my arm. "It's a bit more complicated than it sounds, but don't worry, darling—I'll be there to guide you, whispering in your ear when the time comes."
I smirked, trying to shake off the way her teasing was getting under my skin.
"Any cheats? Powers? Something to make this easier?"
She laughed, a low, sultry sound, and appeared behind me, her arms draping over my shoulders, her lips brushing my ear.
"Cheats? Oh, darling, where's the fun in that?" Her fingers danced across my collarbone before she flickered away, reappearing perched on a floating throne, her legs crossed, her smile wicked.
"You'll get one little perk: you can see each woman's information and her favor points. But it's got a 10-minute cooldown. Should be easy for a charmer like you, don't you think?"
I nodded, my mind already racing.
Flirt with four women, keep their affection in check, and don't die.
Sounded like my kind of game. Hell, if they were hot, I could have some fun along the way. Maybe even—
"Oh, Jason," the goddess purred, her voice cutting through my thoughts as she appeared beside me, her hand grazing my jaw.
"I can read your mind, you know. Naughty boy." She winked, her eyes sparkling with amusement.
"Since you're my first beta tester—my favorite player—I'll make sure these women are just your type. Hot. Sexy. An 11/10, as you'd say." She leaned in, her lips hovering over mine, her breath warm. "Not as hot as me, of course, but close enough."
I blinked, caught off guard. "You can read my mind in the game too?"
She laughed, vanishing again, her voice echoing from the clouds. "No, darling. Only here, in this realm. Once you're in the game, your thoughts are your own."
She reappeared, standing so close I could feel the heat radiating from her. "The world's ready, Jason. Are you?"
I took a deep breath, my pulse still racing from her teasing. Flirt with four women, keep them in love but not too in love, and stay alive. I could do this. I nodded, meeting her gaze. "Yeah. I'm ready."
Her smile turned haunting, her eyes gleaming with something dark and knowing. "Good. Because everything you feel in there? It's real." She snapped her fingers, and the clouds dissolved, the world tilting as I fell into darkness, her laughter ringing in my ears.
_________
"Oops! I forgot to tell him that the women he has to charm, are merciless Killers."
hehehehe~