The temple walls were cracked and dark, but inside the broken prayer chamber, the firelight danced like a whisper of the old gods. The scent of moss, blood, and ash lingered in the air.
Lirael stood over Elias, her silhouette flickering in the flame. Her armor had loosened, her cloak discarded. She was wild—untamed—and her amber eyes glowed like a lioness stalking prey.
"You saved my life," she said softly, kneeling in front of him.
"You saved mine first," Elias murmured, his voice low.
She tilted her head. "Then maybe we're even... or maybe we're not."
The silence between them thickened. Her fingers brushed his chest—light at first, then pressing with curiosity, like she was testing the truth of his existence.
"You're not a warrior," she said, her fingers tracing down his ribs, "but you move like someone who's been fighting his whole life."
Elias shivered under her touch. It wasn't fear. It was a pull—a strange gravity that made his blood feel electric.
> [System Triggered: Intimacy Detected – Trust Threshold Passed]
New Feature: Sensory Bond (Lirael – Active)
Benefit: Pleasure, Health Regen, and XP Gain from Mutual Contact
Lirael moved closer, until her breath warmed his cheek. "You're still trembling," she whispered. "Are you scared of me?"
He didn't answer with words. Instead, he reached out, cupping her jaw with trembling fingers. Her skin was warm—silk over steel. She didn't flinch. Instead, she leaned into his touch like it was something she'd missed for years.
"I don't know what I'm doing," Elias confessed, his voice a whisper.
"Then let me show you," she replied, brushing her lips against his.
The kiss wasn't gentle.
It was fire.
She climbed into his lap, pressing against him as her fingers tangled in his hair. Their breath grew heavier. Her lips trailed along his jaw, then to his neck. Every inch of contact sent a shock through him—pleasure amplified.
> [Skill Passive Activated: Body Sync – Level 1]
Feel what she feels. Share in the sensation. Increase bond rate.
Elias gasped as their bodies aligned. The fire beside them flared higher as if sensing their heat.
Lirael paused, her forehead resting against his. "This isn't just lust," she said quietly. "I've been alone for so long. I don't know why, but... you feel real."
He ran his hand along her spine, pulling her closer. "I feel it too."
Their lips met again, slower this time, deeper. Her tunic slipped from her shoulder. His fingers traced her collarbone, trembling slightly. Her breath caught—and Elias felt it in his own chest.
A soft moan escaped her lips, barely audible.
> [Bonus XP Gained – Intimacy Milestone Reached]
[Lirael Affection: 24% → 38%]
[Harem Link Stabilized – Lust Thread Formed]
As the two sank into each other, the fire flickering beside them casting shadows on their bare skin, the scene faded—but the tension, the heartbeat, the spark… it all remained.
Then—outside the ruined temple, someone watched.
A man cloaked in black, his eyes glowing a faint silver. He stood on a nearby rooftop, unmoving. A smirk curled across his face.
"So... the Lust System really did choose a new vessel."
He turned and vanished into the night.
The morning sun pierced through the cracks in the ruined temple, scattering golden beams across Elias's bare skin.
He blinked awake, feeling the weight of soft hair against his chest. Lirael was still asleep, her breathing calm, one leg wrapped lazily around his. The air was quiet… but too quiet.
> [System Alert: Aura Detection – Hostile Intent Approaching]
Distance: 50 meters. Speed: Fast.
Recommendation: Prepare for battle or seduction—depending on target behavior.
"Damn it," Elias muttered, sitting up gently without waking Lirael.
He grabbed the dagger Lirael had tossed aside last night, checking its weight. Not ideal. His body still ached from the aftershocks of their... bond.
But he wasn't the same man from two days ago. His reflexes had sharpened, his senses alert.
Branches cracked. Leaves fluttered.
Then, without warning, a girl crashed through the stained-glass arch, flipping mid-air and landing with catlike grace. Dust kicked up around her boots.
She was barefoot, lean, and absolutely wild.
Tanned skin. Long, tangled red hair. Crimson eyes that shimmered with chaos.
And nothing but a torn black tank top and shorts that looked like they'd been ripped off someone else mid-fight.
Elias froze. "Who the hell...?"
She looked at him, then at Lirael sleeping behind him, then back at Elias—and grinned.
"Oh," she said, voice playful, laced with madness. "You're hot."
Elias didn't move.
"I could smell it all the way from the valley," she continued, circling him like a predator. "That raw, sinful energy. Lust magic. Haven't felt it in years. Thought it was gone. But then—boom—there you were. Messing around with a knight girl in a holy ruin."
Her grin widened, sharp like a blade. "You've got the Lust System, don't you?"
> [System Scan Initiated – Unknown Female]
Name: Riven, Class: Beastblade / Affinity: Chaos + Sensual Energy
Status: Unstable. Dangerous. Flirty.
Lust Resistance: Low when intrigued.
Bond Potential: High
Warning: She bites.
Riven stepped closer, sniffing him like an animal. "You're different. I like different."
"Back off," Elias warned, raising the dagger.
"Oh, come on," she whispered, already inches away. "I don't kill cuties. Not unless they want it."
She pressed a hand against his chest. He gasped—her touch was electrifying. It wasn't warmth like Lirael's. It was wild, unhinged, chaotic desire wrapped in a teasing smile.
> [Passive Triggered: Seductive Tension – Dual Compatibility Detected]
Warning: If she gets too close for too long, it may result in a non-consensual bond.
Suggestion: Use Charisma Skill or Subdue.
"Why are you here?" Elias asked, voice sharp.
Riven purred. "To join you."
"What?"
"I've hunted men like you before. But I've never found one who made my skin feel this... alive."
She leaned in, lips close to his ear. "Let me join your little party. I promise I'll behave."
She licked his earlobe. "Well. Sort of."
Behind them, Lirael stirred.
"Elias...?" Her voice was groggy—until she saw Riven straddling him.
Lirael's eyes flared.
In one motion, she grabbed her blade, rolled, and had the tip pressed to Riven's throat.
"Get. Off. Him."
"Ohhh..." Riven giggled. "I like her."
Tension crackled in the air.
Elias stood, pulling both women apart before blood was drawn. "Look, I don't know what's happening, but we don't need to fight—"
Suddenly, the temple exploded outward, wind and stone scattering as a new threat entered.
Black-armored soldiers. Five of them.
And behind them, the same cloaked man from the rooftop—silver-eyed and cold.
"You've bonded twice," the man said calmly, his voice echoing. "The Lust System is accelerating."
Elias stepped in front of the girls.
"And you are?"
"I'm here to collect what's mine," the man replied. "The System doesn't belong to a weak boy with pretty lips."
"Too bad," Riven snarled, licking her blade. "I already called dibs."
Lirael raised her sword, sliding next to Elias. "And I swore to protect him."
Elias's heart thundered. Two women by his side. Five enemies in front of him.
And a System pulse building inside his body.
> [Lust Surge Available – Choose Path]
Option 1: Seduce Riven mid-battle – Unleash joint Chaos Ability
Option 2: Ignite Lust Thread with Lirael – Activate Dual Blade Fusion
Option 3: Stall and use new ability: Erotic Illusion – Confuse enemies with sensual mirage
He grinned for the first time.
"Well then... let's play."