Kai sat near the edge of the Glimmering Spring, not long after the kiss that sealed his first bond, his feet dipped in the warm, sparkling water, the moonlight painting silver lines across the mist.
The kiss still burned on his lips.
His first kiss. His first anything, really.
And it hadn't been in a romantic candlelit room or under some high school dance banner. It had been in a misty mana-charged forest while defending a foxgirl from a smug villain with a lust-based system named Darius.
Honestly? Ten out of ten. Would panic again.
[System Notification: Companion Bond Complete – Nika Flamepaw]
Shared Abilities: Flame Step (Dash), Passive Aura Sync +5% Agility
New Bonus: Flame Resonance – Fire-type abilities deal +15% damage when near Kai.
[Unlocked: Bond Path – "Trust"]
Nika now sees Kai as her chosen anchor. Emotional stability increased.
[First Bond Milestone: +5 to Charisma, +2 to Perception]
Next Milestone: Bond Two Companions
Kai rubbed his face. "Okay. So we kissed. Now we're fire-bonded partners with agility buffs. Normal stuff."
Nika padded up behind him barefoot, her tail swaying in the moonlight. "Thinking too hard again?"
Kai glanced over. She'd shed her leather vest and now wore a loose wrap that barely covered her thighs. Her long golden hair shimmered with mana glow, and her expression… was soft.
"Just trying to understand what the hell I'm doing," he admitted.
"Welcome to Arethia," she said, sitting beside him. "No one really knows what they're doing. Some of us are just cuter while guessing."
He chuckled. "That includes me?"
"You're getting there."
[Affection +1: Nika – Total: 51]
A moment passed in silence.
Then she looked at him, more serious this time. "Thank you. For choosing me."
Kai blinked. "You chose me, remember?"
Nika shook her head. "I flirted. Teased. Gave you the opportunity. But you acted. You reached for me when it mattered."
She tapped his chest with a clawed finger. "That matters more than the kiss."
[Trust Path Deepened – Intimacy Aura Expanded: 15m]
He nodded slowly. "I didn't want to lose you."
"And now," she said, leaning in just slightly, "you won't."
Her head rested against his shoulder.
And for a little while, they said nothing.
Across the spring, Lyria stood guard under a glowing crystal tree, the same night air still humming faintly with mana from the earlier bond, eyes narrowed, fingers tight around her bowstring. She wasn't watching the woods.
She was watching them.
She didn't understand him — this strange boy dropped into their world with a system that hadn't been seen in centuries. He was inexperienced. Clumsy. He stammered. He blushed. He had no formal training, no divine blessings, no political rank.
But somehow… he had already succeeded where most failed.
He'd bonded a beastkin with a kiss. Not through domination. Not through control. But through raw instinct and emotion.
That was dangerous.
That made him different.
And different meant unpredictable.
She exhaled slowly. "Too fast. Too sudden. He could destabilize everything. Just like the last one..."
The system pinged again in Kai's mind.
[H.E.A.R.T. Core Update – Phase I Complete]
System expanding...
[New Feature Unlocked: Harem Domain Preview]
You have earned the right to access your personal dimension. Feature unavailable until 3 total companions are bonded.
[New Feature: Companion Sync Panel Available]
Kai blinked. "Companion Sync Panel?"
A feature that would let him track, compare, and eventually coordinate real-time abilities with bonded companions. That could change everything in battle.
A new window opened, showing Nika's stats beside his.
Health, agility, magic affinity… and a glowing 'Bond Strength' bar that was steadily pulsing.
He saw a small icon of Nika, smirking in chibi-form, giving him a wink.
"This system is way too on-brand."
[System Message: Affection feedback syncing. Private thoughts may now resonate during high-affinity moments.]
He paused. "Wait. Is that… mind reading?"
[More like emotional bleeding. Don't think horny thoughts.]
Kai turned red. "Too late."
Nika giggled beside him. "Yes. It is."
He choked. "You can hear that?!"
"Not words," she said. "But the vibe is… loud."
[Affection +1: Nika – Total: 52]
Suddenly, Kai's system pulsed red again.
[System Alert: You Are Being Watched.]
[Detection Field Interference – Type: Unknown]
His head snapped toward the trees.
A shadow flitted between two trunks — too fast, too smooth.
"Nika," he whispered. "We're not alone."
She was already on her feet, claws extended, eyes sharp. "I felt it too."
Lyria materialized beside them a second later. "Contact?"
"Unknown," Kai said. "System says we're being watched, but no signature."
Lyria scowled. "Darius again?"
"No," Kai said. "He made his exit. This feels… colder."
Then the air shimmered.
[New Detection: System Signature – Type: W.A.N.T. Core]
Class: Manipulation | Gender: Female | Rank: Unknown
Intent: Observational
[Note: Subject does not engage directly. Gathering data.]
Kai's gut twisted with a mix of unease and fascination. He wasn't sure if he was being hunted, studied, or... evaluated. The idea that another system user was quietly watching from the shadows gave him chills — and questions. Lots of them.
Kai narrowed his eyes. "Someone else. Female. She's not hostile… yet."
Nika frowned. "She's scanning us. Testing."
Lyria raised her bow. "Let her. If she shows her face, I show her an arrow."
Kai tensed, uncertain whether to feel threatened or... strangely curious.
[System Note: Rival User will return at a future point. Be prepared.]
lyria shifted beside the glowing tree, her eyes lingering on them a moment too long. Then, without a word, she turned and walked silently toward the edge of the clearing, bow in hand.
"Someone has to stay alert," she muttered over her shoulder.
Kai watched her go, unsure if she was more irritated or… conflicted.
As the quiet settled back over them, Nika's tail flicked playfully against his leg. She turned to him, her expression half-shadowed by moonlight and mist.
"She's gone," Nika whispered. "Good."
Kai raised an eyebrow. "Why's that?"
Her voice dipped lower, velvet-smooth. "Because now I get to take care of you."
He blinked. "Take care of me how…?"
She leaned in, her breath brushing his ear. "Let me show you what trust feels like, Kai."
As Nika rested against Kai after their more intimate moment, her voice softened. "I just wanted to show you how much I trust you. Not just with my mouth, but with who I am."
Kai blinked slowly, his pulse still unsteady. He swallowed, meeting her eyes for a moment before looking up at the stars. "You're more than I ever expected. I'll try to be someone who deserves that trust."
[Virginity Status: Technically Intact]
But the boundary's looking real shaky…