Ch 334: Luo Hao.

"Welcome to our humble home. It is a pleasure to see you again, Signore Doni. Thank you for accepting our request." smiled Long Tian Yun, welcoming the Campione into his manor.

His father, Long Zhang Zeng, was right behind him, adding his own greetings, and one step behind stood Xuanyuan Chen, the man known as the Sword Emperor, his face hidden by a black mask.

"Humble home, eh?" grinned Salvatore Doni as he entered. "If this home is humble, mine must be a shed."

Salvatore Doni was a tall, handsome, fit man with short, spiky blonde hair and dark blue hair, and wore a dark blue suit.

Behind him was his Spirit, Tenka. Her golden eyes were covered by a black leather blindfold, and a red ball gag filled her mouth, kept in place by a single strap fastened and locked behind her head. Her throat was covered by the polished steel of the Anti-Spirit Collar, and a chain was connected to its front, whose end was held by Salvatore.

Steel shackles kept her arms behind her back, partially covered by her long black hair.

He had let her keep her original attire, a black and deep purple princess dress with a few magenta parts that left her belly exposed, and pointed magenta shoes with high heels.

Tenka didn't try saying a word, and her expression, such as could be seen under her bondage, remained a mask, but everyone around her could feel her hostility, like a growling tiger pacing behind bars.

They knew that if the Anti-Spirit collar ever failed, she would immediately attempt to kill everyone around her.

"Surely you exaggerate, Signore Doni." smiled Long Zhang Zeng with a bow. "I heard from many people you invited to your manor that it is quite luxurious, and that you have an impressive collection of swords."

"Right, and I'm quite proud of it! I collect them from all eras and regions." nodded Salvatore Doni. "Remind me to invite you and show you my collection next time I host a social gathering."

"We are grateful for the opportunity, Signore Doni." smiled Zhang Zeng.

"This way, please." said Long Tian Yun as he gestured towards a door. "Lord Voban and Lord Smith are already present."

Salvatore Doni's mood soured a little, but he kept his present expression. He disliked all of his peers.

Toba Riona was aloof and ignored him, a foolish girl that argued that he should treat Tenka better, claiming that Spirits were people. As far as he was concerned, she was a hypocrite, considering that she too had enslaved a Spirit.

John Pluto Smith was polite, but rarely initiated a conversation when they met, and Salvatore suspected that Smith was looking down on him for some reason.

And Voban was just creepy.

Dragging Tenka behind him, Salvatore followed Long Tian Yun to a large room where a number of comfortable armchairs had been placed in a semi-circle around the fireplace, with a low table filled with snacks in the middle. John Pluto Smith and Voban both nodded to him as he entered.

"Hi, everyone. Long time no see." casually smiled said Salvatore as he sat and let go of the chain. Tenka remained standing and didn't try to run off. He had at least taught her that, although it hadn't been easy.

Dejanstahl Voban was a man in his late fifties, with short silver-gray hair slicked back and piercing black eyes. He had a sharp nose and angular chin, and his ears looked slightly pointed. he was dressed in a black suit, white shirt and black tie. Salvatore had never seen him wear anything else.

Standing behind him and to his left were the twin Spirits, the Yamai sisters. Kaguya and Yuzuru both had the same long orange hair with long bangs ending in drills framing their faces, and the same blue eyes under the blindfolds. However, the rest of Kaguya's hair were tied in a crown braid, while Yuzuru had them in a long braid.

Both wore almost identical outfits. Black robes covering most of their bodies, but Salvatore could see bit of what they had under. Tight body harnesses, shoulder-length gloves, stockings and shorts, all made of a purple material that seemed half-way between leather and rubber.

Those bondage-like outfits were their Astral Dresses, just like Tenka's black and purple dress. The Spirits' original garments, granting them a protective layer more efficient than any man-portable Realizer shield could provide.

Of course, they also wore the Anti-Spirit collars, blindfolds, and black ball-gags. Salvatore couldn't see their arms as they were covered by the robes but didn't doubt for a second that they were shackled as well. The Yamai sisters were standing shoulder to shoulder, trying to comfort each other with physical contact.

On the opposite side of Voban sat John Pluto Smith, a tall and slightly burly man, wearing a dark blue and white outfit with loose sleeves. he wore black leather gloves, and his head was covered by his trademark helmet, with six round, green lenses placed in two rows of three, and two long antennae accessories, making his head look like a mechanical grasshopper.

"Greetings, Signore Doni." said John Pluto Smith with a deep voice.

"Humpth!" snorted Natsumi, sitting on the left arm of the armchair. The young woman's curves were highlighted by her outfit. A sheer bodystocking with star patterns, a short black skirt, black bra, and a witch's cape and hat.

She had an Anti-Spirit collar around her neck, and her wrists were bound together in front of her by gold-plated shackles, but she wasn't blindfolded or gagged, and her green eyes glared at Salvatore.

"Behave yourself, Natsumi." chided Smith, presenting a snack to her mouth.

Natsumi made a reluctant nod then opened her mouth to accept the bribe.

"You are even more lenient with her than before, Lord Smith." smiled Salvatore with a wave of the hand.

"How I treat my Spirit is up to me." replied Smith with an even tone. "Natsumi and I have an agreement. She doesn't cause trouble, and she gets to be pampered to some extent. It is working well enough. You may want to try a similar arrangement with your own Spirit."

"I will decline." shrugged Salvatore. "As you said, how Spirits are treated are up to their Campione."

Smith made a small nod and took another snack from the table, ready to feed Natsumi again. Salvatore had never seen him eat or drink anything. John Pluto Smith was really committed to his anonymity.

A butler approached Zhang Zeng, whispering in his ear, and he nodded, satisfied.

"Please excuse us, the Illustrious General is coming, along with an esteemed guest."

"The same guest you hinted at when you invited us, but whose identity you didn't want to disclose?" asked Voban with a thin smile.

"Indeed." nodded Long Tian Yun with a smile. "We didn't want to make a promise involving this esteemed guest when we weren't certain she would come."

"Ohhh? This guest must be quite important. I look forward to finding out who she is."

As Long Tian Yun, Xuanyuan Chen, and Zhang Zeng left the room, more servants offered drinks to the Campiones.

"I hear you fell to the eighth place in Mystic Moon's ranking, Signore Doni." smiled Voban. "And that the ninth and tenth are so close behind you that you are at risk of being ejected from the ranking altogether. I expected you to decline the Long family's invitation to spend more time defending your position."

"This year's ranking has many abnormal existences in it." shrugged Salvatore. "But it is when I am underestimated that things are the most fun. I intend to reach the top five before long. And what about you, Lord Voban, Lord Smith?"

"I spend very little time in Mystic Moon. Many affairs require my attention." replied Smith with an even tone.

"Those virtual worlds are a thing for youngsters." nodded Voban. "And I have little interest in external validation."

The jab slid off Salvatore's skin easily. He didn't play Mystic Moon for a place in the ranking. At least, not directly. It played it because Mystic Moon gave him challenging fights, against bosses and other players, and fighting was what made his blood race.

The door opened again, and Salvatore's mouth hung open when he realized just who was Long Tian Yun's mystery guess.

Luo Hao!

She looked like she was only about sixteen years old, although Salvatore was unable to guess her real age. He knew for a fact that she was at least twenty. She was also the most beautiful woman Salvatore had ever seen, with her pale skin, black purplish hair, jade green eyes, and slender body with a full chest and bottom. Two long bangs framed her face, and pink lotus flowers adorned her hair above her ears.

Luo Hao wore a traditional Chinese outfit form the Han Dinasty, white and green with a few gold accents.

Salvatore had seen her exactly once before, when she had challenged him in a duel a month after he became a Campione, and defeated him using his own specialty, swordsmanship. After that, she had returned to her home, near the peak of an undisclosed mountain somewhere in Asia.

Few knew exactly were Luo Hao lived, and none revealed it without her permission.

Seeing her here surprised him greatly.

Walking behind her was an old Asian man with a long, pointed white beard and even longer white mustaches, Sun Tzu. Salvatore had seen him a few times here and there.

"Your Eminence, I am astonished you decided to come down from your mountain." said Voban, standing and sending her a slight bow.

"You make it sound like I am a complete recluse cut off from the world, Lord Voban." smiled Luo Hao. "It isn't far from the truth, but I still keep an ear out for interesting things happening all over the world, and tonight's matter piqued my interest."

"It is an honor to see you again, Your Eminence." nodded John Pluto Smith, standing and bowing slightly with his hand on his heart. Even Natsumi stood with a stiff expression, not displaying any of the hostility she had directed at him.

They, too, had met defeat at Luo Hao's hands.

"Now that we are all here." asked Smith once everyone was seated and had exchanged greetings, and refreshments were served. "Can you tell us more about your request to subjugate a rogue Spirit? You were rather sparse in details. Do you have her description and location?"

"I have indeed, Lord Smith." smiled Long Tian Yun, snapping his fingers, and a servant walked to them, presenting a file to each Campione, Sun Tzu, and Luo Hao.

Salvatore opened his copy, saw the picture and the name, and his eyebrows shot up.

"Noah? Seriously?"

"Yes, Lord Salvatore. The same Spirit that presently occupies the second spot of Mystic Moon's player ranking. Shortly before I invited you to this meeting, he came into my father's very office to declare war on me and the Yan Huang Alliance, stating his intent to steal my fiancé."

"That's interesting… very interesting…" smiled Salvatore. He had wanted to fight Noah since his name was first mentioned in a global announcement, as the first player to kill a fairy-grade boss. Surely, crossing steel with him would be thrilling!

"I understand why you invited three Campiones, a Legionis Legatus, and even Her Eminence. This isn't just some random rogue Spirit we are speaking about." nodded Smith. Natsumi, sitting by his side, was staring at Noah's picture on the file, seemingly entranced.

"I want to be the first to fight him." declared Luo Hao, smiling. "If you disagree, be ready to defend your opinion with your fists."

Salvatore hesitated, almost wanting to protest, but Luo Hao was staring right at him, daring him with her fearless smile, and he sighed.

"You won't kill him, right? I want to fight him after you, then." conceded Salvatore.

"I do not mind." graciously nodded Luo Hao. "If I judge him worthy, I will take him as my Spirit and give you an opportunity to fight him as part of his training, but killing him won't be allowed. And if he isn't worthy, you can do whatever you want."

"Please forgive me for interrupting, Your Eminence…" started Long Tian Yun. "…but if you take Noah as your Spirit…"

"You do not need to say more, young dragon." smiled Luo Hao, referring to the meaning of the 'Long' name. "If I make him my Spirit, hurting him won't be allowed, but I will have him renounce his ambition to seize your fiancé, as well as transfer to you his possessions in Mystic Moon, that spear and his pets. He will not need those trivial things to thread the path of Martial Arts. That should be enough compensation for not letting you harm him."

Her tone was pleasant, but Salvatore could hear the implied warning under it. Long Tian Yun heard it as well, as he hurriedly bowed.

"More than sufficient. I am very grateful for Your Eminence's benevolence."

"I suppose you already came up with a plan, Illustrious General?" asked Voban. "I will warn you first, I won't participate if this involves an assault on the Cassel College's grounds."

"I have a plan indeed, and it is set to unfold far from the Land of Dragons or any of the College's branches on this side." grinned Sun Tzu as he stroke his long mustaches. "But before I reveal it, do you all agree to take part? If not, you should leave now."

"I'm in." immediately nodded Salvatore. Voban and Smith also nodded.

"Excellent." nodded Sun Tzu. "I have studied the available information on Noah Enfield over het last few days, and developed a firm grasp of his personality, his motivations, and more importantly, his weaknesses. And we are going to use a weakness of his, women."

"I am starting to see. You are going to lure him out of the College using a woman. But how?" asked Voban.

"Noah has surrounded himself with a few capable women already. Ling Shuiruo, who has started to tour hospitals to heal patients afflicted with the Isrock virus with her miraculous ability. Erica Blandelli and Liliana Kranjcar, two competent Magic Knights from European Knight Orders. Origami Tobiichi, the ace from the Japanese Anti-Spirit Team."

"So the easiest one to take would be this Shuiruo, if we can insert some of our people in a hospital, and claim one of them is a Isrock patient..." started Long Tian Yun as soon as Sun Tzu stopped to breathe, wanting to display his intellect by completing his thoughts.

"Of course not." cut in Sun Tzu with a sharp voice. "Of the women I mentioned, she is the one you should stay away from the most. Not only does she seem able to teleport, which would make capturing her and holding her difficult, but kidnapping the only person who can cure this virus would be a crime so heinous that the Heavens would curse you! Even your family wouldn't be able to cover this up!"

"…I humbly apologize. I was thoughtless." bowed Long Tian Yun, mortified. He decided to keep his mouth shut for the rest of the night.

"You were." said Sun Tzu before looking at the Campiones. "The one I intend to use is named Rikka Akigaze, a member of the Japanese Army, eldest daughter of the Tokaido Governor General, and a particularly talented Chevalier able to summon over a hundred Legions."

"I have heard things from a few sources in the British Empire. They were already preparing an offensive against Japan, with Julius Caesar, its main ally, busy defending the Western border of the Eastern Roman Empire against the Chinese Republic. I promised them a little bit of help with their planning, and in return, they agreed for the second wave of their offensive to target the prefecture of Shizuoka, an important node under the Governor General's control."

"When the Japanese Army hears about the invasion, they will recall her from Cassel College, since she is one of their strongest. And since she is a dutiful and honorable woman, she will go, and Shizuoka will be the logical defensive position for her to be assigned at."

Salvatore and the other Campiones nodded.

"Either Noah will come with her, and we will confront him then while they are busy with the British, or we will capture her, then use her as bait to lure him into an ambush."

Salvatore slowly nodded, understanding Sun Tzu's plan, and not finding any apparent failure point in it. Even if things didn't happen in the way the Illustrious General intended, their implication would be almost impossible to determine. Not unless Noah interrogated some high officials of the British Empire, and why would he, when their moves would simply be assumed to be part of a British attempt to invade Japan?

John Pluto Smith, however, had some objection.

"I see an issue. From the rumors I've heard, this girl Shuiruo gained her abilities from Noah himself. What if he can teleport as well? Just because we haven't seen him do it, does not necessarily mean that he cannot do it."

"An intelligent remark." smiled Sun Tzu, stroking his mustache some more with an approving smile. "Which is why I offered some of my sources inside DEM Industries an opportunity to field-test some of their new anti-spirit prototypes, car-sized generators that they think will be able to depower any Spirit within a radius of five hundred meters."

"Such a thing is being made?" exclaimed Voban.

"Yes. In essence, a long-range version of the Anti-Spirit Collars. As I understand, the power requirements are such that some of the prototypes' inner components will melt if kept active more than twenty minutes. But twenty minutes should be plenty to subdue Noah and put a collar around his neck."

"From the sounds of it, those generators will affect our own Spirits, however." frowned Smith. "Our presence on the battlefield will become largely redundant if we are deprived of our most potent capabilities."

"Redundancy is good." shrugged Sun Tzu. "Your presence might be crucial if anything goes awry, or if my sources' confidence in those devices turns out to be misplaced after all. At worst, I could summon my Legions, but they aren't very good at not killing their foes."

"Are you saying I wouldn't manage to deal with that Spirit, old man Sun?" teased Luo Hao.

"Not at all." smiled Sun Tzu. "I do not believe for a second that I would need my Legions. But better have them and not need them than the reverse."

…

Hours later, John Pluto Smith entered his hotel room, with Natsumi obediently following behind.

He closed the curtains, used a device to search for hidden electronics and, finding nothing, disconnected the chain from Natsumi's collar and removed her golden shackles.

He then took off his helmet and used Natsumi's power to dispel both of their disguises.

"You couldn't let me keep it?" asked Natsumi, disappointed as her size became ten centimeters smaller, her long green hair more unruly, and her chest flatter. Much flatter.

"It isn't good to spend more time than we must pretending to be someone we aren't, Nat." chided Annie Carlton, running her hands through her short red hair. She was dressed in a gray office suit. "You might get addicted to the illusion."

"You keep saying this. But what would be so bad about it even if I did?" complained Natsumi. "I could easily maintain it indefinitely."

"But it's still not real."

"What about those damn generators?" asked Natsumi. "We won't be able to maintain our disguises."

"That's for that kind of contingencies that the helmet and its voice changer are real, and that I made that physical copy of my outfit." shrugged Annie as she glanced at one of her suitcases.

"I couldn't just back off the instant Sun Tzu mentioned them. They would have suspected us. But still, you're going to be wearing platform boots with very high heels, breast implants, and a black robe that will cover your body. I'll braid your hair as well, so they will really have to pay close attention to you to notice you're younger than they remember."

"…That won't fool that woman."

"It won't. But I do not think she will tell the others, either, and she's not the kind to resort to blackmail. I'm going to take a bath. Want to join me?"

"…Okay." nodded Natsumi as she opened the fridge, searching for a snack.

"…Say, Annie, is this job really going to be worth it?" asked Natsumi with a hesitant voice.

"We're being paid two billion dollars to just essentially sit around and watch others do the work." replied Annie from the bathroom.

"Yeah. Assuming all goes to plan. But this isn't about subjugating a rogue Spirit. This is about enslaving someone who doesn't seem to be a danger to others. Whenever I look at Tenka, Kaguya and Yuzuru, I…"

"I know." sighed Annie as she reappeared. "I don't really approve of this job either. But we can't refuse every unpleasant one that comes our way, or we'll end up like Toba and Kotori, and I'll have to kill a few idiots to set the record straight."

Natsumi reluctantly nodded. Toba Riona and her Spirit, Kotori, lived peacefully in the Cassell College, and the Principal liked having her as support in case of emergencies, but her presence there wasn't entirely by choice.

After becoming a Campione, Toba had tried living a normal life and still went to school, but that had quickly proved impossible. Between the public's resentment toward Spirits and their mistaken belief that Kotori wearing a collar meant they could harass her without consequences as long as they didn't inconvenience Toba, she had ended up as a recluse for a while, barely leaving her home.

And her lack of activity, declining any job offer or sponsorship, had eventually led some unsavory people to assume she didn't want to take part in battle because she was actually weak. That her becoming a Campione was just a fluke. Before very long, the assassination and kidnapping attempts had started.

Campiones were strong, but they weren't invulnerable.

Annie had, to some extent, seen it coming the instant she became one, which was why she had crafted her John Pluto Smith persona, using Natsumi's transformation power.

As far as the public knew, Annie Carlton was John Pluto Smith's tired and overworked secretary, nothing more.

"At least, I guess Luo Hao won't mistreat him too much." sighed Natsumi. "Too bad, he's so handsome."

"I wouldn't want to be in his shoes." shrugged Annie. "She will likely push him hard, with a training regimen that most would consider no different than torture… Still, that's much better than to be treated as a thing and being nearly constantly gagged and blindfolded. Of course, that's assuming she takes him in as her Spirit. I think she will. Noah has too many achievements in Mystic Moon for it to be a fluke. If he doesn't make the cut, no one will."

"Yeah." nodded Natsumi before making puppy eyes at Annie. "About Mystic Moon, how much longer do I have to wait before you let me play? I'd like to be able to spend some time without that damn collar around my neck, even if it's in a fake world."

Annie paused, staring at Natsumi's face as she considered. At first, their relationship had been very bad, with Natsumi obviously resenting her for enslaving her, and Annie had to keep Natsumi gagged in public for fear that she would reveal the truth about John Pluto Smith.

Back then, giving her access to any media where Annie wouldn't be able to keep an eye on her was out of the question.

But over time, Natsumi's resentment had faded away as Annie kept treating her relatively well, and she understood that compared to most other Spirit, she had been very fortunate.

Now, their relationship was close, if somewhat undefined. To Natsumi, Annie was a bit of a friend, a bit of a big sister, and a bit of a mother. She didn't mind sleeping in the same bed, although there was nothing sexual between them.

"…Nat, you understand why it's important that you never tell anyone in Mystic Moon who you really are, right?"

"I'm not stupid. I don't want for something to happen to you and for me to end up like Tenka." nodded Natsumi.

"Good. I'll buy you a terminal next week, after this job." said Annie, starting to remove her clothes.

"Thanks." smiled Natsumi, relieved.

…

In another world, in a dark room, a flash of light occurred, and four people appeared. Akeno, Hippolyta, Asuka and Aife.

Akeno had chosen to take Asuka with her because she didn't spend enough time with her adopted younger sister. Hippolyta, the Heroic Spirit, had yet to be trained and sign a Soul Contract, and Akeno intended to do it during this timeline. Finally, Aife had come because she was Asuka's Heroic Spirit and Scathach's younger sister. She would help them train further, and Akeno would make her sign a Soul Contract as well.

"Hang on, I'm turning the light on." said Akeno as she walked to a switch near the door. She lit the room, revealing it for the others who didn't have her Night Vision.

The room was small, barely more than a cubicle or a prison cell, and its key feature was a computer station with four large screens, three lined up and one on top of the middle one. A comfortable-looking gaming chair was in front.

"Is this the mancave of a hardcore gamer? No, that's much too clean." snorted Asuka. "There isn't a pile of empty energy drink cans or a bin full of tissues."

As soon as the light had been turned on, the computer had been activated as well, displaying on the center screen the slowly rotating logo of what seemed to be a country, and a prompt.

"Log in to manage your account. Perform voiceprint verification and retina authentication."

"This world is technologically advanced, at least." nodded Akeno, turning to the door. The panel slid aside automatically when she pressed the button on the side, revealing a hallway with walls made of grey steel, and other doors.

"The complete lack of personal decorations and request for biometrics likely means we are inside a military or scientific installation." said Aife, and they nodded.

"Oh. So they're going to think we are spies. Just great." sighed Asuka.

"And we got quests." said Hippolyta. She didn't need to say it out loud, as everyone had received the notification simultaneously.

"Quest n°1: Cause a scene without using any supernatural ability or revealing your otherworldly origins, then let yourselves be captured and sent to the frontline. Reward: +5% completion towards the Grand Quest. Current rate: 35%."

"Quest n°2: Capture at least one enemy commander to learn more about them. Reward: The Finality and the Tempest Heavy Cruisers will be sent to Chaldea, then to this world with a skeleton crew."

"Quest n°3: Provide assistance to the Federal Republic of Giad. Reward: All members of Noah's faction will be able to use Item Creation to replicate divine-grade tea."

"Quest n°4: Take over the Republic of San Magnolia. Reward: One randomly chosen ability from the Yin-Yang Store."

"Quest n°5: Take ownership of the Sirins by any means necessary, but without exposing their country to attacks from the enemy. Reward: The Sirins will be granted high-grade artificial bodies and be sent to Hagun island.

"Oh, so it is that one." nodded Akeno. "We're in for a ride!"

"That one?" asked Aife with a raised eyebrow.

"Ah, I may have forgotten to tell you." said Akeno. "Athena-sama and Lilith-sama told Noah and Erin a few things in advance about two particular timelines where we would need a battleship of our own, and this timeline must be one of them since we're getting the Finality and the Tempests. Athena-sama mentioned that at some point, we will need to use them to take over a whole nation."

"This checks with the fourth quest. Did they say why? Our role is to solve crises, not start one." frowned Asuka.

"I guess we'll soon find out." shrugged Akeno as she started walking down the hallway towards its end, when they could hear a man's voice coming from a door that wasn't completely closed.

As they came closer, the voice became clearer, and they could understand what the man was loudly saying.

"…Handler One to Stiletto Squadron. Enemy interception forces detected at grid point 45 and 502. Enemy forces are battalion-sized units of tanks and close combat types. All units, advance and eliminate the threat."

Akeno and the others exchanged a glance just beside the half-open door, understanding that they were in a command center where officers exerted tactical control over their units.

As far as Akeno was concerned, this was both a good and a bad thing. On the plus side, the commanding officer could take decisions without the stress of having to worry about their own life and could focus fully on the battlefield as a whole. On the other hand, the distance it created could insulate the commanding officer from the consequences of their decisions, which could lead to them growing reckless. Prime examples were Leila, as well as the prick she had killed with a lightning bolt.

But if Akeno had nothing to say about the officer's professionalism so far, her opinion of him took a dive at his next words, said with a mocking tone.

"…Although, against these odds, none of you will make it out alive! …Hurry the hell up! Go on, pigs! Fight to the death, you damned Eighty-Six!"

Then the man laughed.

He actually laughed, as he ordered his troops into a massacre.

Akeno exchanged a dumbfounded look with the others. It lasted only an instant before their eyes turned cold.

Asuka entered the room, crackling her knuckles. Akeno didn't try to stop her.

"Uh!? Wha?!"

Akeno and the others heard the sound of flesh hitting flesh, then of a body hitting the floor, and Asuka walked out.

"I left him alive. But this asshole will wake up missing a few teeth." said Asuka, earning nods of approval.

"Let's walk upstairs and cause that scene." said Akeno.

They took the stairs, reaching what they assumed to be ground level, and entered a large hall with floor and walls made of white marble. a stone statue was in the middle, depicting a woman raising a sword toward the ceiling, and about two dozen men wearing blue and white uniforms were sitting around several tables in alcoves on their left and right. Many wine bottles were on the tables, and some of the men were clearly drunk.

They were having a good time, joking and laughing.

Until some of them noticed the girls and fell silent, as if not believing their eyes.

The girls stood out like sore thumbs. Not just because of the street casual clothes they wore, or because they were the only women present.

Every. Single. One. of the men had silver eyes and hair. Their faces were very different from each other, and they didn't seem to be relatives. But they all had the same eye and hair color, or very slight variations of silver.

"Yeah, we're definitely causing a scene." muttered Asuka as even those who hadn't noticed yet turned to them, gasping in shock.

The silence lasted only a few seconds until one of them, a particularly drunk one, walked on them.

"You pigs! Where the hell do you come from? You want a beating?"

"Ufufu, did I hear correctly? Did you just call us pigs?" smiled Akeno.

"Damn right I did, you black-haired sow! What are you…"

Akeno took a step forward and lightly punched him, careful to limit her speed and strength. not that she wasn't tempted to blast his head apart, but it would be going a bit too far.

With a scream, the man fell backward, blood pouring from his broken nose.

"Security!" shouted one of the smarter men, wise enough to keep his distance. A few more drunkards, utterly furious, stood and charged them, as well as the two guards who had been standing by the main door. Their screams of indignation turned into screams of pain when the girls gifted each of them with more bloody noses or broken arms.

When no one else dared approach them, Akeno shrugged and headed toward the hall's entrance, Asuka and the others following her.

Opening the door, they stepped out unopposed and took in their surroundings.

They were in what looked like a large city with low-rise, white buildings. A web of metal cables was suspended five meters off the ground, providing power to a number of tramways.

The street was very wide, with buried steel rails allowing up to four tramways in each direction and bordered with trees and greenery.

Tramways weren't the only vehicles going up and down the street, however, as the girls could see many cars whose rounded shapes reminded them of those built in their world in the 1960s.

All in all, it was a beautiful city.

And as far as they could see, all the civilians around had silver hair and eyes. Those who had seen Akeno and the others were either gawking, rooted in place, or gave them a wide berth. Parents were dragging their kids away in a hurry.

"Switch the hair color to blonde, and this would be Nazi Germany's wet dream." snorted Asuka, shaking her head.

There was a giant screen fixed on a building some distance away, and Akeno pointed to it.

"This screen appears to be displaying news. Since the locals seem to want to shun us, let's watch while we wait to be arrested."

"Okay. What do we tell them when they inevitably ask where we come from?" asked Asuka.

"I can't think of any credible excuse, so let's just say nothing and let them think whatever they want. Give me your spatial rings, in case they could try to confiscate them and refuse to give them back."

Asuka, Hippolyta and Aife nodded and gave her their rings. Akeno put them in her inventory. They walked close enough to the screen to hear what the anchor was saying when they noticed one young woman in a military uniform. Unlike the others, she smiled at them and came closer.

"Hello. It is very unusual to see two Eighty-Sixes and others non-Alba in the capital. I do not even remember when my last time was seeing some."

"We noticed." sighed Hippolyta. "But why are you calling some of us by a number?"

"…What do you mean?" replied the girl, confused.

"I mean exactly what I asked." said Hippolyta. "Please humor us and pretend we were in a coma since we were little kids and just woke up."

"That's… strange. But fine." hesitated the girl. "We refer to people belonging to other ethnic groups as Eighty-Sixes for those with features from the far east. People from the west belong to smaller ethnic groups according to their eyes and hair color. Those with silver hair and eyes, like me, are the Alba, part of the Alba group."

The girl looked at Hippolyta, then Asuka and Aife. "People with red hair are part of the Rubela primary group, but the people of the four sub-groups have eyes in different variations of red, while golden eyes are a trait of the Aurata group. Orange-brown hair would be categorized as part of the Ferruginea group, but blue eyes are associated with the Caerulea group…"

She paused as she noticed their incredulous expressions.

"…You really do not know about this?" asked the girl, even more confused.

"Sounds to me like this whole thing is a bunch of nonsense to justify discriminating against people." glared Asuka.

"It is." agreed the girl. Akeno raised an eyebrow at her immediate response.

"You agree?" blinked Asuka.

"I do not care about people's skin or eye color." shrugged the girl. "Why does it matter? It doesn't magically make someone competent, or kind."

"Yes! Congratulations!" nodded Asuka with a small smile. "You're the first decent person we met in this place. I'd almost give you a prize. I'm Asuka. What's your name?"

"I am Major Vladilena Milizé. But everyone call me Lena. Please do so as well."

"I am Akeno Himejima, Asuka's big sister. It's a pleasure to meet you." nodded Akeno.

"Big sister?"

"I'm adopted." nodded Asuka.

"Oh, I understand."

"Everyone, look, this part seems important." interrupted Hippolyta, her eyes glued on the screen.

The girls stopped and turned their attention to the anchor, and to the images of a number of mechanical four-legged vehicles walking in sync like in a military parade, each armed with a large cannon on top of their chassis, and what seemed to be two blades extending from their front.

"…An update on the war from the San Magnolia Military HQ! Another group of the Legion attempted to invade the 17th Combat Ward and sustained heavy losses after engaging with our own unmanned combat units, the Juggernauts, and were forced to withdraw. Our forces suffered minimal losses with no human injuries or deaths! Defending the nation with our advanced and ethical drones, has resulted in zero Republic casualties! The day is near when the righteousness of our nation smashes the evil remnants of the wicked Empire. All hail the Republic of San Magnolia! Glory to the five-colored flag! …and now for the weather forecast…"

Akeno turned back to the girl in uniform, ignoring the guards that had gathered close, batons in hand.

"There is far too much emphasis on the lack of casualties and ethics in that declaration." frowned Asuka. "And what's with that tidbit about no human injuries or deaths?

"Yes." nodded Akeno. "Like Noah once said, good people to not remind others that they are good people, because you do not feel the need to point out what is obvious to you. Let me guess, Lena. There are pilots inside those machines, but you do not acknowledge it so you can pretend this war is bloodless."

"Yes. Not that I agree with it. It is a cruel and disrespectful practice." frowned Lena. "But why do you pretend not to know? The only Eighty-Sixes that are allowed in this Sector are those who have completed their military service and gained citizenship, so... unless… ah, that explains why the guards are here."

The guards, now numbering over a dozen, had stayed a short distance away, listening to their conversation. As Akeno and the others didn't appear to present an immediate threat and weren't trying to run, they first wanted to understand their relationship with the military officer talking to them.

"Oh, they're here because we gave a beating to a few drunkards in uniforms who called us pigs." snorted Asuka, pointing behind the guards to a few ambulances that were headed toward the building they had left, and Lena's eyes widened.

"Oh… I understand your anger, but you shouldn't have done that. Please do not make things worse by resisting arrest."

"…You know what, I think we'll follow your advice, Lena." smiled Akeno, turning toward the guards and lifting her hands. "Alright, we'll surrender peacefully, as long as you don't call up pigs. If you do, more ambulances will be needed."

"Shut up, criminal! You will have to answer for your crimes." replied one of them.

"Yeah, yeah. Hurry up and arrest us already, before we change our minds." snorted Asuka.

The guards' leader gestured with his hand, and his men advanced, cuffing Akeno and the others.

"You don't look so tough now, little pig." sneered the guard who had just cuffed Asuka.

Asuka smiled, and swiftly kicked him between the legs, hard enough that his feet almost left the ground.

"Awww!" groaned the guard as he collapsed, holding his groin with both hands.

"You were warned. You can arrest us, but we won't tolerate disrespect." shrugged Asuka.

"And you now have an additional charge of assault against a peace officer." growled the guard captain.

Another guard lifted his baton to strike Asuka, but froze as he saw the cold promise in her eyes. He slowly lowered his arm and looked away as another firmly grabbed Asuka's left arm and gestured toward the armored car stationed nearby. Asuka didn't resist as she and the others were "guided" toward it.

"It was nice knowing you, Lena." nodded Akeno as they left.

Inside the armored van, the man Asuka had kicked glared malevolently at her, and she snorted before slightly lifting her right leg and tapping the ground twice. He flinched at the implied threat.

"Why did you attack those officers before?" asked the guard captain.

"They disrespected us and called us pigs." shrugged Akeno.

"But that's what you…" started another guard. Thankfully for him, the guard captain interrupted him with a swift hand gesture.

"This is what is taught in the military academies and general schools, that the Eighty-Sixes are not human. That they are… well, you heard."

"Just because your ridiculous prejudices are sponsored by your government, doesn't make them any less disgusting." replied Akeno. "It actually makes it worse."

"…It is not my place to comment on the ethics of this matter. I was only saying this so you can understand where this behavior comes from." sighed the guard captain, trying to be reasonable. "A lot of people are going to call you that, and you can't just go around beating civilians."

"…You're right, we can't just spend our time slapping sense into people. It would be counter-productive." said Akeno after a few seconds.

Which was why they needed to do something much more drastic.

The guard captain seemed a little taken aback by her admission, but when Akeno and the others didn't try to argue and just sat quietly, his shoulders gradually relaxed.

After being brought to the local equivalent of a police station, they were all placed in a large cell.

"The higher ups will decide what to do with you." said the guard captain. "An interrogator will soon come. When they do, I suggest you tell the truth about how you managed to enter a restricted military installation without being stopped, and what you did there."

Akeno nodded, and the cell's door was closed and locked. She turned to the others.

"A second, please."

She focused on her senses, and didn't find any hidden microphone. There was a camera in a corner of the ceiling, but from what Akeno could feel of the circuitry, it only transmitted images, not sounds.

She approached the single barred window, searching for someone holding a laser microphone, and didn't see anything.

"It looks like we can talk and call Noah, as long as I keep the phone hidden from the camera." nodded Akeno as she walked back toward the door, turned around, and took from her inventory her phone, keeping is against her body. Since she couldn't put it against her ears, she put it in speaker mode.

She called Noah, and after a few rings, a woman's voice answered.

"Arianne-speaking, are you trying to reach Noah-sama?"

"Yes. This is Akeno, nice to speak with you. Would you mind bothering him if possible? This is relatively urgent and we may be unreachable for a while after this."

"Please wait an instant."

After maybe thirty seconds, they heard Noah's voice.

"Akeno? Is everything okay?"

"Yes. We just entered a new timeline. Me, Asuka, Aife, and Lyta. And we are in a prison cell."

"You're making this a habit, Akeno." said Noah, and Akeno chuckled.

"We had no choice, it was literally a quest to be arrested and sent to some frontline. Anyways, Republic of San Magnolia, Legion, Federal Republic of Giad, a country full of silver-eyed and silver-haired civilians, and Eighty-Sixes. Does that ring a bell? Oh, and when we're done with a quest, we will receive the Finality and the Tempests over for you know what."

"I know what, yes, and I remember that timeline well, although I have only seen a small part of it… Are you currently in San Magnolia or in Giad?"

"In San Magnolia. We stand out like red paint on a white wall." snorted Akeno.

"And I guess the gods didn't send you directly to the frontline so you could see for yourselves why they asked us to build the Finality. Here's the general situation."

"The country of San Magnolia is at war with the Legion, an autonomous AI army that was built by one of their neighbors, whose name I forgot."

"We heard they came from some Empire." nodded Akeno.

"Yes. The Legion turned on its creators and started slaughtering them. The current Federal Republic of Giad is all that remains from that Empire, and they are desperately fending off the Legion's offensive, but their backs are against the wall."

"Noah, please tell me those guys aren't racists as well." said Asuka.

"They aren't. At least, no more than the average you'd find in other worlds. They have wise and compassionate leaders, too. Their biggest issue is that their military doctrine is based around heavy tanks, although I shouldn't call them tanks when they use legs for movement."

"They're called Juggernauts, it seems." pointed out Akeno.

"Thanks. Giad's heavy Juggernauts aren't armored enough to protect them from their Legion's counterparts, while San Magnolia prefers lighter and nimbler, and most of all, cheaper machines that are actually more survivable despite having crap armor and a main cannon that can't pierce the frontal armor of a Legion's heavy Juggernaut. Giad is holding on desperately by throwing bodies after bodies at the frontline, but that's not sustainable long-term. Especially when the Legion is fighting smart."

"What do you mean, fighting smart?" frowned Akeno.

"…Before I get to that, I guess I should speak about the frontline on the San Magnolia side for context. As you may already have learned, the foreigners are called Eighty-Sixes, and they are the ones doing the fighting. This rotten government officially calls the pilots 'processors' as if they were only spare parts, and they ran a whole education campaign to dehumanize foreigners. And they came up with a worse name for the Eighty-Sixes that aren't yet in the military."

"We heard it. We were called pigs. And we didn't let that go unanswered. What do you think we're in a cell for?" smiled Akeno.

"I see. Good for you. In theory, the Eighty-Sixes gain citizenship after they have served their time. In practice, when they get close, they are reassigned to special squadrons that are routinely sent against overwhelming Legion forces."

"…Why am I not surprised." said Asuka with a tone that would have frozen helium. "Can't have dirty foreigners tainting their silvery purity. Why, they might even procreate with proper Alba citizens and give birth to mixed-race kids! The scandal! The horror!"

"It's as you said. So, the San Magnolia frontline against the Legion is stable, more or less. And one thing they all know is that the Legion's computer cores are gradually decaying. They believe that, in at most two years, the last of the Legion's units will cease functioning. So they are pretty confident, outright complacent about the war."

"We noticed. A lot of their officers were drunk in the middle of the day." said Asuka.

"And they are dead wrong. First, the Legion has found a way to solve its decay issue. By harvesting human brains."

"Human brains?" exclaimed Akeno.

"Yes. Whenever they can, they will capture the Juggernaut pilots to take their brains and plug them into some life support device, then into their own machines. The victims become both part of the Legion's hivemind, and yet keep at least to some extent their individuality and their obsessions. That that is where San Magnolia's calculations started going down the crapper."

"The Legion units with human brains are called Shepherds by the Eighty-Sixes who fought them and eventually learned about it, but the Alba either aren't being told, or they have been and didn't believe it. The Shepherds have become the Legion's commanding officers. And lets just say that they aren't exactly opposed to the idea of destroying San Magnolia."

"Geez, I wonder why." snorted Asuka.

"Thanks to them, the Legion started following an actual strategy. San Magnolia and Giad both think the Legion is just a mechanical swarm acting on faulty lines of code."

"In reality, the Legion is slowly building up a massive reserve of Juggernauts, kept well away from the frontlines, to prepare for a decisive push. They also build giant Juggernauts armed with super-heavy railguns, artillery pieces with enough range to reach San Magnolia's capital without having to penetrate the current frontline. I remember those ones needed steel rails to move. And that is only the little I am aware of. I expect them to have more hidden assets I do not know about."

"This is why San Magnolia is about to lose the war. They don't know about the Legion's build-up, nor about its new weapons, and there is a third reason, I'm trying to remember… Ah, yes, they're also about to run out of Eighty-Sixes to man their Juggernauts, due to their casual disregard for their soldiers' lives."

"I'm surprised the Eighty-Sixes haven't rebelled against the Alba, with everything you told us." frowned Asuka. "They are the ones with the guns."

"The Eighty-Sixes have no lost love for the Alba, but they also know that the Alba are the ones who run the factories and supply them with many things they need, from ammos to spare parts. They believe, likely correctly, that the disruption caused by a rebellion would result in the Legion killing them all."

"Those poor bastards are between an anvil and a hammer." sighed Asuka.

"Yes... And now that I am thinking about it, maybe the leaders of San Magnolia actually want the Eighty-Sixes to die by the time the war is over. Maybe they fear what they would do with their Juggernauts, once the threat of the Legion isn't there anymore. But you girls are in a big mess, which is why something as drastic as the Finality and the Tempests are necessary."

"We'll do what is needed... You didn't mention the Sirins, Noah." said Akeno. "We got a quest about them. If I didn't misinterpret it, you'll get a bunch of AIs added to your harem by the time we're done."

"Sirins? I haven't heard about them."

"Okay. Another of the rewards we'll get is a bit …unusual. Divine-grade tea."

"Divine-grade tea? That's great news! On my first meeting with Lilith, she graciously allowed me to drink some kind of tea. It was both fruity and very refreshing. I could never even come close to reproducing it, but I am sure that if this is the reward you're getting, it will become your favorite drink ever."

"Let's hope so. I think we've got a good idea of the general situation, Noah. What can you tell us about the technology used by the Legion? Does it have weak points, like critical infrastructure that could be bombed? Maybe we can deprive them of fuel?"

"Legion units are powered by swarms of billions of butterfly-shaped drones that collect solar power with their wings, then gather on the bodies of the larger Legion units and transmit the collected power. A swarm of them follows the Legion forces in battle, covering the sky and jamming long distance radio communications. I do not know how the Legion units are built, or even if they have any fixed infrastructure to hit."

"As far as weapons are concerned, the Legion has several generic models of Juggernauts that you can expect to face in every battle. A scout type, small and lightly armored, armed with two heavy machineguns or light auto-canons. A close combat type, fairly fast and with a missile launcher and vibrating blades fixed to its front legs. A frontline model, slow and heavily armored, armed with a railgun whose uranium-depleted penetrators can easily destroy the heaviest Giad Juggernauts."

"The Legion likely has some rarer models dedicated to short-range artillery or anti-air, but I don't know anything about those. Oh, and you will also encounter suicide units, human sized demolition charges that can run on metal stilts. A few of the Shepherds also carry around some metallic fluid they can shape at will, probably nanite-based… And that's about all I can tell you about the Legion. Your future squadmates will be able to be more specific about those."

"Thanks, Noah." nodded Akeno. "One last question, and I think we'll manage the rest on our own. We met a nice girl named Vladilena Milizé. I won't ask the obvious."

"The answer is a resounding yes." chuckled Noah. "Let's just say that I would be very surprised if you didn't end up assigned to her squadron, and if you want a local ally to help manage the aftermath, she would be your best choice. Good luck, and don't hesitate to call Chaldea if you need more allies."

"We'll already get a skeleton crew with the Finality. And with our usual methods, I think we'll be ok."

"Yeah. Just in case, I'll visit the girls back home and ask them to make sure the warships can't be damaged by those butterfly drones clogging any opening. Good luck, everyone."

"Bye, Noah. I'll call you soon." smiled Akeno.

The call ended, she put her smartphone back in her inventory.

"I'll call Chaldea later to give them the heads-up. We'll need Da Vinci soon." said Akeno.

"We should make ourselves comfortable then. I don't know how long it will take those guys to send us there." shrugged Asuka.

Akeno nodded and sat beside her adopted sister. For now, all they could do is wait.

…

"Master, before you log back in, I wish to inform you about Kitten's and Bunny's rolls." said Yui through the bangle in Noah's wrist.

"Okay. Were they lucky today?"

"Not really. Kitten rolled 4 and 5, which is pet training, bringing it to Level 3. She's a bit depressed about it."

"Things are getting pretty serious." nodded Noah. "Can you remind me of the specifics?"

"Master, you have a near perfect memory. Surely you already know."

"I do, but I'd like to hear it out loud." smiled Noah.

"As you wish, Master. Kitten's pet training is now two hours every day, instead of every odd day. In addition to the bitchsuit and tail plug, she is to wear a vibrating vaginal plug as well as a headband with animal ears. And her bone gag is to be replaced by a muzzle. The muzzle may incorporate something to fill her mouth, at Master's discretion."

"You bad girl, giving your Masters ideas." chuckled Noah. "That suggestion about the muzzle isn't part of the rules."

"I am a Bad Girl." laughed Yui. "Can I hope for Master to discipline me himself?"

"I'll visit you in your dreams tonight." nodded Noah. "Still, I guess that conversation can't be delayed any further. And what about Bunny?"

"3 and 3, which is Anal Training level 2. In addition to wearing a butt plug six hours every day, she has to ride a small dildo ten minutes per day."

"Not the best outcome from her point of view, but it could be worse."

Instead of logging back to Mystic Moon, Noah stopped near the armchair where Erica was sitting. Today, he had made her wear a black sailor uniform with white accents, A uniform whose skirt was maybe a little shorter than would be allowed in a real school, stopping above her knees.

He crouched near her and asked her to log out whenever convenient.

A few seconds later, Erica stared at him with a slight blush, already suspecting this was about the latest dice roll.

Noah gently took her hand, helping her up, and kept hold of it. She quietly followed as he led her upstairs and to his room. Her silence was very unusual.

"You already know why I want to speak with you, right?" asked Noah as he closed the door and released her hand, and she sat on the edge of the bed.

"I do… Lil… Bunny told me about… Well, you're not supposed to know, my Lord. It's about my… purity."

"Yes." nodded Noah. "And I won't ask you about Bunny, whatever it is. Even if I have a strong suspicion… Honestly, if it was entirely up to me, I'd give you more time before our relationship reaches that step, but I won't outright break the rules. I'm already bending them when I exempt you and Bunny from cooking every day. Since you had time to think about it, have you already decided?"

Erica nodded with a sigh.

Really, she still had a few reservations about the situation. She didn't want to be part of a huge harem, unless, maybe, she was the legal wife. No, even then, she wouldn't be happy about it if the harem exceeded more than three or four people.

But it was now clear to her that she wouldn't get her wish, and after many discussions with Shuiruo, a few of the girls on his personal island, and watching Noah a lot, she eventually understood one thing.

In the end, it didn't really matter if she won the game or not, if she was Noah's slave for a year or five. By the time the first year ended, she would agree to remain his slave permanently.

That didn't mean that she would want to experience the BDSM lifestyle most of his women seemed to have adopted, however.

"My Lord." slowly said Erica. "Let's assume for a moment that I stop playing that game, and that I resign myself to being your slave. What would you do, then?"

"…Is the pressure too much? I wasn't expecting you to consider surrender so soon." frowned Noah.

"Just this much, he says to the woman that will spend several hours every day in humiliating bondage with a plug in her butt, and can't even use her own name anymore or dress herself." replied Erica with an eyeroll.

"Just consider it as me having a high opinion of your willpower and pride." shrugged Noah.

"…I appreciate it. But it's not that. I could endure much worse if being free at the end was a realistic option. But it isn't. It never was.  Within a few months at most, I will be like Shuiruo, loving everything you do to me no matter how perverted, and not wanting for it to end… Am I wrong?" asked Erica, staring in his eyes for any sign of falsehood.

"…You aren't." nodded Noah. "From the moment I saw you, I wanted you. I may change my methods depending on circumstances, but the end result will remain the same. You will be mine."

"Which bring me back to my question. What will you do if I just accept the inevitable now?"

"You will escape the worst rules of the game, for one thing." sighed Noah, sitting beside her. "You may consider it humiliating to be in a bitchsuit with me and Arianna watching, and you aren't wrong, but at least, I'm not parading you in public. There's a weekly rule about that."

Erica winced slightly.

"If you surrender to me, I will be gentle for your first time, not involving any bondage or sexy outfit. Those will return soon after, but they will be limited to the context of a play and won't be permanent, unless you want them to be. Although some plays might last for days."

"As for our relationship outside of those sessions, I intend to treat you the same way I treat Shuiruo and Origami. And since I know you're a prideful woman, I will point out that it won't be impossible for you to become one of the Heads in the harem, gaining more influence and access to me than most of my girls. You'll just need to prove that you are worthy of it, both to me and to the others."

"You really can read me like an open book, knowing to appeal to my competitiveness." sighed Erica, and Noah smiled gently.

"…Fine, you win. I'm your slave from now on, Noah." said Erica, not with resignation, but with determination. "And one day, no matter how long it takes, I'll get you to promote me to be your main wife."

"That's the spirit! You will face some fierce competition, Erica, so prepare yourself."

"Call me by my name again."

"Erica." said Noah, his tone full of affection.

Erica nodded to herself, then pushed him down on the bed and straddled him.

"Again."

"Erica."

She bent down and kissed him.

"Never call me Kitten again." said Erica as she straightened.

Noah smiled, grabbed her, and turned so that Erica was the one pinned against the mattress and him.

"Look at you, my Cute Kitten that decided to become a Lioness." grinned Noah. Erica punched his ribs, but without any real strength, and Noah took her wrists and pinned them above her head with one hand before kissing her again.

"Do you really dislike the pet name I chose for you?" softly asked Noah.

"It was… okay. What I dislike is having been unable to use my real name in the first place… I may have agreed to be your slave, but don't think that means I'll just be passive in bed and let you play with my body as you wish!"

Noah saw the challenge mixed with growing arousal in her eyes, and nodded as he understood. Erica saw herself as a strong woman, and she wanted Noah to "tame" her. She was going to resist and try to dominate him, and she wanted him to subdue her.

Noah smiled, grabbed the collar of her sailor uniform with both hands, and tore it off, exposing her white satin bra and panties.

"You brute!" exclaimed Erica, fighting him as he kept tearing her clothes. Noah ignored the blows. Erica wasn't using her full strength, and didn't aim at Noah's more sensitive parts, but she did put some strength into her blows.

"Just be careful with your fists, Erica. My body is reinforced, yours isn't, yet. Well, I'll heal you immediately if you hurt yourself."

"I'm not some glass doll you need to worry about, Master." retorted Erica with some derision on her last word. She accompanied her words with a few harder hits, although Noah knew she only wanted to cause him some discomfort.

Noah grunted and kissed her again. As Erica hungrily returned the kiss, she attempted to dislodge Noah, turn him around, and straddle him again, but Noah was too strong.

With one hand, he reached behind her and unhooked her bra, tearing it off her body in an instant. Her panties followed suit.

"Beautiful." grinned Noah before giving a nibble on her left breast.

"Damn you and your pretty face. You probably say that to every girl you take to your bed."

"You met many of them. Can you honestly say that they aren't beautiful?" asked Noah before playing with her breasts again, and Erica shuddered from the pleasure.

She already expected Noah to be good at sex, with him having a lot of experience and his girls in the island telling her how envious they were of her for the opportunity to spend months by his side. But there was something abnormal with his touch, something that gave her small shudders of pleasure at a mere touch on her breasts.

Erica stopped struggling for dominance, instead digging into his back with her fingers as she clung to him. Not that her nails managed to penetrate his skin.

Noah swiftly removed his own clothes, and Erica gulped as she saw his naked torso, and his penis, quickly going erect.

"It's… big."

Noah grinned for an instant, then lowered himself to his crotch and started licking around her clit, then between her lower lips.

She tasted sour and was already quite wet.

"Ah!" gasped Erica again, squirming. She put her legs around his torso and grabbed his head, at times trying to push him away, others times pressing him further against her sex.

When Noah estimated she was ready, he moved, positioning himself, and met her gaze.

She nodded un lustful need, and Noah pushed, taking her virginity in a single move, burying himself half-way into her, and stopped moving.

"Aw!" shouted Erica before being muffled by a kiss, then another.

Noah played with her breasts and kissed her, distracting her from the pain. After a while, Erica nodded to him, panting.

"You can… move."

Noah nodded and started moving slowly, gradually pushing a little deeper, then changing his speed or amplitude, and smiling possessively as Erica's body spasmed.

"You belong to me, Erica."

"Just keep moving!" ordered Erica, clinging to him.

"So bossy for a slave girl." grinned Noah.

"I… it's coming!" gasped Erica, her expression melting. Seconds later, her spams turned into convulsions as Noah held her tight, increasing the pace further. Erica got her first orgasm with him, and Noah intended to give her a half-dozen more before stopping.

…

"…Erica, was it too much?" lazily asked Noah as he played with Erica's hair.

Erica, completely spent, nodded.

"It isn't fair. I at least wanted to outlast you. Aren't men supposed to be only able to shoot their shot once or twice? Just how much endurance do you have? You were not even sweating. Actually, I find it almost insulting that I couldn't even make you sweat."

"I'm a Champion after all. By now, I can have sex for half a day straight."

"Don't try that with me, Noah." groaned Erica. "I'd die."

"Not a chance." chuckled Noah. "Are you sore anywhere? I can heal you if needed."

"I am a bit sore, but don't. This pain has meaning… I don't have to follow those stupid rules anymore, right?"

"You don't." smiled Noah. "But don't get too comfortable. I still have a lot of cute or sexy outfits in mind I'd like to see you in, and you don't get to say no. And I'm not bound by rules anymore, either. We'll have sex quite often from now on."

Erica nodded, then sighed.

"I'll get used to it. And I'll get your powers soon. Eventually, I'll be the one to dominate you in bed."

"Eh, good luck with that." laughed Noah. "Others have tried. Like that one that even attempted to use magic hypnosis on me. Now, she's perfectly happy wearing a collar marking her as mine, although she turns it invisible in public."

"I am not like them. I will succeed where they failed."

"You are an exceptional girl, Erica. But so are many of those I gathered into my harem. Do not expect to be able to toy with them all like you occasionally do with Bunny… still, I could easily see you joining the Heads, at least." smiled Noah.

"The Heads?"

"The Heads of the harem. There are twenty or so currently, but the number isn't fixed. They are in charge of defusing tensions between my girls before it becomes a problem, and whenever I need to discuss something affecting everyone, I'll first go check with the Heads. They also are the ones in charge of kicking my butt if I ever do something that will harm the harem as a whole."

"Aren't they the real harem, then, and the others are just side-pieces in your eyes?" frowned Erica.

"Not really. The Heads are chosen for their wisdom and interpersonal skills, not because they may or may not be my favorites. Although this is true that they get to spend more time in my company."

"I understand. It's a given that I'll quickly join them before I become your main wife." smiled Erica.

"And humility isn't your forte." snorted Noah. "Now, while staying in bed with you is pleasant and all, I still have a job to do and a hidden crisis to solve." sighed Noah as he left the bed and walked to the bathroom. He started the shower, then looked back at Erica and grinned.

"…Want to join me?"