Mikael gave her a look that veyed many unspoken thoughts, but simply said, “Sure. Steak and potatoes?”

  Still embarrassed by her ht, Kiara replied shyly, “I’ve ried it, but it looks delicious.”

  With her firmation, Mikael set two ptes and cutlery oable, then purchased the steak and potatoes. The food teleported directly onto the ptes—if he’d fottees, it would have appeared right oable, as he didn’t have an iory.

  They began their meal, enjoying a leisurely versation as they ate. After about 40 mihey’d finished, feeling a little closer from the pleasant exge. Sharing a meal like this, after all, strengthen a bond, whether it’s a friendship or something more.

  “Well, I think it’s time for me to head out,” Mikael said, rising from his chair.

  Kiara also stood, then wordlessly stepped forward, ing him in a tight hug aing her head on his chest. They held the embrace for a few moments before she lifted her head, looking up into his eyes.

  Mikael returned her gaze, taking in her deep blue eyes like two stunning sapphires. As they slowly leaned in toward each other, he suddenly thought of something that made him turn his head slightly. Her lips met his cheek instead, leaving a soft kiss.

  Kiara froze, her voice trembling. “Why?”

  Mikael sighed, sensing her genuine worry about beied. “I’m not rejeg you,” he said gently. “I just want to talk with you first before we make any decisions about… us.”

  Her voice was barely a whisper, fragile and ced with fear, as she asked, “You’re not rejeg me?”

  He nearly sighed again at her vulnerability but iook a steadying breath and began to speak.

  “Retly, I’ve been refleg on my life before all this with the Records, and on how I want to live from now on. I realized I don’t want a life where I ’t trust anyone, like before. I also realized that maybe one day, I’d like to find real love.”

  Kiara listened ily, her heart delicate from his earlier hesitation, and feeling like his words held the power to either shatter her or make her the happiest woman alive.

  He tinued, “I enjoy our iions more than I expected, and I’ve been surprised by how quickly you’ve bee someone I could at least sider… a friend and even maybe more.”

  "But here's the thing: if we get into a retionship, I want to be ho with you. I want to have a harem, so if you want to be with me, you o know that."

  Kiara’s expression turned heartbroken as she listeo his words.

  Mikael managed only a wry smile as he tinued, “I know it sounds selfish and greedy, but I never cimed to be otherwise. It’s holy what I want. I didn’t make this decision lightly; I thought it through. With the System, there’s even a ce I could one day bee immortal, and I don’t want to limit myself to only oion. It may sound selfish, but it’s what I feel.”

  He fell silent, letting Kiara process his words.

  Kiara was lost in thought, but soon a determined look appeared on her face. “It doesn’t please me—not at all—but if it makes you happy, I accept it.”

  After saying this, she stepped closer, ed her arms around his neck, and kissed him.

  Mikael felt the softness of her lips for a brief moment before she pulled back, looking him directly in the eyes.

  They both stood in silehough their minds were anything but quiet.

  Mikael thought, ‘Wow, I didn’t think it would work. I holy thought she wouldn’t take it well, especially since she’s been ag like a yandere practically since I met her. But even with the low ce she’d accept, I couldn’t start a potential long-term retionship on a lie!’

  Meanwhile, behind Kiara’s i gaze, darker thoughts brewed. ‘Those girls… I won’t let them get close to my Mikael. I’ll do whatever it takes—they’ll try to steal him, but he’s only mine!’

  When Mikael came out of his thoughts, he said awkwardly, “Well, I really do o go this time. I get you something to keep you eained while I’m away, if you’d like.”

  Kiara softly replied with a small “Yeah,” though she was still lost in her darker thoughts.

  Unaware of her ihoughts, Mikael asked in his mind, “System, is it possible to get an i e in the dojo?”

  [Since you’re already paying for i in your apartment, you use the same e in the dojo for free.]

  ‘For free? This capitalist system that is always trying to get all of my LP is giving a thing for free??’ he thought in disbelief. “Sure System, do it.”

  Mikael then bought a white desk, which appeared before him, snapping Kiara out of her thoughts. “What’s that?”

  “You’ll see. Just a little idea I had to keep you eained when I’m not here.”

  He pced the desk in the empty er of the room, then bought a bck gaming chair, a gaming PC tower, a 144Hz monitor, a silent meical keyboard, a gaming mouse, a pair of headphones, and a wide desk mouse pad.

  After these purchases, he was 120 LP lighter. He set up all the equipment under Kiara’s intrigued gaze and ected everythily on the desk.

  Mikael turned around and said, "I know it's an abrupt ge of subject, but do you know how to use a puter?"

  "Yeah, I do. Why?"

  Mikael sat down on the chair, opening the PC as he expined, "I'm going to set it up so you use it when I'm not around. It'll give you something fun to do. And I wasn’t sure if you knew how to use it. If not, I’d have o teach you."

  Hearing his words, Kiara felt disappointed. ‘Why was I so dumb? I should’ve said I didn’t know. Then we’d have spent more time together, with him teag me, and I could’ve used that time to charm him, so he wouldn’t even think of approag irls!’ She thought, staring at Mikael.

  He felt her intense gaze but decided to ig, fog on the puter setup. After a short while, he finished figuring it and said, "It’s all set up. There’s no password, so yood to go. You also have access to my Steam at and the i."

  Mikael then stood up and approached Kiara, pulling her into his arms.

  Kiara was surprised by his sudden affeate gesture but didn’t pin, happily returning the hug.

  They stayed like that for a short while before he loosened his hold, prompting Kiara to relutly let him go. As he stepped back, Mikael said a soft “Bye,” which Kiara returned with a small wave.

  After leaving the training room, Mikael ehe Hub, once again taken aback by the bustling atmosphere and the crowd pared to the usual silence he was aced to. However, he chose to ighe surroundings. While setting up the puter earlier, he had been refleg on his versation with Kiara, and now, revisiting it, he felt a sense of uainty.

  ‘I find it extremely odd how Kiara reacted when I mentioned having a harem. Holy, I wasn’t fully set on the idea until retly, after giving it some thought. As I told her, if I live eternally or at least a very long time, I don’t want to limit myself.’

  ‘I’m not about to look at every woman I see as a potential harem member, like some desperate guy. My main priority remains gaining strength. But if it happens and I’m genuinely ied in multiple women, I’ll always be ho with them. If they don’t want to be in a harem—which is pletely uandable—I’ll respect that and stop pursuing them.’

  ‘But I digress. The strange part was Kiara’s rea. It wasn’t that unusual for a woman in love, but for a ya’s holy surprising. I doubt she was entirely ho or at least kept some of her darker thoughts to herself.’

  ‘Sure, I’d be relieved if that weren’t the case, but instead of being naive and hoping for the best, I’ll keep an eye on her just in case.’

  Now that this is taken care of, I should head to another world. I’m already low on LP, and if I want to keep progressing, visiting another world will be useful.’

  ‘But whie? Should I return to Aedris, or choose a world where I quickly plete quests and gather LP?’ he pondered, before f a pn.

  “Records, show me a list of worlds where I could effitly earn LP and, ideally, increase my stats as well.”

  A list of worlds appeared, and Mikael carefully reviewed eae. The sele ranged from simple Tier 0 zombie worlds to Tier 4 futuristic worlds. After weighing his options, he made his choice:

  [Z-Pathogen World

  World Type: Unique

  World Power Levels: High Tier 1

  Description: A world almost identical to the ih—until five years ago. At that time, an unknown virus appeared, ter he Z21 Virus, which mutated any human or animal it ied.

  The virus is highly tagious, transmitted through cuts or bites from ied anisms. Ied beings exhibit increased aggression and severe itive dee, reverting to primal instincts with a singur urge to kill anything alive.

  Worse still, the Z21 Virus signifitly boosts the physical abilities of its hosts. This deadly bination of power and mindlessness has brought humanity to the brink of extin, with survivrouped in fortified Bastions, protected by walls and armed defenders.

  On a brighter note, stists researg the virus discovered ways to replicate its effects, creating five tiers of physical enhancers. Each tier provides a stronger enhaha, although each only be used once.]

  Optional Quests:

  [Leader

  Description: Create or bee the leader of an already existing Bastion.

  Rewards: 5K LP]

  [The Fall

  Description: Find a way to destroy an Bastion will asuring that at least 50% of the humans living in this Bastion die.

  Rewards: 7K LP]

  [Cure

  Description: Find a cure to the Z21 virus and assure you that the general popution have acces to it.

  Rewards: 9K LP]

  [Ied

  Description: Be ied by the Z21 and bee one of its wearer

  Rewards: 3K LP]

  [Peak BodyDescription: Use each tier of physical enhancers ond strengthen your body to the ‘limit’.Reward: 4K LP]

  “Hmm, System, I have the Immunity System. Does this mean I’m pletely immuo the Z21 virus?”

  [Yes, your Immunity System protects you from all types of pathogens, including this virus. However, please hat it does not protect against poison.]

  ‘Alright, good to firm. I figured as much, but I wao be sure. If all it took was o from an ied to turn into a “zombie,” I wouldn’t sider going to this world, even if the rewards were five times higher.’

  ‘Speaking of rewards, let’s go over them. Out of all the quests, the only one I could realistically and effitly plete is the Peak Body quest for 4K LP—unless...’

  “System, if I got injured by an ied in the Z-Pathogen World, would I be sidered ‘ied’ even with the Immunity System?”

  [You are immuo all types of pathogens thanks to your Immunity System.]

  ‘Hmm, I might have an idea for pleting the “Ied” quest, though it’s uain if it’ll work. So, in this world, I stand to gaiween 4K and 7K LP—a solid reward, especially if I act quickly. But the main reason I chose this world is for the physical enhancers, which could boost my stats.’

  ‘The enviro should also be retively safe. Si’s a high Tier 1 world and the apocalypse began five years ago, most modern teology will likely be deactivated or non-funal. I’ll only o be cautious around firearms, and with my 6th Sense skill and high agility, evading bullets should be manageable.’

  ‘Alright, it’s decided. I’ll go to this world.’ He made a quick detour to his apartment, where he showered, and took a short two-hour nap. Once awake, he grabbed his k sword from the Aedris World and put on his dark clothing after all it’s better for being discret to have clothing of an darked color he also took his backpack

  He theuro the Hub. “Records, I’d like to ehe Z-Pathogen World,” he announced.

  [Transfer will begin in 10... 8... 6... 5…]

  [4]

  [3]

  [2]

  [1]

  [0]

  As the tdown hit zero, Mikael vanished in a fsh of light.