Scott silently studied Orion, his mind racing with possibilities. There’s no telling how powerful the territorial lord in charge of that area might be; risking a clash now makes no sense. But sitting idle won’t get us anywhere. One way or another, we have to find a way out of here.
“I think we might have been looking at this wrong from the start,” Scott said abruptly, drawing a curious look from Orion. “This place could be scattered with exits, but we might never know it—because we lack the right to access them.”
Orion’s brows creased briefly before a spark of understanding flashed across his face. “Ah, now that is an interesting theory—and it’s possible. Very possible,” he agreed, nodding thoughtfully. Two of the areas where he’d sensed ripples had been in the territories of territorial lords. While not conclusive, it hinted that exits might only be accessible in territories under active control.
Scott’s gaze sharpened. “At this point, there’s only one real option.”
Orion’s eerie smile grew wider. “At least one of us has to secure a placement on the territorial ranking.”
Scott nodded. “Forget the exits for now; our focus has to be making the rankings.”
“Good plan. I’m in. But in a place this vast, finding opponents won’t be easy. And others with the same goal will be out there, so we’ll have to be ruthlessly efficient.”
Scott nodded in agreement, keeping his thoughts to himself.
Orion’s gaze shifted to scan the area. “In that case, let’s head in this direction.” He pointed, then glanced at Scott. “Unless you have other ideas?”
Scott glanced toward the path Orion indicated, raising an eyebrow.
“Oh, come on. This time, I really did pick it at random,” Orion said, smiling.
“Sure,” Scott muttered, rolling his eyes. He knew Orion too well to buy into his spontaneity. There was no way the mage would pick a path on impulse.
“Really, I mean it this time!” Orion insisted, but Scott had already started moving.
“I’m going first. Don’t waste too much time collecting samples,” he called without looking back.
----------------------------------------
Scott and Orion continued their monotonous journey through the dim pathway. Though the distant walls loomed once more, they hadn’t encountered any other champions since the massacre and their clash with the mud dweller. Their route soon led to another intersection of branching paths. Orion turned to Scott with a grin.
“This time, you get the honors,” he said.
Scott scanned the paths, then nodded, selecting their next route.
Neither burdened by fatigue nor needing rest, Scott and Orion pressed on, covering vast distances without pause. Yet, despite their pace, they encountered no other champions, nor did they stumble into another territory.
“Now that we’re looking for someone, no one’s around. Typical,” Orion sighed, a faint smile playing at his lips.
Scott shot him a brief look but kept silent, his gaze fixed on the path ahead. It seems we underestimated the size of this place. We must have been walking for weeks without seeing a soul. Just how lucky were we to have crossed paths with others last time?
The idea of using his domain to escape drifted in and out of Scott’s mind, but he dismissed it quickly each time. The warning from the Nameless One echoed in his memory. Whatever regrets he might possible suffer, he couldn’t tell, but it had to be serious for such a being to intervene.
The two traveled in silence, crossing countless miles until a system notification suddenly appeared before them.
You have entered the territory of the Harem King! Territory: Lover’s Paradise!
Scott furrowed his brow, staring at the message. “What the…”
Beside him, Orion’s smile turned mischievous, an expression that never spelled anything good.
Instinctively, Scott took a step back, only to find himself blocked by an invisible barrier. Another message appeared.
You cannot leave a territory without the permission of the Territorial Lord!
“Well, it looks like we were right,” Orion said, eyes gleaming with interest.
Scott shot him a questioning glance, but the mage was already peering ahead. “I’m picking up multiple ripples from various directions. I have a feeling thing are about to get…interesting.”
Scott sighed, forcing his tense expression to relax. A place called Lover’s Paradise? Who would even create something like that? He took a deep breath, suppressing the irritation simmering within him.
You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.
“System, apart from the lord’s permission, how else can we leave?” he asked.
You can exit by defeating the Territorial Lord! You may leave if the Territorial Lord is ousted from the rankings! If you possess alternative means of leaving, you are permitted to use them!
Orion chuckled, crossing his arms. “Let me guess. You’re thinking of using the nihilistic zone?”
Scott nodded. “I left shadows at various points along the way, so it should be simple enough to trace back to one of them.”
“So that’s what you were doing back then,” Orion said with a playful smirk. “When I saw you tapping your foot like that, I thought you were practicing tap dancing or something.”
Scott rolled his eyes, refusing to dignify the mage’s obvious lie with a response. Summoning the nihilistic portal, he watched as it began to expand—only for Orion’s voice to interrupt his thoughts.
“Since we’re already here, how about we take a look around? This could be useful in the long run. At the very least, we’d get to see what actually happens in a territory.”
Scott paused before letting out a reluctant sigh. “We’ll leave the moment anything troublesome appears.” He dismissed the portal.
“Aye, aye, Captain!” Orion replied with a mock salute, unable to hide his excitement.
Scott rolled his eyes again and prepared to move forward, only to be stopped by Orion’s voice at his side. “How do you feel?”
Scott cast him a puzzled look. “What?”
“Never mind,” Orion chuckled, already moving ahead.
Scott watched the mage’s back, suspicion flaring in his mind. What was that about? He couldn’t shake the feeling that Orion was up to something, but for now, he let it go. They continued forward, every step measured, vigilant for whatever might await them.
After several silent miles, faint noises began to echo around them.
“Do you hear that?” Scott asked, pausing to glance at Orion.
“I do,” Orion replied, his head tilted slightly. “It’s faint—hard to make out. Should we get closer?”
Scott thought for a moment, then nodded, and they proceeded, each step more cautious as the noises grew clearer.
A frown settled on Scott’s face as the sounds became unmistakable. Wait... no way. There’s no way. He glanced at Orion, only to find the mage grinning with a juvenile glee, mouthing, “Sounds like someone’s getting some action.”
They pressed onward, the noises growing distinct—cries of pleasure echoed off the hollow pathway’s walls, though no one had yet appeared in sight. On their twentieth step, they crossed another unseen barrier, and Scott’s eyes widened.
Before them sprawled a vast expanse filled with champions of countless races, each engaged in varying displays of passion and debauchery. The dull, distant walls were gone, replaced by massive trees swaying under a briny wind. Warm sunlight bathed the area, while an endless blue sky stretched overhead. The road beneath their feet had given way to warm, sparkling white sand, extending to the edges of a vast, sunlit beach where the echoes of crashing waves mingled with the chorus of moans and whispers carried by elemental winds.
Scott watched, half-stunned, as thousands of notifications appeared above the champions, each one signaling a bounty. Yet not a single person looked up or broke away from their reverie to acknowledge it.
"Are they under some sort of spell?" Scott wondered, his gaze drifting over the crowd, observing each feisty couple with a probing yet impassive look.
Orion grinned broadly as he took in the diverse assembly. "I’m more impressed by the fact that so many different races are… getting along. Today’s definitely been educational."
Scott glanced at him, seeing the mage’s eager eyes roaming the scene. “We need to keep moving.”
“I agree,” Orion nodded, though he didn’t look away. “As fascinating as this is, I’m more curious to see what else awaits us. And, more importantly, why this place even exists.”
“What about the ripples?” Scott asked. “Do you sense any?”
Orion shook his head. “Seems like the territory’s owner has them well under control.”
Scott’s brows creased, but he said nothing, pressing forward with Orion close behind. Wordlessly, they navigated through the crowded beach of amorous champions, their destination uncertain and the beach stretching endlessly before them. While Scott focused solely on moving ahead, Orion seemed thoroughly captivated by the displays of passion around them.
“Orion, be prepared to leave at a moment’s notice. I won’t hesitate to pull us out if anything happens,” Scott said over the party channel.
“Always ready,” Orion replied.
They wove their way through the crowd, dodging the sea of champions sprawled across the sandy shore. Scott noted how most human champions were paired with humanoid partners resembling succubi or incubi, but his attention kept being drawn back to an unsettling feeling. I’ve felt like we’re being watched ever since we arrived. His eyes scanned the surroundings, but no one seemed to notice him.
As they moved, Scott suddenly felt a stray arm brush against him—a man had stumbled in the midst of attempting some ambitious maneuver. Scott paused and looked down. For a brief moment, their gazes met, and Scott noticed an odd clarity in the man’s eyes, as if he were waking from a long dream. The man’s expression flickered with confusion, disbelief, then horror.
“Please… kill…” the man whispered hoarsely before his voice trailed off. He averted his gaze, got up, and rejoined his partners without a second glance. Scott turned to Orion, who wore a similarly concerned and puzzled expression.
Before they could speak, the sounds of pleasure that had filled the beach suddenly ceased. Silence fell as every champion turned their vacant eyes toward Scott and Orion. Tendrils of darkness crept along the sand, and Scott’s and Orion’s shadows grew deeper, more ominous.
In the stillness, a voice echoed from afar. “Our lord will see you now.”
Both turned to see a tall, slender woman dressed in a tight, black leather bodysuit that exposed only her deep red lips. A glossy, hairless tail swung behind her as she stood, arms crossed, before a swirling portal.
In unison, the champions broke their gaze from Scott and Orion, resuming their activities as if nothing had happened. The woman’s piercing gaze—though unseen, remained fixed on them, her finger lifted in a silent summons.
“Do you think we should—" Orion began, but the figure snapped her fingers, and the scene shifted.
The endless beach vanished, replaced by an opulent throne room with towering, jewel-encrusted pillars. The air was rich with the scent of blooming flowers that filled pots scattered throughout the hall. But Scott and Orion’s attention was fixed on the figure seated on a colossal throne—a giant of a man, his seat towering twenty feet high, flanked by hundreds of scantily dressed, stunning women of varying races, some of them nearly as massive as the stone throne itself.
The man’s deep voice rumbled through the hall. “I was hoping I wouldn’t have to deal with you two personally, but it seems that’s no longer an option.”