Volume 1: Chapter 12 – Gathering
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[][][12][][]

When John opened his eyes, the sunlight was already filtering through the closed curtains, bringing a little light inside his room. After his successful partial activation of the Lust Gear, he was so exhausted that he forgot to take a shower and instead fell asleep the moment he changed his clothes, applied powder to his body to reduce his body odor, and read a chapter from one of the books on his bookshelf.

Even as he was groaning, feeling the soreness throughout his body, he made the effort to rise up, rubbing his eyes and yawning as he stretched his muscles.

"Man...I'm so tired today. Hey Lu, you were right when you said it would consume too much lust energy to even do a partial activation. I'm still tired..." Another yawn, "...and I just want to sleep-in today."

"Hmm? You're not the only one who tired partner. Oh, have you also noticed that you don't feel any feelings of lust anymore after you unlocked your partial activation?"

"No Lu. How come? I should be feeling hot and aroused whenever you appear. I wonder why that is..."

"You've basically become a personification of Lust although you hide it because of you reluctance to have sex with them, which is fine since it just makes it more interesting to see you smooth-talk the girls into doing lewd stuff whenever you feel like it."

"I'm not that much of a smooth-talker, right?"

"Huh, so now your denying it eh? Oh well, that's your opinion but the girls I believe would think otherwise..."

"Uh...right. I have to take a shower though. I smell like fresh garbage."

Inside the shower he noticed that he has become more physically fit, seeing that he was slightly more cut that before but not to the point where his body was now a web of tightly-knotted ropes with little to no fullness in them.

"I guess all that exercise has paid off. Back in elementary school, I was a fat kid and it took me quite a while to slim down, controlling the portions I'm eating while at the same time taking martial arts lessons."

Wiping himself down with a fresh towel hanged on a steel hanger fastened to the bathroom wall, he brushed his teeth, taking note of the glimmering pearly whites reflected on the mirror.

I'm surprised on how exercise can really change your body. This is awesome. John thought.

"Really partner? I find that hard to believe since I always assumed that you've always been attractive ever since you were born."

Rinsing his mouth, he went out of the bathroom and dressed for school, taking care to smooth the creases around his uniform. Buttoning it one by one, the snug fit made him appreciate the hard work needed to become an extremely fit human.

"I was an average-sized kid before but when I hit elementary school, I ballooned so much that I thought I would become the Michelin Man, and the only people who treated me well regardless of my appearance were Janice, Marie, Angelica, and Cara, so it's obvious that I would be close with them since I spent more time with them than my fellow classmates and peers."

"Ooohhh...that's an interesting anecdote. What happened next?"

"Let's just say dad had enough of seeing me waste my genetics and looks all concealed by the fat all over my body and underwent an intense training regime every summer."

"Why every summer? You could've done that anytime partner."

"Because I was taking martial arts classes during the entire school year. I would lose a little weight here and there but gain them again after awhile so it's thanks to dad's guidance that I've attained this body."

"Huh, you sounded really cool there partner. At the very least, you've got a good head on your shoulders...good enough for going down on girls I suppose..."

Luscious' creepy and perverted laughter made him sigh. Again. Knowing that he would always be exposed to Lu's...sense of humor.

"Er...right. I should buy a wristwatch though..."

Fully dressed, he went down to the dining room where he noticed that his mother was not around, and assumed that she went back to bed after cooking his breakfast and slept beside his dad.

"Dad did mention that he's going to be here for the next two weeks. No wonder he's at home reading a newspaper or a book."

Only Luscious knew the truth that his parents had been having sex inside the house for the entire day. A fact that he refused to divulge simply because he wants John himself to discover how much debauchery his parents have done without his knowledge.

John never noticed that his tiredness disappeared once he went out of the house, a fact that Luscious also hid from him because he was not ready yet to learn about it.

[][][][][]

Once he arrived at school, he remembered that he had to write and send a missive to the others as well as Joker to conduct his very first meeting as a Harem King.

"Now where can I write a missive. Perhaps inside the library, near a corner would be the ideal place to do so..." 

He went to the library and, scanning his school id under the scanner, searched for an available seat near the corner, and found one partially covered by a few bookshelves filled with books facing away from the wide rectangular windows with tied curtains.

Taking his seat, he followed Joker's advice, grabbing a piece of paper from his bag and writing down his first missive that filled him with a sense of anticipation.

Focus some energy. Put down your thoughts onto the clean white sheet in front of me. Make it eloquent or straight? Who knows? They are my girls so I should write in a language they can understand. Never be too obtuse or verbose. As dad used to say: why bypass when you can just smash through? Very well. I am ready.

"Wow. Never would've imagined that I would be writing letters, or rather missives by hand. It's strange, having used to using computers and tablets for typing."

"Well partner, nothing beats a personally written note by hand because it feels genuine and looks authentic. That's just my two cents so...yeah. Hey, I have an idea. Can you use it for trolling other Harem Kings?"

He stopped writing to process Luscious questions that also intrigued him.

"Hmm...I need to ask Joker about it...or I can experiment with it. Well, I'll think about it later. For now though, this is more important." 

His writing hand continued to jot down the words he wants to express, an intense focus on his face.

I was never much of a letter writer but I cannot hurt to try right? John thought.

"To the ladies of my harem I extend an invitation to a private meeting so that we can discuss some important points that Joker wants to share with us. I have also sent a message to Joker to manage and serve as coordinator for our meeting today after school inside the school library.

"It would be my honor to see all of you present during the meeting so that we can communicate our thoughts and clear up any misunderstandings about some things that are too obscure or vague for us to see.

"Truly Yours, John"

"Yo partner, it looks good, although it's too classy for my taste."

"You got that right Lu. I wanted a more informal approach but it made me cringe. Even this effort is a bit cringy. Don't you think so to?"

"Hmm...I'm no good when it comes to writing letters but yours is miles better than my previous wielders partner. At least it's passable enough."

"I guess it's fine since the girls themselves are very smart and intelligent to begin with. I won't be surprised if they can understand the less commonly used words and get the gist of what I'm saying."

He felt Luscious shrug that felt strange to him because how can a voice shrug when they do not possess a physical body in the first place?

"Whatever floats your boat partner. You just gotta get used to this and it'll become second nature. Like imprinting your mark on the girls to mark them as your property."

After reading the letter he wrote, he grabbed a plain white envelope from his bag, slipped the letter inside, sealed it, wrote the names of the six girls on the front cover, signed with his signature, then disappeared in a flash of silent crimson flames.

"Woah. That was  cool! Nobody saw that, right Lu?"

"Nope. You're in the clear partner."

"Good. Now, I'll go to my classroom to wait for the teacher."

He stood up, grabbed his bag, and exited the library, glancing behind his shoulders towards a girl with orange hair tied into a bun with red eyes observing him from her table.

"Another one of Greg's wielders harem?"

"Yep. Greg is also greedy for attention huh?"

He just ignored her and went on his way, feeling the girl's stare behind his head even after he sat down on his chair. He noticed a plain white envelope on top of Marie's chair as well as five others on different chairs.

"Wait. Why are all six inside my classroom? Don't tell me..."

"Hmm...very convenient partner. All six have been transferred to your class for some reason. Perhaps Joker had a hand in it, or maybe your parents, or maybe some other mysterious person with an agenda...regardless, you can have an orgy here anytime partner. Stain the classroom walls white! Mark this location as one of your sex dens! Do lewd stuff..."

"Uh...yeah, nice advice Lu but can you please shut the hell up? All these lewd thoughts you're saying are giving me a headache."

"Still not used to it partner? You should. I'm Lust itself, LUST mind you, and you have to be embrace it because I am a part of you now. I told you before right? When it comes to getting tail and sleeping with no consequences, it's no problem because I'm here to make it real."

He just sighed and accepted his advice, filing it for reference on the off-chance that he may find a use for it. Someday. 

As the school bell rang, he noticed that six girls entered, all with different hair colors, to the surprise of his classmates. Their appearance started a round of gossips, murmurs, and chattering about the fact that they have been transferred to their classroom for some reason.

All six girls greeted him with too much enthusiasm and also received some flirtatious looks from Janice, that made his manhood rise. He pulled away from her, shaking his head of sexual thoughts, and focused on the homeroom.

[][][][][]

Recess time was an awkward affair, a fact acknowledged by the students as they emptied the classroom the moment the bell rang, their English teacher sprinting for the door even before the students stood up after their prayer.

All the girls opened the envelopes at the same time to the surprise of their homeroom teacher, who simply ignored what was happening and focused on his announcement.

Needless to say, they were...stumped that he was able to write a letter of such politeness and formality that it made them...wince. Not because of the way it was addressed but because of the way it was written. It simply felt...pretentious and artificial. But they did not mind it because their feelings for him made them look past the cringe and applauded the effort he put into writing and sending it to them even though they were in the same classroom.

The atmosphere inside the room was crackling and swirling with tension, the girls regarding each other with stares of suspicion, then doubt, and finally sighing since there was no way this was going to be settled normally. 

For now. They all thought. 

"Oh~? I thought I was the only one who was asked to transfer to my childhood friend's classroom.~"

"Aww...did you really think you're the only one who was given that opportunity? Sorry to burst your bubble but I was also asked to transfer here. Take it or leave it."

"Hmph...you guys may have forgotten that I'm the first one who was here so it's my win! Take that!"

"Wow!!!Everybody's so energetic eh? Although I would much rather prefer if it would be the two of us..." Cara just laughed creepily, making John blink at her in surprise.

"You Are All Noisy. I Also Was Given An Order to Transfer. She Showed Respect thus She Shall be Exempted from Pain."

"Um...a girl like you should never speak like that to person's of authority Sylvia. You should tone down your words and pay your respects to your peers."

"Uuu...this is bad. It's all of us under one classroom...i-is it finally g-gonna happen?! An orgy?! A-am I-I-ready f-for i-it?!" Her face now had a vulgar expression on her face that was noticed by the silver-haired girl, making her cringe in disgust despite her blank stare.

"You be Quiet you Vulgar Woman.  I Do Not Take Orders from a Wretch Like You." 

Alice just winced inside, keeping a prim and proper expression on the outside masking her inner feelings.

"Now, now Sylvia. You should watch what you're saying and be more like a girl. If you want, I can teach you how to be polite and respectful to other people."

"WHY?! WHAT DID I DO?! Wait...she called me vulgar. Does she know?! How?! This is bad..."

John just sighed and decided to take control of the situation, diffusing the tension and restoring a semblance of order inside the classroom.

"Now, now everyone. Let's relax and focus on today's talk about roles. You do remember Joker explained to us about the roles, yes?"

The clanging of bells and the quiet humming sound of a barrier being raised was his only clue that Joker has appeared, behind the teacher's table in front, and they all turned towards the androgynous figure dressed in white.

"That is correct Sir John. Before I begin, I want to make a correction regarding the seven roles involved in a Harem War. You don't mind, do you Sir John?"

"Uh...sure Joker."

Joker cleared their throat, focusing his attention on John and the girls.

"All of you already know the roles, yes?" They all nodded.

"Very good. I'm asking all of you because I want to make an amendment. Instead of a Healer it should be the Magician."

Janice raised her hand and Joker nodded in acknowledgement.

"Wait~, so a Magician is much better than a Healer?~"

"Correct Miss Janice. The Magician can be anybody whether a magic user, healer, or support so I forgot to correct myself since it's been awhile since I've last served as an Arbiter in a Harem War."

"Eh? So you Arbiters aren't know-it-all after all, huh?"

"You could say that Miss Angelica. Sometimes there will be missing gaps that would suddenly be filled with information that we forgot. It is...a quirk so to say as a consequence of being an Arbiter."

Marie was the next one to raise her hand and signaled for her to stand up and ask her question.

"Um...so it's not really a Healer but a Magician then? Like me?"

"Yes Miss Marie. However, you're the type of magician that uses elemental spells while Janice can use healing and barrier type spells. The roles aren't fixed so to say but can vary a lot between harem members from different harems. Just think of the Magician instead of the Healer when memorizing the roles and you'll do fine."

Sylvia raised her hand and pointed at Joker, as if addressing a potential threat.

"You, Masked Stranger. Explain to Us The Purpose of Each Role. I Demand Answers Now."

"If you say so Miss Sylvia, then I shall begin. John?"

He gave Joker a thumbs up before spreading their hands and making a holographic screen appear that had seven cards stamped with the seven roles.

"A Harem War is where Harem Kings and their Harems can demonstrate their power. Where each defeat will weaken your influence and prestige, while each win will increase it. Thus, the importance of learning the seven roles that form the main core of a Harem King's team."

Joker swiped to the left, showing the silhouette of a girl holding a sword with two hands and the word 'KNIGHT' written down below.

"The Knight. Her role is the protector and defender of the Harem. They are known for their high defense and resiliency, and are expected to tank powerful attacks from enemy harems. However, there exist Knights who are more geared towards offense or those that are, in some way, irregular."

"Excuse me Mr. Joker Sir. One of the girls we encountered yesterday mentioned that I'm a Knight in one of her spiels. Does it mean that I am also geared towards defense as you say according to your definition."

"Maybe there is a possibility that you fit the stereotypical role of a Knight. But there's also the possibility that you are an irregular. It depends on Sir John who is going to evaluate all your skills tomorrow. He can tell all of you what skill or skills you have and can give you ideas on how to utilize them effectively."

Joker shifted his focus to John who just nodded in response.

Next the silhouette of a girl holding a ball of energy on her hands and the word 'MAGICIAN' written below it appeared on the holographic screen.

"The Magician. Her role is to provide firepower to the Harem. They are known for their large amounts of magical energy and can use elemental magic as well as support and healing magic. Some exceptions exist however, like those that use blood or other mediums to cast their spells."

After the previous image, a silhouette of a girl crouched on the ground and knocking a bow with the word 'RANGER' below flashed on screen.

"The Ranger. Her role is to provide reconnaissance and observe the enemy's movements. They typically use bows and traps and sometimes throwing knives, throwing axes, or twin daggers. They are known for their speed and mobility, able to escape pursuers by using their deception and hiding skills. I'm sure you're already aware Miss Angelica that you are an irregular, yes?"

"Yep. The moment you described the role of the Ranger, I was convinced that I was one, although I use guns instead of bows and use a combat knife in melee instead of knives. What can I say, I'm just special." She just shrugged, a black pistol with gold engravings appearing in motes of light on her hand.

Sylvia turn to Angelica and regarded her like a stranger to be dissected because of her hidden power.

"You Have a Strange Power. Curious. I Want to Explore Deep Inside You and Explore."

"Uh...sorry to burst your bubble but I'd rather prefer to be in one piece. Thank you very much."

Cara was amazed at Angelica's power, oohing and aahing on the gun that appeared out of thin air.

"That's amazing!! Can you also produce other guns? Or grenades? Ranger's use grenades right? Or was it grenadiers? Now I'm confused... " 

She just sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose thanks to the two girls who were strange and unique in their own way, although Sylvia made her do a double-take when she heard her.

Joker just ignored their conversation and proceeded to the next image, a silhouette of a girl with a wolf on each side, her arms raised and palms spread wide in front of her with the word 'SUMMONER' written below it.

"The Summoner. She is the Harem's force multiplier through her use of summons to add to their power. They can summon different types of creatures depending on their affinity. Some use metal, others use the elements, and some even use their soul to summon beings."

Following the Summoner was a silhouette of a girl with a plant-like creature behind her, the words 'CREATOR' written below the image.

"The Creator. They are basically creators, able to create objects, both living and non-living, and even invent new concepts, or to reverse those concepts entirely. They also govern the realm of illusions or any hypnotic ability that affects the mind and the psyche. Think of alchemists or blacksmiths and you'll get a basic idea of what they do."

Sylvia just narrowed her eyes at the image, muttering something under her breath.

After that followed a silhouette of a girl set in a martial arts stance with the word 'FIGHTER' written below.

"The Fighter. They are the offensive powerhouse of the team, the damage-dealers, the vanguard that forms the tip of the spear. They can also be defense oriented, relying on endurance and stamina to tire out their opponents and launch counter-attacks that can tip the balance of battle to their side."

Finally, the last image is a silhouette of a girl holding a book on one hand and a quill pen on the other, the word 'ACE' written on top.

"The Ace. They are the Harem King's second-in-command. When the Harem King is occupied during battle, she takes command in his stead, directing the other girls, formulating strategies and tactics on the fly, and renders assistance to her King when called upon. They are usually the strongest in the harem, second only to the Harem King himself, and their powers can either be unique or a combination of the others six roles."

"Do they also have a role outside Harem Wars, Mr. Joker?~"

"That's a good question Miss Janice. Yes, they also reign in the other girls and also represent their Harem King's harem when he's not around."

"I see~. Pretty interesting~..."

After their explanation, Joker once again gathered all seven silhouettes on the holographic screen, surrounding a new silhouette of a boy with a crown on his head and a scepter on his right hand.

"And you, Sir John, are the Harem King. Your harem's primary role is to protect you and fight in your stead, exposing you to less danger. However, the nature of your King's Armament demands that you also fight on the front lines and demonstrate your combat prowess."

"Hmm...I understand everything now. My next question is how can I learn the girls skills and abilities Joker? Are you going to let us go to a place where we can train without interruption?"

"That's right Sir John. You are very perceptive. As your Arbiter, I can teleport all of you to an area in the Harem Dimension where you can practice fighting as a team. Your best friend Karl has also visited the place and trained there with his harem as well as the other Harem Kings so there's no need to worry. I'll make sure that you're all safe...that is if you survive," Joker said with an ominous tone tinged with humor that made them cautious and wary of his statements.

"Huh...so it's like boot camp?"

"In a way, Miss Angelica. The only difference is there are no instructors, no other people to bond with, and you learn on the go. It's a great way to get used to a formal Harem War that you'll be participating in once you can travel to the Harem Dimension. For now, I'm still setting up your opponent, which you'll have to battle by next week."

"Next week huh, that's a tight deadline."

"It's already a generous offer on my part, Sir John. The Harem Council is impatient and wants to see you in action soon. If you want to learn more about them, then I'll tell you after you've accessed the Harem Dimension."

"Very well. This is a lot of information to digest but we'll work it out. Somehow."

"Excellent! Then I'll see all of you again tomorrow. Oh, and if you want to ask why I was still able to join the meeting despite not being sent a missive...let's just say that I found the meeting interesting and decided to come uninvited. You don't mind do you, Sir John?"

"It's fine. You're here to assist us anyway, right?"

"But of course, Sir John. I am here to serve, after all."

Joker then stood up and was swallowed by a vertical slash of light, disappearing with a wink the moment Joker's body was swallowed by the gate.

Everything returned to normal as the students started to enter the classroom, giving them looks of curiosity because of the gathering.

[][][][][]

Amelia managed to escape her grasp, missing an explosive arrow that hissed by, hitting the ground and exploding to her left as she made her way towards the exit of Davos Super Mall. She nearly stumbled but managed to keep a steady pace, her uniform rumpled and sporting tears and holes with dried blood.

The mall itself was usually filled with lots of people who not only went shopping but also to buy their groceries, and lots of stalls inside offering a variety of snacks, food, and other meals.

Today was different because the mall was not only devoid of people, it was now occupied by another Harem King who assembled his entire harem and sent one of them to take her out.

Taking a direct arrow hit from her is going to kill me. She thought. She clutch her left abdomen, which was starting to bleed, trickles of blood flowing like rivulets staining her uniform and leaving blotches on the white marble floor. Her hazel eyes blurred before her, feeling herself weakening for each step she took to escape her pursuer.

She knew that she was taking a big risk spying on the opposing Harem King's meeting, yet it was a necessary gamble because their next opponent was more than a match for Karl, who was waiting along with the others inside the classroom.

Now she was being hunted by his Ranger, who was relentless in her pursuit of her. She barely heard her footsteps as she glanced from side to side, noticing a shadow keeping pace with her, only a few steps behind inside the second floor corridor.

"What an interesting prey we got here. She's stubborn but she'll never escape," a red-haired girl with braids muttered, keeping a safe distance between her and the black-haired girl in front of her who was struggling to run, her long-bow gripped by her left hand. She hid near the pillars, peeking at her back, and calculating whether or not she should take another shot to kill her.

She saw Amelia vaulting over the banister, dropping from the second floor to the lobby with a smooth landing, still clutching her bleeding wound, and willing herself to a sprint to escape pursuit.

"You think you can escape me? I guess this is the end..." She knocked a bow, the tip filled with red sparks, aiming directly at Amelia's retreating back, and with practiced movement shot the arrow, whizzing through the air and hitting her back dead center, covering her form in a violent explosion that shook the first floor and shattered the windows.

Seeing her handiwork, she turned around and returned to their meeting place, assuming that she was dead because of her last attack. She never noticed the crawling form of a black haired girl whose twin-tails were in complete disarray, bleeding to death, grasping for air, with an arrow stuck on her back being lifted by a girl with wavy black hair with bangs and golden eyes.

"We shouldn't be sending Amelia to these dangerous missions. Stupid Karl! He should cherish us more," she muttered, ignoring the pool of blood forming below her. 

A minute later, a spirit made of wind carried the two of them back to the classroom, to the shock of Karl and the others who laid her in the teacher's table, opening her uniform so that Dana can heal the wounds using her healing magic.

While John was being confronted by Weiss, one of Karl's harem members was nearly killed by another, the one who held the necessary information for his next match this Saturday.

[][][][][]

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