“I will rip out your throat and make you eat it,” Chika seemed to say within her yandere glare. Her aura swirled out, visible at least to him. Even Harumi’s normally friendly face looked neutral, those eyes seeming to dare the young man.

Clyde couldn’t believe how small the gazes of these women made him feel. That saying about a woman’s fury—so this was it or at least a taste. Friendship, closer level two. He knew he didn’t deserve it as he didn’t put in the realistic amount of work. Agh! How could he let himself get trapped into a harem anyway? Wait. It wasn’t a harem. No…just because he had three female friends didn’t mean jack shit, right?

Friendship, closer level two. Okay, so they clearly liked him, Clyde knew that much. Can’t be the dense-man here, he knew. That didn’t mean he had to jump to being romantically involved with them right now.

Another excuse. They were very fun to hang out with, but he’d be lying to himself if he said he wasn’t attracted to them. Constantly inviting Alice over, Harumi with chess as an excuse knowing she was impossible to beat, and still hanging out with yandere Chika because reasons.

God, what had Japan done to him? Clyde needed to get out of his head.

“Meh, it’s just a kiss for the transfer of spirit energy,” Clyde said in a disinterested voice, knowing damn well that he wanted to do more. His attraction to Alice was so strong, it seemingly transcended time. He needed to be sure that, that was him and not some ambient demoness magic. Another excuse. He grew tired of them.

Well, it was not as if he formed a harem. Pssh, as if someone like an OP trickster would suddenly surrender herself to him in some impossibly foolish notion. That absolute endearment had to be fake.

So many obstacles stood in his way—the entire experience had evolved into more than a mission to make it back to his prior dimension. And the system preventing him from rushing.

One wave of Alice’s finger surrounded the duo with some kind of glowing white circle. A magic circle Clyde remembered from various video games and fantasy TV shows, it shimmered like a blinking sun, tiny particles of energy rising into the air above it.

Before he knew it, Alice and his lips met. He…wished he could go further.

Suddenly, the circle collapsed, and a force threw the twin-tailed demoness to the wall. She hit with a thud!

“Oh shit, Alice.”

The three of them surrounded the demoness. It took Clyde a few seconds to realize that she was laughing.

“Well, she’s not hurt,” Chika said.

“He doesn’t need a ward,” Alice said weakly. “If anything, demons should want a warding against him.” The demoness sat up, her smile revealing itself for Clyde. “You have no idea how impossibly strong you are. What shines inside of you, brighter than the brightest of suns.” She easily stood without assistance. “Yeah, don’t expect me to try that again unless I decide to become some kind of masochist.”

Clyde didn’t know what to say. Special power, in him? Some useful thing to know. Where was it when he needed it? What a fuckin cliché. Where was the old man to tell him how to use his so-called special abilities, then die five minutes later to some cannon fodder enemy.

What about the times he nearly died—surely something could’ve manifested. As a prideful but wise anime character once said, power levels are bullshit.

Chika and Harumi looked at Clyde as if viewing him for the first time.

“Anything you’d like to share?” Harumi said. “I knew you were strange since the night I saw you fight, but you never talk about yourself. Where are you from? And when did you come across your powers?”

Clyde felt backed in a corner. In truth, he didn’t mind talking about himself, but attracting Mortem was simply not an option.

“I can’t say,” Clyde said. Harumi opened her mouth to protest, but the young man interjected. “It’s not like I want to keep any secrets. I simply can’t say.”

Chika sighed then anime-dove into his arms.

“I trust you,” she said. “Regardless of the mess you’re in.”

“You shouldn’t,” Clyde said then pulled away. “Not to be emo or edgy, but don’t. I will say the thing that I’m involved in could kill you.”

He sat on the couch, arms relaxed and open as if to embrace the air. For some reason, the three young women gave each other a look.

[Harumi activated skill-fusion: First speed + Flash step.]

Before Clyde could even register what the fucked happened, Harumi was in his lap, triumphant smile on her face. The other women glared daggers at her. Chika’s pink aura threatened to outshine the lights.

He wasn’t sure to be surprised or not that she boldly stirred the hornet’s nest. And skill fusion? When did she learn such a thing? He wasn’t sure what the hell First Speed was, but…his thoughts stopped as his erection rose to new heights.

Harumi gave him a wry smile.

“As you were saying,” she said in a voice that made him hope that material of his pants would hold strong.

“I…” he forced himself to look anywhere but those boobs. He tried…and tried. How did she find the clothing to house such greatness? Must focus.

“You can tell us a little something about you,” Harumi said softly. She leaned back allowing the enticing aroma of lingering soap and perfume to hug his nose. Still being in the skirt of the school, his boner dug a little deep into her. He almost considered kicking the others out. “If not, I’ll just leave until you’re ready to tell.”

“That’s not fair, Harumi,” Clyde said, his voice nearly a whisper. He pulled himself together. Well, he tried. Mortem’s words came to his head. You’ve done well for not talking too much. An entity that can freeze time and pop on him at will—could the young man really risk it?

“Someone’s really happy to see me,” the pink-haired girl whispered. “You—”

“Enough is enough, you cow,” Alice pulled Harumi off, not with her hands, but with what Clyde could only describe as the force. He wasn’t much of a Star Wars person, yet, but he hadn’t been living under a rock. The poltergeist-like ability made him a little envious. “If he doesn’t want to tell, there’s a reason behind it.”

Clyde made his decision, but first, he’d give them fair warning. After all of the shit they went through together, to simply expect them to nod and accept it was a bit arrogant.

“It’s okay Alice, let her down. I’ll tell, but you’ve got to decide if you really want to risk your lives for this.” Alice dropped Harumi from midair onto his lap, causing both of them to grunt. The women looked at each other, nodded once, then turned their attention back to Clyde.

“Tell us,” Chika said.

Lot City Hotel…..

“I am Dark. Conqueror of all nations. Warrior of the mighty, slayer of the foolish!” Dark thrusted his right hand to the side in an exaggerated motion. “Bow before—”

“What are you doing?” a familiar voice said from his doorway.

He quickly straightened himself and turned from the mirror, face flushed.

“No—nothing,” he quickly said. “What do you want, Selkie?”

The beautiful green-haired entity fixed him with an amused stare. She was dressed in a light-purple cheongsam. Next to her in simple jeans and shirt, Dark looked like a bumkin.

“I was checking to see if you were hungry, Mr. slayer of nations,” she said.

“You heard that,” he said softly. “Anyway—woman, a supreme being like me does not trouble himself with hunger while training.”

His stomach rumbled hard enough to shake the dresser. Selkie softly facepalmed then marched over to the chuuni. With a firm grasp of his ear, she hustled him out the door.

After dinner, the two found somewhere quiet to chat. A cool breeze ruffled the air of the young man as his head hung slightly over a rail. The cloudy sky seemed to spark a little life into him.

“What’s bothering you, Charly?” Selkie said.

“Don’t call me that—it’s Dark! I am the…” he dropped his head. “It’s the asshole.”

“What? Who touched you?” Selkie said, twinkle in her eye.

“No, vile woman, Clyde!” he barked. “There are so many things wrong with his situation. Like how he’s getting all the girls—I mean is given the power and title of the Stone when it clearly should be mine. He should be embracing this world, but deep in his eyes, he looks like he was forced here against his will. He’s a dick. And yet I failed myself in that fight against him. I…let blinding rage get to me. And…when I saw the man who was also from earth get pulled off into the night to be some harpy’s meal, I…I…” he took in a breath then let it out. “I was a little frightened for the first time since I’ve been here.” He looked at Selkie. “You told me that he’s changing. His attitude, his power, ambient spirit. Is it true? What’s going on?”

Selkie gave the chuuni an intense stare.

“You should know that Clyde is something extremely rare. In fact, he shouldn’t exist.” She folded her arms, allowing herself a shudder. “For the second time in history, someone was born as the Stone. The watchers are afraid of him, he who cannot be touched by the Great Hand. They also find him fascinating, want entities to find a way to control him, fight the darkness at their bidding. Corrupted themselves.” She paused, realizing she released too many of her personal thoughts. “I’ve said too much. Just make sure you don’t repeat it, or you’ll be killed with me.”

Dark’s eyes widened.

“My lips are sealed.”

“Good,” Selkie said. “After I meet with Clyde tomorrow, we shall leave this city. This place gives me too many bad feelings. Besides, you have your destiny and he has his.” She gazed into his eyes. “You could try making some friends. Drop the loner act.”

“No,” Dark said. “I already told you this world is mine. You keep your side of the deal and we’ll be fine. And don’t give me those eyes of pity—I’m Dark. I’ll soon be the fear that makes everyone’s skin crawl.”

Selkie shook her head.

“You do that on purpose. Bottle up like that. Charly, one day you’ll have to break your shell, at least a little. You’ve got a part to play. And it’s not as a puppet.”

The two met eyes, hardness and steel between the gazes.