Chapter 107: Six Months

Chapter 107: Chapter 107: Six Months

Daniel thought about it.

He sat in his plain white chair, his posture relaxed despite the weight of the decision before him. His hands were on the table, his fingers resting lightly on the polished wood. His expression was calm, his features arranged in an expression of quiet contemplation. His eyes were thoughtful, the depths revealing the working of his mind as he processed the offer that had been laid before him.

The others watched him, their eyes fixed on his face. They were silent, their voices stilled by the gravity of the moment. They were waiting, their bodies tense with anticipation. They were nervous, their minds racing with the possibilities and the risks.

Daniel was thinking, his mind working through the implications of what had been proposed. He was processing, his thoughts organizing and analyzing the information. He was analyzing, his intellect dissecting the offer and examining every angle.

The offer was simple, the terms straightforward and clear. Gather ten strong individuals, the task requiring effort and skill. Train them, the responsibility demanding patience and dedication. Prepare them, the duty requiring strategy and foresight. Lead them into the Mortal to God Game, the challenge immense and terrifying. Win, the goal ambitious and daunting.

The reward was simple, the prize vast and unimaginable. A world, the territory expansive and rich. A rank, the status divine and eternal. Power beyond mortal comprehension, the strength vast and terrifying.

The risk was simple, the danger clear and present. If he failed, he would die, his life forfeit. If he lost, he would die, his existence extinguished. If he didn’t gather enough people, he would die, his fate sealed.

It was a simple offer, the terms clear and unambiguous. A simple choice, the decision binary and final. A simple decision, the consequences profound and lasting.

But Daniel had questions, his mind seeking clarity.

He looked at Zariod, his eyes meeting the demon’s black gaze. At his black eyes, the depths infinite and unreadable. At his terrifying presence, the weight of his existence pressing down on everything. At his golden throne, the symbol of his power and authority.

"Can I join?" Daniel asked, his voice steady and clear.

Zariod blinked, his expression surprised. "What?"

"The tournament. Can I join it? As one of the ten?"

Zariod stared at him, his expression unreadable. "You want to join?" he asked, his voice slow and deliberate.

"Yes."

"You want to fight in the Mortal to God Game?"

"Yes."

"You want to compete against thousands of worlds? Against the strongest warriors from across the universe?"

"Yes."

Zariod was silent, his black eyes studying Daniel with an intensity that would have made lesser men crumble. He looked at Daniel, really looked at him. At his calm face, unmarked by fear. At his cold eyes, unwavering and steady. At his confident posture, relaxed and unafraid.

Then he smiled, a slow, dangerous smile that spread across his monstrous features. "Sure," he said, his voice filled with amusement. "Why not?"

Daniel nodded, his expression unchanged. "Anyone can join? No restrictions?"

Zariod shrugged, his shoulders rising and falling in a casual gesture. "Anyone. No restrictions. As long as they’re strong enough to survive."

"Good."

Daniel leaned back in his chair, his posture relaxing. He looked at the others, his eyes moving from face to face. At Lyra, her expression calm and determined. At Fluffy, her eyes bright with loyalty. At Cheeky, her face pale but resolute. At Paul, his expression resigned. At Elara, her cheeks still flushed. At Brutus, his body unconscious on the ground. At Brick Head, his expression confused.

"Then I accept," he said, his voice firm and final.

Zariod’s smile widened, his expression pleased. He seemed pleased, very pleased. "Good," he said, his voice filled with satisfaction. "Very good."

He leaned forward, his black eyes intense. "You have six months," he said, his voice grave. "Six months to gather your team, the time passing swiftly. Six months to train them, the effort demanding and relentless. Six months to prepare, the preparation crucial and urgent."

He paused, his expression serious. "If you don’t have ten members by then, I will have to use my useless students. The ones I trained, the ones who will lose."

He sighed, a long, tired sound. "And I don’t want to use them. They’re terrible."

Daniel nodded, his expression calm. "Six months. Got it."

Zariod stood up, his golden throne disappearing. His presence filled the clearing, the weight of his existence pressing down on everything. "When the time comes," he said, his voice carrying across the space, "I will appear. I will take you to the game. I will introduce you to the other lords."

He paused, his eyes fixed on Daniel. "Don’t disappoint me."

Daniel smiled, a confident smile. "I won’t."

Zariod nodded, his expression satisfied. He raised his hand, his clawed fingers spreading wide. He waved, a casual gesture. "Bye bye," he said.

Then he disappeared, his form vanishing from existence.

The clearing was silent, the air still and heavy. The table was gone, the surface disappearing. The chairs were gone, the forms vanishing. The food was gone, the spread disappearing. The throne was gone, the symbol of power disappearing.

They were standing in the middle of a destroyed clearing, the landscape scarred by battle. Alone, their numbers few. Together, their bonds strong.

Daniel looked at the others, his eyes moving from face to face. At their shocked faces, the expressions frozen. At their wide eyes, the pupils dilated. At their open mouths, the jaws slack.

"Well," he said, his voice calm and measured. "That was something."

Paul was the first to speak, his voice shaky and unsteady. His face was pale, the color drained. "Something?" he repeated, his voice incredulous. "Something? That was... that was insane. That was completely insane."

Daniel shrugged, his expression casual. "It was interesting."

"Interesting? He killed Benjamin with a look! A look!"

"I know."

"And then he offered you a job! A job to gather a team for a tournament! A tournament where you fight thousands of worlds!"

"I know."

"And you accepted!"

"I know."

Paul stared at him, his mouth open, his eyes wide. "Why?" he demanded, his voice desperate. "Why would you accept?"

Daniel thought about it, his expression thoughtful. "Because it’s an opportunity."

"An opportunity? It’s suicide!"

"It’s a challenge."

"It’s death!"

"Same thing."

Paul groaned, a long, frustrated sound. He buried his face in his hands, his posture defeated. He was muttering something under his breath, his words barely audible. Something about perverts and idiots and how his life had come to this.

Lyra walked toward Daniel, her steps measured and deliberate. She was calm, her expression composed. She was composed, her demeanor steady. She was determined, her eyes fixed on Daniel.

"What’s the plan?" she asked, her voice clear and direct.

Daniel looked at her, his expression thoughtful. "The plan?"

"Yes. The plan. How are we going to gather ten strong individuals in six months?"

Daniel smiled, a confident smile. "I have an idea."

"What idea?"

Daniel looked at the sky, his eyes fixed on the clouds. At the clouds, the white and gray masses drifting lazily. At the sun, the bright orb hanging in the distance.

"I’m going to look for the strongest women," he said, his voice calm. "And I’m going to add them to my harem."

Lyra blinked, her expression surprised. "What?"

"You heard me."

"The strongest women?"

"Yes."

"To your harem?"

"Yes."

Lyra stared at him, her expression unreadable. "Why?" she asked, her voice steady.

Daniel shrugged, his shoulders rising and falling. "Because my class is Harem Overlord. My power comes from my bonds. The more women I bond with, the stronger I become. The stronger they become."

He paused, his expression serious. "So if I want to win the tournament, I need to bond with the strongest women in the world."

Lyra was silent, her expression thoughtful. She was thinking, her mind processing. She was processing, her thoughts organizing.

Then she nodded, her expression accepting. "That makes sense."

Daniel blinked, his expression surprised. "It does?"

"Yes. It’s logical. It’s strategic. It’s..."

"Perverted?"

"I was going to say smart."

Daniel smiled, a genuine smile. "Thank you."

Lyra shook her head, her expression amused. She was smiling too, her lips curving upward.

Fluffy walked toward Daniel, her steps small and quick. She tugged on his sleeve, her small hand pulling at the fabric. He looked down at her, his eyes meeting hers.

"Master," she said, her voice high and earnest. "Fluffy will help."

Daniel patted her head, his hand gentle. "I know you will."

"Fluffy will find strong women."

"Good."

"Fluffy will find women with meat."

Daniel laughed, a genuine laugh. "Even better."

Cheeky walked toward them, her steps hesitant and slow. She was nervous, her expression uncertain. She was hesitant, her body tense. But she was there, her presence steady.

"I can help too," she said, her voice quiet.

Daniel looked at her, his expression curious. "You can?"

She nodded, her head bobbing. "I know elves. I know their strengths. I know their weaknesses. I can help you find strong elves."

Daniel smiled, his expression pleased. "That would be useful."

Cheeky nodded, her expression relieved. She looked relieved, her shoulders sagging.

Elara walked toward them, her steps slow and deliberate. She was still blushing, her cheeks red. She was still flustered, her expression uncertain. But she was determined, her eyes fixed on Daniel.

"I can help too," she said, her voice steady.

Daniel looked at her, his smile widening. "You can?"

"Yes. I’m a vice leader. I know strong people. I know powerful people. I can introduce you to them."

Daniel nodded, his expression grateful. "That would be helpful."

Elara nodded, her expression pleased. She looked away, her eyes fixed on the ground. She was still blushing, her cheeks red.

Paul walked toward them, his steps heavy and reluctant. He was still groaning, his voice low. He was still complaining, his words muttered. But he was there, his presence steady.

"I guess I’m helping too," he said, his voice resigned.

Daniel looked at him, his expression surprised. "You are?"

"Yeah. Someone has to keep you idiots alive."

Daniel laughed, a genuine laugh. "Thanks."

Paul shrugged, his shoulders rising and falling. "Don’t thank me yet. We’re all going to die."

"Probably."

"Definitely."

Daniel smiled, his expression warm. He looked at the others, his eyes moving from face to face. At his harem, the women who had chosen to stand by him. At his friend, the man who had chosen to stay despite everything. At his family, the people who had become his world.

"Six months," he said, his voice thoughtful. "That’s a long time."

"It’s not that long," Lyra said, her voice practical.

"It’s long enough."

He looked at the sky, his eyes fixed on the clouds. At the clouds, the white and gray masses drifting lazily. At the sun, the bright orb hanging in the distance.

"Six months," he repeated, his voice soft. "Well, that can wait."

He looked at Elara, his eyes meeting hers. At her red face, the color bright and telling. At her nervous expression, the emotion transparent.

"First," he said, his voice calm. "I have a date."