Harem Sync: Divine Edition-Chapter 14 - 1.5 Seconds of Eternity

"Yes."

Haru took a deep breath. "So... I died again?"

Chronia tilted her head, curious. "No. You are... in between. Neither dead nor alive. Your body is unconscious. But your consciousness is here with me."

"I thought we deserved a talk. After all... 580 deaths. That’s... impressive."

Haru frowned. "Have you been watching me?"

"Always." Chronia smiled. "Every death. Every loop. Every stupid decision you made."

Haru was embarrassed.

Chronia smiled softly. "Yes, I saw you masturbating..."

"You pervert!... You could have at least helped with other things."

"No, I couldn’t." She rose from her throne, a fluid movement that made the fabric of her white dress dance. It was made of long, translucent strips that barely concealed the architecture of her body. Between her legs, the fabric separated into vertical slits that revealed the dangerous curve of her thighs and the firm outline of her waist with every barefoot step she took on the neon water.

The neckline, supported by almost invisible threads, with the volume of her breasts threatening to overflow with any sudden movement. She walked up to him, stopping at a distance where Haru could feel the heat emanating from her skin.

"You need to understand something, Haru. I didn’t bring you here to help you. I brought you here to... well."

"I see you changed your dress," said Haru, not giving her time to finish her previous sentence.

Chronia blinked. She looked down at her dress.

"Oh! Do you like it?"

"Of course..." Haru smiled slyly.

"Stop complimenting me like that or I’ll forget what I want to say."

"You’re hot," Haru added.

Chronia raised an eyebrow. Then she smiled. Seductively.

"You think so?" she said, turning slowly, revealing the curve of her back, almost her entire body... But she stopped, stared at Haru, and saw that his eyes were shining slightly.

He had just used Predator’s Gaze.

And the only thing that appeared as Chronia’s "weak point" was:

[Weakness Detected: Ego]

"You little brat!" Chronia shouted, her voice echoing in the void. "Do you want to cease to exist?!"

Haru smiled. Widely.

"Are you going to tell me why I’m here?..."

Chronia frowned.

"Deserve what?"

Without answering, she placed her hands under her own breasts. She lifted them slightly. They filled her delicate palms, swaying lightly and voluminously.

"Well..." she said, looking directly into Haru’s eyes. "Touching me will activate the [Touch of the Goddess]. And that will raise the level of my curse, and—"

Haru said nothing, didn’t even breathe, didn’t let her finish her explanation. He immediately rushed forward with his hands raised, aiming straight for those breasts. He was serious.

There are things you don’t mess with. And this demanded total seriousness.

He buried his face in them. His hands wrapped around Chronia’s waist, pulling her close.

[Touch of the Goddess]: ACTIVATED

[Absorption in progress...]

"You weren’t supposed to grab my breasts!" Chronia shouted, trying to push his head away. "You were only supposed to touch my skin! That was enough—"

"Hmhmh, (I don’t care...)" Haru muttered, without letting go, barely audible.

"Enough!" Chronia tried to pull Haru away from her. She pulled on his shoulders. On his hair.

But Haru wouldn’t let go.

"You need to go back!" she said.

"Hmhmh, (screw it!)" replied Haru, still holding on.

"LET GO OF ME!"

Everything went white.

[CHRONIA’S CURSE: LEVELED UP]

[New Ability Unlocked:

◊ Time Stop: LVL 1 (1.5 seconds, 2x per day)

◊ You can move above material being time.

◊ range, 0,5km²

[Touch of the Goddess: +???? Divine Mana absorbed]

[Mana: ????/????]

The mansion was in CHAOS.

Monsters everywhere. Shadow creatures with sharp claws, red eyes glowing in the darkness. Black-robed cultists summoning more creatures. Soldiers from the mansion fighting, but they were outnumbered. Greatly outnumbered.

Blood in the courtyard. Bodies on the ground and further ahead...

There was Arwin. Standing in the middle of the main courtyard. Black robe fluttering. Hair falling over his shoulders. Sword in his hands.

And fighting him...

Isabela.

She attacked with everything she had. Fire enveloping her sword. Cutting. Advancing, but she was no match for him. Arwin blocked every blow effortlessly. Smiling. As if he were playing.

"It’s simple. Give us Haru and we’ll let you..." said Cedrick, dodging Isabela’s attacks.

"Shut up!" shouted Isabela, going all out.

She channeled mana. Her sword caught fire. Intense red.

"Ignition: Phoenix Cut!"

She made an explosive dash. A phoenix of flames appeared in the air, following the trajectory of her sword. Wings spread. Sharp beak. Roaring silently.

Arwin didn’t even move.

He made a cut from bottom to top with one hand, his hand releasing a black aura like a blade. Dark red bursts exploded from the movement, colliding with Isabela’s cut.

The two forces collided.

The phoenix disintegrated.

Isabela was thrown backwards, flying several meters before hitting the ground. She rolled. She stopped on her back.

She tried to get up. She leaned on her sword, but her legs failed her. She fell to her knees.

"Haru..." she thought. "I tried to return the favor, but unfortunately... I can’t..."

Arwin walked towards her. Slowly. Unhurried, he stopped in front of her. He looked down at her.

"You NPCs will never be a match for us gamers."

Isabela’s eyes widened. "Gamer...?"

She remembered, Haru had mentioned during the interrogation... that he was a gamer.

Arwin continued: "At first, I was supposed to take you to dominate the baron. But the system wants that brat dead. And I’ll get a lot of reward for that."

He raised his hand. Shadows gathered at his fingertips, forming a dark blade.

"Goodbye, Isabela Valtherion."

He brought his hand down.

[TIME STOP]: ACTIVATED

[Duration: 1.5 seconds]

[0.5... 1.0... 1.5...]

The world froze.

Arwin stood still in mid-motion. The shadow blade was inches from Isabela’s neck.

Isabela closed her eyes, waiting for the impact.

Everything... motionless, except Haru.

He left the stable like a beam of light, running faster than ever. He passed Isabela. He went straight to Arwin and punched him, the punch hitting him squarely in the face.

And only then did time unfreeze.

BANG!

Arwin flew backwards, spinning in the air. He hit the ground, rolled, slid across the courtyard. He regained his posture, confused.

"What—"

Isabela opened her eyes. She saw Haru standing in front of her. With his back to her. Protecting her.

"Har—"

But Haru didn’t let her finish. "Stay there. Don’t move."

Isabela remained silent, realizing that Haru was glowing. A pure white aura surrounded him. As if every cell in his body was emitting divine light.

"This mana..." thought Isabela, feeling the energy in the air. "It’s so pure... as if a god had touched him..."

"So you finally showed up," said Arwin, smiling and stretching out his hands.

Hundreds of shadow chains exploded from the ground around him. Black. Shiny. Sharp at the ends.

They flew toward Haru.

Haru advanced, straight toward the chains.

He dodged the first one. He jumped over the second one. He did a somersault in the air, passing between three that tried to pierce him. He slid on the ground, avoiding another one.

He jumped high. With both hands pointed at Arwin, he concentrated mana.

"Ignition: Fire Cannon!"

But the fire that came out was not red. It was white.

The giant sphere of white flames shot out quickly, descending like a divine meteor toward Arwin below.

Arwin raised his chains, forming a cocoon of shadows around him.

The sphere collided.

BAM!

The explosion lit up the entire mansion. It shone as if it were morning.

The heat wave swept across the courtyard. All the shadow monsters around were instantly vaporized. The cultists screamed, covering their faces.

Isabela closed her eyes, the white light burning too brightly.

The cocoon of chains opened. Arwin stepped out, unharmed. But panting.

Haru was no longer above him, appearing to his left and punching, but Arwin defended himself, blocking with his forearm. Haru spun and kicked sideways. Arwin blocked again. Haru slid to the ground, trying to knock Arwin’s legs out from under him. Arwin jumped back and, without giving Haru time to react, activated a skill.

"Dance of the Dagger Assassin!"

He made an explosive dash, coming straight at Haru. He executed a series of quick movements, cuts, thrusts, spins, all at an almost invisible speed.

Haru dodged. He blocked. He retreated, but felt a cut on his cheek. Blood flowed. And everything froze again.

[TIME STOP]: ACTIVATED

[Duration: 1.5 seconds]

Haru’s hands lit up in white flames, and he punched Arwin in the face. Left, another punch. Right.

Time resumed.

Haru threw an uppercut.

Arwin, still stunned by the punches that "came out of nowhere," tried to dodge. He almost made it.

But Haru was already behind him. He grabbed Arwin by the waist. He arched his back.

Suplex.

The floor cracked with the impact.

Arwin hit his head. His eyes rolled back, unconscious...

Haru stopped in front of Arwin’s body.

The white aura began to fade. To dissipate.

He looked at his own hand.

He knew he didn’t have much time.

He concentrated the rest of his divine mana. He made a sphere of white fire. Small. But dense.

Before the aura completely disappeared, he aimed at Arwin’s skull and fired. Arwin’s skull exploded.

Blood. Bone. Brain matter scattered across the cracked floor.

Silence.

The white aura around Haru dissipated completely.

He fell to his knees. Exhausted, gasping for breath, but alive, and Arwin... He was dead.

Notifications exploded in front of his eyes. One after another. Fast. Bright.

[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]

◊ TARGET ELIMINATED: Arwin Corvus (Player, Level 15)

[CALCULATING REWARDS...]

◊ [+5,500 XP] — Player Kill (High-Level Target)

◊ [+500 XP] — Gain Isabelas trust

◊ [+500 XP] — Make Isabela willingly touch you.

◊ [+1 Skill Slot]... [+1 Skill Slot]... [+1 Skill Slot]

◊ [+500 XP] — Quest Complete: "Protect Isabela Valtherion"

◊ [+500 XP] — Mansion Defense Success

◊ [+500 XP] — Eliminated: Cedrick (Traitor)

◊ [+500 XP] — Eliminated: Shadow Mage

◊ [+2,005 XP] — Accumulated Experience (201 Deaths)

◊◊ TOTAL XP GAINED: 10,505

▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂

[LEVEL UP!] 7 → 8

[LEVEL UP!] 8 → 9

[LEVEL UP!] 9 → 10

[NEW ATTRIBUTE!]: CHARISMA

[LEVEL UP!] 10 → 11

▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂

[CURRENT LEVEL: 11]

[XP: 275 / 15,000]

┌─ [STATUS WINDOW]

◊ Level: 11

◊ XP: 275 / 4,000

◊ Strength: 16 (up)

◊ Agility: 13 (up)

◊ Stamina: 13 (up)

◊ Intelligence: 18 (up)

◊ Luck: 7 (up)

◊ Charisma: 12

◊ Mana: 350 / 5,000 (up)

└────────────────

[SYSTEM LOCK REMOVED]

◊◊ Arwin Corvus’s system vinculation has been terminated

◊◊◊ Full system access restored

▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂

[SPECIAL REWARD: FIRST PLAYER KILL]

◊ NEW PASSIVE SKILL UNLOCKED

◊◊ Battle Memory (Passive)

├─ Effect: Body automatically reacts to attacks you’ve seen before

├─ Bonus: +50% dodge rate against repeated enemy patterns

├─ Special: Can copy enemy techniques after seeing them 3+ times

└─ "Now, not just your mind, but Your muscles remember every death. Every wound. Every mistake."

▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂

◊◊ Muscle definition for age has reached its limit

◊◊◊ Click to [[start]] the max change. It will hurt and take time (8 hours), but you can click at any time as long as you are of the current age.

▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂

[PLAYER DEFEATED: ARSENAL ACCESS GRANTED]

◊ You may choose Two ability from Arwin Corvus’s arsenal:

┌──[ARWIN’S SKILLS]

♦ [Shadow Binding]

◊ Shadow chains that bind the target for 30 seconds

♦ [Mind Whisper]

◊ Plants suggestions in the target’s mind (works best on targets with low Intelligence)

♦ [Veil of Deception]

◊ Visual/auditory illusions

♦ [Raven’s Eyes]

♦ [Dagger Mastery: Assassin’s Dance]

♦ [Shadow Step]

◊ Only works in dimly lit areas

♦ [Poison Resistance (Advanced)]

◊ Immune to 90% of common poisons

└─────────

[SELECT ONE ABILITY]

[TIME LIMIT: 60 seconds]

▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂

Haru was on his knees, panting, reading everything.

Level 7 → 11. Status almost doubled. Mana from 350 to 5,000. System unlocked.

And then he saw it, the list. Arwin’s arsenal.

He had 60 seconds to choose.

He looked at the options.

"Hmmm... I already know what to choose," he thought.