System Mission: Seduce the Final Boss [BL]-Chapter 64: Meeting hero...

"Ah..."

[ Mission: Say hi to the main character ]

[ Time limit: 1 day (February 3rd) ]

[ Penalty: ??? ]

[ Reward: 10 coins. ]

"Oh..."

For a few seconds, that was all he managed to say. Nothing more, nothing less.

But inside his head, everything was moving fast, far too fast: thoughts tripping over each other, colliding, reforming, spiraling into something he couldn’t even begin to sort through properly.

He had to greet the main character.

Asher Phoenix.

The hero.

"What are you even saying? Have I already passed by him or something and just... didn’t notice?"

[ No, Dear Host. ]

That, at least, made something in his chest loosen a little.

Because the rest of it? Still a mess and completely absurd.

Still way beyond anything he had mentally prepared for.

He let out a slow breath, dragging a hand down his face as if that could somehow reset everything.

It didn’t.

Of course it didn’t.

He hadn’t expected this. Not even remotely. The system already had him tangled up with the villain, pushing him into situations that were dangerous enough on their own, and now it wanted him to get involved with the hero too?

At the same time?

"You’re not about to make me seduce both of them, right?"

[ No. ]

"Jesus..."

The word came out quieter this time, because it was an exhale than anything else. He bent forward slightly, elbows resting on his knees, head dropping for a moment as he tried, unsuccessfullyto process everything.

From what little Blake knew, Asher Phoenix wasn’t just some random main character label slapped onto a normal person.

No.

He was exactly what you’d expect.

A genius.

Someone involved in building advanced technology, technology that could, supposedly, save the world. Someone deeply invested in alien DNA research, experimenting with things that most people wouldn’t even dare to touch.

All in the name of making things better.

At least, that was the image Blake had managed to piece together.

And that was coming from a civilian perspective, half-informed at best, stitched together from fragments of information, rumors, and whatever scraps he could find.

Still, it had been enough to leave an impression.

When he dug into the AL-TECH competition records, he found a picture.

A smiling big with brown hairright green eyes.

Glasses.

He stared at it for longer than he probably should have.

"...Yeah."

A quiet mutter slipped past his lips.

Of course he looked good.

He was the hero.

It almost felt like a requirement.

"You better not make me do anything else with him. Got it?"

...

No response.

Blake frowned slightly.

"Spoon, I mean it."

He clicked his tongue under his breath, leaning back this time and staring up at the ceiling.

"Myles is already a problem with Anthony around, I’m not adding another guy into the mix."

Because that was the real issue? Not in the not just the system.

Not just the mission.

But everything that came with it.

The risk.

Blake didn’t know where Asher was. Didn’t know if he was nearby, far away, or already closer than he realized.

And if. If he ended up running into him today, with Myles right there...

That wouldn’t end well.

There was no version of that scenario that ended well.

’And avoiding Myles...’

His gaze shifted slightly, unfocused.

’I can’t do that anymore.’

Not now, since the system had conveniently taken away his ability to see Myles’ favorability level.

Before, at least, he had something to rely on. Some kind of indicator.

But there was nothing, just guesswork and less than crappy instinct.

Which, frankly, wasn’t nearly as reassuring.

Still...

Things had been stable. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Ever since the favorability had entered the positive range, it hadn’t dropped, not even once.

But that didn’t mean it couldn’t.

Didn’t mean it wouldn’t.

Especially not if Myles suddenly took an interest in someone like Asher.

That would be bad, just very bad.

The kind of bad that didn’t just complicate things.

It destroyed them.

Blake exhaled slowly.

"...Oh well."

There wasn’t much he could do about it now.

Whatever was going to happen would happen.

And when it did, he’d deal with it somehow.

***

Spring break was over.

Just like that.

’Oh man, I want to drop out...’

Blake walked toward school that morning with his hands tucked into his pockets, shoulders slightly hunched against the lingering chill in the air. The sky was clear, the kind of soft blue that made everything feel deceptively calm.

He had thought about avoiding Myles when necessary.

Cutting off interactions, keeping his distance, minimizing risks wherever possible.

It would have been the safer option.

Logically.

But in the end, he decided to not do it.

Maybe he had been overthinking things that day.

Wouldn’t be the first time.

And honestly, he was already dealing with enough stress as it was. The system’s new update hadn’t exactly made things easier.

If anything, it had done the opposite.

Besides, it wasn’t like they had any plans today.

Myles wasn’t the type to casually suggest hanging out, and Blake wasn’t about to push for it either.

So, realistically, the chances of Myles and Asher meeting outside of school were low.

Probably low enough to not worry about.

Blake let out a quiet breath.

’Yeah... I’m overthinking it.’

As if on cue, he spotted a familiar figure ahead.

Myles.

Standing near the bus stop, exactly where he usually was.

Blake lifted his hand in a casual wave.

Myles noticed him almost immediately.

There was a brief pause, just a second, before he raised his own hand in response.

By the time Blake reached him, the moment had already passed, settling into something easy.

They got on the bus together, taking their usual seats without much thought.

Blake leaned back, stretching slightly as the bus pulled away from the curb.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

The quiet wasn’t awkward.

It rarely was.

Still, after a few seconds, Blake tilted his head slightly.

"Did you go visit any relatives during the break?"

The question came out casually, almost like it had just occurred to him.

Which, in a way, it had.

He had meant to ask earlier, during their date but, somehow, it had slipped his mind.

Myles glanced at him from the side.

"...Something like that."

Blake blinked.

Raised an eyebrow.

That was quite vague.

A bit too much.

He had expected something else. Maybe a clearer answer. Maybe some small detail about that complicated, mostly nonexistent family of his.

But this?

This sounded different.

Not "nothing."

Blake shifted slightly in his seat, curiosity flickering.

"Oh? And?"

Myles didn’t elaborate.

Didn’t expand.

Instead, he turned the question around.

"What about you?"

Blake stared at him for a second, then let out a short laugh.

"Nope. Didn’t happen."

A beat.

"Not yet, anyway."

The bus began to slow, the familiar lurch signaling their stop.

They stood, stepping off along with a handful of other students as the doors slid open.

The moment their feet hit the sidewalk...

"Hey!"

The voice cut through the morning air, loud enough to catch Blake’s attention immediately.

He turned.

And just like that, his expression brightened.

Anthony.

Parked a short distance away, one hand lifted in greeting as he swung himself off his motorcycle like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Blake didn’t hesitate.

He raised his hand, waving back as he started toward him.

Good timing.

Really good timing.

But then, his steps slowed just slightly, because he wasn’t alone.

There was someone behind him.

Blake’s brows drew together, his gaze narrowing just a bit as he tried to get a better look.

Helmet.

Still on.

That was... unusual.

He tilted his head slightly, attention sharpening.

Anthony didn’t seem to find it strange at all.

He simply walked forward, relaxed as ever, the other person following a step behind him without saying anything.

Blake hesitated.

Just for a moment.

Then, almost instinctively, he glanced at Myles to check on his mood but nothing.

No tension.

No visible reaction.

Myles looked completely normal, calm and unbothered.

And that alone eased something in Blake’s chest.

Alright.

Then it should be fine.

Anthony stopped in front of them, grin already in place.

"Morning."

"Morning," Blake replied, easy, familiar.

Then his attention shifted to the person beside him.

Up close, the helmet was still firmly in place.

And absolutely no movement.

No sign of it coming off anytime soon.

"...?"

Weird, but whatever.

Blake extended his hand anyway.

"Blake."

There was a brief pause.

Just long enough to be noticeable.

Then, the other person reached out.

Their hand met his.

Firm.

Steady.

"...Asher Phoenix."

For a split second, Blake didn’t react.

Didn’t move.

Didn’t even breathe.

’Asher?’

Asher...?

His fingers tightened slightly before loosening just as quickly, the handshake ending almost automatically.

But his mind, uh is mind was already spiraling.

Asher Phoenix.

The main character.

The hero.

Standing right in front of him.

Right here.

Right now.

Blake’s expression froze.

And just like that, the color drained completely from his face.