Gacha Harem System

Lukas, Melody, Akira, and Karrakas stood there without answering, staring at Percival.

Percival stared back at them, taking in their blank expressions, before chuckling. He ran a hand through his hair, tossing it stylishly over his shoulder.

"What’s with those looks?" He asked, grinning. "Was I really that cool that you guys couldn’t take your eyes off me?"

Nobody answered him, but he didn’t even bother to wait for a reply. He simply waved a hand in the air and kept talking.

"I know, I know," he said with a bright laugh. "I’m awesome. It is a curse, really. That’s actually why I rarely show off in front of strangers. Humility is important."

"But you four are clearly good hosts. You let me tag along, you shared your lights, and you gave me front-row seats to a great show. So I took it upon myself to be more free around you guys."

He stretched his arms, bending his back until his spine curved like a bow, then popped back upright.

"Usually, people get jealous when they see talent like this," Percival continued, pacing in a small circle around the clear floor.

"They start asking questions. Like how do your bones do that? Why do you move like water? But I can tell you four understand art when you see it. We make a good team. A very good team."

Lukas glanced to his side.

Melody looked back at him, her grip tight on her mace. Akira caught his eye with a flat, cold gaze, while Karrakas tilted his head slightly, his bow held ready.

No one spoke, but the message passed between the four of them in an instant.

Percival had not attacked them. He hadn’t drawn a weapon or tried to push them into the swarm, but he was far from normal.

He was D-rank, which meant he had a measure of power and speed that would make him a nightmare in a fight, and his unnatural movements were not normal for any standard fighter.

He was unpredictable, and he was too strange to keep in their formation. Which meant there was only one thing they could do about it.

Lukas took a step forward.

"Percival," he said, cutting off the man’s rambling.

Percival stopped pacing and turned to him, his smile wide and expectant. "Yes, my friend?"

"From all four of us, I’d like to say that we enjoyed your company," Lukas said, lowering his poleaxe to his side. "And we appreciate the help. But I believe it is time for us to part ways."

Percival froze.

His smile vanished, and his eyes went wide.

He stood in place, staring at Lukas as if he couldn’t believe what he’d just heard.

"W-what?" Percival stammered, taking half a step back. "What’s wrong? Did I do something wrong? Didn’t we work well together just now?"

He pointed a finger at the heaps of shattered crystals across the cavern floor.

"Look at this place! We took down a whole swarm of Crystal Bats without a single scratch on any of us! We moved together, we held the ground, and we won!"

Lukas shook his head.

"We told you this from the start," Lukas said. "Letting you tag along with our group was only temporary. The fight is over now, and it is time for us to part ways."

Percival stepped forward, his hands raised in the air.

"Wait. Is this because of the fight? Is it because I didn’t kill any of the bats?"

He did not wait for Lukas to respond.

"I can kill them," Percival said, waving his arms. "If we encounter another swarm down the road, I will step in and help you kill the beasts too. I can crush them! I can snap their wings! I promise you, I will take down my share!"

He lowered his hands and tapped his chest.

"I only held back because I thought you four wanted to raise your exp! You three are E-ranks, and I’m a D-rank. If a higher rank steals the last hit, your exp gain takes a massive hit. I was staying out of the way so you could get all the points for yourselves. That was me being polite!"

He looked between Lukas, Melody, Akira, and Karrakas.

"So don’t kick me out over that," Percival pleaded. "I’ll fight next time. I’ll do whatever you need me to do."

Lukas held his ground and stared directly into Percival’s eyes.

"It is not about the kills, and it is not about the exp," Lukas said.

Percival’s brow furrowed. "Then what’s the problem?"

"We want to take the rest of this journey on our own," Lukas said. "And your presence would be detrimental to our journey."

"Then let me join you properly," Percival said, spreading his arms. "Make me part of your team. I don’t even want pay. You guys can keep all the loot, the money, and all the credit. I just want to travel with you. You have no idea just how fun it is."

"No," Lukas said.

Percival went quiet. Then after a few long seconds, he spoke again.

"Are you really going to leave me all alone in these caves?" Percival asked, his tone dropping. "What if I run into another swarm by myself? Leaving a man alone out here... wouldn’t that just be sending me to my death?"

Lukas’ eyes hardened.

"You’re a grown man, Percival," he said. "You chose, of your own accord, to enter these caves alone, and you knew the risks before you stepped through the gate. We didn’t force you to come with us, you volunteered. You have no right to morally blackmail us with your own choice."

"I see."

Percival’s smile vanished. His face fell, and he lowered his head, eyes fixed on the floor.

The air around him shifted.

The warmth left his presence, replaced by a dark, suffocating pressure that rolled off his shoulders.

The scent of blood began rising in the tunnel, and killing intent began leaking from his body, spreading across the stone like frost.

Lukas leapt back instantly.

Melody raised her mace, four [Hex Shields] flickering to life around her. Akira brought her flail up, her feet sliding into a battle stance. Karrakas drew his bow to full draw, the arrow aimed directly at Percival’s throat.

Percival did not lift his head, but his voice came out flat and cold.

"Then you leave me with no choice."

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