Min-jae pressed himself against the wall, heart hammering in his chest.
The glowing eyes came closer—one blue, one gold, cutting through the darkness like twin stars. In the emergency lighting, he could make out a silhouette: a petite girl with cat ears twitching on top of her head and a long tail swishing behind her.
She tilted her head, smiling to reveal small fangs.
"Don't be afraid, Master. It's me."
"I don't know you!" Min-jae's newly acquired Basic Combat Awareness skill screamed warnings in his head.
The girl stepped fully into the dim light.
She was beautiful in an otherworldly way—maybe nineteen or twenty in appearance, with long silver hair that seemed to shimmer. Her heterochromatic eyes studied him with an intensity that made him uncomfortable. She wore a simple white dress that looked like it belonged in a different era.
"You don't remember?" Her smile faltered, genuine hurt flashing across her face. "I suppose that makes sense. Humans don't usually remember their past lives."
"Past lives? I'm only twenty-five!"
"In this incarnation, yes." She moved closer, and Min-jae noticed she wasn't walking—her feet barely touched the ground. "But souls are eternal, Master. And I never forget."
Min-jae tried to edge away, but he was already against the wall. "Look, I think you have the wrong person—"
"Three hundred years ago, you saved me." Her voice was soft, almost a whisper. "I was just a small cat spirit, barely awakened. Humans were hunting my kind for our cores. You found me dying in the forest."
She reached out, her fingers stopping just short of touching his face.
"You protected me. Fought for me. And when they killed you..." Tears shimmered in those mismatched eyes. "You used your last breath to make me promise I'd survive. That I'd live."
[WARNING: PAST LIFE MEMORY RESONANCE DETECTED]
[ALLOW MEMORY FRAGMENT ACCESS? Y/N]
Before Min-jae could respond, pain exploded in his skull.
Images flooded his mind—memories that weren't his but felt terrifyingly real:
A forest. Rain. A small white cat bleeding in his arms.
His own voice, younger, different: "Run. Please, run."
Arrows. Pain. Darkness.
And then, as his vision faded: "I'll find you again. I promise."
Min-jae gasped, clutching his head. The pain receded, leaving him dizzy and confused.
"What... what was that?"
"Your promise, Master." The nekomata's expression was achingly tender. "The one you made before you died protecting me. You said you'd come back."
She took his hand gently, and Min-jae was too shocked to pull away.
"I waited. Three hundred years, I searched. Through wars, through ages, through the rise of this modern world." Her tail wrapped around his wrist like a lifeline. "And finally, finally, I found you."
[SECOND BOND INITIALIZING]
[NEKOMATA DESIGNATION: MIRA]
[BOND STRENGTH: 87% → 89%]
[WARNING: FIRST COMPANION WILL DETECT SECOND BOND IN 5... 4... 3...]
"Wait, what?" Min-jae tried to process the notification. "Seo-yeon can sense—"
The hospital room door didn't just open.
It exploded.
Splinters of wood flew everywhere as Han Seo-yeon stood in the doorway, her eyes blazing crimson, demonic energy crackling around her like black lightning. Her business suit was slightly disheveled, and her expression promised murder.
"GET. AWAY. FROM. HIM."
Mira's ears flattened against her head, and a low hiss escaped her throat. "I was here first."
"First?" Seo-yeon's laugh was dangerous. "I met him TODAY. How dare you—"
"I've known Master for three hundred years!" Mira's tail puffed up, and her claws extended. "Across lifetimes! What's your pathetic few hours compared to that?"
"PATHETIC?!"
The temperature in the room dropped as Seo-yeon's demonic aura intensified. Frost began forming on the windows.
"My bond strength is—" She paused, clearly checking something only she could see. Her eyes widened. "EIGHTY-NINE PERCENT?!"
Mira smiled smugly. "Nya~ Told you. Master and I are destined."
"DESTINED?!" Seo-yeon's aura exploded outward, shattering what remained of the windows. Glass rained down. "MY AFFECTION IS AT FIVE PERCENT! FIVE! AND THIS MANGY CAT SHOWS UP WITH EIGHTY-NINE?!"
"Who are you calling mangy?!" Mira's own spiritual energy flared—white and silver, forming the ghostly image of a massive cat behind her. "At least Master actually likes me! You tried to KILL him!"
"That was before the bond forced itself on me!"
"FORCED?! Oh, so you're only here because you have to be?!"
"YES!"
Min-jae watched in growing horror as the two supernatural beings faced off in his hospital room. Seo-yeon's black demonic energy clashed against Mira's silver spiritual power, creating sparks that scorched the walls.
"Uh, ladies—"
"STAY OUT OF THIS!" they shouted in unison.
[ALERT: HAREM MANAGEMENT CRISIS]
[COMPANION JEALOUSY LEVELS: CRITICAL]
[RECOMMENDATION: INTERVENE BEFORE THEY DESTROY THE BUILDING]
[SECONDARY RECOMMENDATION: DON'T DIE]
"Very helpful, system," Min-jae muttered.
Seo-yeon took a step forward, her form beginning to shift. Horns started sprouting from her head, and her nails grew longer, sharper.
"I don't care how long you've known him. I am the FIRST companion chosen in THIS life. That makes me—"
"Makes you WHAT?" Mira interrupted, her own form shifting. Her canines lengthened, and a second tail began to form. "The one who gets priority? Master's FAVORITE?"
"I never said—"
"You're thinking it! I can smell the jealousy on you, demon!"
Seo-yeon's eye twitched. "I. Am. NOT. Jealous. Of. A. CAT."
"Then why are you HERE?" Mira challenged. "You said you'd provide money and protection from afar. So why did you come BACK to his room?"
Seo-yeon froze.
For the first time since she'd arrived, she looked uncertain.
"I... I felt the second bond activate. I needed to make sure—" She stopped herself.
"Make sure of what?" Mira's smile was knowing. "That Master was safe? That another woman wasn't getting close to him?" She giggled. "Nya~ You're already attached, aren't you?"
"I AM NOT ATTACHED!"
The ceiling began to crack.
"ENOUGH!" Min-jae shouted.
Both women turned to stare at him, surprised.
Min-jae took a deep breath. His Basic Combat Awareness was screaming at him that this was a bad idea, but someone had to stop this before the entire hospital came down.
"Seo-yeon, you're right that you were the first companion in this life. I respect that." He turned to Mira. "And Mira, if what you're saying is true about our past lives, then I... I'm sorry I don't remember. But I believe you."
Both women blinked, their aggressive auras dimming slightly.
"However," Min-jae continued, trying to sound more confident than he felt, "if we're going to survive this—if I'm going to find all twelve companions and not die in the process—we can't be fighting each other."
Seo-yeon crossed her arms. "The cat started it."
"I did not!" Mira's tail lashed. "You're the one who broke down the door!"
"Because you were clinging to him like—"
"LADIES." Min-jae rubbed his temples. He could feel a headache coming on. "Please. Just can we talk about this calmly?"
There was a long, tense silence.
Finally, Seo-yeon's demonic features receded. She smoothed down her suit, trying to regain her composure.
"Fine. But only because destroying this hospital would draw unwanted attention."
Mira's second tail disappeared, and she hopped up to sit on the hospital bed, tail swishing. "Hmph. I'll behave. For Master's sake."
Min-jae sagged in relief. "Thank you."
[CRISIS AVERTED]
[AFFECTION UPDATE]
[HAN SEO-YEON: 5% → 8%]
[MIRA: 89% → 91%]
[NOTE: Successfully mediating companion conflicts increases bond strength]
Seo-yeon walked to the broken window, looking out at the Seoul skyline. "We need to discuss the situation. Now that there are two of us, things have changed."
"Changed how?" Min-jae asked.
"The system chooses companions based on compatibility and power. Each companion represents a different aspect of supernatural society." She glanced at Mira. "A demon heiress and an ancient nekomata. That's already two major factions aware of your existence."
Mira nodded seriously. "She's right, Master. The spirit world will know I've found my bonded one. And the demon clans will sense Seo-yeon's connection."
"Which means," Seo-yeon continued, "it's only a matter of time before others come looking. Some will want to ally with you. Others..." Her expression darkened. "Others will want you dead."
Min-jae felt a chill. "The message. Someone sent me a message signed 'M'."
Both women stiffened.
"Show me," Seo-yeon demanded.
Min-jae pulled out his phone and showed them the text:
"I know what you are. Welcome to the game, Harem Lord. Try not to die too quickly. —M"
Seo-yeon's jaw clenched. "This is worse than I thought."
"You know who sent this?" Min-jae asked.
"I have suspicions. 'M' could be several people." She turned to face him fully. "Listen carefully, Lee Min-jae. In the supernatural world, there are three major factions that would have immediate interest in a Harem Lord: The Council of Elders, The Twilight Syndicate, and The Purists."
"What do they want?"
"The Council would want to control you. Use you as a political tool." Seo-yeon's expression was grim. "The Syndicate would want to recruit you. Add your power to their criminal empire."
"And The Purists?" Min-jae almost didn't want to know.
"They want you dead," Mira said softly. "They believe Harem Lords are abominations. Too much power in one person. They're the ones who killed the last Harem Lord and his companions."
The room fell silent.
"So basically," Min-jae said slowly, "I'm being hunted by an ancient death cult, a criminal organization, and a supernatural government. And I've only been alive—for the second time—for less than a day."
"Yes," Seo-yeon said simply.
"Great. Just great." Min-jae sat down heavily on the bed. "And I still have ten more companions to find."
"Eleven," Mira corrected, holding up fingers. "You have me and the grumpy demon. That's two."
"I am not grumpy!"
"You literally tried to strangle Master within five minutes of meeting him."
"That was— I was— Shut up, cat!"
Despite everything, Min-jae felt a laugh bubbling up. The absurdity of his situation was almost too much. Here he was, a former convenience store worker, sitting between a demon heiress and a 300-year-old cat spirit, discussing how to survive supernatural assassination attempts.
His laugh escaped, and both women looked at him like he'd lost his mind.
"Are you okay, Master?" Mira asked, concerned.
"I think I'm in shock," Min-jae admitted, still chuckling. "This morning I was worried about affording cup ramen. Now I'm apparently some kind of supernatural chosen one with a death sentence and a harem."
Seo-yeon's expression softened slightly. "It's a lot to process. But you need to pull yourself together. The system gave you a week to survive. That means in seven days, something is going to happen. Something big."
Min-jae's laughter died. "What do you think it is?"
"A test, probably. The system will want to see if you're worthy of being Harem Lord." She looked at his status window—apparently she could see it too. "With your current stats and only two companions, you're incredibly vulnerable."
"Then we train him!" Mira declared, bouncing excitedly on the bed. "I can teach Master spiritual energy manipulation! And combat techniques from the old days!"
"He needs modern combat training too," Seo-yeon added. "The old ways won't work against guns and technology."
They both looked at Min-jae.
"So... starting tomorrow, you're going to begin the most intensive training of your life," Seo-yeon said. "I'll arrange everything. Private facility, weapons, resources."
"And I'll move in with Master to provide constant protection!" Mira chirped happily.
"Absolutely not," Seo-yeon snapped. "He needs space and—"
"Are you saying I can't protect Master?"
"I'm saying you're too attached and will distract him!"
"YOU'RE the distraction with your constant tsun-tsun attitude!"
"TSUN-TSUN?!"
Min-jae sighed as they started arguing again.
His phone buzzed. Another message.
"Enjoying your new companions? Don't get too comfortable. The third one is closer than you think. And she's very, very dangerous. —M"
A second text followed immediately:
"P.S. Check the security cameras. You're not alone in this hospital."
Min-jae's blood ran cold.
"Uh, girls? We have a problem."
They stopped arguing and looked at his phone.
Seo-yeon's eyes widened. "The cameras—"
She pulled out her own phone, fingers flying across the screen. Within seconds, she'd hacked into the hospital's security system.
Her face went pale.
"There." She turned the phone to show them.
On the screen, grainy footage showed a figure in the hospital corridor. Three floors down. Moving with inhuman grace, dressed in black tactical gear, face hidden behind a mask.
In her hand was a very real, very deadly-looking knife.
And she was heading straight for Min-jae's room.
[EMERGENCY QUEST TRIGGERED]
[SURVIVE THE ASSASSIN]
[REWARD: ???]
[FAILURE PENALTY: DEATH]
[TIME UNTIL ARRIVAL: 3 MINUTES]
"We need to move. NOW." Seo-yeon grabbed Min-jae's arm.
But Mira was staring at the security footage, her expression strange.
"Master... I know that fighting style."
"What?" Min-jae looked at the screen. "How can you tell from just how she walks?"
"Because I've seen it before. That's—" Mira's eyes widened in recognition and fear. "That's the Ghost Blade technique. There's only one person who still uses it."
The lights in the corridor flickered on the security feed.
When they came back on, the assassin was gone from the camera.
And standing right outside Min-jae's hospital room door.
The door handle began to turn.
Seo-yeon's demonic aura flared.
Mira's claws extended.
The door opened.
The assassin stood there, knife gleaming in the low light.
Then she spoke, her voice cold and mechanical:
"Target acquired. Lee Min-jae, by order of The Purists, you are sentenced to death."
She raised her knife.
And then she paused, seeing something behind Min-jae.
Her eyes widened behind the mask.
"No. It can't be. You're—"
[ALERT: THIRD FATED COMPANION DETECTED]
[SPECIES: HUMAN (ENHANCED)]
[CLASS: ASSASSIN]
[CURRENT AFFECTION: -50%]
[WARNING: SHE'S HERE TO KILL YOU]
[GOOD LUCK!]