“Finally done,” Daniel sighed, leaning back in his chair. It had been a close thing, but he’d managed to finish the code his boss had requested before the end of the day.

  Guess that means I’ve got Friday off.

  His whole team had been working on overdrive just to finish the project in time. His boss’s boss had promised everyone that if they managed to finish their part before the actual due date, they could have the rest of the week off.

  Daniel had hoped to have been done before now, but he knew exactly how to spend his three-day weekend.

  “I’m off,” Daniel yelled across the room as he pulled out his phone.

  “Got it, see you on Monday,” his boss yelled back from behind her screen.

  Daniel dialed as he stepped outside, and the phone rang twice before there was a familiar click.

  “Danny, my boy,” a male voice said over the speaker. “What can I do you for this fine Thursday evening?”

  “Hey Greg,” Daniel said. “Is Olivia there?”

  Daniel had met Olivia two weeks ago during a double date with Greg and his girlfriend. Daniel and Greg had been pretty good friends since college and Greg’s girlfriend had known Olivia since grade school.

  Daniel and Olivia had hit it off during the double date and went on a solo date soon after. Daniel had told Olivia that if he got done with work early, he wanted to spend the weekend with her exploring the nearby forest as he knew she loved nature.

  “Yeah, she’s been here all day,” Greg said.

  Daniel heard him cover the phone with his hand and call out, “Olivia, lover boy is on the phone!”

  He returned to the call and added, “She’ll be right with you.”

  “Give me that,” Daniel heard Olivia say. “Hey Daniel, does this mean you’re done early?”

  “No, I was just checking to see how you are doing,” Daniel teased. “Yes, I’m done early.”

  They chatted for a bit as he walked out of the building and onto the sidewalk. A strange stillness in the air, as if the city were holding its breath, caught his attention for a moment but was quickly forgotten.

  “So,” he finally asked, “what time should I pick you up?”

  “I’m free whenever,” Olivia replied. “How about now?”

  “Well then, I’ll see you in five.”

  “Okay see you!”

  As Daniel hung up and strolled down the sidewalk, something caught his eye—a boy, no older than ten, darted into the street, chasing a bright red ball.

  Time seemed to slow as Daniel spotted the semi-truck barreling toward the child, who was oblivious to the danger.

  Everything narrowed to just the boy and the truck.

  Instinct kicked in, and without thinking, Daniel lunged forward. Before he knew it, he had shoved the boy out of harm's way, leaving himself in the truck's path.

  As his life flashed before his eyes, he couldn’t help but wonder about the date he and Olivia would never have, how Greg would react to the news that his friend had been obliterated, how—

  Woosh!

  The truck barely missed him as his forward momentum kept him just out of harm’s reach. With his heart pounding like a drum, Daniel drew in shaky breaths, trying to steady himself as he watched the truck that had almost ended his life disappear down the street.

  After calming himself and receiving a profuse thanks from the boy’s mother, Daniel cautiously continued on his way, the near miss leaving him unsettled.

  He didn’t catch the ominous clouds gathering in the sky.

  As he got closer to Olivia’s apartment, Daniel heard the faint sound of sirens from behind him. When he turned to look he saw what appeared to be a full-on police chase—a yellow PT Cruiser was racing down the street with a group of cop cars in hot pursuit.

  The sound of gunshots echoed, and Daniel felt an impact on his stomach.

  Looking down, he saw a red stain slowly spreading across his shirt. He reached down and felt the stain—it was sticky and cold. He felt a chill seep into him.

  Daniel collapsed to the ground, struggling to think clearly. He looked down at his hands and saw that they were pale and shaking.

  He looked back up to see an open-mouthed teen holding an empty ice cream cone looking at him. Daniel’s gaze shifted back to the red stain.

  Since when is blood cold?

  As the static in his head subsided and his thoughts began to clear, Daniel glanced behind the teen. There, he saw a bullet-riddled ice cream truck with no sign of the driver. He brought the finger he'd touched the stain with up to his mouth.

  Sweet and strawberry-flavored.

  Nervous laughter broke from his lips.

  Ice cream. It’s only ice cream! I’m fine... This is only the second time today I’ve almost died, but hey, I’m fine!

  After what felt like hours but was probably only a few minutes, the police and EMTs arrived. They quickly loaded the ice cream truck driver, who had been found unconscious with a bullet in his thigh, into an ambulance and rushed him to the hospital.

  Meanwhile, Daniel, whose ribs had been grazed by the bullet that hit the teen’s ice cream cone, was having his wound dressed by an EMT at the scene.

  “You’re lucky this wasn’t a couple inches over,” The EMT advised. “Any closer to your heart and we wouldn’t be having this conversation. I’d get yourself checked into a hospital when you have the time. You should be all patched up now, but better safe than sorry.”

  “Yeah, luck,” Daniel grimaced, “I’m sure.”

  The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

  After getting the all-clear and eager to move on, Daniel warily resumed his trek to Olivia’s as rain began to fall.

  Great.

  When Daniel finally reached Olivia’s place, he saw her watching him through the window, her face a mix of frustration and concern. She threw open the door as he trudged across her yard, each step heavy with exhaustion.

  “Daniel!” Olivia exclaimed, her frown deepening. “It’s pouring out there! Why don’t you come inside?”

  Daniel winced at her tone, knowing he’d promised to be there in five minutes but had taken an hour instead due to his string of accidents. He managed a tired smile.

  “I’d love that. You wouldn’t believe the day I’ve ha—”

  Before he could finish, a blinding light overtook him, and a rumbling roar echoed above. He felt himself falling backward, the acrid smell of burnt flesh filling his nose.

  “Daniel!!,” He heard Olivia’s voice shriek faintly as his vision began to fade.

  He floated in a black void, feeling nothing and thinking nothing. Was it seconds or eternities that had passed? He did not know.

  Abruptly, all he could see was a light in front of him. Had it always been there? He did not know.

  He reached out slowly, the light just inches away from him. Despite the effort, it felt like trying to grasp something in a dream— tantalizingly close yet always just out of reach. Finally, he was moments away from making contact, but a sense of uncertainty lingered. What would happen when he touched the light? He did not know.

  Daniel’s eyes opened. A familiar face was looking down at him with a frown.

  “We really should meet in better circumstances,” the EMT who had treated him earlier joked lightly.

  “Daniel oh my god I thought you died,” Olivia cried, her makeup smeared by the rain and her tears.

  “Danny, I thought we lost you,” Greg said, standing next to her in shock.

  The rain continued its relentless assault, the sky brooding and dark.

  The wind howled with a fury that seemed almost sentient, its shrieks piercing through Daniel’s thoughts. The relentless gale felt like an insistent voice, warning him of darker, more terrifying things yet to come.

  As Daniel began to stand, the rattling of metal caught his attention. A loose stop sign, shaking violently in the wind, suddenly came free and flew straight at him.

  Before he could react, a sharp pain struck his neck, and then he was on the ground.

  Through his dazed vision, he saw Olivia, Greg, and the EMT standing in shocked disbelief around a headless man who had collapsed in a heap.

  What the fu—

  Darkness overtook him.

  —ck!

  An earthy smell assaulted Daniel’s nose. A gentle breeze blew against his face.

  Opening his eyes, the familiar street or the sterile lights of a hospital were nowhere to be found. Instead, he was lying in a lush forest with sunlight filtering through the canopy above.

  Groaning, he pushed himself up, only to be jolted back as a grey holographic screen engulfed his vision.

  Greetings Daniel, you have died. Generating system…

  Daniel stared at the screen in a daze, his thoughts struggling to catch up. Just as he began to try to make sense of the situation, a light ding echoed, and the text on the screen shifted.

  System Generated: Harem System.

  Congratulations. Due to your actions with the System: null, you have been awarded the following starting stats: Dexterity +1, Intelligence +3, Willpower +2, Perception +1.

  His eyes widened in confusion as the screen faded away. Looking around, he saw moss-covered trees all around him, their thick trunks reaching high into the leafy canopy above. Daniel seemed to be in an opening in the forest, where the dense foliage parted just enough to offer a glimpse of the sky.

  As he glanced down, Daniel found he was clad in a simple tunic and trousers—both unfamiliar yet surprisingly well-fitted, as if tailored just for him. He wore sturdy boots that felt strangely comfortable against the soft grass beneath him.

  A leather satchel hung comfortably across his shoulder, and as he looked down at it, a wave of curiosity and unease washed over him.

  Taking a few tentative steps around the clearing, he quickly realized that the boundaries just led back into the depths of the forest—dense, shadowy, and uninviting.

  The last thing he remembered was getting up off the street and—

  Almost instinctively, his hand went to his neck.

  Was that a stop sign?

  “What is going on?” Daniel exclaimed. “What did that screen mean by System?”

  Ding!

  A new screen popped up in front of him:

  Status

  Name: Daniel

  System: Harem

  Stats

  Strength: 1

  Constitution: 1

  Dexterity: 2

  Intelligence: 4

  Perception: 2

  Willpower: 3

  System Abilities:

  Seductive Charm: Attempt to use your charisma to ensnare sapient entities into your harem.

  Power of Desire: Unlock unique abilities from your harem members, allowing you to wield their strengths as if they were your own. The more diverse your collection, the greater your power.

  Intimate Bonding: Forge deeper connections through whispered secrets and shared moments. Stronger bonds grant access to hidden potential and elevate your power-sharing capabilities.

  Daniel blinked at the screen incredulously. He’d devoured countless LitRPGs in his free time, daydreaming about living in a world filled with stats and powers—but a Harem System? It felt absurd.

  What is happening?

  His heart raced as he thought of the implications, a gnawing feeling settling in his stomach. The reality of the situation began to set in.

  The lush forest seemed to be closing in around him, and he couldn't shake the dread creeping into his mind: What if he never made it back to Earth?

  Daniel tried to breathe deeply, focusing on the soothing sounds of nature, but each attempt felt increasingly futile. The dense shadows of the trees loomed overhead, pressing in on him. A knot formed in his throat, tightening with every moment.

  Freaking out isn’t going to help, he desperately tried to remind himself.

  The words from the system echoed in his mind, a cruel reminder of his situation. He’d always prided himself on being rational, but faced with the reality of his current existence, reason felt like a distant memory.

  As if to make matters worse, Daniel noticed the forest had fallen silent. The cheerful chorus of birdsong and the buzzing of insects had been replaced by an eerie stillness that enveloped him.

  Had he been too loud?

  Heart pounding, he slowly spun around, scanning the surroundings, but he couldn’t see anything. It felt as if he had drawn something’s attention.

  A low growl filled the clearing, seeming to echo from all directions and sending a chill down Daniel's spine. A wolf materialized from the shadows, its eyes locked on him with an intense, predatory gaze.

  Another wolf padded out beside the first, each step deliberate and silent, their bodies tense and poised.

  Daniel's heart raced as panic surged through him. Were there more lurking just out of sight? Was he surrounded?

  Is this how I die?

  With adrenaline pumping through his veins, Daniel chose a direction and ran. It felt like the wolves were right on his tail, ready to rip his throat out.

  As he sprinted deeper into the forest, he could hear their growls escalate into sharp barks, each sound reverberating in his chest.

  He ran and ran. It felt like hours—each second stretching in his terrified mind—but with how little he exercised, it couldn’t have been more than a minute.

  Suddenly, he burst into a clearing, a hollowed-out section of the forest where the underbrush had been pushed aside, revealing a dark hole tucked beneath a cluster of gnarled roots. The entrance was framed by soft, damp earth and a few scattered stones, while the faint scent of musk filled the air.

  The hole was a low cave-like space, sheltered from the elements, with the remnants of animals—bones and fur—scattered just outside.

  Daniel's mind raced as he realized this was the wolves’ den, and he had unwittingly run straight to it.

  He skidded to a stop, heart pounding, unsure of what to do next.

  Curious cubs peeked out from the entrance, their eyes wide and innocent, drawn to the unfamiliar scent wafting through the air. The adults watched from a distance, low growls rumbling in their throats as they warned him to stay away from their young.

  Daniel backed away slowly, arms raised. He just had to show he wasn’t a threat. Heart pounding, he kept his eyes locked on the den, cautiously creeping backward and trying to avoid any abrupt movements.

  Unfortunately, his foot snagged on a root hidden beneath the damp earth. He stumbled forward, arms flailing, and for a brief moment, it looked like he was lunging toward one of the curious cubs that had ventured out.

  The growling escalated, and before he could regain his balance, the wolves surged forward. Their instincts kicked in, perceiving him as a threat to their cubs.

  Daniel’s eyes widened in horror as he realized he had made a fatal mistake.

  He turned to flee, but it was too late. The wolves were upon him, swift and relentless.

  A flash of fur, a sharp snap of jaws, and the world went dark as the weight of their powerful bodies overwhelmed him, leaving nothing but silence in the forest.

  Greetings Daniel, you have died. Generating system…