Champion Of Lust: Gods Conquer's Harem Paradise!

As Pyris, under his Petne Chaos identity, and Mira stepped out into the night of the Midnight Dominion, they immediately felt the tension in the air. The streets were thick with an unnatural energy, the kind that promised danger at every turn. The curfew, while officially enforced in the whole midnight dominion by the general, was little more than a suggestion in certain parts of the Dominion.

Here, in the underbelly of a city dominated by warlords and criminals, rules existed only for those too weak to break them.

"This place," Pyris muttered, his voice low as they walked, "it's on the edge of complete collapse."

Mira, her eyes always sharp, scanned the area as they moved. "Lawless cities like this are only ever one spark away from burning. Kassius controls it, sure, but barely. The people obey out of fear, not loyalty." It seemed like Kassius's rule here was holding onto the city from dropping into complete lawlessness.

They turned a corner, slipping into the heart of one of the less patrolled districts, where the curfew meant nothing. The streets were still alive with activity. Casinos and bars thrummed with energy, their neon signs flickering in the gloom.

Even this late, patrons spilled out of the buildings, drunk or high on illicit substances, shouting and laughing like the threat of death wasn't looming over them with every breath.

"You'd think with Kassius's forces patrolling the streets, this kind of chaos wouldn't fly," Pyris said, his tone carrying a hint of indifference as they passed a group of drunken gamblers stumbling out of a casino.

Mira smirked. "People like these don't fear just Kassius—they fear his cursed warriors. And most of them are too drunk or high to care. This is the only life they know, Pyris. Most of them are just trying to survive the day."

Mira wasn't too alien to this kind of life, she had loamed the world long enough.

Ahead of them, the unmistakable sound of a fight broke out. Two awakened mages were locked in a duel in the middle of the street, their fists crackling with raw magic. One sent a whip of fire magic surging from his hands, slamming into the other, who deflected it with a wave of energy that caused nearby windows to shatter. Spectators gathered around, cheering and placing bets on who would emerge victorious.

"They're gonna kill each other," Pyris muttered in amusement, watching as one of the mages took a punch that sent him sprawling onto the cobblestone street, smoke rising from his scorched robes.

"Not our problem," Mira replied. "This place thrives on chaos. Step in, and you'll have to fight the whole crowd."

They slipped past the fighting mages, the air thick with the scent of ozone from their magic. As they ventured deeper, the lawlessness of the Dominion became even more apparent.

In the alleyways, thieves lurked, eyeing anyone who passed with greedy intent. A group of mercenaries openly haggled over the price of a contract to kill someone in the next district.

Some stupid thief tried their luck with Pyris and Mira but was turned into meat paste in an instant by Mira, she didn't even stop in her stride.

Nearby, a slaver was trying to unload a group of captives to a shadowy figure who seemed far too interested in the price.

"This is what happens when the Empire loses control," Pyris whispered, shaking his head. "Kassius allows this?"

Mira's eyes flicked to a pair of guards up ahead. "Kassius doesn't care about order in these parts. All he wants is to keep control of the city's key points. The bars, brothels, casinos—they all pay tribute to him or one of his lieutenants. The streets are a free-for-all as long as no one interferes with his plans."

They moved swiftly through the dark alleys, the chaos of the Dominion swirling around them. Awakened individuals clashed in the distance, while others conducted shady business deals in the shadows.

Despite the apparent lawlessness, Pyris and Mira noticed that the farther they moved toward the core of the city, the more present Kassius's soldiers became.

Pyris's eyes narrowed as they dodged another patrol, slipping into a small, dim alley to avoid detection. "His grip is stronger near the center," Pyris observed. "But out here, it's like the wilds."

Mira nodded. "The closer we get to the heart of his operations, the more control he exerts. He doesn't care what happens in the fringes—he only keeps order where it matters. But even here, his influence is felt."

As they pressed on, Pyris's sharp eyes caught the telltale signs of cursed warriors in the distance.

Each patrol had at least one of them—a real person, twisted and corrupted by the arcane gauntlet Kassius wielded. The cursed warriors marched in perfect step with the others, but their movements were different—unnaturally precise, robotic even.

"You see that?" Mira pointed out, watching one of the cursed soldiers carefully. "They're not like the others. Kassius controls them completely. They're just extensions of his will now."

Pyris studied the cursed warrior's armor. Unlike the regular guards, who wore worn, dented plate armor, the cursed warriors were dressed in black, rune-inscribed armor that radiated dark magic. The blue glow of their eyes was a clear sign that their minds no longer belonged to them. They followed the general's will through the arcane gauntlet, bound to obey his commands without question.

These soldiers were once human, but the gauntlet's magic had twisted their loyalty into something far darker.

"Their armor's different too," Pyris noted. "They're stronger, faster—Kassius really does have this city locked down if he's using these cursed warriors for patrols instead of the imperial army."

Mira nodded. "The empire doesn't have any real presence here anymore. Kassius has replaced them with his own forces, and that includes these… things. Even the regular soldiers only follow him because they fear him. This isn't just a city on the edge of chaos—it's a powder keg."

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They continued moving, weaving through the maze of streets and avoiding the heavy patrols. Pyris's shadow magic made it easy for him to melt into the darkness, slipping past the guards undetected. His form blended seamlessly with the shadows cast by the crumbling buildings, his presence nearly impossible to sense for the untrained eye.

Mira, with her phantom abilities, was even more elusive. Her connection to the void allowed her to fade from sight, her presence so faint it was like she didn't exist at all. Even the cursed warriors, with their heightened senses, wouldn't notice her as she moved like a wraith through the night.

Finally, after dodging several more patrols and witnessing the extent of the Dominion's lawlessness, they arrived at Kassius's fortress. The fortress loomed above them, a monstrous castle of stone and steel. Massive walls, towering above the surrounding city, were reinforced with thick iron and covered in arcane runes.

"This is where things get tricky," Mira whispered. "There are magical sensors everywhere. One wrong step, and we'll set off alarms."

Pyris studied the towering structure, his eyes narrowing. "Can you see the sensors there?" He pointed out.

Mira gave a small smile. "I can. The air around the fortress is charged with magic. There are wards woven into the walls themselves—if anyone tries to break through by force or with magic, they'll know."

Pyris clenched his jaw. "We'll have to be careful when the time comes. Kassius isn't taking any chances. This place is a fortress within a fortress."

They observed the castle for a while longer, mapping out the guard rotations and noting weak points in the patrols. But the magical defenses were going to be their biggest challenge. As they finished their reconnaissance, Pyris turned to Mira.

"Let's head back," he said. "We've seen enough for tonight. We need to craft a plan."

Mira nodded in agreement, and the two slipped back into the night, retracing their steps with practiced precision.

She had noticed certain sluggishness in the security, 'was it because of the whispers of the general's absence?' she wondered. Perhaps it was true that the general wasn't so active, maybe he had travelled?

_____

They moved through the chaos of the Midnight Dominion as though they were part of the shadows themselves. By the time they reached the secret base, Pyris's mind was already racing with the plans they needed to make.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

"We'll strike soon," he muttered, more to himself than anyone else. "I don't want to linger here longer than necessary. I've got the ARGO VRMMORPG launch back home to deal with." But the real issue was the Blood Chalice.

Mira smirked. "You're handling a rebellion and launching a virtual reality empire at the same time. Quite the balancing act, Young Lord Pyris."

Pyris gave a small smile. "You know how I operate. One thing at a time. Kassius first, then the launch."

As they returned to the safety of their mansion base, Pyris knew the mission was just beginning. The chaos of the Midnight Dominion was only a prelude to what was coming. The real challenge lay ahead—inside Kassius's fortress.

Meanwhile, in the Dragon Empire, a storm was brewing. Silas had started acting.