Champion Of Lust: Gods Conquer's Harem Paradise!

The Abyssal Labyrinth awaited, and though he was more than ready for its challenges, he knew he couldn't afford to go unprepared. He needed an edge, and he needed someone who knew the art of manipulation, magic, and trickery.

Just someone to have his back in case things went wrong.

And that someone was Zara—a witch whose power was whispered about in dark circles known by few yet she knew everything.

No one ventured into her domain without facing her challenges, and even fewer left without paying a heavy price. Pyris had crossed paths with her before, and though she owed him a favor, he knew better than to think Zara would let him cash in without a cost.

As they approached her mansion, Pyris could feel the energy in the air shift.

The mansion wasn't grand in the conventional sense. It was tall, narrow, and appeared as though it could fade into the shadows at any moment. The air around it was thick with the scent of herbs, mixed with an unnatural tang of magic that made the hairs on his arms stand on end.

Even Mira, always composed, looked unsettled—for his safety.

"This place... it's crawling with her spells," Mira said, her voice calm, unaffected at all.

Pyris smirked, not showing any signs of nerves. "Of course it is. Zara doesn't let anyone walk in easily."

He could already feel the subtle tug of enchantments on his senses, illusions trying to distort his perception but he was a master in illusions, Zara didn't know.

The mansion looked like it was bending and shifting, as though it was alive.

The path leading to it twisted in unnatural ways, and as Pyris stepped forward, the stones beneath his feet shifted like water.

"Pyris," Mira said quietly, "the path... it's changing."

"I know," Pyris replied, eyes narrowing as he concentrated. "She wants to test me before I even reach the door."

The path before him seemed straightforward at first, but every step felt heavier, as if invisible hands were pulling him back.

A gust of wind pushed against him, making the simple act of walking feel like wading through quicksand. Pyris smiled to himself. Typical Zara—never one to make things easy. But this wasn't going to stop him. Focusing his energy, he stepped forward confidently, his body pushing against the invisible force.

Mira moved behind him, her void energy allowing her to resist the tricks Zara had placed along the way. They approached the entrance of the mansion, but even then, the heavy door stood before them with no visible handle or keyhole.

"It won't just open," Mira warned.

"I know," Pyris said, studying the door.

A challenge awaited, as was Zara's way. Pyris placed his hand on the door, feeling the texture of the wood shift beneath his fingertips. Words in an ancient script began to glow faintly, flickering as if unsure whether they wanted to be seen.

Zara's message to him was clear: Only those who know their true desire may enter.

[She's putting in quite the efforts!] Lia scoffed.

"True desire, huh?" Pyris muttered, his mind working fast. Zara's challenges always had deeper meanings, forcing people to confront themselves, to unlock hidden truths they might not even realize about their own nature. He took a deep breath, letting his mind focus on one thing—the Blood Chalice, his goal.

But that wasn't enough. No, there was more behind his pursuit of the Chalice.

The thought came to him like a flame igniting. He wasn't doing this just for power or fame.

He was doing it for something deeper—for his family, for their survival, and for his future plans. He wanted to rise above all others, to build something eternal, not to challenge the world, but to live a meaningful life he didn't have in his first life.

And that was his true desire.

As the realization settled in, the door gave a soft creak, opening just wide enough for him and Mira to step through.

Inside the mansion was an entirely different world. The air was thick with magic and unsettled mana, so dense it felt like walking through sticky water.

Every inch of the room glowed with hidden enchantments, protective wards, and dark energies that whispered as they passed. The walls seemed to shift, moving with every step they took, like the mansion itself was watching them.

At the center of it all, lounging on a throne-like chair with her legs crossed and a wicked smile on her face, sat Zara. Her dark hair framed her pale, angular face, and her eyes gleamed with mischief and intelligence.

She didn't rise or greet them—she didn't need to. Her presence filled the room, and her power hung in the air like a thick fog.

And oh my goodness... She was breathtaking and the system knew that too...

[Ding! Quest activated: Bind Zara's Loyalty.

[Complete the task and make Zara your unshakable ally before your journey to the Abyssal Labyrinth ends.

Reward: Eternal Witch's Oath + 500 Lust Points.]

Pyris smiled, the system has been quiet for some time now without giving him any notifications or quests but it had suddenly resumed when he was here!

And this challenge, he didn't need to care about the rewards, he wasn't going to do it for just rewards, but for himself, he wanted Zara in his own circle too.

Zara was someone the old Pyris had encountered long ago and he helped her out.

Now they were crossing paths again but this time he came to her himself, and he won't ever leave her alone, not until she was in his circle!

'Status!' he called out in his mind.

[Ding! Error!

Individual Zara can't be assessed by host, host is still weak!]

Pyris' jaw nearly hit the floor, this woman was no ordinary witch, just like he had expected. At his current rank, Pyris would be able to assess even a Rank 20 yet, Zara, seemed to be anomaly!

_____

"Pyris," she purred, her voice smooth as velvet. "I was wondering when you'd finally come to call in that little favor."

Pyris approached cautiously, his eyes never leaving hers. He knew better than to trust Zara's seemingly casual demeanor. "You know why I'm here, Zara, to collect my favor!

"The Abyssal Labyrinth, I need your help."

Zara raised an eyebrow, amusement flickering in her eyes. "Do you now? And here I thought you were the kind of man who liked to handle things on his own."

Pyris smirked, not missing a beat. "I am. But I also know when to call in a favor."

Zara leaned forward slightly, her gaze sharpening. "And what makes you think I'll risk my life to join you on this little adventure of yours? After all, I have no interest in dying in some ancient death trap."

Pyris' smile faded, his eyes locking onto hers. "Because you owe me, Zara."

The witch chuckled, her laugh a low, dangerous sound. "Oh, Pyris, darling, I may owe you, but favors like that don't come free. You want my help? You'll have to prove yourself first."

Pyris narrowed his eyes. "Prove myself, huh? Typical of you. What do you have in mind?"

Zara stood, her presence suddenly overwhelming, filling the room with an oppressive weight. Dark mana swirled around her like a living thing, tendrils of magic reaching out to brush against Pyris and Mira. "A challenge, of course," she said, her voice carrying a dangerous edge. "I won't risk my life trusting someone whose power I can't measure. How do I know I can rely on you to work together not as a dead weight but a partner if thing go wrong. If you want my help, Pyris, you'll need to pass my test."

Pyris crossed his arms, his confidence unshaken. "What's the challenge?"

Zara's smile turned wicked. "Oh, it's quite simple. You must survive... in my world."

The room around them darkened, the air growing thick with her magic.

Zara's figure blurred, her mana expanding and warping the space around them. Suddenly, the mansion began to change, the walls shifting and dissolving into nothingness. In a matter of seconds, Pyris found himself standing in the middle of an endless, dark forest, the trees twisted and gnarled, their branches reaching out like skeletal hands.

Mira stepped closer to him, her eyes scanning their surroundings. "This is one of her illusionary worlds."

Pyris grinned. "Of course it is."

Zara's voice echoed through the trees, though her form was nowhere to be seen. "To leave this forest, Pyris, you must find the path that leads to your greatest desire. But be careful... not all desires lead to freedom. Don't intervene, guard." She shot Mira a look.

Pyris exhaled slowly, his mind racing. This was Zara's way—she never fought head-on. Instead, she wove intricate challenges that forced people to confront hell.

The trick wasn't brute strength; it was understanding the mind, or perhaps Pyris thought it was going to be a game of mind.

"Looks like I've got some work to do," Pyris said, his eyes scanning the twisted forest.

Mira's eyes glowed faintly with void energy. "This place is crawling with traps."

Pyris smirked. "Good. Then let's find out just how tricky this witch's challenge really is."

____

And thus, Pyris embarked on the witch's challenge, knowing Zara's aid would not come easily, but also knowing that this was just another step toward his goal. The Abyssal Labyrinth awaited—but first, he would have to conquer the shadows of Zara's illusions and prove that his strength was more than just raw power, before he wove a plan to conquer her too...

The system's rewards were steamingly juicy and he too wanted Zara in his ranks, not just as a powerful ally woven in mysteries!