Ultimate Harem System

Chapter 4— Penalty Run from Hell

Johnny kept running until his legs gave in—

and even then, he had to keep running.

He couldn’t stop. Not with a three-headed monster on his tail.

“Vixen, please—make it stop! I can’t feel my legs anymore!”

[It will stop when the penalty comes to an end.]

“Then just kill me already!”

But death wasn’t an option. Every time his body was about to shut down, a faint glow pulsed through him—

[Instant Health Restoration Activated.]

—dragging him back into this hellish loop.

Even death had been taken off the table.

For five straight hours, Johnny sprinted like a madman through the city. Past the Nebula Hotel at least five times—each lap scraping open memories he’d rather bury, memories of the accident…memories of Mia.

Johnny flew across bridges, down highways, tearing through alleys, blasting past security guards who cursed at him as he blew through private property.

To everyone else, he looked like a lunatic—an unshaven guy in a hospital gown, sprinting through the night, wide-eyed and screaming at shadows.

But if only they knew. If only they could see the beast behind him, its triple roar shaking the air.

“Vixen!” Johnny wheezed, lungs burning. “Wasn’t the task sixty kilometers?”

[Correct.]

“Then why the hell hasn’t it stopped?! I’ve been running for two hours straight! What gives?!”

[The chase will end once the penalty result is equivalent to the entire workout task.]

Johnny’s jaw dropped. “What the fuuu—”

Cerberus roared behind him, cutting him off.

And so the chase continued. Hour after brutal hour.

By the time the hound finally vanished into smoke, dawn was breaking. Johnny collapsed face-first onto the asphalt in some godforsaken part of the city he didn’t recognize.

His chest heaved. The inside of his mouth was sandpaper. His entire body screamed in exhaustion.

And yet—he was still alive. No scars. No bruises. No broken bones. Only mental fatigue so deep he felt hollow.

The blue screen blinked in front of him.

…

[Side Quest Completed.]

Task: 4 hours chase by biggest fear.

Reward: +12 Charm Points

….

Johnny groaned into the pavement. “Please… please tell me I at least get an actual reward for that. What the hell is a ‘Charm Point,’ anyway?”

[Charm Points can be exchanged for goods, upgrades, and opportunities in the System Market. They also influence social interactions.]

“—Ahhh, fuck this. I need a drink.”

He staggered to his feet. His vision was hazy, but neon lights flickered ahead. A nightclub, still pulsing with bass even at 4:05 in the morning.

Club Euphoria.

Its glass exterior glowed with shifting colors, blue and pink neon sliding down the tall windows like liquid. The entrance was framed by chrome pillars, and a velvet rope kept out the crowd of lingering drunks begging to get inside.

Johnny smirked weakly. “Of course only a damn nightclub would still be open at this hour.”

He pushed through the doors.

Inside, Euphoria was alive. A sea of bodies moved to the bass, lights flashing across sweat-slicked skin. The air smelled of perfume, alcohol, and electricity.

Johnny dragged himself to the bar, shoulders slouched, expression dead.

“Give me your most expensive bottle,” he said flatly.

The bartender raised a perfectly arched brow. A slim figure wrapped in a fitted black vest and tie, red lipstick sharp as sin, hair pulled back in a messy bun that still looked deliberate. Her eyes ran over him, lingering at the hospital gown still hanging loose around his shoulders.

“...You sure?” she asked slowly, leaning forward on the counter. “Our most expensive bottle is 1959 Château Lafite Rothschild. That’ll be eight thousand dollars. First-timers don’t usually start there. You’ll need to pay upfront.”

Johnny slid his debit card across the counter without hesitation.

She blinked. “You’re serious?”

“If that demon dog was real,” Johnny muttered, “then the million bucks in my account sure as hell better be real too.”

The bartender swiped the card. A moment later, her face lit up in surprise. Then she flashed him a dazzling smile.

“My apologies for doubting you, Mr. Big Shot. Your bottle of 1959 Château Lafite Rothschild will be right out.”

Johnny leaned back in his chair with a grin. He didn’t have a single dim in his account before the accident. This proved it. The money was real.

Johnny swirled the glass awkwardly. He had no idea how to taste wine — but he damn well knew how to chug.

As he downed his second glass, letting the burn scorch his throat, his mind spun with possibilities. If only he could figure out how this damn system worked. If only Vixen wasn’t so cryptic.

Then suddenly, blue glow returned.

…..

[Hot Assignment Alert]

Task: Successfully Flirt with the Club Owner

Reward: 50 Charm Points + Ownership of the Nebula Hotel

….

Johnny spat his drink all over the counter.

“What the fuck?!”