Chapter 26: Level 3
The stone door opened with an eerie silence, parting to reveal a wide, circular chamber within, its still air heavy with a musky, intoxicating warmth that clung to the skin, laced with a faint, teasing musk of arousal.
The floor gleamed, a polished expanse of smooth stone etched with concentric rings of glowing red runes, flaring like rippling heat as the party stepped in, the chamber's crimson glow pulsing with the game's perverse intent.
"...Feels warmer in here," Miki muttered, her flushed cheeks betraying a quiver, her ponytail swaying as she shifted uneasily, the runes' heat prickling her bare legs.
"I don't like this," Reina said flatly, her violet eyes narrowing, a bead of sweat tracing her flushed jaw in the stifling haze.
Kota squinted at the chamber's center, his hoodie damp with sweat, his gaze sharpening as a translucent display flickered into view, burning into the air like a hologram, its text pulsing with cold, seductive authority:
Welcome to the Jerk-Circle of Judgment.
Energy Drain Active.
Sustained stimulation required to avoid collapse.
The words hit, and the sensation followed—a subtle tug at their core, then a sharper, insidious pull, the game's stamina siphon sinking its claws into their nerves.