Chapter 300:
– Layla –
I woke up feeling mentally better than I expected, considering the madness of yesterday. I stretched out, noticing the bed beside me wasn't empty. Turning my head, I grinned. Carol was lying there, sound asleep, her chest rising and falling in a soft, steady rhythm. The sheets had slipped down her body, and she was completely naked. She looked beautiful like that. After everything we went through against Cul and his brainwashed mutants, last night had been a…rewarding ending.
My slight movements must've disturbed her because, a few seconds later, her eyes flickered open. She yawned, rubbing her face as she sat up, and I shamelessly took in the sight of her. The sheets slid down further, and I couldn't stop myself from staring at her chest. I'd never get over how gorgeous she was.
"Good morning, beautiful," I greeted her with a grin that I knew was way too smug. But, hey, I'd earned it.
Carol's cheeks flushed as she looked down, suddenly realizing she wasn't exactly dressed. She grabbed the sheets and pulled them over herself, looking adorably embarrassed. "Good morning, Layla. Last night was…" She trailed off.
"Amazing?" I offered, the smirk on my face only growing.
She nodded, a shy smile creeping across her lips. I leaned over and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before hopping out of bed. She stared after me, and I made sure to give her a show, strutting naked toward the bathroom with a little extra sway in my hips. The hot water was practically calling my name after yesterday's chaos.
After about twenty minutes, I was refreshed, wrapped in a towel, and feeling like I could take on the world again. When I stepped out, though, Carol was gone from the bed. I could feel her energy in the living room, and…wait. I could sense the rest of them, too. My entire harem. Every single one of them. They were all here, in the same room…
[Hey… The gangs all here…]
In the back of my mind, I heard the System laughing at me. It loved this sort of chaos.
I rolled my eyes, muttering a few choice words under my breath, and tossed on a pair of sweats and a t-shirt. The comfy, casual outfit would do, especially with what I was about to face…
Hela, Yasaka, Sif, Natasha, Rias, Sona, Serafall, Artemis, Lady Death, and now Carol were all in my living room. Some were sitting on the couch, others leaned casually against the wall or stood near the large windows. As I walked in, the entire room went dead silent. All those beautiful, powerful women turned their eyes on me, and I felt a sudden, awkward lump form in my throat. The confident smirk I had when I left my bedroom slipped a little.
"Hey, everyone," I said, raising a hand in a half-wave. "This is a... first," I added, forcing a smile.
"Indeed it is, my Champion," Lady Death said, her voice carrying that same hypnotic, dangerous allure it always did. I noticed a couple of the others shift uncomfortably, shivers running down their spines.
Hela crossed her arms over her chest, her dark eyes narrowing in on me. "Why is it that every time we leave you alone, Layla, you end up doing something completely insane? Like getting attacked by some ancient Asgardian no one even knew existed until now." She let out a low growl, muttering curses that I could only guess were directed at Odin. That man really had a habit of leaving his messes for us to clean up.
"This time wasn't even my fault," I said, raising my hands in defense.
[Yes it was…]
I ignored the sarcastic laugh in my head from the system. It seemed to think it absolutely was my fault. 'Stupid system…'
Rias's eyes lit up as she clapped her hands together, breaking the tension. "Can we see them, Layla? Your new wings?" She was practically bouncing with excitement.
I felt my lips twitch into a real smile for the first time since stepping into the room. "Sure," I said. With a deep breath, I let my wings unfurl behind me. Three pairs were no longer black. The topmost pair was a gentle gold, reminiscent of my oldest brother Michael's. But it was the next two pairs of wings that drew their eyes, their colors shifted as well after I absorbed the powers of the Power Stone and the Reality Stone. They shimmered in hues of deep purple and rich crimson.
The room stayed silent for a moment, the awe on their faces saying more than any words could. Natasha was the first to step closer, her hand reaching out but stopping just before she touched one of the wings. She glanced at me, a silent question in her eyes. I nodded, and she traced a finger over the glowing feathers, a smile breaking out on her face. "They're beautiful," she whispered. Around her, a couple of the others nodded in agreement.
"Yeah," I said, letting myself smile wider. "They are."
– Lady Death –
Lady Death observed the scene before her with a mix of admiration and amusement. Layla had come so far in so little time, amassing power that few beings could even dream of. She was strong, formidable, but Lady Death knew that she had not yet reached her full potential.
Around Layla, the other women were eagerly touching her new wings, their fingers exploring the smooth, vibrant feathers. Some of them were being far less subtle, letting their hands wander to other parts of Layla's body. Layla didn't seem to mind, she had always been shameless, taking pride in who she was and who she loved. Lady Death found it endearing, but she was here for more important matters.
The room stilled when Lady Death spoke again. Her voice commanded attention. Conversations halted, and all eyes turned to her. "Layla, is it your objective to merge with all of the Infinity Stones?"
A collective gasp rose from the women, and Layla's eyes met Lady Death's. Layla nodded slowly. "I'm not just going to merge with the Infinity Stones," Layla said, her voice steady and certain. "I'm going to claim the Stones of Life and Death as well."
"Stones of Life and Death?" Sona Sitri asked, confusion clear in her tone. "What are those?"
"I've never heard of them either," Serafall added, her brows knitting together.
"I don't know much about the Life Stone," Layla admitted. "But I think I have an idea of what the Death Stone is. Isn't it one of the Deathly Hallows?" she asked Lady Death.
Lady Death's expression shifted, a faint smirk tugging at her lips. She shook her head. "No, my beloved. That trinket may allow one to communicate with the souls in my realm, but it is not the Death Stone. The true Death Stone is an object of immense power, far beyond the reach of mere mortals. It resides under my guard, bound by rules even I must follow. If you wish to claim it, you must first possess the Life Stone."
Layla's eyes widened slightly. "And how do I do that?" she asked, a touch of challenge in her voice.
"You must obtain it from the Phoenix Force," Lady Death said. A murmur swept through the room as the other women exchanged worried glances. "But she will not simply hand it over. She will give you a task, one that will push even you, my beloved champion, to your very limits."
The tension in the room deepened. The women closest to Layla glanced at her with concern. Natasha crossed her arms and frowned. Sif clenched her jaw. Yasaka's warm eyes darkened with worry.
"Layla," Rias said, "do you really need all those stones? Aren't you powerful enough as you are?"
Lady Death noticed the subtle shift in Layla's demeanor. The confident smile she usually wore slipped a little as the voices of her harem filled the room. The majority of them didn't want her taking risks that would put her life on the line, not when she already held so much power. But amidst the worry, there were a few voices of support—Hela and Artemis.
"They're right," Lady Death finally said, nodding at the two flustered Goddesses. Her gaze shifted to Layla, and her expression was serious. She hadn't wanted to bring this up so soon, but there was no choice. Layla couldn't afford to second-guess her path, not with what was at stake.
"Layla," Lady Death began, her voice even, "you can't afford to turn away from this. Over the past two years, there have been attempts made by beings from beyond the multiverse to get in. They've been pushing in, testing the boundaries, and probing for weaknesses."
Sona adjusted her glasses, eyes wide with curiosity and concern. "Outside of the multiverse? How is that possible? Isn't the multiverse infinite?"
Natasha's skepticism shone through as she crossed her arms and leaned against the wall. "What would beings like that even want?"
Lady Death's eyes flicked to Natasha. "What does any being of immense power want? More. To conquer, to spread their dominion. They seek more territory, more worlds to bend to their will." She shrugged, though the tension in the room didn't lighten. "So far, it's only been scouts. Probing attempts. But it's enough to know that we can't take chances."
Artemis stepped forward, her usual calm replaced by a look of intense focus. "Interesting," she said, almost to herself. "I wasn't aware that existence was truly so vast…"
The silence that followed was heavy, each of Layla's lovers processing the implications. The room felt smaller, the weight of Lady Death's words pressing down on everyone.
Layla's eyes darted between the worried and determined faces in the room. She took a deep breath. "Then I have to do this," Layla said. "For all of us. For everything."
Lady Death nodded approvingly. It was the response she had hoped for.
– Layla –
Natasha leaned back, eyes narrowing as she looked at me. "Did you know about the existence of other universes outside of our multiverse? Are they a threat?"
I paused, feeling a bit exposed under her stare. After a second, I gave a nod, deciding to just go for it. "Yeah, I know about them. And I guess I owe you all a bit of an explanation. You've all seen my Rinnegan eyes. I know a few of you must've wondered where they came from." I took a breath, my gaze drifting over the curious faces around me. "The truth is…I traded for them. With someone from outside our multiverse. That's why they're so unique."
Rias's eyes lit up with excitement, her face practically glowing. "That sounds so cool! Why haven't you traded for other things?"
I grimaced, feeling a pang of unease. "I got lucky with my first trade. But I don't want to risk it again and expose our universe to all the… messed-up people out there." I didn't bother to mention the worst of it—that those messed-up people were other Gamers who let all that power destroy their sense of right and wrong.
The room fell silent for a moment, my confession sinking in, until Sif stood up, her sudden movement snapping everyone out of it. "Enough of this," she announced, eyes sparkling as she looked at me. "I want to go on my date now!"
[Now that's a way to change the topic!]
I chuckled, unable to hide my amusement. "You remembered?"
Sif's expression turned into a playful glare, her lips tugging up in a smirk. "Of course, I remembered. I came home last night, expecting at least a good battle story, and what did I find instead? You in bed with a new woman!"
Hela snickered, throwing in her two cents. "A woman who, might I add, has quite the set of lungs on her," she teased, giving Carol a wink.
Carol's face went bright red as every single pair of eyes turned to her. "We weren't… we weren't that loud…" she mumbled, her voice barely a whisper.
"Yes, you were! And it was hot!" Serafall jumped in, clearly having way too much fun. She turned to me with a grin. "But we have plenty to catch up on ourselves, Layla. We can deal with that tonight," she said, then faltered when she caught the glare Sif was giving her. "Or, uh, I mean tomorrow morning," she corrected quickly.
I chuckled, shaking my head. It looked like Sif had officially claimed my bed for tonight, and I had no complaints about it.
…
Sif was already waiting for me by the time I finished getting ready. She looked stunning, of course, her blonde hair pinned back, wearing a tight shirt and a pair of jeans that perfectly emphasized her toned thighs. She smirked when she noticed my blatant ogling.
"Where are we going?" I asked her.
"We're going shopping for evening gowns." Sif told me. "I want everyone to see that I have the most beautiful woman in the realm hanging off my arm tonight. Now come, there are over a dozen stores I want to visit before midday! We must be prudent to make time!"
And she wasn't kidding. As soon as we entered the first boutique, Sif dove right in. She pulled dresses off the racks with quick precision, stacking them in my arms with absolutely no mercy. After what felt like a small fashion show, Sif finally gave a satisfied nod when I tried on a sleek, deep red dress that hugged my every curve. "Now that," she said, "is the one. Absolutely stunning."
I glanced at myself in the mirror. I had to admit, the dress was perfect. And I couldn't deny that I loved the way she looked at me in it.
We left the store, bags in hand, but before we even made it to the street, we were swamped by a group of fans who must've spotted us. They surrounded us in an instant.
"Layla!" one of them, a young woman, said, her voice breathless with excitement. "Thank you so much for saving us. Again!"
A few others nodded, a chorus of thank-yous and admiration pouring out. I couldn't help but smile at the genuine appreciation in their faces.
"Thank you," I said, making eye contact with as many of them as I could. "I promise, I'll fill you all in soon, but you'll have to wait for my next press release." I smirked, adding, "And who knows, maybe I'll wear a bikini again, considering how many views that last video got."
The crowd laughed, some of them cheering, a few of them pulling out their phones to snap pictures. After a few more thank-yous and waves, Sif and I managed to pull away and make our way to a nearby café.
Once inside, we settled at a small table in the corner. Sif ordered something strong, of course—her Asgardian side demanded it. I opted for regular coffee.
Sif took a sip of her drink, her eyes gleaming as she looked over at me. "I can't wait to see you in that dress at dinner tonight," she said, her voice low and a little wicked. "I already have our table reserved at one of the fanciest places in town. They'll see us coming from a mile away."
I grinned, leaning forward. "Just remember who's doing all this showing off, Sif. I don't think it's all just about me."
She smirked back, a glint of challenge in her eyes. "Oh, don't get too comfortable, Layla. We're not done yet."
"Oh?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I still want to see you in a few more beautiful outfits before dinner," she replied with a grin.
…
We were seated at an exclusive restaurant, the kind that had a waiting list longer than most people's lifespans. Luckily for us, I didn't ever have to wait for anything. Sif looked radiant across from me, her blonde hair pulled back, wearing a deep green dress that accentuated every bit of her goddess-like body. The soft lighting made the gold accents of her jewelry glimmer, and I couldn't help but admire her.
We both went all out with our orders. I picked the most decadent steak on the menu, paired with some kind of truffle-infused side that had a name I couldn't pronounce for some reason, even knowing every language. Sif ordered three of them herself…
We were halfway through our meal, laughing over some story Sif was telling about her childhood—something about Thor getting stuck in a barrel of ale—when I saw someone special approaching us. My eyes, sharper and more attuned since merging with the Reality and Mind Stones, picked up on it immediately.
The waitress uniform didn't fool me for a second. I sighed, setting my fork down, knowing this was going to ruin the mood. "Mystique," I said, my voice flat as I looked at her. "What do you want? And you do realize you're interrupting my lovely date with Sif, right?"
Sif's blue eyes narrowed, and she shot the disguised mutant a glare that could have killed.
Mystique's blue skin flickered for a split second before settling back into her fake waitress disguise. "I need answers, Layla of the Fallen. What did you do to Magneto after you fought him?"
"Magneto's alive, but he's being kept in a coma for now," I said. "The mind healers of Asgard are set to work on him when they have time. He was pretty messed up, courtesy of Cul. And, in case you didn't know, Charles Xavier left some nasty mental programming in him, making him susceptible to following any command given by anyone. We can't let him wake up like that and cause even more problems."
Mystique's eyes flared with yellow, the fake persona slipping as her anger got the better of her. "How long will that take?" she demanded.
I glanced at Sif, knowing she had the most up-to-date information on the healers. She sighed, her jaw tightening. "Asgard just returned from a victorious campaign in the underworld," Sif explained. "But it was a bloody one. Many of our newer troops need care from the mind healers first. Magneto is a foreigner, so he'll be treated only once they are free. You might see him again in a few Earth years…"
"That's unacceptable!" Mystique spat.
Sif and I exchanged a look, both of us shrugging. "That's the best we can do," I said plainly.
And honestly, that was more than I thought he deserved. The truth was, even if Magneto was healed, I didn't want him back in the world. Mind control or not, he nearly destroyed everything. I would have preferred to see him rot in an Asgardian prison, but that was a detail I kept to myself. For all I knew, the old man might just keel over from old age before we had to deal with him again.
Mystique's eyes burned into mine for another moment, then she turned on her heel and stormed out.
"Well, that was fun," I said dryly, picking my fork back up.
Sif chuckled, the sound low and rich. "Always attracting trouble, aren't you?"
"Part of my charm," I replied with a grin. "Now, where were we? Oh right, dessert!"
XXX