Harem Stealer: Reborn with the God-Tier Sharing System Chapter 435: Simple game

Chapter 435 – Simple game

Noah remained in his seat, completely stunned. Events had unfolded with such velocity that his mind struggled to keep pace. One moment he was alone, and the next, he was positioned across from a woman he didn't recognize. However, the most confusing aspect was the primal urge Noah felt to...

...to do what exactly?

Should he draw closer or retreat? Was he meant to adore her or despise her? Should he lock eyes with her or avert his gaze entirely? Was he supposed to prostrate himself and worship her as a mother?

Noah was utterly adrift. What was the correct response?

His internal state was a chaotic mess of shifting emotions and emerging insanity, preventing him from settling on a single reaction toward this figure. She appeared to be a walking paradox; her mere presence influenced Noah in ways far deeper than he could possibly comprehend.

Terror began to set in, coursing through his system like a rhythmic toxin. For the first time in his life, Noah felt like a helpless child, capable of nothing but trembling.

The woman observed his plight, her grin never flickering. In truth, she grasped the nature of Noah’s turmoil better than he did. How could she not?

To her, Noah was little more than an infant. No—he was even less than that. Yet, she found herself curious, as no mortal should have been able to access this realm under ordinary circumstances. She could detect the handiwork of those children in his arrival here.

That wasn't all, either.

Noah’s very essence was saturated with the aura of the Son of Emptiness. It was pathetic, really, that he remained blissfully unaware of it. Still, she couldn't truly fault the boy for his lack of knowledge. Compared to the Son of Emptiness, Noah was a non-entity. That man always harbored hidden agendas, weaving schemes that no one could ever fully decode.

Even his gesture of "protecting" her—something she had never requested—was a move dripping with the malice of serpents. Furthermore, He never dared to visit her personally. The Son of Emptiness was far too cautious to approach her directly.

Nevertheless, as she watched Noah succumb to panic, the man's words echoed in her mind: 'Power begets power, Gaia. Do me a favor and remember that, will you?'

The woman, Gaia, revealed her teeth in a savage, expansive smile. For a fleeting second, her gaze turned hellish—blood wept from her eyes, and within them, demons wailed while engaging in blasphemous acts—before they snapped back to their original state.

Her smirk widened.

'Oh, I am well aware, Son of Emptiness. I know it all too well,' she mused internally before refocusing on the boy before her. If power truly sought power, then what was the objective in granting such a pathetic creature such overwhelming strength? Was the goal to bring Noah to her? To lure those beings toward him?

Noah wasn't the only one involved.

Gaia could sense two other individuals, though the mark of the Son of Emptiness was far more prominent on them. Observing this, she smiled at the anomaly that was Noah. Through his own reckless choices and the intervention of his mother, the Son’s grip on him was significantly weaker than intended.

'A clever woman. But it’s a predictable result. A creature of Earth? How fitting. Just like that one.'

"Are you going to play?" Gaia inquired, her voice pulling Noah back to the present moment.

He looked up at her. Though fear permeated every cell of his body, Noah remained true to himself. He couldn't stomach the idea of playing the part of a submissive lamb led to the knife. His journey was for the sake of power and his family. He wouldn't reach his destination by shaking like a thin fabric in a gale.

Noah shut his fluttering eyes. He inhaled a massive breath and held it until the pressure began to sear his soul body. That burning sensation, however, brought him clarity. Slowly, he exhaled, purging his mind of useless, spiraling thoughts.

'Fear is merely a cloud,' Noah whispered to himself. 'A cloud that only serves to shroud my mind in darkness. Don't let it win, Noah. Don't let it drown you in suffocating ideas.'

He chanted these words internally, over and over. Throughout this process, Gaia watched him with fascination sparkling in her bizarre eyes.

Finally, Noah stilled and looked at her again. The transformation was striking. He appeared composed now, his look far more stable and calculating. Since direct eye contact with Gaia was still difficult, he focused his attention on the space between her dark brows.

Feeling his composure return, he forced a slight, lopsided grin. "Did I keep you waiting too long?"

"Time is irrelevant to me," Gaia replied, her smile persistent. "Will you play the game?" she asked once more.

"Is there an alternative?"

"There is."

"Will refusing to play result in my death?"

"Death is a mercy, little Brandon." Gaia’s gaze turned peculiar, causing Noah to shudder in quiet dread. "Far too merciful for someone who intrudes upon my realm and rejects its laws."

Noah forced a bitter smile, pushing down his terror. "What kind of game is it?"

Gaia’s eyes softened, taking on a maternal warmth. Noah flinched at the unsettling nature of her sudden personality shift. The woman ignored his reaction, reaching for the box on the table and opening it with deliberate care.

Inside lay a void of infinite darkness. The box expanded until it was exactly the right size to accommodate a human hand. The surrounding air grew heavy and formal. A thick atmosphere began to saturate the room, tasting of impending doom and the great unknown.

Noah struggled to maintain his calm, his eyes locked onto the container. The longer he stared, the more he felt he understood, yet simultaneously felt more ignorant. The sensation was stifling, like a fish gasping for air.

"The rules are uncomplicated," Gaia murmured, indicating the strange box with a long, elegant finger tipped with a sharp black nail. "We shall both contribute a portion of our soul and blood into this vessel. From that, a seed will form. That seed will then split in two—one part for you, and one for me."

Gaia paused to ensure Noah was following. Her grin grew more intense. "The seed will then whisper a specific word to each of us. Our words will differ. The goal is to identify the other person's word using three clues." She lifted a finger as if in warning, her look turning playful. "Lying is forbidden, and the clues must be relevant and logical. If you guess correctly, you claim the word and your tree will flourish."

"If you fail to guess after three clues, you retain your own word and your tree still grows. If one tree surpasses the other in strength, it can consume its rival to become a singular, supreme tree." She smiled broadly, her eyes crinkling shut. "That is how the victor is chosen. Do not fret; my power will be adjusted to match yours."

Noah processed the rules as stoically as he could. It sounded straightforward, but he was certain it would be anything but easy. Regardless, he had no other path. He had to close his eyes and commit to the challenge.

He let out a breath and gave a slow nod. "I understand."

He reached out, hovering his hand over the box. Because he was in his soul body, a piece of his essence tore away and drifted into the void. A jolt of agony flared within him, but Noah’s expression remained hard. The woman followed suit, contributing a fragment of her soul which regenerated instantly, without a moment's delay.

The two soul fragments merged, and the box began to radiate a brilliant, impossible glow.

"Ah, did I forget to mention?" Gaia said suddenly, her smile bright. "Only one other being has ever played this game with me. He was defeated."

Noah frowned at this revelation, though he felt it was irrelevant at the moment. Meanwhile, the box transformed into a patch of crimson soil. The shade was odd—reminiscent of blood, yet filled with the look of impurities. A sprout began to emerge from the red earth. It was a seed, split down the middle. One half shimmered with silver, while the other contained every color in existence.

Gaia spoke again. "Will you be the one to win?"

"And if I lose?" Noah asked, his gaze fixed on the developing seed.

"You will share the fate of the one who came before you."

"Which is?"

"You will find out only upon your defeat."

The seed reached its full form. Then, the first words were whispered.