Building Harem Town 8, page 1
Would you like to see chapters of my books before they come out? Do you want to see cover art sketches and vote on which poses should make it to final production? Would you like to see even sexier versions of my covers? Would you like to get my audiobooks at a deep discount?
Of course you would! Join my Patreon here to get all these awesome benefits (or search for my name on Patreon.com).
You can also join my Facebook group right here. Then you’ll know when my books come out before anyone else.
Chapter 1
I came down into my physical body just as the sun began to peek up beyond the horizon.
An orange glow lit up the jagged mountain peaks as wolf howls rang out in the distance. Many of my followers were already awake, and I smiled as one of the loyal dragon-men strode over with a strong cup of tea offered out to me. The muscular soldiers had welcomed us to stay in their valley as I worked on the downfall of the remaining gods.
And my people had been thrilled that I was able to spend more time down with them in person now that I’d gained the power to access my physical form as often as I liked.
I thanked the winged soldier before he hurried off to get a fire going, and I grinned as Tobias appeared beside me. The red-haired god had been my best friend back in my old life, and he was just the man I remembered all these years later. He had been my right-hand man when I built this system back on the Earth I used to know, and the team was finally back together now that we were both gods.
I kept checking my territory map to try and process how much land I now had, and it blew me away every time. Earth’s tectonic plates had shifted over the millennia that had passed since I started designing this whole endeavor, but it was still the same amount of land mass that had been squashed together.
About a quarter of the planet now belonged to me.
It still made me chuckle to myself whenever I thought about it, but holy shit, I had earned it. Now that I had four god kills under my belt, my powers were becoming off the charts.
But being able to come down into my human form at will was the best upgrade by far. My priestesses sure as hell thought so, anyway.
The five of them would be up soon, and I knew I would be greeted by a shower of affection and excitement. I had become a tier-two god after killing off the God of Darkness, and I was left with only five more gods to defeat. The path to becoming the almighty was bloody and tough, but I knew I was destined to rule over this world that Earth had become.
One step at a time, though. I had to be as meticulous as possible these days if I was going to make sure I had all my bases covered, and lately, I had been down in my body a lot as I worked on my latest quest:
Spread the word of Jack
It sounded so simple, but the dynamic of the quest had been complex as hell when I factored in how huge my land now was. Just because I owned a stretch of territory, it didn’t mean the creatures that lived there automatically believed in me. I had spent so long traveling and converting people in the past, but I had begun to realize it was impossible for me to do all this while also plotting against the other gods left in this world.
Luckily, there were so many loyal followers in my army who were more than happy to take on some of that responsibility.
I had sent some of my fastest and toughest soldiers to spread the word of Jack, and I checked in regularly to make sure they were all safe as they roamed over the world.
“How goes the holy word of Jack?” Tobias asked as I took a sip of hot tea. “Have you finally started to delegate?”
“I have,” I chuckled. “It’s weird letting go of the reins, but I can’t be in a hundred places at once.”
“Not yet.” Tobias grinned. “Maybe that’ll be a reward later on. So you’ve got some of your guys out there in the big wide world?”
“They’re traveling in groups,” I said with a nod. “I know they’re all capable, but it’s fucking weird not being there to protect them.”
“I know it’s been tricky,” Tobias said. “But you’re doing the right thing. If you’re on track to becoming the almighty, then you can’t be wasting time running about talking yourself up.”
“Yeah,” I sighed. “I’ve gotten more used to it now, and my follower count just keeps going up as those who are loyal to me have traveled… from… oh, shit, I’m basically sending door-to-door pastors. We’re the fucking Jehovah’s Witnesses of our time.”
“Kind of,” Tobias snorted. “But it seems a hell of a lot cooler when some of those pastors are orcs and warrior gnomes.”
“True.” I smirked. “It has a nicer ring to it.”
“Hey, that reminds me,” Tobias said. “I was thinking the other day about how much land you’ve got now, and how you must have one of your other altars somewhere within your territory by now. You’ve covered so much ground, there’s bound to be at least a second altar in your lands.”
“I guess so,” I said. “But I have no idea how I would go about finding it.”
“Eh.” Tobias shrugged. “Keep an eye out. You’re bound to find one sometime, and maybe you’ve got a bunch of neglected followers sitting around near it… who knows? Could happen to any of us.”
I chuckled at his shit-eating grin, and then I shook my head.
The Dragon Valley started to bustle with more noise as the winged men got a couple small fires going. They would be cooking breakfast soon enough, and the land would come alive with chatter and a whole world of strange animals.
The beings of my territory all mingled together more than they used to now, and I smiled as a few gnomes ambled into the valley. I had managed to bond the creatures together when they became my army, and there was a new sense of trust and comradery amongst them all.
That was one thing I was very fucking good at: bringing together groups that had nothing in common. As long as they were my followers, they were all part of the same team. I had seen orcs defend mermaids in battle, and gnomes putting aside their differences with orcs for the greater good.
Hell, I’d seen all manner of beings cooperate with griffins, which was pretty surprising given how fucking pedantic and annoying their kind were.
“I was thinking,” I said after I took another sip of tea. “With all the new work and duties I take on as I become closer to being the almighty, maybe I should appoint some second-in-commands. Make it more official.”
“Like captains?” Tobias asked. “That’s a good idea, man. The more followers you get, the less time you can spend organizing everyone. People need assistant managers, right?”
“Just a few of my toughest fighters,” I clarified. “The ones who have brains as well as muscles. Lurk, Balabar, Grez, and maybe Olwen.”
“Good group.” Tobias nodded. “It will make quests a hell of a lot easier if you’ve got a team who can be on standby to take over some of your duties. You really are a natural at this whole leadership thing.”
“Good,” I snorted. “Because the whole almighty god plan kind of depends on that.”
I studied my territory map again, and I started to wonder just how I could even begin to organize an army that spanned every region of the fucking world. My follower count was going up every few minutes as the word of Jack was spread, and I knew that even with captains, it would be impossible to rally every single creature to fight.
“You’re lost in your thoughts,” Tobias said. “I know that expression. What’s going on?”
“I’m just watching that follower count rise,” I sighed. “Which is fucking awesome, but I’m starting to wonder how the hell I’m going to organize all these people for battle. How do I weaponize three thousand people? Soon that number is going to shoot up to four thousand! It’s only going to keep growing, and I can’t move that many fighters out to war, and–”
“Jack.” Tobias frowned. “Not all of those followers are going to be soldiers. Some of these beings aren’t built for war and violence.”
“But they’re so loyal,” I objected. “I can see these red dots popping up everywhere by the second.”
“Yeah,” Tobias laughed. “But not all of them will have the strength or ability to fight! I know that’s where your mind has been at out of necessity for a while now, but take a step back. Consider what level you’re about to be playing at. Consider what is at stake.”
“The fucking world,” I deadpanned.
“Yes, and yet, loads of my followers have never set foot on a battleground,” Tobias continued. “Nor will they. The farmers and tradesmen are just as important to keep the world running. The elders must live to pass on their legacies to the younger generations, mothers must birth and raise their young in safe environments, and someone has to keep track of imports and exports and all that jazz.”
“I guess so,” I said slowly. “There’s no point sending unskilled fighters into war. They serve a better purpose than that elsewhere. It just feels… odd not to be rallying every troop available for our final fights. That’s been the game so far. But you’re right. It’s a whole new level now.”
“Because that’s part of being the almighty,” Tobias said with a grin. “The next challenge: Working out who will be useful with a sword, and who is better off sowing seeds and fixing carts. Use them wisely, Jack. Every last one of them. And keep them alive.”
“Fuck,” I muttered as the weight of the challenge pressed down on my shoulders.
“I reckon you’ll have it all figured out in no time,” my friend chuckled. “You’ve got the best right-hand man imaginable!”
I chuckled as well w hile I sipped my tea, and I spotted a few wolves slinking over the hillside with their chins stained red. The creatures hunted only for food, and they had become some of the toughest fighters in my army. They were fast, strong, and not afraid to rip apart the enemy bone by bone.
As I considered Tobias’ advice when applied to the vicious wolves, I started to wonder if it was time for them to go off on a mission for me.
There was one section of my land that I hadn’t sent anyone into yet, because I knew how fucking deadly it was.
The Dark Lands were full of gruesome creatures and violent beasts. Even without their God of Darkness, I knew the place would still be full of hellish beings. We had only seen such a small section of the land, but it had been enough to experience a whole world of nightmares. It was going to take some seriously brave fighters to tackle that shit.
“I think I’m going to send a group into the Dark Lands,” I said. “If I make sure I get some of my toughest guys, then I reckon we can make some progress there.”
“Choose carefully,” Tobias warned. “There are some veeeeery fucked up things over there. That god was a piece of shit, but he was good at choosing the most terrifying creatures.”
“My people can take it,” I said with a nod. “But I’ll make sure they’re armed to the fucking teeth. As many blades as they can carry, just in case.”
“Good call,” Tobias chuckled. “I’ll head back to Rosie and the girls. Give me a call if you start any plans for the remaining evil fuckers. I’m just itching to spill some god blood.”
“Soon,” I said grimly. “It won’t be long until we’ve got to get our armies moving again.”
“Good thing the old duo is back.” Tobias grinned as he slapped my back. “Just let me know what you need, and I’ll see it’s done.”
The red-haired god gave me a final smile before he vanished into his god form.
It was still bizarre to watch him vanish the way I’d been doing since I’d first woken up to this life, but my mind quickly wandered back to the Dark Lands.
I spotted Olwen sharpening his ice axe beside one of the dragon folk huts, and I strode over as the sun started to creep higher and cast a golden glow over the land. He was one of the toughest fighters I had on my side, and he had taken over commanding duties lately for the dragon folk whenever his queen was preoccupied. His muscular frame and powerful wings made him a force to be reckoned with, and I knew he could deal with whatever was lurking over the darker border.
“Morning, my lord,” he called as he glanced up to see me.
The winged man gave me a respectful bow as he ran a sharpening stone over the tip of his icy weapon. The axe gleamed with cold hues of blue and green colors, and I smirked at the lethal blade. I had seen those weapons behead many evil soldiers since I had met the dragon folk.
“Good morning,” I replied. “I was wondering if I could get your help with something.”
“Of course,” Olwen said as he stopped his work. “What do you need, my lord?”
“You know I have people spreading my holy word,” I said. “But there’s one area that I haven’t felt comfortable sending anyone to. It’s not exactly the sunniest of areas to journey into.”
“The Dark Lands,” Olwen said immediately. “Not a place to send the Hodges, I would say. But maybe the dragon folk can help with that.”
“I was hoping so,” I said. “Your flying abilities are a serious advantage, and I want to send a strong group of my toughest people in. Do you think your men would be up for it?”
“Absolutely,” Olwen said. “We can handle it.”
He held his head up as he spoke, and I could tell he was proud to have been chosen for the task.
“That’s what I like to hear.” I grinned. “I want you to take some orcs, wolves, and mermen with you. It needs to be a group that the dark beings will respect, but also fear.”
The dragon-man flexed his muscles as he slipped his axe onto his belt, and I could tell he was going to take this job seriously. Olwen was as deadly as he was loyal, and I knew he would rally up his strongest dragon-men for the job. He was one of those guys who clearly thrived by earning respect, but not in a sniveling or desperate way. He held himself with an authoritative stance that you couldn’t help trusting. His queen had put her faith in him enough times that the other dragon folk followed his command whenever it was needed, and I had to admire that.
“I’ll gather a group right away, my lord,” Olwen said. “You’re sure the mermen are ready?”
“Fuck yeah,” I said. “I know they’re new to the team, but those spiky-tailed bastards can spill blood when they need to. Besides, I want the lakes to be as thoroughly searched as the lands.”
“Who knows what lurks in those waters,” Olwen said grimly.
“I’d assume something unpleasant,” I said. “Make sure you take a shitload of weapons with you. I want you ready for anything that might be lurking in that dark forest and beyond. Don’t take any chances.”
“No problem,” Olwen said. “I’ll get everyone ready to head out. Thanks for trusting me, Jack. I won’t let you down.”
“Of course,” I said. “You’re one of my best fighters, and I know how respected you are in the community.”
The dragon-man grinned as he looked out at his people, and I decided to wait until I had the others who were chosen for this mission around before I told him about his new official ranking. Maybe I could throw them some kind of ceremony to show everyone that they were really high-ranking and appreciated.
They deserved recognition for how fucking hard they worked.
“Call if you need me,” I said. “Go befriend some of those terrifying bastards, and spill any blood you need to.”
“It is an honor to serve you.” Olwen grinned. “We really do have the most powerful god in all the lands.”
The dragon-man gave me a quick bow before he strode over to a group of his people. I knew it wouldn’t take long for them to move out, and it felt strangely good to have so many moving pieces of my plan at once.
Tobias had been right, delegating took a huge weight off my chest. Especially when I had people I trusted so fully to carry out the tasks. It wasn’t clear when my current quest would be complete, but I figured I couldn’t be far off from whatever the final number of followers had to be. The quest surely couldn’t just keep going on until I had every being in the world on my side.
I sipped my tea as I started to plan my next move, but then a sudden message popped up on my interface. It was in a golden font that I had never seen before, and I was shocked to see a whole paragraph of text:
Almighty Path Quest: Obtain the Oracle
The path to the almighty can only be trodden by one god. If two remain at the end of the great wars, then one shall be destroyed without delay.
There can only be one almighty god, unless the Oracle is obtained.
I paused to reread that last sentence as my heartbeat quickened
Oracle? What the fuck?
Then I continued reading:
Obtaining the Oracle allows one other god to rule under the almighty as a second-in-command. Without the Oracle, no alliance shall remain intact. Find the Oracle before the final war if you wish for any alliance to last.
I stared at the message as I read it over and over. The golden text glistened like metal as I studied it, and I suddenly had a million questions racing through my mind.
Getting this chunk of information was new. In the past, I had had to decipher everything myself when it came to quests, but it was like the system was giving me extra help this time.
Was this what happened when you became a tier-two god? Had I built the system to be more elaborate for anyone who managed to make it this far?
It seemed likely that things would start to change when it came down to just a few gods, but I had no memory of building this feature.
The most important thing to worry about, though, was the fact that I currently would not be able to save Tobias.
My stomach hollowed out at the thought.
If I continued onward as I was and won, Tobias would be “destroyed without delay.”
We had joked about what would happen when I became the almighty, but we’d figured there would be no issues as long as we didn’t go to war with one another. And we wouldn’t. He was my best friend. Tobias had to be there at the end of all this. There was no way in hell I would let him die.
