The moment I stepped into Club PixelFade, I knew I was underdressed. And by "underdressed," I mean not wrapped in neon latex, holographic silk, or—like the bouncer—an LED thong.
The music pulsed through my bones. The dance floor shimmered with rainbow fractals. And at the bar, a catgirl DJ with three tails spun records using telekinesis.
System: [Welcome to Club PixelFade! Seduction level: MAXIMUM. Viewer discretion is advised.]
Great. Just what I needed.
"Ethan~" a sultry voice called from behind a curtain of pink fog.
Enter: Glitchbane.
She strutted toward me in a goth-lolita dress that looked like it was coded from corrupted JPEGs. Every step she took glitched reality a little—my heart rate included.
"Nice… shirt," she smirked, eyes scanning me like a corrupted database.
"Thanks," I said, adjusting my collar. "Yours is… defying physics."
She leaned in, eyes flickering with digital snow. "I like my boys confused and flustered."
System: [Mission Activated: Survive Date Without Losing Your Sanity or Pants. Reward: Glitchbane's Trust + Rare Data Key. Penalty: You don't want to know.]
We sat in a private booth lit by shifting, suggestive lighting.
"Care for a drink?" she purred.
"Is it poisoned?" I asked.
"Only emotionally."
I took the glass. It fizzed purple.
Suddenly, Cynthia, Luna, and Celia burst through the VIP curtains—wearing matching outfits that looked suspiciously like maid uniforms crossbred with battle armor.
"What. Are. You. Doing. Here?" I choked.
"The system pinged us," Luna said, arms crossed, cheeks puffed. "Said you were in danger of falling for a corrupted waifu."
"Danger confirmed," Celia added, glaring at Glitchbane.
Cynthia just winked. "This place has a chocolate fountain that doubles as a strip pole. I'm not missing that."
Glitchbane blinked. "You brought your harem to our date?"
"It's not a harem!" I protested.
System: [Fact Check: That's a lie.]
The next hour was a blur of dance-offs, awkward lap situations (thanks, Cynthia), and Glitchbane attempting to hack my heart. Literally.
She pressed her finger to my chest.
"Let me in, Ethan. Let me override your firewall."
Celia tackled her mid-sentence.
A laser battle broke out between Glitchbane's glitch-minions and the girls. Meanwhile, I crawled under a table, shielding my drink.
System: [Host's Libido Level: Rising. Danger of Nosebleed: 73%. Recommend: Cold Shower Protocol.]
Then the sprinklers turned on. Because, of course they did.
Clothes clung. Skin gleamed. And someone in the back shouted "FAN SERVICEEEE!"
Glitchbane, soaking wet, grabbed my face. "This isn't over. Next time, it's private."
She disappeared in a puff of corrupted code.
The girls stood around me, drenched and glaring.
"I really hate system missions," I muttered.
System: [Chapter Complete. Bonus Image Unlocked: Soaked Maid Battle Royale.]