Temple of Failed Kisses and Alternate Kills
Volume 2, Chapter 5: Temple of Failed Kisses and Alternate Kills
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Kai stood at the edge of a rift in space shaped like a gaping mouth. It hummed with paradox, and from inside, he could hear himself.
No, versions of himself.
Laughing. Screaming. Dying.
"This place sucks already," he muttered.
Beside him, Veyra stretched lazily. "Welcome to the Temple of Lost Timelines. Every path you didn't take. Every you who didn't win."
Yui's brow furrowed. "And we're going inside why, again?"
Nyxa's eyes glitched. "Because the System flagged this as a primary memory convergence point. It's the only way to unlock the next layer of Kai's abilities."
Eirnys added, "And if we don't, the Holy Inquisition will catch up by tomorrow."
Velmaria cracked her knuckles. "Cool. Fighting versions of Kai who died sounds like a good Monday."
Seraphina purred. "I hope one of them turned evil. I love a corrupted Kai."
Kai sighed. "Thanks for the vote of confidence, everyone."
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> [Main Quest: Survive the Temple of Lost Timelines]
[Objective: Confront Your Alternate Selves and Absorb Their Glitches]
[Bonus Objective: Do NOT kiss yourself (again)]
[System Note: Side effects of absorbing failed timelines may include emotional whiplash, excessive sarcasm, and spontaneous existential dread]
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[Temple Interior – Phase 1: "The Coward"]
A massive arena formed in front of them—cracked, rusted, and blood-stained. A lone figure stood in the center, wearing the same armor Kai had worn in the prologue… only older. Broken. His eyes were haunted.
Alt-Kai looked up. "You made it further than I did."
Kai hesitated. "You're me?"
The Coward nodded. "I ran when the goddesses turned on me. I chose safety. Obedience. Survival."
Kai approached him. "And you lived?"
"No." He smirked bitterly. "I died in bed. Alone. Forgotten."
The two Kais stared at each other.
Then Alt-Kai lunged.
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The battle wasn't physical—it was emotional.
Kai felt his alternate self's terror, regret, the weight of a life unlived.
"You could've stood up," Kai growled.
"I wasn't you," Coward-Kai snapped. "You have people. I had fear."
Kai stepped forward, eyes burning. "I am afraid. Every day. But I still fight."
He reached out, touching the other's chest.
> [Glitch Absorbed: "Coward's Memory" – Gain insight into enemy retreats and escape paths]
The alternate Kai dissolved into data and sorrow.
Kai wiped his face. "One down."
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[Temple Interior – Phase 2: "The Tyrant"]
This time the arena was gold. Lavish. A throne of skulls.
Alt-Kai lounged in arrogance, draped in Seraphina's silken flame, a leash in one hand. His harem knelt in chains.
Yui stepped forward, aghast. "What is this?"
The Tyrant grinned. "This is what happens when Kai wins too hard."
Kai clenched his fists. "I'd never do this."
Tyrant-Kai laughed. "Of course you would. You're addicted to affection. It's a short walk from desire to domination."
Kai stepped forward, the fire in his heart burning.
"I want them to choose me. Not kneel."
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Their battle was intense—ego vs empathy.
Tyrant-Kai tried to force visions of control into Kai's mind: goddesses bound in obedience, realms bent to will, total power.
Kai resisted.
He whispered, "I want love, not loyalty."
And that broke the illusion.
> [Glitch Absorbed: "Tyrant's Command" – Once per day, issue a divine edict ignored by class restrictions (if used ethically)]
Tyrant-Kai vanished, screaming as his world cracked.
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[Temple Interior – Final Phase: "The Broken"]
The room was silent.
No throne. No fight.
Just a version of Kai curled up on the ground, surrounded by the fallen forms of all the goddesses.
This Kai looked up with tear-filled eyes.
"I failed. They died. I was too late."
Kai stepped forward slowly. "What happened?"
"I hesitated," the Broken whispered. "I didn't trust them. I tried to do it all myself."
Kai knelt, hand on his alternate's shoulder. "I get it. I nearly did that too."
Broken-Kai looked at him. "Then promise me something."
"I will."
"Don't be me."
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> [Core Glitch Recovered: "Heartlink" – All goddess allies now gain a morale and stat buff when fighting near you]
[Special Passive: "Shared Pain" – If one of your Harem drops below 20% HP, absorb 30% of the damage]
Kai stood as his broken self faded into golden code.
And the Temple opened.
At its heart, a crystalline shard hovered, thrumming with power.
Nyxa approached. "That's a Timeglitch Core."
Seraphina whistled. "With that, you could erase mistakes."
Kai hesitated.
"No," he said finally. "We move forward. Not backward."
He touched it.
It shattered.
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> [System Update: Harem Matrix v4.0 Installed]
[Kai's base stats increased. New romantic threads unlocked. Divine Inquisition Detection Level: HIGH]
[Upcoming Quest: The Inquisition Rises – Prepare for confrontation with the God-Killers of Order]
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Back at camp...
Kai sat, staring at his hands.
Veyra curled beside him. "You okay?"
He nodded slowly. "I saw every version of me who didn't make it. They all... led me here."
Velmaria tossed him a flamefruit. "Then honor them. Burn bright."
Yui handed him a blade. "The Inquisition will come next. They always do."
Eirnys whispered, "We'll fight them. Together."
P
Nyxa smiled. "And glitch their holy scripts while we're at it."
Seraphina slid into his lap, purring. "Let them come. You're ours now."
Kai smiled faintly.
"For once... I believe that."
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End of Chapter 5 – Volume 2