Demonic Pornstar System

"The awakened group known as Valhalla's Sinners are not the innocent upstart youngsters they seem to be at first glance. They are frauds, liars, and manipulators. And above all…"

Maximilian grimaced as if he was worried for the lives of all humans before he said:

"They are an active threat to society itself."

Luna slammed her fist into the wall as a growl of anger rose from her throat. "Frauds? Liars? Manipulators? A threat to society itself?!" Her lips curled in sheer disgust. "This fat bastard is spewing pure nonsense at this point!"

But Nyx… Nyx did not have the same reaction.

It was the first time she had seen him since meeting Kaiden and her awesome new friends.

The sight of that man, the greasy monster who had once held her life in his palm… The man who almost ruined the existence called Nyx Cosmos and turned her into a broken shell of a woman by pushing millions of dollars' worth of debt onto her and forcing her to repay by impossible quotas, which in turn made her work tirelessly, and when that failed, sign up to star in the Untainted Holes…

… Froze her more completely than any ice spell ever could. The playful succubus who only minutes ago had oh-so-sensually offered Kaiden her anal virginity on a silver platter was gone, replaced by a trembling girl trapped in the jaws of memory.

Her eyes widened, and her breath turned shallow. She thought she'd long since buried these feelings, but seeing him again, not just hearing his name as before, has induced a panic-filled attack on her mind.

Aria bit her lip hard at the sight of her precious friend. Anger and unease could be seen in equal measure in her gaze. She couldn't stand to see Nyx unravel like that. Without hesitation, the Moon Valkyrie stepped closer and laid a steadying hand on Nyx's bare shoulder.

"!" Nyx gasped at the touch. But when her wide eyes turned, she found Aria's gaze, the gaze which was gentle, unyielding, and filled with such support it could have anchored any drowning soul.

For the first time since Maximilian's face had appeared, Nyx remembered. She was no longer that lonely girl. She wasn't facing this impossibly influential man alone with no counters in her arsenal. She had her most certainly unhinged but extremely loyal besties. She had her badass awakened powers. And above all…

Her trembling gaze drifted past them, toward the one who had changed everything.

Kaiden sat unmoving. Every muscle in his body was taut, every vein in his neck drawn tight as he glared at the screen before his mind. His jaw was stone, his eyes a storm of death. He didn't need to speak. His very stillness radiated a murderous intent so sharp it carved the air itself.

And Nyx smiled despite it not being her boyfriend who came to cheer her up. Or perhaps, exactly because of that silence of his. He was far too focused to notice his surroundings.

Her chest swelled with warmth, and her hands flew up to clutch against her heart, fingers curling into fists as she steadied herself.

'He's so protective…' she thought. The tremble in her body was replaced by a flame of resolve.

No matter how loud Maximilian roared, no matter how grand his stage, she would never again be alone.

Not while Kaiden was watching.

But alas, Maximilian didn't intend to make a clown out of himself on this day. His words were carefully cultivated.

A female reporter's loud shout interrupted the press conference. "You are using powerful words, CEO Maximilian! What exactly do you mean by such a serious accusation?" Suspicion was evident in her gaze as she continued, "Is it your plot to attack a group of young, talented creators who are rising so fast they might threaten the monopoly of Chronosx on the adult scene?"

The mogul adjusted his tie, pretending to look wounded by the reporter's bold question. His eyes swept across the crowd before he leaned into the microphone.

"An excellent question," Maximilian said smoothly. "But no, this is not about curbing the competition. ChronosX has been thriving because we welcome competition. Who do you think sells the mana cameras that allow thousands of new content creators to flourish? Who do you think pioneered the infrastructure that makes the 'independent adult scene' even possible?"

He spread his arms grandly, as though he were a benevolent king addressing loyal subjects. "We did. ChronosX. We created this stage that all of you now see these upstarts dancing upon. And…"

His voice quieted, staring deep into the eyes of the female reporter. "Tell me, do you honestly think ChronosX, with its numerous competent employees, has only just started hearing about said group? No, of course not. We've been aware of them for a long time. If we were truly afraid of Valhalla's Sinners, and we had the policy of curbing competition, which we don't, we would have moved against them long before the public even knew they existed."

Murmurs rippled through the audience of reporters. Cameras flashed. Pens scribbled furiously.

Maximilian let the noise swell before hammering down his words like an executioner's axe.

"No, ladies and gentlemen. This is not about competition. This is about the truth that ChronosX feels obligated to reveal to the public. Valhalla's Sinners are not revolutionaries. They are not pioneers. They are frauds. They manipulate, they deceive, and they thrive on exploiting systems they neither built nor respect. And now, their dangerous influence risks spilling beyond the adult sphere into society itself."

The woman's sharp voice rang out again, cutting through his theatrics. "You're using very fancy words once again, CEO Maximilian, but words are cheap. Don't you think it's time you provide proof instead of flavor?"

For the first time, Maximilian's practiced smile faltered. The mogul gave the reporter a look of naked annoyance. It didn't take a genius to figure out that the female reporter was on Valhalla's side, probably being one of the many women who enjoyed their content. Her conduct was unprofessional, receiving many stares from her colleagues.

But despite this, Maximilian quickly covered his real thoughts with a thin-lipped smirk. After adjusting his tie, he leaned toward the microphone once again. His voice was still smooth, but it carried an edge now.

"Proof? Oh, we have a myriad of accusations we could—and will—unveil. Let's start with something simple."

He tapped the podium with one finger for emphasis, savoring the moment. ChronosX might've been doing this for their organization's benefit, but to Maximilian, the only driving force was taking revenge on Kaiden, who had stolen his rightful woman from him.

"They have just finished clearing a D-rank dungeon. Not just surviving the grueling expedition, mind you. Neither were they only doing their part. They were, by several accounts, doing the most out of all awakened present."

The female reporter frowned. "So what? They are very talented."

Maximilian's eyes shone with smugness. He puffed his chest out, looking like a man who was about to deliver a killing blow.

"So what?" he echoed, his tone dripping with mock disbelief. "Tell me, what was their awakened tier again?"

The woman froze, her lips pressing into a thin line. Cameras zoomed in on her as she hesitated. Finally, she spoke, reluctant, almost whispering the word.

"…F."