“Does it matter what the most evil person alive is doing?’ asked Ayla. She could read his every thought, especially the ones he would be terrified to speak aloud. It was something he thought he would hate, but the woman was so caring, so sensitive to his needs, that he found himself liking it.

He was understood.

“It’s not your responsibility to stop all the evils of the world,” she insisted. “It would be impossible if you tried — it would only get all four of us killed, especially at our current level. You must find us a sanctuary where we can live happily together.”

Living happily… yes, that would be nice. But first… “I need to tell my friend where I am.”

Clawdia laughed. “Good luck with that. The teleportation stone has discharged, so we’re not sending anyone between these dimensions until we get some serious loot.”

“How much?”

“Let’s take over the Devonian Empire, and then we might get a couple round trips per year.”

Oh. So, basically, he wasn’t going back.

“Taking over the world would get us killed,” said Ayla. “It’s our duty to look after each other, not to save everyone.”

“Know what else is going to get us killed?” asked Clawdia sarcastically. “Yammering about morals when you could be showing him how to direct his poor helpless little sex slaves in battle.”

“You brought it up,” said Emily.

“You three have kept it going.”

“I think you’re just scared because he has a conscience. It’s making you lose resolve to be weak and independent.”

“She has a point about time,” said Ayla. “In the last battle we were able to take down the enemy because they were simple Guards, and there were only two of them. In the next battle we may need the advantages of a Master’s coordination and Master Jake’s superior tactical skill, especially if the enemies are more spread out.”

“I agree,” said Emily. “Jake, come into my body.”

“Uhhh….” He looked around at the other two for a hint at what was happening. “I’m not refusing, but didn’t you just say we needed to focus on teaching me to fight?”

“She doesn’t mean intercourse,” said Ayla. “It’s like in the game, when you switched characters.”

In the game he had to focus on the character and think about going to their perspective. He thought about it for Emily, and…

Whoa.

He was staring at himself from Emily’s eyes. His eyes were closed as he sat cross-legged, absolutely still. He looked and saw Ayla.

** When you’re inside my body like this, we can communicate directly, even if our connection isn’t high enough to do other types of telepathic connection. Try to communicate back to me. I’ll tell you when you get it.

How was he supposed to do that?

Like this?

Like this?

** Yes, like that. Now, move my arm.

He raised his arm — her arm! — and saw it move upwards in front of him.

** When you’re in here, you can either take direct control of my body, or you can let me have direct control while you give instructions. With the second option you can simply sit in my mind and watch or talk. With the first, if you have a high enough connection, you have the option of actually switching consciousnesses so the slave you switch with can keep your body safe.

This is the way I direct the battle, then.

** Yes. As you gain more awakened women under your control, the tactical advantage of this ability will grow.

Gain more women?

** If your skill is anything like Ayla claims, then you will build an army quickly. I will make your heart my own before I become just one among dozens.

Dozens? He was already overwhelmed being the Master to just two beautiful women, and he hadn’t even become intimate with one of them yet! He could see maybe adding a couple more down the line, but dozens?

Didn’t Clawdia say that men with dozens of women were evil?

** The men who currently possess than many women are, yet you do not appear evil. Let’s talk about job spheres. Exit my body so that Ayla may assist in translation, since she has seen both your world and ours.

He concentrated on his own body and his eyes snapped open.

What a weird experience.

“You’re back!” said Ayla excitedly.

She’d been looking at Emily, not him… how did she know?

“I can hear your thoughts again. I missed them while you were gone.”

“I showed him how to control our bodies, and the rules behind that,” said Emily. “Next we’re going to tackle stats and job spheres.

“There are up to four different stat screens for any given person, although three of them are only available for those you are Connected with. Go ahead and try to look at Clawdia’s stats.”

Jake concentrated on the cat-girl and then he saw a small screen in the corner of his vision.

Clawdia

Race: Neko

Height: 5’11”

Level: 6

Current Job: None

Top Jobs: Barbarian

Stronger stats: Movement efficiency, Stealth, Dexterity - Counter, Power - Physical, Power - Physical - Slash

Weaker stats: Power - Elemental, Power - Special, Defense - Special

“I see it,” said Jake.

“That’s what you’ll see for most enemies,” explained Emily. “Their job, their level, and what stats they have that are naturally higher or lower than the average human woman.”

“Of course, since I’m a neko, it’ll show me how you differ from the average neko woman,” said Clawdia. “To me, all you humans look like you’re slow, noisy, and weak, but great at magic.”

The format was new, and had a lot less information than he was used to, but the categories all looked right. It was interesting that Power - Physical and Power - Physical - Slash were both marked; it must be that Clawdia’s physical power was greater than a human woman, and her slash was even stronger than her crushing, piercing, or impact damage.

“Do we know how much stronger or weaker each of those stats are?”

“No such luck,” said Emily.

“But you will when you look at our stats!” said Ayla brightly. “They’re just like you remember from your world.”

He concentrated on Ayla’s stats and saw them:

Ayla

Race: Human

Height: 5’6”

Weight: 128lbs

Level: 2

EXP to next level: 5

Connection Rating: 79

Connection Multiplier: 3.48

Current Job: None

Top Jobs: Mage, Priest

Base stat changes:

-- Physical x0.9

-- Elemental: x1.1

-- Special: x1.1

-- Dodge: x0.9

Special Equipment: None

“I see it,” said Jake. “But it doesn’t have all the detail that I was expecting.”

“There are three of these that you can see on those you’re Connected to. Think about seeing a little bit more detail for the stats…

He did so, and was rewarded with another screen

Ayla

Race: Human

Height: 5’6”

Weight: 128lbs

Level: 2

EXP to next level: 5

Connection Rating: 79

Connection Multiplier: 3.48

Current Job: None

Top Jobs: Mage, Priest

Special Equipment: None

Base Stats

Power

-- Physical: 7.2

-- Elemental: 8.8

-- Special: 8.8

Defense

-- Physical: 4.5

-- Elemental: 5.5

-- Special: 5.5

Resist: 0%

Max HP: 55

Dexterity

-- Accuracy: 6

-- Counter: 6

-- Dodge: 5.4

Max CP: 100

CP Regeneration: 5/sec

Movement efficiency: x1

“I see it. And what happens if I ask for more detail one more time?”

“Try it.”

He did so and got every piece of information he could ever want. He got all the slots for special equipment, even though all her clothes were non-magical. He got a second stats screen where it took into account the Connection Multiplier.

He got the sub-sub-components of each stats as well.

Each Dex subcomponent had a melee, ranged, casting, and AOE sub-sub-component.

The Physical subcomponent, in both Defense and Power, had slashing, crushing, piercing, and impact sub-sub-components.

Elemental had all the elements.

Special held everything else, all the rare types of attacks and effects.

“It’s kind of overwhelming.”

“Yes, but don’t worry. In the screen you saw with less detail, it’ll show you if a sub-sub-component differs from the sub-component above it.”

That made sense… it was exactly how FTO’s information screens worked.

It was kind of uncanny how close they were.

The only question he had was — was this a wild sex dream based on the game he loved, or was the game he loved based on this world?

“You’re right, it is strange, isn’t it?” said Ayla.

“Stop reading his thoughts,” said Emily. “It’s annoying.”

“You’re just jealous.”

“I am not.” Emily frowned, then pointed to Jake. “You, come with me to the cave. We’re going to…”

Ayla giggled, Clawdia sighed, and Emily’s cheeks turned bright red.

Was Emily talking about sex?

“Of course she is,” said Ayla. “You’re irresistable.”

“We’re going to go prepare for battle,” insisted Emily as she glared at the other two girls. “Privately. In the dark.”