When the Serial Killer Next Door Gained Harem System

There was something different here. A thick, unnatural fog clung to the edges of the path, stretching from side to side as far as the eye could see. It was dense and swirling, completely hiding whatever lay beyond it. You couldn’t see a single tree or rock past that wall of mist.

And on one of the trees right at the edge of the fog, a crude wooden sign had been nailed:

BEWARE! THE CIRCLE!

I swallowed hard and kept walking. This was it. We were really going in.

"This scum knows about The Circle." Tornhawk met eyes with Jugo, then looked at the rest of us. "This is the western entrance. If you enter anywhere else except where the signs are posted, you’ll walk straight into endless fog. When you come back out, you’ll appear at a random edge of The Circle. It’s important that you only use this entrance."

"W-what if some bandits try to trick us!" Saka stammered, eyes wide with panic. "Putting up fake signs... trying to t-t-t-trick us!"

"You would need a map for that reason," Tornhawk said, a slight smirk tugging at his lips. "But I don’t give a flying fuck if you all live or die. So no maps for you."

"We... we will die..."

"Once you have ten gold, press the button on your collar for five seconds," Tornhawk continued. "Put the gold in the compartment that opens. Your collar will unlock. Then you can leave The Circle."

"FUCK THIS!"

Saka screamed and suddenly bolted, running wildly away from the group.

Tornhawk exhaled, not even bothering to turn around as she sprinted past him.

The woman on horseback with the greatsword calmly raised her palm outward. A strong gust of wind exploded forward, slamming into Saka’s back and hurling her straight into the thick fog. She disappeared instantly, swallowed by the swirling mist.

Every prisoner turned to stare at Tornhawk in stunned silence. I glanced back at the fog, my stomach twisting. It looked unnatural, thick, shifting, and alive.

Then, just as suddenly, Saka stumbled out of the fog again, gasping and disoriented. She accidentally slammed into the silent girl standing next to me, knocking her off balance.

Saka’s collar immediately began beeping. A red countdown appeared on the side of the device: 3... 2...

My eyes widened.

I grabbed her by the waist and threw her back toward the fog, but in the panic, I lost my footing and got pulled in with her.

I slid across the ground, tumbling hard before skidding to a stop. Groaning, I pushed myself up. Saka was on the ground a few feet away, curled into a ball, eyes wide with terror.

"I’m gonna die... I’m gonna die... I’m gonna die..."

"YOU IDIOT!" I yelled. "You want your head to get blown off?!"

"NO CHANCE!" she screamed back, voice cracking. "NO CHANCE! I ONLY STOLE BREAD BECAUSE I WAS HUNGRY! BECAUSE I’M PREGNANT! NO CHANCE! FUCK THE QUEEN! FUCK THIS KINGDOM!"

I turned my head to the left. Jugo, the unnamed girl, and Bone were already walking slowly into the fog. All four of their collars had started beeping at the same time.

╔═══════════════════════╗

> Ace | LC: 7 | EXP: 103/133 | LVL 2

╠═══════════════════════╣

> HP ▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰ 100/100

> MP ▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰ 70/70

> STA ▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▱▱ 62/80

────────────────────────

> Class: MAGE

> Known Abilities:

• Fireball

• Heal

────────────────────────

> PERKS

• +10% More magic damage

╠═══════════════════════╣

> [ BAG ] [ MAP ] [ SHOP ] [QUESTS]

╚═══════════════════════╝

Oh, right. I discovered The Circle, it meant more EXP, but that didn’t matter now.

I looked right.

The area was unlike anything I had ever seen. The fog was thick and unnatural, clinging to everything like living smoke. Trees twisted in strange, impossible shapes, their bark covered in glowing veins that pulsed faintly. Strange, distorted sounds echoed from deeper inside, whispers, distant howls, and low mechanical hums that didn’t belong in any forest. The air felt heavier, charged, as if reality itself was slightly broken. Shadows moved where there shouldn’t be any, and every few seconds a faint shimmer rippled through the fog like heat haze over invisible anomalies. The whole place felt wrong, dangerous, and alive in the worst possible way.

"Gods, Saka," Bone said, shaking his head. "I didn’t know you had a death wish, you old hag."

"No chance, no chance, no chance, no chance..."

"Ten gold," Jugo said calmly. "Should be easy."

"I mean, yeah," Bone shrugged. "We kill some monsters, take their cores, and sell ’em at one of the safe zones."

"Safe zone?" I asked.

Bone nodded. "Some people actually live in The Circle, if you can believe it, kid. There are several safehouses scattered around... though I’ve only been here once. Jugo here..."

"I know some of the safe zones," Jugo said calmly. "Got them all memorized."

While they talked, I noticed the silent scarred girl staring at the fingerless glove on my hand. The moment our eyes met, she quickly pulled her hood lower and hid her face in the shadows.

"So," Bone said, clapping his hands once. "Let’s get a move on."

"We leave this old hag here," Jugo said. "She won’t be any help to us. We all know it."

"PLEASE!" Saka cried. "Please, no!"

"She’s pregnant," I protested. "We’re not leaving her."

"She’s lying to get on our good side," Jugo replied coldly. "Look how old she is. You really think she could get pregnant?"

"Look," I said firmly. "Come on. Let’s just go. We’re not leaving her behind."

Jugo exhaled, his eyes completely devoid of emotion. "Fine. Don’t expect me to save her ass if we get into trouble. In The Circle, every man is for himself."

"Soo, boys and gals, I’m Thessir blessed," Bone said out of nowhere, clearly trying to ease the tension. "God of Time. What about you, kid?"

"I... was on my way to get tested," I lied. "But I got caught."

"For what?" Bone asked.

"For..." I cleared my throat. "Practicing magic. I was throwing fireballs into the air. The guards thought those were help signals and caught me... and now I’m here."

"Damned idiots," Bone muttered.

Jugo turned to the silent girl. "What about you?"

"Me? What about you?" the girl asked back, her voice cold.

Jugo looked slightly surprised but quickly recovered. "Martyn. God of Trickery."

The girl with the scarred face looked at him. "Vaelor. God of Strength."

"Vaelor..." Bone muttered. "I thought I’d be blessed by him... but I guess I was..."

"Enough talking," Jugo muttered. "Move."

"Fine, fine..." Bone exhaled. "You’re NOT fun, Jugo."

The Circle was unlike anything I had ever seen. The grass under our feet was a sickly, unnatural green, almost glowing with a faint, poisonous hue that made it look diseased.

"Ugh..."

In the distance, I could see a little hut.

Jugo pointed it out. "There. Let’s check that one."