Pause System: Harem In The Apocalypse

'I...'

'I've always avoided it... The tight warm feeling in my chest which would surface whenever I was around them...'

'The missed beat whenever I'd see their smile... All other sorts of emotions which would make life just a little less miserable.'

'It was clear from these emotions that they just meant that much to me...'

*Crack*

'That's why... When they're hurt...''

'I just can't help it.'

There Gray stood, holding onto the body of the monster they had just killed. It's body was in pieces but progressively regenerating.

Gray's hand which was around it's neck was squeezing it tightly, cracking it further and further as he pressed down.

"It... Hadn't died...?!" Aurora questioned as she watched.

*FWOOSH!*

A shockwave created by wind, burst in her direction forcing her to take a few steps back. The air around her was growing increasingly warmer.

[Thermal energy Manipulation.]

Her stone-cold ice which had been shattered, was showing signs that it would begin to melt.

Simultaneously, a puzzle-like mark began to take shape on Gray's forehead. The puzzle slowly began to twist and turn, solving itself as it progressed even further throughout his body.

[Mark Of The King Second Stage...]

Once solved, a halo which enveloped around Gray's head emerged from the mark and strange runic patterns ran down his face.

But it didn't end there.

[Mark Of The King Third Stage: Activating...]

The patterns progressed down his neck, over to  his shoulders before eventually reaching his arms.

Simultaneously, parts of the pattern made their way down his chest, stomach and in no time at all, had reached his legs.

Whilst this all happened, Gray glared dagger at the soulless eyes of the monster Violet and Aurora had just killed.

Whilst targeting it with all his bloodlust, he asked it one simple question.

"Was it you...?"

With it's cold soulless eyes, the monster stared right back at Gray. It's teeth clattering from fear, no matter how hard it tried only it's head showed signs of any possible movement.

Yet still, even whilst looking powerless before him, it grinned.

At  that instant, it's head suddenly expanded at high speeds, the bone of it's skull burst out of it's head with thin sharp bony needles directed at Gray.

The bones from it's neck which too was unpaused were also propelled at him.

At the distance which Gray was, there was no dodging it.

[…]

That was the case however, it didn't appear to apply to Gray. Who appeared on the other side of it.

It was instantaneous, there was nothing it could do.

The monster's eyes widened as it realised one of it's eyes disappeared. It's lack of reaction showed that it was desensitised to pain.

Whether or not it was wouldn't have made a difference, after all...

"Time stop."

*Shatter-* *Crumble*

Within the following second, it's entire body and core was broken in one single attack.

[Authority Over Frozen Time: Break]

That one move was followed up by a barrage of rage full attacks in the world of frozen time.

Even after it's entire head had cracked Gray kept throwing

What became left of the monster you may ask?

Nothing but a pile of dark purple blood stained against the floors and walls.

The blood wasn't just from the monster itself but also the Zombies which had been frozen, the ones who had shattered along with their limbs when Gray broke through the ice.

In the middle of the tunnel, Gray stood by himself with his head turned up to the ceiling whilst he released heavy pants.

Aurora had confirmed it with her own two eyes. She recalled the scene from the Labyrinth once more.

There was no doubt, the one who had completely cleared the floor out at that time, was Gray.

His wrath, it was terrifying. Yet even despite it, she showed no signs of backing any further away.

Instead, she was slowly walking over to him, her hand stretched out as she hesitated to call out to him.

"That's it...?"

"You almost killed her and that's all you amount to!?"

Gray hung his head, staring at remaining pile of it's bones laid out on the floor in front of him.

"Regenerate... That's not enough."

[You killed a Berserk Kessho.]

Gray's eyes widened at the notification, he grit his teeth.

"REGENERATE DAMN IT!!"

*CRASH!*

Gray slammed his arm into ground, crushing the small remaining pile of bones in the process. cracks progressed throughout the ground he had cracked, up the wall until eventually reaching the tunnel top.

The entire area rattled and trembled as a result. The strange symbolic runes in his body were expanding, the third stage was almost complete.

[Mark Of The King Third Stage: Activating...]

*Thump!* *Thump!* *Thump!*

His heart rate gradually increased, his blood was boiling in anger.

It wasn't enough, such a simple kill like that, it wasn't enough to calm him down.

Even with all the time he had spent in the world of frozen time breaking the ice, and dealing with the remaining zombies, he still wasn't satisfied.

Gray's eyes began to flash a bright glow, the flash was growing more and more frequent.

[Warning: Body is attempting to force third awakening.]

[Body is unprepared for the third stage due to evolution.]

[Permanent damage may resu-]

*CRASH!* *CRASH!* *CRASH!*

Gray repeatedly slammed his fists into the ground, watching as they glowed brighter and brighter.

He punched and punched and punched, digging a hole further and further down into the tracks.

His hand which was growing bloody was quickly regenerating as a result of the third stage awakening process.

Gray grasped his hands together raising them up into the air.

He was about to let out one final shout before slamming them back down when all of the sudden-

*Grasp*

Smooth slender arms wrapped themselves around him from behind. The warmth and softness of another person followed after as they drew in closer with a hug.

"It's fine now.. Everything is fine... Violet is breathing and alive, it's all okay... So please... Please don't look so hurt..."

That was all they said.

And strangely enough that was all it took for him to break down into tears.

*Drop* *Drop*

Tears streamed down his face, he shut his eyes and muttered in a shaky tone. "I... I was so scared... Scared that you and her could have died..."

He could feel the wetness of tears flowing down his back as the girl dug her head into it. "M-Me too... I'm sorry Gray... It's all because... It's all because I'm weak."

The two stayed together quietly crying as one embraced the other.

The strange runic patterns slowly regressed back up into the mark on Gray's forehead, alongside his halo before they faded.

Gray had fully relaxed and was no longer lost in rage, he truly felt comfort in Aurora's embrace. Aurora on the other hand couldn't hold back the feelings inside of her chest.

The longer she spent with her arms wrapped around him, the stronger the feelings which she had tried to hide had become.

After a short while the only sound they could hear was each other's breathing.

Aurora's heart was pounding as she thought about what to say next. It had been a while since they had last been so close together.

"Hey... Gray..."

"...What is it...?" He asked, rubbing his eyes as he tried to cover up the tears which he had spilled.

"Recently everyone's been interacting with you, so I haven't had much of a chance for just us two to talk like this..."

'I know the timing is wrong... It's bad of me to say it... But I can't hold it in anymore...'

"..What do you want to talk about?" He asked as he tried to turn around.

Aurora stopped him by grabbing his cheeks from behind and telling him not to. "Don't...! If you look at me right now, I won't be able to say it..."

Gray's brows raised in confusion.

"Say what? How much of a baby I looked for crying right now?" Gray asked jokingly.

"No..." She shook her head, her cheeks growing redder.

"Then say what?" He asked.

Aurora seemed to hesitate but only for a moment, she suddenly moved in to his ears and from behind, quietly whispered. "I... I love you..."

Gray's mouth opened in surprise, he quickly turned around to face her, only to see her bright red face lean in closer to him.

Next thing he knew, she had kissed him.

'...What...?'

The two's lips stayed connected for a short moment, Gray's cheeks grew bright red, he instantly became flustered once it sunk in.

She had just confessed to him, just like that.

His guard was dropped, he truly didn't expect it.

His heart was pounding, he tried moving back but couldn't as she had her arms wrapped around him.

*Smooch*

Their lips separated, For some reason, her long silky light pink hair and sparkling grey eyes were more appealing to him than usual. Her blushing red cheeks made his heart skip a beat.

He couldn't take his eyes off of her.

"...D-Don't just stare at me without saying anything... I-It's embarrassing..." She muttered with her bottom lip protruding outwards in a sulk as she looked away.

"S-Say something...!"