Hero Hack: Reversing Heroes and Raising Harem-Chapter 197: Mark Me Up, Buttercup

Zain returned to the Heavenly Demon Sect.

He walked through the main gates with long strides, his eyes sharp.

The guards didn’t dare stop him. He moved fast, his mind focused.

He entered the main hall. The room was big, with stone floors and high walls.

He stopped and looked around. His eyes narrowed. "Velra."

Velra stepped out from a side hall.

Her eyes locked on him, her head tilted. "Yes, Master."

Zain didn’t waste time and ordered. "Gather all the girls. I want them all here. Now."

Velra’s lips curled into a small smile. "As you wish, Master."

She turned and walked down the hall, her steps quick and confident.

Zain stood still, arms crossed, watching the door. His thoughts raced.

"I wanted to test if it could work. If it works, the girls will be even stronger."

Zain only grinned, thinking of the experiment he was about to do.

The minutes passed. The door opened again.

Velra walked in, her face calm.

Behind her came a line of girls—hundreds of them.

They moved in rows, each girl wearing the same black uniform, eyes down, steps silent.

Three hundred and three girls in total.

They lined up in the hall, heads bowed, waiting for his words.

Zain looked at them, his eyes hard. "Good, you’re all here."

He walked back and forth in front of the rows of girls, a smirk on his face.

He stopped and turned to the side, focusing his mind.

He called up the system screen in his head.

"System, hack me. Give me infinite Heavenly Demon Ether for marking."

The screen glowed.

---

[Hack Initiation: Unlimited Heavenly Demon Ether]

[Target: Zain]

[Effect: Grants infinite Heavenly Demon Ether specifically for marking tasks]

[Maintenance Cost: 10,000 Hack Points per minute]

[Status: Executing...]

---

Zain clenched his fists. That was the price he expected. No problem.

"Let’s do this fast," he said to himself.

"Every second counts."

He bit the tip of each of his ten fingers, drawing blood.

He held up his hands, the ether swirling around them like black smoke.

One by one, he walked down the line of girls.

There were 270 left to mark.

He reached the first girl, pressed his finger to her forehead, and let the mark flow into her.

She shivered as the ether burned into her skin.

It took him about ten seconds for each mark.

Every girl screamed softly as the mark fused with her body.

Some tried to stay strong, but tears rolled down their faces.

Zain didn’t stop. He moved to the next, then the next. Time ticked by.

Thirty minutes passed.

Zain’s arms trembled slightly, but his eyes stayed sharp.

"Almost done," he thought. "Can’t slow down now."

He reached the last girl. Her eyes were wide with fear.

He pressed his finger to her forehead, watching as the mark burned bright.

She screamed, her body shaking.

Done.

Zain looked at his hands, blood drying on his fingers.

He opened the system screen.

He had spent 450,000 Hack Points for the marks.

His balance was still high, so he didn’t care.

He stood tall, feeling stronger than ever.

"No pain," he thought. "No exhaustion like before."

Velra watched him from the side, her eyes filled with concern.

"Master, are you okay? You marked them all so fast," she said.

"Usually you pass out after just a few."

Zain turned his head, a grin spreading across his face.

"Don’t worry. I’m not going to pass out this time," he said.

"I’m stronger now. I’ve trained for this."

He looked at the rows of girls, all of them marked now. Some were crying.

Others stared at the ground, holding their heads in pain.

"Good," Zain said. "Now let’s wait. Let the marks settle."

The girls started to scream louder as the marks dug deeper into their skin, fusing with their bodies.

Their eyes glowed faintly with [Demon Ether].

Zain watched, his arms crossed.

"This is just the beginning," he said.

"You’ll all be stronger after this."

Velra stood next to him, her eyes on the girls.

"They’re changing," she said.

"They’ll be demons soon, just like you."

Zain nodded.

"That’s the plan," he said. "Let’s watch them grow."

---

Skybrand landed in BD-3, her wings folding behind her as she touched the ground.

The wind was cold, and the air smelled like old stone and dust.

She turned to look at Neuro, who was standing with his arms crossed, watching the area.

"Are you sure this plan will work?"

Skybrand sounded unsure but determined.

Neuro’s eyes stayed calm as he looked at her.

"Of course it will work. I’ve studied those girls."

"I know what they’re always searching for."

His voice was low but steady.

He moved his hand to show her a small device he’d set up on the ground.

"This will be bait for them."

Skybrand stepped closer to the device, her eyes narrowing.

"So you’re saying they’ll come looking for this?"

She tapped the device lightly with her boot.

Neuro nodded.

"Yes. They’re always after fresh corpses, so I think that they wanted some life energy."

"This bait has all of that. They can’t resist."

He paused and scanned the shadows around them.

"They’re too brave for their own good."

Skybrand frowned.

"I hope Velvet Demon is with them too."

Her hand rested on the hilt of her sword.

"She’s the one I really want."

Neuro’s lips twitched slightly, just a hint of a smile.

"If she’s smart, she’ll come."

"If not, her girls will come, and she’ll follow. Either way, we’ll get her."

Skybrand looked around the abandoned area.

The place was quiet, but she could feel the tension in the air.

Every sound seemed louder than normal.

She nodded slowly.

"Alright. I’ll keep watch from above. If anyone comes, I’ll be ready."

Neuro picked up the device and set it in the middle of the open space.

"Good. Let’s see if they take the bait."

Skybrand spread her wings and lifted into the sky, watching the ground below. fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm

Neuro stayed where he was, his eyes locked on the device.

Together, they waited in silence.

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