Cultivating Anthro CEO RPG Hero Harem Reincarnation In Another World

Ai awoke to the sound of the explosive commotion that was brewing below.

The walls and ceiling were shaking, to the rhythm of Akira's flurry of [Seismic Shock]s.

Along with the overheard screams and shouts...in the midst of her drunken haze, Ai could swear that the world was coming to an end.

However, the bittersweet taste of [Spiked Nandi Milk], still lingered on her lips...

'That's...right...I remember now...'

'I got taken by those...COW ladies...and one of them...made me suck on her—'

An abrupt thumping sound, of Lakshmi slamming her fists on the desk she was seated at, broke Ai's concentration. She glanced up, and saw the back Lakshmi, seated at her desk before the glow of a flashing monitor screen floating in front of her, through which she viewed the ongoing battle between Akira and the Milk Maidens.

To her back, a giant hole took up the entire center of the room, which Ai crawled to the edge of to peer down through...into a harrowing, pitch black abyss.

Except for this hole, there seemed to be no other way in, or out, of the room.

With this unfortunate realization, Ai saw no recourse but to return to the spot where she had been laying, and pretend to still be asleep.

Lakshmi was nearby—none the wiser—thinking about the current unfolding situation aloud:

"I had never anticipated he would resort to such ignominious, self-destructive tactics."

"Surely, that idiotic CEO thinks I'll cave eventually..."

"That I'll just...kindly return his 'stolen goods' to him, and send him on his way..."

Thinking this, Lakshmi glared to her side at the motionless form of Ai, where she lay curled up on the floor next to her foot.

'One of Maximilian's cherished concubines is with me. The other, out of commission...'

She scoffed—even THINKING about romance, and of genuine, deep, sincere affection made her a tiny bit nauseous.

'I am cognizant of the fact that they are his major weakness, so I had them sundered.'

'Because I have claimed his promiscuous urchin, and the capricious warrior...'

'He knows I still possess the upper hand, so he risks his own life in a desperate gamble.'

Lakshmi grinned—this little experiment of hers was turning out results far more interesting than she'd anticipated.

'I hadn't any scruples you were clever and capable fighter in your own right, Maximilian.'

'Withal, it is imperative for me to assess whether you can stand on your own in a fight against stacked odds, if you are indeed to prove useful to me.'

Just then, a chorus of high-pitched screams tore the schemer from her pondering.

The Milk Maidens, she was thus reminded, were edging ever-closer to a high-lactose demise.

Lakshmi sighed. She always detested having to become directly involved in her schemes, but it appeared she'd leaned too heavily on the assistance of the Amrita's best and brightest.

"Well played, Maximilian." She seethed, under breath. "However, I won't be bested so easily."

...

All of a sudden, the platform at the center of the moat began to tremble, and move upward.

A loud rumbling filled Akira's ears, rattling her to the bones. With it, there was the clinking and sliding of a system of chains, coiled in embedded grooves around the sides of a tall pillar that the platform was built upon, causing it to rise up...in a gentle, corkscrew motion...like an elevator.

To Akira, although uncertain of what was happening, Lakshmi's silence was deafening.

"I think it's only fair I give you a warning..." Akira huffed, loosening up her shoulders in anticipation. "Soon as I meet you face-to-face, I'm gonna SMASH your face into a bloody pulp."

"So, let's say we get all the talking out of the way from now, shall we?"

Akira heard a hooting noise, and turned to glimpse a [Level ??] [Creamy Owl] just as it swooped by, dangerously close to her head.

Lakshmi's laughter resounded—her voice now seeming to issue directly from the Owl.

"I wouldn't be so cocky, if I were you!" She said, as the owl perched atop one of the statues—its eerie, unblinking gaze fixed solidly upon Akira.

"Perhaps, you've forgotten...that the girl you seek is STILL within my possession!"

The Creamy Owl then flew in, and remaining hovering in the air uncomfortably close to Akira's face.

"Should you act discordant with my wishes again...it will NOT bode well for her."

Akira tensed. At once, she felt compelled to take a swing at the Creamy Owl, but relented.

'No. I have to stay calm, and rational.' She thought to herself. 'Ai's life is on the line.'

'My first gambit worked, but it's gonna require more than that...'

While shifting her gaze around the platform, Akira came across the bewildered stares of the gaggle of Milk Maidens...and hatched a plan.

Turning back to the owl, she smiled. "Since you wanna play hardball..."

In an instant, she procured the shimmering gold [Gandiva] bow from her inventory.

She formed an arrow out of her life force, to the shock and awe of the viewing Maidens, and fired it.

The ensuing beam widened as it flew, to the point of engulfing the statue that the Creamy Owl was perched upon in its brilliant, all-consuming light.

The attack was over with as soon as it began—leaving a trail of dust and debris.

The owl had flown off just in time, but the once majestic statue...was reduced to mere pebbles.

Satisfied that this demonstration would be MORE than sufficient, Akira declared:

"Either you give me back Ai—"she pointed to the Milk Maidens, to their unanimous horror—"or ELSE, I'll be 'downsizing' the Amrita staff!"

The Creamy Owl proxy flapped its wings derisively—ostensibly reflecting its controller's reaction.

"HAH! As if I CARE about what happens to those insignificant PEONS!" Lakshmi said. "Go ahead and blast them all into bits, fool!"

"I'll put an ad out, and have a hundred resumes on my desk by morning!"

With this response, Akira—rather than being discontent—couldn't be more pleased. "Is that so?"

Knowing she would no longer need it, Akira unequipped the [Ghandiva].

Afterward, she faced Lakshmi's so-called "insignificant peons," with a confident grin.

It was clear the seeds of mutiny were already planted in their midst, judging by their furrowed brows, and angry chattering among themselves.

"N-n-no...wait!" Lakshmi stuttered—trying to backpedal, but the damage was done.

From in her lair, she could hear the thundering rumble of the rising pillar grow louder, and louder, with its imminent approach—carrying an angry crowd, of her now EX-employees, directly to her. She was breaking out in a cold sweat, and narrowly resisting the urge to panic; in truth, she hadn't much experience at all with things not going her way.

Needless to say, Lakshmi was feeling cornered. But, she thought to herself, at least she still had—

"W-what!?" She snapped, seeing only a blank space where the slumbering Ai had been.

She searched all around the room, but couldn't find her anywhere.

"Where'd that perverted little BRAT go!?"

Unbeknownst to her, the Creamy Owl was still broadcasting her words, to the amusement of Akira as well as the Milk Maidens, that were now comfortably wrapped in her arms:

"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!"

"Curses!" She cried. "I thought the drug was supposed to last longer than that!"

Lakshmi did not have to wait long for a confirmation, however, as Ai let out a befuddled growl—being that she was still altogether woozy, courtesy of the lingering effects of the spiked breast milk—and pounced unto the unsuspecting Lakshmi from behind.

She'd been hiding in [Stealth] all this time, and became ecstatic at Akira's triumph.

Although her voice was slurred, and her particular choice of words contrasting wildly from her usual, Ai's indomitable spirit was yet preserved:

"Big Sis...is SO gonna...kick. Your.. FUCKING. Ass!"