Cultivating Anthro CEO RPG Hero Harem Reincarnation In Another World

With Lazuli's grand reveal, the Nandi dungeon bulls and their Squell victims alike froze in place, staring at her—some awkwardly caught in the middle of their depraved acts.

"Crap!" one Nandi cried out. "That high-level was disguised as a new player!"

"That's right!" Lazuli declared in response, beaming and holding her sword up high above her head with pride. "I outsmarted you bastards, and now your age of terrorizing the Squell in order to feed your sick hunger is over!"

She cocked her head back at Akira, freezing her in her tracks just as she was tiptoeing out of the wrecked cage.

"I will provide you cover to escape!"

Akira nodded, a drop of nervous sweat trailing down her face. 

"R-right." Like she'd already been doing!

"Here--"Lazuli then said, as Akira watched in surprise as she materialized a small dagger--seemingly out of thin air--throwing it for her to catch.

"Hey! It's dangerous to throw sharp stuff like that, you know!"

"Protect yourself and the others with it!"

Akira gave a perplexed look. 

"The others?" she questioned, just as the small company of [Squell Cattle], which she'd previously been sharing the cage with, came scrambling out and crowding around, urging her to hurry:

"Let's get out of here, pervert!"

"The exit is this way! Come on already!"

"Don't you know a heroic sacrifice when you see one!"

Heroic sacrifice…?

Akira almost burst out laughing.

Is that what this was supposed to be? The act of someone, worth infinitely more than the people she was rescuing--just from her scrumptious ass alone--nonetheless putting her life on the line to protect them?

Through the lens of one such as Akira Maximilian, who attributed concise values to all people and things…

Such a notion was incredibly absurd!

However, Lazuli wasn't anything like Akira.

"Hurry!" she urged one last time, before turning away, as the visor of her golden plate helmet came crashing down to completely cover her face--ceasing all further talks.

Now, it was a time for action.

Lazuli flung herself at the Nandi, in a whirlwind of steel.

Her strikes were graceful, as they were brutal: mercilessly carving off heads and limbs, even as her footwork remained precise and her slashes flowed elegantly as water--her cape constantly flashing and flaunting with dramatic flair, but never once getting in the way of her delivered justice.

The Nandi were being slaughtered, with nowhere for them to run.

In their great numbers they attempted to swarm her all at once, only to fall to her [Crescent Solar Cleave]: a Warrior class ability that caused a wide arc of energy to release from her slashes.

Meanwhile, all the Squell slaves not bound by chains increasingly ran--

Not towards freedom, but to aid the Nandi!

Lazuli was finding it increasingly difficult to avoid accidentally hitting them during her attacks, as they wielded their sharp claws and pitchforks, crude bonesaws and branding rods pulled straight from a bed of hot coals--whatever weapon they could manage to get their hands on, in defense of their Nandi masters.

In her unwillingness to hit them, a group eventually managed to sneak up and restrain her from behind.

"Grr--unhand me!" Lazuli ordered.

There were about a dozen of them, all clinging to her arms and legs and torso; tearing into her flesh and clothes; flooding her ears with sinister giggles.

Her words became strained, as they continued to close in from all angles.

"Why...protect those...who enslave you?"

Her sword fell from her grasp.

Pieces of her armor were being peeled and pulled away.

Her cape, her clothing, torn to shreds.

Their laughter grew louder as it became less mirthful, more malicious.

Lazuli was stricken with horror at their animal claws digging, and oversized sharp molars biting into her bare flesh: neck, shoulders, breasts and thighs all being greedily targeted--leaving no part of her unmolested.

"Stop!" She squeaked, her previous courage having been stripped away along with her gear. "Please, no!"

This torture went on until, suddenly, a deep laughter could be heard echoing from the furthest reaches of the dungeon, prompting the attacking Squell to stop and turn, along with the Nandi, to watch as a tall, hulking figure slowly emerged from the shadows.

It was another Nandi, the biggest and baddest of the bunch—so tall that the crown of gold-encrusted Squell rib cages he wore almost grazed the ceiling, possessing an even fatter belly and more muscular arms than his peons. He also wore a kingly vestment, made from the tails of over a thousand Squell; along with the countless collars they had once worn as cattle dangling from his neck, like a hunter's trophies.

Elsewhere, Akira Maximilian's blood ran cold when she could hear faint screams.

She'd been fleeing, alongside the [Cattle Squell], through a torchlit maze of corridors with multiple dead ends--only halting at the sounds of Lazuli's brutal torture, emanating from the lower depths.

"No...Lazuli," she murmured.

What was this nightmare reality she'd found herself in?

The [Squell Cattle] trembled in fear.

"What are they doing to her?" One asked.

"Lazuli, huh? So brave…"

A few cried among themselves, unable to speak.

Another...was peeing herself.

Frowning, Akira glanced at the knife in her hand with its simple white blade, short handle and unfancy hilt--nothing special, except for the fact it was the only weapon among their group.

'Why did she entrust me with this?'

It could've been anyone, yet Akira was the one she tasked with protecting the others.

'I can't be heroic, I'm a CEO!'

Scoffing, she held the knife in front of her with her fingers pinched around the blade tip, grimacing like it was dirty, facing the others.

"One of you...take this," she snapped.

However, none stepped forward.

They merely watched Akira, blinking, with serious expressions.

Akira groaned, scratching her head.

"I mean it! My only experience with knives is opening envelopes and peeling apart oranges!" 

Still, no matter how he ranted and raved...

It really seemed like no one wanted the responsibility of being the Hero.

Akira huffed, crossing her arms.

"Fine, then!" 

She continued onward with reluctance, stomping her feet, as the [Cattle Squell] followed in whispers.

Internally, Akira was seething with anger.

'All I wanted was a danish…'

'What's my company gonna do without me?'

The corridor opened up to a room ahead.

Without looking, Akira entered into it--still wrapped in her frustrated thoughts.

'I have a meeting with Tencent in Shanghai tomorrow, but I don't even know when tomorrow is! Or for that matter where this place even is, or what I am!'

Growling, she grasped her own breasts to instantly feel soothed.

Eyes closed, she released a big sigh.

"Much better than stress balls," she said.

To which a gruff, deep voice gave a low laugh, then answered: 

"I'd like to be the judge of that."

Akira's eyes shot wide open, as she could detect a looming presence behind her.

She turned, to come face-to-face with a group of [Level 8] [Soldier Nandi]: like the [Hungry Nandi], but decked in full suits of grey metal armor with imposing battle axes at their backs, tattered black cloth hanging from their wide-belted waists.

They rose from their seats at a long table, pinprick eyes gleaming red in the dim light.

Judging by the playing cards strewn across the table, the foamy beer steins in their hooved grips and bitter stares, they'd just been in the middle of...something.

"Women," one mooed, with a bleary drunken gaze and wobbling stance.

Akira had to think fast: she knew she couldn't fight them, nor could any of the Squell. Turning tail and running away seemed risky as well--at such a close proximity she could smell their unclean furs and putrid warm breaths, within range of a lunge for sure.

Fortunately, problem solving was the bread and butter skill of the CEO, so Akira could remain calm and figure out a plan.

One of the [Squell Cattle] was near to her.

She was frozen in fear, gawking with a vacant stare.

It got Akira to think...

As a businessman, one of the first things she'd learned was the importance of catering to market trends. That way, you could reliably count on a return on your investment--rather than if you'd taken a more careless approach, or tried to please everybody at once.

Then, it dawned on her:

Dealing with the Nandi all boiled down to simple supply and demand, with the "demand" being "women."

Therefore, the "supply" was--

In a flash, Akira pulled Lazuli's knife and slashed it across the thin front fabric of the distracted [Squell Cattle]'s ragged top, tearing straight through it in just a single clean swipe.

Her chest was thus exposed: a beautiful pair of breasts, jiggling on release from their fragile holsters.

"UWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA?!"

She gave a high-pitched squeal in alarm, falling backward unto her rump in her haste to cover herself up with her hands.

However, it was too late:

The Nandi had caught a glimpse…

And wanted more.

They jumped her like wild animals.

They pinned her to the ground.

They clawed and bit at her flesh, tearing away her clothes as she screamed in terror.

Meanwhile, Akira and the other Squell fled.

"You killed her!" One yelled.

"I did what needed to be done!" Akira retorted.

"You're no Hero--you're a monster!"

She laughed. "That's right! The monster that'll make it out of here alive!"

They travelled many more twists and turns through the labyrinthine corridors, as Akira--being one who always seeks to innovate, and make more efficient--eventually discovered she could go much faster by running on her squirrel-like hands, like an extra pair of feet.

The other Squell following suit, in an ensuing quiet thundering of pattering paws.

At the blinding fast speed of their newfound scurry, they darted past the other Nandi Soldiers they encountered patrolling the halls…

Although, a few weren't quite fast enough. That, or they let their fear get the best of them.

'Survival of the fittest,' Akira called it, either way.

This was truly a cow-eat-squirrel world.

Their tortured screams would serve to pave a path to freedom for the survivors, though...

As before long, a bright light appeared ahead.