Cultivating Anthro CEO RPG Hero Harem Reincarnation In Another World

"What?!" 

In Akira's astonishment, at seeing all the previously concealed limbless girls suddenly be unveiled, she fell back onto the floor with a crazed look of fear.

"What the Hell kind of crazy, fucked up sick shit is this?!"

By contrast, the elder was stoically calm. "These are survivors," he replied darkly. "Of the so-called Trial of Lumination." After which he then walked over and stooped to casually take up the [Level 8] [Pillow Girl], upon whose breast Akira's foot had just accidentally tread upon. 

"I apologize for surprising you like this," he went on to say, continuing in his explanation while holding the Pillow Girl up by her sides in front of him: "There is no formal protocol in place to care for trial-takers who have been reduced to this state, where they can no longer care for themselves. So alas, I have taken it upon myself to provide care for them, until whenever I receive word of any vacancies at a charity rescue in Mithil."

Akira looked across the room, at all the Pillow Girls' vacantly drooling expressions. "Are they all...drugged?" Was this the source of the strong herbal scent?

"Indeed," the elder replied. "A necessary measure, I'm afraid. To spare them undue suffering." 

He rubbed away some dirt smeared on the breast of the one he was holding, with his fingers. Doing so, without any kind of reaction from her at all as she continued to mindlessly stare onward, along with the others. 

"I keep them sedated, through the use of [Stupor Potions]. And a [Cloaking Spell], which I can clear the effects of using my chi, to aid in avoiding detection."

Akira angrily huffed. She was trying to put on a brave, strong face, but it was difficult.

Somehow, after all she'd witnessed in Nirvana so far, this was where she drew the line. This was what deeply and severely unsettled her.

"Because it would be pretty bad for the monastery if word of this ever got out, wouldn't it?"

"The monastery?" The elder scoffed. "This whole damned place could go to rot for all I care," he seethed bitterly, even as he was calmly laying the [Level 8] [Pillow Girl] on top of a messy pile of other Pillow Girls, already present on the sofa couch. "My only concern would be for the fate of these and future survivors. Doubtless, were my activities to become known, the Circle of Grand Elders would use me as a scapegoat."

"Circle Grand Elders…?" Akira repeated, with an inquisitive look. "Are they the ones in charge?"

"A flock of [Hungry Vultures] is what they are," he answered, before turning to Akira with a severe glare. "They're a group of players that have overseen the monastery since ancient times. Once upon a time, they served as spiritual leaders, but nowadays the extent of their greed and corruption knows no bounds. They rule the affairs of the monastery, lacking any care of compassion, from the comfort of their homes within Mithil's Ivory Quarter."

Akira exhaled deeply, as she was taking all this in. She walked backward to a wooden chair against the wall to sit, first setting the [Pillow Girl] that was there onto the floor.

As the purple elder continued, "for you see, the Mithil Military pays a subsidy to the monastery for every chi bearer they enlist. And that's on top of what they already pay for every low-level that's pulled off the streets, for the mandatory monk training. Combine this with the pizza delivery service, which caters exclusively to the wealthy Ivory Quarter elites, without any competitors—"

"And you have the makings for a well-oiled, secure, profit-building machine," Akira concisely interjected. "But what is it that you intend to do about it?"—she crossed her legs, shrugging with her arms pointed outward and a smug grin—"believe me, there's nothing more difficult than parting old fools with their money. Let alone, an entire shadowy corporation of them."

The purple monk gave a genial smile. "That's exactly why the plan isn't to take from them. But rather, to somehow give them more of what they want, in exchange for putting an end to this"—he stomped his foot—"barbaric system."

Akira leaned with her elbow propped on the arm of the chair, trying to avoid the eerie unwavering looks of the Pillow Girls as she gazed with profound interest at the scheming elder, a fire secretly growing inside her belly. Enraged, by the thought of how close Kanna had come to ending up as yet another one of these pitiful "pillow girls," without her even knowing about it.

"You certainly have the will and the drive," she said after a while, with a fang-concealing smile. "But it sounds to me like what you lack is a solid plan."

"Hah, you're as clever and quick-witted as I was told."

"At the Macaque Village, you said?"

"Yes! Queen Rumia praised you mightily. She said that you're the mastermind to thank, for turning the former colony of savages into a 'utopian superpower'"—he grew excited, triumphantly holding up a clenched fist and adding, "solely through your understanding of economics!"

"What can I say?" Akira shrugged, putting on a nonchalant air. "I was the world's richest, youngest, cutthroat playboy billionaire CEO in my previous life."

"That's why I have come to you, asking for help!"

The elder fell to his knees, begging. 

"Please, Akira Maximilian! Use your talented mind to come up with a new business strategy to appease the Grand Elders, that would also bring an end to the accursed Trials for good!"

Akira didn't have to think for an answer. 

'A potential business opportunity, with a humanitarian bent?'

And a chance to expand her brand…

To make more gold, to spend on better gear for everyone...

Of course, she was in!

"I'll do it," she said, leaning forward in her chair to extend a hand which the elder gleefully shook, as their entire demeanor at once thawed. "Although, I do have to wonder what it is you were doing snooping around in the Macaque Village, of all places."

"Ah!" The elder sprung to his feet, looking refreshed. "I was pointed in that direction by the Oracle of Mithil, after many years of searching...

"He said the Macaques were my best hope of obtaining advanced prosthetics."

Akira flew out of her chair, tail perked.

"What?! Those sleazy, dumb little furballs can make prosthetic limbs now?!" 

Because if so, the CEO thought, it was high time that she got in touch with some old friends. And because she would need to, in order to make this plan work.

Minutes later…

Kiki was slouched over, staring woefully into the shimmering red depths of a barely-touched bowl of lukewarm [Spirit Pepper Udon] with an expression of much misery. She was continuously sniffing back rivulets of snot dripping from her nose, after trying only a few spoonfuls of the tongue-meltingly spicy broth. 

Kanna was sitting across, watching her with impish amusement, when Akira abruptly plopped down on the seat beside her.

"Ah! How'd it go?" Kiki asked, startled.

Kanna scoffed. "Ara ara, you talked to an elder."

Akira was busily combing through her inventory. "Well, I can't go fully into details right now, but let's just say there is dissension among the ranks of this monastery's higher-ups."

From her inventory, Akira retrieved her [Oo-Aa-Oo-Aa Outfit] and quickly slid it across the table to Kiki.

"No way!" she shrieked, recoiling from it.

Kanna chucked. "We made a deal, Kiki-chan," she said, as she stood up. Then walked over to a spot beside Kiki, where she knelt and craned her neck over their shoulder. "If you couldn't finish your noodles before they went cold, you would have to wear whatever outfit Akira picked out for you."

"Y-y-yeah, but"—Kiki looked like she was about to cry as she held up the scanty attire, inspecting it—"you're serious about me wearing this in public? And even in battle?"

"Yup." Kanna pinched her cheek.

"Wouldn't that be dangerous, though?"

She gulped, then added in a mumble, "since this barely covers anything…"

"It'll be fine. That survival instinct of yours will keep you safe," Akira dismissed, wearing a feeble grin, as she was unpeeling the [Peelphone] she'd just taken from her pocket, to reveal the white plastic protrusion within.

Kanna saw her with it, and grew curious.

"Giving that Monkey Queen a call?"

"Y-yeah," she replied quickly, giving a rapid nod. "Why? Are you going to be jealous again?"

Kanna squinted. "Are you okay?"

"Y-yeah," Akira repeated as she then went on speaking, with fresh trails of sweat winding down her face, "we've been cultivating over the phone, you know."

Kanna sneered. "Pssh. Don't make me go all stupid and lose my legs, next."

Akira's smile and laughter promptly faded; replaced with a gawking, devastated look as she horridly recalled the vision of all those Pillow Girls.

Now, Kanna was certain something was wrong. 

"Akira!" She hurried to her beloved's side, with Kiki following after, both of them massaging Akira's back as she was visibly heaving, struggling for air.

"A panic attack," Kiki said, looking to Kanna urgently.

Kanna glared back at her. "That elder, what did he…?"

"We need to get her to a bed!"

"Stop it! No!" Akira protested, straining out words between her hoarse breaths as Kanna and Kiki proceeded to lug carry her toward the dorms. "I need"—*huff, huff*—"to make a"—*huff, huff*—call…

"To put an end, to all of this!"

However, her eyelids were drooping, as the fatigue of the past few days was finally coming flooding in.

Keep calm and write something....