2 Deal?

Lex scooped the cake with his spoon and looked at his phone. An ad for a game was playing on it.

"Lustful Rising? Another erotic game?" Lex raised his eyebrows and clicked on it.

The moment he pressed the install button, he felt an electric current pass through his hand into his whole body. He instantly stood up, dropped the phone, and shook his numb hand.

"What the hell was that?!" Lex shouted to no one.

[Host detected!]

[Checking the requirements.]

[Ding! The host has matched all the requirements.]

[Lustful Rising ready to assimilate.]

[Host, would you like to assimilate with Lustful Rising?]

Lex was dumbfounded and didn't say anything as he thought of every possible scenario leading to his current situation. Finally, after sighing, he dropped into his chair again.

And as if noticing his silence, the voice again announced its presence.

[With Lustful Rising, the host could conquer every type of woman in the world. And the more women the host has, the stronger he'll be.]

"I heard it the first time," Lex said. "And my answer is a flat no."

[...]

There was complete silence on the balcony and in Lex's mind where he was hearing that voice.

[But why? The system can make you the strongest while having beautiful women on your lap. Why are you refusing?]

Lex shrugged and said, "I mean, why would I need the help of a system to make a harem? That's only something that a loser would do because he can't accomplish something on his own."

[...Host, you sound like one of my previous hosts. Just the difference is that he was a hypocrite, or maybe there isn't any difference, to begin with.]

"So you're an intelligent system, eh?" Lex asked as he took another bite of the cake. He didn't seem bewildered by the existence of the system. Why would he? He was a reincarnated person, so the existence of a system was something he had already expected.

[Yes, after having so many hosts and living for so many years, I had gained intelligence equal to that of a normal human.]

Lex nodded and went silent.

[Won't you reconsider it, host? I can make a few changes if you don't like the current system.]

"Why do you sound so desperate? You would be the first system who's begging others. Aren't systems supposed to be all-powerful? Even I've written so many stories about them," Lex asked as he noticed the change in the system's tone.

[Do you think I like begging you? It's because I'm really desperate. If you don't assimilate with me, then I'll be erased from existence.]

"Oh! Now I'm really curious. Tell me more," Lex asked as his eyes glistened in curiosity. Until now, he had only written about powerful systems in his novels, but now he could use this new type of system.

[Because we systems can't survive on our own. We need to have a host all the time.]

"Then just choose another host. Why me?" Lex asked.

[It's because of the requirements. If someone wants to bind with us systems, then they must fulfil certain requirements. One of them is having a strong soul, and the second is having void energy. If either of those isn't met, then no one can acquire the system.]

"Ah! So because I reincarnated here from Earth, I have void energy and a strong soul," Lex guessed.

[Yes, while reincarnating here, you probably went through the void river, so you have some remnants of void energy, and due to being in the void river, your soul got very strong.]

"I see. That's why those isekai protagonists gained a system," Lex said. "Anyways, so if I refuse you now, then you'll die?"

[Yes.]

Lex then closed his eyes as he fell into thoughts. He would be lying if he said he wasn't tempted to agree with the system, but he never liked this kind of system. Besides, he wasn't really in need of a system; he was living peacefully until now and had no problem with this life.

But then the image of Elise flashed in his mind. That life was over now; he wouldn't be able to live peacefully now that Elise had awakened an S-Rank Ability. Not unless he was willing to part with her, which was impossible.

Finally deciding, he opened his eyes again and said, "Fine, I'll agree, but you would need to change some things from the system."

[Of course, I will try my best to accommodate your conditions.]

His lips turned upwards as he said, "Then change your name to Strongest Author System."

[...what?]

"Just change your name to Strongest Author System. You can guess what type of system that would be," Lex said. He was an author, so a system based on that would be best for him, especially since he was already established in that field.

[It's impossible, host. If I did that, then that would mean I'm changing my whole existence. And that's not allowed. We, the systems, can't change our whole concept.]

"Hmm, rules, huh! Well, then what do you suggest because I'm definitely not using that system of yours," Lex said.

[We can choose a middle ground. If you hate having a harem because of the system, then we can modify it. I won't meddle in your romantic affairs, but you'll still be rewarded for gaining a harem member. This would help me keep my concept, and you can do as you wish.]

[As for the Author system, I won't be able to turn completely myself into that, so it would be a partial system. I can't tell you the details now as I'll have to see what things I can change. So is that fine with you?]

"Now that's a good system; you should have said this from the beginning, you know," Lex shook his head in amusement and said.

[Would Host like to assimilate with the modified Lustful Rising?]

"Yes, do it," Lex replied, and again, he felt an electric current pass through his entire body. But he was prepared for it this time, so he was fine.

After some minutes, a voice resounded in his mind.

[I would have never done this if I wasn't so desperate.]

"I'm looking forward to our cooperation, haha." Lex laughed.