Heena stretched her legs on the warm sand, watching waves crash against the shore. The sun kissed her skin as she sipped coconut water through a straw. Finally, peace. No scheming heroines, no tragic male leads, no world-saving missions.
Just her and the ocean.
"HEENA! MOTHER! AT LAST I FOUND YOU!"
The familiar voice shattered her tranquility like glass. Heena's eye twitched. Her fingers clenched around the coconut.
No. Not him. Not now.
She turned slowly, irritation burning in her chest. Floating above the beach was a golden lion with magnificent wings, sparkling under the sunlight like a disco ball.
"System 427," Heena said through gritted teeth. "I'm on vacation."
The lion swooped down, landing beside her with way too much enthusiasm. Sand flew everywhere. "I know, I know! But listen—"
"No."
"Heena, please—"
"I said no." She turned back to the ocean, determined to ignore him.
System 427's ears drooped. "But the worlds are collapsing! Male leads are going crazy! They're killing villainesses left and right, and those white lotus heroines with their systems are making everything worse!"
"Not my problem."
"They're mixing cultivation powers into modern worlds! Bringing future technology into ancient times! The world balance is completely broken!" The lion's voice grew desperate. "Reborn heroines, transmigrated heroines, system heroines—they're all messing everything up!"
Heena took another sip of her coconut water. "Still not my problem."
The lion circled her like a puppy. "Please, Heena! You're the famous Black Lotus! The only host who can handle the most difficult missions! You've conquered the hardest male leads in existence!"
"Which is exactly why I deserve this vacation."
"But—"
"No."
"Please?"
"No."
"Pretty please?"
"Absolutely not."
System 427 dropped to the sand dramatically, his golden mane spreading around him. "I'm begging you! Look, I'll even grovel!" He rolled onto his back, paws in the air. "See? I'm begging!"
Heena ignored him, focusing on a seagull in the distance.
The lion rolled around in the sand like a desperate cat. "Heena, mother, please! I raised you! I taught you everything! Remember our first mission together?"
"I remember you almost getting me killed three times in one day."
"But you survived! That proves how good I am!" He jumped up, sand coating his golden fur. "I'll give you anything! Extra points! Rare items! A vacation after the mission—a real one this time!"
"I'm already on vacation."
"A longer one!"
Heena finally looked at him, one eyebrow raised. "Does it look like your begging is working?"
The lion deflated completely. His ears drooped so low they touched the sand. His tail went limp. Even his wings seemed to sag.
"Fine," he whispered. "I'll show you something."
With a wave of his paw, a holographic screen appeared in the air. Images flickered across it—different men, each more striking than the last. Dark, brooding types. Cold, powerful ones. Some looked like ice princes, others like demon lords.
Heena's eyes narrowed slightly. She tried not to look interested.
"These are the male leads causing chaos," System 427 said quietly. "They've gone... intense. Obsessive. They're destroying their worlds because those white lotus heroines betrayed them or manipulated them."
One image caught her attention. A man with silver hair and eyes like frozen storms. Something about his expression—that mix of rage and pain—made her pause.
System 427 noticed immediately. His tail started wagging. "And here's the best part! I'll give you complete freedom! You can tame them however you want! Seduce them, fight them, outsmart them—your choice! No rules! No restrictions!"
"No rules?" Heena repeated suspiciously.
"None! Want to slap a male lead? Go ahead! Want to make him fall in love then break his heart? Sure! Want to team up with the villainess instead of saving the heroine? I won't stop you!" The lion's eyes gleamed. "You can be as much of a Black Lotus as you want. I just need these worlds stabilized."
Heena looked back at the ocean, then at the holographic faces, then at her coconut water.
She sighed.
System 427's ears perked up immediately.
"If I say yes—and that's a big if—I want triple points, rare items from every world, and a six-month vacation after."
"Done!" The lion practically vibrated with joy.
"And you don't interfere with my methods."
"Absolutely!"
"And I can refuse any mission that bores me."
"Yes! Yes! Anything!"
Heena stood up, brushing sand off her clothes. She looked down at the excited lion with a smirk that had earned her the title "Black Lotus" across countless worlds.
"Fine. Show me these broken male leads." Her smile turned dangerous. "Let's see if they can handle me."
System 427 leaped into the air, wings spreading wide. "Yes! That's my host! The legendary Black Lotus returns!"
As golden light surrounded them both, preparing for the first mission, Heena took one last look at the peaceful beach.
Her vacation was over.
But maybe... this would be more entertaining anyway.