Richard Hertz gazed at the screen before him with a bored expression, feeling not an inkling of interest in what was being presented.

  ?System to Player Announcement

  A Seasonal Quest has been created!

  This Event will trigger for a specific duration every year around the same time henceforth, and its contents may vary each time! Participation is not compulsory, but is advised!?

  ?The Season of Love – Seasonal Quest

  Description: It is that time of the year, where the Loved express their affection towards each other, while the Loveless gnash their teeth in jealousy and hatred! One of the sweetest periods of humanity's forceful occupation of the world!

  Join one of the two sides and help it win!

  Limitation 1: Players will be unable to have sexual intercourse of any kind for the duration of this Event (24 hours).

  Limitation 2: Couples will automatically be assigned to the Loved side.

  Provision 1: A Loved player can challenge a Loveless player for his 'Seal of Approval' to negate Limitation 1.

  Provision 2: Both sides have to agree to a challenge to make it official.

  Let the party that is in the right about this accursed day win!

  Rewards (Loved): 10 Valentine's Red Packets, 1 Random Valentine Themed Mount, 1 Day Invitation to Romeo and Juliette Theme Park.

  Rewards (Loveless): 10 Valentine's Black Packets, 1 Special Title (FFF Inquisition Cultist), 1 Special Skill (Summon FFF Inquisition)?

  Richard slowly closed his eyes again to continue his nap in the Common Room of the Rank 7 Guild Hall. He liked to stay here while Tunder sorted out his registration into Umbra, getting his residence built and some other things done.

  After he had heard that all core members knew how to use Control up to Tier 2, Richard had howled for 3 days and nights on end, anguish in his heart. He finally understood why he could not challenge his old rival anymore.

  As such, he decided to patiently wait until the Guild Master's Avatar was ready to teach him. Unwilling to waste his time too often, he had promised to teach all those who hadn't participated in the Raid Event to unlock Control as well. It was currently scheduled for 3 months later so that all the new members could get a slot as well.

  According to Draco's Avatar, Umbra's third wave recruitment would officially end then, and their next recruitment would not open for a long time. From that point on, Umbra would become invite-only, basically.

  Richard was an enthusiast through and through, so his knowledge of Boundless was not shallow after he joined. However, when he learned the true power of this game, he quickly changed his mindset and decided to patiently wait for Tunder to finish setting him up before he did anything.

  This kind of patience was rare for a battle maniac like Richard. His IGN, AP_Berzerker, had not been chosen by him for fun.

  Just as Richard was about to doze off, his eyes snapped open as he blocked a slap from an unruly fellow. Richard growled in anger to see that Boyd had approached him, his woman Shani by his side.

  "Hmph, Mangy Cur, you seem the type to be a Loveless." Boyd accused him with a smile.

  Richard relaxed once more and gazed at Boyd indifferently. "I have no interest in such an Event. What's it to you barbarian?"

  Boyd laughed. "Bitch, you should know what I am here for. I am a married man and my wife here is waiting for me to put her into a sex-induced coma."

  Richard gazed at the lovely Shani who suddenly blushed slightly, but seemed more aroused by the prospect than bothered. Rubbing his chin, Richard spoke.

  "Love the burden, sex the goal, such meaningless debauchery, reflect upon your soul."

  Boyd nodded his head. He then roared: "Someone get a serf player over here to record this stanza and add it to the archives!"

  Someone ran over and carefully recorded Richard's words. The fellow smiled with interest, subtly proud that his poems were taken seriously.

  Since Boyd and Uno often hung around him, they appreciated his words and had started a trend of having them recorded.

  Who knew how many of the AP_Berzerker's legendary poems and lines had gone to waste in the previous timeline, because no one had been there to listen and record them?

  Thankfully, in this timeline, such a tragedy wouldn't occur!

  Boyd then smirked. "Now you know why I'm here, doggo! Register as a Loveless and let's arm wrestle! No Control, no Werewolf gene! Just two men, one fighting to cockblock the other who will be fighting for his wife's pink pussy!"

  Richard's eyes gleamed with interest.

  He had long taken Boyd as someone like him, an axe wielder with great power, a sturdy build, and great strength. If the two could fight on even terms, the result would be fair and interesting!

  Richard immediately agreed and registered as a Loveless!

  Boyd nodded with glee and wrote a challenge letter using the event template. It was nothing fancy, just stating that they would both arm wrestle without using anything but their raw build, disabling all class passives, stats, and other elements that might provide one side with a boost.

  "Why go so far?" Richard asked, slightly intrigued.

  Boyd cracked his knuckles. "Because the system can force us not to use any such powers, even if we passively or subconsciously trigger it. No matter what, we will arm-wrestle as two normal men, with this agreement enforced."

  Richard nodded, grinned, and placed his hand on the table casually, his muscular biceps stretching his upper body armor tightly.

  Boyd smiled and did same, making sure his hand was in the right pose before gazing at Richard head-on as they clasped each other's palms.

  "You could have sought a weaker foe, even a serf from the guild to get this over and done with, so why risk it all by challenging me? Today is an important day for couples, are you sure you want to risk it?" Richard asked with a curious smile.

  "Pah, doing that would dry up her canal faster than a drought. My babe loves my manliness and my power, so I like to remind her why she will always end up pressed beneath me. If I take a shortcut, I would be betraying her love and lust, which is unforgivable!" Boyd stated with a look of disapproval.

  Richard glanced over at Shani who nodded with a slight smile, leaving him speechless. In fact, he was wondering whether his kinship to the Maverick might be due to him having some Werewolf ancestry.

  As a Werewolf, Richard was forced to not follow normal human conventions when having sex. That's right, his beastly nature would take over, and he would forcibly press his partner down, but only after physically subduing them with force!

  That was how male and female Werewolves mated!

  As you can imagine, not every human woman liked being socked in the jaw before having her insides filled with wolf dick. Well, maybe SOME did, but they were definitely few!!

  … right?

  Cough, cough, whatever the case, Richard did not want to catch a case, which was why he decided to remain 'Loveless' for now. Besides, he was more in love with getting stronger than mating, so there was that.

  However, Boyd's methods and actions were similar to his, bestial and brutish in nature and his woman seemed to like it, which was why Richard was baffled. He wondered what made Shani like this.

  In truth, he wouldn't want to know. Shani's first time had not been pleasant, and the situation surrounding them both had made her develop a mental illness in terms of sex, which was why she preferred things this way. Boyd, unfortunately, did not know or understand this, but then again, perhaps that was for the best.

  Back to both men who lost their smiles as they tensed up. A great amount of force and energy continued to amass as each of them channeled physical force from their bodies to their arms, condensing it in their palms.

  The moment this energy reached its peak, both of them exploded it out at their maximum power, causing the table beneath them to quiver.

  No shockwave occurred since the system had suppressed them to the level of a normal human, but the building in their muscular arms was enough of a special effect to show how much force was being applied here.

  The air in the room began to heat up as both men exerted their full strength in silence, not grunting or letting out a single sound. Others in the Common Room stopped what they were doing and looked over with solemn expression, feeling like an important matter would be decided here today.

  Shani herself was flushed, enjoying the show of power but worried whether Boyd could achieve his wish. Right now, he was fighting for more than just the right to bang, but whether the 'Loved' or the 'Loveless' were right.

  The balance of both arms tilted repeatedly, going from AP's side to Boyd's side, as both men pulled all the stunts they knew in order to get a decisive advantage.

  Seeing as their strength was equal, it came down to a battle of wits, talent, experience, and endurance. They kept at it for more than five minutes, both of their faces deeply flushed as sweat beaded their foreheads.

  They could no longer remain stoic and silent, both grunting and groaning as they pushed and pulled.

  After ten minutes, both of them were roaring like wounded beasts, feeling their strength leave them as they reached the final stretch. Their powers climaxed collectively, and at that moment, the winner was decided!

  With a loud thump, AP_Berzerker's fist struck the table, Boyd managing to finally overcome him with sheer testosterone and willpower fueling him. He would not lose this chance to make his wife scream his name, no matter what!

  As Richard's resolve was not as ferocious, not even remotely interested in the rewards should his side win, he eventually lost out. He only took this seriously because this was a chance to exert his strength, but there were no stakes against him, unlike Boyd.

  Both men panted, but soon recovered quickly as their power was returned to them, and they became superhuman once more.

  Boyd was grinning with glee while Richard was smiling wryly, but there was no bitterness in his heart.

  Only recognition and a bit of respect.

  Boyd reached out and patted Richard on the shoulder, his eyes showing firm acknowledgment. Now, Boyd regarded Richard as one of his brothers, no different from Uno or Cobra.

  Both men shook hands while the rest clapped, proud to have witnessed such a fierce battle with their own two eyes. Boyd rose to his feet and laughed uproariously, grabbing Shani into his brutish embrace.

  "All drinks and food on me today for all members of Umbra in the Common Room! Enjoy the best our chefs have to offer!"

  Hearing this, everyone roared with joy, raising their cups to Boyd. The Maverick then turned to Richard and spoke seriously.

  "Brother Richard, being 'Loved' or 'Loveless' doesn't really matter in the end. Every single being has a soulmate, just like I have my Shani. Once you find them, such things no longer mean anything."

  Richard listened calmly and nodded, feeling like he understood something. Putting it into words, he spoke:

  "Love is a joy, sex is a mere part, to find the one for me, I reserve a space in my heart."