Incubus Ascension

Simon let out a boisterous, grating laugh, his gaze locking onto Liam with a mixture of amusement and disdain.

"Phew... it was just you. Honestly, I’d be in a massive amount of trouble right now if it had been Sylvia standing there instead."

He shook his head, his smirk widening as he prepared to strike.

"You’re an annoyance, Liam, but you’re manageable."

With a casual flick of his wrist, Simon lunged, a violent shroud of purple fire erupting from his palm.

’He’s looking down on me,’ Liam thought, his heartbeat hammering against his ribs.

’He thinks I’m beneath him. This is the only chance I have.’

He didn’t hesitate.

Liam pushed past the limits of his stamina and activated Devil Obsession.

Power surged through his veins, burning like liquid adrenaline, and he poured every ounce of his remaining strength into a desperate, focused strike.

He connected with Simon, the force of the blow sending the man hurtling across the room.

Simon’s health bar flickered, dropping by nearly half, his arrogant expression replaced by a look of genuine shock.

Liam sighed, a momentary sense of relief washing over him, but it was cut short.

A sharp, whistling sound sliced through the air.

A bone spear materialized out of nowhere, burying itself into the ground inches from Liam’s feet.

Liam’s legs buckled, his strength evaporating as he turned to see the source of the attack.

Cassandra, his sworn enemy, drifted into view, hovering in the air with an effortless, predatory grace.

’Of all the times for her to show up,’ Liam cursed internally, his luck finally running dry.

Cassandra ignored him, her eyes drifting toward Simon as a hungry, possessive smile tugged at her lips.

"Such a exquisite skeleton... you would make a fine addition to my army."

Simon’s narcissistic pride flared, his face twisting into a scowl.

"You dare think you can enslave me, you wretched hag?"

The two entities clashed, their magical auras colliding in a blinding display of violence.

Seizing the chaos, Liam didn’t waste a second.

He turned to the girls, quickly undoing their restraints.

He kept his eyes locked on the battle as they scrambled to safety, gauging the shifting tides of the fight.

Cassandra was being forced onto the defensive; Simon’s erratic, burning power was gaining the upper hand.

"If it wasn’t for the fact that I didn’t bring my full skeleton army, you’d be the one crawling on the floor, you arrogant bastard!" Cassandra spat, parrying a blow that shook the foundations of the room.

Simon only laughed, a harsh, jagged sound.

"For a woman who likes to shout so much, you certainly don’t have the teeth to back it up."

Liam signaled the group, his voice steady despite his waning energy.

"Now! Attack him while he’s distracted!"

The group moved as one, raining spells and steel upon Simon.

Cassandra, realizing the tactical advantage, joined the assault, her bone magic lashing out in concert with them.

Simon’s health bar plummeted, inching dangerously close to zero.

Realizing the end was near, he let out a frantic, maniacal laugh.

"Fuck this! I will not die like this!" Simon roared.

He ignored the barrage from the group entirely, fixing his burning gaze solely on Liam.

"This is all because of you!"

Simon lunged, bypassing the group’s defenses to deliver his strongest, most devastating attack directly at Liam.

Liam engaged Devil Obsession one final time, bracing for the impact.

He managed to deflect the brunt of the strike, but the sheer level of power was overwhelming.

The sound of bone snapping echoed through the room as both of Liam’s arms shattered under the pressure, and Simon’s fist slammed into his chest with the force of a falling boulder.

Cassandra, seeing her prize being destroyed, surged forward in a rage.

She struck Simon down with a single, brutal blow, shattering his body into a spray of bone fragments.

Silence descended on the room, save for the ragged breathing of the survivors.

Cassandra looked down at the fallen Liam and the girls who stood guard, ready to fight despite their exhaustion.

She let out a long, weary sigh.

"I will fight him once he is in a better position," she muttered, turning on her heel and vanishing into the shadows.

The girls rushed to Liam’s side.

Sylvia leaned over him, her face paling as she checked his vitals.

"This is bad. The energy inside him has gone completely wild—it’s decaying his body from the inside out. I’ve never seen anything like this..."

Beatrix bit her lip, her expression hardening with resolve.

She knew exactly what this was.

"To draw out this kind of necrotic energy... there’s only one way."

Without waiting for permission, she lifted Liam gently and signaled the others.

"I know a way to heal him. Come."

She carried him to an empty room, laying him carefully on the bed.

The atmosphere was heavy, but the urgency was absolute.

She moved with purpose, mounting him in a cowgirl position and guiding him into her.

A small trail of blood marked her initial pain, but her eyes remained fixed on his face.

"I am doing this only because you fulfilled my long-held wish and avenged my father," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

She leaned down, pressing a quick, lingering kiss to his lips, pouring her energy into him to stabilize the corruption.

When Liam finally opened his eyes, the sterile light of the hospital room was the first thing he saw.

He blinked, the fog of the fight slowly receding as he realized he was alive.

He saw the group clustered around his bed, their faces etched with relief.

"How?" Liam rasped, his voice rough.

"I thought I was dead."

They looked toward Beatrix, who stood at the edge of the group, arms crossed.

She met his gaze directly, her voice flat and resolute.

"Thank her. And remember, I am your woman now. Take care of me."

Liam offered a weary nod, the reality of the situation sinking in.

Sylvia stepped forward, her expression grave.

"We managed to clear the monsters from the city, but there’s a remaining problem."

She hesitated, glancing at the others.

"Before Simon died, he prepared a magic circle. It activated upon his death, marking the city as a target for the succubus realm. An army is coming, Liam. They’ll be here in three days."

Liam tried to sit up, but a fresh wave of pain surged through his chest.

"A truce? Can we negotiate?"

Sylvia shook her head.

"I already tried. They refused. They have one condition: they want the Ancient Scroll."

Liam’s jaw tightened.

"Then we don’t have a choice. We fight."

He checked his status screen, his level barely adequate.

’I need to get stronger,’ he thought, his resolve hardening.

’Surviving that fight was nothing but pure luck.’

Sylvia seemed to read his mind.

"There is a special dungeon I used when I was younger. You can take the girls there and train. You should be able to return before the succubus army arrives."

"Where is it?" Liam asked.

"Behind the mines. I’ll give you the map," she replied.

Liam didn’t waste another moment.

He forced himself up from the bed, his body protesting every movement.

"We have no time to lose. Let’s go."

Miles away, in the depths of a dark, forgotten dungeon, a woman manifested from the shadows.

She wore a sleek black dress that clung to her curves, her eyes fixed on the empty chamber before her.

She flickered her energy into the room, a pulse of dark power that rippled through the walls.

She glanced toward the academy, a faint smile playing on her lips.

"This will be my test for you, boy. Either you complete it... or you die."