Incubus Ascension

After Liam had sex with all the girls and he backshots them all, he finally decides to leave to get some fresh air.

Then he remembers how he didn’t check up on Sylvia yet. Her best friend Emilia just passed away, she must be in tough times.

Liam didn’t notice when his pace slowed.

The streets stretched ahead of him, familiar yet distant, as if he were walking through a memory instead of a living city.

He had never been to Sylvia’s house before. In truth, he had never needed to.

Sylvia was always at city hall, buried under work, drowning herself in responsibility.

A workaholic.

That was the only version of her he knew.

But today felt different.

The air felt heavier. The sky, though clear, pressed down on him in a way he couldn’t explain.

Then,

A faint chime echoed inside his mind.

Ding.

Liam froze mid-step.

A translucent screen flickered into existence before his eyes.

Quest: Find the Goddess of Darkness Nyx and obtain her help.

Time Limit: One week.

Failure: The continent will be destroyed.

For a moment, the world went silent.

Then his heart dropped.

Cold.

A freezing sensation spread through his chest like icy water had been poured directly into his veins. His fingers trembled. His knees weakened.

"...What?"

The words barely left his lips.

Continent... destroyed?

His eyes scanned the message again, slower this time, as if hoping it would change.

It didn’t.

"The woman..." he muttered under his breath. "That has to be her... the one in the dark dress..."

Nyx.

The name settled heavily in his mind.

His breathing grew uneven.

A week.

Just one week.

Liam’s steps resumed, but now they felt heavier, dragged down by something invisible. Each footfall carried the weight of countless lives.

His family.

Vanessa. Ast. Beatrix. Olivia.

All of them...

Everyone on this continent.

"No..." he whispered, clenching his jaw. ’I can’t fail.’

His hands tightened into fists.

’I won’t fail.’

Before he realized it, he had already reached Sylvia’s house.

He stood there for a moment, staring at the door as if grounding himself back into reality.

Then he knocked.

A few seconds passed.

The door creaked open.

Sylvia stood there.

Her eyes were red.

Not just tired, raw, like she hadn’t slept at all. Like she had been crying for hours... or days.

Liam’s chest tightened.

Emilia.

He remembered.

Sylvia’s childhood friend... recently gone.

A flicker of guilt stabbed through him.

’And I...’

His thoughts faltered.

He rubbed the back of his head awkwardly, unable to meet her eyes for a second.

"Uh... Sylvia," he said gently, "how about we go for a walk? Get some fresh air."

She didn’t answer immediately.

Her gaze drifted past him, distant.

"...No," she murmured.

Then she froze.

Something shifted in her expression.

"Now and then... different times..."

Emilia’s words.

Sylvia’s lips trembled slightly as she bit down on them.

Even after everything, after betrayal, after secrets, she had carried it all alone. She hadn’t told Liam. Not the others. Not even the city.

She chose to protect Emilia’s image.

To let the world remember her as she once was.

A good person.

Sylvia inhaled slowly, then looked back at Liam.

"...You know what," she said softly, "let’s go."

They walked side by side through the city streets.

People moved around them, talking, laughing, living.

Unaware.

Sylvia broke the silence first.

"Liam... do you think humans have a chance?"

Her voice was quiet, but it carried weight.

Liam glanced at her, then at the people around them.

He took a slow breath.

"You know... we’re weak," he admitted.

Sylvia didn’t respond, just listened.

"But do you know what makes us dangerous?"

She shook her head slightly. "I don’t."

Liam’s gaze sharpened.

"It’s because we’re stubborn."

He let out a faint breath.

"We don’t accept chains. Not really. Even if we’re beaten down... even if we lose... we keep pushing forward."

His voice steadied.

"Monsters can be stronger than us. Smarter. Faster."

He paused.

"But they don’t have what we do."

Sylvia’s eyes lifted toward him.

"Free will."

Liam’s lips curved faintly, not quite a smile.

"And that’s enough to make even the weakest person refuse to give up."

Silence followed.

Then,

Sylvia’s eyes flickered.

Something returned to them.

A faint light.

"I see..." she whispered.

Her voice softened.

"I’ll fulfill your wish, Emilia..."

"A place where humans can live without fear."

Liam blinked, turning to her.

"Is everything alright?"

Sylvia stiffened slightly, snapping back to herself.

"...Yes," she said quickly. "Everything is under control."

Liam studied her for a moment, then nodded.

But his thoughts had already drifted back.

To the quest.

To Nyx.

’Where do I even find her...?’

Then,

A memory surfaced.

The academy.

The seal.

His eyes narrowed slightly.

’That’s where I start.’

After their walk, Liam escorted Sylvia back home.

Then he turned.

And headed for the academy.

,

The courtyard was quiet.

Too quiet.

Liam walked to the spot where the seal once stood.

Now, only fragments remained, broken shards scattered across the ground.

He crouched down, picking one up.

His fingers traced the etched markings.

His eyes narrowed.

"...These symbols..."

Something clicked.

A memory.

"The dark mountain..."

He exhaled slowly.

"They’re the same."

Liam tucked the shard beneath his coat.

"Alright," he muttered. "I’ve got my destination."

,

When he returned to Vanessa’s house, the smell of food greeted him.

Inside, the group had already gathered around the table.

Vanessa moved in the kitchen, preparing breakfast.

Ast sat calmly, sipping her coffee.

Across from her, Beatrix shifted uncomfortably in her seat, rubbing her lower back with a slight scowl.

"You really didn’t hold back yesterday..." she muttered.

Her eyes flicked toward Ast.

Then narrowed.

Ast remained completely composed.

Beatrix clicked her tongue and looked away.

Olivia entered and took her seat quietly.

The atmosphere settled.

Liam stepped forward.

"I need to go back to the dark mountain," he said.

The room fell silent.

"I have a quest to complete."

No one questioned him.

They all nodded.

Serious.

Ready.

,

The journey didn’t take long.

Liam already knew the path.

Soon, the dark mountain loomed before them.

He stopped.

"Wait here," he told them. "I need to go in alone."

A pause.

Then,

They nodded.

Trusting him.

Liam turned and stepped inside.

The moment he crossed the threshold,

A voice echoed.

Feminine. Familiar.

"Hmm... it’s you again."

Liam’s eyes sharpened.

"I was planning to leave this continent," the voice continued, "but since you came... how about a little test?"

A pause.

"My name," she said calmly, "is Nyx."

Darkness swallowed his vision.

,

When Liam opened his eyes, he stood in a vast field of green.

Grass swayed under a clear sky.

It felt... peaceful.

Too peaceful.

"Get ready," the voice echoed from above.

The sky trembled.

Then,

Something fell.

A massive form crashed into the field.

A dragon.

Liam’s eyes widened slightly.

"...A copy of that one..."

But stronger.

Much stronger.

He exhaled slowly.

’So this is the test...’

His hand tightened around his sword.

Then,

He moved.

Activating Devil Obsession, Liam dashed forward, closing the distance in an instant.

Steel met scales.

The battle erupted.

,

Time blurred.

Clash after clash.

Strike after strike.

But something was wrong.

After everything,

He had barely reduced a quarter of its health.

And the dragon?

Barely tired.

Liam stepped back, breathing heavily.

’Damn it...’

Then,

A beam.

It came without warning.

", !"

He raised his sword.

Impact.

The force hurled him through the air.

He crashed into the ground.

Pain exploded through his body.

Liam forced himself up,

Only to see another beam already descending.

Too fast.

Too strong.

Blood spilled as it struck.

His vision blurred.

’Move...’

His body trembled.

’Move!’

With sheer will, Liam pushed himself, dodging the third beam at the last possible moment.

He collapsed to one knee.

"...I almost died..."

His grip tightened.

Anger surged.

"Damn it!"

Dark threads shot forward.

They pierced the dragon, draining.

Webs followed, sealing its mouth.

The tide slowly shifted.

Bit by bit.

Liam endured.

Fought.

Drained.

Until finally,

The dragon collapsed.

Ding.

Meeting one of the Celestials.

Liam blinked.

"...Celestial?"

Before he could process it,

She appeared.

Nyx.

Standing before him.

Calm. Silent. Watching.

"What do you want?" she asked.

Liam swallowed.

For a moment, he felt... small.

Then he remembered.

The quest.

"The continent..." he said, voice tight. "It’s going to be destroyed in a week... isn’t it?"

For the first time,

Nyx’s eyes widened.

Just slightly.

"How," she asked slowly, "do you know that?"