Incubus Ascension

The possessed princess lunged again, her once-gentle features twisted into a mask of glowing green malice. Liam’s heart hammered against his ribs as he dodged sideways, the air whistling where her holy-infused strike had nearly taken his head off. Sweat stung his eyes. This wasn’t just another fight—this was *her*, the woman who’d shown him unexpected kindness in this brutal world, now a prisoner in her own body.

**Quest Issued: Free the Princess from Possession.**

**Failure: Your death. The Princess’s permanent death.**

**Rewards: Absolute Block – The ability to nullify any single attack, regardless of level or conceptual nature.**

Liam’s eyes widened at the floating blue window, the glow cutting through the dim chamber like a cruel joke. ’Death again. Always death.’ The numbness had settled in long ago, a dull armor over the fear that used to choke him. He’d died too many times in this second chance at life to let it freeze him now. But her... she didn’t deserve this.

He raised his hand, channeling the familiar skill. "Glue Balls!" Sticky orbs shot forward, splattering across the princess’s arms and torso. For a heartbeat, her charge faltered.

Then she shattered the bindings with a laugh that wasn’t hers. The green skeleton’s voice echoed from her throat. "Pathetic."

’Not enough. Need more.’ Liam bit his lip hard enough to draw blood, mind racing. Dark energy—raw, hungry, and always waiting just beneath his skin—stirred at his call. He coated the next volley, black tendrils writhing around the glue. The orbs struck true this time. Her movements slowed noticeably, muscles straining against the enhanced restraint before she ripped free again.

’Still not enough. Think.’ His gaze flicked over her struggling form, the white holy aura clashing violently with the invading green. ’Her attribute... white holy power. Nullification.’

He poured his nullification ability into the next cast. The glue shimmered with an eerie void-like quality as it flew. When it hit, the princess froze mid-lunge, holy energy sputtering out like a snuffed candle.

**New Skill Unlocked: Glue of Nullification.**

**Effect: Targets struck have their abilities nullified for the duration of the bind.**

Liam allowed himself a sharp breath of relief. The princess’s body trembled, locked in place, but the green light in her eyes burned brighter.

The skeleton’s laughter bubbled up again. "Clever little worm. But there’s a time limit. Her soul and willpower are already fracturing. Soon her mind will corrupt... and she’ll vanish forever. Tick-tock."

"Lift your trial on her," Liam demanded, voice steady despite the knot in his gut. "Now."

The possessed princess tilted her head, grinning with too many teeth. "And what will you do if I don’t, boy?"

Liam stepped closer, jaw tight. "Something you’d never believe. It’s very dangerous. For you."

The skeleton scoffed. "What do you mean?"

He didn’t waste words. Liam reached out, fingers working quickly at the fastenings of her ornate robes. The fabric slid away, revealing pale skin flushed with the battle’s exertion. His gaze dropped to her breasts, full and heaving with the possessed body’s ragged breaths. Without hesitation, he leaned in and took one into his mouth, sucking firmly, tongue pressing against the sensitive peak.

"No! Stop!" the skeleton roared through her lips, the voice cracking with sudden panic.

Liam continued, relentless, switching to the other side, his hands steadying her immobilized form. The green light flickered wildly.

"Enough! I surrender!" the skeleton finally shrieked.

Liam pulled back, wiping his mouth, breathing hard. "Lift it."

"I... I can’t," the skeleton admitted, voice sullen. "Even if I wanted to. This trial is a unique ability bestowed upon me by the Eye. It cannot be lifted by my will alone."

Liam bit his lip again, tasting fresh blood. "Then how does she get free?"

"Only one way," the skeleton sneered. "She breaks the trial mentally. With her own power of will."

’She’s running out of time.’ Liam could almost feel the fractures in her spirit. He pressed a finger to her forehead. "Please, Princess... I hope you pass this safely."

But a better idea struck him. Dark energy threads—those invisible lifelines he’d learned to wield—were more intimate, more powerful. He sent one snaking forward, carrying the skill.

’Princess, I don’t know where you are, but take my skill. It’ll help you massively.’

---

Inside the princess’s mind, there was only darkness. Absolute, suffocating void. No sound, not even her own screams. The visions assaulted her without mercy: her family’s slaughter that fateful night, replaying in excruciating detail. Blades flashing. Blood on marble. Her own helpless cries. Over and over, until time lost all meaning. At first she endured, clinging to fragments of herself. But the edges of her sanity were crumbling. One more loop and she would shatter.

Then, a thread of warmth pierced the black. A voice—*his* voice.

"MC... is that you?" Her own words came out cracked and wild. "Are you real, or just another hallucination sent to mock me?"

---

Outside, Liam winced, a grimace twisting his features. ’She doesn’t have much time. Think fast, Liam. Think.’

Iron Will alone wouldn’t cut it. He needed something overwhelming. Drawing on every skill he’d gained since the system first chose him, he channeled dark energy through them all, fusing, amplifying, refining. The process burned through his veins like liquid fire until a single, monstrous skill crystallized.

**New Skill Created: Devil King.**

**Rank: SS+**

**Effect: Enter Diabolos Mode. All stats tripled. Level doubled. No duration limit.**

**Alert: Prolonged use will attract the attention of the skill’s original owner, the Demon Queen. Use carefully and briefly.**

Liam’s eyes widened. This was the strongest thing he’d ever created. The urge to test it himself was a physical pull, but he shoved it down. The princess was breaking.

He sent the skill along the dark thread. ’Take this, Princess.’

A faint whisper reached him—weak, feminine, exhausted. "Thank you... Liam."

She activated it.

Power surged through her bound body. The green light recoiled violently as her presence flared, dark and overwhelming. In the mental void, the princess felt it first as a blazing light, then as *him*—Liam’s presence, solid and anchoring, right there beside her in the nightmare.

The visions still played, but now she met them with something far greater than mere will. Diabolos Mode awakened.