Incubus Ascension

Liam plummeted through the open sky, the relentless wind whipping across his face like icy lashes. His stomach lurched as the ground rushed up to meet him, a blur of distant trees and winding paths. For one terrifying heartbeat, everything narrowed to the roar in his ears and the certainty of impact. ’Not like this,’ he thought, teeth clenched. He twisted mid-air, fingers fumbling for the enchanted cushion strapped to his side—the one artifact that had saved him more times than he cared to count. He yanked it free and slammed it beneath him just as the world spun closer.

The landing was jarring but survivable. The cushion absorbed the worst of the force, blooming outward with a soft glow before contracting again. Liam rolled off it, springing to his feet with a grunt, heart hammering against his ribs. Dust settled around him. Ahead, a ornate carriage had come to an abrupt halt on the narrow road, its horses stamping nervously. The driver’s door swung open.

A man stepped out, tall and broad-shouldered, a jagged scar twisting down one side of his weathered face. He moved with the coiled grace of someone who had killed before. Liam’s instincts screamed danger. He activated his inspection skill, the familiar blue window flickering before his eyes.

**Level 1100.**

Liam’s eyes widened. ’That’s no ordinary coachman. What the hell is a monster like this doing driving a carriage out here?’

He straightened, forcing his voice steady. "What do you have in the carriage?"

The scarred man’s glare sharpened like a blade. He drew his sword in one fluid motion, the steel singing through the air. His gaze flicked briefly to the opposite side of the road, as if checking for unseen allies, before locking back on Liam. "We have nothing," he snarled, lips curling. "And soon we’ll have your head."

He lunged.

There was no time for hesitation. The situation reeked of ambush, of something far larger than a simple roadside robbery. Liam’s blood surged hot in his veins. ’I can’t hold back. Not against this.’

"Devil King Mode," he muttered.

Power flooded him like liquid fire. His level surged—**2500**—muscles coiling with unnatural strength as dark energy crackled along his skin. He met the man’s charge head-on, pouring everything into a single, devastating blow. His fist connected with the driver’s chest. The impact was cataclysmic. The scarred man flew backward like a rag doll, crashing through the air until he slammed into the mountain ridge behind him. Rock shattered. Dust and debris erupted in a massive cloud, the echo rolling across the valley like thunder.

Liam stood breathing hard, the rush of power fading slightly but still thrumming in his bones. He turned toward the carriage. The horses had bolted in panic, leaving the vehicle abandoned. Wariness prickling his neck, he approached and yanked the door open.

Inside, protected behind thick glass, sat a grotesque device. At its center pulsed a disembodied eye, veined and unblinking, radiating an aura of pure malice. The thing looked wrong—alive in a way that made Liam’s skin crawl.

"Ugly bastard," he muttered, activating inspection once more.

**The Eye of the End**

*An artifact that ignores level differences and kills conceptually. Capable of absolute termination regardless of power disparity.*

A system alert flashed red: **Do not touch. Fusion with host will occur forcibly, resulting in body takeover.**

Liam cursed under his breath. ’The opposition has something like this? No wonder they’ve been so bold.’ He carefully stored it in his inventory without making contact, the device vanishing into the void of his spatial storage. With one last glance at the ruined mountainside, he set off again along the familiar path toward Ti.

The journey back passed in a tense haze of vigilance. When the towering Tree of Life finally came into view—its massive trunk glowing with gentle green light—Liam felt a knot of relief loosen in his chest. Ti was waiting near the entrance, her emerald hair swaying softly in the breeze. She looked at him expectantly as he approached.

"I ran into trouble," Liam said, keeping his tone even. "A high-level escort guarding something nasty. I took care of it."

Ti’s eyes brightened with curiosity. "What was it? Show me."

Liam hesitated, fingers twitching. ’Is this smart? That thing is dangerous.’ But the system description had been clear—no physical contact, no fusion. He met her gaze, his expression hardening into seriousness. He raised his voice slightly, making sure every word landed. "Ti, I’ll show you the device. But do *not* touch it. If you do, it will possess you. Understood?"

She nodded solemnly. "I understand."

He pulled the artifact from his inventory. The moment it materialized, the air around them shifted. The usual warm, verdant space within the Tree of Life bled into a sickly crimson hue. The Eye’s lid fluttered, then snapped open.

Ti gasped. Her green hair ignited into a violent red, strands whipping wildly as if caught in an invisible storm. She clutched her head, a piercing scream tearing from her throat as her eyes flooded with the same bloody color.

Liam’s stomach dropped. "What the—System! What just happened?"

The system’s neutral voice responded instantly: **You allowed Ti to interact with the device, violating the no-contact protocol.**

"But she didn’t touch it!" Liam protested, already moving toward her.

**You are currently inside the Tree of Life. Physical contact is not required here. The conceptual link was enough.**

Liam slapped a hand to his forehead. ’I forgot. Damn it.’

Before him, the possessed Ti glared with crimson eyes, her scream fading into a low, guttural growl that didn’t sound like her at all. The gentle healer he knew was gone, replaced by something ancient and hungry. Liam’s heart pounded. ’I have to fix this. Now.’

A new quest window appeared:

**Save the Tree of Life from Possession**

*Failure: Ti’s death, Host’s death, and the summoning of both the Devil and the Eye, resulting in world-ending cataclysm.*

*Rewards: Claiming Ti’s virginity, planting your seed, and gaining favor with all elven women.*

Liam swallowed hard, glancing at her status. Her level had skyrocketed from 1299 to **2700**. ’This is bad.’

He activated Devil King Mode again, power surging as he drew his sword. The possessed Ti attacked with terrifying speed, her strikes carrying the full weight of the ancient evil now inhabiting her. Liam barely kept pace, each clash sending shockwaves through his body and draining his vitality. Pain bloomed across his ribs where a blow grazed him. ’She’s too strong like this.’

Suddenly, she took to the air, arms spreading wide as crimson energy gathered around her in a swirling vortex. Liam didn’t know what it was, but the system did:

**Alert: Massive life-force draining area effect incoming. Evacuate immediately.**

Memories flashed—those parasitic worms from before, siphoning his strength despite their lower levels. If this finished charging, he’d be finished. Liam charged forward, channeling nullification blessing into his blade. He struck her square in the chest. The sword ripped through fabric, tearing her upper garments and leaving her bare from the waist up. The vortex faltered and dissipated as she glared at him, fury and pain twisting her features.

A faint voice echoed in his mind, weak but familiar: *It’s me, Ti. I’m still here, fighting inside. Buy me time—keep the body occupied so I can regain control.*

Another quest materialized:

**Fight the Possessed Ti for 5 Minutes**

*Failure: Ti’s death and Host’s death.*

Liam raised his sword again, determination steeling his gaze. "Hold on, Ti. I’m not losing you."

The next minutes blurred into a desperate dance of steel and shadow. He evaded, parried, and struck where he could, every movement costing him more of his draining life force. Exhaustion clawed at him, muscles burning. ’I won’t make it like this.’ With a growl, he triggered his final reserve: **Devil Obsession Mode.**

Power exploded through him, pushing past pain and fatigue in a crimson haze. He fought like a demon, matching her blow for blow, buying precious seconds.

Finally, the timer hit zero. Ti’s red hair flickered, then washed back to vibrant green. Her eyes cleared, the malicious glow vanishing. She staggered, breathing ragged.

Liam exhaled sharply, relief crashing over him like a wave. He had pulled the device back into inventory the instant the possession began, but the damage was done. Exhaustion hit him fully now; he dropped to one knee on the soft, flowing space within the Tree, vision blurring at the edges.

Ti—fully herself again—rushed to his side. Her green eyes widened in alarm as she inspected him. "Oh no... your life force has been drained severely. I need to restore it."

She bit her lip, hesitation flickering across her face. This was a technique she had learned long ago but never used. A deep, intimate method of transference. She sighed softly, resolve settling in. "This is for my daughter Citra’s sake... and mine too."

Ti leaned down, cupping his face gently. Her lips met his in a warm, grateful kiss. "Thank you," she whispered against him, voice thick with emotion, "for going to such lengths for me and my daughter."

In that moment, surrounded by the Tree’s gentle glow, Liam felt the first stirrings of true connection—something deeper than survival or power. Something worth fighting for.