Vol.1 - Chapter 15 – Listen
The Soul Leech is a level 45 monster with low defense and attack, but extremely high intelligence.
These creatures exist only in The Abyss and won't appear in the material world on their own. They can only be summoned by traitors who have pledged allegiance to the Will of the Abyss, or dragged out by Synlos from their lair in The Abyss to serve as cannon fodder.
Typically, a Soul Leech is only one meter tall, with eight tentacles that can extend up to over twenty meters. They are incredibly flexible, with a great texture, and can be thick or thin, soft or hard, and can secrete a slippery, non-toxic liquid.
Xia Ya knows them so well because, after Valkyrie Orinshiru turned dark, she immediately mastered the skill to summon Soul Leeches. During their escape, besides draining countless mages, she and Xia Ya also developed many perverse ways to pass the time.
Ahem, I mean summoning Soul Leeches and making takoyaki out of them, which sounds quite perverse.
The current Soul Leech, due to Synlos's level in the material world rising to 50, surpassing Yveline, had grown to two meters tall, with twelve tentacles that, when fully extended, resembled a deep-sea monster, almost unable to fit in the hall behind the stone door!
At the center, surrounded and only showing her face, was Yveline.
The Dark Elf's body was wrapped in a faint purple shield, clinging to her skin like fabric, struggling to resist the constricting force of the Soul Leech like a python.
This is a Blood Shield, a Dark Elf's innate skill.
Though the Soul Leech's strength is pitifully weak, at level 50, it still has 60 points of strength, far beyond what Sennia could resist. In the blink of an eye, the housewife was also dragged away by the tentacles.
In a flash, Xia Ya suddenly charged out, shouting at the Soul Leech:
"Akahari Mzudurish Bahalazeb Ansen!"
The True Name was called out, and the Soul Leech let out a piercing scream, its massive body suddenly shrinking back to two meters, its tentacles retracting into a ball.
Xia Ya seized the opportunity to grab Sennia and dashed out of the stone door without looking back.
Just a second later, the Soul Leech with the long name realized—it was just an ordinary human who called out its True Name, without a trace of magic power, incapable of banishing it back to The Abyss!
In an instant, immense humiliation filled its mind, and the tentacles began to grow wildly again.
But in that brief moment, Yveline seized the chance, suddenly breaking free and rushing towards the stone door.
As a level 45 Dark Elf Rogue, her agility was as high as 170 points, allowing her to catch up with Xia Ya almost instantly.
Freedom was within reach, and she vowed to properly thank him once she got out, first granting him ultimate pleasure, then dismembering him with a knife to vent her anger!
Just you wait!
And you too, Soul Leech!
Yveline cursed inwardly, and just as she was about to step out of the stone door, a broad sword the size of half a door panel came crashing down, with the force of a thousand pounds, the wind cutting her face.
Under normal circumstances, Yveline wouldn't care about such a weak attack, but now she was at her limit and dared not take even a little damage, so she gritted her teeth and used the "Shadowmeld" skill.
"Shadowmeld" is a Dark Elf's innate skill, allowing them to completely merge into darkness in the absence of light, isolating all attacks, usable once per natural day. She intended to save it for the Soul Leech behind her, but escaping took precedence.
But just as she activated the skill, there was a crackling sound, and a flash of firelight.
Bang!
The light dispelled "Shadowmeld," and Yveline was knocked back by a heavy blow from Sennia's sword!
By a hair's breadth, she could only watch helplessly as the stone door closed.
"No—"
Nothing was more despairing than this, with freedom so close, yet slipping through her fingers.
The Soul Leech resumed its overwhelming posture, and Yveline bit her finger, the dark purple blood activating the intricate patterns on her body, barely forming a faint purple shield to protect her.
Leaning against the stone door, she pleaded:
"Please, let me out. I'll do anything if you save me..."
The Dark Elf's voice was like that of a helpless girl, full of allure.
In Illusory Realm, the charm attribute doesn't refer to an absolute value of appearance but is a measure of "charm ability."
Apart from special professions like dancers and bards, the charm attribute doesn't increase with level.
Players, regardless of race, start with a charm of 5, various elves have 8, and Yveline has a full score of 10!
This means any male creature—even a paladin who despises evil—would treat her kindly upon first meeting, until discovering her true identity.
But this doesn't include Xia Ya.
He is a cunning player, having had countless deep exchanges with Yveline, so how could he be charmed?
So—
"No."
Xia Ya replied bluntly.
Damn!! That damned half-breed pig!
(Though he looks no different from a human, Xia Ya is a Half-Elf)
Yveline cursed several times in her heart. If thoughts could kill, Xia Ya would have been killed by her a thousand times! But despite her fierce expression, her voice remained pitifully soft.
"Please, save me... I'm willing to pay any price, just open this door..."
"Any price?" Xia Ya asked.
Sensing a hint of concession, Yveline immediately upped the ante.
"Yes, any, any price, including me..."
She bit her lip, her fragile voice intermittent, irresistibly like a soft feather, stirring the heartstrings.
"Then help me lift the curse."
Curse?
Yveline was stunned for a second, then sensed the curse on Xia Ya through the stone door.
"You killed Milorakles?"
"Yes."
The Dark Elf suddenly became wary, "Did you come here specifically for me?"
She had always thought he was just an adventurer who stumbled in, as there were other passages into the catacombs besides Milorakles's.
"Take a guess."
"I..."
The Dark Elf snorted, gritting her teeth in agreement.
"Fine, I'll do it!"
She muttered a few incantations, and the dark energy peeled off Xia Ya, passing through the stone door back into her body.
[Yveline's Poisonous Kiss has been lifted.]
"Now you can open the door!"
The Soul Leech's tentacles banged against the protective shield, each hit making Yveline's delicate body tremble.
Beads of sweat rolled down her forehead, dripping into the ample cleavage of her chest.
Unfortunately, such a beautiful scene went unseen.
"You still need to swear not to harm me."
"Fine! I swear!"
Yveline quickly swore to the Lord of Night, Svartalf, promising not to harm him.
"You're a traitor who abandoned all living beings to pledge allegiance to The Abyss, what good is that oath... If you don't mind the time, we can take it slow." Xia Ya said lazily.
Yveline was momentarily speechless.
She had underestimated him.
This half-breed had some skills, knowing about the Dark Elf's faith and deducing her betrayal from the Soul Leech...
This wasn't crucial information, so Yveline hadn't realized she was facing such an existence.
She took a deep breath.
"I, Yveline, in the name of The Abyss, swear to the Destroyer of Worlds..."
"Use your True Name, Milize Rose."
The voice behind the stone door fell silent, eerily quiet.
Seconds later, Yveline punched it in anger.
Bang!
Dust fell from the stone door, but it showed no signs of opening.
Breaking it open by force would require at least 400 points of strength.
"Who are you? How do you know my True Name?"
Yveline instantly regained her cold queen demeanor.
Rose is the royal surname of the Dark Elves, and Yveline was once a queen candidate.
According to tradition, all candidates would be offered to Svartalf, to serve him.
Then, only one of them would survive the brutal treatment of the Lord of Night, gain the recognition of the entire Dark Elf race, and ultimately become queen.
This traditional dross had continued for thousands of years, and Yveline was the first to stand against it, only to be scorned and exiled by her people. She was crippled and imprisoned, waiting to be offered to the Lord of Night.
In her despair, it was Synlos who answered her prayers, so she abandoned her original surname, becoming the Dark Night Queen Yveline, commanding monsters on the earth.
Only a few knew of this, so when Xia Ya uttered that name, she realized he had been toying with her all along.
Without a doubt, that perfectly timed sword strike from the weak female swordsman and the light that disrupted Shadowmeld were also his arrangements.
He knew her inside out!
She no longer hoped, but focused entirely on defense.
With her blood, she could maintain the Blood Shield until the Soul Leech's strength waned, though sustaining the Blood Shield came at a great cost, it was her only option now.
"When I get out, I'll play a tune on the grand piano with your intestines."
Yveline said coldly.
On the other side of the door, Xia Ya laughed, "Miss Yveline, I don't doubt the resilience of your Blood Shield... I only doubt how long your will can hold..."
"Hmph, what a waste of words."
"No, no, listen..."
What the hell?
Yveline frowned slightly, listening to the other side of the door.
Suddenly, the Dark Elf's expression changed!
By Synlos, they couldn't be...
With a perception as high as 170 points, Yveline heard it clearly, and then, the smooth surface of the purple Blood Shield began to ripple, flickering, like a candle in the wind under the Soul Leech's pounding...