Lilith, Commander of Lust

After a brief moment of unconsciousness, the first thing I saw was an unfamiliar ceiling.

"You're awake?"

"?!"

Guarding my side was none other than the War God, Jinun.

"Ah, um... yes. It's an honor to meet you like this, Jinun."

As I spoke with obvious tension, Jinun burst into hearty laughter.

"No need to be so stiff. You're the winner of the Martial Tournament, after all."

"Ah, right... yeah..."

"By the way... you don't seem like your average mage. That dark red color looked like a curse... You're a witch, aren't you?"

I nodded without a word.

"Haha! How's Asella doing these days? That insane magic you showed in the semifinals looked just like hers."

"Ahaha... She made it, after all. I'm actually her successor..."

"I knew it. That little brat taking ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠on a successor—I've gotta live longer to see more of the world."

"Anyway, enough chit-chat. What brings you all the way out here?"

At that moment, an orange window signaling the main quest popped up before my eyes.

"...I've been tasked with eliminating the threat lurking on this continent."

"Tasked? By whom?"

"The World... I guess you'd understand it that way."

"Ah, I see... And?"

"I suspect the banquet will be the perfect time for the demons to show themselves. They love making a scene on the big stage."

"...Hmm, I see."

Jinun pondered for a moment before speaking.

"...What do you need from me?"

"Just fight alongside me if I successfully lure out the demon."

"...Hahaha! I like you. Deal. I'll help."

......

"Hahaha! To the peace of Bicheon Kingdom!"

"For peace!!"

The dark night echoed with clinking glasses and laughter. The banquet was in full swing.

"So peaceful."

I strolled slowly through the bustling market streets.

"Hey, isn't that Noel, the Martial Tournament winner?"

"Where? Oh! It is!"

One big change: People now recognized me and approached with friendly smiles.

"Ahaha, hello."

They handed me all sorts of things, keeping the atmosphere warm and cheerful.

"Thank you. Thank you all."

I smiled and thanked everyone, then slipped through the crowd to sit alone on a pavilion.

"Whew, drained..."

Staying in crowds for long still wore me out.

"But it's nice. This vibe..."

Then, I heard rustling from the bushes behind me.

"...Who's there?"

Out stepped a tall, strikingly handsome man.

"Ahaha, oops. I was just watching... Sorry."

His deep, steady baritone was pleasant to the ear.

I smiled brightly at him.

"It's fine. What brings you here...?"

"I was avoiding the crowds and spotted you... Couldn't help staring; you're too beautiful."

"Ahaha, really? Thanks. Since we're fated to meet, wanna sit and chat?"

"I'd love to. Being company for a beauty like you."

He sat gracefully beside me.

"Moon's bright tonight."

"Yeah. Hehe."

We kept talking after that. He empathized perfectly with my words and shared his stories freely, drawing us close quickly.

"Truth is, I came here to hunt demons. After all that rushing around... moments like this feel precious."

"Hehe, I see. Glad I could help."

I leaned closer to him with a smile.

"N-Noel... um..."

"What's your name?"

As I leaned in, his cheeks flushed red.

"I-I'm..."

"Lemme guess?"

"Huh?"

"Lilith."

My smile deepened as my finger touched his solar plexus.

"Curse: Debilitate."

"...Fine. You win this round. I admit defeat. Hehe."

His form melted away, revealing a woman. Black hair, pink eyes—her alluring beauty could enchant the world, and her voluptuous figure drew every gaze.

"Sigh. What a shame. I almost had a chance to devour a beautiful lady."

As she raised her scythe, the full moon began tinting pink.

"Normally, devouring pure essence from an unaware state is best, but I'll make an exception this time."

As Lilith raised her scythe at me, another orange window filled my view.

"Jinun, I told you it'd come."

"Haha... So it has."

Jinun, who'd been watching from the trees, teleported to my side.

"A filthy succubus dares target Bicheon Kingdom?"

"...Jinun? Why are you here...?"

"Don't speak my name with that dirty mouth. She anticipated you'd approach and had me waiting."

"...Damn... This'll be tricky..."

Lilith assessed the situation, then smirked toward the noisy square.

"Shall we ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠make our stage bigger?"

The pink moon's power intensified, its light bathing all of Bicheon Kingdom.

The accessory from my tournament win, the Azure Jade Stone, had exactly the effects I needed.

No damage options, but ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠perfect for my mana-heavy witch class. Combined with the 30% mental immunity from Asella's brooch, I resisted Lilith's enchantment.

Jinun, as a heroic NPC, was naturally immune.

"...Wait. What about the people over there...?"

Sure enough, the lively square fell silent. Two figures approached from afar.

"Cheongharin and... Jeokgangho...?"

The heirs of the two great families flew toward us, eyes glowing pink.

"This is bad..."

"How long can you bind that demon, max?"

Jinun asked seriously.

Few spells could bind a Lilith-level foe. Only two options: the legendary transformation ritual Heaven's Punishment, or chaining curses into Curse Explosion.

No confidence filling Heaven's Punishment's long cast while handling those two, so only one choice left.

"...5 seconds. That's the limit."

"Plenty. You bind her; I'll finish the bound demon. Hold off those two meanwhile."

I'd barely beaten Cheongharin alone before; with Jeokgangho too, surviving was questionable.

But what could I do? We'd come this far—no backing out.

"Draw the demon's attention a bit. I'll bind her."

Jinun handled Lilith; I faced Jeokgangho and Cheongharin.

Luckily, mind-controlled, they just targeted me without coordination.

Whoosh—

Still brutal. I was taking steady damage.

Spotting an angle for the curse on Lilith, a gap appeared.

"Curse: Paralyze."

"Hiiik?!"

That alone wouldn't last 3 seconds.

"Curse: Amplificated Pain."

Took the incoming fire sword qi unavoidably.

"Kehuk..."

The ice sword qi halted me too.

"Kuh... Cough..."

Shivering from the burning heat and chill, I crossed my fingers.

Snap—

"Curse Explosion."

Krzzzzzt—!

Krzzzt—!

Static sparked across Lilith's body, electrocuting her fully. Amplified by the pain curse.

"Heeek... Hek..."

Lilith has a fun passive. She gains pleasure from external shocks, stacking beyond a threshold.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

Each stack: +2% attack, -2% defense.

Stack management was key in Lilith raids—too high, you get one-combo'd by basics; none, not enough DPS.

No need for stack control here. My helper was the War God Jinun.

The pink-moon sky darkened, thunder rumbling.

That was the War God, Jinun—the one who pierces the clouds.

"I'll make sure you never target Bicheon again."

Boom—

Boom—

Unique energy surged around him; each step in the air boomed like cannon fire.

"N-No... I can't retreat so pathetically...!"

"Thunder Dragon Kick."

His form vanished, tracing a blue line across the sky to pierce Lilith instantly.

"...Wow."

A massive hole gaped in her stomach; she vomited blood, crumbling to dust.

"When the world's bindings weaken... I'll kill you first...!"

With that, Lilith vanished, the moon regaining its normal color.

"...Huh?"

"Why am I here...? Gah?!"

As the moon normalized, Jeokgangho and Cheongharin snapped out of it, bloodied before me.

"Ah... haha... good... thing."