Chapter 58 - "Got It"
"Got it."
The blows we unleashed intertwined. But the one pushed back was only Esen. Her hook, fierce enough to shatter rock, hammered the queen's abdomen and head after taking over Nidroga's body—but the queen's expression didn't even flicker. She merely returned it with a single punch, light as a tap to the side. Esen, unable to dodge, let out a strangled "Guh!" and dropped to her knees.
Reni slipped back into their blind spot and thrust her rapier in an instant. A grave, seasoned killer's demeanor, hard to imagine from her usual bright face. But even striking past the scales covering her like clothing, not a drop of blood welled on Nidroga's back or underarm. The succubus queen swung her hand dismissively like swatting a fly, snapping the thin blade. Reni didn't flinch, drawing a hefty two-handed sword from behind and swinging it with full force. Abandoning even the speed of ambush for a heavy, power-laden swing, as if she'd need everything she had for a chance. But the queen leisurely waited, then grabbed the incoming blade. And casually flung it aside. Reni, refusing to let go, paid the price by soaring through the air, crashing into Esen as she staggered up, sending them both tumbling.
"Reni—! Esen—!"
Nenya, finishing her chantless spell, slammed her staff into the ground in fury. The firmly shut iron door began to rumble and groan. Like giants pounding on it with their fists to force it open. At last, unable to hold, the door collapsed in a heap—and a wave of timber poured in. Entwined in supple, thin fluorescent vines. The thick chunks riding that wooden wave were varied: raw logs from furniture and building pillars, an oak food stall counter and bamboo chopsticks from a restaurant. Even a cork sign reading 'Dragon World Lewd Memory Recreation Sales'. All made of wood.
While Esen hurriedly scooped up Reni and rolled aside to evade the wave, the queen rolled her eyes in pity.
"Did you even think about whose body you stole?"
The queen leisurely breathed fire from Nidroga's mouth. A foolish choice. Instead of crumbling to ash, the timber caught flame and rained down on the queen's head. Pinned and crushed by the mass, she screamed as she tumbled down the stairs past the railing. Nenya shot back with a mocking tone.
"I did."
Morgan and I urgently peered over the stair railing. The spacious lobby and forge hall, connected by stairs. The smithy's simple structure was oddly deep—the bottom wasn't visible.
"...Where'd she fall?"
"Wherever she fell, she's not dead. Nidroga's fine."
Nenya shook her pale head, gathering blue light on her staff again. Preparing another cast.
"We just bought a little time. For Monica."
"Where are you hurt?"
With the blocking iron door gone, the Monica sisters rushed in, carrying Eitryon. They embraced Reni and Esen, unleashing intense pink flashes from both arms.
"Ri... damn it. Ribs, sis."
"My head. Our foreheads clashed when we tangled—guess only mine hurts."
"Your head's all squishy, you idiot."
An unexpected quip from the usually teased thickhead. But before I could admire it, thumping sounds shook the walls.
Esen grimaced.
"Doesn't seem like she turned into a dragon. Looks like she's climbing the walls in human form. Crazy monster bitch."
"Even if Nidroga wakes up, you gonna say that to her face?"
"Hell no. Not scared, just sorry. But it's true."
As the echoes drew nearer, Esen sighed.
"Class difference, damn it."
Just as Esen said. The scorched queen, poison fully risen, gouged the walls with her fingers like breaking them and climbed. She swiftly reached near the ceiling, glaring down at us. Bilena Nitro, seeing the red dragon's glow in her eyes, started hiccuping.
"Wh-what're our odds?"
"About 50%. If a miracle happens and Tena shows up beside us."
"A-and if not?"
"We're done for."
Nenya extended her staff indifferently.
"But she took our comrade, and she's tormenting all those dragons outside like she's gonna kill them. Can't just sit, right?"
"I could turn you all into pleasure sacrifices right now, make you drool fluids like those dragons outside."
Horrifying just to imagine. Looking back, everyone here knows I'm a guy. And for once, that felt like a blessing.
"But matching our life energy levels would free those dragons outside."
"Then you'd be surrounded by furious dragons, and the Lord would wrench you from his daughter's body and kill you somehow. Right? So let's try force. Scared?"
The sisters and Nenya shot back immediately. Their points rang true, or close enough. The succubus queen grimaced and breathed fire straight at us. A blinding crimson flash. Reni slammed her round shield arm to the floor. Folded iron plates sprang up, expanding into a broad tower shield. Nenya pressed her staff against its back, wrapping it in a blue barrier. We huddled behind, enduring. Dizzying. More than ever. The monstrous heat felt like it would cook us. If I only praised her strength as an enemy, Nidroga—who'd botched twice—might feel bad. But this felt like certain death, closer than ever. Closer than when Adamanthon shoved a blade in my face. Closer than when the black pirate ship rammed Captain Tomco's vessel.
...Both those incidents were that bastard's doing.
Adamanthon Sunsstorm, you piece of shit. If I'd accepted good-hearted Hero Sunsstorm's offer, I wouldn't have endured six hellish years serving that son as master. Never deal carelessly with the boss. They don't understand the underling's position. The naive kid bringing sugar to ants doesn't know food dyes kill larvae. The genie granting three wishes just pities the beggar pleading for a fourth at ruin's edge. "Wish carefully" isn't empty advice. Deals with unrefundable powers are traps dragging the reckless to death.
But...
I watched Esen spit blood, feigning composure. Then the sisters, pale from expending strength to sustain the dragon's breath. I now had two people whose loss terrified me more than death.
"Are you listening?"
I swallowed hard. To the one being I feared more than Nidroga this instant.
"I just thought of the next wish after 'don't harm us.' I—"
- Got it.
- Let me confess honestly.
Darkness falls. My head spins wildly, eyes squeeze shut on their own, mind plummets into the abyss. For a moment, fear soaked me. Had the goddess, once offering free wishes, whimsically decided my life as payment? But unease and dizziness didn't last. Soon a warm, cozy sensation returned my senses.
Realizing I was collapsed on the floor, voices reached me.
- I figured you'd burn through your wishes ages ago.
"Burn through them?"
I mumbled blankly, and giggles followed.
- Like stamina, say. Or stamina. Or stamina.
Impressive, Tan Bantai. Squeezed dry like that, yet not calling on me—faithfully meeting your lovers' demands with your own strength.
"I know the value of your gifts too well to wish for something so brazen."
I imagined myself as a 24/7 sperm factory. Overpowered sexual function. Overwhelming pleasure. Like a horror novel, broken into a sex-only machine.
I remember. For my plea "don't harm in any way," Ishtar promised "no demon-like cruelty" and "spare bystanders."
...She might've compressed my body into a meat dildo, twisted my mind to accept it, then claimed "no harm done."
- Never done that to stamina-wishers. Quite the imagination.
Her voice felt much closer, friendlier than last time. Blinking, I raised my head. A beautiful woman leaned on the table, waving.
And spoke in the goddess's voice.
- Yeah, you probably wanted infinite stamina. But you held back. Patience, self-control—and above all, prudence. Rare virtues. Especially in men bedding my apostle daughters.
"Why's that?"
- Most were cocky thrill-seekers. Like Carl Brandt.
Carl Brandt. Legendary playboy who shattered a ducal house with bastards and affairs. Dozens of erotic novels based on his exploits. The madman. Last meeting, the goddess hinted at his gruesome end.
"...I see."
- But your prudence matches your raw stamina. Maybe you didn't need to wish—you could endure.
"You're too kind. And thank you sincerely for visiting so promptly."
- Of course. Can't let a traitor have my beloved youngest or talent like you so easily.
The goddess uncapped a pen, scribbling on paper. Horn-rimmed glasses, aristocratic suit like a banquet. Reading my suspicion, she smirked.
- Remember the warning: see my true form, die. But this couldn't be my true self, right?
"You resemble the sisters so much, I flinched. What're you writing?"
- Scoreboard.
"Pardon?"
- Don't worry. You'll know soon. Look behind.
I did. And sighed in relief, kneeling.
Behind the goddess and me: a cushioned square ring-like arena, lined with...
"Everyone's safe."
"You call this safe?"
"The void stretched like black cheese, then ripped like cloth. And we dropped like this."
"Esen and Morgan, Nenya and Reni, Bilena and me, in order. You okay, Esen?"
"I said, you call this safe?!"
As comrades yowled on the cushions, the sisters waved at me with a smile. Then stared at the goddess in surprise.
"Oh, th-this is my first time seeing you up close. Thank you for saving us."
- Call me Mom.
The goddess beamed kindly.
- And it's not over.
"Pardon?"
"Ow. Don't know who she is, but seems one's still coming."
Morgan, pinned under Esen, groaned and pointed at the ceiling. As Reni said, the void stretched again, and like a hen laying an egg, the last one plummeted through.
Nidroga's body.
"Uh."
"You bitches—"
"Battle stations—!"
"Waaah—! Mommm—!"
The last was my scream. Goddess's giggles behind stabbed my heart. Utterly humiliating.
"Damn bitches. Think fleeing here saves you from me?"
Her venomous shout over the chaos. The queen tried landing to trample comrades. Party and Morgan screamed, rolling aside. No one got stepped on. Only the succubus queen sprained on the white cushion and collapsed.
A sharp crack sounded painful.
"Kyaaah—! It huuuurts—!"
"Huh."
Esen, who flinched into guard, squinted suspiciously as the queen clutched her ankle, rolling on the cushion.
"Hey, hopeless twins."
"Who're the hopeless twins?!"
"Whatever. Ever seen Nidroga sprain? Either of you, speak."
"Of course not. With that muscle, hard to twist an ankle no matter what."
Reni wiped crusted nosebleed, tossing her glove. At the face that caused it.
The queen rose furiously to leap—and flopped like an infant unused to gravity.
"Ack!"
"Ack. She said 'ack.' Kinda cute. Never heard Nidroga make such a sound. Always cool, reliable big-sis vibe."
"Move."
Bilena stepped forward cautiously, rummaging potion vials, then brightened at a rod-like item. She handed it to Esen. Esen nodded, aimed carefully, and threw. The restraint that immobilized Esen wrapped Nidroga's body like rope.
The queen sneered. And tried breaking it by force.
It didn't budge.
As the queen's face grew bewildered, party members sauntered up, surrounding her.
"This thing can bind dragons too, Bilena?"
"No. Maybe young ordinary ones, but not Nidroga with lord blood—alloy can't hold her."
"So she's way weaker. Wanna test?"
"I'll go first."
Reni nodded admiringly. And kicked Nidroga's side hard. No hesitation for a comrade—brutal strike. The queen shrieked, eyes bulging.
"Y-you... just kicked your friend's body? You idiot—"
"The idiot's you, yapping shit—!"
"Kyaaak—!"
"You know, thinking about it, you're hilarious. What'd you spew from her gut? Lilith? Said she's a big shot in your industry?"
"W-wait—"
"Just now you claimed to be Lilith? So bragging while pretending not to be? My face is burning!"
"Bone! Hit bone! Bone!"
The sharp revenge stopped when I and the sisters urgently intervened. Sure, conscience pricked at "friend's body," but also seemed pointless. The queen, whimpering to a corner, bore no wounds or bruises.
"Durability's normal. Just strength's down."
"Ours feels sapped too. Tough as hell, really."
- Couldn't be helped. Mitra's power still reached your island.
We turned to the goddess. The sister looked puzzled.
"What do you mean?"
- A special faithful basking in the sun god's favor declared service for Mitra. Thus, any disaster from that rogue succubus on the dragons' island is Mitra's will.
"Then..."
- I could weaken her temporarily, but not stop what's coming. Especially now, enfeebled by his scheme.
"Ha! Weakened? Yeah, I feel it! Not like before!"
The succubus queen, pale and trembling at the goddess, regained bravado with a sneer, as if expecting this.
"Pathetic, Mother! Bet you didn't imagine this when treating me like a fool! The supreme god Mitra backs me! Now you can't touch—"
- But we can compete. You were my daughter once, Lilith.
"...Compete?"
The queen flinched. A wretched look, like Nidroga fresh from the sea. The word "competition" sparked ill omens. It did for me too. The goddess grinned with keen interest, purple eyes glowing like the sisters'.
- Yes. A competition.