Defying the Succubus's Temptation
"Cold Spear...!!" Laila's face flushed bright red as she hurriedly chanted her spell, unleashing a barrage of magic toward the succubus. But because of the strange heat building in her body, her casting speed was slower than usual, and her aim was slightly off.
-Shwaaack!!!
"Oh my. How barbaric. That's probably why you've stayed a virgin all this time."
The succubus leisurely taunted Laila while flapping her wings, deftly dodging the attacks with fluid grace. Right after Laila's volley of spells, I kicked off the cave wall and leaped toward the flying succubus, swinging my sword.
"Hup!!!"
"Sniff sniff... Hm?"
The moment I closed in, the succubus wrinkled her nose curiously, then lightly flitted away to evade my strike.
"Hmmm... This thick scent... Mmm?"
After casually dodging, she kept sniffing the air, her nose twitching, before slowly approaching me.
"Get lost...!"
"Come on, big bro. Just hold still for a sec. From the smell, you're no virgin, so why so impatient?"
Giggling as she openly sexually harassed me, the succubus flapped her wings and barely slipped past the sword I swung at her.
Damn. Fighting a flying opponent for the first time...
Her movements were on a whole different level from ground-bound enemies. I couldn't properly react to the succubus's erratic flight path—the kind I'd never encountered before—and my sword kept slicing through empty air.
It's not just flying, either. This woman's surprisingly agile for how she looks.
The queen of all demons. A demon race said to be blessed by the demon god. Maybe their baseline physical abilities were leagues beyond humans. From Laila's reactions and the abilities that woman had used, the succubus species didn't seem much different from the ones in the stories I'd known...
Then shouldn't her body be weak?
Unlike the image I had in mind, she seemed to have impressive physical prowess too.
"What're you thinking about, big bro?"
"...!!!"
-Lick.
Suddenly diving from the air, the succubus approached me with a playful smile and licked my cheek with her tongue. A chill ran down my spine alongside a subtle pleasure. I desperately thrust my sword tip at her, but she giggled and soared back into the sky with soft, graceful movements, evading once more.
"The scent alone wasn't enough to be sure. I needed a... taste... a taste...?"
She smacked her lips after licking human skin like it was nothing, but her expression suddenly turned strange.
"...What is this? This rich flavor... Such potent essence... Big bro, have you been purposely abstaining these past few days?"
Out of nowhere, she asked if I'd been holding back—celibate, basically. The question didn't fit the situation at all, but it sent a creepy shiver down my spine.
...How'd she know?
To make a perfect replica of Laila and pour all my lust into it, I'd been building it up the last few days...
"Mmm...! This thick male scent... And this essence ready to burst...!!"
Not even waiting for an answer, she stared at my dazed expression, smacked her lips, and shivered with delight. Then, with her pink-glowing eyes fixed on me, she smiled seductively.
"It's decided...♥ I'll savor you extra special, big bro."
"Who the hell's gonna let—who's eating who...!!!"
While I faced off against the succubus, Laila finished her spell and unleashed a bolt of lightning. The succubus grimaced slightly at the strike—far faster than fireballs or ice chunks—and spewed black energy to block it.
"Aw, sis. Jealous?"
"Who's jealous...!"
"Don't worry, sis. I don't discriminate by gender♥. I'll eat you up nice and tasty too."
-Gurgle♥
Her stomach growled as if "eat" wasn't just a figure of speech, her mouth watering.
"Heehee... Talk about lucky♥. Humans have been flipping out, scouring everywhere, forcing me to hide in this wasteland... And now top-tier prey walks right in."
"...Tch."
Panting raggedly and gritting her teeth, Laila tried to ignore the succubus's words as she chanted another spell. Having failed to intercept the succubus, I hurriedly retreated to Laila's side.
"...No way to send a rescue signal like last time?"
"I already tried... But my emergency beacon links to my master, and it seems she's in some communication-blocked area right now. It's not working..."
Laila looked defeated as she explained her failed attempt. Hearing that jogged my memory of what Karen had told me yesterday before we came here.
'I'm going to see the real Black Sacred Artifact. Can't tell you the location either. It's kept in a special place...'
The Black Sacred Artifact I'd encountered. Karen had said she was going to see "Gula" herself, stored in a highly secure, special location.
Damn. Was that place blocking communications too?
My guess was that whoever retrieved Gula was Laila's master from Rivil. She must've gone to the storage site with Karen...
Damn. Who knew that offhand comment would bite us like this...!!
"Hoo... Hoo..."
"...You okay?"
Laila bit her lip in frustration, but her breathing grew even rougher, her cheeks flushing deeper. She looked worse off than me, so I voiced my concern. But at my words, she trembled.
"I-I'm fine, so... haa...♥...g-get away from me..."
She pushed me back a bit and glared at the succubus, who leisurely watched us while exhaling pink mist.
"Aw, sis♥. Don't look at me like that... Might make me wet♥."
The succubus spewed vulgarity. Laila fired off another spell in irritation, but the succubus swung her black energy, infused with demonic mana, blocking it instantly.
...Her magic's weaker.
I observed Laila, who was trembling slightly—more precisely, the spell she'd just cast. It was less than half as potent as the ones she'd used hunting orcs with me lately.
"Haa...♥ Haa...♥"
As her breathing grew heavier and her face stayed flushed, her focus slipped, and her spell quality kept dropping.
But...
...Why am I fine?
Unlike Laila, I was holding up relatively well. From her expression and state, that pink mist was like an aphrodisiac... I'd been inhaling it too, but nothing severe like her had hit me.
Down there's a bit stiff, but that's it.
Just heightened arousal. Not enough to dizzy my head or disrupt my breathing like Laila.
Difference between men and women?
"You... haa...♥ Can you still move?"
"Yeah."
Whatever the reason, keeping my wits and mobility was good. But that was it. As a ground-pounder, I had no way to hit that flying succubus.
Throw an axe...? Nah. She blocked Laila's quick lightning; no way an axe gets through. Magic tool? But in a cave...
With my reliable Laila sidelined, I racked my brain. The succubus giggled.
"Why keep resisting? Come play with me. Don't you know what a succubus is, big bro? Don't worry♥. I'll make you feel real good♥."
"Fuck off."
I flipped her off in response to her blatant seduction. Objectively, she was a beauty, and the temptation was real... but
One look and it's clear I'll end up like those orcs—dried squid.
After seeing the orcs withered like jerky earlier, I knew exactly how her "good time" ended. Why would I accept?
"Hng...♥ I get what you're worried about, big bro, but you'll be fine! Guys with essence like yours are rare! I'll eat you nice and slow. Promise."
"Whatever. Go spread for orcs, you slut."
"........."
The succubus's playful smile froze. Veins bulged on her forehead, her face turning murderous.
"...Big bro. I was being nice 'cause your essence looked prime... but you need a lesson."
"Who're you calling big bro."
A demon older than me calling me bro or sis... I hated that cutesy type. Acting immature beyond her years...
I provoked her, but...
Despite the insults, she showed no sign of landing. Just kept pumping out pink mist. I figured rubbing her wrong might lure her down... Guess not that easy.
"...Hah. Was gonna conserve energy not knowing when the next meal shows... but..."
Her face hardened at my taunt. She snapped her fingers, and the pink mist exploded outward.
"Guh... Again... like this...!!"
Laila bit her lip, struggling against the mounting heat. Just like with the evil god cultists in the ruins, she despaired at her powerlessness. Her already shattered pride crumbled further under the bitter defeat.
Despite learning detection spells and studying cultists since then, it was all for nothing. Finally, she approached me with a resolved expression.
"...You run."
"Laila?"
"You're... somehow holding up better than me. I'll buy time. Run to the city and get backup."
Her legs too weak to walk, she trembled as she chanted, trying to send me off first. If she was doomed anyway, she'd repay her debt.
...No. It was an excuse to salvage her broken pride, even a little.
"I'll squeeze out all my remaining mana for an opening... Use it to—"
"Aw. Don't be boring."
"...?!"
The moment Laila began chanting, sensing her mana surge, the succubus's face hardened. She rocketed over at blinding speed—faster than ever—and grabbed Laila's throat.
"Guh... Gack...!!"
"Told you not to waste energy. Why won't you listen? I don't like rough play... but keep this up and I'm in a bind too♥."
"...You bitch...!!"
Unexpected, but she'd finally descended into sword range. I raised my black iron sword to slash—when Laila, throat crushed, barely mouthed one word to me.
Go.
"...!!"
With the succubus focused on her, I should flee.
-Fwaaah!!
"...! No chant?!"
Even with her throat blocked, the succubus sensed Laila's mana flow from sheer will. Her face stiffened. Chantless casting—only for the extraordinarily talented. No way a mage hunting rock beetles, not even a high mage but a certified one, could do it. The oversight born of that assumption.
She hastily summoned demonic energy to guard her vitals, but
-Crackle!!!
Laila's goal wasn't to attack outright. Just to halt her briefly. Freezing cold swirled, icing the succubus's wings. No more flying. And wind howled, shoving me toward the cave entrance.
Run, it said.
"Chantless double cast?! Guh...!!"
The succubus panicked at the unforeseen counter. Seeing it, I knew this was a once-in-a-lifetime chance. Instinct screamed: flee now, and I'd escape her clutches. Her eyes on Laila held wariness, but also greed and hunger. If I bolted, she'd focus on Laila.
But...
If I run... Laila...
If I fled, Laila would become succubus chow for sure. Backup from the city? Too late. But I'd be safe.
...Simple.
Just run. I'd always prioritized my own safety. Ditch Laila? Easy. We weren't that close; no reason to hesitate. My quick-processing brain spat out the optimal choice: abandon and flee.
Let's go.
Decision made, body moved. I spun, slashed the blocking orc in one stroke, clearing the path. Legs tensed for full sprint, eyes fixed ahead, no looking back.
Just run. No turning. Sacrifice one for my life. Obvious choice, even for a kid.
As I pushed off—
"........."
Memories flooded: all the "understanding" I'd built on Laila. Raised in the Magic Tower since childhood, trained by a great master, dreaming to rival her one day. Her hair. Appearance. Voice. Scent. The accumulated "understanding" made me hesitate.
...Damn. Damn...!!
Understanding. I'd seen it as prep for replication... How hadn't I realized? The deeper you understand someone, the more space they take in your head. Like loving meat until a docu on slaughterhouses turns your stomach.
Maybe I'd taken building understanding too lightly.
"...Hoo."
I straightened from my sprint pose. Deep breath. Calm down.
This was... yeah.
"...Leaving now would be a loss."
Ditching her meant tossing her debt repayment—money, magic tools—and wasting my week of effort building understanding. So this was... just avoiding loss. Protecting my investment.
And especially.
Haven't tasted her yet.
A base, lust-driven urge surged. No lofty mission—just raw desire, the surest motivator. A new resolve moved me. Not cowardice, but fight. My evolved body, via Gula, responded, igniting battle spirit as if it were the right answer.
"Even if I enjoy sis a bit...?"
I spun 180 degrees, leaping not toward the exit but the succubus—sword gripped tight—swinging at her as she pressed her tongue to Laila's lips.
"This is for the polar bears!!"
"...Huh? You didn't run...?"
Aaah. I'd done it.
Intruding on yuri with my dick. The ultimate taboo.