The Defeated Succubus (3): Descent to Earth
The Demon King's arena throne room. A once-hero dangled limply from iron chains hooked to the ceiling, swaying beside the throne.
The chains pulsed with the Demon King's magic—beyond Ishtar's power to break.
"I'm sorry, Hayato... If I hadn't dragged you to this other world, none of this would have happened. It's all my fault."
"………."
Hayato, tongue severed, couldn't even speak.
"You fought so bravely. On behalf of the Western Continent, I thank you."
Goddess Ishtar knelt on one knee beside him, tenderly stroking his cheek. His face quivered.
It feels like this is all my fault, Ishtar thought, her heart aching.
"I never dreamed the Demon King would be that strong. She didn't just absorb power from others or demons—Demon King Bianca was utterly unbeatable. That's what I realized."
"………Ugh."
She recalled her shining smile and bold vow: I'll definitely take down the Demon King! All for naught now.
"No one remains here to challenge the Demon King. So... I'm taking her to Earth."
"!!!!"
"That's right, Hayato. Your homeland. Japan... right? I wanted to go there with you—the home you told me about."
"Ugh! Uuuugh!!"
Hayato thrashed wildly. The mention of home had him riled up.
"P-Please calm down, Hayato."
"Ugh!!"
"...Even now, worrying about your homeland? Truly a hero. Such a warm soul... But don't fret. I won't let the people of your precious home planet die by the Demon King's hand."
Goddess Ishtar had another plan. A foolproof way to seal the invincible Demon King.
"I'll trap her in the Dimensional Gap linking the Western Continent and Earth. No Demon King can traverse it. That's goddess privilege alone... She'll rule her eternal, solitary kingdom in that empty void forever."
The sole path to Earth would seal forever after—but a small price for containing the Demon King.
Ishtar kissed the cheek of the hero she'd once truly longed to marry, bidding farewell.
"Your battle's over. Now... it's mine."
"Fighting who, Goddess?"
The Demon King arrived with her advisor, preparations complete.
"...Demon King Bianca. Made your choice?"
"Yeah. Guide me to Earth."
"Very well. I'll open the Dimensional Gap."
It felt like Hayato whispered, Go for it!
Right, Hayato. Our fight isn't done. There's still a reversal ace up my sleeve!
"Oh, one sec first."
"Yes?"
Right before opening the gap, Bianca struck first—like she'd peered into Ishtar's soul.
Bianca traced letters in the air. Suddenly, Ishtar's pubic bone burned white-hot; she crumpled.
"W-What are you doing?!"
"Slave Tattoo."
"W-What?!"
The word SLAVE etched vividly as a tattoo below her navel.
"Spill your scheme."
"I planned to lock you in the Dimensional Gap... forever... Gasp!!"
She clapped a hand over her mouth in horror—too late.
The Slave Tattoo: ultra-high black magic forcing absolute obedience, defying the victim's will. A pinnacle geas spell—no one could cast it without overwhelming superiority, but its effects were unparalleled.
"Kikikkit. Knew you had tricks. Order: Ishtar, escort me quietly to Earth. No funny business harming me."
"Understood."
Ishtar opened the Dimensional Gap, compelled like puppet strings yanked her limbs.
"Nice nice. Descend to Earth under goddess escort? Yeah?"
"Ugh... uuuugh..."
As the Demon King stepped in, she caught the hero's sobs.
Worried about his home's doom? To Bianca, this has-been hero held zero value—not even decorative.
"Ishtar. Kill that ragdoll. Noisy brat."
"Yes, underst— No! Demon King Bianca! Please... revoke that order!"
The hero sobbed pitifully. Ishtar hoisted the Holy Sword Greenbelt—once hers to give him—over her shoulder.
Resistance futile; her trembling body obeyed, primed for murder.
"No! No! Please! This isn't right! Bianca! Stop me!"
"Ugh... uuuugh..."
"Can't you hear, Bianca?! I'll do anything—just not kill the hero with my hands! Pleeeease!!"
"Uuuugh...."
Bianca, sightseeing inside the Gap, ignored the chaos.
Ishtar frothed, battling the tattoo—but Greenbelt arced down, cleaving the hero's neck.
Hero Hayato's head tumbled across the floor.
"Kyaaaaaaaah! Sorry! I'm sorry, Hayato! Hayato! Aaaaah! If only I hadn't summoned you here! Better crushed by a truck! Aaah! Sorry! Sorry! Sorry I'm so pathetic as a goddess!"
"Heeey, Ishtar! Hurry up—open the Earth gate."
"Guhk... Y-Yes."
Kill her. Pierce her heart with this sword now.
"Hero dead?"
"Yes... dead."
"Happy? Say it. Order."
"I'm happy... happy I killed Hayato."
Endure. Greenbelt unleashes true power only for heroes. In my hands, just ordinary steel. Preserve it—for the avenger who'll come. Best tribute to Hayato.
Sorry, Hayato. I'll never forget. Farewell...
Ishtar opened the Earth passage. Blue skies, skyscrapers gleamed.
Western Continent norm: ashen skies, lone tall castle.
"Ooooh! Incredible! Who built those sky-scraping fortresses? Must be mighty! Which Demon King?!"
To Bianca, modern marvels screamed tyrant's flex.
She flapped bat wings, soaring through to Earth.
"Woooow! What is thiiiis!"
Beyond: buildings dwarfing her castle, hundreds packed tight.
People, people—back home, street sightings rare amid demon-hunted burrows.
So many folks? Gotta be strong men for fun.
"Kikikkit! Earth rocks! Aaaaah! Smart move coming!"
"Too optimistic, Queen?"
Mari flapped in, unimpressed.
"No strong vibes yet. Mana feels thin here, no?"
"Does it?"
"No mana on Earth."
Goddess Ishtar floated up anxiously, sealing the Gap. Wingless levitation? Trivial goddess spell.
"No mana? Bullshit? How cast spells?"
"Earthlings can't use magic."
"………"
"………"
Mari and Bianca locked eyes: Get this crap?
Magic sans mana? Absurd. But tattoo-bound Ishtar wouldn't lie. Bianca felt the ambient void herself.
"Huh... No-mana casting? Tough for archmages. Power dips, yeah?"
"Yes... Even you, Demon King, will struggle here."
Maybe her downfall, Ishtar thought, surveying ahead.
Goddess databank inferred locale.
"This... Asia, probably. China. Not capital, but bustling—over 3 million souls... Huh?"
"3 million?! Ripiore Kingdom size? Big nation?"
"Tiny slice of China's total. But you... why reaching skyward... hand..."
Bianca glanced up—horrorstruck.
Monster succubus prepping Meteor Impact in mana-void.
"What madness, Demon King!"
"Huh? Greeting?"
"Population hub—ancient spell, people—!"
"Meteor Impact!!"
No observatory warning: thousands of meteors pelted like hail. Bustling city? Barren wasteland, not a blade of grass. Zero survivors—unaware of death itself.
Pompeii: day for volcano. Here: 5 seconds to oblivion.
"Kyaaaaah! Impossible! What have you done! 3 million dead! 3 million!"
"China kaput? Yeah, Meteor Impact nerfed."
Bianca's math: 3M = empire pop. 1.3 billion? Faint city.
Ishtar wept for absurdly slain lives—no bandwidth for Earth 101.
"Sniff... S-Sorry, everyone. So sorry!"
"Hey, quit bawling. Magic's glitchy—pissing me off."
Glitchy? Duh! No mana!
Mages draw ambient mana; Earth void should nullify all. Yet she dumped elite spell casually—nerfed, she gripes.
Mana-rich like home? Whole China—1.3 billion—wiped instant.
Who beats this beast? Earth has hero stock, no mages. Canon: summon, train. Demon King direct raid? Off-script insanity.
"So? No strong here... Where's my fun guy?"
None! Talent needs mana bloom! Goddess brokers for reason! Aaah... fix this? She'll slaughter unsatisfied—doom loop.
"Hey, Ishtar! Strong man where?!"
"W-Well..."
"No maps! Raze cities till found?!"
"N-Not but..."
"You got hero-radar, right? For spotting studs. Pinpoint! Why drag you?"
"B-But..."
"Dawdle, I nuke planet!"
"Got it! W-Wait, please!"
Ishtar gripped staff, eyes shut. Futile focus: scan hero auras.
No miracle noob beats her untrained.
"Hey! Eter-nal?!"
"J-Just... s-searching."
"Too slow! Scheming? Scamming?!"
No strong sans mana. Earth mere Gap bait.
"...Hey, Ishtar. Done stalling? You first?"
"Earth vaster than West—radar lags..."
"Lame excuse. You dead, Earthlings next, homebound."
"Wait ju—Huh?"
Pondering rage-quell, life-save—radar pinged mana spike.
"Huh? What?"
"What? Stall, DIE!"
Hellflame roared in palm—real deal.
Ishtar blinked, stunned.
"What is this?"
"Spill!"
"Insane mana... Impossible? Huh?"
"What? Strong guy? Found?!"
"Kinda... but."
Talent trains with mana. Earth impossible.
Yet radar screamed absurd mana.
"Impossible? Bugged? Never... but two years back on Earth..."
"Whatever—strong dude? Go go! Where?!"
"That way..."
Childlike glee, Bianca huffed. Ishtar pointed radar-way on reflex.
"That? Sweet! Fly!"
"That way... southeast, 10km... Korea."
——The Demon King rent the skies, hurtling supersonic toward Kim Hoyoung's home.