Chapter: 192
The purple Tower Master of the Magic Tower, the Grand Mage Violet Iris, initiated her move.
===============================================================
The abode of the Succubus Queen, a debaucherous paradise for information life forms chasing pleasure known as “Nest.”
All members of “Nest” were inebriated with pleasure, awaiting the day our white queen would bestow upon them their next delight, like a drug addict led by their broker.
But an anomaly has arrived. A chilling sensation looms over them.
Fwoooosh…
The worker succubi, gasping under the queen’s dominion as they sucked magical energy from human souls, looked up at the sky with a newfound awareness of a feeling they hadn’t experienced in a long time.
At first, they were startled. The sensation was so long forgotten and confusing, they could barely comprehend it.
What could this be?
Their hearts raced, beads of sweat flowed, their muscles tensed completely, and they trembled uncontrollably. What sort of feeling was this?
Some mistook it for an orgasm. But no. It was similar yet entirely different—a primal sensation that prickled and resonated from deep within, truly terrifying.
Crunch. Crack.
A sound akin to the sky itself shattering filled the air.
A massive crack appeared in the shell of a world woven from the minds of countless people, shocking the dreaming spirits into shrieks as they took to the air.
But where could they flee? The sky was collapsing.
Through the gaping fissure, a pair of eyes appeared.
A colossal purple eye, swirling with dark emotions from the interior, quietly gazed into the inner sanctum of the model garden. Oh-so-slowly.
When the persistent gaze brushed past, the dream spirits found themselves unable to breathe.
“Give it back.”
Though the giant whispered those words softly as it shattered the shell, it echoed loudly enough for anyone to hear.
“Give it back, give it back…”
Crack crack. Mixed with that faint sound, the escalating cry reverberated through “Nest.” The pitch-black emotions started to pool beneath a glass vessel, bit by bit.
Cold sweat dripped down the dream spirits’ skins as they crouched low, trying desperately to avoid detection. Yet, they knew… they had no escape.
They understood. Finally, they realized what they were feeling was none other than fear.
Even with their blissfully melting brains, it was apparent—their very bodies triggered a vivid alarm of imminent death.
Everyone felt it. The calamity was approaching.
The moment that fragile glass dam shattered, that creature’s wrath would sweep through “Nest.” They had to stop it. But how?
“I’ll give you anything. I’ll give you whatever you want.” The panicked dream spirits offered up their most prized possessions.
They plucked the tortured human souls from their depths and reverently held them skyward. Even severed their cherished rings finger by finger in a desperate attempt to appease.
Yet, the disappointment reflected in that eye did not seem to diminish. Then, at some moment. Crunch.
The giant burst into tears, wailing.
“Ahhhhhhh… give it back! Give it back! Give it back—!!”
Crack-a-boom—!!
A beam of light descended from the sky, igniting the corrupted world in flames. Hundreds of threads of “Subtraction” shot from the outside, obliterating ground, buildings, sky, souls—everything in their path.
“Wahhhhh!!”
“It’s gone! Something’s disappeared!”
“I-I don’t know how to move! Someone, take me with you…!”
Information was swept away and obliterated. Numerous dream spirits, their very essence deleted, crumbled and died. “Nest” itself began to fissure and tear apart, disintegrating into nothingness.
About ten seconds elapsed.
Using the entrance to “Nest” situated within the Third Prince’s head as a backdoor, the purple Tower Master unleashed a massive information assault—completely erasing about 40% of the Nest.
The queen chuckled sarcastically.
“Ha, ha… So you believed in this monster, did you? Dear Mima.”
Investing about 90% of her consciousness into consuming glass and a mad mage, the queen hastily redistributed her focus to deal with the grand disaster occurring in her territory.
5 to 5.
Then, she tightly squeezed and extracted the stored human souls, feverishly weaving spells. Drawing power from the Evil God, she attempted to prevent the catastrophe. Swish…
From the surface of “Nest,” a bubbling black tar pit formed and erupted. Black pillars jetted upward like geysers against “Subtraction.”
Simultaneously, she sealed “Nest.” Closing off all entrances, patching the shattered sky, and driving back the attacking purple Tower Master.
While this operation was underway…
A raiding party descended from the crack in the sky and landed into “Nest.”
And a girl, sporting a pair of goat horns atop her head, casually stood up, her arms crossed, sporting an utterly disgruntled expression. She did not look pleased at all.
“…Who do you think I am? You expect me to obey just because you ordered me to ‘save the mad mage’? What’s so special about that crazy dude anyway, huh?”
The fragment of the Evil God, a mere 7%, known as Espoir—referred to as ‘Evil God-chan’—ambled through the informational hell where “Subtraction” and “Heroine” collided.
Along the way, she casually devoured a couple of fleeing succubi and contemplated taking a hearty bite out of some rolling human souls… but stopped short. She imagined the beating she’d receive if she got caught.
The mad mage had warned her about losing her chastity if she made a major mistake next time.
It wasn’t that she didn’t care.
To maintain some semblance of her dignity, she would consider negotiating at least a bit. And besides, she wasn’t there to save the mad mage. She had come to torment the Succubus Queen.
That action just happened to assist in the mad mage’s escape.
Casually trotting along, she arrived at a vantage point that provided a perfect view of the white queen, who was barely holding off the onslaught from the purple Tower Master with limited resources.
Evil God-chan waved cheerfully.
“Well, it’s been ages since we last met… hasn’t it?”
“Oh dear, what a pretty one you are. But I feel like we haven’t technically met. Are you by any chance an acquaintance of Mima? Here to help him escape?”
“Mima… Ugh. Don’t tell me… you like that guy? How ridiculous.”
The being that made it her business to tease intellectual life forms, Evil God-chan, still discerned the queen’s erratic behavior from her keen perception.
That shouldn’t be. She was designed to avoid unnecessary emotions.
Tsk.
Maybe she’d held out some hopes. If the mad mage managed to unleash the Evil God’s essence after being cornered, it might have led to something interesting.
But those hopes quickly deflated. If the opponent was a fool who laid bare all weaknesses… the outcome was clear. The mad mage would win.
“That’s enough. I’m the idiot who hoped for something.”
“…?”
“It’s obvious you wouldn’t recognize me. I’ve had some… foreign substance mixed in with my data… Right? But don’t worry. I devoured quite a few on the way here, so I have enough resources.”
It’s possible she could partially regain her original form.
Although her true self was sealed within the mad mage’s head, the source of her power still existed in the outer world. That those black mages could wield the Evil God’s power as evidence.
Thus, even if fragmented, Evil God-chan was still the Evil God herself. There’s no way she couldn’t access her power. She can connect and draw it forth.
As her skin transformed, dragon scales emerged. The mutation stopped at her arms, but the dark, glistening scales caused the queen’s eyes to widen in surprise.
She understood. That girl was a portion of the Evil God that those black mages sought after! But how had such a powerful being ended up in such a state?
The queen clapped her hands, laughing brightly.
“Aha… so my fate has yet to lift its shadow. How amusing. A piece of the Evil God, in such a pitiful state!”
“Shut it, you whore.”
“I’m not the same as before. I’ve gained the power you left behind, so I won’t be swayed or controlled any longer. I’ll toy with someone as weakened as you and devour you!”
“You pathetic prototype.”
Swish swoosh swoosh!
Dialogue proved pointless. Two wicked beings, solely interested in taunting and dissing each other, didn’t engage in a productive conversation. The sound of scales clashing against blades resonated.
The strength contained within the dragon scales summoned was raw power.
The potential to significantly increase computational speed and spell casting speed. While the Evil God’s toolkit contained myriad grotesque powers, the one who wielded those tools was the true determinant of their efficacy.
If one had the right physicality, no need for ridiculous fairy tales. That’s why the mad mage was strong. A real anomaly.
As the Evil God’s fragment exuded an impressive aura, the queen’s focus split once more. Five to keep at bay the Tower Master, two to fend off the fragment of the Evil God, and three to swallow the mad mage.
Evil God-chan grinned slyly.
She was the one who had willingly stepped into the enemy’s home turf, surrounded by traps aplenty. Just a little balancing act, and it would all end. The mad mage will handle the rest.
Before the battle began, both of them laughed at each other.
“Created toys must mind their masters and perish. Die.”
“I can’t wait to find out what the Evil God tastes like. I’m really looking forward to it. Muahahaha…”
Zoom. She lunged forward. And then…
Crackle-crash—!!
The scales and gears collided.
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It trembled. The pitch-black swamp shivered.
Control slipped away, and the pressure they’d felt noticeably lightened. The anticipated opportunity had arrived before they were melted away.
As I prepared the extra module, I stretched my body. Yuli Lanster did the same, getting ready for battle.
“Is your mind ready?”
“Yes, it’s beating vigorously.”
“…Alright, when we go out. You’re living for you and for us. I’ll use my wish against the Second Prince and hire you as my exclusive maid.”
“I’ll take care of all three meals and bathing, so don’t you worry. You should prepare your confession line.”
I had already prepared for it. There were too many people I had to teach a lesson with a confession attack. Even the Succubus Queen was slated to be dealt with by confession.
The black swamp had been the queen’s camouflage, from which she couldn’t dream of escaping. But now, with her consciousness significantly dispersed from the assault… things were different.
If I had even the minimal resources, I could break through.
But that minimal resource was currently absent.
Reluctant to use it, yet given my completely exhausted and melted state, I had no choice. If I wanted to create the minimum capital needed to sit at the betting table, I’d have to sacrifice something.
I considered using memories as fuel. Low-priority memories, like those from a martial arts session, to glean some resources.
“Mage!”
“Yeah?”
From the sky, something dropped with a thud—a scale.
It was a piece I felt oddly familiar with in several ways. Picking it up, I carefully scrutinized it, detecting the scent of our dear Espoir from Eternal Dark.
It was loaded with tightly packed information too. Upon inspecting the structured data, it seemed to have been pressed from some passing worker succubus.
Had Hi-Young-Hyun joined the mad mage’s rescue operation? And… had he even sent data here for me to use, finding the passage connected from “Nest”?
Why was this guy doing something nice all of a sudden?
Sure. Once outside, I’ll gladly erase the intermittent cat-like behavior I had been pretending. I crushed the scale in my hands. My melted body partially recovered.
It wouldn’t completely restore me to full condition with just the information of one dream spirit, but it would be enough to push through. After all, I had the reliable Pinkvalez by my side.
I stepped onto a specific point of the swamp.
And, in one swift motion, turned it upside down—whirling the world clockwise by half a rotation. The sky becomes the ground, and the ground becomes the sky. The sticky, black rain that once fell from above now surged from below.
Since it was flipped, it naturally plummeted with the rain.
When I opened my eyes in that fleeting moment of dreamlike transition…
Yuli and I stood upon an expanse of pure white space, stretching far to the horizon. Before us stood the queen— the “Pleasure Drinking Virgin.”
“Oh my, you look a bit ragged.”
“Sweetheart, I’m here. Did you wait long?”
“Hehe… is that a seduction tactic?”
“Who knows, maybe it’s sincere. You were the child I loved, Yuli. I’m a little confused.”
Not that confused at all. Did I think I’d fall in love with a woman like that?
Of course, it was an empty compliment, and both she and I knew it. Yet, there was value in uttering it. To make use of the opponent’s abilities.
I had heard from Pinkvalez. Succession and sublimation, “Cogs: Heroine,” I believe.
If that acted on a scale where the entire world became the stage, then once the queen stepped down from the GM seat and became an actor, she would also be influenced.
Thus, she likely still harbored the infatuation for Yuli Lanster, which was merely a “weakness.” She is, after all, a heroine!
Therefore, it would be best for me to play the gentleman. In a way that would please the audience watching the theater, appearing as the leading man.
“…Let us go now, Queen! I don’t want to fight you. You don’t either, do you?”
“…”
The queen’s expression subtly altered. She sank, perhaps feeling unease. She briefly closed her eyes before opening them again, smiling.
“Right now, I’m a bit disoriented. I heard from the fragment of the Evil God that it’s all in your head… Very intriguing indeed.”
“Mm.”
“I can’t say I grasp your actions, Mima. If we were to have a quiet cup of tea and think it over… maybe I could figure out your plans. However, I doubt you’d grant me the time, you genius.”
And so…
The queen resolved her offense.
“I’m out of time and rather busy right now. So, I’ll focus on putting you back to sleep. Don’t be too sad about it, alright, Mima?”
“It’s coming, Pinkvalez!”
“Succession Sublimation—‘Cogs: Heroine.’”
Click.
Click-click-click—!!
In an instant, it enveloped us. A massive hand grasped the very essence of this space, an immense gravitational pull pushed us forward. The first encounter was a disorienting optical command.
Whoosh, and my field of vision distorted. My eyes began to move on their own whims. Attention was drawn to strange places.
I intended to cover that with an all-directional information gathering.
What the heck, let it be. You can direct my eyes anywhere beneath you. However, as long as I can discern the vibrations and shadows at my feet, I can read the queen’s movement. That’s good enough, right?
Thud-thud-thud.
Yuli and I dashed forward simultaneously. I shared real-time information with her through our “tails,” so even if she closed her eyes, she could still aim accurately for the queen.
In the midst of approaching, a second wave arrived.
“Heroine: The Poison that Melts Hearts.”
A power that melts human hearts, stirring chaos. That ability had once turned Yuli Lanster into a sleeping beauty.
“…It’s the first dress rehearsal, Pinkvalez! Let’s combine!”
“Don’t get too excited; just trigger it already!”
“Got it.”
The heart, pristine.
And that heart to Yuli.
I colored her soul. When the soul changes, it also manifests in the body. A white dot appeared in the center of Yuli Lanster’s eyes. Eyes, after all, are the windows to the soul.
Clang clang clang—!!
I could hear the sound of chains.
Yet, it was the opposite. Rather than a locking sound, it was one of liberation. Unraveling all the constricted emotions, allowing the recoil to block the mental interference—Metamorphic Transformation.
“‘White: Liberation of True Desires’!”
Shwing!
Anger, joy, sadness, all emotions swelled. Humans experience emotional limits. Having filled the heart, there’s no place for any false affection to intrude!
“…Huh?”
A surge of bubbling affection passed by. Yet, we broke through it. No room to be toyed with by such fakes!
Now, we were within ten steps of the queen.
What I could glean from prior info stopped here. The next phase would require improvisation. Though the queen had few cards left, if we could knock her down with this, the fight would end.
“So, are we ready for the next step? ♥”
Right, there’s no way it would unravel so easily.
“‘Heroine: Wedding March.’”
…and the third wave arrives!
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