The Request (To Break Him)

“Oh, anytime.”

My first official meeting with Yoo Yi-jun as ‘Yoo.’

He sat at the bar, looking to the side. The faint scent of blood and a sharp aura clung to him. A glint seemed to flash from between his narrowed eyes.

From a distance, he’d been staggering, but up close, he was chillingly composed.

David had said he’d been drugged, but had it really worked?

The staggering was just an act.

I was close enough to see that the plan had gone awry. Oh well.

I sat on the chair he politely pulled out for me.

“Care for a drink?”

“I’d love one.”

Yoo Yi-jun ordered skillfully, all while pretending to be drunk.

“How have you been?”

It was a simple question. Just asking how he was doing these days. Nothing more.

What about business between our organizations? The confidentiality agreement prevented me from doing anything about that. I was just asking after his well-being, nothing else.

“Things are going well. Having someone as beautiful as you around seems to have brought me good luck.”

“That’s good to hear.”

Silence.

The air felt strangely cold.

Yoo Yi-jun took his lips from his glass and spoke with a slight smile.

“So, you’re a succubus, I hear?”

Ah.

“…”

“I knew there was something… unique about you.”

It seemed he’d learned about me while gathering his own information. If the plan to trap him with a succubus had been exposed, it was only natural he’d know that the person coming for him was one.

“Wow, if I hadn’t known, I would have fallen for it completely, wouldn’t I? Then again, you’re still my type, even now that I know.”

“…”

“So, how many hours until you go home?”

“Probably… three hours? I was planning to stay for at least three hours before heading home.”

“Aha, three hours.”

I’d been asked to keep him occupied for three hours or more. The pay for that was 100 million won per hour.

Not that I expected to receive it now.

“Yes. Three hours. Is there anywhere you need to be before then?”

“We don’t have to go anywhere, but we can if you want to make things more convincing.”

It seemed his business was already taken care of. That’s why he could sit here so leisurely, drinking at a bar.

More silence.

“I don’t mind.”

“Pardon?”

“Who you are. To be honest, I wasn’t harmed in any way.”

…Right, I hadn’t drained any of his Innate Vital Energy.

“Is that so?”

“Yes. And now that I know you’re a succubus, all your past actions make sense.”

“…”

“Well then, shall we get going?”

“…”

“Don’t you hate this suffocating atmosphere?”

Yoo Yi-jun smiled.

*

“To think you hid the fact that you’re a succubus from me so well.”

“You’re the one who approached me first.”

“True. If I really hadn’t known, I would’ve been completely wrapped around your finger. Then again, maybe I would have let you, even if I knew.”

After leaving the bar, we staggered toward the motel district before suddenly ducking away. I was in the arms of Yoo Yi-jun, who had activated a stealth skill. We slipped right past the person who’d been watching us.

“I had a rough idea, but… it was a surprisingly meticulous plan.”

Yoo Yi-jun met my eyes.

“I probably could have gotten out of it one way or another… but thanks to someone, it was much easier.”

“Glad to hear it.”

“So, is there anything you want? I have to pay you for your trouble.”

“I’ll tell you over messenger. Right now… as you can see, it’s difficult.”

In Seo A-gyeol’s body, the words got stuck in my throat. It was probably because the information was related to a ‘secret,’ violating the confidentiality agreement.

“Still, I’m glad you’re not as upset as I thought you’d be.”

“Hm?”

“The last time we saw each other. I thought that might be the end of it.”

He meant when the truth about his profession was exposed.

Indeed… if things hadn’t gotten so twisted, that probably would have been the case.

“But hearing you’re a succubus was actually a relief.”

“Why?”

“You’ll come back to me, won’t you?”

“…There are plenty of men out there.”

“Usually, with these kinds of traits, the stronger the other person is, the more you gain. I bet it’s the same for a succubus, right?”

“These kinds of traits?”

“Like vampires, that sort of thing. The kind that takes something like blood from others. Am I wrong?”

“…You’re not wrong.”

“Exactly.”

Yoo Yi-jun lightly poked my cheek.

“And here I thought I was the only one being led on.”

“What?”

“I thought I was the only one left wanting, but you needed something from me, too. This means I won’t be the only one getting dragged along.”

“Think whatever you want.”

“Hey, don’t be so grumpy.”

“Where are we going?”

“Who knows? If you want… we could go to the place where all the fireworks are happening right now. But are you sure? You seem to be having trouble speaking as it is.”

“…Are you sure you don’t need to be there?”

“Yeah. In fact, things will go more… smoothly if I’m not around.”

“If you say so.”

Chu-

Yoo Yi-jun suddenly gave me a light kiss.

I glared at him with a ‘what was that for’ expression.

“The more I see you, the more I realize you have a surprisingly kind side. If you ignore the whole succubus thing, that is.”

“I am kind.”

“An unregistered Awakener can’t afford to be. Of course, that might just be your lack of experience talking.”

“And just because I’m a succubus, do I have to go around sleeping with everyone like they do on the internet?”

“Some of them do.”

“…”

What’s with the average succubus…

Then again, I’ve had moments lately where I’ve lost control myself…

“Don’t worry. Looking back, A-gyeol, you were an excellent succubus.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Nothing special. Just that you were excellent.”

“…”

“Anyway, I was surprised. I didn’t know a succubus could have Enhancement-type skills.”

“Really? Other succubi don’t have them?”

“Succubi usually have Magic-type traits or skills, specifically Mental-type…”

I do have a few of those.

…And those are the skills I use most often as a succubus.

Lately, I haven’t been using ‘Body Enhancement,’ which is classified as an Enhancement skill. I’ve only been using the skills from my ‘Devil’s Temptation’ trait. I just fell into the habit of using only those.

In that sense, maybe it’s not a stereotype after all…

“…So, where are we going?”

“Just… an ambush?”

“Huh?”

“I forgot to mention it, but could you help me with an ambush? I think you can pull your own weight.”

“Suddenly?”

“What, did you think we were going to a motel? How very succubus of you.”

When I glared at him, Yoo Yi-jun just grinned slyly.

“Just kidding. This isn’t the time to be so relaxed. If you help, there’ll be a reward, of course. What do you say, deal?”

“…If it’s something I can do.”

“I’ll even give you some Essense when we’re done.”

Thump-

Why did he have to be so cheeky and get himself flicked on the head?

*

Just as Yoo Yi-jun had said, people came rushing into the alley where I was waiting. He’d told me this route led to the enemy organization’s headquarters and that I should block it here, then he went somewhere else.

Judging by the state of the people coming this way, they’d been thoroughly toyed with.

Thankfully, a look at their faces confirmed that David’s organization was cut from the same cloth as Yoo Yi-jun’s.

With a much lighter heart—

CRACK—!

My ‘Body Enhancement’ skill, with my horns manifested, was level 12. On top of that was the additional effect of Strength +40%.

This ‘flow,’ which I hadn’t felt in a long time, was so refreshing.

With just a slight twist of my waist—whoosh—a powerful current of magic flowed through my body, automatically revealing the principles of explosive power.

Even when I threw light punches, crack! crunch!, the force gathered from my waist, or even lower, was enough to expose bone at the very least.

My methods might seem a bit cruel, but Yoo Yi-jun said he’d cover for me, so it was fine. In fact, he’d asked me to be as brutal as possible. More importantly, I wasn’t used to it yet, so my control was…

Maybe I should ask Yoo Yi-jun to teach me.

As I was listening to the whoosh of the wind and savoring the feeling of bones shattering, a familiar voice called out.

“A succubus?”

My head snapped toward the sound.

“David?”

It was David. His clothes were disheveled and soaked in blood, but it didn’t seem to be his own, as his movements and the flow of his magic were unhindered.

“What is this, ha! You treacherous bitch—”

“Then you shouldn’t have been so condescending. Oh, and thanks for the Succubus Queen’s Blood. It was delicious.”

“You fucking bitch! Tom! Front line!”

With a thudding sound, a muscular giant appeared and charged at me the moment he arrived. Behind him, David drew his bow, a glowing arrow at his fingertips—

“Shoot.”

“Kuaargh—! David!”

“A mistake. In front of you!”

‘Devil’s Whisper,’ which had reached level 13 with my horns manifested. I had whispered it just before the arrow, aimed at me from behind Tom, was loosed.

The price for that moment of carelessness, for looking back, was—

“Gyaaaaaaaah—!!”

A farewell to his family jewels.

The intense flow of magic that shot from my thigh to my toes in an instant, at the tip of my fist, accelerated to incredible speeds by both that flow and the principles of explosive power, I felt the crunching sensation of Tom’s two balls.

I’m not a man. There was no way I’d show that kind of consideration. In truth, I didn’t know what might happen, so I just hit whatever I could.

“You bitch!”

CRACK—!

I smashed my fist into the jaw of David, who was either furious or just plain stupid.

Shouldn’t he have bolted the instant Tom’s balls were crushed right in front of him? Or was he unable to?

Either way, with his lower jaw shattered, he couldn’t choose anything now.

“Hello, David.”

“Y-uh, ou fukkin’ bih—”

“That’s right! Fucking bitch?”

“Haelp, uhhhhh…!”

“Hold on a second.”

Thwack—!

I landed another punch on the jaw of the crumpled Tom. He went out cold.

“David, I didn’t expect to see you here.”

“Hngh…! Haelp, heee… ghh!”

Truthfully, this alley was what you’d call an ambiguous shortcut. A place you were forced to take, the long way around, when all the other shortcuts were blocked. That’s why Yoo Yi-jun had assured me it would be no big deal, but the result was a flood of them.

In the end, though, it really wasn’t a big deal for me.

I never knew I was this strong.

“Guh…” “Huuuhk…” “Cough!”

…Yoo Yi-jun can really cover for this, right?

“Do you happen to have any more of that Succubus Queen’s Blood? Sorry, don’t answer that.”

David glared at me with bloodshot eyes.

If he didn’t like it, he shouldn’t have been so arrogant. It was so satisfying to see him groveling on the ground, only able to glare, after acting so high and mighty, like he was my master.

Awakeners have to be humble in places like this, even if they aren’t elsewhere.

‘Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split open.’

The reason civilized people don’t get their heads split open is thanks to the various systems of society. But in the age of Gates, those systems are not developed enough to manage all these vast otherworlds. No, they may never be.

Therefore, if an Awakener is rude, they could have their head split open and be dumped in some dark corner of a gate without anyone ever knowing. They must always be humble and polite.

Especially when they rely solely on the power of their organization and act cocky toward an Awakener who is actually stronger than them.

Like the man in front of me.

“You’ve really made a mess of things.”

“Agh, you scared me.”

Yoo Yi-jun had entered the alley at some point. Just as you’d expect from an Awakener with stealth skills, he appeared and disappeared like a ghost. His body was also drenched in blood.

“Not my blood. Don’t worry.”

“I wasn’t.”

You’re A+-rank, after all.

“But can you really cover for all this?”

“Yeah. There were no civilian casualties, and no one wants to get involved in this kind of thing. It’ll just be written off as a brawl or something.”

“That’s a relief.”

“Anyway, you’ve definitely gotten stronger, haven’t you? I didn’t expect you to do this well. I heard they were all being funneled here, so I rushed over, worried.”

“I guess so. I didn’t know I was this strong either.”

“Well, anyway, good work.”

“So, is it all over?”

“Pretty much. There’s nothing left for you and me to do. Just think about what you want for your reward.”

“Oh? What’s the budget you had in mind?”

“Just tell me what you want first. I’ll decide after I hear it.”

Yi-jun, I thought, I can see that fiercely burning white flame of yours.

I opened my mouth and gave Yoo Yi-jun the answer he most wanted to hear.