Ch.1Monster Rush (1)

Clop-clop. Clop-clop.

The sound of hooves, which I’d only heard through games or the internet, now reached my ears directly.

Not just that, but the creaking of an old carriage, the sound of wheels rolling on a dirt road, and even the vibrations that came with it.

Unfamiliar sensations that I’d never experienced in my daily life continued to flow through all five senses.

“……”

The strange sensations weren’t just coming from outside but from my own body as well.

It felt as if new parts had grown on my body—unfamiliar sensations extended from my back and buttocks.

I focused on these newly emerged sensations and tried to move them forward as much as possible to identify what they were.

When I did, demonic wings and a tail came into my view.

‘Well, this isn’t my body.’

Not just the wings and tail, but the porcelain-like skin and delicate arms—nothing reminded me of my own body.

What on earth is going on?

Questions arose in my head about this incomprehensible situation, but unfortunately, no answers came to mind.

So I changed the nature of the questions in my head.

What was I doing most recently?

There are no effects without causes in this world.

So naturally, there must be a reason why I’m in this situation now.

I began to carefully trace back my last memories.

I was sitting in front of my computer playing a game.

My long-nurtured character had died, and I was trying to create a new one. In the process, I got screwed over and smashed my monitor.

At the same time, I witnessed the bizarre phenomenon of space breaking apart, heard an unknown voice saying the world was beginning, and then lost consciousness.

And when I regained consciousness, I was in this state.

Organizing it made everything seem even stranger, but it allowed me to reach one conclusion.

The meaningful sound I heard just before losing consciousness.

And though I hadn’t seen my face yet, the appearance that matched the character I had last created.

A conclusion I would never have considered under normal circumstances.

It seems I’ve been reincarnated into the game character I created.

And if I really had entered the game, I didn’t have much time. I needed to prepare for the “first event.”

Clink. Clink.

The problem was that chains were fastened around my neck and both wrists, making it impossible to move properly.

‘Damn it… of all things, I start as a slave…!!’

I’ve said it many times, but this game is garbage. Especially since most things are random except for the main framework, the early-game variance is even greater.

Someone might draw a prince of a kingdom in the random selection and get an amazing start.

But someone else might start as a slave captured by slave traders.

And unfortunately, I was the unlucky one this time.

‘I wasn’t even hoping for nobility, I would’ve been satisfied with just a mercenary start..!’

My blood pressure rose at this second instance of bad luck following my race selection, but I couldn’t waste time on that now.

‘Location, where am I?’

With my immobilized body, I stuck my face out of the carriage as much as possible to look around. Gradually, the surrounding scenery came into view.

Densely grown purple trees. Red light visible between the tree trunks.

It was a landscape I’d seen before, albeit through game graphics. And it was also one I didn’t want to see right now.

“Is this place…”

“Delon’s Forest. The edge of the Demon Territory.”

One of the two slave traders sitting in front interrupted my despairing mutter, finishing my sentence.

“You’ve been sleeping all this time. Did you want to see your homeland one last time?”

His mocking words showed he completely misunderstood my thoughts. He probably thought my despair came from the fact that we were about to leave the Demon Territory.

Little did he know what was about to happen to him.

“Tsk, no fun.”

He tried to taunt me a few more times after that, but when I consistently ignored him, he quickly lost interest.

Instead, he started talking with the other slave trader sitting beside him.

“A virgin Succubus—now that’s premium merchandise. Hey, rookie, how much do you think she’ll fetch?”

“Huh? The Succubus? I think maybe a few dozen gold coins…”

The subject of their conversation was my price.

“Haha! Just a few dozen gold coins? No way, it’s much more than that. If we find the right customer, we could get a hundred platinum coins.”

“A… a hundred platinum coins..!”

I quietly listened to their conversation. Not because I was interested in my price.

I was simply gathering useful information and looking for a way to overcome this situation.

“Is… is she really worth that much?”

And I was able to find a solution quickly.

“Of course. Considering the Succubus race, virgins are especially hard to find.”

“I… I see.”

I could clearly see lust in the rookie’s eyes as he swallowed and looked at me.

It was an extremely unpleasant gaze, but I didn’t avoid it. Instead, I responded with a flirtatious smile.

“What, you want her? Want to embrace her once?”

“N-no, sir..!”

As if snapping out of a trance, the rookie who had been staring blankly at my smile quickly averted his gaze, but that was enough.

“That’s right. You shouldn’t dream beyond your station.”

“Yes… I understand…”

The rookie’s eyes were clearly dazed as he responded to the man’s words.

With this, all preparations were complete. Now I just had to wait for the right moment. And that wait wouldn’t be long.

“Phew…”

Perhaps because I felt I had made all possible preparations, the excessive tension in my body seemed to release with my breath.

‘A moderate amount of tension is good.’

I couldn’t completely relax. But too much tension wasn’t good either.

While waiting for the right moment, I continued to check the rookie’s condition, wondering if the charm I had cast might have worn off.

‘I wasn’t sure if it would work, but fortunately it did.’

Enchantment, one of the racial traits of a Succubus. It’s the ability to bewitch and control others.

Some might think it’s an overpowered ability, but that’s not necessarily the case.

It’s actually a troublesome ability that’s difficult to use if the target has strong willpower or feels no sexual attraction toward you.

‘On top of that, it’s a flawed skill that consumes a lot of magical power while having a short duration.’

Additionally, my talent was fixed on swords due to my characteristics, which further reduced the efficiency of enchantment.

But for now, this was enough.

The target, being an inexperienced slave trader, had many vulnerabilities, and my enchantment was more effective than I had expected.

‘Could there be a hidden trait?’

It happens occasionally.

Characters that start with hidden traits after meeting certain conditions.

I only questioned the unusually effective enchantment for a moment.

‘I’ll check it later when I get the chance.’

Now it’s time to do what needs to be done.

Awoooooo—-!!

The howling of Demonic Wolves can be heard from far away.

At that sound, the horses that had been walking vigorously freeze in place.

Noticing this anomaly, the slave trader quickly draws his sword and begins to guard against the Demonic Wolves surrounding them.

“Demonic Wolves! Prepare yourselves!”

Judging by his quick wit and swift actions, he seemed like he might have been a successful mercenary in the past.

If the rookie had been half as competent as him, my escape plan would have fallen apart.

“Come to me, rookie.”

But fortunately, the rookie wasn’t.

Confused by the sudden situation, the rookie is drawn by my voice and walks toward me.

“You dare…!!”

“Do you have time to worry about me?”

The slave trader noticed my actions, but he was too busy guarding against the pack of Demonic Wolves to interfere with me.

Thanks to that, I could carry out my plan relatively smoothly.

I wrapped the chains connected to my arms around the rookie’s neck as he approached and applied pressure.

“Kuk… kkeok…”

Along with a cracking sound, the rookie’s pain-filled groan was heard.

I ignored it.

As time passed, the rookie’s pain-filled struggles intensified.

He tried to scratch at the chains strangling his neck with his hands. He twisted his entire body and thrashed about.

My body shook along with his struggles.

It felt like his will to live was being transmitted through his entire body. But I couldn’t stop here either.

So I turned a blind eye.

As more time passed, his struggles gradually diminished.

Then, with a slump, his body went completely limp as his breath was cut off, and only then could I release my grip.

“Haa… haa…”

The sensation of extinguishing a life with my own hands was truly the worst.

Nevertheless, I can’t stop. I have no intention of stopping here and dying.

Thud.

The rookie’s body, released from my hands with a bright red mark on his neck, collapsed on the floor of the carriage.

The slave trader who heard the sound glared at me as if he wanted to kill me, but he couldn’t take any further action.

He seemed quite busy swinging his sword in the midst of the approaching Demonic Wolves.

“There are quite a lot of Demonic Wolves. If you want to kill me, give it your best shot.”

No, he absolutely had to give it his best.

The first fixed event and tutorial that you can experience just 10 minutes after starting the game.

The Monster Rush has only just begun.