Ch.281281. Lust (1)

The method I chose to deal with that gang causing trouble in this village was to petrify them with a basilisk’s magical eye and bury them in a cave.

Since I’d be using the magical eye of a high-ranking Basilisk Lord, not just an ordinary basilisk, I estimated it would take about 300 years for their petrification to wear off and for them to suffocate.

Being buried underground for 300 years, unable to do anything until death finally comes, would truly be an agonizing punishment. I considered this punishment quite effective and was about to carry it out when…

“…What on earth is happening?”

The series of events that unfolded just as I was about to begin the punishment was enough to throw me into complete bewilderment.

A sinister pink aura suddenly leaked from the body of the ringleader and financier of this gang whom I had petrified. It collapsed his physical form and simultaneously reconstructed it into something new.

[—Cut it down!]

Even when I hastily cast a slashing spell, that mass of flesh not only remained completely unmoved, but rather began to distort and transform its shape in a grotesque manner.

Something magical was blocking any interference that might disrupt this transformation. This much was certain, regardless of how the situation might develop.

Therefore, I decided to first evacuate the civilians to somehow address this rapidly deteriorating situation.

‘Nightmare, evacuate that person!’

[Yes!]

“Ugh, aaaaargh—!!”

While having Nightmare evacuate the parent who had lost their child and had come down to the cave with me, I urgently sent a communication to Sophia to relay the situation.

‘So evacuate everyone! At the very least, protect them if you can’t evacuate!’

[Yes! Leave it to me!]

‘Okay, I’ll send my friends too!’

After requesting Sophia to protect the villagers, I sent several animal friends to the surface to help her.

Astra, Lancelot, Gretel, about 40% of the Squeakers. Plus Cretinus and Wonsul.

Having hastily sent them up to prepare for any contingency, I summoned Robo and Kezak and turned my attention toward the transforming body…

‘A gateway… is it?’

The petrified figure that seemed like it would continue transforming endlessly had long since changed into a horrific form that looked like a fantasy-style arch made by dismantling and patching together human parts.

Moreover, these changes were by no means limited to just the one that had transformed into a gateway.

‘And why are those…!’

Things extending from the transformed gateway resembled blood vessels or nervous systems, and they were infecting and transforming surrounding objects like rocks in a similar manner.

-Ting!

Since these things were also somehow deflecting my silently cast slashing spells, the root cause of all this must undoubtedly be some interference from a higher power.

Having clearly sensed and recognized this, I decided to make a bold judgment.

Since the distance between the village and this massive cave was considerable, I determined that collapsing it wouldn’t cause major problems. I planned to use nature magic similar to an earthquake to collapse the cave and bury those things.

Not only could I escape easily enough, but considering that such magic is strongly influenced by the earth’s veins, the risk and return seemed quite reasonable, but…

-…Slither.

The moment I tried to cast nature magic, pink flesh-like substances grew over the cave walls, blocking magical interference and neutralizing my attempt.

‘…What is this, really?’

These phenomena—deflecting the magical interference of a high-level magic user, or nullifying magic altogether—seemed too strange to be accomplished by the lives of a few dozen low-level thugs. Unable to hide my uneasiness, I prepared to use magic to deal with whatever came next…

And that’s when it happened.

The nearby magical energy and mystical forces began to fluctuate violently.

As if desperately rejecting and trying to shake off something, as if having come into contact with something terrible—this violent reaction took over the surroundings.

“…”

Something is coming. Something ominous is approaching this place. Sensing this, I gathered my magical power to intercept enemies with all my might, preparing to cast extreme-level magic at any moment.

And then, as if to confirm these expectations, the world thrust its result before me.

The gateways, which now appeared to have completely merged with the flesh walls, emitted a lewd pink light, and from them began to pour out demons in the form of naked human men and women.

※ ※ ※

Gateways merged with flesh walls, and furthermore, gateways sprouting from flesh walls in obscene shapes, from which poured out demons resembling naked human men and women.

They wore only scraps of cloth that made one wonder if they could truly be called clothing, and their identities were impressive with various attractive appearances… they were Succubi and Incubi.

The commonly known demons who enter dreams to suck out human life force and such.

They are typical humanoid demons who, apart from their revealing clothing, attractive appearances, horns, tails, and small wings, lack any “demonic” characteristics.

They are closer to specialized demons, broadly armed with illusion magic called phantasmagoria, charm/seduction abilities, energy drain capabilities, and special abilities related to dreams.

And such demons surround me from all directions and approach.

[…Hehe.]

[Hahaha….]

Along with laughter like larks chirping, a sweet, enchanting fragrance emanates from their bodies.

It naturally rises from their flesh without conscious effort—what would be at least a passive ability for them.

And I, who could see their true nature, unleashed the power of magic without hiding the contempt and disgust welling up from within me.

-Slash!

With a sound more like cutting through a solid object than flesh, I cleanly sliced through the bodies of those low-level succubi.

-Thud!

Displaying cut surfaces from which milky fluids gushed, those corpses that crashed from the sky to the ground contained not even a hint of aesthetics.

And I, with a hardened expression, reconsidered the current situation.

For such a flashy appearance, only low-level succubi were emerging from the gateways.

Though their numbers were considerable, filling the large cavern from the numerous gateways, they were too crude to cause such an ominous feeling.

Additionally, it was critical that some succubi were escaping through the cave entrance.

[Gregory! It’s terrible! Succubi, succubi are!]

‘Here too! They seem to be leaking from this side!’

[I understand!]

According to Sophia’s urgent message, the succubi that had escaped from this cave were now targeting her, and in my position of needing to sweep away all these repulsive creatures immediately, I couldn’t carelessly chase after them.

At least, given the nature of these creatures appearing without a specific summoner, they would be automatically banished if the gateway was destroyed, but that wasn’t particularly important right now.

‘…These things!’

Mid-level succubi that had begun to appear mixed among them at some point. More annoying opponents than strong ones, they were appearing in waves, making it impossible to focus my attention elsewhere.

“—Corin!”

[Got it!]

Thanks to Corin’s intervention sweeping away the low-level succubi, and the simultaneous assistance of other animal friends, I was able to secure some leeway…

[Wither away, life!]

I used decay magic toward the gateway, whose emitted energy had clearly weakened compared to before, intending to block this passage between the demon realm and our world as the first step in ending all this.

Since its magic nullification had disappeared at some point, I acted with urgency, thinking this opportunity might not come again, but the result was…

‘…Huh?’

Their “gateway” absorbed the magical power composing my incoming spell, and using it as a sacrifice, began to construct some form in this place.

This was a perfect variable that even I hadn’t anticipated. It was the result of a strategy to steal another’s magical power, use it to summon a demon, designate me as the mystical summoner, and ensure it wouldn’t vanish even if the gateway was destroyed.

Of course, I severed the contractual thread extending toward me without hesitation, but nothing particular happened to this contract as a result.

The gateway that had absorbed my magic. It greedily devoured the surrounding magical energy and flesh, forming the shape of a female body covered in pink radiance…

[I am Drakilia. I have manifested in this place as a demon legion commander and Succubus Queen!]

And thus, by declaring her name (not her true name), she completed her full descent into this world.