Chapter 81 Deviation (2)

Words : 1398 Updated : Sep 12th, 2025

"There are a few ways a succubus can use her powers," I said quickly, the words tumbling out as Luna fed me the information in real-time. "First, she makes people feel lust toward her, like she just did. Second, she drags out unwanted sexual desires and throws them in your face. For the first one, you two are fine," I added, glancing at Rachel and Cecilia. "For the second... you'll need to neutralize it. The best way to do that is to make it not secret or unwanted. Yell it out! Make it something you don't care about!" Rachel's face turned a shade of red I'd never seen before, and Cecilia's eyebrow twitched with something halfway between amusement and horror. But I didn't give them time to respond. I propelled myself forward, the silver aura around my sword flaring as I bent the ambient mana to further enhance my attack. Whatever they were about to yell—or, more likely, not yell—was now their problem. Vespera's eyes sparkled with delight as I closed the gap, her movements languid and unhurried, like someone watching an overexcited puppy charging at their ankles. "So eager," she purred, her tone dripping with condescension. I swung my sword down, the first strike of the Tempest Dance Technique, its silver aura humming with a complex blend of elements. Each strike would build momentum, compounding power into the next, until even I struggled to contain it. But this was just the beginning. "Wow," Vespera said as she casually raised her hand, swiping at the blade with her fingers. The sound of her nails clashing with my sword rang out like a metallic chime, and my attack was deflected with alarming ease. "Your strength is impressive! For a human, anyway." Of course, she barely felt it. I gritted my teeth, already adjusting my stance for the next strike. The Tempest Dance Technique wasn't about overwhelming power in a single blow—it was about rhythm, momentum, and persistence. Each strike would grow stronger, faster, more relentless, until even someone like Vespera would have to take me seriously. 'She's toying with you,' Luna said in my mind, as if I hadn't noticed. 'I know,' I thought grimly, stepping back into position. Vespera's aura of miasma swirled around her like an oppressive storm cloud, making the air heavy and thick. Her output and mana capacity as a demon baron—White-ranker by human standards—dwarfed my own. A high Silver-ranker like me couldn't hope to match her raw strength, not without spells. With spellcasting, I could briefly reach the same level of output, but aura? Aura was another matter entirely. Aura was limited by conversion—it required active manipulation of mana, and even with the ambient mana I was pulling in, it simply wasn't enough. Still, the Tempest Dance Technique wasn't about matching her outright. It was about bridging the gap, however small, and forcing her to work harder than she wanted to. "Interesting," Vespera said, tilting her head as I moved in for the next strike. "You're not just flailing around like most humans do. That's new." I didn't respond. Words wouldn't help me here. I swung again, faster this time, my sword carving through the air with a whistle. Vespera stepped to the side, her movements smooth as silk, and batted the blade away with her hand, the silver aura flickering slightly on impact. "Better," she said, her smile widening. "But still not enough." The second strike fed into the third, my movements gaining momentum as the Tempest Dance Technique built up. My aura thickened, the mana growing denser with each swing, the energy amplifying in ways that couldn't be undone. I didn't stop, didn't give her time to counter, each strike flowing seamlessly into the next. Vespera's expression shifted slightly, the casual amusement giving way to something sharper. She still deflected my attacks, but now she was using both hands, her movements more deliberate. "Not bad," Vespera purred, her voice a mix of amusement and something darker, as her hand met my sword again with a ringing clash. This time, though, she didn't just deflect it—she knocked me back entirely. Before I could react, her leg shot out in a blur, a perfectly executed kick slamming into my chest. The world tilted violently as I was sent flying, the air forced out of my lungs in one terrible rush. Rachel and Cecilia's combined mana caught me mid-air, cushioning the impact before I could crash into the trees. It didn't stop the pain, though. Breathe. Sёarch* The ηovёlFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Breathe! BREATHE! I coughed hard, the taste of blood sharp and metallic in my mouth. My lungs felt like they were trying to escape my chest, and for a moment, I thought they might succeed. I pushed myself up, shaking, my body screaming at me to just lie down and give up. But there wasn't time for that. Not with Vespera standing there, still smiling like this was all some delightful game. "We'll help," Rachel said firmly, her golden mana already flowing into me, knitting together whatever internal damage I'd managed to accrue this time. I could feel the warmth of it restoring my strength, steadying my breaths. "Our spells are useless against her magic, but we can boost you." Cecilia sighed, though she didn't argue. She placed a hand on my back, crimson mana joining Rachel's golden flow. Suddenly, I felt it—my strength increasing, my aura surging with a borrowed power that wasn't mine alone. For a brief moment, I felt unstoppable. And then it stopped. My head snapped up as the flow of mana abruptly cut off. Vespera stood spinning delicately on one foot, one finger raised in a mockingly casual swirl. Her eyes gleamed with triumph as her influence spread like an invisible net, catching Rachel and Cecilia. "Okay, fine, I admit it!" Cecilia blurted out suddenly, her voice ringing through the clearing. "I think about Arthur sometimes! Sue me, I'm a girl! I want to pin him down, forget about everything, and make him only think about me as I fu—" "CECELIA!" I shouted, nearly dropping my sword out of sheer shock. My head whipped around to look at her, but the damage was already done. Her cheeks had turned an impressive shade of crimson—almost matching her mana—but she still managed to meet my gaze with the defiant dignity of someone who had just confessed to thinking deeply inappropriate thoughts and dared anyone to challenge her. 'She really leaned into that one,' I thought, completely at a loss for words. Cecilia's embarrassment didn't last long. She turned to Rachel, her crimson eyes narrowing with malicious intent. "Ray-Ray, your turn! Say it!" "No!" Rachel's voice cracked as her golden wings flared in panic. "I—I'd rather die!" Her entire face was red now, the kind of blush that probably violated some natural laws. She refused to look at me, staring resolutely at the ground as though she could will it to swallow her whole. Cecilia let out an exasperated grumble, her mana flaring as she waved me off. "Go fight her, Arthur. I'll deal with Rachel." "Deal with—" I started to protest, but Cecilia silenced me with a sharp glare and a flick of her hand. Crimson mana wrapped around my ears, cutting off whatever further confessions Vespera might have dragged out of them. "Just go," Cecilia said, shoving me forward. "I've got this." I nodded, forcing myself to focus as I took off, the borrowed power from Cecilia's mana still pulsing faintly within me. Whatever insanity had just happened would have to wait. Right now, it was just me and Vespera—and I wasn't about to let her turn this into another round of emotional destruction. The succubus clapped her hands together as I approached, her smile widening. "Oh, you're back! Did you enjoy the show?" I didn't answer. There wasn't anything to say. My silver aura flared as I charged forward, sword raised, ready to press the attack. Whatever Vespera had planned next, I wasn't going to make it easy for her.

Chapter 81 Deviation (2)

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