The Hero Became a Succubus! - Chapter 187

Alt link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1lmkP1PYOzGrSNTCuenKKQVy8sfBMPYe5abX62Pjct9E/edit?usp=drive_link

Chapter 187

A week and a half of training had led up to this. Mama worked really hard and pulled a lot of strings to get them here. Teana wasn't blind or deaf to the other initiates. They were right. If Mama hadn't been Knight of Amethyst and gained the trust of Knights' Academy, the Grand Eye Analise, and King Turren, none of them would have gotten close.

That was why Teana and her sisters didn't have to prove the naysayers wrong, only that they were strong enough to be here.

But what if they were right after all? What if she didn't live up to Mama's expectations? Or if her sisters were a lot more capable and left her behind in their dust?

Ever since entering Knights' Academy, all these lessons and training had grinding Teana down to the bones. History? Why did she need to know what some old people did in the past? Training with weapons they had never seen before? What did a crowned Headhunter need to learn how to use a shield for? That was something Nelly used, not her.

Teana stared into the artificial Rift portal her younger sisters had already entered into. She balled up her fists to stop them from shaking. They wouldn't stop. At least until someone's gentle touch unfolded her fingers and entwined them with his own.

"I didn't know it was possible for Teana to be scared and nervous." Nelly teased.

"N-Nervous? Me? These are… happy jitters? That's right. Happy jitters! If anything, I'm excited to go in!" Teana replied anxiously.

With Nelly around, Teana felt like she could tackle anything. After all, as the big sister, it was her responsibility to protect everyone. Now wasn't the time to have second thoughts. Mama raised her better than this.

The two of them squeezed each other's hands tightly and stepped into the portal together— smacking face first into a giant tree.

They reeled back, clutching their own nose and squealing in pain.

"Ow… Who put this stupid tree in the way?" Teana groaned, and only then realized that everyone was also rubbing their nose.

"More like someone put the portal in front of the tree…" Pan growled.

"So, this is a Rift?" Mikki asked, wide-eyed in awe of the jungle they were in. "There must be so many materials to make potions with!"

When the bespectacled alchemist started wandering off, Daya grabbed her hand.

"Don't stray too far from me," Daya said, pulling Mikki back to her side.

"O-Okay." Mikki blushed red.

Daya was Mikki's girlfriend and Mama's former enemy. A beastman succubus with some physical canine traits. Apparently, she was the daughter of another powerful succubus named the Queen-Mother but since defected. It was hard trying to get along with Daya at first, but she eventually came around. Though… mostly only with Revah and Mikki. It would be nice to make friends with her, too.

Remember what Estaline said. Once inside, the first step was to get a good look at your surroundings and orient the group. Next, recount each party member's strengths and dole out tasks. Lastly, recall the goal and purpose.

Revah unfurled wings and was about to take flight until Teana waved her down.

"Wait, wait! We have to survey the immediate surroundings first. Remember what Estaline taught us?" Teana asked.

"That's what I was about to do," Revah said.

"I-I mean on the ground first. We should go over the checklist before doing anything else. Like what if there's a big flying monster that attacks you up there?" she suggested, but saw full well that Revah didn't seem to care

The quietest sister among them didn't protest and shot into the canopy instead.

"Rev, wait for me!" Pan flew up with her.

"But we're supposed to…" Teana pressed her hands together and decided against saying any more.

The two had already crossed the canopy anyway.

"It's Pan and Revah. They're going to be fine." Nelly gave Teana a reassuring squeeze on her shoulder. "Still, it's all so real. This is our first time in a Rift, right? Crazy how people at Aidenhall can make entire worlds like this."

Rifts were trials of the gods. Mama had tackled many in the past and succeeded. This jungle was real. Giant ferns and tall trees loomed over them. The sunlight peeking through the canopy didn't feel real. Teana held a hand underneath a ray of light only to have a cool droplet of water splash down on her palm.

"When there's too much water in the soil, some trees will perspire," Mikki explained, having noticed Teana's confusion.

Mikki was always the smart one. Teana envied that natural intellect and hunger for knowledge. She was the star of school, and teachers always praised her.

Thunk!

Everyone glanced up at the source of the sound, but they didn't see a thing.

Thunk! Thunk!

It happened again.

Pan and Revah returned a few seconds later, rubbing their bruised knuckles.

"Well, that was a bust." Pan frowned. "There's a giant glass ceiling above us! It's like one big greenhouse."

"We saw a keep north. I think that's where we need to go," Revah said.

As the party began to head north, Teana raced ahead of them and threw her arms out.

"Okay, the next thing to do is recount what we're good at and restate our objective!" Teana exclaimed eagerly.

"Why? We've told each other's strengths over and over again. Madam Bedlam also explained that our objective— to open the throne chamber doors," Pan explained, looking more impatient than before.

"I forgot everyone's crowned class." Daya raised a hand.

Pan rolled her eyes and brushed the sigil on her wrist. The others did the same.

Pan Toyomi Lvl. 25

Race:

Goblin

STR

C

Subrace:

Succubus

DEX

D

Class:

Shaman

INT

A

Revah Toyomi Lvl. 31

Race:

Goblin

STR

D

Subrace:

Succubus

DEX

A

Class:

Trapper

INT

B

Teana Toyomi Lvl. 29

Race:

Goblin

STR

B

Subrace:

Succubus

DEX

A

Class:

Headhunter

INT

D

Nelly Brightwind Lvl. 29

Race:

Elf

STR

B

Subrace:

Dark Elf

DEX

B

Class:

Scout

INT

C

Daya Forscythe Lvl. 66

Race:

Beastman

STR

D

Subrace:

Succubus

DEX

A

Class:

Curseweaver

INT

A

"And I'm an alchemist, but everyone already knows that." Mikki smiled, then pointed to the potions around her belt. "I only have healing and mana potions right now. If we can find materials in the field, I can brew other stuff!"

Mama and Estaline said their aptitude tests were only four people. Currently, they were six. This gave them a lot more to work with.

"Hmm… There's five of us, and one Nelly. We're going to have to use him sparingly," Teana said.

"Don't go treating me like I'm some healing potion! Who decided this anyway?" Nelly groaned.

Everyone pointed to themselves, including the newcomer Daya. Nelly put his hand to his own face and sighed.

"We're succubus!" Teana reminded him. "You know we can't survive without occasionally draining someone."

"Aren't you used this already?" Pan smirked.

"I'll only drain you if I have to. Mikki's the only one I care to be with," Daya added hastily.

"D-Daya…" Mikki squirmed out of embarrassment.

"If this Rift doesn't kill me, the five of you will… Fine!" Nelly threw his hands up.

Teana breathed a sigh of relief. This was the cohesiveness she hoped for. Things were a lot easier before they enrolled at Knights' Academy, but maybe things were turning up. However, she might have thought so a little too soon. Revah and Pan were walking ahead again without discussing the third point.

"Guys, we still have to talk about our objective!" Teana shouted.

"Didn't I already say it? The keep. Throne door. Find key." Pan pressed forward regardless, but Revah stopped abruptly like something was off.

Teana's Headhunter senses alerted her first. The passive skill Detect Danger warned her when anything higher level than herself was nearby. She opened her mouth wanting to say something, but the words didn't come out. On purpose. Right then, Nelly must have also sensed it with a Scout skill. He shot her look of shock and disbelief.

"Pan, don't go any farther!" Nelly yelled.

"Ugh. Not you, too? What now? We're wasting time the longer—"

A giant monster bursted out from the foliage and sent Pan flying. It looked like a panther but covered in moss and had a snake for a tail.

"Proto-chimera, don't get near its tail!" Daya warned, picking up Mikki and flying backwards to put distance between them.

"Instantaneous Trap: Falling Net." Revah vanished and reappeared on a branch above the monster. She threw a giant net.

"Nelly!" Teana tossed him two of her spears. Together, they staked the edges of the net to pin the dire beast down.

"I said don't get near the tail!" an angry voice rang out.

Teana and Nelly saw the snake too late, thin enough to squeeze past the net's holes. It lunged at them with sharp fangs dripping of venom. Nelly shoved Teana out of the way. The venomous fangs sank deep into his right shoulder.

"Nelly!" Teana cried.

"Curse of Fragility!" Daya returned and clamped her claws on the snake, causing it to let go of Nelly.

The chimera grunted weakly. Revah somersaulted off the branch and plunged two daggers into the head. Its death throes were peaceful, going still like falling asleep.

Teana watched as Revah raced to check on Pan. Meanwhile, Mikki was shaking Nelly, who was caked in sweat and face contorting in agony. They had only just started and everything was falling apart.

Teana!

Someone called for her, but she wasn't sure who the voice was. Mama? Auntie Edina? Estaline?

"Teana!" It was Daya, holding her shoulders so tightly the claws pinched into flesh. "It's not safe here. We have to head for the keep!"

"Uh… Mikki, anti-venom! Do you have anti-venom for Nelly?" Teana asked.

"I can make it with the chimera's tail!" Mikki nodded.

"A-Alright! Daya, you grab Nelly. Revah, pick up—"

"I already have her. Quit waiting around," Revah urged, hurrying ahead with an unconscious Pan on her back.

Teana chewed on her lower lip. She pushed aside her hesitation and helped Mikki cut off the chimera's tail. They made a run for it north, coming to a stop in front of a glass hallway into the keep. Like Pan and Revah had said, it really was a greenhouse.

Daya kicked open the door into what appeared to be a pantry. Bags of grains were stacked on top of each other. Cans of food lined the shelves and jerky hung from a string attached to the ceiling. They shut the door and barricaded it with a heavy barrel.

Without needing anyone to tell her so, Mikki went right to work. She tossed a healing potion to Revah for Pan to drink, then brought out a miniature alchemy set to begin concocting anti-venom. Daya helped break down pieces of wood and set the kindling alight.

There was nothing Teana could do but observe. She felt useless. Worse, this wouldn't have happened if—

"Hey." Revah grabbed Teana's wrist a little too hard. "Can we talk?"

They peeked out of the adjoining room which fortunately, turned out to be a kitchen and dining area. There weren't any signs of danger, not that Teana could sense.

"You knew something was up. Why didn't you warn Pan?" Revah asked.

"I-I was distracted… Sorry…" Teana lowered her head.

"That's not true. Whenever we go adventuring together, you're always the first to speak up before an attack. You let her get hurt on purpose, didn't you?" she pressed harder.

"No, that's it at all! I… If… If you guys had just listened to me this wouldn't have happened."

Revah's eyes, the only thing that could be seen behind that black hood, narrowed into slits. She doubted her. Shamed her. That hurt Teana more than anything the teachers and fellow initiates could ever say.

"If you're done with your sisterly squabbles, the other two are waking up," Daya said from the other side of the door.

They followed Daya back inside and were relieved to find Nelly and Pan awake.

"Nelly, thank goodness!" Teana threw her arms behind his neck.

"As much as I appreciate your hugs, I'm still too numb to feel anything." Nelly patted her on the back.

"It might take a few hours. If only I was as expert an alchemist as Miss Rosaline…" Mikki muttered dejectedly.

"That's not true, Mikki. You're amazing! To make an anti-venom so quickly is almost like magic!" Teana exclaimed, grabbing her sister's hands.

There was a time Mikki was too shy to even show her face outside. Teana hadn't wanted to, but she always feared for her youngest sister's safety and left her at home when they adventured. She felt terrible about leaving a sister behind. Things were different now. No one had to be left behind anymore.

"Hehe. Thanks, Teana. I also found this inside the snake's throat when Daya cut it up." Mikki lifted an iron key with a sapphire inlay at the base.

"Mistress Bedlam said we needed to find three keys to access the throne chamber! This has to be one of them. Good thing we killed it before leaving." Daya sighed with relief.

"Two more to look for. We should get going then." Pan rose to her feet with Revah's help.

Even after getting knocked out, Pan…

"I'll take front," Teana said.

"Now you take the initiative…" Revah whispered almost inaudibly.

Teana's ears drooped a little.

They picked up their belongings and cautiously continued into the keep. However, the artificial Rift proved much more challenging than they expected. Floor traps, swinging axes, and monster ambushes to name a few…

At one point, they rushed down a spiral staircase as a giant stone ball rolled after them.

"AAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! WHO DESIGNED THIS MURDEROUS PLACE?" Pan screamed at the top of her lungs.

"They wouldn't make traps that would actually kill us, would they?!" Nelly cried.

"If the chimera venom almost killed you, I'm pretty sure this will too!" Mikki panted heavily.

"Revah, what if you make a pitfall trap to drop the ball?" Teana yelled.

Revah spun around and cast Instantaneous Trap: Pitfall. A hole opened up beneath the ball, and it sank into the ground. Everyone leaned against the wall to catch their breaths.

In another long corridor, darts fired out of the walls as they raced through it.

"Okay… Everyone… check if you got hit," Teana said, gasping for breath after they had reached the other end.

When she turned around, Revah, Pan, Daya, and Nelly were lying face-down with dozens of darts protruding from their backs.

"EHH?! Are you guys alright?" Teana hovered worriedly above them.

"Teana…" Mikki stumbled into her arms.

"Oh, no! Not you, too!"

"I-I'm not actually hit! Daya shielded me the whole way… I just never ran that hard in my life… How about we find a place to rest up?" she suggested.

The two of them found a suspiciously well-placed bedchamber in the first door a little past the dart trap. One by one, they dragged their companions onto the beds and plucked the darts off them.

"No one's showing any signs that they were poisoned. These parts were probably laced with a sleeping agent," Mikki said from her alchemy kit.

"Ugh… How did Mama and the others beat so many Rifts? They were in small groups, too, right?" Teana asked.

"The instructors designed this artificial Rift to be beat, too. Really tells you how much scarier real ones are." She laid down on an open bed and stared up at the ceiling.

Teana laid down next to Mikki.

"Say, Mikki. Am I a bad sister?" Teana asked.

"What?" Mikki sat upright. "Of course, you are! Why would you ask that?"

"I… sensed the chimera coming a mile away and didn't say anything to Pan. I think… I think I wanted her to get hurt to teach her a lesson…"

Mikki pursed her lips. It made a funny sideways S-shape as she mulled over what to say.

Teana put an arm over her eyes and continued, "Mama trusted me to protect you guys, but… I let Pan get hurt. I'm sure Nelly realized when it happened. Revah knows, too, and that's why she's angry with me."

She was tearing up when Mikki started tickling her. Now the room was filled with laughter and tears. They rolled around, attacking where the other was weakest. Growing up, Teana learned all of Mikki's weak spots and even told Daya so she could tease her, too. Suddenly, they rolled off the bed. Teana quickly shielded the back of Mikki's head and turned them in a way to take the impact. Landing on the hard, stone floor knocked the lights out of her for a brief moment. When she opened her eyes, Mikki was lying on her chest and perfectly fine.

"You're the best big sister I can ever ask for, so quit doubting yourself!" Mikki smiled.

"Awwh, Mikki… If Daya wasn't so greedy, I'd eat you up myself!" Teana rolled them across the floor.

"Teana, wait! The alchemy kit! Watch out for the—"

Teana stopped just short of knocking the beakers and cauldron over. Both of them expelled a stale breath.

"Aha… Sorry." Teana scratched her horn out of embarrassment.

"And you know Revah and Pan think so, too." Mikki sat up and glanced at the bed the two were lying on.

"How can you be sure?" she asked.

"I saw it. Daya shielded me with her wings, but I saw what was happening from behind. Pan casted a water shield spell around everyone, but she, Revah, and Nelly were already hit by a dart. Instead of keeping the spell up on everyone and losing mana half-way through, she focused on protecting you since you weren't hit yet."

Teana gasped and choked back tears.

That's right, she thought. We're all sisters after all.

They spent the next few hours foraging the nearby rooms for anything useful in Mikki's alchemy. Thankfully, Pan's klepto inclinations led them to finding stuff from the pantry in her bag. Teana was able to cook something up after emptying Mikki's alchemy cauldron, much to her little sister's dismay. Slowly, the others came to consciousness if not a little groggy.

"Rise and shine— though, I can't tell if it's morning or night in this place— but we made food!" Teana exclaimed cheerfully.

"Teana made food… with my alchemy cauldron… I think it's edible though!" Mikki added.

They gathered around to fill their stomachs. Pan didn't complain about them using what she took from the pantry. That was the whole point anyway.

"Whew… it tastes like Mom's cooking." Pan licked her bowl clean.

"I'm sad there's no more for seconds." Revah sighed.

"If you're going back to the pantry, count me out. I'm not running that dart gauntlet again." Nelly scratched his arm where the darts had embedded.

Teana bounced happily, watching them eat the stew Mama had taught her to make.

However, even after they sated their hunger on a hearty stew, another kind of hunger welled up. Teana, her sisters, and Daya eyed Nelly in particular. Having suffered this before, he knew what was coming.

"Nelly, I'm out of mana… Think you can help with that?" Pan sidled up to his left.

"Instantaneous Trap takes a lot out of me, too." Revah joined him to his right.

"W-Wait a sec… Doesn't Mikki have mana potions? Take those instead!" Nelly stammered.

"Ah, silly me. I must've misplaced my bag!" Using her foot, Mikki inconspicuously pushed her satchel underneath the bed.

"Kanae taught me to drain in moderation. I won't be rough like the Queen-Mother wanted me to," Daya said.

"Come on, Nelly. You know you like it, too~" Teana grinned, embracing him from behind.

"I-I know I agreed to this, b-b-but… One at a time! One at a— aaahhh!"

After the five of them thoroughly drained Nelly dry, Mikki 'miraculously found' her alchemy satchel and fed him two potions: a healing and mana potion. It restored him back to health. Everyone except Nelly thought it was a great and efficient trade-off. Unfortunately, the healing potion didn't fully restore his hips from aching. He had to use one of Teana's spears as a cane to walk right.

They emerged from the room, ready to complete their aptitude test. The corridors seemed to have changed while they were busy. Instead of the dark and gloomy stones, the walls were now smooth and ivory with golden moldings.

"These are high elven architecture. Ugh… Looking at them gives me the shivers…" Daya shuddered.

"I think they look pretty!" Mikki beamed.

"Kuh. Maybe… They don't look that bad…" the canine succubus muttered.

Teana asked Daya and Mikki to hold the vanguard for a minute. She slowed her pace down in line with Pan and Revah in the back.

"Pan, uhm… Thanks for earlier. The water shield, I mean. The only reason I didn't get hit is thanks to you," Teana said.

"You're welcome," Pan grumbled and glanced off to the side. "Just so you know, I'm still miffed at you! Rev told me about your Danger Sense."

Teana pressed both hands together and bowed. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm really sorry!"

Revah whispered something into her ear. Pan stopped walking and leaned against the wall with her arms folded. She looked like she had something to say but struggled to get it out. She even ended up scratching her horns.

"Ahhh! Alright, I-I'm sorry, too. It's not you that I've been so frustrated. It's about Auntie Edina… I'm worried about her, so I wanted to hurry and—"

The wall behind Pan and Revah rotated, sealing them off from the other side. Teana stood there dumbfounded.

"Eh? EH? Pan! Revah! Can you two hear me?" She pounded the wall with her fists.

Mikki, Daya, and Nelly raced back.

"What happened? Where'd the other two go?" Nelly asked.

"Th-They were here just a second ago, and the wall went— blam! Swallowed them up. They're on the other side… I think?" Teana explained.

"Revah has good instincts in a fight. We should worry about ourselves first!" Daya's ears and nostrils flared up.

The ceiling and walls began to rearrange themselves like building blocks being pulled apart. Soon, they found themselves standing on the second floor of a round library. A levitating astrolabe with planetary bodies rotated, and as it did, heavy gears grinded and clicked into place.

Four chairs emerged behind them. Magical bands latched onto their waists and dragged them into the seats. Desks dropped down from the ceiling. Magical bands wrapped around their waists, anchoring them to the seats. The only things that they could move were their hands. On the astrolabes, a timer at one minute started counting down.

"What is this?!" Teana cried.

"Your worst nightmare, Teana. A classroom," Nelly joked.

Pouting, Teana cast Turn Horny on Nelly and brought him close to climax.

A paper and pencil physically manifested on their desks.

"Look! Something's being written on the astrolabe!" Mikki pointed up.

A sentence spelled out in squiggly, bright red letters that read, Trivia Time! By yours truly, Marwin Fransk!

"Master Marwin…" they groaned at the same time.