Chapter 384: The Succubus Queen; Racheal
"Alright, you get everything. Sheesh."
Damian raised both hands in surrender with an exaggerated sigh, his expression carrying the look of a man who had just lost an impossible negotiation. Racheal immediately threw a triumphant fist into the air, a radiant smile blooming across her face. She leaned forward, planted a quick kiss against his cheek in victory, then sprang lightly from his lap. Her body blurred through the air before crashing directly into the mountainside.
Boom!
Rock exploded outward as the impact carved a shallow crater into the cliff face. Dust and shattered stone billowed into the air, swallowing her completely. Yet despite the dramatic entrance, Fulgur never spared the cloud so much as a glance. His calm eyes remained fixed upon Damian, studying the young prince with quiet curiosity rather than hostility.
Damian frowned beneath his fan.
"I hate the way he looks at me."
Although his words carried mild annoyance, his breathing remained perfectly even.
A gentle mountain breeze soon swept away the dust cloud, revealing Racheal standing upon the broken stone with one hand resting lazily upon her hip. Her pink hair danced with the wind while a relaxed smile rested upon her lips as though she had merely taken a leisurely stroll instead of crashing into solid rock.
Damian silently observed her. He could clearly sense her confidence. It was unwavering, almost playful. Even so, he found himself unable to relax. Dragons were among the most powerful bloodlines in the Underworld and this was no ordinary dragon but one personally entrusted by Kaizer to defend an entire nation. He had originally considered hunting the remaining demigods simultaneously, but the thought disappeared almost immediately. Whatever happened today, he intended to remain here until this battle ended.
"The Queen of Horrors... Mother of Ruin... Lady of Torture." Fulgur finally broke the silence, his deep voice carrying naturally across the mountains. His eyes shifted away from Damian and settled upon Racheal with surprising respect. "You possess quite an infamous reputation. I never expected our first meeting would occur under such... unpleasant circumstances."
Among Lin Qui’s wives, Racheal possessed perhaps the darkest reputation. Ruby was celebrated for overwhelming strength while Hazel was feared for her protective nature over her husband, yet Racheal inspired something entirely different. Tales of her spread through the Underworld like whispered nightmares.
She had hunted and executed several demigods serving rival princes and had once infiltrated Envy’s territory before poisoning the Sin himself after uncovering his involvement in Hagrid’s failed coup against Lin Qui. Although Belial survived under the protection of his own inheritance, the incident alone had immortalized her name throughout the Underworld.
Ironically, despite all those stories, very few actually regarded her as powerful. Succubi were viewed as manipulators, temptresses and schemers. They were never expected to stand at the forefront of battle.
"It wouldn’t have been unpleasant if your lord hadn’t decided to pick a fight with mine." Racheal shrugged indifferently.
There was no warmth in her smile now. She had not climbed this mountain seeking friendship or understanding. Her purpose was simple. Kill the dragon and remove another obstacle standing before her husband.
Fulgur slowly nodded before releasing a quiet sigh that carried years of resignation.
"I understand your sentiments and, truthfully, I share part of them." His gaze drifted briefly toward the distant horizon where dark storm clouds covered Lebanon. "Unfortunately, we are nothing more than tools in the hands of our lords. Since my lord has claimed this land, it is my duty to defend it."
High above them, Damian slowly nodded from the comfort of his floating throne. To his own surprise, he found himself agreeing with the dragon. There was dignity in Fulgur’s honesty. Had they met under different circumstances, they might have even respected one another.
Unfortunately, they stood on opposite sides of a battlefield.
"Since your lord is unreasonable," Racheal replied without missing a beat, "you could simply serve another. One considerably more capable."
Rather than becoming offended, Fulgur calmly shook his head.
"I never claimed my lord was unreasonable." His eyes narrowed ever so slightly. "I merely criticized his temperament, not his decisions."
He slowly rose from his cross legged position. Towering at twelve feet, his enormous frame seemed even larger once fully upright. His long ponytail swayed gently behind him while his shadow stretched across the broken stone.
"Now then..." His voice remained calm, but something dangerous quietly settled beneath every syllable. "Do you understand that speaking ill of my lord constitutes blasphemy?"
His eyes locked onto Racheal.
"And blasphemy carries only one punishment. Death."
"Ooh, careful there." Damian’s amused voice drifted down from above. "People tend to dislike hearing their wives threatened."
Fulgur’s attention shifted upward while Racheal immediately spun around with an irritated glare.
"Babe! Stay out of our dialogue. You’re ruining everything!" she shouted.
Damian blinked innocently before throwing both hands into the air.
"What are you mad at me for? He’s the one threatening you."
"Of course he’s threatening me." She pointed at the dragon as though explaining something painfully obvious. "We’re about to fight to the death."
Damian slowly leaned back into his throne with an exaggerated sigh.
"I get scolded for being a good husband."
He shook his head dramatically.
"Sheesh."
Racheal rubbed her forehead before turning back toward Fulgur.
"I apologize." She smiled awkwardly. "My husband can be... protective sometimes."
Fulgur offered no response. His patience had reached its limit.
Enough.
Without another word, he calmly raised one arm toward the storm clouds overhead.
"Raikiri."
Bang!
A pillar of azure lightning descended without warning.
There was no gathering energy or sign. The bolt simply existed one instant and struck the next.
Even Damian shot to his feet, his eyes widening in genuine alarm. The attack had descended so quickly that even with his perception, he was certain he would not have evaded it from Racheal’s position.
Yet the moment the lightning engulfed Racheal, her body dissolved. She simply dispersed into countless strands of pink mist that drifted lazily through the mountain air.
Her soft laughter echoed from every direction at once. The mist continued spreading until it seeped between rocks, flowed across the mountainside and rose gently into the clouds themselves.
A cold shiver crawled down Damian’s spine.
He slowly lowered himself back onto his throne while instinctively glancing in every direction.
"...What just happened?"
"Dummy."
Rin’s unimpressed voice sounded from beside him.
Damian turned to find the little fox standing calmly upon the armrest of his throne with his paws folded behind his back, his sharp eyes fixed upon the battlefield below.
"You’ve all been inside her domain since the very moment you arrived."
Damian’s pupils contracted slightly. He had never even noticed.
Rin released an amused snort.
"You know, I’ve insulted your wives more times than I can count. I’ve called them annoying, troublesome, reckless and every other name imaginable." He glanced sideways at Damian. "But never once have I called any of them weak."
"There is a reason for that."
His gaze returned to the endless sea of pink mist now surrounding the mountain.
"Racheal, Ruby and Hazel are walking disasters. They attract trouble the way flowers attract bees."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"But every single one of them was acknowledged as the strongest of her generation within her respective race. Their talents rivaled bloodlines far superior to their own."
His voice became quieter.
"If they were truly insignificant, Lazarus would have abandoned them centuries ago. The only reason Greed still refuses to let them go is because he knows exactly how valuable they are."