"Seriously, that's too much! Why do you always hit me every time you see me?"
Salome, holding her jaw and tearing up, yelled at me.
"After all the trouble I went through to save you, you resort to violence without a second thought! You're the worst human ever!"
"Shut up, monster. If I'm the worst human, then you're the worst monster."
"Ha! I'm not the worst, I'm the monster of temptation!"
"..."
What is she proudly spouting off about? This succubus...
Anyway, I gritted my teeth and quickly got up.
"It's a battle between humans and monsters when our eyes meet. What else were you expecting?"
I frantically searched my waist. I needed to draw out [Agate] and load it with bullets into her stomach, then follow up with [Maestro] to forge a magic blade and thrust it into her neck-
'What?'
Nothing.
My waist was empty. In a panic, I reached into my pocket. Then I'd pull another weapon from my inventory-
[The player's existence is uncertain.]
[System use is unavailable.]
But my hand just flailed in thin air, unable to access the inventory.
I gritted my teeth. Not this again! What the hell is this existence verification, you damn system! If it's blocked, shouldn't you call a repair technician or something!
Seeing that I couldn't draw a weapon, Salome, who had been cowering in a corner with her hands over her head, smirked slyly.
"Hee~? What's this, darling? Are you without a weapon?"
"Call me 'darling' one more time and I'll kill you..."
"You're going to kill me anyway, aren't you?"
Tsk. She knows well, this monster.
I can take you down with just my Taekwondo, even though I only learned it briefly in elementary school. It's enough for someone like you.
I awkwardly adopted a Taekwondo stance, readying for battle.
Salome, I've missed too many chances to kill you. This time I'll make sure to finish you off...
'Eh?'
Suddenly dizzy, my legs gave out. I couldn't keep myself up and collapsed to the floor.
"What's this... Why can't I feel any strength in my body..."
"That's because you're suddenly using a body that hasn't been active for a long time."
Salome approached, laughing maliciously behind her hand.
"You submerged in the Oblivion's Beyond? If I hadn't found and rescued you, you would have floated there forever like a ghost."
"The Oblivion's Beyond...?"
"Some call it the underworld or the spirit realm. Anyway! It's not a place for the living."
Granny Coco's words echoed in my mind again.
Those uncertain of their existence who use the teleport gate end up there.
That's why nightmares born from dreams, being uncertain entities, can't use teleport magic.
"I don't know why you were there, but when I found you, I thought it was a windfall... Ah, no, I mean, I was so startled my heart sank!"
"...How are you able to travel there and back?"
"Heheh, it's because I use my unbeatable evasion skill [Reality Escape]!"
Salome puffed up her chest, clearing her throat with a hem-hem sound.
Aha, of course.
The Succubus Queen's evasion skill [Reality Escape] that literally vanishes from reality.
So, she was escaping to the Oblivion's Beyond. That's how she freely moves in and out.
"That's why I struggled to carry you back to reality. Hehe, aren't I amazing? You can praise me! I am the Succubus Queen! The daughter of nightmares!"
"..."
"You can praise me! It's okay! Praise! You can! Praise!"
Salome glanced at me with eyes that seemed to urge me to hurry. But seeing her smug face made me even less inclined to praise her...
"Sigh."
But I had to admit I was grateful. Reluctantly, I nodded.
"Alright, thanks for... saving me."
If it hadn't been for her, I might have been wandering the depths of the spirit realm forever. I owed her that gratitude.
As I genuinely thanked her, Salome's eyes widened, then filled with tears. Why now?
"Sob, it's the first time I've heard such kind words from you... So I couldn't help but get emotional..."
"That so? It might be the last time. Savor the moment."
Grumbling, I leaned against the wall and looked around the palace.
"So, where is this place?"
Given the tasteless pink interior, it wasn't hard to guess.
"This is my palace! How is it? Comfortable, right? Clean, right? It even smells nice, doesn't it?"
As expected, it was the headquarters of the Nightmare Legion, the Succubus Queen's palace.
Seeing the disgustingly bling-bling, pink-pink interior, I was reminded of Evangeline.
She also had a terrifying love house taste. Maybe Salome and her would get along.
"Hehe, I hurriedly rearranged the furniture and cleaned up before you woke up. I even sprayed perfume. Usually, my minions do the cleaning, but they all died, so I have to do the housekeeping myself... But, you know, doing it for you made me a bit happy...?"
"Don't make that face, like a newlywed managing a honeymoon home. It makes me want to kill you."
I snapped, then felt my face lose color. Wait a minute.
'Succubus Queen's palace?'
This is... the Lake Kingdom dungeon Zone 10.
The deepest of the deep. The most profound part of the Deep Demon Realm. The absolute bottom of hell. The Succubus Queen's palace is located here.
My vanguard dungeon assault team was barely scraping by in the early stages of Zone 8. And now I'm suddenly in Zone 10?
'How can I get back to the surface?'
Should I escape to Zone 8 and then use a teleport gate? No, no, if I use the gate now, I'll be swept away to the Oblivion's Beyond or whatever.
Does that mean I have to cut straight through to the main gate of the Lake Kingdom...?
As I pondered my escape route, Salome cautiously approached me. Her white hand naturally wrapped around my neck.
"Hehe, already thinking of how to escape, Ash?"
"Take your hand off me if you know what's good for you..."
"Don't be like that. Let's live sweetly together here, just the two of us. I'll give you happy dreams."
...The commander of a Nightmare Legion promising to give happy dreams. Does that even make sense?
"...Please, tell me."
Without removing the arm wrapped around my neck, Salome spoke in a trembling voice.
"Every time I think of you, my heart flutters uncontrollably, my body trembles, and I feel like crying..."
"..."
"The King of Kings told me what I feel for you is love. Is that true? Please, tell me...!"
I answered immediately and yanked Salome's arm away.
"It's absolutely not. That's enough."
"Waaaaah! You're really too much!"
Too much? If I had a weapon in my hand, you would have been dead ten times over. If I had anything in my stomach, I would have thrown up on your face by now.
Love? Love? A monster like you towards a human like me?
What kind of nonsense is that!
Salome huffed in frustration.
"But the King of Kings said so! That this feeling is love!"
"Nope, absolutely not. He's just messing with you. And if your heart's fluttering and you're trembling and crying, that sounds more like arrhythmia or some heart condition. You should really see a doctor."
Preferably, you'd get worse and kick the bucket for good.
"Sorry, but I'm not playing house with you."
As I sat for a bit, strength returned to my body. I staggered to my feet.
"I need to get back to my team. Move out of the way."
Just as I was about to push past Salome and leave the palace—
Boom!
Suddenly, the palace shook as if hit by an earthquake.
"Whoa?!"
"Yikes!"
Salome and I were both startled, tumbling to the floor.
Bang! Boom! Crash!
The explosions and tremors continued. I turned to Salome in alarm.
"What the hell is going on?!"
"Um, well, I'm being attacked..."
Salome fidgeted as she spoke.
"I used [Reality Escape] to flee, and then I found you by chance... After returning to reality, I'm being attacked again..."
"Who's attacking you?!"
"Uh... other monster legions?"
What?
"Aren't they your allies? Why are they attacking each other?"
"Well... my forces weakened, right? It's normal for monsters to attack each other when one becomes weak."
"Dammit! If it's not one thing, it's another with you monsters!"
"Yep!"
Stop agreeing so cheerfully!
Salome giggled and scratched the back of her head.
"You wiped out my legion, remember? Right now, I'm practically powerless."
"..."
"I thought I'd be safe since the King of Kings favored me, but..."
Boom! Crash!
The palace continued to shake, and a chandelier fell from the ceiling. Salome, looking distressed, scrambled to avoid it.
"It seems that's not the case! Oh no!"
Then, as naturally as possible, she fell into my arms, but I easily sidestepped her.
"Aaahh!"
The fallen succubus rolled on the floor. I ignored her and looked out the window.
'Who the hell is attacking...?'
When I looked out, I was immediately struck with horror.
Stomp! Stomp! Stomp!
Approaching the palace were giants clad in Viking-like armor and blue skin, armed with ice spears and shields. Easily hundreds of them.
'Damn it, the Frost Giant Legion...!?'
Not top 10, but their combat power, excluding the legion commander, is among the highest. Simply put, they're just individually strong.
"What do we do? You're a legion commander. There must be something you can do?"
"I don't know! Direct combat isn't my thing! My subordinates always handled it!"
"What good are you, you useless succubus?!"
"If I had a way, would I be watching our honeymoon home get demolished?!"
"Who said anything about a honeymoon home?!"
Boom! Crash!
As we argued, the Succubus Queen's palace was beautifully falling apart.
It was fun to see Salome lose her base and become homeless, but those Frost Giant demolition workers wouldn't spare me either.
'I'll be beaten for sure.'
I had no intention of ending my life in such a place with this pink-loving demon. I had to find a way out.
"Sigh..."
I cooled my mind and checked my current status.
System window offline.
Inventory locked.
No weapons.
Without the system's aid, did I have any means to fight?
'Of course.'
I opened my eyes wide.
Even when I had nothing more to lose, I faced and overcame greater adversities.
The game isn't over yet.
So, I won't give up either.
I looked to my side. There was Salome, touching a fallen chandelier with a woeful expression.
...
What's the strongest piece in chess?
Without a doubt, it's the Queen.
And somehow, this creature beside me is also a Queen.
Albeit a pink one, not black or white.
"Hey, Salome."
I am a player.
I am the one who moves the pieces on the chessboard. And right now, there's a Queen at my disposal.
Then I should use it.
To wreak havoc on the battlefield - and, in the end, self-destruct along with the enemy's pieces.
"It's a temporary alliance."
I extended my hand to Salome.
"Follow my command, and I'll get us out of this mess."
"...!"
"How about it? Will you join hands with me?"
Without a second thought, Salome reached out and grabbed my hand.
"Of course, darling!"
...No, I meant to shake hands, not stand side by side like we're going on a date. This isn't a cue to interlock fingers! Do you think this is a romantic situation, you delusional succubus? Let go of my hand!
I quickly pulled my hand away from hers. Salome just giggled and laughed.
"She's unbearable..."
Muttering under my breath, I glared at the Frost Giants who were now almost upon us and whispered menacingly.
"Alright, Salome."
As the Succubus Queen focused on me with twinkling eyes, I smirked wickedly.
"I'm about to give the orders for our strategy."
Thus, a disconcerting alliance between a human and a monster was formed.
--TL Notes--