The pocket castle. A simple tool used by the hero Luka to lodge all the people he recruited during his journey. A miniature castle, sucking in anyone wanting to enter it, revealing a large space accommodating hundreds of monster girls, humans and other… creatures. Suffice it to say, it was a safe space in this troubled world on the brink of a war between the angelic dominion and the monster realm.
But this whole story will be for another time. Just after the events caused by the land of night, another incident involving portal sightings all over the world occurred. Even Sofia, a resident of the pocket castle, was involved in them, saying how she was attacked by a crazed man and saved by a male angel.
Until then, these portal sightings spread at an alarming rate, especially with the knowledge of the apoptosis phenomenon.
In an attempt to understand more about these portals, the hero Luka and his companions set off on a rapid quest in an attempt to understand and stop this phenomenon.
That quest soon ended as they were all brought back here, in the cafeteria of the pocket castle, after some kind of madness had taken over the world they just visited.
"There! Everyone is safe!" the White Rabbit cheerfully said as it dropped the people she grabbed on the ground. Next to her were Alma Elma, Sonya, Alice, and the hero Luka.
"Thank you White Rabbit," Alice said, seeing that Tamamo was safe and sound. "You saved us all in extremis."
The White Rabbit grinned, adjusting her hat slightly. "Hopping around is what I do best."
"Owowow… What just happened?" Morrigan painfully stroked her butt before meeting the hero's gaze. "Oh! The true Luka! Glad to see you again safe and sound!"
"True Luka?" the young boy raised an eyebrow.
"She's talking about him," Tamamo interjected, pointing at the detective sprawled on the floor, still breathless after what he had witnessed.
"Is he broken?" Morrigan asked, nudging him in the side with her foot. There was no response, save for the faint rise and fall of his breath.
"He just saw a city being blown up," Hakunen chimed in, pushing aside the blue-haired succubus. "Cut him some slack."
Morrigan raised an eyebrow and quickly stepped away. "Wow, didn't think little Monk would talk to me like that." She sounded more sad than hurt.
"Anyway, what was that exactly?" Jotaro turned his attention towards the group of women, trying his hardest to not question the tiny snake lady beneath him. "It was as if everyone went mad."
The White Rabbit, seemingly unfazed by the tension in the room, wagged a finger at Jotaro and sauntered over to the counter with a hop in her step. "Oh, it wasn't just madness, my hat-wearing friend," she said with an exaggerated flourish. "But before I explain, there's something you should know: you're not the only ones I've brought out of that crumbling world."
"You brought more people?" Sonya's voice was flat, her deadpan expression making it clear she was unhappy about it.
"Oops. Looks like I have to be careful next time," she chuckled. "Anyway, I brought some cat people from a bar, the two sisters that you left unconscious in that office, and finally that fox lady."
Koyanskaya stepped out and glanced around the room. "Koyanskaya of light, at your service~! Looks like my contractor is in deep trouble," she chuckled upon seeing the young man's livid face.
Vinum raised an eyebrow. "Where are Myusca and Nemea?"
"We put them in a cell for now," Alice answered. "Considering the state we found them in—and what they tried to pull—it was obvious they were trouble."
Vinum frowned but nodded slowly, as if conceding the point."Fair enough. They've always had a habit of overstepping their bounds. I'll deal with them later."
Before anyone could add to the conversation, Alma Elma cut in with a mischievous grin. "Well, since that's settled, I'll take this young man to a bedroom. He looks like he won't wake up for a while." With effortless grace, she hoisted the unconscious detective onto her shoulder, clearly unfazed by his dead weight.
Sonya's sharp glare preceded the sound of her club lightly bonking Alma Elma on the head. "Don't try anything weird," she warned, narrowing her eyes. "I'm a priest. I'll handle it."
Alma Elma let out a dramatic sigh, rubbing the sore spot on her head. "Fiiine," she said, her voice laced with exaggerated disappointment. "You're no fun, you know that? Although…" She paused, her ruby eyes glinting with playful curiosity. "It's impressive how fast you switch up personalities."
Sonya blinked, momentarily thrown off by the comment. "What do you mean by that?"
"Oh, nothing~!" Alma Elma said, her wings fluttering slightly as she turned to lean casually against a nearby chair.
Alice sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Can we focus, please?"
Sonya straightened up, bringing the unconscious man up her shoulder with ease. "Right. Sorry. I will take him somewhere safe."
"Now," Alice said firmly while crossing her arms. "Mephisto!" she then snapped her fingers and the yoma appeared right beside her.
"Yes, my lord," Mephisto responded smoothly, a sinister smile stretching across her face—though it was just the usual, unsettling smile that never quite reached her eyes.
Alice didn't miss a beat, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Any insight on all of this? Do you have any idea what we're dealing with here? And do you think there's a chance we can get Granberia back?"
"Actually, we found her," Tamamo interrupted the young monster lord. "But she seems to have been brainwashed like the rest of the people in this world."
"I believe it would be for the best if we let the White Rabbit explain the situation," Mephisto added, glancing at the creature.
"You're right! My job is to guide others after all!"
"Aren't you the one who caused this again?" Hakunen asked innocently.
The White Rabbit paused for a brief second, sensing the sharp glares from everyone in the room. She smiled awkwardly, trying to brush it off. "Technically… it is, but not really?"
The awkward silence was palpable as everyone exchanged glances, waiting for the Rabbit to elaborate.
Alice, clearly losing patience, tapped her finger against her crossed arms with increasing urgency. "Get to the point, you damn rabbit."
"Yes, I will. To put it simply, something managed to copy my powers and is responsible for creating this whole situation. Just entering this quite violent detective gentleman's world was enough for this thing to replicate it."
"Can't you be more precise? What is that 'thing'?" Alice asked.
The White Rabbit sighed deeply, her shoulders slumping. "That, I don't know. My plan was to lure it out, but it looks like it's far more dangerous than I previously thought. In the span of a single day, it managed to destroy an entire world."
Pit, who had been silent up until now, clenched his fists as realization hit him. "Wait, you're saying the world we were in is destroyed?" His voice was low but full of suppressed rage.
The White Rabbit hesitated for a moment before answering, her tone surprisingly somber. "...Yes? I mean, if you count hundreds of nuclear warheads razing city after city in a matter of minutes, 'destroyed' seems like an understatement."
"That does not sound fun at all…" Alma Elma sighed.
"Can it happen here?" the young hero Luka asked the question everyone was waiting for.
"In theory, yes," the White Rabbit nodded. "But we can't predict that thing's movements or actions, or even intentions. It's as fickle as me!".
"It's no laughing matter you damn rabbit!" Alice shouted, ready to pounce on it.
Tamamo grabbed her right in time. "Now, now, Alice. This is not the time to fight." She then glanced at the White Rabbit with a serious expression. "Do you have an idea why we were spared? Even if we were only there for an instant, it doesn't look like we were brainwashed."
"That's true," Jotaro chimed in. "Hakunen and I have been there ever since this whole portal thing started. We should have at least been brainwashed."
The White Rabbit responded with a playful wag of her finger, her tone annoyingly chipper. "Ahah! I don't know!"
Jotaro's patience snapped. "Ora!" His stand materialized in an instant, and with a single swift punch, it slammed into the White Rabbit's face, sending her flying across the room and crashing into the bar with a loud crash.
"Hey!" Barbun, the bartender, yelled from behind the counter, his voice laced with irritation. "Be careful with the bottles!"
The White Rabbit groaned as she slowly picked herself up from the wreckage, rubbing her bruised cheek. "I don't think I deserved that, but I suppose I had it coming."
Alice, still fuming but now a little calmer, crossed her arms. "Maybe that will get you to stop being so infuriating for once."
Seeing the situation devolving further, Mephisto intervened with a smooth, almost bored tone. "I think it's better to think about all of this tomorrow." Her sharp gaze swept over the group, her usual sinister smile replaced by something more serious. "It seems we're all on edge, and it would be better to discuss this with the first concerned tomorrow when everyone's a bit calmer."
Luka sighed, rubbing his temples in exhaustion. "You're probably right…" He paused, looking around at the tired faces of his companions. "We've got too many things to think about, and all of us are running on fumes."
Tamamo nodded in agreement. "A little rest won't hurt, and we can approach the problem with fresh minds. Besides, there are still plenty of questions to answer, and rushing into them will only make things worse."
Luka's gaze lingered on the White Rabbit for a moment, his frustration still simmering but tempered by exhaustion. "Fine. Tomorrow. But you'd better be ready with answers, White Rabbit. You will need to help us more this time."
The White Rabbit grinned sheepishly. "I'll be ready, I promise! But for now, how about a drink? I think everyone could use one after all this excitement."
Barbun, still glaring at the wreckage of his bar, sighed and began to clean up. "Yeah, sure. Just keep it easy on the bottles, alright?"
The group shared weary glances, but in that moment, it was clear that they needed a break. For now, they would rest and regroup. Tomorrow, they would face whatever new threat had emerged, armed with what little they knew—and hopefully, with the answers they so desperately needed.
The other Luka, the detective, awoke in the middle of the day after the events of the previous night. Perhaps it was the lack of sleep combined with the added strain of using magic far too powerful for his own body that caused him to sleep this much.
The bed he lay in was comfortably soft, far too large for him, but he couldn't deny how grateful he was to finally get some rest. Everything that had happened, the violence, the stupid events one after the other, and the overwhelming sense of helplessness, had left him drained.
His body felt heavy but he managed to sit up. The room around him was quiet, and the scent of old furniture and food drifted through the air. A plate full of bread and fruits was laid right next to his bed, and he let out a small chuckle of appreciation for such a thoughtful gesture.
"Still… What is this place?" he muttered under his breath as he took an apple from the plate.
It looked like an old castle, way different from the one in the Dreamworld.
With a quiet sigh, he decided to explore, hoping to find some answers. He gingerly got out of bed, feeling the lingering effects of both physical and mental exhaustion.
As soon as he stepped out of the room, he was greeted by the sight of a large corridor. The floor was covered in the center by a checkerboard pattern of black and white tiles while the blue undecorated walls stretched out from both sides.
Far away, he could see what looked like a centaur running in circles, as well as the entrance of a bar. But what shocked him the most, was the residents.
He was used to succubi at this point, but this? It was way different. These residents were clearly humanoid creatures with animal traits, with their woman features laid bare for all the world to see.
His gaze flickered over them, taking in the diversity of creatures, each more unusual than the last. A chimera had its tongues—plural—lolling out, while another creature, its body mostly covered in a blue, slime-like substance, had tentacles instead of arms.
"Awawa!"
"Awawa…" Luka echoed while staring at the creature that looked way too joyous. He swore that if it had a tail, it would be wagging it right now.
Wait no, it had a tail… With a feather at the tip?
"What the fuck are you?" he asked bluntly.
"I'm Awawa!"
"You know what? You're kinda cute. Nice to meet you Awawa." He gave a small, awkward wave, ready to embrace the weirdness of it all before heading inside the bar.
The scene inside wasn't much less strange. At the counter, a sheep with yellow wool was dead drunk, slumped over a bottle with an expression of bliss. Not far from her, a living cake with yellow hair was eating sloppily at a table, her giant mouths opening on her dress as she shoveled food in.
Luka stared at them, still processing everything, before muttering to himself, "I swear I don't even know what's going on anymore. Am I high?"
"Technically, you're on the first floor," a voice rang out from behind him, smooth and playful. Luka turned to see Koyanskaya, a small glass of wine in her hand, her usual confident smile on her lips.
Luka raised an eyebrow, feeling a mix of irritation and disbelief. "What are you doing here? And where were you when I needed you?" he asked, his voice more than a little annoyed.
The fox(?) sighed. "Unfortunately, I wasn't transported with you all. And for that, I must deeply apologize."
"Eh, it's fine," Luka waved his hand as if he didn't care. "As long as you still help in this whole mess."
The lady took a sip from her glass and grinned. "Of course~ I would do anything for my client." She then glanced away, seeing someone entering the room.
"I see you are awake," the lamia spoke, her voice sharp but composed. She fixed Luka with a steady gaze. "So, you're the other Luka I've been told about."
Luka blinked, unsure what she meant. "And you are…?"
"The monster lord, Alice," the lamia introduced herself with a slight smirk full of confidence.
Luka, still unsure if he was caught in some elaborate prank, turned his head toward Koyanskaya. "I'm sorry, is this a prank? I mean, between the other succubus and the kitsune, you're not telling me there's another loli that's super powerful, right?"
Alice's eyes narrowed, her temper flaring at the comment. "I'm not a loli, you idiot!" she shot back, her voice biting with irritation. "My power has been sealed, and I've been forced to take this form!"
Luka blinked again, immediately raising his hands in apology. "Oh, sorry, my bad." He gave an awkward chuckle, not wanting to make the situation any worse.
Koyanskaya, amused by the exchange, took another sip of her wine, watching the interaction unfold with a knowing smile.
"I was hoping you would be less of an idiot as he is, but looks like I was a bit too hopeful," Alice continued.
Luka's eyebrow twitched in irritation. Without warning, and before Alice could react, he leaned down and grabbed tightly the tip of her tail with his two hands.
"Hey, what are you doing?" Alice hissed, her eyes widening in surprise.
With a swift yank, Luka pulled her by the tail, spinning her around like a rope. Alice's limbs flailed as she tried to regain control, her pride clearly taking a hit as she was twirled around.
"Stop! I swear I'll—!" Alice's protests were cut off as Luka continued spinning her, her voice growing more frantic.
Luka grinned as he let go of Alice, the sudden release sending her flying through the air with a startled yelp. She collided with the bar with a loud crash, knocking over several bottles and a few cups in the process.
"Argh! Not again!" Barbun shouted as she quickly scrambled to prevent the bottles from falling off the shelf.
Alice groaned, sitting up on her tail with a stare that clearly was sending death threats toward him.
Luka pointed at her with a smirk. "Next time, don't call me an idiot first thing in the morning. I have already been through enough shit and I'm a liiiitle bit tired you see? No amount of sleep could fix that."
"You're lucky you're needed. Because I swear that it would have gone differently if—"
"Now, now Alice," the other Luka intervened, his voice calm but firm as he stepped forward, cutting her off. He met the detective's eyes, an unspoken understanding passing between them. "Nice to meet you, um..."
"Luka," the detective replied with a raised brow, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"I know, that's my name too so…"
"Just call him subLuka. He's clearly inferior to you," Alice added with a smug grin, clearly relishing the chance to jab at him.
"I don't know," the hero said, glancing at the detective with an apologetic smile. "It seems a bit mean…"
"Nah, it's fine," the detective replied nonchalantly, giving a slight shrug. "Call me whatever you want."
"Anyway, I have an emergency right now since someone saw a portal open in Grangold," Luka continued. "We already made a plan without you, so feel free to ask around. I think Mephisto wanted to meet you too."
"Got it," subLuka gave a thumbs up, trying to keep his focus. "Just before you go... Do you guys know what happened to my world? Is there any news?"
Luka and Alice exchanged a brief, tense glance, a quiet tension thickening the air. For a moment, subLuka felt a chill crawl down his spine.
Alice took a deep breath, her expression softening with sympathy. "According to Promenstein and your friend Nina, who is safe too, most of the population has… died," she said quietly, her head slumping to show her condolences.
SubLuka's heart sank, and the world started to spin around him. He felt his breath catch in his throat, unable to fully process the magnitude of it.
"W-What do you mean…? How?"
"I think the White Rabbit mentioned nuclear warheads," Luka continued. "I heard they are powerful weapons and hundreds of them were launched on the whole world."
SubLuka clenched his fists, his mind racing, but the sheer insanity of it all was just numbing. He swallowed hard, trying to find some semblance of control over his emotions but all he felt was just utter hopelessness.
"I see…" was all he could manage, his voice barely above a whisper as his shoulders slumped in defeat.
Alice nodded, her gaze still holding a somber note. "We don't know all the details yet, but we are trying to figure out a way to fix it."
SubLuka let out a shaky chuckle before licking his lips and looking at the ceiling. "Fix it?" he chuckled again. "What is there to fix? Everyone's fucking dead!" he finally shouted, staring at them with fury in his eyes before leaving the scene with heavy steps.
Koyanskaya exchanged a glance with Luka and Alice. "Looks like he won't be of much help."
Luka nodded slowly, watching SubLuka disappear down the stairs. "I feel sorry for him…"
Alice crossed her arms, looking away. "I know," she said with a sigh. But then, as if reminding herself of what happened earlier, she scoffed. "Hey, what am I getting sentimental for? This bastard spun me around!" Her voice took on a playful edge, as if trying to shake off the weight of the conversation.
Luka gave a soft chuckle, but his eyes were still clouded with concern. Shaking his head, he took out a harpy feather and grabbed Alice to fly toward Grangold.
SubLuka on the other hand was storming down the stairs, one step at a time while biting his lips in frustration.
Was there nothing he could do? Everything happened so fast that it felt unfair. No, it was unfair. He fought hard to protect everyone, and in the end, it didn't matter.
As he walked through the pocket castle, he noticed the blue-haired succubus playing with some kind of round and cute tentacle monster with red eyes. Reminded how everything started with her and that White Rabbit, the anger tripled as soon as he saw her smile like that whole mess was none of her business.
With a shaky breath, he calmed his nerves down. Even if she trashed his office, and tried to kill him, she had nothing to do with this whole mess. It was pointless and childish to put the blame on her.
That rabbit on the other hand…
"If I find her I swear I will behead her a hundred times before I feel satisfied…" he muttered under his breath, his eyes snapping back at a random monster girl nearby. The small dragon shrieked in terror before going back to her blacksmithing duty.
"Hey! Don't scare children like that!" a brown-haired girl, appearing out of nowhere, scolded him with an intensity that snapped him back to the present.
SubLuka's eyes flickered toward her. If it wasn't for her intense green eyes looking at him in anger, he would've remarked on her indecent outfit which didn't fit for a priest.
"Oh, it's you," Sonya stopped in her tracks, seemingly recognizing him now. "What are you doing, scaring Papi like that?" she demanded, her voice carrying the same tone of authority.
Luka blinked, confused by the mention of "Papi" and the sudden change in her tone. "And you are…?" he asked, trying to push the frustration down, even though it still roiled beneath the surface.
"Sonya," the girl replied, crossing her arms over her chest in a somewhat proud manner. "A childhood friend of Luka and official priest of his party!"
"Okay," SubLuka nodded, offering her an apologetic look. "Sorry for scaring her, I didn't mean to."
"It's fine as long as you apologize," Sonya replied, her voice softening slightly, though she didn't drop her stance. She glanced over at the little dragon, who had calmed down but was still giving SubLuka wary glances.
He turned around to face the small dragon girl and bowed his head slightly. "Sorry for scaring you. Keep up the good work, your weapons look great!"
"Thank you, mister! I work hard every day!"
The dragon girl got back to her work and started hammering the metal with renewed determination.
Sonya, still standing with her arms crossed, watched him silently for a few seconds before breaking the silence. "You really do have a way with the kids, huh?" Her tone had softened, but there was still an edge to her words.
"Nah, I'm just…" Luka blinked, looking at the small girl at work. "It wasn't intentional, sorry."
"You already apologized once, no need to do it again," Sonya replied with a sigh, shaking her head. "If you want to clear your head, you can take a stroll outside. I'll guard you."
The way she said it made him uneasy, her eyes following him in a way that made him feel as though he was being scrutinized. He couldn't shake the feeling that she was more than just a concerned bystander.
With a dismissive wave of his hand, he brushed off the offer. "No need to guard me. I can protect myself, no problem."
Sonya raised an eyebrow, her gaze sharp as ever. "Well... If you say so."
Luka didn't answer, instead heading toward the exit. It took him a while to find it but soon enough, he found himself outside in a clearing. The pain in his chest wasn't gone, but at least he had some fresh air. He sat down with a slump and breathed in heavily.
Nothing was simple in life. That he knew better than anyone. Even after dealing with a demon king, gods, and other stupid things that stood in the way of his peaceful life, even after feeling defeated multiple times, feeling like nothing could take him out of this situation, this time, for sure, he felt like it was over.
If what the young hero had said was true, then that meant his whole world was contaminated with lethal radiation. And if that didn't finish the job of killing all humans, the 'thing' that had taken over them to make everyone fight each other probably finished the job.
The thought made his stomach churn. All those people, his friends, the ones he fought for, children, families, people that dreamed of tomorrow—they were likely all gone.
He raised his head and gazed at the horizon. This world seemed peaceful. The soft rustling of the trees, the chirping of birds, and the occasional distant laughter from the castle behind him—all of it felt alien, yet oddly comforting.
Maybe... maybe I could live here, he thought. The inhabitants were strange, yes, but perhaps it wouldn't be so bad. Maybe this was a second chance.
As his thoughts drifted, a shadow passed over him. He brought his eyes up to see a purple-haired succubus standing there, her arms crossed with a mischievous smirk on her lips.
"Well, what do we have here?" she purred, her tone playful and eyes glinting with amusement.
Luka blinked, instinctively tensing up. "Who are you?"
The succubus tilted her head, giving him a wink. "Alma Elma," she said smoothly, licking her lips. "But you can call me whatever you want."
"Okay," he replied, already exasperated. "I'm going to stop you right there. I'm not in the mood, nor interested."
Alma Elma raised an eyebrow, feigning surprise. "Not interested? That's a first," she teased, circling him slowly. "What's the matter? You're feeling sad?"
"No," Luka replied flatly, keeping his gaze firmly ahead.
"Aww, don't be like that!" Alma Elma chirped, her tone light and teasing. "How about I take you on a date? A little fun might cheer you up!"
Luka turned his head sharply to face her, incredulous. "D-Did you even listen to what I just said?"
Before he could react, she snapped her fingers and gave a playful hop. "Hop, here we go!" she exclaimed, grabbing his arm in a blur of motion.
"Wait, what—?!" Luka protested as the world around him blurred.
When the motion finally stopped, Luka found himself in the sky, hurtling at full speed while being carried in Alma Elma's surprisingly strong arms. The air rushed past them, making it nearly impossible for him to protest further. He could only squint against the wind as the world zipped by beneath them.
In mere seconds, they landed gracefully in a completely different place—a bustling, lively area bursting with color and energy. Food stalls lined the streets, their enticing aromas wafting through the air. Brightly painted buildings surrounded them, and the sounds of laughter and chatter filled his ears.
Luka stumbled as his feet hit the ground, disoriented and a little winded from the sheer speed of their journey. He blinked several times, trying to process the sudden change of scenery.
"Welcome to my go-to date zone!" she declared with a wide grin, her arms spread dramatically. "I especially like the food here, if you know what I mean."
"Are you serious right now?" he asked, still disoriented and a bit deaf from the burst of air he suffered from on the way here. "You just kidnapped me!"
"I always wanted to do that with the Luka-boy♪" she replied, not giving a fuck about the situation. "And I won't call you that, sorry♪"
"You can't just—!" Luka cut himself off, a hand dragging down his face as a groan escaped him. It hit him, not for the first time, how overwhelmingly annoying this world was becoming. He inhaled sharply, trying to steady his frayed nerves. "Look, I don't have time for this."
"Right," Alma Elma chuckled dryly, crossing her arms. "Because you needed time to stare blankly at the horizon while wallowing in pain."
Luka flinched, the sharpness in her words cutting deeper than he'd expected. He took a step back, his gaze narrowing. "You don't know a thing," he said, his voice quieter.
"You're right, I don't," Alma Elma replied, her smirk softening into something that almost resembled sincerity. "To be honest, I'm only doing this because a friend of yours appeared in my dreams."
Luka blinked, his defenses faltering. His mouth opened as if to say something, but no words came out. For a brief moment, a faint smile tugged at his lips. He had a good idea of who she meant.
Noticing his reaction, Alma Elma pressed on, her voice growing uncharacteristically gentle. "And you know what she told me?" She paused, her sharp eyes locking onto his. "She said you always get back up, no matter what."
"Of course, that idiot would say that…" he muttered, his smile returning slowly as he shook his head.
"Besides," Alma Elma's smirk widened. "I prefer courageous people who live by their principles. That's why I'm giving you a little nudge."
Luka let out a dry laugh, shaking his head. "I don't know if this is a nudge or harassment."
"You might like it if you let yourself be taken by the flow~"
"Fine," Luka sighed. "I'll indulge you, Miss Succubus. But I don't think that's something I can come back from."
Despite himself, Luka found her enthusiasm infectious. There was something strangely familiar about her energy, a reminder of that friend who had always pushed him forward, never letting him fall too deep into despair. Maybe it was a trait of succubi, but there was something endearing about their relentless pursuit to seduce and captivate. Over time, Luka had grown accustomed to their pushiness, even finding it somewhat charming.
Perhaps just this one time, he could just let go and let himself be carried by the wind, without worrying about all of his problems.
A single night of fun, that couldn't be interrupted by anything but their own will.
"Here we are," the hero Luka said as he landed in Grangold with his harpy feather, Alice by his side.
The citizens went into hiding the moment the portal opened. It stood there, right in front of the castle under repair, shimmering with a faint light that contrasted with the blackest void it seemed to lead to.
Alice, eyes locked onto the gate, spoke up. "So, did anyone come out of that gate yet?"
The first to arrive on the scene were Alicetroemeria and the king of Grangold. The figure in green wielding her wand with an uncanny expression on her face stepped up first with a cheerful voice.
"Ufufufu… I'm still waiting for something to come out of their little rabbit hole."
"Nothing to report yet," the king of Grangold said. "But I'm worried about this portal. Usually, it doesn't take much time before they close…"
Luka stepped forward, eyes narrowing as he scrutinized the swirling energy within the gate. "Alright, does anyone know if there is something beyond that gate?" he asked, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword, ready for action.
Alice immediately turned on him, shaking her head fervently. "Oh no you don't!" she shouted. "Last time you ended up in a world that got destroyed!"
"I can still use a harpy feather if things go wrong."
"Are you sure? Perhaps it won't work in this one?" Alicetroemeria interjected, chuckling ominously.
"Those are not parallel worlds," Mephisto suddenly arrived and took part in the conversation. "There is a chance you might end up in a world where harpy feathers don't work, you never know."
Luka blinked, his confidence faltering for a moment. "Ah… I-I see," he said quickly, stepping back from the portal.
The group stood in silence, watching the portal pulse, in anticipation of whatever came next.
And then, as if answering their growing tension, the gate began to close slowly, the edges of the portal folding in on themselves like a dying flame.
"Wait, that's it?" Alice shouted in disbelief, her eyes wide with shock.
Alicetroemeria's smile faded, replaced with a disappointed frown. "Now that's a mood killer…" she murmured, her tone losing its usual cheerfulness as the portal's light dimmed.
"At least everything is fine," Luka said in an attempt to cheer everyone up. "Isn't that for the best?"
"You're right," Alice replied with a nod. "Let's go back to the pocket castle. We have some work to do."
Using another harpy feather, the whole group teleported instantly outside of the city.
The citizens, now aware that the danger had passed came out of their houses, filling up slowly the streets.
With that, this eventful day was over and the evening slowly settled as the sunset.
Night fell once more in this soon-to-be-broken world unbeknownst that the portal had opened again, just enough for a small tiny spore to take flight in the air.
"Hey, this ice cream is delicious!"
Meanwhile, late into the evening, the subLuka and Alma Elma were still going at it.
"Wanna eat spaghetti next? We could do the—"
"We're eating one plate separately," Luka interjected, cutting her off with a slight smirk.
Alma Elma pouted dramatically, her lower lip jutting out in mock disappointment. "Aww, you're no fun. But I suppose I can't blame you. You're not that much of a glutton." She leaned back in her seat, twirling a lock of her purple hair with one finger. "Though, just once, wouldn't it be fun to indulge a little more?"
Luka rolled his eyes but couldn't help the smile tugging at the corners of his mouth anymore. Despite his earlier gloomy attitude, the playful and light atmosphere she brought was starting to grow on him. "You're never giving up, do you?"
"I'm just a free spirit," Alma Elma replied, her grin returning as she casually took another spoonful of her ice cream. "Life's too short to be serious all the time."
Luka couldn't help but smile, his shoulders relaxing a little. "I agree."
"Speaking of which, what were you doing for fun back in your world?" she asked.
Luka paused at the question, the sudden shift in topic catching him off guard. He glanced down at his bowl, as if searching for something to steady himself. A fleeting memory drifted through his mind, but he pushed it aside. "Not much, honestly," he said after a moment, a half-hearted shrug slipping from him. "Whenever I had time to myself, I either worked on my magic or trained."
Alma Elma arched a brow, clearly intrigued. "You're a real hard worker, huh?"
He let out a quiet laugh, the corners of his mouth twitching up. "Not really. I just… I guess I've been so caught up in everything these past few years that I've forgotten what it's like to just… not be on alert. Always something new, something unexpected."
Alma Elma's expression turned serious. "It feels like you've been through a lot."
"Well…" He hesitated, unsure how to continue, the words feeling heavier as they left his lips. "My parents died. A lot of my friends died. A lot of people died… and now, even more people are dying. I feel like life's just… hating me sometimes."
"Sometimes, I wonder why I'm always the one surviving, you see?"
The silence between them stretched for a moment, making them both uneasy.
"Ah… I'm really not good at this," Alma Elma muttered, breaking the silence with a sigh of desperation, her earlier cheerfulness replaced with an unexpected honesty. "I'm not really used to serious conversations like this."
"Nah, don't worry," Luka replied, a soft chuckle escaping him as he shook his head. "You asked me a question, and I brought down the mood. That's on me."
"If you want to feel good on the other hand…" Alma Elma's smile returned, the playful spark in her eyes flickering back to life.
"Still no," Luka said firmly, shaking his head with a grin.
"Tch!" Alma Elma clicked her tongue, pouting slightly but with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "You're really one of the hardest guys to get."
Luka chuckled again. "Even if you were to try and get me by force, I would beat you up."
"Oh really?" Alma Elma's expression turned into one of curiosity. "Wanna try that out in the Colosseum?"
Luka paused for a moment and blinked. "Is that a challenge? You're a succubus, right? I mean, besides that loli white-haired one, I don't think you stand a chance."
"How about we make a bet?"
Luka raised an eyebrow. "A bet?"
She nodded, her grin widening. "If I win, you do whatever I want. But if you win… well, I'll do whatever I want."
"I don't see what I'm gaining in this." Luka flatly stated while taking a spoonful of ice cream.
"You do realize a lot of guys would kill to do whatever they want with me for one day, right?!"
"Well, I'm not one of them so… Unless…" he paused, his smirk widening as an idea sparked in his mind. Unfortunately for her, Alma Elma thought he was thinking about something naughty, while the only idea in his mind was revenge for kidnapping him.
"Alright, you're on!"
"Fufu… I hope you won't regret this♪"
At this hour, the Colosseum of Grand Noah was empty. The moon shone brightly on the terrain, giving enough light for them to see each other.
As soon as they landed, standing a few paces apart, Luka realized he might have made a mistake. Alma Elma was taller, broader, and overall much more imposing than him. Her frame was solid, her muscles defined in ways that Luka hadn't fully appreciated until now.
When she had carried him earlier, he felt the strength in her arms and the surprising speed of her movements. Her tail flicked with purpose, and he knew it could be a problem in this fight. She wasn't just a succubus; she was a force to be reckoned with.
Still, he thought that a fight would do him good. The rush of battle and the adrenaline while working a sweat was a good way to reset your mind to a more stable one.
"Whenever you are ready♪" Alma Elma teased, leaning forward in a seductive manner.
Luka took a deep breath, rolling his shoulders as he narrowed his eyes at her. He wasn't about to back down, after all.
"Let's have a fair match," Luka announced, squaring his shoulders and putting his fists in a guarding stance.
Alma Elma raised an eyebrow, her grin widening. She clearly wanted him to make the first move, to charge at her like an overconfident fool. But Luka wasn't about to play into that. Instead, he focused on his breathing, his stance, his movements.
With a sudden burst of magical energy, Luka lunged forward. His foot hit the ground, propelling him toward her with surprising speed. His left fist shot out, aimed directly at her head, a concentrated strike backed by the raw power of his magic.
Alma Elma's eyes flickered with amusement, but her body remained poised and completely open. She didn't flinch or try to dodge—she was testing him.
Luka's fist cut through the air, inches from impact, when suddenly—
WHOOSH!
With an agility that surpassed his comprehension, she disappeared from his sight, a burst of wind rushing right past him as his fist connected with nothing but air. A split second later, he felt something wrap around his leg, something soft but strong.
Luka's eyes widened in surprise and horror as he looked down to see Alma Elma's tail coiled around his leg, and, to his dismay, her mischievous hands fiddling with the waistband of his pants.
"HEY!" Luka shouted, his face turning bright red in pure embarrassment. "What the hell are you thinking?"
"It is a battle between a succubus and a human, right?" Alma Elma whispered in his ears.
"THAT'S HOW SUCCUBI FIGHT IN THIS WORLD?!" Luka yelped, his embarrassment heightening. He tried to twist away, but her grip on his leg was firm, her tail deceptively strong.
I have made a terrible mistake, Luka thought. He had severely underestimated her, not in strength but in sheer mental damage she could inflict on him.
"Get off me!" he gritted through clenched teeth. Determined to regain control, he charged his right arm full of mana, intent on striking back. His elbow shot toward her abdomen, powered by magic, ready to break her hold.
Or at least, that was the plan.
Alma Elma, however, reacted with terrifying ease. With a fluid motion, she caught his arm mid-strike. Her grip was unyielding, her hand locking onto his with a calm certainty that left him with no escape.
"Hehe… Now it's time for the fun part♪"
Having fully undone his pants, she reached down. But something immediately bothered her.
"Hm? You're not hard at all…"
"Of course not you idiot! I can't!"
A short silence filled the arena.
"So that's why Morrigan was ang—"
"Yes! That's part of it but it's complicated!" He shouted back, as he couldn't contain his embarrassment anymore. "Now, get off me!" With a swift motion, he pulled out a talisman from his jacket and threw it in the air. The next moment, it burned brightly and he found himself swapping places with it.
Still, his pants were at Alma Elma's feet. And the air was cold.
"Dammit. I should've known better than to accept that challenge…"
"I am shocked as well. Is it a sickness you have?" Alma Elma asked, a concerned look on her face.
Luka sighed, using a talisman and some magic to bring his pants back to him. "Just a condition I have. Unfortunately, or rather fortunately considering how much succubi tried me recently, I can't seem to feel pleasure at all."
With a slight zip, he closed the fly of his jeans and pointed at her. "And don't feel bad about me! I'm fine!"
"I do feel bad for you. One of the only perks of being a man and you don't have it."
"Shut up! Now, get back to the fight! Fair this time!" he squared up again while regaining control of his emotions.
But her expression turned serious, and her voice lost her usual sing-song tone. "Are you sure you want to continue?"
It sounded like a threat. One that Luka didn't like considering how playful she was before. There was no way she could be stronger than Vinum, right? In fact, he had a chance against Vinum because she wasn't taking things seriously. And it was also a fight to the death so he could go wild.
"Um… I don't know. You—"
Luka opened his mouth, and his eyes went wide. Alma Elma didn't even have the time to see it, but he did. A black mass, as small as a single blowball of a dandelion. It was so fast he barely saw it for a few seconds. It made contact with the succubus in front of him, and, suddenly, a cry of pain escaped her throat.
For a moment, the arena seemed to freeze, the tension cutting through the air like a blade. Luka's heart raced, his instincts screaming at him to act, but he was caught in that split second of disbelief. Alma Elma staggered back, clutching at the spot where the black mass had hit her, her usual grace faltering as pain flickered across her features.
"What… What was that?" Luka muttered under his breath, barely able to comprehend what had just happened.
As soon as he said that, the spot where the black mass had hit her began to darken, and, before he knew it she was on the floor screaming out in pain.
"Alma Elma!" Luka shouted, his heart racing as he rushed toward her, his earlier hesitation forgotten. But even as he neared her, the situation seemed to escalate. The dark mark on her body began to twist, spreading across her skin like some sort of malevolent vine, its tendrils reaching further into her flesh with every passing moment.
"What the hell is happening?!" Luka growled, his mind scrambling for an explanation. He had no idea what that black mass was, or who had attacked her, but the situation had gone from bad to worse in an instant.
Alma Elma's pained cries filled the air, but even in her agony, there was something else in her eyes—something that Luka couldn't quite place. "Luka… you need to run," she gasped between gritted teeth, her voice shaky with pain. "This… is bad."
He looked around desperately but saw nothing. No figure. No sign of who had done this. Just the dark, twisting energy that was suffocating Alma Elma, threatening to tear her apart.
"Who did this?!" Luka demanded, now more urgently than before, but Alma Elma could barely respond. Her voice was a whisper, barely audible above the sound of her labored breaths.
"Run…" she repeated, her body trembling as the darkness continued to crawl across her.
Until at one point, it all vanished. The dark tendrils, her pained grunts, everything replaced by a still silence.
Luka's heart skipped a bit. It was the same sensation he had when looking at that girl, Granberia. But she was too close, and she was too fast.
He felt an immense hostility as all reason vanished from her face. Her eyes became twisted as if taken over by a blind rage. And before he knew it, a punch came flying straight toward his face.
The impact of Alma Elma's punch was like a lightning bolt, ripping through the air and crashing into Luka's face with a force he couldn't have predicted. His world went white for a moment, the searing pain in his cheek mingling with the sickening crack of his teeth breaking apart. He felt himself lift off the ground, his body thrown through the air like a ragdoll, before crashing into the stands with a brutal thud.
Luka groaned, clutching his jaw, blood pooling in his mouth from the broken teeth. The pain was immense, but he had to force himself to focus. Otherwise, he would probably die here.
But before he could recover, the sound of rushing air reached his ears. His heart skipped a beat as Alma Elma—quicker than he had ever imagined—was already hovering above him. Her form was a blur, a relentless force of nature, and before he could even begin to react, she brought her fist down toward him with lethal precision.
Desperation coursed through him. There was no time to think. His arms shot out, and he poured every last drop of his mana into them, hoping against hope that he could somehow defend himself. The moment her fist connected, pain exploded across his limbs. The mana he'd gathered only delayed the inevitable as her strike shattered through his makeshift defense like glass.
Luka's arm folded under the impact with an awful crack. The sickening sound reverberated in his skull, his bones snapping from the sheer force of the blow. He screamed, the pain flooding every nerve in his body. His arm, bent at an unnatural angle, was useless.
He was at her mercy now, completely vulnerable. As her fist rose again, Luka's breath hitched. It was all over. His chest felt tight, and his vision blurred as a familiar sense of dread gripped him. The punch would land, and there would be no getting up after it.
There was no time to prepare like with Vinum. The closed area was at his disadvantage, and she was definitely trying to kill him in the fastest way possible.
In a desperate attempt to survive, he forced every last ounce of willpower into his mind, clawing at the edges of consciousness to grab her ankle with his good arm.
"Control!"
He shouted his trusted spell in the hope of getting out of this. A simple versatile spell usually used on himself to control his own mind and body with ease. Using it on someone else could backfire quickly, especially if they were well-versed in magic, but this time he was facing a person in a berserk state.
In an instant, Luka felt his consciousness slip into a void, a swirling blackness that seemed to close in around him. His mental fingers brushed against the edges of her mind, and with a snap, he grasped the projection of her mental landscape. It wasn't her physical form, but a reflection of her inner being—a fragile web of thoughts and emotions, now twisted and distorted by the chaos of her rage.
The mental projection was shrouded in darkness, a thick, viscous substance that seemed to ooze and writhe with malevolent intent. It filled every corner, choking the very air, and Luka could feel it tug at his mind as he struggled to maintain his grip.
Normally a mental landscape couldn't be this vivid. It was more like a bunch of random connections and thoughts he could influence. But this time, it felt as if someone or something was living there, and created a whole space inside a mental realm.
"To think you would this far," a voice resonated inside this landscape, catching Luka off guard.
"What the—" Luka's thoughts faltered, and he looked around, his senses heightened by the presence of the voice. There was nothing tangible to grasp onto, no figure to confront. But he could feel it—something in the darkness, something that wasn't Alma Elma.
The voice was too sharp, too insidious. It wasn't coming from her directly, but from something deep within the labyrinth of her mind, something that had been stirred by his intrusion. The viscous substance that filled the landscape pulsed as if alive, reacting to his presence, and Luka felt the weight of something malevolent pushing back against him.
"Who are you?" Luka demanded, his voice steady but the unease in his gut growing stronger by the second.
Now he could see clearly, as if he was in another world entirely.
"I am nothing, yet." the voice answered, its tone low and amused. "You on the other hand are about to become a mangled corpse once my puppet is done with you."
"Did someone say puppet?" Another voice rang out, sharp and clear, making Luka whip around in surprise. The voice was playful, almost mocking, and Luka's eyes widened as a figure appeared out of nowhere. A young girl, carrying a box on her shoulders, materialized from the void, her bright golden eyes gleaming in the darkness. A sinister, almost predatory smile danced across her lips, the edges of her expression hinting at something far more dangerous than her youthful appearance suggested.
"So, this is a space contained within a mental landscape... Interesting," the girl mused, her tone light and teasing, as if she were admiring an odd curiosity rather than confronting a deadly situation.
"W-Who are you?" the other voice said in surprise. "No one should be able to come here!"
"Oh, excuse the intrusion," the girl replied, her smile widening. "I heard you were talking about puppets, and my master told me to check this place out. She took an interest in it, you see."
Luka's mind raced, trying to piece together what was happening. The girl seemed unperturbed by the threatening presence around them, like she was well-acquainted with the darkness. Whoever her master was, they must have some power to be able to send someone into this realm with such ease.
As if threatened the mud started taking a humanoid shape and attacked the little girl, as if forgetting about Luka's presence.
Luka's breath caught in his throat. He hadn't expected the shift. For a moment, it looked like the girl might become its next victim. But instead of flinching or backing away, the girl's golden eyes glittered with amusement, her smile widening as the creature barreled toward her.
She didn't move.
"Hmmm… This might be a problem," the little girl said upon examining the black sludge coming straight towards her. "If we let you here you might ruin our little party. After all, what's interesting about a world filled with brainwashed people? With no one to watch my performance?"
And just like that, a black miasma surrounded her.
"Life is dark, death is dark…"
The air seemed to thicken with tension as the black miasma enveloped the girl, swirling around her like a storm.
Crimson fangs appeared out of thin air as the little girl kept singing her song of death.
"I'm so sad, so sad…♪"
Just by looking at it, Luka could tell this technique was insane. He could feel the sheer power coming from it, something that ebbed away at the life force of the user. He was used to using his life energy as fuel, but this was ten times better.
And ten times deadlier too. Both for the user and the enemy.
"Dark Rondo!"
The little girl screamed with playful glee as she launched her attack. The crimson fangs shot out like a storm of razor-sharp energy, slicing through the air with frightening precision. They struck the black sludge with such force that it didn't just disintegrate—it was obliterated, vaporized in an instant.
She then kept going. The mud reformed again and again, but with each blow, it was vaporized. Little by little, the quantity of mud turned from a torrent into a small puddle. Like cleaning with a brush, and removing the paint from this twisted landscape, the little girl clawed the dark out of Alma Elma's mind.
The girl's movements were mesmerizing, and Luka could feel an overwhelming sense of awe mixed with unease. He had never seen anything like it before. The sheer precision, the control over the energy around her…
With one final, decisive strike, the last remnants of the black sludge were obliterated, turning to smoke and evaporating into the air.
But the landscape was still there.
As the final traces of darkness faded, the girl stepped back, her eyes now turned red gleaming with satisfaction. She surveyed the landscape one last time before turning her gaze toward Luka. "A spectator, I see. Unfortunately…"
Before Luka could react, the girl's body began to crumble, the energy from the dark rondo crushing her under its own weight. Her form twisted in on itself, bones and flesh breaking down as the magic devoured her. The eerie light around her flickered and waned, her body disintegrating slowly into nothingness.
Luka watched, a faint smirk curling at the corner of his lips as he looked down at what was left of the girl—the puppet. He couldn't help but feel a sense of grim satisfaction. There was something twistedly poetic about seeing a piece of dark magic collapse under its own power.
"So that's the cost, huh?" Luka said, his voice cold but carrying an undercurrent of dry humor. His eyes narrowed as he regarded the deteriorating form of the puppet. "A pretty steep price for a performance, don't you think?"
The puppet smiled. ""Exactly. My objective is complete, now I can sleep soundly for eternity…"
Luka chuckled, his tone almost mocking as he crossed his arms. "You liar." His eyes narrowed as he took a step forward. "You have a spare body, don't you?"
The rolling head of the puppet frowned at him in frustration. It seemed almost offended by his words.
"Don't ask. Already dealt with this kind of magic before," Luka replied nonchalantly. "Though it was far more complete than your little puppet parade."
For an instant, he could see her face twist into anger before disappearing with the rest of her body.
Luka took a deep breath, standing alone in the now-empty mental space. His chest still heaved from the intensity of the battle, the weight of the encounter pressing on him. He was shaken, but not broken. The experience had drained him, but something told him the fight wasn't over—not by a long shot.
And then, just as the air grew still, the familiar sensation of reality began to tug at him. The walls of the mental landscape melted away like fog, and he was pulled back to the physical world with a jolt.
He found himself once again facing the frozen figure of Alma Elma, her eyes wide and empty. She still hovered there, poised in mid-air, her fist suspended just inches from his face. The tension in the air was suffocating, like time itself had stopped around them.
"You're back, Alma Elma?" Luka rasped, the words leaving his mouth in strained grunts, his body still aching from the damage she'd inflicted earlier.
But there was no light between her eyes. After all, even if the black mud was gone, her mind was twisted beyond recognition. And before he could utter another word, her wings flapped in the air, lifting her up, and she disappeared into the night sky.
Luka sighed.
Now he couldn't just back down could he?
"I really should stop getting attached to people…" he grunted.
But now he was certain.
He couldn't just let that thing dictate what should be.