Noah awoke with a start, his body lurching upright as he shouted, "Not today!" His hands were raised defensively, his body tense and ready to fight.
It took him a moment to recognize that he was still in the dimly lit room where he had fallen asleep. The reality of his situation washed over him again, a heavy weight settling in his chest as he glanced around.
The room hadn't changed, and neither had he. The horns on his head and the inhuman power coursing through his veins reminded him that this wasn't some fever dream. He was still alive, and worse, he was indeed a demon—an Incubus.
He sighed deeply, the sound echoing in the quiet space. "So, it's real," he muttered to himself, the bitterness evident in his voice. There was no denying it now.
This body, this power—it was his reality. He hadn't merely escaped death; he had been reborn into a new existence, one that was both strange and horrifying.
As he pushed himself off the couch, Noah's mind returned to the last fragments of memory from the body's previous owner. The fleeting images told him little beyond a desperate flight through the corridors, a frantic attempt to escape certain death, only to end in that blood-soaked room.
There were no clues as to where this lair was located or why it had been targeted for such a thorough massacre.
He was just about to leave the room in search of answers when a familiar sound broke the silence.
Ding!
The system's countdown finally clocked zero. Multiple translucent purple panels popped up in the air before him, each filled with glowing text that hovered just out of reach, yet somehow perfectly legible. He squinted at the first panel.
[Synchronization Complete. Welcome to the Succubus System, Host.]
As Noah's eyes scanned the message, more panels appeared, offering a detailed explanation of how the system operated. It was almost overwhelming, the sheer amount of information flooding his vision all at once.
He did his best to take it all in, though a growing sense of impatience clawed at the back of his mind. Time was of the essence, and he didn't have the luxury of standing around reading while there were still potential threats lurking nearby.
The system was divided into five main categories:
[Status...]
[Shop...]
[Inventory...]
[Missions...]
[Chat...]
The first category [Status] provided an overview of Noah's current abilities, stats, and various traits related to his Incubus form.
[Shop] was the second category, dedicated to purchasing various items that could aid him in future missions. The shop's inventory was expansive, offering everything from weapons and armor to potions, spells, and even consumable items that could temporarily boost his stats.
However, every item required a certain amount of Satisfaction Points to purchase, and right now, his balance was zero.
The third was [Inventory] which allowed Noah to store items in a spatial storage space provided by the system. Currently, it was empty.
[Missions] was the category that listed any active tasks assigned to him by the system, complete with descriptions, rewards, and penalties for failure. It was blank at the moment, save for a line that read: [Awaiting First Mission Activation].
[Chat] The final category was perhaps the most intriguing. It was labeled as a chat room, but unlike the other sections, this one was locked. A message at the top stated that only an "Admin" could initiate conversations.
It appeared that while Noah could receive messages here, he couldn't send any. At the bottom of the chat screen, there was a single message from an unknown sender:
"Welcome, Host. Do as you wish until we meet. Make good use of the gifts I've provided."
The words sent a chill down Noah's spine. The message was casual, almost friendly, yet the implication behind it was unnerving. Whoever—or whatever—had orchestrated his reincarnation clearly had plans for him, and that fact alone made Noah wary.
The more he tried to digest the information, the more the system seemed to taunt him with its overly thorough explanations. As if to emphasize its "zest," the system threw in vivid descriptions and verbose details for every little feature.
'Great. A system with personality,' he thought sarcastically as he skimmed over a particularly long description of the Seduction attribute, which included several lines about its "charm-enhancing properties" and "the allure of the Incubus." He didn't have time for this—there were more pressing matters to attend to, like figuring out where the hell he was and whether the killers who had attacked the lair could return at any moment.
Noah shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts as he closed most of the panels, leaving only the Status screen up for now. He needed to understand his current capabilities if he was going to survive whatever came next.
As he called out, "Status," the Status panel displayed his basic attributes:
[Name: Noah Argoth]
[Race: Incubus (Demon)]
[Life Force: 50/50]
[Mana: 60]
[Strength: 30]
[Agility: 25]
[Stamina: 35]
[Seduction: 100]
[Abilities: (All locked)]
[Satisfaction Points: 00]
Noah frowned. Compared to the strength and mana reserves he had possessed as a human warrior, these numbers were pitiful. Yet, his "Seduction" attribute stood out, easily the highest of the bunch. It seemed that his new nature as an Incubus afforded him different strengths and weaknesses. The path to regaining his former power wouldn't be straightforward. He would have to build himself up again, step by step, through this system.
As much as he hated the thought, he couldn't deny the potential for growth. If he used the system wisely, he might be able to surpass the limits of his former self. But that path was filled with uncertainty.
How many Satisfaction Points would it take to raise his power back to what it had once been? What kind of missions would he be asked to undertake?
Tsss~
Tsss~
A faint rustling noise from the hallway broke his concentration. Noah's body tensed as he listened, his heightened senses picking up on the sound of something moving just outside the door.
The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. He quickly dismissed the remaining panels, readying himself for whatever might come next.
He needed to find out where he was, and more importantly, if the slayers who had eradicated the demons in this lair were coming back to finish the job.
As he gripped the edge of the door, preparing to push it open and step into the unknown, a single thought lingered in his mind: I won't die a second time!