Dervin jolted awake with a sharp gasp, his chest rising and falling rapidly as he struggled to shake off the lingering dread of his nightmare. His right hand instinctively roamed across his torso, searching for something—though he wasn't sure what. A wave of relief washed over him as he exhaled heavily.
"Hah… just a dream," he muttered to himself. But his relief was short-lived. As his vision adjusted to his surroundings, an unsettling realization crept in—this was not his room.
Instead of his usual dull and unremarkable bedroom, he found himself in a chamber that looked as though it had been plucked straight from medieval times. The stone walls were bare and lifeless, their bleak beige hue draining any sense of warmth from the space. A heavy wooden door stood at the far end, the only apparent exit. Even the air felt different—heavier, colder, and tinged with the faint scent of damp stone.
A deep sense of unease settled over him as he swung his legs over the bed and stood up. Immediately, something felt… off. His body moved differently—heavier, stronger. Taller. Gone was his familiar, thin frame, replaced by something more solid, more powerful.
"What the actual hell is going on?" he murmured, his voice laced with confusion.
Determined to make sense of the situation, he strode toward the door and pulled it open. What lay beyond only deepened his bewilderment.
The corridor stretched before him, its rough stone walls dimly illuminated by torches flickering in their iron sconces. The entire space looked ancient, as though it belonged to an underground fortress or a vast cavern. He glanced back into the room he had woken in—there were no windows, no signs of an alternative escape route. That left only one option: forward.
With cautious steps, Dervin ventured down the hallway, the sound of his own breathing filling the eerie silence. After what felt like an eternity of wandering, he came upon a staircase that spiraled upward. If this place had multiple levels, that meant he was underground.
Ascending the stairs, he emerged into a new section of the cavernous structure—one that, while still rugged, bore signs of refinement. The passageways were more structured, resembling an ancient labyrinth rather than a crude tunnel. Dust coated the uneven stone floors, and cobwebs clung to the ceiling, suggesting this place had not been properly maintained in ages.
Just as he took another cautious step forward, a voice—smooth yet commanding—cut through the silence.
"I thought I told you never to leave your room."
Dervin froze. The voice came from behind him.
His blood ran cold. He had just come from that direction. There was no one there.
Slowly, hesitantly, he turned around.
Standing before him was the most breathtaking woman he had ever seen.
Her beauty was almost unreal—long, dark blue hair cascaded down her back, framing a face so flawless it rivaled that of a goddess. Her piercing eyes held a sharp intensity, and her curvaceous figure exuded an aura of power and allure. But it wasn't just her beauty that caught his attention. It was the unmistakable, ominous detail atop her head—two dark, curved horns protruding from her forehead.
Horns.
His breath hitched. That was a trait only associated with demons.
The woman's striking features were twisted into a mask of irritation as she strode toward him with purpose. Before he could utter a word, she raised her hand and struck him across the face.
The sharp sting snapped Dervin out of his daze.
"Answer me when I speak to you," she commanded, her voice laced with authority.
For a moment, silence hung between them. Then, a dangerous glint flickered in Dervin's eyes. His jaw tightened as his initial awe dissolved into simmering irritation.
He loathed being spoken down to. He had always considered himself superior to others, and he refused to tolerate arrogance from anyone—no matter how beautiful they were.
A low, menacing chuckle rumbled from his throat as he met her gaze with a cold smirk.
"Look, woman," Dervin said darkly, his voice carrying a razor-sharp edge. "I'll admit you're beautiful, but if you ever disrespect me again… you'll regret it."
The demoness's eyes widened slightly, momentarily caught off guard by his defiance. This was unexpected. She had always seen Khane as someone who would submit to her without question. But this was not Khane. This was Dervin.
For the first time, uncertainty flickered across her flawless face. "Khane… what did you just say?" Her voice was controlled, but beneath it lay something else—an unspoken challenge.
Dervin, however, was no stranger to arrogance. Back on his home-world... Home-world? Well,his reputation alone had been enough to silence most who dared oppose him. Yet here, in this unfamiliar place, this woman—this demoness—thought she could command him.
His irritation burned into something sharper. Stepping forward, he reached for her throat—not in blind rage, but with calculated intent. What he hadn't anticipated was the sheer brute strength this body possessed.
His fingers wrapped around her neck effortlessly, his grip firm but measured. Her body tensed in resistance, eyes flashing with defiance, but she was no match for his strength. "I don't bow to anyone," Dervin growled. "Remember that."
She gasped, hands instinctively clutching at his wrist, her sharp nails digging into his skin. But despite her struggle, her expression wasn't purely one of fear—it was something else. Surprise. Interest.
And perhaps, the faintest glimmer of something far more dangerous.
After a moment, Dervin loosened his grip, releasing her. She staggered back, breathless, rubbing her throat. He turned away, uninterested in prolonging the encounter.
But humiliation could be a powerful motivator.
With a sudden flicker of movement, she lunged. A dagger materialized in her grasp, aimed straight for his back.
Dervin sensed it—the subtle shift in air, the whisper of steel cutting through space. Without hesitation, he pivoted, dodging her strike with ease. In one swift motion, he caught her by the wrist and twisted, forcing her to drop the weapon. Then, with precise force, he swept her legs out from under her, sending her crashing to the floor.
"Ark!" she gasped, the impact knocking the breath from her lungs.
Dervin pinned her with a knee, his grip still locked around her wrist. "That was foolish."
Her crimson eyes burned with something wild as she looked up at him—not fear, but something dangerously close to exhilaration.
Before either of them could move, a sudden chime resonated through the air.
---
[System host detected.]
[Searching for system…]
[Compatible system located.]
[Synchronization in progress…]
[Synchronization complete.]
[Congratulations! Host has awakened the Divine-Ranked System: "Lustful God Ascension."]
---
Holographic blue screens blinked into existence, their luminescent glow casting eerie shadows along the corridor walls.
Dervin narrowed his eyes at the floating text, his grip on the demoness relaxing slightly as he read the message. A system? He had heard of such things in fiction before, but experiencing it firsthand was something else entirely.
Underneath him, the demoness was breathing heavily, her pulse racing beneath his fingertips. She should have been enraged, yet instead, she seemed more intrigued than anything.
Another chime sounded.
---
[Ding! Target identified.]
[Would you like to register this target under the Submission Pact?]
[Yes / No]
---
Dervin studied the screen carefully. Submission Pact? His lips curled into a slow, thoughtful smirk.
"Permission granted."
---
[Target: Elisa the Succubus - Successfully registered.]
[Mission Title: Succubus Dominion]
[Mission Briefing: Establish dominance over Elisa the Succubus through challenge and conquest. Earn her willing loyalty and submission.]
[Mission Reward: Mythical-Grade Skill, Class EXP]
---
Dervin exhaled, his smirk widening as he glanced down at the succubus beneath him. She had stopped struggling, her expression unreadable.
"Well… isn't this interesting?"
Elisa's lips parted slightly, her breath still uneven from their clash. She let out a soft, almost amused chuckle. "I suppose it is."
This was far from over.
___________
----------
°°°°°