Chapter 22: Succubus? Charming Him? Instant Kill!

Lynn pulled back the tent flap.

The sunlight was blinding, causing him to squint.

The air smelled of fresh earth mixed with a faint scent of blood.

The exhaustion from the previous night left dark circles under his eyes, and his stomach still throbbed with a dull ache.

Vivian was nearby, sharpening her greatsword.

The blade emitted a low hum in her hands, each stroke of the whetstone carrying a cold, metallic hardness.

Alicia stood in the center of the camp, hands clasped over her chest as she chanted in a low voice.

Her body was enveloped in a layer of shimmering light, making her look serene.

Lynn walked over to the campfire.

The flames had already died out, leaving only a few charred pieces of charcoal radiating lingering warmth.

“Master Lynn, good morning.”

Alicia turned around and flashed a smile at Lynn.

This smile was a sharp contrast to her silent movements the night before when she had squeezed into Lynn’s sleeping bag.

Vivian sheathed her greatsword, slinging it across her back with a crisp “clack”.

She looked at Lynn, her eyes devoid of ripples, containing only a sense of confirmation.

Lynn said nothing.

He picked up a leather waterskin from the side and took a sip.

The water was cold, but it was far better than that pot of purple mystery stew.

“It is time to leave,” Vivian said.

She took the lead, walking at the front of the group.

Lynn followed behind her.

Alicia fell into step beside him.

The entrance to the Howling Wind Cave was a massive cavern.

Withered vines hung from the opening, and the wind blowing out from within carried a hint of dampness and decay.

Faded runes were carved into the cave walls, appearing ancient.

As Lynn stepped inside, darkness swallowed his vision.

He could hear Vivian’s footsteps, heavy and steady.

Alicia, on the other hand, was light on her feet, making almost no sound.

“Master Lynn, hold onto my hand,” Alicia’s voice came from beside him.

Lynn hesitated for a moment.

**[Alicia’s Blackening Value: 80%]**

He reached out. Alicia’s fingers were icy cold, yet they possessed an irresistible strength.

She gently gripped Lynn’s wrist.

“Follow me. Do not get lost,” Vivian’s voice drifted back from the front.

Her tone was devoid of emotion.

They ventured deeper into the cave.

Lynn felt the surrounding air grow colder.

Occasionally, droplets of water fell from the ceiling, hitting the stone floor with a sharp “drip”.

He observed his surroundings warily.

This was an early-game dungeon filled with traps and monsters.

Relying on his memories of the game, Lynn tried to stick to the safest path.

However, with both of his hands effectively under control, it was difficult to maneuver freely.

“Hiss—”

A strange hissing sound echoed from the darkness.

Lynn held his breath.

The sound resembled some kind of reptilian creature.

“Careful,” Vivian warned.

A dark shadow lunged from the side of the passage.

It was a giant lizard, its body covered in gray scales.

Its long tongue flicked out, emitting a foul, rancid stench.

Vivian moved fast.

Her right hand swung the greatsword in an arc from behind her, hacking straight toward the lizard’s head.

“Splurch!”

The lizard’s head tumbled to the ground while its body continued to twitch where it stood.

Blood sprayed out, staining the rocky walls red.

Lynn’s body shivered.

Vivian’s movements were clean and efficient, without a single wasted motion.

“Low-level monsters like this are not worth wasting time on,” Vivian said indifferently.

She glanced at Lynn, then at Alicia.

Alicia pulled a white handkerchief from her robe and gently wiped Lynn’s wrist.

Her gaze looked as if she wanted to purify any “filth” that might have touched him.

“My sword is already accustomed to swinging for your sake,” Vivian added, her voice directed at Lynn.

“Master Lynn, with me here, you will not suffer any harm,” Alicia responded, her voice sounding ethereal.

Lynn felt like he wasn’t on an adventure, but rather watching a performance of who could “protect” him better.

His body felt stiff, and he found himself breathing cautiously.

They continued forward.

The cave became more spacious.

Occasionally, patches of glowing moss grew on the walls, emitting a faint fluorescence.

These lights only served to make the silhouettes in the darkness look more sinister.

**[Danger Perception System]**

**[Warning: High-energy reaction ahead. Category: Charm-type. Potential Danger Level: Medium-High.]**

Lynn’s heart sank.

A charm-type monster. His heart skipped a beat.

This was most likely a succubus.

He remembered that in the game, a succubus’s charm ability was very strong and would adjust its method based on the target’s gender.

For men, it was usually direct seduction.

For women, it was meant to provoke jealousy and conflict.

‘This is damn dangerous!’

Just as the thought crossed his mind, a figure stepped out from behind a large boulder ahead of them.

“It was a woman.”

Her body was supple, her posture enchanting, and she was draped in only a few thin layers of gauze.

Her skin possessed an unnatural pallor, and her long hair fell like a waterfall.

Her eyes were narrow, shimmering with a purple glow.

A pair of black wings extended from her back.

“It was a succubus.”

**[Succubus’s Blackening Value: 95%]**

Lynn screamed internally.

‘Damn it, even the succubus has a Blackening Value. And it’s that high!’

The succubus’s gaze lingered on Lynn.

An alluring smile played across her face.

She raised a finger, gently tracing her own lips before pointing it at Lynn.

“Handsome adventurer, why are you so anxious?”

Her voice possessed a strange magnetism, hitting Lynn’s heart like an electric current.

Lynn’s body froze.

He felt an invisible force attempting to burrow into his brain and scramble his thoughts.

Hallucinations began to surface in his mind.

He saw himself back in the modern world, back in that familiar office.

He was leisurely drinking coffee and typing on his keyboard.

His colleagues were smiling at him.

Everything was so wonderful.

**[Danger Perception System]**

**[Notice: Charm in effect. Current Resistance: 20%.]**

A violent buzzing erupted in Lynn’s head.

He wanted to wake up, to break free from this control.

But his body refused to listen.

Just as he was about to lose himself completely, two figures moved almost simultaneously.

“Vile creature!”

For the first time, Alicia’s voice became sharp and filled with rage.

Her body surged toward the succubus.

The Spear of Condemnation materialized in her hand instantly.

Vivian was even faster than Alicia.

She moved like the wind, her greatsword tracing a streak of silver lightning.

“Filthy eyes… do not look at him!”

Vivian’s voice was low, yet it carried a suppressed brutality.

The flirtatious smile on the succubus’s face froze.

She didn’t even have time to react.

Vivian’s greatsword reached her first.

The blade sheared through the succubus’s black wings, pinning her violently against the rock wall.

“Ugh—aaargh!”

The succubus let out a shrill, piercing scream.

Immediately following, Alicia’s Spear of Condemnation pierced the succubus’s heart.

Holy Light exploded, instantly consuming the succubus’s body.

“Purify you, blasphemer!”

Alicia’s eyes were cold as ice.