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The following is a fan-based
FICTION
Bishoujo Sailor Moon + Other series in this story are not owned by me.
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Chapter 38: A Deal with Demons
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Cold. So fucking cold.
I should have been more wary that the game was being particularly miffy with me over territorial statuses, especially since I didn't notice this one when I sky-dived here the first time.
Malus: Dark Pollution is active!
Dark Pollution
Malus Level: 5/5
Effect:
Your human body is weakened by the hostile environment.
Your Stats are halved for the duration of your stay in the Dark World or unless your Race changes to something fitting to the environment.
This was just dumb. Dumb because I didn't notice it until I had a legitimate fight in the Dark World, dumb because this made now things far more difficult and... Dumb because I didn't know where I am supposed to go now. With the train derailing, I barely jumped away before it could all blow up on my face, and I didn't leave the fight unscathed.
HP: 8799/10770
BP: 0/150
SP: 3044/3398
MP: 0/200
It could have been worse- far worse, but I have to admit that this wasn't well at all considering the Land of Ice and Snow was a hostile environment. Hardly a central figure existed as only the Frost Demons had something of a pacific disposition, the same didn't extend to the dwarves and the werewolves. The former were isolationist with everyone and the werewolves saw humans as potential prey rather than viable guests.
Even the local Valkyrie was a big no since they were the kind of demons that 'fought to marry people'. This sounded 'diplomatic' but they were hostile to humans- they liked their foes strong and not be tricked into marriage. Which was definitely not something that I wanted to approach even with a foot-long pole.
The chilling weather didn't add more odds to my favor. My Moon Knight armor was a bit cut and shredded from the explosive departure from the train and I felt each step contributed to potential hypothermia.
Cold Weather
Malus Level: 1/5
Effect:
The intense cold is chipping away at your HP. You lose 1HP each minute under the weather until you find a way to change race to something suited to the environment or apply a piece of equipment to counter it.
I had a single hope right now to avoid death by the cold: find the damn Frost Demons and bargain guest status for long enough to get supplies and intercept Lilim's kidnappers. I had no clue where to go to follow them right now and with my supplies of food quite scarce as I didn't expect such an extreme journey, I needed to find some stuff to eat that was actually edible.
Hours and hours went by, but I finally found something. Traces of a path buried in a thin layer of snow. I continued to track down the road until I saw some structures in the distance. I picked up my pace, my HP fairly low as I finally got at the entrance of the village and-
"HALT!"
Multiple Frost Demons, which appeared to be vikings with horns protruding out of their foreheads, swarmed and encircled me. All had weapons boosted with runes. Hardly looked to be rookies, too experience, and I was too weakened to put up a good fight in my condition.
"State your name and business, Human!"
I felt my lungs aching as I contemplated replying, but before I could, I saw someone else appear by landing right beside their captain.
A woman, blond hair, put in a bun, and glacial blue eyes that were matched in shade by the icy-themed horns protruding from just above her ears. I quickly recognized her, the intense power familiar with the Succubus I faced- a noble demon... this was Sinmara of the Frost Demons, the current legitimate heir to the throne of this tribe.
"Let him in."
"M-My lady, but he is-"
"This human has connections with my husband's organization and he vouched for the boy," The woman interrupted strongly, then turned to me. "Your name."
"...Shingo."
"Shingo here shall be my guest for the time being."
This was a bit abrupt, but I couldn't help but forget momentarily that Sinmara... was married with a Taimanin dude. And that she should already have a daughter slightly older than Yukikaze. As it turns out, this proved to be the case as not even taking a step into the large hall deep into the village I got to meet little Kirara.
Before I explain who Kirara is, I need to explain why I was a bit jarred by getting hugged by her mini-version. Differently from Yukikaze who would grow with a flat chest, Kirara was... a half-demon. Her body was bound to be sinfully voluptuous once she hit puberty but...
This little hybrid was actually shorter than Yukikaze despite being older.
"My first friend~!"
And extremely huggy, which was also odd since the Kirara I recalled from my reading into Taimanin lore was skittish around touching. Maybe it was her being self-conscious of her body but right now the kid was putting to test my endurance by giving me a back-breaking hug.
"Ra-chan, don't hurt your first friend and... I have heard of you, Tsukino Shingo. The only student of Hattori Seishu."
Of course I would have been known like that. Still, it was good to know my rep was buying me some mercy after quite the walk into frozen hell.
"It is a pleasure, Mr."
"Renji. Onizaki Renji."
I bowed my head, the man looking quite average, but he had the charms to explain how he thawed his ice queen's heart. As Sinmara sighed and placed down her sword, she walked up to us.
"Before we continue with the pleasantries, dear, I have a question or two to our guest," The woman remarked stoically, suddenly I found myself yanked away from Kirara's tight hold and lifted off the ground as I was forcefully glancing at Sinmara's icy eyes. "Could you please explain the reason for your visit? And if that's the case, is it perhaps connected to whatever mess the Succubi are doing beyond the border?"
...
This was going to be an awkward tale to explain, but I guess it may help getting me some assistance in crashing into the castle.
Where before I could have done a snatch and run to rescue Lilim, I could tell my friend was deep into the walls of the Incubus King's Castle at this point and there was no way I could solo it. Not when facing that powerful succubus showed that I was far from dealing with the stronger beings in the Dark World just yet.
So I started to explain, and I hoped this was going to get me some help.
I could only hope that Lilim was going to be well right now, for I was going to do my best to get her out of that place before shit happened.
Lilim was not happy. Far from it.
First she got kidnapped by those calling themselves her 'loyalists', then she got told that her Shingo got hurt by her aunt as he tried to rescue her, and now she was expected to do... this!
"I am not doing these lessons!" She snapped angrily at the tutor, the incubus squeaked in fright as the short idiot tried to coerce her into 'learning' how to be a good ruler. As if she wanted to become Queen or whatever!
"Y-Your highness-"
"Can it! I am Lilim, or Madam Lilim to you, you dumbass!"
He eeped, such a pathetic excuse for a demon and his shuddering and whimpering had her anger worked up more than usual. She wasn't going to sit idle, that was for sure.
Lilim trusted Shingo, but she knew this wasn't exactly a 'simple operation'. She couldn't be rescued when she was deep into the core of the Kingdom of Incubi and Succubi. She remembered this place, her home, but she was livid that her access to the castle had been severely limited - and she knew why.
The succubus doubted her daddy would want her to be forced into the job. It was literally the reason why he had given her a way out. If she managed to find a way to him, then she should be safe and given back to Shingo.
Yes, that was her goal, but she wasn't going to rush it. Despite having left the castle a naive little brat, she had long shed bits of that attitude by spending time with Shingo and her other friends. She knew how to use her mind well enough to know that her minders (she knew she had those on her) could react and further limit her means to approach her father.
So, she took steps to appear reclused. Ignoring her tutor's pleas, the princess marched back to her room, shutting the door behind her and fake-sobbed onto her pillows. Her room had remained unchanged, an unpleasant remainder that this gilded cage never stopped being hers.
Sad as she was, she was determined and stubborn. Like hell she was quitting on getting out of her old home safely.
She waited for two important factors for her daring plan: the change of guard and the time when her father should still be by his throne after another day of dealing with whining sluts and man-whores.
Once she heard her usual guards depart, Lilim smoothly set up some lust traps for the usual spots where the guards would stand by. The lust traps were something she coached herself to learn as a way to expand her arsenal. Shingo had told her that she couldn't charm things and people all the time, so the girl found a way to make the Charm Bombs to get the same effect but without needing to be around the target's proximity to accomplish that.
She returned to her room and waited, ear pressing by the door as she heard the incubus and succubus assigned to her arrive, take their spots and...
"S-So, you feel what I am feeling?"
"Girl, I am going to put a litter in you~."
"Oh my... my room or yours?"
"Bathroom, I want you to be dirty~!"
Rolling her eyes at the moans and giggles, Lilim felt a smile creeping on her face as she heard the incubus snatch the succubus and drag her away. Rubbing her hands, Lilim pushed the door open and she smiled at the lack of people around.
YATTA!
Without hesitation, the Succubus got going. Her wings flapped quietly as she speeded through the halls and flew over a few distracted servants, grinning as she got closer and closer to her father's throne room.
There were guards by the door, but she remembered right that there were some windows above the massive doors. She pushed one of those open and then dived down to land in front of the occupied throne.
"DA-" Lilim was ready to call upon him, but she paused as she saw something weird. Her father... was older-looking. He looked wrinkly, tired and weary and... asleep. Like, he was snoring loudly as if he was deep in his slumber.
This... didn't make any sense.
"The king has been asleep ever since you left."
Lilim squeaked as she jumped to the side, and then looked to see her Aunt, Ishtar.
"W-What?"
"Ever since he gave you all his powers and life energy, Kamadeva had been claiming more and more time to sleep. Each day sees him claiming more hours, each day sees him growing weaker and weaker," The woman elaborated, a sad smile on her face. "If you think I brought you here as a prisoner, then I am sorry you think so. But this is the reality of the realm. Your father is not bound to this world for long. And you are his direct successor."
"I-I don't- I am not-"
"You seek not to rule. And this is fine by me, but it is not a matter of wanting or not. It's a matter of ruling over the people that all look up to an unifying leader," Ishtar argued calmly. "Perhaps I was too harsh, or misunderstanding, but hear me when I say that, if there was a better choice, I would have left you to your things, niece. But the realm is in peril. Your cousin, Kuroi Ryuuji, is assembling his own depraved fools to try and take over."
Lilim scowled at the name. Kuro-teme was a familiar name alright. Her cousin was older and greedier, ambitious but overall loyal to his fraction of Incubi that thought Succubi as pets to submit.
"Why would he have the means to get to dad's throne? He doesn't share blood with him!"
"That's what common sense would say. But... out of all heirs, you are the only one with the strongest claim to upset Kuroi's approach. He is determined, and has bribed many officials to help him. He will try to kill you and hurt your friends. Which is why it is time for you to accept the harsh reality," Ishtar's hand soon sat upon Lilim's head. "You either accept this throne and rule us fairly, or the kingdom your father died for will fall to the worst kind of people."
...
Lilim felt the tears return. "It's- It's not fair."
To her surprise, the older succubus pulled her in a hug.
"Life for us good people hardly is, my precious niece."
It just wasn't fair.
AN
This is sure as hell going to change the status quo regardless of Shingo's chances of success. That being said, expect for this to be an arc for Shingo to shed a bit more on the Hero mask. He may be Moon Knight, but he is not the OG Marvel Hero. And some monsters you really need to go hard enough to kill and destroy.
And how far can someone go to save someone from a complex situation?