Akira lay in his bed, staring at the Residence H-Scene Unlocked notification in front of his eyes. Sleep wasn't even coming.
The scent of new carpet mixed with something else… something tempting and unfamiliar that seemed to be coming from across the hall… Ayaka's presence.
He couldn't ignore the opportunity. The system wanted progress, and he also want to take every advantage he could get.
Quietly, he slipped out of bed and walked to the balcony. The apartment was silent and only the quiet noise from the city below can be heard. Cool air hit his face as he opened the glass door.
Then he froze.
Ayaka Shiratori was already in the hot tub, relaxing as steam surrounded her like a gentle mist. Her silver hair fell over her shoulders, reflecting the moonlight and giving her like an almost magical appearance.
She was wearing a thin silk chemise that hugged her body like a second skin. It was already soaked and now almost translucent, showing her hard, dark nipples.
Steam curled around her curves. Her eyes… those unsettling, knowing eyes, locked onto his immediately.
"I knew you'd come, Akira-kun." Her voice was like wind chimes in a distant temple. "The demonic essence on you is intoxicating. It calls to me like a beacon in the dark."
Akira stepped onto the balcony, his initial surprise giving way to cautious curiosity. "You've been waiting for me?"
"Of course." She tilted her head, studying him with interest. "The fire that destroyed your home… that was no accident, was it?"
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"I can smell them on you, Akira. Let me guess: you bonded with the essence, and now, it's pushing you toward something greater. Or something more dangerous."
Akira stepped onto the tiles and his heart beat fast. "You know about the…?"
Ayaka rose slightly until the water lapped her, revealing more of her pale shoulders. Her full breasts strained against the silk, droplets of water racing down her cleavage. "I know essences, Akira-kun. I am a Lesser Succubus Noble, sent from the other realm to investigate the death of two Oni-demons in this city."
"And… what does that have to do with me?"
She pffttt'd. "You don't have to pretend. I can smell it on you."
"SO… now that you are here?"
"I'm not here to kill you if that's what you are asking."
"Well, why are you here?"
"The Merge threat is real… Barriers between worlds are weakening. But you..." Her lips curved into a smile. "You're something unexpected. Your power could be the key to my own ascension. I need access to your concentrated essence to break the restraints placed on my rank and evolve."
"Seems you know a lot about this essence and its power."
"A lot, and I'm willing to share if you are willing to."
The system flashed before his eyes: [CHOICE TRIGGER ACTIVATED]
[A: DOMINANCE AND CONTROL - Assert authority over Ayaka through a binding contract]
[B: ALLIANCE AND MUTUAL EXPLOITATION - Form a partnership for shared benefit]
Akira's mind raced.
A demon informant could be invaluable. She knew things about the supernatural world he desperately needed to understand. And if she was being honest about needing him, that gave him leverage.
"An alliance, then," he said carefully, stepping closer to the tub. "You teach me how to use this power properly, help me understand what I'm dealing with, and I'll help you ascend. But if you betray me…"
"You'll what?" Ayaka's laugh was almost melodic but sounded dangerous. "Threaten me with your infant powers? No, Akira-kun. We both know you need me as much as I need you. Perhaps more."
"Maybe. But I'm learning fast."
"That confidence..." She gestured to the water. "Come. To share knowledge and power, we need a proper exchange. A ritual of sorts."
Akira hesitated for only a moment before removing his shirt and stepping into the hot tub. The water was almost uncomfortably hot, but Ayaka's presence made everything feel charged with energy.
She moved closer. "The artifact you've bonded with… it's a catalyst for demonic essence manipulation. Most humans who encounter such power are consumed by it. But you... you're adapting. Why is that, I wonder?"
"Ai said I have potential."
"Ai?" Ayaka's eyes narrowed.
"The system. I named it 'Ai'."
"The artifact demon speaks to you? Interesting. She must see something valuable in you. Demons are notoriously selective."
"What do you see?"
Ayaka reached out, her fingers barely grazing his chest.
Akira felt a jolt of energy, like static electricity, but warmer and more invasive. "I see raw potential. Unrefined power that could reshape this city or destroy it. I see ambition and pain in equal measure. And I see someone who will do whatever it takes to claim what he believes he deserves."
The system pinged:
[ESSENCE RESONANCE DETECTED.]
[INITIATING POWER TRANSFER PROTOCOL.]
"This ritual," Ayaka continued, her voice dropping to something almost hypnotic, "requires trust and surrender, not submission. I'm not asking you to kneel, Akira-kun. I'm asking you to open yourself to the flow of demonic essence. To let me guide your energy while you learn to guide mine."
"And what exactly does that involve?"
"Physical contact. Focused meditation. Energy channelling through the seven chakra points." She placed her hand over his heart. "Your essence is wild, chaotic. It needs structure. I can teach you to weaponize it, to draw from it without being consumed. But you must trust the process."
Akira met her gaze. Despite the danger he sensed from her, despite every instinct screaming caution, he nodded. "Show me."
What followed was intense and disorienting. Ayaka guided him through breathing exercises that seemed simple but left him feeling dizzy with power. She taught him to visualise his energy as flowing water, then as roaring fire, then as silent shadow.
Her hands moved to different points on his body: his forehead, his throat, his solar plexus, and each touch sent waves of sensation through him that had nothing to do with physical pleasure and everything to do with awakening something dormant inside.
"The demon essence feeds on transformation," she explained as her fingers traced symbols on his skin that glowed faintly before fading. "Every conquest, every domination, every moment of control… it converts that into essence you can harness. But raw essence is dangerous. It needs to be refined, channelled, directed."
"Like you're doing now?"
"Exactly. I'm creating pathways in your energy body. Think of it as... installing infrastructure. Once complete, you'll be able to consciously draw on your accumulated power instead of letting it happen randomly."
The water around them began to glow faintly, and Akira realised the steam was taking on strange patterns, almost like symbols or writing in a language he didn't recognise.
"Is that normal?"
"It's the ritual manifesting visually. Your power is connecting with mine. Don't break concentration."
Time blurred. Akira felt his mind grow, linking with something huge and dark outside normal sight.
He saw flashes of other worlds: demon realms where reality bent to different rules, where power and desire were the only currencies that mattered.
Finally, Ayaka pulled back, breathing heavily. Her eyes were brighter than before, almost luminescent. "It's done. You've received your first true lesson in essence manipulation."
The system exploded with notifications:
[RITUAL COMPLETE]
[REWARD: ESSENCE SIPHON (LVL 1) ACQUIRED]
[NEW SKILL UNLOCKED: DEMONIC MEDITATION]
[+50 PERV-POINTS]
[AYAKA AFFINITY: 65 (STRATEGIC ALLIANCE)]
[WARNING: RITUAL DETECTED BY NEARBY ENTITIES]
Akira blinked, trying to process the flood of information. "What does Essence Siphon do?" he asked in his mind.
"It allows you to actively draw power from intimate connections instead of passively accumulating it. You can now consciously extract essence during moments of emotional or physical intensity."
"You talking with the demon?" Ayaka asked, having noticed the distant look on Akira's eyes.
"Yeah. I was about to ask about the probability of nearby entities sensing the ritual."
Ayaka's expression darkened. "The ritual created a power surge. Anyone sensitive to demonic energy within a few blocks would have felt it. That includes other demons, spirit mediums, and..." She paused. "Certain humans with awakened abilities."
"Like who?"
"I don't know yet. But we should…"
Just then, the sliding door burst open. Rina stood there in an oversized T-shirt, her face blotchy and tear-streaked, mascara running down her cheeks. She looked between them with wild eyes.
"What the fuck were you two doing?"