This was not a fight; it was an execution. Lilith, in planning her defense, had demonstrated a predatory instinct - all four Obelisks had been erected on steep, inaccessible rocky ledges towering over the Canyon floor.
Even if one of the werewolves were clever enough to realize that the towers were the source of their misfortune, they would have no physical way to climb to them under the constant barrage of suicidal apparitions.
Four hundred grudge spirits against fifty warriors. A nearly ten-to-one advantage for beings that feel no pain, cannot stay dead, and explode right in your face at every attempt to close in.
"Retreat! Fall back!" Kaelen shrieked, but his voice was drowned out by the cacophony of wails.
The path they came from was already black with swirling spirits. The exit from the canyon was also cut off. The trap had closed with murderous precision. The werewolves threw themselves frantically against the walls of smoke, falling one by one, and their corpses littered the canyon floor, turning it into a slaughterhouse.
"DEMON KING!" Zariel roared, spinning with claws smeared in his own blood. "COWARD! ARE YOU HIDING BEHIND THAT STONE?! COME OUT AND FACE ME ONE-ON-ONE IF YOU HAVE THE COURAGE!"
Kaelen was also near the brink of madness hearing his companion's screams. He didn't understand why their numbers weren't decreasing.
I'm certain hundreds of them have died... why are they still coming?! he thought, and fear began to choke his throat. To fall here? To die before even seeing the opponent? It was truly humiliating and worthless!
"SHOW YOURSELF, YOU FILTH!" Kaelen screamed toward the dark peaks. "YOU ARE NOTHING! YOUR POWER IS JUST A CHEAP TRICK! FIGHT AS A POWERFUL BEING SHOULD, NOT LIKE A RAT!"
Lilith, sitting high on the edge of the cliff, completely ignored these desperate insults. Her breathing quickened, and a flush of excitement appeared on her face. She slowly licked her lips, savoring the sight.
"A one-on-one duel, huh?" she whispered, her voice dripping with mockery. "Does this useless piece of shit really think he's worth my trouble? That I would stoop to the level of a worm squealing in the dust and grant him the mercy of fighting a powerful Monarch like me? In your dreams... literally."
Her gaze drifted toward the cascade of system notifications flooding her interface:
[You killed a Werewolf. Gold +9!]
[You killed a Werewolf. Gold +9!]
[You killed a Werewolf. Gold +9!]
Over the next two minutes, the message appeared fifty times. The last three - the Heroes - fought for a while longer, but their endurance and mana hit rock bottom. They were surrounded by infinitely regenerating spirits that nipped at them and exploded time and again until finally, the massive bodies of the werewolves jerked and went still.
Then, three golden messages flashed before Lilith's eyes, far more valuable than the previous ones:
[You killed a Werewolf Hero. Hero Soul +1!]
[You killed a Werewolf Hero. Hero Soul +1!]
[You killed a Werewolf Hero. Hero Soul +1!]
All three Heroes had been slain. The Canyon lapsed into a dead silence, interrupted only by the quiet sizzling of the fading blue flames. Lilith stood up and looked down at the battlefield from above.
"Four hundred and fifty gold for this whole band..." she summarized with satisfaction, closing her eyes. "Plus three hero souls. Truly, not bad for the first test of my new toys."
She sent a sweet, almost tender smile to the corpses below, blowing them a virtual kiss. "Thanks for the small tip, boys. A pity your lives were worth so little... I barely broke even after this attack... but these souls will surely be useful for something."
After those words, Lilith stood motionless for a moment on the edge of the precipice, staring at the now silent monuments. Her face reflected deep thought as she analyzed the system menu.
"Four units is my current limit... a pity, maybe I'll obtain that construction blueprint again someday," she sighed, but her eyes immediately flashed with satisfaction. "However, they've already shown they are worth every coin spent. These aren't just obelisks; they're a slaughterhouse hidden in stone."
She stretched lazily, her wings lashing the air. She looked toward her territory, where the rhythmic thud of the working skeletons still drifted from.
"Since these expensive piles of bones are already here, let them be useful for something. I'll send a squad of mages and commanders here to guard the heights. If any enemy miraculously survives the spirits and tries to climb to the Obelisks, my elite guards will beat that idea out of their heads."
Her gaze returned to the bottom of the canyon. Among the pile of carcasses, three figures moved. The last three werewolves, barely alive, smeared with blood and dust, were crawling toward the exit. Lilith smiled cunningly.
With a wave of her hand, she turned off the power to the towers - the blue light went out, and hundreds of spirits simply dissolved into nothingness, leaving behind only the smell of ozone and death.
The remnants of the pack froze in shock, not understanding why the nightmare had suddenly ended. Seeing a chance, they threw themselves into a panicked escape, limping and howling in terror.
"A bit risky letting them go free," Lilith murmured, resting her chin on her hand. "But this tribe surely has more 'Heroes.' I need their souls to climb higher... These werewolves will return to their master, tell stories of the power of this place, and then you'll bring this humble lady even more souls on a silver platter."
Her smile became even more predatory as she thought of her mine, which was soon to be fully operational.
Actually... wouldn't it be wonderful to catch a few of these werewolves alive and throw them in there as miners? Skeletons are good for simple wood chopping, but these mutts have the strength and endurance I need for heavy extraction. Free, strong labor... that sounds like a plan.
She waved her hand slightly toward the fleeing dots on the horizon. "Boys! Next time, bring more of your 'Heroes'! I'll be more than happy to treat them to my beautiful, hospitable spirits!" she called out melodically, though she knew they were already too far away to hear her.
Lilith turned on her heel and jumped off the cliff, spreading her wings just above the ground. She returned to the Crypt of the Eternal Legion, where she issued short, merciless orders. A squad of skeletons moved to the canyon to clear the battlefield - they were to butcher the werewolves' bodies and prepare them for sale in the system. In this world, even the enemy's carrion had a price.
Lilith herself, feeling blissful fatigue and excitement from her growing wealth, finally headed to her castle.
As soon as Lilith crossed the castle threshold, the cool, soothing air of the interior brushed against her heated skin. She didn't manage to take ten steps before Lysandra emerged from the shadow of the columns.
"You've been gone a long time, Lilith," she greeted her in a cool yet respectful voice. Quickly, however, her gaze rested on Lilith's ragged, bloodied wings. "Kala told me about everything. That mine... it must have been truly difficult there."
Lilith nodded, feeling the battle-frenzy drain out of her with every breath. "It was worth it. What about Mina?" she asked briefly.
Lysandra smiled slightly, amusement flashing in her eyes. "She woke up an hour ago. She is currently regenerating her strength... with Kala's help. The little one is starved for energy after what she did to that tree."
Lilith smiled crookedly, guessing what this "regeneration" performed by two succubi looked like. "Good. I'm going to the Altar. I must sacrifice the captured souls."
Lysandra flinched, clearly surprised. "Hero souls?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
Lilith briefly summarized the events from the Canyon and the operation of the Obelisks. When she mentioned the three werewolf-heroes who fell in the dust without even seeing their tormentor, a nearly sadistic smile bloomed on Lysandra's face.
"Leaving those mutts alive is a brilliant move, Mistress," the ice succubus murmured. "Fear is the best bait. They'll bring the whole pack here, thinking you're some Ghost Demon King."
Lilith nodded and moved deeper into the castle, but suddenly hissed in pain, clutching her side. Only now, with the adrenaline completely evaporated and emotions settled, did the wounds on her wings speak up with double force. Every movement of the membranes was like a cut with a red-hot knife.
"When Mina finishes... regenerating, ask her to come to me and patch me up," she threw over her shoulder.
Lysandra bowed, her smile becoming a bit more cunning. "I'll go visit her now. I think I can speed up the process."
Lilith wanted to stop her, even raising her hand. "Easy, I'm not in a hurry, let Mina regain her strength in peace in the meantime..."
But Lysandra just waved her hand lightly, heading toward the bedroom. "I feel like playing a bit myself. Three succubi are better fun than two, don't you think?"
Lilith sent her a crooked smile, shaking her head in disbelief. "Have fun..." she muttered and walked away quickly to hear nothing more, heading straight for the chamber with the Demon King's Altar.
When she stood before the dark construct, she pulled out three pulsing, golden orbs - the souls she had torn from the werewolf-heroes. She placed them on the cold stone, and the altar immediately absorbed the light, converting it into raw power. Notifications flashed before her eyes:
[You have sacrificed a Level 1 Hero Soul. You gain 3 Skill Points!]
[You have sacrificed a Level 1 Hero Soul. You gain 3 Skill Points!]
[You have sacrificed a Level 1 Hero Soul. You gain 3 Skill Points!]
Lilith felt new energy flow through her body. She checked her status.
"11 skill points..." she whispered, her eyes burning predatorily. "Finally. Finally, I can activate a new skill."
Lilith carefully studied the three icons glowing on her translucent interface. Each tempted with the promise of power, but skill points were a limited and incredibly valuable resource.
[Succubus Endurance] (Inactive)[Succubus Desire] (Inactive)[Beginner Anti-Magic] (Inactive)
"Endurance will only work once I have Desire..." she muttered under her breath, recalling the girls' lectures on their race's physiology. Succubus Desire allows for the passive accumulation of desire energy in the body, and Endurance burns it to instantly regenerate wounds.
She winced, looking at the cost. Activating both at once was currently impossible, and having one without the other was pointless.
"Only one choice left," she said with determination, tapping her talon on the third icon.
A pleasant-sounding, high-pitched chime rang out, and the room momentarily filled with a blue glow.
[Skill "Beginner Anti-Magic" has been successfully activated!]
Description: Reduces the effects of rank D or lower elemental magic skills directed against the user by 99%.
Lilith gave a quiet whistle, her eyes lighting up. "Damn, this is almost unfair! Nearly total resistance to low-level magic? That makes me almost untouchable for most beginner mages and heroes..."
Suddenly, however, her smile froze. Lilith's gaze rested on the words "Reduces the effects." She swallowed hard, and an icy shiver ran down her back.
"Wait..." she whispered, her voice trembling. If this reduces elemental magic... then does Mina's healing magic, which is based on rank D nature energy, also get reduced by 99%?!
She imagined a situation where she lies heavily wounded, and Mina's green healing light bounces off her like a wall, restoring a measly 0.1 HP.
"No, no, no! It can't work like that!" she shrieked, starting to panic. "This is a defensive skill; it's supposed to protect me from enemies, not from my own healer! Right?! The system can't be that malicious... right?!"
Terrified by the thought that she had just bought herself a ticket to the grave at the next serious wound, Lilith bolted. Forgetting her Demon King dignity, she raced down the corridor toward the girls' room, ignoring the pain in her wounded wings. She had to check this immediately.
She burst through the door of Mina's bedroom, breathing heavily, and yanked the handle without knocking.
"MINA! HELP! I THINK I JUST BROKE MYSELF!"