章節 10: Lust System.

At exactly midnight, Commander Aethera made her way to Kae's room, her heart racing with anticipation. She had witnessed the effects of the Moonfall Kiss wine before, and she knew the agony that those with magical powers experienced once they consumed it.

She slowly opened the door, and a dark, pungent smell wafted out. Walking inside, she covered her nose and shut the door behind her. The room was shrouded in an eerie, pulsating glow. Kae's body began to contort, his limbs twisting and elongating like a dark, living shadow.

His skin turned to a deep crimson red, and his eyes glowed like embers from the underworld. Horns sprouted from his forehead, curved and menacing. His hair grew longer, wilder, and darker, like a tangled mess of night itself.

Commander Aethera gasped, her hand tightening around the hilt of her sword. Kae's body continued to shift, his form blurring and reforming into something new, something ancient.

His face elongated, his jaw stretching into a snout-like muzzle. His teeth sharpened into razor-sharp fangs. His eyes burned with an inner fire, a fierce, demonic energy that seemed to consume everything around him.

The air was thick with dark magic.

Commander Aethera recognized the monster before her as the demon lord.

"Finally found a host to cultivate your powers, did you? But I'll kill you before you're able to do so," Commander Aethera yelled, charging forward with her sword, which emitted a sharp, blinding light.

"I'm not whatever you call me," Kae managed to say, his entire body burning with fire as he struggled to evade Commander Aethera's attack. But he couldn't move fast enough. Her sword, now crackling with blue lightning, pierced through his stomach, causing him to vomit a mouthful of blood.

The demon soul was not yet in control of Kae's body, even though its true form had taken hold. Kae clutched his stomach, awaiting Commander Aethera's next attack. He watched as she cut her hand with the sword, making it bleed, and then rubbed the blood on the blade, causing it to emit a red, smoky light.

Commander Aethera raised her sword, now imbued with her own blood, and pointed it at Kae. The red, smoky light enveloped the blade, and Kae could feel a dark energy emanating from it.

"You may not be the demon lord yet," Commander Aethera spat, "but you will be soon. And I will make sure you never awaken."

With a swift motion, she plunged the sword into Kae's chest, aiming for his heart. Kae screamed in agony as the blade pierced his flesh, and the dark energy coursed through his veins.

But to Commander Aethera's surprise, Kae's body began to glow with a faint, black light. The light grew brighter, and the dark energy from the sword began to recoil, as if repelled by the light.

Kae's eyes flashed open, and he spoke in a voice that was both his own and yet, not his own. He still had control of his body, but the words were not his own.

"You... should... not... have... done... that."

He didn't even realize when he uttered those words—they just came out of his mouth.

The dark light enveloped Commander Aethera, and she stumbled backward, her sword slipping from her grasp. Kae's body began to shift again, his form blurring and reforming once more.

When the light faded, Commander Aethera saw Kae standing before her, his eyes blazing with a fierce, inner power. His horns had grown longer, his skin a deeper crimson, and his hair wilder and darker.

But it was his eyes that held her attention—they burned with killing instincts.

"You... have... made... a... mistake," Kae growled, his voice low and menacing.

With that, he charged at Commander Aethera, his claws extended, his eyes blazing with fierce, demonic energy. But just as he was about to strike her...

Ding!

Time froze. Only Kae remained unaffected. The monstrous features began to disappear, and Kae reverted to his human form. The wound in his abdomen and heart vanished, and he stood before a holographic screen in front of him.

{Congratulations, host.}

{You've unlocked the Lust System.}

{Loading host information...}

Name: Kael Darkhaven

Race: Human, Demon

Age: 25

Physique: 18

Affinity: 18

Cultivation: 0

HP: 100

Mana: 120

STATS:

Strength: 20

Stamina: 18

Agility: 16

Defense: 14

Intelligence: 16

Perception: 12

Level: 1/500

"Finally? The Lust System? What a great entry! I could have died, you know?" Kae yelled, his body tensed with anger.

"I changed into that horrible-looking thing because of the wine I drank. I was unable to control this body. The evil system knew what that wine would do to me, and it allowed me to drink it. I almost died!" Kae continued to shout.

{Apologies, host.}

{I had to ensure your survival and the unlocking of the Lust System. The risks were necessary.}

Kae's anger only intensified. "Necessary? You call almost dying necessary? What the heck?!"

{Apologies once again host.}

"The evil system already said you'll be unlocked soon. So tell be, what does the lust system do? Is it about lust according to your name?"

{The Lust System allows you to manipulate the desires of those around you.}

{With it's power, you can bend others to your will, making them more susceptible to your charms.}

Kae's eyes narrowed. "Really? Tell me more?"

{You'll enslave every Elyria to do your bidding as long as you wish to. You engage in dual cultivation with them, which will make you stronger.}

"Dual cultivation?"

{Yes. It's the act of performing sexual intercourse with a female. The Elyria are aware of dual cultivation and they cultivate with the men they're intimate with, gaining essence while the men receive nothing in return.}

{But your case is different now. I, as the Lust System, will help you with everything you need to enslave sexual partners, all while making you stronger.}

A satisfied smirk appeared on Kae's face as he read the system's words. "So I'm not going to die? My life force isn't going to get drained?"

{Exactly! By being intimate and engaging in sexual activities with the female you choose, you will become stronger and even save the other men in this world.}

"Huh? How do I save the other men?" Kae raised an eyebrow.

{You'll be enslaving the females, host, and once you do, they'll never want to have anything to do with other men except you. They'll only desire you.}

"Nice!"

{So the real question is... Do you accept to bind with the Lust System?}

"Do I even have a choice? The evil system said I have to complete this mission of this world before I can go back to my own world. Of course, I'm ready to bind with it," Kae replied with a heartfelt laugh.

{Excellent choice, host.}

A pink, smoky hand then materialized before Kae.

{Let your hand touch it, host. That's how you sign the agreement.}

"Wait! Am I going to go through the same pain I experienced with that evil system when I wanted to bind with it?" Kae asked, raising an eyebrow.

{No, host.}

"You're not lying, right?" Kae asked suspiciously.

10...9...

"Huh? You started the countdown because you're lying!" Kae yelled, frustrated.

5...4...

"I accept! If I don't, I'll end up punished anyway," Kae yelled. "I wonder why I'm stuck with two useless systems."

Kae felt a surge of energy course through his body, and his vision began to blur. He felt his mind expanding, as if it was being stretched to its limits, and then suddenly, it was over.

{Binding successful.}

{You're now bound to the Lust System and will grow stronger with every task given by the system and with every Elyria you enslave.}

"Huh? I didn't feel any pain," Kae remarked.

{I don't lie, host.}

Kae rolled his eyes in disdain and mimicked the system. "So, what's next?"

{Do you want to check your Hall of Skills?}

"Hall of Skills, please."

[Loading Hall of Skills…

Sensual Touch: Ability to amplify pleasure with a single touch. (Increases the effectiveness of host's seduction efforts and enslaves the Elyria, making them forget whatever fight is between them and the host.) Unlocked!

Seductive Gaze: Ability to enthrall others with a single glance. (Targets become infatuated, increasing their desire for the host.) Unlock Requirement: Enslave 5 Elyria.

Mind Link: Creates a mental connection with enslaved Elyria. (Allows the host to control their actions, access their thoughts, and sense their emotions.) Unlock Requirement: Enslave 6 Elyria.

Desire Sense: Ability to sense the desires and lust of others. (Helps the host identify vulnerable targets and anticipate potential threats.) Unlock Requirement: Complete a mission for the Evil System.

Dual Cultivation Mastery: Enhances the effects of dual cultivation. (Increases the host's power and strength, allowing him to enslave more powerful Elyria.) Unlock Requirement: Engage in dual cultivation with 5 different Elyria.

Mass Enslavement: Ability to enslave multiple Elyria at once. (Saves time and increases the host's power.) Unlock Requirement: Reach level 20 in the Lust System.

Lustful Aura Burst: Releases a burst of lustful energy. (Temporarily stuns targets, making them more vulnerable to the host's powers.) Unlock Requirement: Reach level 20 in the Lust System.

Elyria Insight: Grants the host insight into an Elyria's desires and fears. (Helps the host tailor his approach to each target's unique vulnerabilities.) Unlock Requirement: Complete a mission for the Evil System.

Charming Voice: Ability to enthrall targets with the host's voice. (Increases the effectiveness of the host's seduction efforts.) Unlock Requirement: Enslave 10 Elyria.

Dual Cultivation Overdrive: Temporarily amplifies the effects of dual cultivation. (Increases Kae's power and strength.) Unlock Requirement: Engage in dual cultivation with 15 different Elyria.

Mass Seduction: Ability to seduce multiple targets at once. (Saves time and increases Kae's power.) Unlock Requirement : Enslave 10 Elyria.

Lust System Upgrade: Upgrades the Lust System's capabilities. (Increases Kae's power, unlocks new skills, and enhances existing abilities.) Unlock Requirement: Reach level 50 in the Lust System.

"Huh? Only one skill is unlocked?" Kae raised an eyebrow. "And the others can only be revealed when I reach level 50 in the Lust System?"

{Yes, host.}

"This is bullshit," Kae muttered under his breath.

{For every mission provided by the Lust System, there's a reward after completion.}

{First mission: Test your unlocked skill on an Elyria and earn a reward.}

{Find an Elyria and see if you can enslave her. The time freeze will soon be over.}

Kae's eyes narrowed, a smirk on his lips. He knew exactly who he wanted to test his powers on: Commander Aethera.