Note: This chapter is a bit dark. But since it's a flashback and you guys already know the outcome so, don't worry.
***
After defeating the Netflix version of Choji, I continued deeper into that seemingly endless corridor.
The subsequent rooms I encountered along the way were just like the one Halrad had been in earlier. Each place had slightly different decor, but they all shared the same purpose: serving as a venue for practices I absolutely refuse to mention. Sometimes, there were even dead bodies here and there too.
During those encounters, I didn't always have to play the rescuer. Surprisingly, in most cases, both sides were fully consensual. They rarely attacked first and were always very 'friendly,' much like Analona when I first met her. I was constantly invited to join their 'activities,' and of course, I always declined. So you could say the vast majority of my encounters ended with a peaceful retreat.
But that wasn't always the case; I still had to throw down if I realized someone needed saving.
Regarding this issue, I suddenly stumbled upon three strokes of good luck.
First, because this place was filled with bizarre, violent noises, getting into a fight wouldn't alert the others. Sometimes, the clanging of metal was actually the least suspicious sound around here. And even if we were spotted or noticed, people sometimes just assumed my opponent and I were roleplaying or something.
Pretty hilarious, if you ask me.
The second stroke of luck was that not every opponent was like that Thousand-Pound North fricking Saint from earlier. It seemed everything ended in a single strike. And naturally, all of them were knocked out cold. Or even if they were conscious, I couldn't get much out of them anyway. At worst, I faced a group of nearly ten identical-looking guys rushing me all at once, each with their own special skills. But since their combat abilities are only somewhere around the Intermediate or Advanced tier at best, I managed to defeat them all, albeit with a bit of a struggle, and reached the current room, where I found someone else who needed saving.
"Hehe. Looking at you makes me so horny." This was said by an old man, mind you.
Now this was bad luck, not good luck.
Naturally, I was forced to punch him completely unconscious. I even contemplated taking my sword and slicing his throat. But my moral compass was still too sturdy to let the first life I take be some random pervert.
Fortunately—and this is the third stroke of luck—the person I rescued this time was actually conscious. And even luckier, she seemed to recognize who I was.
"You... you're Paul's nephew, right?" the woman asked.
She looked as battered as a dirty rag, even after I'd used healing and detoxification magic to clear out all those aphrodisiacs. Yep, the people here actually used that inhumane, disgusting stuff on their prisoners. Absolutely vile. But you could see how her face lit up when she recognized me.
"Yes," I replied immediately. "And you are..."
"I'm Fauna. I saw you a few days ago," she answered.
Ah, right. If I'm not mistaken, I probably did see her at Paul's inn. I think she was sitting at the same table as Shierra. I didn't pay much attention back then because, well, Vierra's chest always made me anxious about my eyes wandering.
"If you're here, does that mean the Leader has come to save us?" Fauna asked next, expecting a nod.
Unfortunately, I had to shake my head. "Sorry, but I came alone. Judging by the situation, I'm afraid my uncle doesn't even know you guys are here."
If he did, Paul would have definitely shown up by now. No matter what, Paul still seemed to be a very responsible guy.
"I see..." Fauna lowered her head, overflowing with disappointment.
Honestly, I couldn't blame her. But this situation wasn't Paul's fault either. What we needed right now was a solution.
So I decided to cut straight to the chase.
"Miss Fauna. Have you seen my cat anywhere?"
"Cat?"
"Ah, no. Um..." I scratched my forehead. "Shierra and Vierra. Have you seen them around here?"
"I haven't." She shook her head. Then, she furrowed her brows as she recalled something. "But I think I heard their voices. It echoed from down below..."
"Below?"
Fauna pursed her lips. She seemed uncomfortable thinking about it. The word 'below' was clearly something difficult for her to say. I probably shouldn't push it. This much information was enough.
Though, I really should have asked something else.
"Never mind that. How's your condition?" I asked. "Can you walk?"
"I'm... fine."
"Then I need you to go get help and lead the rescued people out of here. I moved them to the room at the end of the hall, near the entrance. Anyone who could potentially attack you or them has already been cleared out by me."
Having a bunch of defenseless people in this place wasn't a good idea anyway. I didn't think I could fight while protecting them at the same time.
"There's a knight order headquarters near here. Go there and tell them you're with Dragon Demon King Atur; they'll definitely help." I took off my coat and draped it over Fauna. "If you run into any trouble on the way, just grab the thing in the inner pocket and throw it at the danger. Got it?"
Fauna hesitantly felt the object in the pocket and pulled it out. It was a round, glass sphere. She seemed to realize what it was and immediately shoved it back into the pocket.
What is it, you ask? It's an ultra-spicy chili bomb. I made a few of them after the incident in Wind Port. It might sound underhanded, but I swear that thing is incredibly effective. I used it on Isolde a few times, and it works wonders. Highly recommended for everyone.
Fauna hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Okay. I'll do that. But what are you going to do? Telling me this means you're planning to-"
"Exactly. I'm moving forward. Probably heading 'below'." I gave her a thumbs up. "But don't worry. I'm tough to kill. A few thugs like this are nothing to me."
In reality, I didn't actually believe that. Just recalling that Analona from earlier sent shivers down my spine. If I happened to run into someone similarly strong, or even stronger, in my current state, it would be no different from signing my own death warrant.
But turning back wasn't an option anymore. So my only choice was to be as cautious as humanly possible and seize every opportunity to avoid combat.
Fauna looked worried. She probably knew she couldn't convince me otherwise, so she could only swallow her fears and tightly grip the coat I had given her.
"In that case, please be careful. Their leader is no ordinary man," she advised cautiously. "He uses poison and even some magic I have never seen before. Even the scent you've been smelling since you got here is his poison."
Poison? Now that was genuinely dangerous. After all, I wasn't exactly great at detoxification magic. Though it seemed my current body had developed some partial poison resistance, because I hadn't felt any adverse effects so far. If anything changed, it was just my little brother getting a bit too excited from having a half-naked body right in front of me.
"Alright, I'll be careful." I nodded with determination.
"Good luck. And please bring Shierra and Vierra back."
After that, Fauna left, and I continued my journey deeper inside.
From Fauna's location onward, the purple corridor saturated with that bizarrely sweet scent began to undergo distinct changes. It was no longer made up of straight lines or clear intersections; instead, it turned into a sequence of connected rooms. One after another. They were no longer those 'fun' playrooms either, but standard places like dining halls, armories, kitchens...
It felt exactly like playing a dungeon crawler game.
However, I didn't run into too much trouble along the way, and thanks to my Saint-tier-or-above sensory perception, it was hard to get lost. I even quickly found a path leading downward hidden inside a room that looked like an art gallery.
I won't be describing what those paintings depicted, thank you very much. All I'll say is that they should absolutely be burned to ash.
Just like almost everything else in this bizarre place.
But among them, one painting actually caught my eye. Not because of its grotesque nature. No, no. If I said it was because it was the largest painting positioned right at the entrance to the lower level, that would only be partly true. The real reason it left an impression on me was that it depicted something like a half-human, half-snake entity. The human upper torso looked like a fusion of male and female. One half possessed a woman's breast, while the other half sported a man's muscle. Both halves were 'beautiful' in an indescribably demonic way. On its back was a pair of black wings that spread across the entire canvas.
The creature had six arms, each holding a different weapon. From swords, maces, and bows, to most notably, a spear—a weapon considered strictly taboo in this world for centuries.
Surrounding this being were countless humans. Some were screaming in tears, others joyfully raising their hands in welcome, while some were lost in ecstatic pleasure. A thoroughly chaotic scene overflowing with intense emotions.
It sounds a bit weird, but I knew exactly what this was.
The Great Demon King Samyaza. One of the six Great Demon Kings who followed Necross during the First Human-Demon War. Also known as the Great Demon King of Emotions.
Lord Lan Xin had mentioned this guy to me before. He was a bisexual entity who loved beauty and possessed a harem composed of every conceivable race, even monsters. However, Samyaza was also a mighty warrior and, truth be told, hadn't been entirely defeated during that great war.
He survived, wandered, and seemingly vanished from the face of the world to build his cults, hideouts, or simply his 'nests.'
It wasn't until Saint Millis unleashed his continent-splitting slash that he was finally and utterly destroyed. Yep, he's the exact Demon King that Saint Millis had to obliterate with the strike that created the Holy Avenue in our history books.
However, those who worshipped earthly desires and carnal pleasure still existed, and always will. From them spawned an entire religion known as the Cult of Pleasure, worshipping Samyaza and his uninhibited indulgence.
Even though I myself had once mooched off another Great Demon King and was even saved by him twice... He might have had slightly concerning standards of responsibility, and lived a bit too loosely (hitting on Elinalise the moment they met), but at least Lord Lan Xin was a respectable and wise man. That is exactly what someone worthy of worship should be.
But it's actually quite ironic. Because Samyaza's true nature wasn't even that bad. He highly respected consent, and the most sacred emotion that Great Demon King strove for was 'love'. Yep, it's love. His entire harem and anyone who followed him did so out of their own free will; there was absolutely no coercion. That was what Lord Lan Xin told me. Yet, the cultists who worshipped that very Great Demon King were pulling the despicable stunts I had witnessed firsthand, entirely contradicting his original will.
You could say this cult was the natural enemy of the Millis religion. Or, in the words of the Inquisitors, 'heretics.' Even if Samyaza himself reincarnated, he'd probably wipe them out just for defaming him.
So I've basically waltzed right into the lair of a bunch of freaks who don't even understand the deity they worship. Great. Story of my life.
"At least I finally know what I'm dealing with."
I muttered to myself before descending the stairs.
Normally, I wouldn't be fond of places like this.
I mean, I already didn't think I'd like a heretical cult's hideout. But walking down into a narrow, pitch-black space was another issue entirely. The creeping anxiety from when I was trapped in the Ant Nest Labyrinth came rushing back.
However, this place didn't have the same vibe as that labyrinth. It was dry, quiet, and reasonably well-lit by those magic tool flowers I'd seen all along the corridor earlier. I could even occasionally feel cool breezes blowing past.
The deeper I went, the stronger the scent I had smelled since entering became. Combined with everything else, it made me feel strangely comfortable and refreshed.
Has the poison gotten stronger?
Yet, I didn't feel anything wrong. Except for, well... my little brother had been rock hard this whole time and absolutely refused to go down.
At first, I was worried that I was genuinely getting aroused by the things I was seeing. But according to Fauna, the poison I had been inhaling was an aphrodisiac. That definitely explained it.
But its effects weren't pronounced enough to force me to use magic to intervene. At the very least, I could still think clearly, and my muscles were fine. Moving around with a boner awkwardly poking out was annoying, but there was no reason to hastily waste mana before facing any real danger.
Especially since, with my current mana reserves, I wasn't sure how much I could actually do. Maybe three, or at most four, casts of intermediate healing or detoxification magic. For combat magic, it depended on the type, but it was probably around the same. Four intermediate spells was my absolute limit, meaning I had to use them extremely carefully.
Because this wasn't an MMO. If my mana ran dry, I wouldn't just be unable to cast magic; I could literally collapse from exhaustion. If that happened, I wouldn't even be able to draw my sword to kill a cockroach.
Tap tap*
I wasn't sure how long I'd been walking. Probably more than five minutes before the stairs finally ended. I could have moved faster, but I spent so much time precisely because I was being overly cautious. Who knows if I might have stepped on some random trap, right?
In front of me wasn't just a door, but a massive gate, over three meters tall and wide enough for a group of five people or more to walk through holding hands. The borders of the gate were lined with exquisitely intricate carvings depicting Samyaza affectionately embracing the entrance. Well, at least they got one artwork reasonably close to the original version.
Behind that gate was a sprawling chamber, easily the size of a baseball field. For comparison, it was about as massive as the Great Hall of the Golden Cathedral of Millishion up on the surface.
This place was also filled with elaborate statues and intricately carved pillars. The purple light shining down from the ceiling bathed the entire area in an atmosphere that was simultaneously epic and demonic. If two armored knights suddenly jumped out at me, I'd swear I was in Anor Londo.
"Welcome to the Sanctuary of Pleasure, Hero Atur. You arrived earlier than I expected."
I hadn't even set foot inside when a welcoming voice echoed out.
"Eh?"
The sound originated from deep within the sanctuary. With my sensory perception, I pinpointed its location to the absolute deepest part of the room, over fifty meters away. Usually, there'd be a throne there, right? But since this was the Cult of Pleasure, it was instead a gigantic, ridiculously massive bed that could probably hold a few dozen people at once.
Atop it lay a man(?) with a slender, feminine figure and long purple hair cascading across the bedsheets. He was lounging there, his body loosely draped in a layer of transparent white silk. If I looked closer, I could clearly see everything underneath, but I made the conscious decision not to do that.
"And you must be the guy those goons upstairs call Velma?"
"Hehe. That's right." A soft chuckle rang out. He may seem feminine enough but the voice is clearly of a man. "You catch on quick."
"Thanks for the compliment. You could call it my strong suit."
With that, I stepped fully into the sanctuary. Having a conversation across the length of a baseball field is just awkward anyway. It was then that I realized there were many other people around. They were... um... all seemingly busy and didn't pay me any mind whatsoever. Strangely, not a single one of them made any sound. Even the scent was exactly the same; the only thing I could smell was the pervasive aphrodisiac of this place.
The only one speaking was that guy, Velma.
As I got closer, I could clearly see his face. If I had to make a comparison, he gave off the exact vibe of a Kpop idol. Deathly pale, brimming with androgynous features. Long, curled eyelashes and a gaze that was supernaturally deep. Even more bizarrely, upon that face of absolute perfection rested an eyepatch covering his right eye.
Just like me.
To be honest, I never expected to face a dangerous enemy in a setting like this. Especially since he didn't even bother to put on any extra clothes. He just lazily pulled his silk coat up, tying it with deliberate sloppiness before resting his chin on his hand, crossing his legs, and facing me.
"You look younger than I thought, Hero Atur. And quite polite, too. How adorable," he said, apparently flashing a smile. "Yet, from what I heard, I expected you to be a vulgar brute who needed to be disciplined, much like your friends."
"My friends?" I raised an eyebrow. "Your standard of judgment is seriously weird. They are more than fine."
Was he talking about Roxy, Talhand, and Isolde? They might be adventurers, but anyone who calls them vulgar brutes has to be legally blind. All three of them have pretty high living standards. Especially Isolde; calling her that is basically a death wish.
Or...
"You must have the wrong person."
"Could I?" Velma asked, then glanced to his side. "Haven't you spent the entire day right beside this girl?"
"Huh?"
I looked toward the person lying right next to Velma. It was a naked girl, and I had no trouble recognizing her because, in this state, she honestly didn't look much different from how she usually dressed. It was Vierra.
Thinking about it, it was really strange. This was my first time encountering this cult. Yet Velma was acting as if he knew me perfectly well. He even seemed to be expecting my arrival. An enemy from the Demon Continent, maybe? Unlikely, but possible. But if he mistakenly thought I was close to Vierra, it meant he had only recently learned about me.
It's highly probable this cult leader had been monitoring the city for any potential threats. Actually, that makes perfect sense.
I glanced back at Velma, making sure to avoid staring too closely at anyone in their current state.
"I just know her. We're not close by any means," I said.
"Is that so?" Velma tilted his head slightly, a highly amused smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Then why do you look so pissed off?"
Was it that obvious? I thought I had gotten better at hiding my emotions. Sigh... If that's the case, there's no point in acting anymore.
"I'm pissed off at you because of this kidnapping and the depraved shit you and your people are pulling." I drew my sword, pointing it straight at Velma. "Trampling on the bodies and emotions of others is a sin. Running a heretical cult right here in Millishion is a capital offense. Do you have any final words before I cut you down in the name of Saint Millis?"
"Woah there, you talk like a real inquisitor there. Did you accept to be one?"
Velma didn't look the least bit intimidated; if anything, he seemed even more entertained by my declaration. He casually raised an index finger.
"But if anything, you're actually wrong about one thing, Hero Atur."
"What's that?"
"It's that I never force anyone." Velma calmly placed his hand on Vierra's body, caressing it gently before grabbing her short hair and violently yanking her upright.
"Ah!" Vierra let out a dry gasp. Her eyes slowly fluttered open, instantly filling with sheer panic as she saw Velma's face.
"Calm down, my little love." But before she could say or do anything, the cult leader raised his free hand to his eyepatch and pulled it off.
The panic on her face instantly dissolved, and her arms immediately wrapped themselves around Velma's body.
"Ah Lord Velma~ I love you."
"I love you too, sweetheart. But now I'm a little busy." He stroked her face before tossing her aside like a dirty rag.
Yet Vierra—the notoriously strict girl who always showed nothing but absolute disgust toward any man who dared look at her with lust—wasn't upset in the slightest. Instead, she quickly crawled right back, pressing her body against the very man who had just thrown her away.
Velma looked back at me, smirking.
"See? Do you realize your mistake now?"
"..."
What the hell is this? Is this for real? What the fuck just happened?
I said nothing, merely staring at Vierra acting so bizarrely. Did she actually 'love' that guy? Or did they know each other from before and planned this whole thing to kidnap Paul's people? The odds were low, but not impossible. There was only one way to find out for sure.
"Vierra. Where are your sister and Larry?"
She didn't answer. Instead, she remained entirely fixated on that pervert.
Well, just as I thought.
I didn't know what the hell had just happened to her, but she was definitely under the influence of some magic or poison, just like Fauna had warned.
Or maybe something else entirely...
"Are you planning on leaving, Hero Atur?" Velma suddenly spoke up.
"What? Why?"
"After witnessing my capabilities, you're currently calculating your odds of defeating me." The guy continued talking. "This scenario has happened many times, and I'm quite used to it. Fools rush in and are quickly defeated upon seeing the person they care about enamored with someone else. The wise ones instantly realize something is horribly wrong and plan a retreat. I believe you belong to the smart group. But I can't let you go."
It's true that a wise person wouldn't throw themselves into a battle they're guaranteed to lose. Hell, the moment I arrived here, I probably should have run straight to the nearest knight guild for backup. Yet I charged right in anyway, so I didn't exactly think of myself as smart.
In this particular instance, I was dumb as hell. But I guess that's exactly what makes me, me. Just like Isolde once said, I'm an extraordinary idiot with an unparalleled streak of meddlesomeness.
But seriously...
What the hell is this cheap NTR script? If he had just left out that 'loved one' part, I would have fully agreed with him. I will never understand how someone can be so beautiful yet so utterly insane.
"Like I said, I don't care about her." I sighed.
I was still unhappy about what was happening, because Vierra was clearly not in control of herself. But to say I had any romantic feelings for her? Absolutely not.
"Besides, if you see someone you care about end up in a situation like this and you just walk away, that's called being a coward, not being wise, you psycho."
"Perhaps you're right." Surprisingly, Velma agreed.
"Huh?"
"Perhaps you truly don't care about this girl that much after all."
He clearly just wants to hear whatever he wants huh?
Velma flicked his wrist, and from somewhere near the massive bed, a door swung open. Out rolled a cart carrying a girl tied to a pole. It was Shierra. Fortunately, she was still fully clothed.
"Don't tell me you're planning to do something to Shierra right in front of me?" I sighed again.
"That's exactly the idea."
I actually had to facepalm at this point. "I already told you I don't care-"
Suddenly, I saw it. A tiny detail clinging to the hem of Shierra's dress. That single, miniscule detail made my eyes widen in sheer fury.
"..."
"What is it? Why do I feel so much hostility from you?" Velma taunted.
Yeah... now I'm genuinely pissed off.
Not because of Shierra or Vierra, but because of the other thing. A tuft of fur, and blood. I didn't need anyone to tell me who it belonged to.
But I needed to take a deep breath first.
"Hey Velma, where's my cat?"
"Cat?" Velma looked genuinely taken aback by my question. "There is no way I'd let a filthy beast like that live while inside- GAH!"
Thud!*
Ah damn it, I should have drawn my sword and sliced this bastard to pieces instead of just punching him. But I need him to be alive to ask about Larry.
"What the... hell was that?" Velma reached up, touching his face. "You punch me because of what? A cat?"
"Let me tell you something." I stood right next to that gigantic bed, fully drawing Nelu's sword as well. "I don't give a shit about the girls here. I'm not a beast in heat like you. I need my cat. Where is Larry, you fucking lunatic?"
"Huh?"
Velma stared at me in pure bewilderment. Then, he reacted in the most bizarre way imaginable, something I couldn't even begin to predict.
"Ha... ha. What?" He chuckled. "Hahaha!"
He burst out laughing as if he had just heard the funniest joke in the world.
"Total psycho." I pressed the blade of my sword right against his neck. "I don't have the free time to ask you again. Answer me, now."
"No, no. Haha!" He just kept laughing. "I truly, honestly never expected someone like you to say something like that. It's just so hilarious!"
"What the hell did I say?"
What did I say that was so funny? Having a sword pressed against your throat and still acting this nonchalant—he really is completely out of his mind.
Yet, for some reason, I found myself waiting, digging up enough patience to let him laugh to his heart's content. When he finally stopped, he wiped a tear from his eyelid before opening his right eye. It was an eerie, demonic purple. It flashed briefly before the pupil dilated massively, looking like a black hole trying to suck everything in.
Instantly, I felt something slam into me. My heart rate spiked erratically. My body grew feverishly hot, and the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end.
What the hell is this?
"Hmm, let's see... That statement you made about not caring for the girls and you don't even care about sex that much. Well, that was a lie." Velma snapped his fingers. "I am exceedingly good at sensing the desires of others. And from observing you, I know that deep down, you desperately want to have sex with these two girls. Please, don't even try to deny it."
My body felt like it was suddenly engulfed in flames. Damn it... this is really bad.
"A bit of wisdom here, my dear Hero. A man will always be a man, they always want to fuck. That's their nature, they want to plant their seed as much as possible. It's a fact, don't try to say otherwise. It's just hypocritical, you know?"
I collapsed to my knees. My entire body went numb, completely stripped of all sensation. My mind instantly became incredibly hazy and delirious.
"So now, I've just thought of something even better." Velma placed his index finger squarely on my forehead, slowly moved it down to my chin and took it up, forcing me to face him directly. "A chivalrous hero finally shedding his glamorous facade and forcibly taking the very person he came to save. Oh my, what a glorious explosion of emotions that will be! Go ahead, Hero Atur, that girl is all yours! Fuck her to your heart content like you always want to. Like a beast you actually are!"
My body moved entirely on its own, despite my absolute best efforts to resist. Step by step, I marched forward until I was standing right in front of Shierra, who was just starting to wake up.
"Uh... huh?" Those brown eyes instantly filled with terror. "Don't... Don't do this! Please!"
...