When the first rays of dawn began to pierce through the eternal mist of the Valley of Darkness, Lilith and her succubi entered the castle courtyard.
The return resembled a triumphal procession - the skeleton elite, though slightly thinned out, marched in perfect order, carrying the recovered equipment of the fallen heroes.
Lilith sat upon her throne, summoning the system interface. The sight of the battle summary made her fatigue evaporate instantly. This was no ordinary skirmish; it was a gargantuan harvest.
The treasury balance crossed the magic barrier of 106,000 gold after she gained over 30,000 gold coins from this fight. Lilith smiled to herself - such an amount allowed not only for the maintenance of the army but for massive investments in the Valley's infrastructure.
In addition to the gold, she also gained two skill crystals that had dropped from the commanders' bodies; they waited their turn, carrying within them the secrets of wind and earth magic.
But Lilith looked at her most precious gain - Hero Souls.
Lilith saw five powerful Level 2 Hero souls on the list - including the soul of the Tiger, who had believed in his victory until the very last second. The remaining 11 souls belonged to Level 1 heroes, who had formed the foundation of the Red Blood Hero Association's strength.
Lilith's first move was to restore her losses. With a few clicks, she repurchased the fallen skeletal mages and commanders, restoring the army to full efficiency. Then, she focused her gaze on the two skill stones pulsing in her hand.
"Time to fill the gaps in my arsenal," she murmured, crushing the first crystal.
[You have gained the skill: Desperate Blast (Rank E)]
Description: Wind Magic. Evokes a sudden shockwave that pushes back enemies within a 5-meter radius and deals air-cutting damage. Ideal for creating distance.
A moment later, she reached for the second, heavier stone.
[You have gained the skill: Prison of Thorny Rocks (Rank D)]
Description: Earth Magic. Jagged rock pillars sprout from the ground, trapping the opponent and dealing continuous piercing damage. Effectively immobilizes even stronger units.
Although for Lilith, possessing the power of Demonic blood, Rank E and D magic was merely the "basics," she knew that diversifying her attacks would make her unpredictable. Until now, she had relied mainly on physical strength and aura; now, with these skills, she could control the battlefield from a distance.
Finally, the moment she had been waiting for the most arrived.
She leaped from her Demon King Throne and quickly approached the altar, her fingers trembling with excitement as she pulled out the Hero Souls. The hall lit up with a blinding light as, one by one, the Level 2 souls were absorbed by the altar.
[You have sacrificed a Level 2 hero soul. You gain 21 skill points!]
[You have sacrificed a Level 2 hero soul. You gain 23 skill points!]
[...]
[Total gain from 5 Level 2 souls: 112 points!]
Lilith felt a surge of pure energy. Next, she threw 11 Level 1 souls into the altar, which added another 38 points. She did a quick mental calculation:
112 (lvl 2 souls) + 38 (lvl 1 souls) + 18 (reserve) = 168 skill points.
Before her eyes, a list of powerful Level 2 talents unfolded, which until now had been out of her reach. The cost to activate each was 100 points. Lilith, who had already analyzed her development tree many times, did not hesitate for a second.
Lilith slid her finger across the translucent screen until she stopped at an icon pulsing with the deepest black and a royal purple glow. The name of the skill sounded proud and formidable:
[Primordial Succubus Monarch Body].
As soon as she touched the icon, a bright system notification popped up:
[WARNING: Are you sure you want to unlock and activate the primal bloodline talent? Cost: 100 skill points.]
Lilith slammed the YES button without hesitation. In that same second, her point counter shifted, and the number 100 was irrevocably consumed by the system.
Lilith felt a strange heatwave spread from her chest to the tips of her wings, and the description of the new power unfolded before her in all its devastating simplicity.
[Active Talent: Primordial Succubus Monarch Body]
Description: Upon activation, your body releases a portion of the true, suppressed power of the Primordial Succubus Monarch.
Effect: All stats are doubled for the duration of the skill.
Duration: 5 minutes.
Lilith smiled terrifyingly, madness flashing in her red eyes.
Even now, her base stats made Level 2 Heroes snap under her touch like dry twigs. The possibility of temporarily doubling them meant she was entering a level of power that theoretically should not exist at this stage of the game. She rubbed her hands lightly with excitement, feeling a tingling in the scales on her forearm.
"Five minutes..." she murmured, shaking her head slightly. "In a real fight, five minutes is an eternity. If I can't kill someone in that time with double strength, it means I don't deserve the title of Monarch anyway."
She paused for a moment, however, furrowing her brow. She looked at her hands, then back at the skill description.
"I'm just wondering..." she began aloud. "Will some kind of penalty meet me after deactivating this state? Since it so drastically boosts my body's efficiency, there must be a price to pay. Monstrous fatigue? Internal injuries? Or perhaps total mental burnout?"
She read the description again, line by line, looking for any fine print about "side effects" or "recovery time." However, the System remained silent on the matter, providing only the dry facts about the attribute bonus. She finally shrugged and walked away from the altar, her wings folding proudly behind her back.
"Well, there are no free lunches in this world," she thought, heading toward the balcony to look at her growing empire. "I'll have to find out for myself when I enter this mode for the first time. But if the price is high, then woe indeed to whoever forces me to use this form."
Lilith stretched lazily, feeling the tension after the fight slowly leave her muscles.
In a surge of desire for a bit of normalcy, she withdrew her demonic form, returning to her human silhouette. She approached the balcony balustrade to feast her eyes on the view of her domain, when suddenly the silence of the courtyard was torn by Mina's pearly, mischievous laughter.
She leaned over the railing and couldn't suppress a mocking smile.
Below, zigzagging across the square, raced Mina and the small rabbit girl, Lulu. Both held trophies aloft triumphantly: short, tattered skirts and chest wraps decorated with colorful feathers and beads.
A few seconds later, three older rabbit maids appeared in the frame. They were running after the little thieves, desperately covering their naked breasts and private areas with their hands, their faces burning with a blush of shame and irritation.
Lilith smiled crookedly, shaking her head. "That little devil never gives up," she murmured. Suddenly, an idea germinated in her head. She wanted to test her new magic, and the target was perfect.
She raised her hand, aiming her index finger straight at the back of the running Mina.
"Desperate Blast," she whispered.
Mina, whose warrior instinct was extraordinary, suddenly felt a change in pressure. She only managed to turn over her shoulder, but the invisible shockwave was too fast. The air slammed into her chest.
"Piieeek!" she squeaked as the force of the spell threw her back several meters.
She landed hard on her buttocks, and the stolen clothes scattered around her.
Lulu braked instantly, kicking up sand, and ran to her Mistress.
"Mina! Are you okay?! Are you hurt?!" she screamed in a panic.
Mina sat with wide eyes for a moment, stunned by the sudden attack. She quickly regained her composure, however, and sprang to her feet, her face red, but this time with anger.
"Who did that?! Who is brave enough to attack the Great Mina from behind?! Show yourself, you coward!" she yelled at the top of her lungs, spinning around.
She looked for the culprit, but the square was almost empty, and she saw not a soul on the balconies.
Mina furrowed her brow, muttering curses under her breath about "malicious spirits," when she suddenly noticed Lulu's expression change from concern to pure terror.
Mina slowly turned around.
Standing right before her were the three robbed maids. They weren't covering themselves anymore - their faces were deadly serious, and the aura around them suggested that the joking was over.
"Eeee... well, you know... it was just a joke..." Mina stammered, suddenly losing all her confidence. She shyly began picking the skirts off the ground and handing them to the women.
The bunnies smiled sweetly - so sweetly it actually hurt - and began to dress in silence. Mina decided the punishment was over and nudged Lulu, wanting to quietly slip away. However, as soon as she took a step, she felt a grip on her shoulder strong as a vise.
"Mistress Mina," said one of the bunnies with exaggerated respect. "It seems Mistress Kala would very much like to meet with you now. In person."
Mina's expression changed in a split second. "But... I have duties! I have to... I have to check the roots in the garden!"
She began to struggle, but the maids, who over the last few days had learned how to deal with this playful child, surrounded her in a tight cordon.
"Please do not make this difficult for us, Mistress Mina. We are only maids following orders," they said in unison, taking her toward the castle corridors.
Mina looked hopefully at Lulu, who stood slightly to the side. "Lulu! Save me!" she yelled as she was being dragged away.
Lulu, however, only smiled sweetly and waved her hand goodbye. "Good luck, Mina! I'll bring fruit to your room if you survive!" she called out, starting to walk away step by step toward the courtyard exit.
Suddenly, she too felt a hand on her shoulder. "And where do you think you're going, Lulu?"
She heard the stern voice of another maid. Before Lulu could think of any excuse, she was tossed over the older bunny's shoulder like a sack of potatoes.
"Let me go! This is unfair!" her screams joined Mina's laments.
Lilith, already sitting comfortably in her armchair inside the room, heard those two receding, sweet screams. She smiled radiantly, opened the system chat, and began lazily scrolling through messages from traders, feeling that after a hard night, this morning was simply perfect.