Elina stood over the cooling carcass of Korgash, her breathing slowly steadying. Suddenly, an avalanche of system messages flared before her eyes, their intensity nearly blinding her.
[You have killed a Demon King: Toad-Bat!]
[Gained 25 Training Points!]
[Gained Talent: Shadow Toad!]
Elina's heart skipped a beat. She knew that the growth mechanics for Heroes differed drastically from the evolution of Demon Kings. While demons gathered Skill Points to purchase new powers, Heroes accumulated Training Points.
Every single point was worth as much as an average person would gain from a year of murderous training. By gaining 25 points in a split second, Elina had just "skipped" a quarter-century of development.
Additionally, the system granted her the talent of the fallen enemy. It was a rare stroke of luck; though most Demon Kings were hollow shells without innate talents, making this Hero ability often useless, Korgash - as a hybrid - possessed a talent that now became Elina's property.
With a trembling hand, she summoned her status to check how much her situation had changed.
[ Hero Status ]
Name: Elina
Hero Level: 1 (0/20)
Racial Level: 15 [MAX LIMIT]
Race: Moonlight Rabbit (Chosen Hero)
Training Points: 25
[ Base Stats ]
HP: 20
MP: 40
Strength: 3
Agility: 5
Stamina: 4
Charisma: 15
[ Abilities ]
Talents: High-Grade Perfect Mimicry, Shadow Toad (New!)
Skills: Illusion Magic (Rank F)
Elina stared at the flickering [MAX LIMIT] next to her racial level, which had been there since she took over this rabbit body. As a rabbit, she had already reached the peak of her natural physical capabilities without having to do a thing. To go further and become more than just fleeing prey, she had to break her limits - something practically impossible for ordinary people.
25 points... she thought, her gaze focusing on the cost of advancement.
To reach Hero Level 2, the system required sacrificing 20 Training Points. It was a gargantuan cost, the equivalent of two decades of life, but the reward was worth every second. Advancing to a higher Hero Level would not only boost her meager stats but, more importantly, open the path to an evolution that ordinary rabbits could only dream of.
Elina grit her teeth, feeling that this was her only chance to stop being a fragile victim of fate. Ignoring Kala's mocking gaze, she focused on the interface. First, she spent the remaining 5 Training Points on her only active skill.
[System: Illusion Magic has advanced from Rank F to Rank E!]
She felt her understanding of the structure of light and shadow deepen, but that was only the beginning. The real impact came a second later when Elina confirmed spending the 20 points to break her hero level.
Suddenly, the cave was flooded with a blinding, pure, golden light. The three demonic women - Lysandra, Mina, and Kala - squinted, shielding their eyes from the radiance. At the heart of this illumination, Elina's body began to undergo a violent metamorphosis. Her bones became denser, her muscles more supple, and her senses sharpened to the limit.
When the light vanished, Elina stood in the center, breathing heavily, as a breathtaking message hung before her eyes:
[System: You have reached Hero Level 2!]
[Level Up Reward: HP +50, MP +50, All Base Stats +10!]
The bunny girl looked at her hands in disbelief. She felt a power within her she could previously only dream of. Her strength had jumped from a measly 3 points to 13 - she was now physically stronger than an average soldier, and her agility made the world around her seem to move slower.
No wonder all heroes hunt Demon Kings so obsessively... she thought, feeling a thrill of excitement. This power jump is instantaneous and addictive!
Her gaze, now significantly sharper, rested on the heart of the cave - the Demon King Altar. She knew that Korgash's death was only half the battle. The true treasure was hidden in the destruction of the foundation of his power.
She looked tentatively at Kala. The succubus, still smeared with blood, smiled predatorily and nodded toward the altar. "Finish the job, little heroine. Show us what you've won for our Mistress."
Elina approached the altar, over which hovered a pulsing, venomous green orb - the nest core. She tightened her grip on the hilt of her short sword, took a swing, and struck with all her might. The blade passed through the orb like butter, slicing it in half with almost no resistance. Elina blinked in surprise - she didn't know if it was due to her new stats or if altars were so delicate that even a civilian could destroy them if they managed to get close.
The green orb immediately lost its luster and fell dead to the stone floor, shattering into thousands of tiny shards that quickly evaporated.
[System: You have destroyed a Demon King Altar!]
[You have obtained a Demon King Treasure Chest!]
In the place where the altar previously stood, a heavy, copper-bound chest materialized, decorated with toad-wing motifs. Elina stood before it, feeling the burning gaze of the three demons on her back.
The rabbit woman breathed a sigh of relief, looking at the massive chest. Although she desperately wanted to open it and see what was inside, she knew her place in the hierarchy. She turned to the three women, scratching her blonde hair shyly between her ears.
"Could... could you help me with this chest?" she asked quietly. "After all, despite everything, I'm still just a weak rabbit. I won't be able to carry it all the way back."
Kala smiled predatorily and stepped up without further ado. With one fluid motion, almost non-chalantly, she lifted the heavy chest and tucked it under her arm as if it were made of feathers.
"Mission accomplished, my dears!" Kala shouted, patting the lid of the captured treasure. "We can head home. Lilith will be delighted."
Mina squealed with happiness, jumping high into the air. "Finally! I want to see my Lulu already!" the little succubus cried and was the first to shoot toward the cave exit, leaving a trail of flower scent behind her.
Lysandra, who had been standing still like an ice statue until now, approached Elina. Her face softened, and a sweet, almost maternal smile bloomed on her lips. "Good job, little one," she said quietly, placing a hand on the girl's shoulder.
Elina felt her heart swell. She smiled radiantly, feeling a spark of true pride for the first time since her kidnapping. I did it, she thought. I showed them I'm not just baggage. Maybe now the Demon King will look at me differently? Maybe I'm earning their respect?
However, the joy lasted only a fraction of a second. In Lysandra's hand, from wisps of frosty mist, an exquisitely crafted ice collar suddenly materialized.
Elina's face dropped in a split second. Her eyes widened with terror, and her ears went limp. "W-wait... but I helped! I..." she wanted to protest, to pull back, to run, but a single cold, piercing look from Lysandra was enough to turn the bunny girl's legs to jelly.
Without a word, with tears lurking under her eyelids, Elina stepped toward the ice succubus. Lysandra gracefully fastened the frosty ring around the girl's neck, and a long, ice leash immediately shot from the collar.
"Come, let's return to our castle," Lysandra said, lightly tugging the chain. "Good little pets return to their place."
Kala, seeing the scene while holding the chest under her arm, burst into a thunderous laugh that echoed off the wet cave walls.
"Hahaha! Look at her!" Kala mocked, walking beside them. "Level 2 Heroine, slayer of Demon Kings, and she's being led like a little puppy on a walk. This is the funniest thing I've seen this century! Don't forget to wag your tail when Lilith pets you, Elina!"
Elina wanted to sink into the ground. She felt the icy touch of the collar reminding her of the brutal reality: she could grow in strength, she could kill gods, but in the eyes of the Valley of Darkness, she was still just a valuable, beautiful prize.
And thus, in the gloom of a forgotten cave, the story of Korgash, King of the Slimy Sky, came to an end. He was erased from the pages of history by three powerful succubi and one rabbit hero-slave.