The Hero Became a Succubus, and the Only Way to Level is to… What?!

Kanae sat arms folded and legs crossed as Panner flipped pages after pages in search of a cure for her affliction. Dispel didn’t work. Hours had passed, and the spell still hadn’t worn off. She was beginning to fear that this might be a permanent effect.

”Have you found anything yet?” Kanae asked impatiently.

”Not yet. You hounding me won’t turn up information any faster either!” Panner groaned.

”Can you blame me? I’ve been loli-fied! I want to turn back to my original form. I want my boobs again!” she cried in distress.

Everything had turned small. Kanae’s breasts weren’t even an a-cup anymore, just little road bumps on her chest. Fortunately, the Matron’s Regalia and other trinkets shrunk with her. Magical items that required atuning matched the size of their wearers. Thank goodness, too, since they didn’t have any pint-sized clothing for her had the outfit not fit.

The down side was that Kanae looked like a miniature version of herself now. She was as tall as a goblin. Her voice had taken a higher pitch and sounded more bratty. Everything looked giant.

”Ah, here we go!” Panner exclaimed triumphantly. ”Berinaths are ancient sea creatures— no, no. I already know that. Let’s see…” While muttering the words, his finger traced downward along the page. ”They are believed by mages to be progenitors of new spells. It is unknown how berinaths create spells, but they are best left alone. There is no telling if one day they create something world-ending. They only cast offensive spells when truly threatened, which can range from deadly to utterly harmless. Berinaths have also been observed to cast effect-type spells. One report by a spelunker who encountered a berinath fell victim to one of its spells, growing a fully functioning third arm. It could not be dispelled, yet magic emanated from the limb. Any attempts to amputate caused the man extreme pain. Nearly two weeks went by before the third arm simply disappeared on its own. The magic must have worn off. Further study of berinath magic required.” He closed the book and smiled. ”How enlightening! Edina did pull the corpse out of the water. I wonder if she is willing to donate the skeleton to the museu—”

”AHHHHHH! I don’t want to be a loli for two weeks!” Kanae clutched her head and screamed.

”Th-There’s nothing we can do except wait it out! Look on the bright side. Clearly, the effect isn’t permanent. You just need to grit your teeth through the next few weeks,” he urged.

No, wait. Edina was currently raising the berinath into undeath. Her skeletal mages summoned alongside Legion of the Dead were able to cast basic spells. Maybe an undead berinath could undo what it did in life.

Kanae jumped out of the carriage and raced down to the ritual site. The giant berinath corpse, which had been pulled from the watery depths, now rested on the sandy and rocky shores waiting to be turned undead. A couple dozen undead carved away the last pieces of flesh from the body, and they carried it off to the wagon and carriages.

A magic circle traced into the sand surrounded the skeleton, emitting purple, skin-tingling necromantic energies. Edina stood in front of the head, her Pillar of the Damned staked into the ground.

Some onlookers from the expedition had come to watch. Others cowered away. Since the danger was over, many had gone back to bathing and playing in the water again.

”You’ve been at this for a while,” Kanae said, walking up to her like-sized squirreling friend.

”Ugh… The bigger and stronger something is, the harder and more mana it takes…” Edina drained a mana potion and tossed it over her shoulder.

Kanae distinctly recalled Edina trying to raise the skeleton of a gargantuan sandworm when they were traveling through Savir. Could she actually one day command something like that?

”If you need help, I’m here. I was thinking this thing can change me back once you’ve raised it,” Kanae explained hopefully.

Edina sneered. ”Hah! Not feeling the small life? It ain’t that bad. Sure things are a lot bigger, but so is food. Anyway, we’re about to see. I’m close to bringing this back to life, but… I’m not like you. I don’t got a bunch of slaves with the Cursemark of Horniness on them supplying me mana. Find someone for me to fuck.”

As if on cue, the elderly feline archaeologist appeared out of nowhere beside them.

”H-Hello. I was nearby when I heard you two needed help of some sort?” Rodan cleared his throat nervously.

”What the… Oh, no. It’s fine. I have a spell, Restore Mana that can work.” Kanae waved him off, much to his apparent disappointment.

Eager to be rid of this too youthful of a form, Kanae channeled Restore Mana, transferring her own well of mana to Edina. The necromancer straightened up from and flashed a grin. What was originally a breeze of necromantic energy intensified into a whirlwind and gale. Dark purple mists drifted from her staff and filled the berinath’s empty cavity as if replacing the flesh.

When the ritual ended, the sea monstrosity’s eye sockets glowed with blazing magic. Edina cackled as the berinath returned from the dead as another minion underneath her control. It levitated into the air and obediently awaited orders.

”Fuck yeah! I can’t wait to unleash this thing on whatever fucks with us later!” Edina jumped and cheered.

”Thank god. Okay, can you compel it to turn me back to normal?” Kanae asked.

”I can try,” she said.

The undead berinath turned menacingly to Kanae. Its many tails in the back writhed and wriggled as though underwater. One of them pointed at her and fired a spell. Kanae’s eyes went wide as a fireball blasted her off her feet.

”EDINA!” Kanae yelled.

”I’m sorry! I don’t control the spell, man. This ain’t like charming a mage and ordering ’em to cast a certain spell. Hold on, let me try again…” Edina compelled it to shoot a spell from another tail.

Kanae was prepared for something to go wrong again. She jumped out of the way of an electrifying beam, then shot a glare at her friend.

”I swear on my tail, I’m not trying to kill you! I think the spells are random,” the squirreling explained.

”Perhaps let me escape to a safe distance before you recommence!” Rodan pleaded.

”Oh, shit.” Kanae hadn’t realized how close she got to the archaeologist while dodging all those spells. The undead berinath fired another spell at them, and he was too close for comfort. She tackled him to the ground. An ice spell zipped past their heads, freezing a few strands of hair into icicles. ”Maybe this isn’t the best idea. Let’s just shelve the issue for… now…”

Something hard bumped against Kanae’s belly. She glanced up at Rodan, who very obviously had a raging hard on with her on top of him. They quickly got up and apologized, but with him waddling away with an erection between his legs.

Not wanting to cause any more problem, Edina stowed her new undead berinath away into an abyssal portal. Foreman Jayir recalled everyone back to the caravan to continue on their way. Too much time had been wasted loitering around. According to cartographer Shurran, they were in the last stretch of the journey. Only a third of the way left to the Mutt of Avanesse’s domain.

The Under Roads welcomed them back into the expansive subterranean bowels. Eerie silence droned like a constant, unceasing note interrupted only by the occasional rumble of the earth, monsters chittering in the darkness, and the creaking wheels of their vehicles.

Kanae eventually excused herself from the front carriage since Alicia and Claudia wouldn’t stop messing with her. She was too cute to be left alone, was what they said. Being spoken to and infantilized wasn’t exactly her idea of a good time. The rear carriage had no passengers, occupied only by camping supplies like their tents. She hopped inside with Panner’s bestiary on underground monsters, hoping to learn more about reversing a berinath’s spell.

An hour went by, and Kanae had read what little there existed on the monster. She learned nothing. Just as she was about to fall asleep, someone knocked on the carriage door.

Rodan poked his head in and asked, ”Miss Kanae, may I come in?”

”Be my guest. There’s plenty of room.” Kanae gestured to the open seats.

Instead of sitting across, Rodan gingerly sat down next to her. He had a book in his hands, one that looked more like a journal than an academic text. Worn bindings were thin and peeling off. Countless small bookmarks stuck out from the pages waiting to be returned to.

”I hope I’m not bothering you. As an archaeologist, my interest is the history and culture of this world’s many races. You mentioned something before, about other underground dwarven cities? I would like to hear more, if you have the time to spare. Maybe we might be able to make connections to Nan’Garo.” Rodan flipped to an unwritten page with a quill ready to write.

Kanae was more than happy to share knowledge, and Rodan was hungry to learn. She recounted her adventures in Tortuga and Ha’Vavish, described their architecture, and made guesswork on the purpose of those cities.

Obviously, Rodan mourned when Kanae told him that lava consumed Tortuga and Ha’Vavish was flooded after destroying the aqueducts. Whatever secrets were left had all but vanished now.

”So… You’re saying the volcano on top of Tortuga looked like this?” Rodan drew a poor sketch that looked nothing like what Kanae described.

”No, it’s bigger. Let me.” Kanae took the quill from his hand, but she couldn’t draw properly from the side. Without thinking, she crawled onto his lap to do it while he held the journal in front of them. Satisfied with the size of the volcano, she said, ”There you go. It’s pretty huge and… hard?”

Kanae froze, having realized the position they were in, and also felt Rodan’s erection pressing against butt. She was about to climb off until he wrapped his free arm around her waist.

”W-Wait. Would you be so kind as to… draw the entrance that led to Tortuga? It might inform us where other entrances into dwarven cities could be located.” Rodan gulped hard, his hand which held the book shaking as much as his breath.

”Fine, but you have to hold the journal still.” Kanae acquiesced.

The hand of the same arm around her loosened. Rodan started feeling up her belly and thighs. She delighted in the burning hot sensation his touch left behind. Since she didn’t stop him, he became more bold. His fingers brushed against her chest. They had no reason being up there unless to do just that.

By now, Kanae had stopped drawing. Her frame was small enough for the fingers on his hand to reach across her chest and tease both nipples. They turned stiff. The outlines of her nipples showed clearly against the fabric. Rodan no longer cared about where the entrance of Tortuga forge was and sought a different opening. He put the book down, and with another hand free, stroked her inner thighs. She opened her legs to let him do as he pleased. A single finger rubbed the third nub of her body, this one inflicting incredible shocks of pleasure.

”Nnh… What about the… mmmh… dwarven cities… ahhh…” Kanae’s breathy voice emboldened the archaeologist to touch her more.

”You’re so smooth and small, I couldn’t resist. The dwarven cities can wait,” Rodan said.

Kanae looked up at the older man and tried to focus on him with glossy eyes. Identify Kink activated, and words flitted across her vision.

[Rodan’s Kink: Lolicon, teasing, spanking, blowjobs.]

Of course, Kanae thought.

A sudden breeze chilled Kanae’s crotch. Rodan had pulled the sparse coverings on her groin aside. She thought to stop him until a finger entered her pussy.

”Uuggguuuhh!” Kanae threw her head back and moaned.

”You’re shaking so much! From having sex with a minotaur to trembling from an old man’s finger. It must feel so much different,” Rodan teased.

A smaller body meant that everything was smaller, too. Kanae felt like she was going to be split apart from his finger alone.

”Wait… not so hard. I— aahhh!” Kanae shuddered as he pinched her hard nipple and tugged on the piercing.

Rodan picked up speed, fingering her pussy. His thumb on the same hand rubbed the engorged little nub. Her breathing grew hoarse. Her brain turned to mush. Getting her nipples tweaked made her twitch and writhe. This tiny body couldn’t keep up with the pleasure being inflicted on it.

”I’m cumming…!” Kanae squealed and squirted all over the table.

The convulsing orgasm wouldn’t stop. Rodan fingerblasted Kanae as she emptied her bladder until there was nothing left.

”I can’t… take it… nnh… anymore…” Kanae murmured deliriously.

”You were holding in quite a lot— Oh, no!” Rodan gasped.

Kanae followed the archaeologist’s gaze to the journal, completely drenched in her squirt. Sketches and paragraphs upon paragraphs of knowledge were smudged from the wet ink. She turned pale.

”Th-That’s not my fault! You were the one who— eek!” Kanae was thrown around, and now she was lying on his lap rather than sitting on it. A harsh hand came down on her bare ass. She jerked forward as everything flashed white with pain.

”You did this!” Rodan smacked her butt again. ”I’ve spent decades on that journal, and now it’s ruined! Beg me for forgiveness, you naughty little girl!”

”I’m sorry— ow! Ahh! Forgive me! I’m a bad girl… I’m a bad girl! I’m sorry for peeing on your journal— Aahhh!” Masochist switched on, but she cried after each hit. Compared to her previous mature form, an adult man’s hand was much larger than her ass now. The pain from being spanked brought greater and greater ecstasy. She orgasmed repeatedly, and the pleasure wouldn’t stop.

Once Rodan had enough of punishing Kanae, he stroked her bruised cheeks tenderly. The contrast of violence and gentleness rendered her weak to his touch. He lifted Kanae up to have her sit on his knees. Her eyes fell to a cock glistening with precum, and it was only inches away from her soaking pussy.

”That was your punishment. Time to make up for it, missy.” Rodan guided her hands to his dick.

This would have been small and not a problem had Kanae been her usual self. However, it felt large and daunting in her two tiny hands. Would it even fit in her mouth or pussy? She jerked him off regardless, tempted by a willing cock in front of her.

Before the fun could even start, the carriage grinded to a stop. The sound of people disembarking from the vehicles was plenty. They rushed to the front in a hurry.

”Curses! Just as we were getting to the good part.” Rodan groaned.

”I’m going to go check it out. Stay here in case it’s a monster attack. Also…” Kanae gripped the base of his dick and pecked the tip, causing him to tremble uncontrollably. ”Don’t you dare masturbate. I want this all in my tummy later~”

”Y-Yes, ma’am!” he exclaimed.

Kanae emerged from the carriage in time to witness her companions running to the head of the caravan. This section of the Under Roads looked particularly clean compared to the rest of the way they traveled. There wasn’t a single rubble or pebble in sight. The walls even looked polished.

”Kanae!” Alicia flew over with a panicked look on her face. ”You must hurry. We ran into a group of people down here, if you can believe it. Petyr confronted them first, and you know how prone to violence she is.”

They soared over the wagons and carriages to find two large groups mere meters away from each other. On one side, Petyr, Edina, Claudia, and Renya stood between the other group and members of the expedition. The scholars and miners hid behind vehicles, fearing a fight might break out at any moment. The opposing side consisted of many armed Savirans in primitive armor, who appeared to be guarding a heavy gate behind them.

The atmosphere was tense. Petyr, who was at the very front, had donned her full suit of armor despite the intense humidity. She wielded her warhammer with menacing intent.

”Not one step closer! If you know what’s good for you, then turn around and go back where you came!” an eyepatched dark elf, the alleged leader, shouted to them.

”We’re getting through one way or another. You’re not stopping us. Step aside or pave the way with your bodies,” Petyr threatened.

”Stop!” Kanae landed between both groups with her hands in the air. ”There’s going to be no fighting if we can help it! I’m very frustrated and angry right now for a lot of reasons, but mostly because I was just getting to a good part. Petyr, stow your weapon already.”

The other side gawked at Kanae with incredulous stares. Particularly the end.

”Who is this… loud, sassy child? Does she speak for you?” The elf turned to Petyr for answers.

Kanae’s friends stifled their laughter.

”I heard that!” Kanae pouted, then whirled around to address the Savirans. ”I’m actually an adult. A berinath turned me into this… hopefully temporarily. My name is Kanae. We’re not interested in fighting. We just want a way through to Avanesse is all.”

”I bet you do. You’re succubi. Just like those two pulling Sultan Cerberus’ strings,” he snarled.

”You mean Jhene and Elaine?” Alicia gasped.

The elf nodded.

”Sounds like you ain’t friendly with them,” Claudia stepped forward and interjected. ”That means we have something in common, because I want to grind my fists into their faces.”

”How do we know you’re telling the truth? And that the non-succubi in the group aren’t thralls?” he asked.

”Would I do this if I was a thrall?” Petyr grabbed Kanae by the throat and choked her.

”There… could have been… a better way… to show that…” Kanae croaked.

A centaur man whispered into the elf’s ears. They exchanged hushed conversations for a bit until he eventually shooed the beastman away. The others behind them couldn’t make it more clear that not a single one wanted to fight. Let alone fight succubi. Kanae surveyed their group, only for them to avoid eye-contact. As if locking gazes with a succubus would enthrall them.

”I understand there’s a somewhat friendly succubus nation in the north. The Commonwealth, was it? You said your name is Kanae. Does that mean you’re the Demon Queen, Kanae Toyomi? You’re a long way from home.” He raised an intrigued brow.

”That’s me!” Kanae pointed excitedly to herself. ”We’re, uh… on a mission to stop those two succubi.”

”Hm. Given our current predicament, taking a few risks might be our best bet. I am Guin. You’re looking at the resistance against the Cult of Lust and Depravity that’s taken root in Avanesse. If you’re enemies of the succubi controlling our sultan, I assume you’re also enemies of the cult?” The dark elf named Guin zeroed his gaze on Kanae and her fellow succubi in particular.

It was about as much as Kanae could tell him. Any more could tip them off to her ties to Sultana Dudula and Bravost. A resistance group out of Avanesse might not appreciate another Saviran country dipping its toes into their business. But as Kanae Toyomi, Queen of the Commonwealth, she had the chance to bait them into seeking her help.

To that end, Kanae and the succubi in her group assured them they were in fact enemies of the Cult of Lust and Depravity. After all, she wasn’t lying. She just wasn’t telling them the entire truth.

”I don’t fully trust you yet. That’s up to our commander. I’ll bring you there, but uhm… The Queen of the Commonwealth being a child is a harder pill to swallow than you being in Savir,” Guin said nervously.

”I’ll… do my best to be convincing.” Kanae sighed.