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

Chaos erupted all over the caravan from the front to the back. The edirashem’s defenders were getting overwhelmed from every side. Kanae launched into the sky to join Claudia in flying over to the left flank of the caravan, but swarms of harpies attacked like stinging hornets.

Some of them flung a cluster of round jars from their talons. A wick burned as they plummeted to the canopy and exploded in a rain of fire, setting the edirashem’s protective coverings alight in flames. People of the caravan screamed below. Workers scrambled to climb the netting and put out fires by smothering them.

”Claudia, target the ones with jars! The edirashem won’t survive tomorrow if the canopy is destroyed!” Kanae exclaimed.

”Let’s see how you like it!” Claudia intercepted a bundle of thrown jars and hurled it back at a harpy squad. They exploded into burning shrapnel. Screeching harpies caught on fire lit up the night. Many of them dove to the ground to put themselves out in the sand.

Kanae descended to the canopy to try and put out the fire. Whatever it was made of must be tough material. While the flames barely spread, they still ate away and left holes in the covering. Edirashem workers who had climbed to the top casted cold spells to keep the flames at bay. Watching them gave her an idea.

Hopefully, this didn’t make a bad situation worse. Kanae casted Hailstorm. A barrage of ice pummeled the burning canopy, including the workers. Although she put out the fire, those caught in the spell were clutching themselves and covered in frost. They shot a mean look at her.

”S-Sorry! I’m going to go… uh… put out the other fires now!” Kanae escaped to do the same elsewhere on the canopy.

Hailstorm after Hailstorm, her cold magic foiled the harpies’ attempt to burn the edirashem’s canopy.

”Keep your magic to yourself, kid!” A harpy captured Kanae with a single talon and pinned her against a large wooden post. Sharp claws bit down on her body and arms. She couldn’t move a muscle.

Alicia emerged from the darkness behind the harpy and plunged a dagger into her shoulder. She whirled around with a slash. The succubus ducked. Her movements grew sluggish and before long, she fell unconscious on the canopy.

”Whew. Thank god for your timing.” Kanae rubbed her sore neck.

”I always have one eye on you.” Alicia winked and nodded slightly. ”Don’t think I didn’t see you head towards the edirashok’s manor either, as well as what you did there.”

”Urk. I-I was just trying to gather information!”

She giggled into the back of her hand. ”Your efforts exhausted their fiery assault. Leave the skies to me and Claudia. I saw a significant number of harpies entering the edirashem, heading towards the back. I don’t expect Petyr, Renya, and Edina to be defeated so easily, but it looks like they are after something on the caravan rather than an indiscriminate attack.”

Did Edirashok Zayn have something on the edirashem that Praijya and the Harpy King wanted? Kanae pushed the thought to the back of her mind. They needed to repel the attack first.

Alicia split off to back Claudia up fighting back around the edirashem’s perimeter. Meanwhile, Kanae descended back into the caravan. Praijya’s attack left behind a trail of destruction. The bazaar in the forewagon had been demolished. Goods were strewn all over the place, and merchants lamented their luck.

Cries for help snapped Kanae back to attention. She flew to the next giant wagon, where harpies had surrounded a saloon. A familiar tricorn hat rested a foot away from the building. Some unconscious harpies littered the ground. Those that weren’t hid behind crates and debris as magical blasts shot out from the hole-filled door. Another blast finally knocked it off its hinges.

”Tch. Toss your guns out and surrender, Renya Rown! Dunno why you’re here, but the Harpy King will sure as hells thank us for— shit!” The harpy dove back into cover when a magic bolt blew up the stand she hid behind.

”I dare you to take one step closer! I double-dog dare ya! I’ve got an unlimited supply of mana potions to fire enough shots to fill an ancient dragon full of holes!” Renya shouted from inside, her voice tinged with excitement.

From what Kanae remembered, Renya most definitely did not have an unlimited supply of mana potions. They only acquired a few vials before leaving Bravost for the Under Roads expedition. That was the highest stake bluff she had ever heard from Renya yet.

Kanae snuck up behind the group of harpies and casted Mass Charm. Terror gripped them. She ordered them all to jump out of cover, and the exact number of blasts rang out to nail every single one of them. They dropped limp to the floor.

”You’re safe! It’s me, Renya!” Kanae walked out into the open with her hands up.

”Kanae? Boy, am I glad to see your baby-faced mug. I only had one mana potion left and a bluff! Where the fuck did all these feathered bastards come from? I seriously thought I was about to get a one-way trip to Elusis!” Renya groaned.

”It’s our old friend Praijya. They’re looking for something in the back wagons. You can stay here if you don’t want to risk being captured. I won’t blame you,” she said.

Renya drained her last potion, let it drop to the ground, and crushed it underneath her boot. The faint blue glow in her flintlocks intensified with arcane energies.

”I wouldn’t be doing my old man proud if I let someone trample over Rown Company. The Harpy King’s got a bone to pick with me. Time to show him how I turn down doing business with someone.” Renya kicked her tricorn hat up, and it landed on her head on the way down.

Together, they raced down to the rearmost wagon of the edirashem. Over a hundred harpies rummaged through cargo and tossed things out of barrels, crates, and other containers. Petyr was there, too. She had just gotten done pummeling a couple of harpies who dared take her on, but there were just too many for her to deal with alone.

”What took you two so long? And where’s the necromancer? We could use some numbers here!” Petyr growled.

”Oh, uh… Edina might still be a little sloshed,” Kanae said nervously.

”Just my fucking luck.” Praijya stepped into view from the second floor holding an elven worker by the throat, eyes trained on Kanae. ”I have to run into you?”

”Wait, you recognize me? Even in this form?” She gasped.

”Of course I recognize the bitch that’s been foiling us at every turn. Why the fuck are you even here? Where did you hide the magical armaments?” the harpy asked.

Oh. They must be after the Dryoak Consortium’s shipment! Kanae tried not to let it show on her face. It was just their luck. If Rasheena hadn’t asked Zayn to delay his departure from Spineridge, they would have secured the cargo.

But because the edirashem was late by a day… Well, Praijya didn’t need to know that.

”As if I’m going to tell you a damn thing!” Kanae stuck her tongue out.

”You… It pisses me off even more since you look like a child… Fine. Don’t tell me. We’ll destroy this edirashem and scour its remains ourselves. Nasiri, Theena!” Praijya shouted behind herself.

Theena?!

Two figures stepped up to the ledge by Praijya’s side. The young human Kanae had gone on adventures with back in Kandis appeared almost unrecognizable. Her dark brown hair was no longer done in a ponytail, and instead draped down and framed her weary, war painted face. She wielded a shortbow, in which an enchanted drawstring seemed to shift in colors from red, blue, to yellow.

The other one must be Nasiri, a harpy woman of bright red plumage. She glanced down at them with a carefree smile. Although she wielded no weapons, her hands were wrapped in gray cloth wrappings. Long locks of crimson hair were decorated with countless colorful beads. She wore a simple light blue robe tied at the waist. Something about her screamed trouble.

”Theena? I know I look fifteen years younger, but It’s me! Kanae! Kara and Seven are waiting for you back in Bravost. They’re safe. You don’t have to work for the Harpy King anymore!” Kanae shouted.

”Kanae… I’m sorry.” Theena shook her head. ”The Harpy King wields immense power. I’ve seen it myself. Kara, Seven… They aren’t safe anywhere. I’m doing this to protect them. So please, don’t try to get in his way.”

”Hey, Praijya. That’s Renya, right? The one His Majesty wants?” Nasiri asked and pointed at them.

Renya responded before Praijya did and said, ”A chance to make an introduction? Don’t mind if I do! Yes, I am the Renya Rown. Chairwoman of Rown Company! Pirate lord and scourge of the seas!”

Kanae and her side tensed up as Nasiri leaped off the building. She landed like a bolt of lightning a stone’s throw away from them and squared up with her fists.

”Nasiri Waraluan, the Thundering Dervish of the Dervish Five. Right Talon of the Harpy King! I come!” Nasiri crossed the distance in a split second.

Renya and Kanae didn’t have time to react. Petyr did. Her warhammer collided with Nasiri’s electrified fist. To their surprise, the paladin had been forced to take a step back. She dug her heels into the floor. Petyr pulled back and swung with a Smite-infused strike.

A smirk flashed on Nasiri’s lips. Her fists snapped open. She caught the head of the warhammer in one palm—

”Redirect!” Nasiri pressed her other palm against Petyr’s chest.

Holy energies blasted the paladin away, burning a hole through into her tunic. Petyr looked down and clicked her tongue.

”How did you do that?” Petyr asked.

”I’m crowned a Monk. If I time my skill correctly, Redirect turns your attack back to you. By the Harpy King’s grace, I’ve also been infused with the element of lightning. I will always time Redirect. Without fail.” Nasiri squared up again and gestured for her to try again.

Kanae nearly forgot Praijya and Theena were still above them. The Arkesian archer fired a volley of arrows. She and Renya dove away as the bolts exploded with ice. One arrow struck a guard on the ground, and he cursed under his breath before being frozen solid.

Had Theena been infused with an element, too?

Renya split into five clones. They fired back at Theena, who dove into cover. Praijya, however, rocketed towards them with her talons and claws. She destroyed two clones and picked Kanae up.

”Why do you take the form of a child? Are you trying to hide? Spell Nullification!” Praijya cocked her head.

”Nngh?!” Kanae’s body sprung back to her original mature size. ”Holy crap! You changed me back? Thanks!”

”Hah! So, it wasn’t by choice? Let me turn you back then. Arcane Inversion!” She sparked magical energies from the tips of her talon, and Kanae’s body reverted back again.

”AHHH! DAMN IT! That’s it. I’m just going to take the spell by fucking you!”

Kanae activated Futanari. Her massive cock was comically large compared to the small body. Praijya flew off, taken aback by the sight of it.

”You disgusting… I belong to no one but the Harpy King! Get that away from me!” Praijya grabbed Kanae by her dick and flung her away.

She rolled up to the side of a building. An arrow plunged into the ground next to her, infused with ice magic seconds from going off. Kanae braced herself to be frozen when a death knight snatched the arrow and went off harmlessly in its grasp.

”Witness me, my mistress!” Death Knight Cantu shrugged his shoulders and marched into battle against Praijya.

”Ughh… My fucking head, man. Why did you let me drink so much?” Hand pressed to her head, Edina groaned as she helped Kanae up.

”Wait, Edina! You have to put away your undead!” Kanae warned.

”Huh? Why?” she asked.

”Ah ha! I’ve found you at last, little necromancer!” Riben Crow sneered.

Edina’s eyes widened when she saw the Necronomicon floating beside the cloaked man. However, her shock vanished as soon as a death knight that didn’t belong to her appeared. They jumped back, narrowly avoiding the axe that plunged into the floor. She summoned a second death knight to parry Riben’s.

”You’re bringing the Necronomicon straight to me? Aw. You shouldn’t have! I’ll be taking that for myself!” Edina drew her two signature necromantic weapons, and both necromancers raised a small army of undead that faced each other down.

”STOOOP!” Kanae ran out to stand between them. ”We have a common enemy to deal with first!”

”Wait a minute… Do I know you from somewhere?” Riben leaned forward and squinted.

”Er… We haven’t met.” She covered her face.

Things started looking grim until the harpies backed away. Many of them gave ground and took to the skies. Even Nasiri disengaged from Petyr despite proving to have the upper hand against her.

”Praijya, we’re retreating!” Nasiri shouted.

”Over my dead body! I’ll bring shame to the Harpy King retreating a THIRD time against this succubus bitch!” Praijya snarled.

”Two necromancers and Ortesia’s juggernaut at that! We were here for the magical armaments, and they aren’t here. If you want to fail the Harpy King for the last time, be my guest. Theena. We’re going!” She grabbed Theena’s hand and whistled for her swarm of harpies to follow suit.

Praijya threw a tantrum, stomping hard on the ground enough to crack the floorboard. She bared her teeth at Kanae, then hurried to catch up with the others. However, a problem still remained. The necromancers, Riben and Edina, were on the verge of kicking off another caravan-wide battle with their undead. Renya and Petyr turned their weapons on Riben, whose raised hand was one motion away from starting it.

”Riben, put your undead away!” Zayn shouted from afar, pushing skeletal warriors aside to get to the front.

Hearing Zayn’s voice, Kanae quickly switched off Futanari and vanished her penis.

”Zayn! That there is the necromancer I’m looking for. Stay out of the way if you value our alliance!” Riben barked.

”You find hospitality in my edirashem, necromancer. Don’t forget the deal we made. Also, these adventurers protected the caravan with their lives. Also, you could have hurt my sweet little Kanae!” He scooped Kanae up and embraced her.

Kanae’s companions stood there flabbergasted. Edina looked like she wanted to say something, but Kanae lifted a finger up to her lips.

”Th-Those are the adventurers I’m accompanying!” Kanae exclaimed.

”Ah, I see! You must be the outsiders who recently boarded. You are owed more gifts than you deserve. Miras shall see to that. And, uh… I understand my familiarity with Kanae must baffle you. I assure you, our friendship is a pure one!” Zayn explained anxiously.

”Hmph. Knock yourself out.” Having lost interest, Petyr walked past them.

”Someone wanna tell me what in three hells is going on here?” Edina asked.

”To keep it brief, there will be no fighting between necromancers. Is that understood? Riben?” The edirashok shot him a look.

Riben glared at Kanae with apparent recognition now. He knew she was the same Kanae after walking in on them earlier. But whatever it was Edirashok Zayn promised him seemed to be enough to placate his urge to fight Edina.

”Understood. Rejoice, lesser necromancer. I, the greatest necromancer in this world, shall spare you.” Riben ordered his undead army to march back into their abyssal portals and turned to leave.

”What did you call yourself? Hey, that’s my line! I’m the greatest necromancer in the world. I’ll be taking that Necronomicon from you one way or another. Do you hear me?” Edina yelled.

A second fight had been narrowly avoided. The edirashem was already in shambles. It wouldn’t have survived another battle, especially not two clashing necromancers who could summon hordes upon hordes of undead.

Kanae returned to Zayn’s manor with him, but only because she didn’t want to cause a commotion. She needed to keep up this pretense, and more questions than answers had cropped up after the Harpy King’s people attacked the caravan.

When they got back, Riben disappeared elsewhere into the mansion. Kanae laid in bed alone dressed in a lace nightie that exposed her nipples and crotch, provided by Zayn himself. However, the man spent most of the night barking orders around. A lot of back and forth yelling didn’t bode well. He returned much later, exhausted and inches from passing out.

”Gods, preserve me. We’ll reach Maraag’s Crossing tomorrow, but things aren’t looking good for my edirashem.” Zayn sighed while doing her hair up in pigtails.

”Is it that bad?” Kanae asked.

”The worst! The Harpy King’s minions… They were after something. Could it be the shipment I’m to pick up at Maraag’s Crossing? I don’t want to think about it. I want to think only of you, my darling!” His large hands clenched her new pigtails, and he leaned in to kiss her sloppily.

”Mmm… Yesh, daddy~” She smiled.

Kanae woke up in the morning sore all over. Her nipples were puffy and swollen from being bitten. Dried spunk covered her entire body, like Zayn had been on a mission to mark her in ownership. He was already up and dressed in the finest attire. A blue and purple tunic embroidered with gold stitchings, a turban with three big feathers representing each in the color of Savir’s city jewels, and a gem-encrusted cane topped with a diamond.

”You’re awake? We have arrived in Maraag’s Crossing. It is a city built beside an oasis intended to serve travelers. Unfortunately, my dear, I would like to ask that you stay inside for the remainder of our stay. My servants will see that you are looked after. We won’t be here for more than two days, and I’ll return every nightfall,” Zayn explained.

”Huh? Why can’t I go outside?” Kanae asked.

”It…” He hesitated to say. ”It is dangerous, yes! Very dangerous. Cutthroats, monsters… You will be safe here. Behave for me, alright?”

”Okay.” She didn’t fight back but also had no intentions of obeying.

When Zayn left, Kanae tiptoed up to the door. Several guards marched down the hall and stopped in front of his room. She walked over to the balcony instead.

A beautiful glimmering oasis stole Kanae’s breath away. Tall trees surrounded the body of water. The town’s buildings were raised with sandstone blocks, but most were just giant canopies staked to the ground and propped up by giant posts. People conducted trade and lounged underneath the shade.

Another edirashem had parked on the other side of the city. Citizens of Zayn’s edirashem disembarked from the caravan, heading into Maraag’s Crossing in droves. Some had bags slung over their shoulders and others pushed carts and wagons filled with goods. Down below, a group of servants pulled a fancy rickshaw cart with Zayn inside into the city.

”Too bad for you, I’m a bad girl.” Kanae dropped her Human Form at last and flew down the manor to return to the others.

Unfortunately, the only one waiting for her back at the carriage was Kris and Renya.

”Where did everyone go?” Kanae threw her hands in the air.

”Finally!” Kris gasped. ”Petyr stormed into Maraag’s Crossing as soon as we arrived, muttering a name. Riley? Claudia and Alicia chased after her to make sure she didn’t do anything stupid.”

”Edina went to stalk that necromancer from last night. They’re in the city, too. Well? What’s the plan?” Renya asked, lighting up the herbs in her pipe.

”Edina can handle herself… I hope. I’m more worried about Petyr betraying us or starting a fight in Maraag’s Crossing. Let’s go before something happens,” she insisted.