Creating A Succubus Army In A Fantasy World!-Chapter 83: He Truly Changed. [Bonus]

[3/10 of Castle Mass Release! Shout out to Darkone33!]

The air outside the rift was tense. An unnatural stillness had settled over the clearing, the kind that made the hairs on the back of Fiona’s neck prickle.

No birds. No wind. No sound at all. As if the world itself was holding its breath.

The rift stood before her like a yawning mouth, its dark, swirling surface flickering faintly with streaks of red and black.

Fiona hated waiting.

Her vibrant red hair, wild and untamed, flashed like fire under the dim light as she paced back and forth, arms crossed, eyes sharp with barely concealed impatience.

Her green eyes flicked toward the rift every few seconds, watching, waiting. Nothing.

The minutes stretched on, and her fingers itched at her sides. Too long. They had been inside too long! freewebnoveℓ.com

Her brothers were in there.

Trent and Kent. Her family. Her blood.

If anything happened to them—if they didn’t walk out of that rift—she would slaughter every single person who played even the tiniest part in their deaths!

She was already gripping the Blood Feud Talisman inside her pocket, the enchanted item thrumming with latent power, waiting for its command.

It would point her to those responsible. And she would paint the ground red.

Suddenly, the rift flashed.

Fiona’s body tensed as she immediately turned, eyes locked onto the swirling space.

A figure emerged.

The first person to step out was a slender, pale man, panting heavily. He was a Stage 3 Awakened, his robes torn and bandaged body trembling slightly.

His eyes darted around wildly, and the second he confirmed he was outside the rift, relief washed over his face like a man who had just escaped a death sentence.

Fiona barely spared him a glance.

Another flash.

A second person stumbled out.

Stage 4 Awakened.

His entire body was wrapped in thick white bandages, almost like a mummy. His gait was unsteady, his breathing labored. His entire aura screamed pain and exhaustion.

Fiona’s hands clenched into fists. Her brothers still weren’t here.

Her heart pounded a little harder.

Then, another flash and a red-haired youth appeared. Bandaged. Tattered. Worn.

But the moment his teary eyes landed on Fiona, they widened in absolute relief.

"SIS!!!"

With a loud, almost pitiful squeal, Trent bolted toward her, arms outstretched, looking like a lost child running to his mother.

Fiona barely had time to react before he threw himself at her, wrapping his arms around her waist like a koala.

She almost stumbled from the impact. Almost.

"You’re alive," she murmured, blinking down at him. A weight she hadn’t realized she was carrying suddenly lifted off her shoulders.

Another flash lit the clearing and a second youth appeared.

Kent.

Far calmer than his twin brother. His face was pale, his body bandaged almost as much as Trent’s, but he held himself with the usual air of quiet resilience.

The moment his gaze met Fiona’s, a small, relieved exhale left his lips, and he walked toward her with no rush or dramatics.

But the tension in his shoulders eased the moment he reached her side.

Fiona felt her heartbeat finally slow.

They were alive. Her brothers were alive!

She squeezed Trent’s shoulder, giving Kent a short nod, then quickly asked, "How was the rift?"

Trent shuddered.

"A NIGHTMARE!" he wailed. His body trembled as he clutched at her arm like a traumatized kitten.

"Sis, you don’t understand! It was—IT WAS INSANE! There was this stupid taboo! Blood couldn’t touch the ground! BLOOD! And if it did, the entire rift would try to kill us! We almost died like a hundred times!"

Fiona’s eyes darkened. So that was the nature of the rift. A blood taboo.

That explained why everyone looked so damn battered, because as Trent was talking, the remaining three figures finally emerged from the rift.

They were the Stage 5 Awakeneds.

The dark-haired ruthless warrior, his face impassive, his robes torn and bloodied, but his posture still strong.

The silver-haired halberd wielder, his weapon resting on his shoulder, his breathing ragged, his body covered in so many bandages that Fiona wondered if he even had skin left underneath.

And finally, the dark-haired woman.

She was the most battered of them all. Her face was pale as a ghost, her lips cracked, her eyes slightly unfocused.

It was clear she had been pushed past her limit.

Fiona’s brows furrowed slightly. Something didn’t add up. She quickly scanned the group. Counted heads.

Then her eyes narrowed. Her voice was sharp. Curious.

"What about Creed?"

The air grew heavier as Trent let out a long, mournful sigh, shaking his head like a man recounting a tragedy.

His voice was low, regretful, but there was also an unmistakable finality in his words.

"He was sacrificed," Trent murmured, glancing at his sister with a solemn look.

"We had no choice. It was either him, or none of us getting through to the next layer. He was either ripped apart by the hundreds of bats in that cursed cavern, or he lost his mind and killed himself after being enveloped by the crimson magma. Either way... Creed is dead."

A tense silence followed.

Fiona’s expression didn’t change. She blinked slowly, her emerald eyes unreadable, her lips pressing together in thought.

Was she shocked?

Not really.

This outcome was one of the possibilities she had predicted the moment she extended that offer to Creed back in the marketplace.

He was never supposed to survive. He was a pawn. A disposable shield to be used in place of her brothers.

He had been stupid enough to accept the deal. Or maybe just too confident.

She had fully expected him to die.

Fiona took a breath and was about to move on, ready to acknowledge that these were the only remaining survivors.

Then, the portal flashed.

Again.

A cold chill ran down her spine. Every single person froze and then, a figure emerged.

Creed.

Standing tall. Holding his spear. Eyes cold. For a split second, no one spoke.

The wind whispered, the dirt shifted beneath his boots. His gaze swept across the crowd, sharp and piercing, before locking onto Fiona.

Then, he disappeared.

Teleportation.

In an instant, Creed appeared directly in front of her. Fiona’s fingers twitched and the group behind her stiffened.

Creed’s voice was calm, steady, and straight to the point.

"I will give you 50 meters worth of Yellow Snake Vine in exchange for your protection until I reach the Bastion."

Fiona’s eyes narrowed.

He survived, but not just that, he had changed. This wasn’t the same reckless boy she had thrown into the rift as bait.

He was sharper. More calculating. He didn’t waste time. Didn’t demand answers. He already knew where he stood.

Fiona’s lips curled into a smirk.

"Fifty meters?" she mused, tilting her head slightly. "Isn’t that a bit too small to guarantee your life?"

Before Creed could respond, something shifted in the air.

Murmurs. Low whispers.

Behind her, the silver-haired halberd wielder leaned slightly toward his larger companion, muttering something under his breath.

The larger silver-level Awakened’s eyes widened.

A flicker of greed flashed in his gaze as he turned his attention to Creed.

At the same time, the ruthless, dark-haired Stage 5 Awakened leaned in, whispering something into another’s ear.

And then, another change and a faint ripple of killing intent erupted.

More eyes locked onto Creed. Hungry, calculating and dangerous.

Creed’s expression remained neutral but inside, he cursed.

He had been truly very stupid. He had entered a rift filled with strangers more powerful than him and expected to even survive with his gains?

Truly stupid!

But instead of panicking, Creed remained calm. And then, without hesitation, he raised his offer.

"One hundred meters."

Fiona smirked. Before she could even open her mouth, Creed spoke again.

"One hundred fifty."

The air grew still. And then, a wave of pure, suffocating killing aura erupted from Creed.

A pulse of raw pressure, thick with something primal, undeniable, absolute.

For the first time, Fiona’s eyes flickered with genuine intrigue.

Wow, he had truly changed. He was way more powerful than before!

She watched him, her gaze searching. Then, she smiled.

"Fine," she said, crossing her arms. "You have a deal."

Then, she turned toward the others. Her tone was final. Absolute.

"Show’s over."

She flicked her wrist and her spatial ring flashed.

Her massive, mechanical bird materialized in the air, its sleek metallic body gleaming in the dim light. Its wings spread wide, casting a shadow over the stunned onlookers.

Fiona stepped aside, gesturing toward it.

"Get on."

Creed did.