121 THOSE WHO LIVE BY THE SWORD DON'T COMPLAIN TO DIE BY IT
"But what about Incubus? Isn't he worse than Lusifar?" Leo asked, his voice edged with concern.
"Ah, Incubus. So you've heard of him already. Yes, he is indeed far stronger than Lusifar—a god in this realm," she admitted.
"If I use demon magic again, won't it awaken Incubus to take over me like Lusifar did?" he pressed.
"No, that's where you're mistaken," Vanessa said firmly. "Incubus isn't some external demon waiting to possess you. He's a part of you. You are Incubus. There's no separate entity called Incubus who will take over your mind. Instead, with the right conditions, you will become Incubus."
Leo paused, trying to process her words. "So, you're saying there's no demon coming after my body and mind?"
"Not at the moment," Vanessa reassured him. "Lusifar is gone, and there is no demon spirit leeches on you now. You can safely awaken your demon magic."
Vanessa's reasoning left Leo with little choice.
Her words, though unsettling, carried a logic he couldn't ignore. She wouldn't lie about a matter of life and death—not as his handler in the realm.
"Alright, what do I do to activate my demon magic?" Leo asked, his voice steady despite the turmoil inside.
"Simple. Just press the fucking tab," Vanessa instructed.
Leo focused on the magic tab in the corner of his vision. Previously, he had replaced the spell on the tab with "Magic Missile," but now it displayed the avatar of a black rooster—the Black Cock.
With no one else to save him, Leo knew he had to rely on himself. He pressed the tab to activate the Black Cock spell.
Suddenly, dark beings began to emanate from the ground.
Their twisted and gnarled forms surged forward, rushing toward the Scorpion Mother. They clawed and tore at her with relentless ferocity, dismantling her grotesque body piece by piece. Her essence, brimming with power, was absorbed by the shadowy figures and offered as a sacrifice to Leo's newly awakened demon powers.
The Scorpion Mother's death was swift and brutal, her once formidable presence consumed entirely by Leo's dark magic.
Yun-Yun rushed toward Leo, her face pale with shock at the scene before her. Yet, she held herself, refraining from passing judgment on his use of demon magic.
She understood all too well—it was a matter of survival, a choice between life and death.
"How are you holding up?" she asked, concern evident in her voice.
"I'm fine now," Leo replied, his voice steady but laced with an undertone of exhaustion as he was empowered by taking the scorpion. "The essence of the skeletal scorpions has strengthened me."
Before Yun-Yun could respond, the sharp sound of footsteps and murmured voices caught their attention. Emerging from the shadows, several figures appeared—another expeditionary team, their expressions a mix of curiosity and disdain.
"Well, isn't this disappointing?" one of them sneered. "The fight's already over? There are two of them left standing? I was hoping they'd kill each other."
"There's something strange about that boy's magic," another muttered. "How did he manage to take down the mother scorpion?"
Leo stepped forward, his gaze cold and unyielding. "Who the hell are you?" he demanded.
The leader of the group, a man with a cruel smirk, stepped forward. "Who are we? Our names don't matter because you'll be dead soon enough. Hand over all the treasures you've found in this realm, and maybe we'll let you die quickly."
"Were you hiding while we fought the mother scorpion?" Leo shot back, his tone icy.
The leader laughed mockingly. "Hiding? We were here first. Then that fool with the flames and the other idiots showed up. You're no better—coming out only after the mother scorpion took out the flame mage and his team."
Apparently, Leo's presence was already discovered by this team. They were waiting for them to exhaust their magic before making a move. Like what Leo did to the previous team of the flame mage.
Karma came back to bite him. He understood. "Those who live by the sword cannot complain to die by it."
One of the leader's allies barked impatiently, "What are we waiting for? Kill them first. We can loot their corpses afterward."
Without another word, the leader lunged at Leo, his speed and ferocity revealing his strength.
"Can you handle the others?" Leo asked, glancing at Yun-Yun.
"Don't worry about me," she replied, her voice calm yet firm. She could handle herself. "Focus on taking him down."
Leo dashed forward, meeting the leader head-on.
The man wasn't weak—his aura radiated the power of Tier 3 of Svad Cakra, a level that ranked among the strongest of the beginner tier. As their energies clashed, the ethereal form of a bear materialized around the leader, his body transformation magic, while a spectral dragon surged around Leo.
"A dragon transformation?" the guy cried in surprise.
With a thunderous roar, Leo's dragon's claw struck the bear's paw, the meeting of the two magic transformations unleashing a shockwave that rippled through the air.
Meanwhile, the rest of the enemy team turned their attention to Yun-Yun.
"Get the woman first," they cried. Magical arrows streaked toward Yun-Yun like meteors, while some opponents transformed into monstrous, otherworldly forms to strike.
But Yun-Yun stood her ground, unflinching. "I've faced far worse than you," she declared, her voice echoing with power. "Your lives end here."
The magic arrows that struck her couldn't break her dragon apparition that protected her.
She raised her hands, summoning a pack of ravenous hounds from the void. Their eyes burned with malice, their jagged teeth glinting as they snarled hungrily, looking for meat.
The beasts lunged at the enemy spell casters first, their speed and ferocity leaving no chance for defense. Screams filled the air as the first wave of attackers fell, torn apart by claws and fangs.
"Careful! She's a summoner!" one of the fighters shouted, panic rising in his voice.
The remaining combatants regrouped, conjuring a powerful magic shield to fend off the relentless hounds. The spectral beasts clawed and snapped at the barrier, but the shield held firm—for now.