Humans Have High Potential (Part III)

The succubus, desperate to regain control, latches onto the defeated knights, Eric and Eren. Her eyes flare with malevolence as she feeds on their mana, draining them of their vitality.

The knights' bodies convulse and wither, their armor clattering to the ground as they are reduced to lifeless husks.

The succubus grows stronger, her form swelling with dark power. She stands before them, a terrifying sight of beauty and malice combined. The air around her crackled with energy, and the ground beneath her trembles as she rises to her full height.

"You think you've won, don't you?" she hisses, her voice now a guttural growl.

"But you've only made me stronger!" Her eyes fixated on the two of them, filled with a hatred so pure it seems to burn through the very air.

Yunxi and Liena exchange a quick glance, the gravity of the situation clear. The succubus may have lost her knights, but she's far from defeated.

The golden light from Xia is fading, and with it, their advantage. Liena's whip is now a mere flicker of embers, and Yunxi's mana reserves are dangerously low. They must act now or be overwhelmed by the succubus's newfound power.

As the succubus launches her most powerful attack, Liena, driven by a fierce protectiveness for her friend and an unyielding spirit, throws herself in front of the succubus's attack, her body a living shield to protect Yunxi. Yunxi's necklace protective barrier activated at the last minute, but it couldn't stop it, and the barrier shattered like a broken glass.

The attack hits Liena with full force, her body wracked by the dark, malevolent power that the succubus has unleashed. Despite her pain, she does not falter, her eyes never leaving Yunxi. Her act of self-sacrifice buys them precious seconds.

Yunxi's heart skips a beat as she watches Liena take the brunt of the attack. The rage that fills her is cold and absolute. With a roar that echoes through the ancient temple, she charges at the succubus, her sword now coated in a layer of thick ice thanks to her Hoarfrost on Steel skill.

The succubus, momentarily distracted by Liena's heroics, doesn't see Yunxi coming.

Yunxi's charge is swift and precise, her sword slicing through the succubus's dark magic. The succubus's attack is powerful, but the protective barrier from her necklace holds just long enough to allow Yunxi to land a critical blow. The ice-covered blade pierces the succubus's flesh, freezing it instantly. The succubus screams in agony, her power momentarily stunned.

The chamber goes quiet, the only sounds being the succubus's tortured wails and Liena's labored breathing. The golden light from Xia fades completely, leaving the room eerily lit by the flickering embers of Liena's whip.

Yunxi stares at the succubus, her eyes cold and determined. "You will not harm us," she says, her voice low and deadly. "You will not harm anyone else."

Yunxi's eyes were filled with a fiery determination as she pulled her sword free from the succubus.

The creature writhes in pain, her once seductive form marred by the icy wound. The succubus's eyes, now filled with fear and rage, lock onto Yunxi as she hisses a curse. Her body starts to crack and shatter into a million shards of shadow, her power dissipating into the ether. The knights, drained of life, remain as lifeless shells on the ground.

With the succubus defeated, the weight of the situation crashes down upon them. Yunxi carefully lowers Liena's limp body to the cold stone floor, her eyes brimming with tears. "Liena," she whispers, her voice trembling with pain and anger. "Why did you do that?"

Liena, barely conscious, manages a weak smile. "You're... important to me," she murmurs, her breathing shallow. "I couldn't... let you..." Her voice trails off as she succumbs to the darkness.

Yunxi's eyes widened in horror. "No, Liena, no!" she screams, her voice echoing through the temple. The anger from the battle turns to grief as she holds her friend's lifeless form, feeling the warmth leave her body. "Liena, please wake up!" she sobs, her hands shaking with desperation.

The System's calm voice pierces through her grief. { Host, you must act quickly. The knights' mana is still within the vicinity. If you can absorb it, you may be able to revive Liena. }

Yunxi's eyes flicker with hope and desperation. She can't lose Liena. Not like this. She takes a shaky breath and nods, her tears freezing on her cheeks. "Guide me," she murmurs, her voice thick with unshed tears.

{ Begin absorption process. Please stand clear of the bodies and activate your Extraction Talent . } The System instructs calmly, a stark contrast to the chaotic emotions swirling within Yunxi.

With a heavy heart, Yunxi steps back and takes a deep breath, focusing her mana. She extends her hand towards Eric and Eren, and a soft blue aura begins to emanate from their lifeless forms, flowing into her palm. The mana feels tainted by the succubus's dark influence, but it's the only hope she has to save Liena. She clenches her fist, her eyes squeezed shut as she fights back the bile rising in her throat. The air in the room feels thick with despair, yet she refuses to give in to it.

"Come on," she murmurs, her voice barely audible, "give me your strength."

The tainted mana surges through Yunxi, burning like a frozen fire in her veins. She clenches her teeth against the pain, her body convulsing as she fights to purify the dark energy. The air around her crackles with power, the very fabric of the room seeming to distort under the pressure. With a final, desperate push, she sends the purified mana into Liena's body, the blue aura enveloping her friend like a protective blanket.

For what feels like an eternity, Yunxi stands there, her hand pressed to Liena's chest, her eyes squeezed shut, her entire being focused on the delicate task at hand.

The tension in the air was palpable, the only sound, the desperate beating of her own heart and the fading echo of the succubus's wails. The world outside the bubble of her concentration ceases to exist as she fights the dark, icy energy that threatens to consume her from within.

Suddenly, a warmth spreads through her hand, seeping into Liena's lifeless body. It starts as a trickle, but soon it becomes a river, a testament to the power of the bond between them. The air around them seems to quiver with anticipation, as if the very fabric of the world is holding its breath.