Essence’s Growth

(A/N: I changed Minamoto no Yoritomo's occupation. The humans of this world call demonic energy, eldritch energy.)

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Somewhere else within the Genji Dojo was a man in a luxurious chamber who sat in a lotus position with his eyes closed. He had a noble aura around him as he absorbed the energy within the spiritual fragments placed around him.

This man was one of Ayla's targets. He was the current patriarch of the Genji Clan, Minamoto no Yoritomo.

Suddenly, his eyes opened. He had lost his focus from sensing such potent eldritch energy close by. As quickly as it appeared, it vanished.

"Taiho, Yuzuki!"

"Yes, Patriarch." Two figures emerge from the shadows, kneeling on one knee. They were expert-level Shinobi.

One was a woman who wore a tightly-fit midnight blue bodysuit that accentuated her curves. She had long black braided hair in a pony tail that went down to her ankles. Her face was covered by a midnight blue veil. The other shinobi donned a midnight blue kimono with short black hair as dark as the void.

"I've sensed potent eldritch energy from the private resting areas for the competitors. I'd like you two to investigate it for me. Kill anything that leaks it, even if it's from a human." Yoritomo commanded powerfully.

"Yes, Patriarch." They bowed and faded into the shadows.

***

Arriving at the private resting area, they split up to hasten the search, each taking one side of the resting area. Taiho took the male side, and Yuzuki took the female side.

Yuzuki moved throughout the resting area like a bird, flying quickly and smoothly through the air. She inspected everything, ranging from the small buildings where the competitors were housed to many other facilities.

Soon, she reached the last area of her search, the woman's bath. Immediately after entering, she sensed remnants of potent Eldritch energy. It was as if the culprit had intentionally left a small trail.

'Such potent eldritch energy...'

Even though there were only remnants left, she could still sense their potency. It was on a level that she hadn't seen before.

When she entered, there was no one inside, but at the edge of the bath, she found signs of there having been someone here not long ago.

She searched the entire bathhouse and only found a few wet footsteps at the edge of the bath. They both led inside the bath and out.

'Their most likely woman came here to take a bath. That doesn't seem right. A demon wouldn't do such things unless they had a motive.'

Unbeknownst to her, Ayla was still there. She hadn't moved from where she sat, even after the place was searched. She was still focused on absorbing the leftover remnants of the demonic energy.

She had sensed the female shinobi's presence, but she continued to absorb the energy—she had sensed that she was imperceptible to others.

…

Two hours had passed since the female Shinobi had arrived. She hadn't found anything noteworthy, besides the location of potent eldritch energy, so she left. As for Ayla, she was sitting there naked with her eyes closed.

She had finished absorbing the demonic energy and was reading through the changes within her stats.

‹User: Ayla›

‹Race: Black Dragon›

‹Level: 607 -> 614›

‹HP: 70,600/70,600›

‹Magic: 68,100/68,100›

‹Strength: 54,800 -> 60,500›

‹Agility: 57,000 -> 62,700›

‹Stamina: 55,900 -> 61,600›

‹Magic›

‹Demonic Magic, Destruction Magic, Draconic Magic, Shadow Magic, Hellfire Magic, Dream Magic›

‹Skills›

‹Dark Dragon Aura, Shadow Mimicry, Esoteric Darkness Manipulation, Night Vision, Mirrored Pain, Spatial Flight, Darkness View, Shadow Mutilation, Draconic Weaponry, Shadow Stealth, Darkness Healing, Shatter, Disintegration, Darkness Solidification, Shadow Constructs, Calm Mind, Overshadow, Shadow Step›

‹Resistance Skills›

‹Magic Resistance, Fire Immunity, Poision Immunity, Shadow Immunity, Demonic Immunity, Destruction Immunity, Draconic Resistance, Seduction Immunity›

‹Innate Succubi Skills: Masochism, Life Force Absorbtion, Supernatural Beauty, Dream Constructs, Subliminal Seduction, Dream Walking, Dream Imprisonment, Enslavement Kiss›

'Fuck... The Succubus Essence grew.'

[That demonic energy core belonged to a powerful succubus, so it would mainly strengthen your succubus essence. Sadly, it was weakened by the strains of time, otherwise my essence inside you would've evolved into a Succubus core.] Cynthia said, her adorable voice reverberating inside Ayla's head.

'No wonder I got that strange desire. It was my Succubus essence asking for the demonic core.' Ayla cursed in her heart. She knew that the stronger her succubus essence grew, the less time she had until she became a succubus.

She stood up, donned her kimono, and left the bathhouse through her shadows. She assumed that the bathhouse was being spied on. She didn't want suspicion or any trouble as it would hinder her from killing her target.

Ayla appeared inside her private resting area, took off her sandals, and lay down on the bed, looking up at the ceiling.

'Cynthia… now that I think about it, how wasn't I found by that shinobi?'

[I partially separated you from the world. You were there while not there at the same time, making you imperceptible to the shinobi.] A prideful smile formed on her face.

'Oh, you're finally useful for once.' Ayla smiled, staring directly into the screen that had Cynthia on it.

[You're so cruel. I thought you wouldn't be mean to me anymore. You are going to make me cry.] Her eyes were red as tears formed in them. Her face was filled with sadness. She felt hurt.

'I still don't have feelings for you.' She said, closing her system along with her eyes. 'Now let me go to sleep.'

Without knowing it, she fell asleep as Cynthia's sadness grew. She felt hurt, but she still knew that she had the power to change Ayla's view of her—she wouldn't give up like the last time she did before.