The relentless downpour had caused the river to swell, its currents turning into a churning, violent force. Atop a massive bundle of reeds, a group of people clung to each other as they were swept downstream.
Richie had lost track of how long they had been drifting. The experience was wretched; without a rudder, the raft spun uncontrollably, frequently being pulled under the surface or battered by waves from behind.
Swallowing water was a constant hazard, but the real danger came from debris. Moments ago, they had nearly been crushed by a massive, uprooted tree.
He glanced at Captain Calli, who was positioned just in front of him. A sudden impulse seized him. He reached out and brushed his hand against her groin.
Even through her wet trousers and the freezing river water, he could feel the slick, hot moisture there.
Calli's body jolted at his touch. She had definitely felt it.
In the past, Richie wouldn't have dreamed of such a bold move. but his recent experiences had emboldened him. Instead of withdrawing, he began to gently massage the sensitive area.
Within moments, he felt a sudden surge of warmth against his palm. Calli had lost control of her bladder.
He slid his hand further up, his finger grazing her anus. He felt the muscle contract sharply.
During his session with Emily's mother, he had learned that the drug Varedin used made the rectum incredibly sensitive. A single touch was enough to trigger another surge of heat from her.
Suddenly, Calli turned her head. Her gaze was ice-cold, and Richie felt a shiver of genuine fear.
Just as he was about to stammer out an explanation, he heard a sharp *rip*. Calli had torn a long seam in her own trousers.
"If you're going to do it, then do it," she said flatly. "You do it with Merlin all the time, don't you?"
Without another word, she turned back and pressed her chest against the reeds, arching her hips into the air.
Richie's face burned. He hadn't realized his "secret" sessions with Merlin were common knowledge. If Calli knew, the entire squad likely knew.
But his embarrassment was quickly overshadowed by a surge of triumph.
He had always viewed the Captain with a mix of awe and fear. but after seeing her strapped to that chair, enduring the whip with an expression of pure, drug-induced ecstasy, that awe had vanished.
She was just a woman. A woman with desires, a woman who could be broken and made to submit.
As he prepared to move, Emily's mother whispered from behind him, "That drug is incredibly potent. If you want to burn it off, you have to be rough. Anything less won't work."
The woman's words, combined with the memory of the lashing Calli had received, awakened something dark and primal within Richie.
The visible welts on Calli's skin only fueled that budding cruelty.
He let out a low growl and unbuckled his trousers.
He was already rock-hard, and the darkness in his heart seemed to make him even larger.
Richie lunged forward, seizing Calli's waist. He pressed the head of his member against her soaking wet entrance and drove himself in with a single, powerful thrust.
The only sounds were the rushing of the water and a muffled, guttural groan from Calli. He couldn't tell if it was pain or pleasure; she had buried her face in the reeds, her teeth clamped shut on a handful of leaves.
They were still in enemy territory. Calli's pride wouldn't allow her to moan, and her tactical mind wouldn't allow her to draw attention to their position.
Richie began a rhythmic, brutal assault. With every stroke, he pulled back until he was nearly out, then slammed himself home with the full force of his weight.
To him, it felt like the height of brutality, but after a dozen strokes, Calli began to move. She was meeting his thrusts with her own, her movements more frantic and forceful than his. It was as if she were trying to impale herself on him.
It was a level of intensity he had never experienced. He had had wild sessions with Lina, even playing with elements of pain, but Lina always sought pleasure. If things became too uncomfortable, she would stop.
He had also played "rape" games with the three sisters, taking their virginity by force, which had left them with a slight masochistic streak. but none of them had ever reached this level of delirium.
Suddenly, Calli's hand reached back and seized his member. Richie thought she was trying to stop him, but instead, her slender fingers guided him toward her anus.
Before he could even process the shift, she sat back with a heavy, forceful motion.
Richie felt himself being squeezed by a force far greater than Lina's "suction" technique.
The sensation was sublime. He felt as if he were soaring.
He had engaged in anal sex before—Merlin and the three sisters both enjoyed the intensity of it. Merlin, in particular, was a natural at it. but they always required him to be gentle. They would never allow this kind of frantic, unbridled pounding.
For the first time, Richie was able to truly cut loose. The sensation was far more intense than vaginal sex.
After a hundred strokes, Calli seized him again, pulling him out. She washed his member in the cold river water before guiding him back into her vagina.
Richie felt a twinge of frustration. He felt like a toy, a tool being used to scratch an itch.
Calli was ruthless, alternating between her vagina and her anus whenever the need arose.
After dozens of cycles, she finally reached her peak. An intense itch originated from deep within her core, and her hips began to move with a speed that defied logic. She had lost all sense of self.
As her body went rigid in a massive climax, Richie's excitement died instantly.
He felt a sudden, bone-chilling cold.
A flood of "Ice Aura" erupted from Calli's core, washing over him.
He had experienced Margaret's frost aura, which was like a thin layer of rime. but Calli's was different. It was like a block of solid ice—higher in quality, but incredibly slow to move.
As the energy surged into him, Richie felt his own circulation grinding to a halt, frozen by the sheer intensity of the cold.
Panic flared in his chest as the icy energy continued to pour into him.
But his mind worked fast. He realized that the Varedin drug had created a unique opportunity.
He had learned from his many sessions that taking a woman's virginity provided more than just a surge of power; it provided a "seed" of her unique strength.
He had taken the virginity of the three sisters and Merlin, and his own Aura now carried their traits: the sisters' explosive power and Merlin's enduring resilience.
Usually, taking as much energy as possible was the goal. but Calli and Margaret were exceptions. Their icy Auras were impossible to digest in their raw form.
Enduring the biting cold, Richie began to slowly grind the "ice crystals" of Calli's Aura.
He finally understood why Calli's rank in the squad was so low despite her talent. Her Aura was too "solid"; it moved too slowly.
Calli slumped onto the reeds, her strength spent. Without the ropes holding her, she would have fallen into the river.
Most women were exhausted after a session with Richie, but Calli looked as if she had been hollowed out. After a few minutes of rest, she forced herself to sit up and move toward Nora.
She knew Nora needed the same "treatment" to burn off the toxins in her system. The longer they waited, the worse it would get.
Recalling Nora's stoic nature, Calli knew the woman would never take the initiative. She reached out and tore a seam in Nora's trousers as well.
Seizing Nora's waist, Calli helped her into position.
Nora, as always, remained silent. She didn't protest, but she didn't offer any sign of approval either.
To Richie, Nora had always been a ghost. He often forgot she was even part of the squad. He had never imagined a world where he would have sex with her.
It was only now, this close, that he realized how beautiful she was. In terms of raw looks, she was arguably the most stunning woman in the squad.
He reached out and touched her vulva. Like Calli's, it was already slick with moisture.
To his surprise, Nora's buttocks were incredibly soft and elastic—a stark contrast to her rigid personality.
Then, Nora turned her head.
For a second, Richie thought she was smiling at him. It was a strange, unsettling expression.
*Nora smiling? Impossible.*
He rubbed his eyes and looked again. Her face was as expressionless as ever.
He moved forward, aligning himself with her.
Before he could even push, he felt a massive suction. His member was pulled deep into her passage.
Richie froze in shock.
As he reached her depth, two things became clear.
First, Nora was not a virgin. She was a woman with as much experience as Lina.
Second, Nora practiced a Dual Training Art of her own—one that was as aggressive and "sinister" as his own *Stealing Heavens* technique.
Unlike Lina's "clamping," Nora relied on pure suction. His member was locked in place; he couldn't have pulled out if he wanted to.
Her passage was alive with tiny, sensitive "buds" that clung to him, brushing against his most sensitive areas with a speed that was impossible to track.
Richie's endurance was legendary; only the "Juicer" Lina could usually make him finish before he was ready.
But Nora was a different beast. Wave after wave of intense pleasure washed over him.
Within two minutes—without even a single thrust—Richie reached his limit. His body shook as a massive, uncontrollable climax erupted from him.
He had been utterly defeated.
The sense of shame was overwhelming.
Then, he felt her "smile" again. That same, eerie sensation.
He looked up, but Nora was still looking forward.
*Was it another hallucination?*
He didn't think so. There was a secret to this woman, one he had never noticed. If Lina was a wanton succubus, Nora was a mysterious, high-level enchantress whose true self remained hidden.
The enchantress had just put him in his place.
Suddenly, the suction vanished. All the "tricks" within her passage stopped.
Richie felt as if she were telling him: *Now you can move.*
Stung by his defeat, he reached down and seized her swollen clitoris. He knew that while she was an expert, sex wasn't just about technique; it was about dominance.
Lina was his superior in technique, but when he took control and used his own tricks to stimulate her, she would eventually crumble into a sobbing, helpless mess.
Sure enough, his move sent a tremor through Nora's passage.
Richie showed no mercy. He unleashed every trick in his repertoire.
Suddenly, he heard a sound—the sound of someone weeping.
It wasn't the controlled moan of a woman in pleasure; it was a deep, heartfelt sob.
Nora was crying.
Richie realized that this woman carried a story he knew nothing about. His desire for "revenge" for his earlier defeat vanished, replaced by a sudden surge of empathy.
But he didn't stop. He continued his assault on her most sensitive areas.
This wasn't about revenge anymore; he wanted her to reach the peak.
Richie was sweating from the effort. He had used every trick he knew several times over—tricks that would have broken even Lina—yet Nora still hadn't climaxed.
She was responding, yes, but she seemed to be stuck just an inch from the peak.
It reminded him of his own struggles before he'd mastered the Art.
"Let me help," Emily's mother whispered from behind him. She reached out and gave the flesh of Nora's buttocks a sharp, agonizing twist.
Richie felt Nora's passage clench violently.
So that was it. To reach the peak, she needed a specific kind of stimulation. It was a trait of the Varedin drug.
He understood now. The drug made a woman incredibly sensitive, but it also increased their tolerance for pain, eventually leading to a psychological dependence on masochism.
He also suspected the drug's origin. Such a potent substance had likely been developed as a combat stimulant for Knights.
With the key in hand, Richie reached for the soft flesh of Nora's inner thigh—the most sensitive area for pain.
He was far stronger than Emily's mother, and his twist was far more painful.
Nora's body jolted, and the climax finally arrived.
Her reaction was unique. Her body remained as still as a board, but her passage went into a frenzy—squeezing, expanding, and vibrating with an intensity that sent a shock through Richie's entire system.
Richie closed his eyes, surrendering to the sensation.
Nora's "equipment" was truly a masterwork, rivaling Rosa's legendary "layered gates." Her technique was even better than Lina's. Together, they formed a combination that could drain any man dry.
A familiar tingle started at the base of his spine. Richie reached the peak alongside her.
That intense suction returned, stronger than before. Richie felt as if a dam had burst; his Aura was being pulled out of him in a torrent.
In all his time practicing the *Stealing Heavens Technique*, he had never encountered anything like this.
He tried to pull away, but it was too late. Nora's cervix opened wide, swallowing the head of his member. He was locked in deep, his entire length and even his testicles pulled into her vibrating passage.
In an instant, his Aura was gone—even the unassimilated energy he'd taken from Calli.
Just as panic began to set in, Richie realized he could "see." He could sense the flow of energy within Nora's body. He was looking at her internal systems from the inside.
He was stunned, and so was Nora. Her "theft" had been a form of retaliation; she had done the same to every man who had ever touched her.
She had spared Richie's life, but she had meant to leave him a shell.
But the connection had gone deeper than she intended. The loss of control left her in a daze.
In that moment of uncertainty, the energy began to flow back.
The Aura surged back into Richie, carrying a significant portion of Nora's own strength with it.
Nora tried to stop it, but she found herself unable to break the connection. She was bound to him.
Within seconds, forty percent of her strength had been transferred to Richie.
But then, she realized she could also "see" inside him. It was a phenomenon neither of them had ever heard of.
The energy continued to cycle between them, surging back and forth dozens of times in a heartbeat.
It was Dual Training, yet it was something more.
Usually, the exchange was a slow, controlled trickle. but this was a total, violent circulation.
More importantly, the energy wasn't being lost; it was being refined with every pass.
Richie was lost in a daze of confusion.
Nora's face went pale. She had realized something.
She tried to pull away.
"Ah! Ow... that hurts!" Richie cried out in pain.
Nora froze, then slumped onto the reeds.
They remained joined as the energy continued to cycle, a bridge formed between their very souls.
By the time the sun rose and they reached the safety of the Republic-controlled banks, a sense of profound relief washed over the group. Everyone was smiling—save for Nora, whose face remained a mask of stone.
Richie and Nora had finally parted. What they had gained from their session, only they knew.
They were still ten kilometers from Glasslovar, but they were safe.
Before entering the city, they detoured to the hidden cave to retrieve their original gear. They discarded their stolen Varedin uniforms and returned to the city as Republic soldiers.
The four mothers were still on the missing persons list, so they had to be reported to the Military Management Committee before they could be reunited with their daughters.
Richie took charge. He had seen enough of the city's corruption to know that without his presence, these women would likely be branded as spies and handed over to some official as "property."
His suspicions were confirmed the moment they entered the administration building. Several pairs of eyes were fixed on the women, and the clerks began a slow, deliberate performance of "bureaucracy" while people kept dropping in to "inspect" them.
Around noon, a portly official arrived, breathless from his hurried arrival. One look at the four women and his eyes went glazed with lust.
He eventually composed himself and pointed a finger at Richie. "You can leave now. We need to question these women in private."
"I'm in no hurry," Richie said calmly. "And as the one who rescued them, shouldn't you be asking me a few questions?"
The official wasn't used to such defiance, especially in front of his subordinates. "Boy, you're a Knight, but these women are under my jurisdiction."
"In times of war, everything is measured by its contribution to victory," Richie said, his tone as dry as a textbook. "Anything that aids victory is right. Anything that hinders it is wrong and must be corrected."
"What the hell are you talking about?" The official, a recent political appointee, clearly didn't recognize the rhetoric.
One of his aides whispered something in his ear.
"The Young Army? What's that?" The official brushed the aide aside with a look of annoyance.
The aide retreated, his attempt at flattery failing.
"It's getting late," Richie said, standing up. "We'll come back tomorrow morning. I'm sure a few hours will be enough for your 'questions'."
The mothers stood up with him.
The official, unwilling to let his prizes go, lunged forward to seize Sophie and Ginny's mothers—the smallest and seemingly most vulnerable of the group.
He never reached them. A sharp *crack* echoed through the room as Richie's hand slammed into the man's face.
The official spun in a full circle before spitting out half a dozen teeth and collapsing into a heap.
He was stunned. No one had ever dared to strike him, let alone with such casual brutality.
"There was a mosquito on your face," Richie said with a friendly smile. "Don't mention it."
He led the women out of the building. Behind him, the official's muffled screams of "Knight trash! I'll ruin you!" reached the street.
The aides scrambled to help their boss. Once he had calmed down, the official began to feel a twinge of unease. A man who could strike him so casually must have some backing.
"Tell me," he snapped at the aide who had tried to warn him. "What is this 'Young Army'?"
The aide complied. "Sir... the 'Young Army' formed about ten years ago. It's a militant group of young Knights who believe the government is stifling our military strength..."
"Rubbish!" the official barked. "If we didn't control them, they'd be a menace!"
"Yes, sir, exactly," the aide said with a bow. "But once the war started, their influence skyrocketed. More and more people—even non-Knights—have been joining."
"So what?" the official spat. "Are they going to stage a coup?"
His voice was brave, but his hands were trembling.
"They don't stage coups, sir. They just... remove people they don't like."
Another aide chimed in from the side.
"Exactly," the first aide continued. "They've been linked to the 'accidental' deaths of the Logistics Chief and the First Army Commander. Word is the disgraced General Bardoli is also on their list."
The official's rage vanished, replaced by a cold dread.
Just as he was looking for a way to save face, another clerk rushed in, his face pale as he clutched a stack of reports.
"Sir... I checked the records for that Knight. It's not confirmed, but... there's a ninety percent chance he's the 'Midnight Executioner'."
The room went silent.
For the past year, the only thing more terrifying than the Varedin siege was the rumor of a shadow that stalked the city's alleys at night. At least a hundred and twenty people had been found dead—all of them criminals and lowlifes, though the rumors had twisted the facts into something far more terrifying.
The official snatched the papers and scanned them. His face went the color of chalk.
He had hoped the "Young Army" talk was just a bluff. but if he was facing a man who had killed over a hundred people...
He realized he had to face the boy again tomorrow.
"You," he said, pointing to the first aide. "You handle the questioning tomorrow."
He clutched his swollen face and stood up. "I... I need to take some medical leave. Don't bother me with anything for a few days."
***
Richie, unaware of the terror he'd inspired, was worried about more trouble the next day. The "Young Army" ruse had been Lina's idea, and he knew nothing about the group himself.
Back at the camp, the silence was unsettling.
He left the four mothers in empty rooms and checked the equipment shed. Randy was gone. He checked Lina's room. Empty.
He finally found them in the kitchen.
Lina and Nora were eating, while Randy—wearing an apron—was preparing more food.
Randy gave Richie a knowing, mischievous smile. She clearly knew what had happened on the raft.
"Hungry? Everything's ready," she said.
Richie realized he'd missed several meals. The moment she spoke, his stomach let out a thunderous growl.
As he sat down, the sound of footsteps reached them.
It was Calli. She had returned to her usual, ice-cold self.
While Richie had been at the administration building, she had gone to Knight HQ to report the mission.
"What's the verdict?" Randy asked.
Calli tossed her cap onto the table and sat down. "The usual. Suspension for one week. I'm to 'reflect on my actions' within the camp. Lina is acting Captain, with Nora and Randy as temporary vice-captains."
Richie realized the "punishment" was actually a much-needed rest period. With Dana and the others out, and the squad reduced to these few, they weren't expected to be a combat unit for at least a week.
Randy began to plate some food for Calli. "And what exactly do you plan to reflect on?" she asked, her eyes darting toward Richie.
Calli understood the implication. Of the core group, only Dana and Robin had yet to be "integrated" into Richie's harem.
In the past, Calli had ignored the debauchery in Randy's room. She hadn't encouraged it, but she hadn't stopped it. but now, the dynamic had shifted. Randy was offering an invitation.
Calli looked at Richie. Part of her still felt a deep disdain for the decadence of his lifestyle.
But her body betrayed her. Just thinking about the raft made her groin itch.
"I haven't decided yet," she said, her voice steady as she focused on her food.
The rest of the meal was silent.
Once they finished, Calli and Nora returned to their rooms. Usually, someone would be on guard duty, but Lina was in charge now, and she had no interest in rules. She ordered Richie to lock the main gate.
Once the camp was secure, Lina gave Richie a look. The two of them led Randy toward her room.
After their brush with death, they were all eager to savor the moment.
The session began with a wild, uninhibited spree. Lina used every trick she knew, and Randy showed off the new techniques she'd been practicing.
They lost track of time. Climax after climax washed over them.
Nothing else mattered.
Once they had exhausted themselves, they began the Dual Training.
As he joined his lips to Lina's and felt their bodies merge, Richie's eyes widened in surprise.
He knew Lina's Aura better than anyone's, yet this was different.
Usually, her Aura was a series of continuous threads. but now, it was a single, solid line—consistent in thickness and incredibly dense. It felt physical.
"You... you broke through?" he gasped.
He had broken their focus.
"I don't know," Lina said, her tone surprisingly casual. "Somewhere between the camp and the river, it just happened. I didn't even notice."
She had seen Anderson's power, and her own breakthrough felt insignificant by comparison.
They merged again, and the Aura began to flow.
After thirty cycles, Richie began to feel the benefits.
Under the influence of Lina's new, refined Aura, his own began to condense. His circulation speed increased, and his capacity for holding energy grew.
This was the power of an Ace Knight.
"So, you finally came."
Randy's voice made them stop.
Richie looked up to see Calli standing in the doorway.
There was no hesitation on her face. Once she made a decision, she committed to it fully.
She walked straight to the chair.
"I've thought about it. In war, strength is everything. My current power isn't enough. I'm counting on the two of you."
She gave Richie's cheek a playful pinch, a faint smile on her lips. "Until I break through, that is."
Lina stood up, giving up her place on Richie's lap.
Even though she'd made the decision, Calli felt a final twinge of hesitation. but with the three of them watching her, there was no turning back.
Richie was the most eager. To have the untouchable Captain serving him was the ultimate triumph.
Lina was equally enthusiastic. Her "evil" side wanted to see the entire squad become Richie's harem. Equality through shared experience.
She had thought Calli, Robin, and Nora would be the difficult ones. but now, two of the three had already fallen.
Lina and Richie moved as one, reaching for Calli's belt. Before she could protest, her trousers were gone.
The point of no return had been passed. Calli sat on Richie's lap.
She had brought a pair of leather shorts with her, which she now pulled down. Her entrance was already dripping.
Lina chuckled. "And you said you were only doing this for the breakthrough. Look at you. You'll never be able to leave his big cock behind."
Calli's passage was incredibly slick, and Richie slid home with a single, smooth motion.
Neither of them moved at first.
Calli was taller than Richie, so she had to lean down to reach his lips, which only made her more alluring.
As their lips met, Calli shivered and closed her eyes.
A flood of "Ice Aura" surged into Richie.
It was different from their time on the raft. The flow was controlled and steady.
He compared it to Margaret's. Margaret's was cold, but Calli's was *frozen*. It was absolute zero.
But this time, Richie's body was brimming with foreign energy. He wrapped his power around the icy Aura, and the cold vanished.
His energy began to penetrate the ice.
Richie could almost hear the sound of the ice shattering.
An iceberg moves slowly, but once it's broken into fragments, the current takes it far faster. Calli's "solid" Aura began to flow with increasing speed.
Soon, the fragments were ground into a fine mist—a mist of absolute cold.
When the energy returned to Calli, it sent a shock through her system.
But once she adjusted, she realized the benefit. Her circulation speed had increased a thousandfold.
It was a gain that would have taken years of training. She felt a twinge of regret that she hadn't tried this sooner.
As she marveled at her progress, she went rigid. A hot, wet tongue was probing her anus.
Lina. Of course.
Calli's mind began to fray as the stimulation from both ends sent shocks through her spine.
She collapsed into pleasure. In that moment of surrender, she knew Lina was right. She would never be able to leave this.
The thought should have horrified her, but she couldn't stop it.
Suddenly, a sharp *slap* rang out. Calli jolted, the pain instantly transforming into an intense, unfamiliar pleasure.
Her left buttock burned.
She knew it was Lina. Only Lina would be so bold.
She was about to protest when another *slap* followed.
Richie. He was learning from the best.
This one was even harder, and the resulting pleasure was even more intense.
Calli was furious, yet she was arching her back, begging for more. Her body had betrayed her.
Her reaction was all the permission they needed.
*Slap!*
Lina struck her with her full strength, her own hand stinging from the impact.
A bright red handprint appeared on Calli's skin.
"Mmm..."
The ice-cold Captain let out a long, sultry moan.
She flushed a deep red, wanting to die of shame. She couldn't even find the energy to be angry.
Lina and Richie shared a mischievous grin.
The rhythmic *slap-slap* of their hands filled the small room, punctuated by Calli's increasingly uninhibited, soul-stirring moans.