’No firepower?’ Asmodeus thought. ’I don’t think so.’
The Commander’s layers of fat rippled once more.
’This guy is doing more than protecting himself.’
It was more difficult to tell with physical attacks.
’Magic makes it clearer. He doesn’t just spread the damage over his entire body, he absorbs part of it,’ Asmodeus thought critically. ’He’s keeping part of it inside of him, waiting for the right moment to unleash it all.’
The Commander stepped forward with a thump, and Asmodeus jumped back.
"Don’t tell me you’ve grown scared of my body!" He shouted, slapping his stomach. "Lost confidence in your ability to break through, did ya?!"
Asmodeus stared at his hand as he clenched and unclenched his fingers repeatedly.
He thought about trying to drain him, but it wouldn’t be easy.
’I would need him to stay still for that. It’s easier if he’s in a weakened state. Right now, he would be able to fight back against my draining ability. Plus...’ It was something he had noticed with Syndra. ’I can drain Succubi much easier than Incubi.’
It was a rather annoying discovery, since Incubi were the enemies of his family.
"Either way," he whispered arrogantly, turning back towards the Commander. "I’m close to figuring something out."
***
’He’s struggling to make progress,’ Zarath thought as she fought the two Commanders while keeping a watchful eye on Asmodeus. ’He isn’t making any headway, and his enemy seems to be as healthy as before the fight started.’
The Succubus couldn’t help but worry about him.
’Should I get this over with? If Asmodeus makes a mistake and gets hurt, I won’t hear the end of it.’
As another minute passed, Zarath slowly started growing irritated with him.
’Why does he keep using that repulsion magic? It isn’t working! What’s the point in...?’
Zarath’s eyes widened in surprise. Her body relaxed at once, almost leading to the two Commanders landing a hit on her.
’He’s...!’
***
"It was interesting," Asmodeus commented as he laid a palm on the Commander’s stomach. "Your magic."
"Was?" The Commander laughed out loud. "Go ahead and keep on stupidly using the same trick, hoping it will lead to a different outcome.
"That’s," Asmodeus’s hand squeezed a layer of the Incubus’s fat. "Not what I’ve been doing."
What Zarath had picked up on much sooner, the Commander only noticed once it was too late.
"You were..." Asmodeus’s fingers sank into the folds of fat. "Perfect to test this one."
Zarath glanced over, her lips curling upwards. One of the Commanders even noticed a slight blush in her cheeks.
The enormous Incubus frowned and, before he could say a word, Asmodeus pulled.
RIP!
"AAAAAAAAAGH!"
A large piece of flesh was pulled and torn away from the Commander’s body, and massive amounts of blood sprayed across thes crimson earth.
The stunned Commander stumbled backwards, his hands pushing against his wounded stomach.
"What the..." he stuttered with a gulp as nervous sweat formed over his back and forehead. "What was...?!"
Asmodeus stared at the chunk of flesh in his hand. He brought his free hand on top of it, and it started growing smaller. Smaller and smaller, until nothing remained.
"Oh..." He licked his lips, turning towards the Incubus. "Your energy is much tastier than that of your minions."
’Ohhh... That’s good!’ A blushing Zarath thought as she bit her lip. ’He didn’t just take an Incubus’ magic and strengthen it. He went beyond it now. Asmodeus understood the inner workings of that repulsion magic so perfectly that he figured out how to reverse it!’
Asmodeus raised a hand towards the injured Commander,
"...!"
And the latter immediately felt an invisible force pull him closer!
’Repulsion and attraction!’ Zarath grinned widely. ’It won’t be long before he figures out Telekinesis!’ She clenched her fists and took a deep breath. "I’m getting pumped!" The Succubus shouted.
The invisible Commander suddenly paused his approach.
"You’re making me excited, Asmodeus!" Zarath shouted, and everyone froze.
The two Commanders she had been fighting did not move a muscle.
Even the enormous one standing right in front of Asmodeus was immobile.
’It’s...’ Asmodeus had even turned away from that Commander to look at Zarath. ’It’s coming!’
As the energy around Zarath struck fear into all three Commanders,Asmodeus watched in awe as Demonic energy she hadn’t possessed a moment earlier came into existence inside her body, rapidly spreading outward until it enveloped her figure.
Her long black hair rose into the air as the ground below her trembled.
The air rippled as black, demonic mana filled the area surrounding her, and...
"The Succubi had Demons..." The invisible Commander gulped in fear. "Of this level?! We-"
Asmodeus’s eyes widened. The Commander’s words had been interrupted just as Asmodeus had lost sight of Zarath.
When he turned towards that previously invisible Commander, Asmodeus found him lying on the ground, unconscious.
’What...?’
The other two Commanders had moved as well.
They had run away as fast as they could manage.
’I was right,’ Asmodeus noted as the enormous Incubus ran with speed that did not seem his own. ’He was stocking the energy and is using it now to run-’
Dust rose all around the area, and two THUMPS! resonated a moment later, only a couple of steps in front of Asmodeus.
Through the dust, his eyes could see that the two Commanders lay unconscious, having been blown back to his proximity.
The dust started to settle, and Asmodeus could finally see her in all her glory.
"How do I look?" Zarath asked as she floated in the air, her legs straight, feet crossed, and arms spread wide.
Asmodeus could finally see her in all her glory, basking in the black, demonic energy, in the destructive and dark mana held by none but Demonkind.
"Just like the River," Asmodeus whispered.
Zarath grinned as she blushed, and Asmodeus couldn’t tear his gaze away from her body, her energy, her flowing dark hair, her black-feathered wings, and her crimson eyes.