How I became the Empress of Hell Arc 02 Ch. 14-20

"Was that your plan from the beginning?"

I nodded.

"Part of me wants to be mad at you for forfeiting like that... but the part of me that knows you did it cause it's me understands why you did it."

I grabbed her hand gently as we were teleported to a brightly gleaming throne room. The gnarled withered demon who we met upon first registering for the tournament sat upon a throne of gold-covered skulls, and he looked up as we appeared in front of him. The pupils of his red eyes were opaque with thick cataracts, and his chest rose and fell in uneven ragged breaths.

"... normally I would congratulate you both... but that was a pathetic act of selflessness you ended with... very... undemonlike."

"When it comes to my fiancée, I have no intention of fighting her. Ever."

He scoffed but said nothing as he stood up slowly.

"... this would usually be the part I would offer a challenge to the champion... but as neither of you truly bested the other... I will let you decide which one of you I should extend this privilege to."

Emelia released her grasp on my hand and I felt her push me forward gently to indicate she wanted me to hear his offer.

"I may have won the tournament, but Allexus is the one who you should be talking to. She would have been the undisputed champion if not for her forfeiture."

"... very well."

He raised a shaking hand in front of his face and waved his fingers in a quick gesture. His body evaporated into thick black smoke and quickly reformed into the same demoness who had been the arena announcer. Her previously nude body was covered in full plate mail that matched her throne. Her long flowing blonde hair had been pulled back into a tight braid that was woven around her head and ran down her back.

"Demon Lord Allexus, as the one who should have been the rightful champion, you now have the option to fight me in a duel at your full strength. If you can survive for more than one minute... I will grant you a world-tier ability."

The thought of being rewarded with a world-tier ability like the one I had given up when I let Emelia win made me answer without even giving it a second thought.

"Absolutely. May I ask a question first, though?"

Her eyebrows rose and she tilted her head slightly in a nod.

"What do I get if I can survive for two minutes?"

Her eyes narrowed and she glared at me with a look of pure seriousness.

"You won't."

She waved her hand in front of her body and her character screen came into view. Almost everything was marked with '?????', including her level and for the first time in a while I felt that sense of intimidation I felt the first time I laid eyes on Mellic. She closed the menu and crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"If you are through asking me stupid questions... would you like to begin?"

I nodded once and we were instantly transported back to the arena. The demon in the gold and silver armor placed her hand on her chest and spoke loudly and clearly.

"Power limiter release; 10%!"

Instead of focusing on the implications of what she had said, I quickly cast a summoning spell with each of my hands. Thirty-five demon warriors and fourteen demon mages rose up in front of me and I ordered them to take up defensive positions. I waited for a moment to watch what the enemy was doing before I started casting two more summoning spells. The demoness had returned to her same relaxed posture with her arms crossed over her chest again. When she noticed me watching her, she started tapping a single finger on her arm impatiently.

"Just let me know when you're done summoning your meat shields so we can actually get down to fighting."

After casting the remainder of my summoning spells, I motioned for them to attack the gold armored demon.

"Oh... is it my turn now? I was beginning to think you were just stalling for time."

She raised one of her hands and extended her fingers while keeping her other arm in place as if this wasn't worth her full attention.

"[Black Flames of Damnation]."

She closed her fist and geysers of black fire shot from the ground beneath my demons' feet. I spread my wings and jumped back a fraction of a second before the same column of fire erupted beneath me. All of my demons had been instantly incinerated with a single attack, and as she opened her hand again I realized just how outmatched I was.

"[Black Flames of Damnation]."

Again I was barely able to dodge just in time, and I quickly charged up a fireball with [Demonfire] and tossed it at the demoness. As she flicked one finger I saw my fireball dim a bit, but it still struck her in the chest. A blackened scorch mark was all that remained from my attack, and I charged up another as she stood up in a defensive posture with a look of surprise on her face.

"What the fuck did you hit me with?"

Instead of answering, I lobbed the fireball and flew as fast as I could towards her.

"[Angel of Damnation]."

Wings of black fire sprouted from her back and she burst into the air leaving a trail of scorching black embers. I dug my heel into the ground as I spun and took off after her. She turned in midair and placed her hand on her chest.

"Power limiter release: 30%!"

A wide column of black fire engulfed her and stretched high into the sky.

"[Aura of Damnation]."

I flew in place for a few seconds considering my options until a long-shot idea popped into my head. I used the last of my MP to cover my entire body in [Demonfire] and flew at the enemy with all the strength and speed my body would allow. The heat from the black flames was intense, and for a moment I thought that my idea wasn't going to work; but whatever allowed my [Demonfire] to hit her earlier was doing the same thing for my body. I collided with her in midair and wrapped my arms around her in a crushing embrace. We flipped and twisted out of control in the air as we plummeted back towards the ground. As I held her arms against her sides I squeezed her as hard as I could. I had no idea how close we were to the ground until I felt the overwhelming pain as we both crashed with a tremendous impact. It took me a second to recover from the daze the fall had left me in, and I staggered to my feet and looked around.

The demoness was laying in a crater surrounded by bits of broken armor and weapons. When she looked at me, her face was filled with fury and she curled her lip in a snarl.

"Power limiter release... 50%..."

An explosion of black fire filled the arena, and I felt the remnants of armor still on my body heat up to the point I had to quickly unequip them.

"[Eternal Damnation]."

The air around me sparked a few times before everything in sight was completely engulfed in black fire. The small amount of HP I had remaining was instantly reduced to 0 and my vision faded immediately.

After a few seconds I was teleported back to the throne room and I looked up at the figure seated on her throne. She studied me wordlessly for a moment before jumping up eagerly and walking over to me.

"What was that spell you used? I've never been hit with anything like that before."

"Uhhhh it's just a simple [Demonfire] spell."

"[Demonfire]? I've never heard of it... and I am the expert when it comes to fire magic."

I opened my skill menu, clicked on [Demonfire], and shifted it so she could see the skill description.

"Ah... that explains it... See that star next to the skill name? That means it's a unique skill."

"Unique skill?"

"That means that you are literally the only person in all of the realms of heaven and hell to have access to that skill. My [Fires of Damnation] are the same. I still don't fully understand why your [Demonfire] was able to hit me... but there's a lot more to that spell than what the description shows."

She sighed deeply and crossed her arms over her chest.

"I haven't had to go all out like that in a long while... with every attack you pushed me to my limit. It was... refreshing."

"Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to face such a powerful demon. If I may ask... what's the deal with your power limiter?"

"The higher the level a full-blooded demonkin obtains, the more devastatingly powerful their abilities become. A simple flame spell cast by a mage of my caliber at full strength would be enough to obliterate half of a city. While in some cases that kind of destructive power can be effective... imagine casting something that powerful while in a cave next to your clan mates. Having a limiter in place allows for you to gauge your enemies strength and adjust accordingly. The more your power grows, so does the need for a limiter."

"Would you mind indulging one more question, m'lady?"

She tilted her head once in a nod.

"What is your name? Or... at least... what can I call you?"

She cocked her eyebrow and sighed again.

"I am known by many names... Hecate, Diablo, Dark Empress Infernos... but as a reward for just barely passing beyond the two minute mark, I will tell you my true name; it's Gehenna."

My brain struggled to recall the meaning behind her name, when Emelia walked back over to us and spoke quietly.

"As in the Lake of Fire and place of damnation? Your name is as fitting as it is beautiful."

Gehenna turned to face her with a smirk on her face.

"I can see why you forfeited the match like you did, Allexus. Your betrothed is both gorgeous and knowledgeable. If she wasn't already smitten with you, I would certainly have to have her for myself."

Emelia blushed and I grinned as Gehenna laughed softly. The tall demon in gleaming armor stood up and placed her hands on her hips.

"Allexus, Emelia... congratulations to you both. You bested every other combatant and even gave me an unexpected challenge in our duel. Please accept your prizes with honor and the knowledge that you have earned my respect."

Emelia bowed her head and I followed suit.

"Thank you, Lady Gehenna. I only hope that I can someday be as powerful a mage as you."

Gehenna nodded once and turned to me.

"May I offer you some advice, Allexus?"

"Absolutely, m'lady!"

"Ditch the summoning spells. Your reliance upon them is a crutch that is holding you back. You are a truly vicious demon lord, you don't need minions doing the fighting for you when you are such a force to be reckoned with."

I had absolutely no idea how to respond to such a comment so I merely nodded and thanked her.

"Again, congratulations to you both. I very much would like an opportunity to see each of you again, especially in the upcoming Realmshift event."

She smiled at both of us and waved her hand. The throne room dissolved and we found ourselves standing in front of our clan's castle.

Congratulations on placing 2nd in the Holy Damnation Clan Battle Elimination Tournament. You have received 1 skill point and 20,000 gold pieces for making it to the finals and 2 skill points and 50,000 gold pieces for winning 2nd.

For successfully surviving against Gehenna for 2 minutes and 02 seconds you have earned 1 world-tier skill point and a Level up +20! single use item.

~Allexus,

I really hope that once you reach the point that you need a power limiter you will come duel me again.

Until next time,

-Gehenna ♥♥♥♥~

2.18: ♥Niall

After several hours of celebrating with our clan mates, I wandered away from the ongoing festivities and walked slowly through the halls, considering Gehenna's advice about not using summoning spells. The more I thought about it the more I realized that she was correct. By resorting to fighting with summons I was limiting my own combat potential. I heard footsteps coming up behind me but was too deep in thought to pay much attention.

"Allie! Did you hear me?"

I turned back towards my fiancée and gave her a forced smile.

"Sorry babe, I was just thinking about what Gehenna said about changing my skills."

"That tactical mind of yours never stops, does it? Well... how can I help?"

"The whole Unique Skill thing really makes me rethink a lot of my choices."

"Planning on another trip to the Enchantress."

I shook my head. My thoughts returned to the white glowing orb, Mercy, who had helped me create everything. Back then I had such a clear idea of what I wanted out of my character, but after being changed into a demon and everything that had happened since, I felt like I really needed to completely redesign Allexus from the ground up.

"No, when I look at my character's class, Paladin Commander, I'm reminded that that was the class of my original Angelspawn character. It's the one thing that stayed the same after I became a demon. I've been trying to mold Allexus into that original idea that I had, when I could be so much more. I think I need to do a complete redesign that focuses on my unique strengths... and unique skills."

"That sounds like a great, yet complicated idea. Maybe your walking game manual would know how to go about doing that."

I nodded and waved my hand as I pictured my demon retainer. A black shadow appeared in front of me and shaped into the kneeling form of Judas.

"My lady, I noticed that you and Lady Emelia had departed early, what can I do for you?"

I told him about my plans and he gave me what information he could. It seemed there were ways to do the character reset, but most cost a vast fortune. There was one method that was doable, but it required a willing Angelspawn participant... and consent from my fiancée.

"So how is sleeping with an Angelspawn until their corruption meter fills supposed to enable me to reset my skills?"

Judas thumbed his nose as he thought of a way to explain it then smiled.

"Think of it like the creation of a new life. When an Angelspawn is fully corrupted, it creates a huge surge of ethereal energy, which is what angels and demons are made up of. I'm not sure the exact method he used to do it, but I know for certain that that energy is what Mellic would have had to use to transform your body. You, on the other hand, could use that same energy to, as you put it, 'soft reset' your character. Unlike your creator, because of your [Corrupted Touch] ability, you would not have to use that ethereal to transform the Angelspawn, instead letting your ability take effect and likely transforming them in a similar manner as what happened with Lady Emelia."

"Niall!"

Emelia and I turned to each other and laughed as we said the name in unison.

"Exactly. He already expressed interest in joining our clan, although it may have been just out of want to have sex with you. Either way it would fulfill the requirements for your character reset. Shall I message him to request his presence?"

I held up one finger to tell Judas to wait, and I turned towards Emelia. I was about to open my mouth to speak when she placed an ice-cold finger over my lips.

"Before you say anything, Allie, I want to say something first."

I nodded and she put her hand down.

"This is a game. While I may have started to fall for you in this game, it was only after meeting you in person that I actually fell totally in love with you. I can be the somewhat jealous type when it comes to sex, but I also know that this is a game. You're mine forever in real life, so as long as I'm with you and you involve me every step of the way, I'm fine with you fucking every Angelspawn into oblivion. K?"

I nodded before she added one more thing.

"If he thinks that this is anything more than a means to an end, I will literally freeze his balls off."

I couldn't help but laugh at her not so playful jealousy, and I told Judas to contact Niall. Luck seemed to be on my side today, because he responded almost immediately.

You want me to meet up with you, not only to have sex with the strongest player in the game but also to become even more powerful myself? How soon do I need to be there? I can come immediately. Pun intended.

-N

Niall arrived at the castle much sooner than I anticipated, and Judas was there to greet him. I heard the two talking as they made their way towards a large room we'd set up with a simple bed and a few other 'additions' in case we needed to spice things up. My heart started pounding but my demonic body forced me to remain calm. Niall swaggered into the room with Judas in tow, and I greeted him with a simple wave. He smiled at me and then his eyes went wide when he saw Emelia.

"Damn, you look like one of those Japanese ice witches or something! That's fucking awesome!"

She nodded and glided over towards him. She trailed a finger across his jaw and then down his neck. Small flecks of ice formed where she had touched and the color was starting to drain from the area.

"Em... Play nice. We can't finish this if he's dead."

Niall snapped out of the daze he had been in and looked at Emelia suspiciously.

"Definitely a Yuki Onna . So uh... how are we going to do this thing? Just get right down to it?"

In truth, I was nervous as hell and had no idea where to go from here. I took a deep breath and just pictured in my head what Mellic would have done if he were here. I wasn't keen on being anything like him, but he really was the epitome of a demon lord when I thought of one.

"Show me how much you want this."

I snapped my fingers and my clothing disappeared instantly. I spread my wings out and stood with my hands on my hips. My cock jutted out in front of me lewdly and the smell of my female arousal was obvious.

"Whoa. Wait. What the fuck? I wasn't prepared for the whole futa vibe. Um... You never mentioned you had a um..."

"A cock? And you never asked... but it's far too late to back out now. See... I've been waiting for this since I messaged you, and my patience has worn incredibly thin. Maybe next time you'll learn to come in a more timely manner."

I motioned to Judas and Emelia and they instantly disappeared from the room. I held up one hand and chains erupted from the walls and wrapped themselves around Niall's arms and legs. He muttered something about waiting and I laughed playfully. I wrapped my arms around him and let my hands wander over his body. My bare breasts pressed into his back and I licked his earlobe. He moaned loudly and I felt him relax slightly in his bindings. I grabbed a handful of his robes in each hand, and used my demonic strength to rip the clothing from his body. He started to tense up until he felt my hand snake around his manhood and gently tease and play with it.

"Do you like that, Angelspawn? Do you want me to bring you to the greatest pleasures imaginable while completely corrupting you?"

I moved in a blur and positioned myself between his legs. I knelt down and gently blew a puff of air on his swollen member. He squirmed and writhed, and I smiled as I felt him thrust into my hand.

"Well? Is that what you want?"

He nodded vigorously and then shouted loudly.

"Yes! Yes! I want it more than anything!"

I stopped stroking him with my hand and he gasped in disappointment. I raked my claws gently along his muscular body as I walked around behind him again. He tensed slightly as I grabbed hold of his ass and I pushed against him. My tongue played with his ear while I continued to caress his butt with my hand.

When I felt him relax against me I used my other hand to push apart his cheeks and play with the ring of his ass. He took a breath sharply, but I felt him squirm as I toyed with the sensitive nerve endings. I let go of his butt cheek and snapped my fingers again. A small vial of lubricant appeared and I poured a liberal amount onto my fingers that were playing with his tight hole. He groaned at the warm feeling and then drew in a breath quickly as I pressed a finger into him.