Creed took one step forward and instantly froze. His eyes widened in disbelief, then narrowed with the kind of thrilled awe that only power could inspire.
It was as if every single cell in his body had been replaced with sothing sharper, stronger, hungrier.
He clenched his fists, and the joints popped like miniature explosions. His muscles—already defined—had taken on an even denser, sleeker look, not bulky but compact, like a panther monts before it strikes.
The silver sheen that glowed faintly under his skin was the mark of his advancent: Peak Stage 5 Physique!
Just hours ago, he was firmly within Stage 4 which was already strong for his level, but now?
Now his body alone could dismantle most bronze-ranked awakened like they were dolls made of sugar and lies!
And that wasn’t even the best part.
His system had been very generous. As part of his breakthrough to the Silver tier, it had granted him 100 free stat points and primordial essence, a reward Creed ntally dubbed "the sweet, delicious System Candy."
He hadn’t even touched those yet. On top of that, as if the universe felt bad for making the journey so hard, he’d also gotten 10 extra Primordial Essence for reaching Stage 5.
That, plus the leftovers he hadn’t used from before, left him sitting on a hoard of 124 Primordial Essence.
Creed knew very well that each point was a golden ticket; one that could enhance his arts, refine his paths, or even unlock terrifying new paths.
But he wasn’t in the mood to check numbers right now.
No, right now, he was way too excited to et the newest mber of his team.
The one he’d earned through blood, sweat, borderline insanity, and almost being turned into an eruption containnt box by the monk of death in Base 7.
He practically bounced on his heels, grinning like a madman. "Alright... let’s see what you’ve got in store for ."
Creed stretched his arms, cracked his neck, and focused. That old, sweet rhythm pulsed through his veins; the heartbeat of his Primordial Summoning Talent.
It had been a while since he used it, but the mont he activated it again, the sensation was both nostalgic and wild. Like an engine revving after a long winter sleep.
Energy flooded through him in waves. First slow, then roaring like an avalanche.
The air around him grew hot and sharp, the room buzzing with unseen threads twisting through the dinsional veil.
He raised his hand, pointed toward the empty space in the middle of the training hall, and pulled.
The portal answered.
It wasn’t like the previous ones. This ti, the air didn’t just split, it shattered.
Rumble!
A thunderclap rang out, light fractured like glass, and in the middle of it all blood a massive, multicolored rift.
Its swirling hues weren’t just colors, they were impressions, emotions, sensations. Red that made your heart race. Blue that made your thoughts blur. Gold that felt like the sun was peeking over the edge of your soul!
And then ca the suppression.
It wasn’t just pressure. It was a cosmic command.
Creed’s knees buckled instantly. His breathing hitched. Every instinct in his body scread at him to bow, to drop, to kneel before what was coming.
His spine shivered with primal recognition, not fear exactly, but awe. The kind that deer felt when staring down a divine predator. His heart pounded so hard it echoed in his ears.
His muscles twitched involuntarily. Even his thoughts began to bend beneath the crushing presence pouring from the portal.
Whoever—whatever—was on the other side was not just powerful.
She was otherworldly!
Creed’s hand scraped the floor, one knee dangerously close to touching down. His vision blurred. His will wavered.
Snap!
But then, sothing clicked.
No.
He wasn’t going to kneel!
Not to anyone. Not even to a divine-grade summon!
Fire burst behind his eyes. His Paths—Freedom, Killing, and Mountain—flared in unison. Ethereal winds howled around him, the Line of Death sketched faintly across the air like a scar.
The Wings of Freedom flared out for a second, just enough to anchor him back. The silhouette of a giant stone mountain shimred behind him; solid and unyielding.
He stood. Wobbling. Sweating. Teeth clenched like steel bolts. But he stood.
If this was a test, he was going to pass it like a boss. Even if his legs shattered in the process.
Inside the multicolored rift, a delicate foot stepped forward. The aura thickened again.
Creed grinned. "Oh, you’re going to be a problem, aren’t you?"
The mont the summoning circle started glowing, the whole living room froze like soone had hit pause on reality.
A low hum filled the air, like a gentle wind passing through a cathedral. It was sacred and oddly heartwarming.
Creed, still ntally recovering from the recent suppression of his whole being, blinked once, twice, and then leaned forward.
The summoning circle glowed from silver to rose-gold, then to a brilliant pink so rich it made the air shimr like honey.
Then ca the click, not a roar or a thud or a hiss, but a soft, adorable click, like a kitten’s paw tapping glass.
And out of the light stepped... well.
She was supposed to be a terrifying high-class succubus. Creed had ntally prepared himself for a cold, dominatrix-like being with wings like razors and an aura so intense it would lt the floor.
He was expecting doom wrapped in a curvy package, sothing he’d have to wrestle into obedience like he did with Lilith and Tierra.
Instead, what appeared... was the tiniest, most ridiculously adorable girl he had ever seen.
She was stunning, yes. She was so beautiful it almost didn’t feel fair, but she stood barely five feet tall, with large, glimring blue eyes that were wide and filled with innocent curiosity.
Her blue hair shimred like stardust and was tied into loose twintails that bounced slightly as she looked around.
She had all the classic succubus features: the heart-shaped face, luscious, voluptuous figure, glowing succulent skin, and small black horns peeking out of her silky bangs.
But her posture? Pure bunny. Her expression? Pure baby deer. Her wings? Not nacing at all; they were small, bat-like, and folded neatly behind her like a kid on her first school trip.
She looked at Creed.
And then.
She hit him with it.
The puppy eyes!
Those damn, galaxy-shimring, soul-piercing puppy eyes!
Creed staggered backward like he’d just been hit with a hamr made of sparkles and guilt.
He couldn’t believe it. How did she know?! How?!
How did she know that this was his ultimate weakness! And how was she so good at it?!
"Uhm... h-hello...," the succubus said in a voice so soft and delicate that it could’ve been mistaken for wind chis whispering on a rainy afternoon.
"I-I hope I wasn’t too late... Are you... my Master?"
Creed opened his mouth. Nothing ca out. He tried again. Still nothing.
This had never happened. He was good with words. Words were his thing. But his brain had chosen this mont to reboot.
She took a timid step forward, holding her hands together, as if waiting to be scolded for stepping on a rug.
"I... I’m sorry if I’m not what you expected... I haven’t had a proper awakening in a long ti and... I-I’m a little nervous..."
Creed took in a deep, shaky breath. "You’re not allowed to use those eyes. That’s cheating."
The petite succubus tilted her head in the most adorable way imaginable. "What eyes...?"
She was still using them? This was pure evil!
’You know what eyes,’ Creed scread internally, narrowing his own in warning. ’You weaponized cuteness. That’s emotional sabotage!’
After a few more seconds of ntally improving his defenses, he finally coughed and stood up straight, managing to clear his throat like a man regaining control of his soul.
"R-Right! Um. Yes. I’m your Master. Yes. I summoned you. Welco to our crazy little family."
He stood and gave her the most awkward welco gesture ever, like he was trying to both hug and salute at the sa ti.
Her expression imdiately lit up with such genuine joy that it made Creed want to go punch a wall to release the pressure building inside his chest.
She skipped—actually skipped—toward him and bowed politely. "Thank you, Master. My na is redith. I promise to serve you with everything I have."
"redith...," Creed repeated. "Cute na for a cute... um. Succubus." He blinked.
"Wait, no. That ca out kinda wrong. I an, you’re cute—wait no, I an—I’m not saying you’re not—but you’re also powerful! Right?! Definitely not judging you based on size, okay?!"
He ntally threw a cushion at himself. ’Stop digging, idiot!’
redith giggled softly. "It’s okay, Master. I understand. I may look small, but I was once a High Librarian of the Third Circle. They called the ’Heaven’s Hexmistress’ back then."
Creed raised a brow. This was revolutionary. redith actually knew about her previous life! This was insane!
There was so much he had always wanted to ask about their particular race and way of life but Lilith and Tierra had no idea about it. Maybe redith was the solution!
"You recall your mories?"
redith nodded slightly. "A little. I specialize in Divine Hexes. I can write, layer, and release divine-grade laws through ritual hex circles. So of them are ant for battle. So are for sealing. And so are... for other things."
Her cheeks flushed, and she fidgeted shyly. "But I haven’t used them in a long ti... so I may need so practice."
Creed blinked. Why was he suddenly very curious what the ’other things’ was?
Should he ask her?
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