The Hero Became a Succubus, and the Only Way to Level is to… What?! Chapter 545 – Basilica Ambush

On the second day of the upper Knights' Tournant, Kanae was feeling a lot more tense than the first. Later, they were going to execute a plan that hinged on cultist succubi falling for a bait. Several of her friends weren't present in the VIP spectator booth, naly Alicia, Petyr, Claudia, and Esta. That could only an one thing— they were among the contestants fighting today. Trumpets heralded a new day of battle, and Archbishop Patrice's opening speech stimulated the audience.

Kanae glanced down at Dawn, who was swaddled and cradled in her arms. The baby was asleep, occasionally waking up and cooing before knocking out again. She tapped her daughter's forehead horns. They had grown out a little, no more than the length of half her thumb, and were blunted. By their curvature, it looked like Dawn's horns might grow backwards along the skull.

The tapping roused Dawn from her sleep. Heterochromatic eyes of blue and amber glanced up at Kanae. Cocooned in her blanket, she wriggled a little and smiled.

"Dawn's awake? Can I play with her, Mom?" Suvee turned over and asked.

"You know your sister isn't a toy, right?" Kanae chided.

"She's just sooo cute! And… and… Teana wants to hold Dawn, too!" the girl exclaid.

"Suvee! I, uh… I kind of do… I think it would be great practice if I learn how to take care of a baby. You know, for when Nelly and I have a bunch!" Teana fidgeted in her seat.

Nelly, who was seated beside her and eating a skewer, started choking on his food. Kanade patted him on the back, but it took Arenade throwing a light punch to his diaphragm to expel a piece of at from his throat.

"J-Just so you know, I'm not interested in having children so early. That's all Teana's idea!" Nelly shouted in protest.

"If Dawn starts falling asleep, don't forcibly wake her." Kanae relinquished Dawn into Suvee's care, and she quickly brought the baby over to Teana and Nelly.

In the usual spectators' absence, several others had taken their places. Daya, the canine beastman succubus, accompanied Mikki here to watch. The two were seated next to Hilde, who also peeled away from her painting hobby in Athyst Hall. It was obvious why. Their sisters Alicia and Claudia had matches today, and they didn't want to miss the fights.

Hilde caught Kanae staring and beckoned her over. She scooted down a few seats to join the slit-eyed succubus.

"Excited to watch your sisters fight?" Kanae asked.

"I'm not particularly fond of combat sports. When we were living underground, the Queen-Mother hosted tournants for the cattle, and we would mate with the strongest ones. So it is a little odd to watch these fights. I do not doubt Alicia and Claudia will erge victorious in their respective bouts. I'm rely here to witness their glory," Hilde answered with the unbreakable confidence of adamantine.

"How are you so sure they won't end up facing each other?"

"My sisters have already told who their opponents will be. Claudia and the Knight of Silver will clash. Alicia will face—"

"Friends, allies, and enemies from afar, put your hands together for the Vice-Captain of Athyst Hall, Alicia!" Archbishop Patrice bood.

Without a flair for any theatrics, the succubus simply materialized into existence at the center of the arena. Crowned an Assassin, Alicia boasted an advantage over any opponent. Magical Stealth allowed her to hide from any prying eye without the ans to take her out of it. The nature of the unique Rogue class made her attacks ignore natural resilience and durability. Anyone would be hard pressed to defeat her.

"Look, Dawn. It's your mommy!" Suvee hoisted the baby over the guardrail.

"SUVEE!" Arenade yanked them both back.

Kanae pressed a hand to her face and sighed in relief.

Patrice continued, "And challenging Alicia is a duelist of exceptional, extraordinary, and unmatched skill. Citizens of Radevic, you know her as Saint Priest Camilla Rudeux!"

"Camilla?!" Kanae gasped.

The feline beastman casually strolled into the arena, arms in the air and basking in reverent cheers. She wasn't dressed in the usual Saint Priest garb, but in tight dark brown leathers. Camilla perford a graceful bow to the audience, to Archbishop Patrice, and finally to Alicia.

"I keep hearing that Saint Priests are strong. I doubt they're as strong as Alicia." Daya scoffed.

"I think you're severely underestimating just how capable Camilla is," Kanae said.

"Combatants, fight well! Begin!" The archbishop lifted off into the air.

Not a mont too soon either, because Alicia initiated with Fan of Knives. A hundred shivs flew out in every direction, too many for even soone as capable as Camilla could dodge. Kanae blinked and missed it. The Saint Priest had her rapier and parrying dagger. Not a single shiv landed on her. Daya and Hilde were sitting upright and leaning forward now.

"Just how fast is she?" Daya asked, her jaw hanging open.

Very, Kanae thought, not wanting to take her eyes off the fight lest she miss sothing again.

Even Alicia was taken aback. The Assassin entered Magical Stealth. Camilla kept both weapons extended from her body. Every now and then, she flicked her wrists. It looked like she was fighting ghosts, but the sparks of clashing steel told a different story. Already an expert duelist, being a crowned Fencer only magnified her talents and instincts.

"I don't get it. How is the Saint Priest capable of detecting Alicia? She should be invisible," Hilde reasoned.

"Camilla being a feline beastman might have a lot to do with it. The way her ears twitch… You see the way they turn right before she deflects an attack?" Kanae pointed out.

It was hard to see from so far, but Camilla always pivoted in the direction her ears faced. Kanae had witnessed her fight during the Saviran civil war. She was exceptionally skilled.

However, Camilla suddenly tilted her head far to one side. Sothing parted her hair. A ring of discharged electricity lifted the sand behind her. Alicia's enchanted bolt dagger. It disappeared from the ground, and the Assassin erged from stealth holding the dagger by the handle.

"Just how are you so precise?" Alicia growled.

"What's the matter? Never t anyone you couldn't slip your daggers into?" Camilla smirked.

Alicia responded by flinging dozens of shivs at Camilla, all of which were dodged and deflected. Every now and then, she tossed the bolt dagger into the mix, but the Saint Priest saw through the volleys and always managed to dodge it. At the very least, there was sothing Camilla didn't want to get hit by.

When the bolt dagger returned to Alicia's hand after another failed attempt to land a throw, she wreathed herself in Magical Stealth again.

"Ah ha! Compel Duel!" Camilla created a ring around herself, taking Alicia out of stealth.

The succubus barely had her toes in the circle, yet Camilla knew the exact mont to utter the skill. Caught, Alicia had no other choice but to face the Saint Priest in close quarters. The tip of a rapier flew straight for her throat.

"Assassinate." Alicia vanished.

Camilla's rapier pierced empty space. Alicia reappeared behind her, two daggers poised to plunge into her back. She was about to defend herself with the parrying dagger when three more Alicias materialized around her, each going for the kill.

"It's over!" Hilde cheered.

Unfazed, Camilla twisted and contorted her body. The Alicia clones' blades swung wide or missed. She dodged them all. No, more than that. Her tail sohow parried the real Alicia behind her back. The rapier and parrying dagger cut down each clone, all without her turning around.

Alicia craned her neck back as far as she could. A blade attached to the tip of Camilla's tail pressed against the succubus' chin.

"I… I yield." Alicia dropped her weapons and sighed.

Applause rang across the stadium as Archbishop Patrice declared Camilla the victor. To Kanae's side, Hilde and Daya slumped into their seats, appearing just as defeated as their sister.

"There, there! I think your sister put up a good fight!" Mikki tried to comfort Daya.

Kanae didn't want to tell them that this was one of the shortest matches she had seen. She had to hand it to Alicia though. For how strong the assassin succubus was, Camilla's very identity, profession, and class served to be a complete counter.

As much as Kanae wanted to stay and watch the other matches, the end of Alicia's fight was the signal. Ti to get into place.

"Leaving already, Mom?" Mikki asked.

"Knight of Colors duty. Look after Dawn, will you? I'm not sure I trust Suvee and Teana to do it. Tell all about the matches later," Kanae said and went to say goodbye to the others.

Before leaving, the archbishop's voice carried louder through the arena than usual.

"We have a special fight up next, one that none of you are expecting. I bring you the traitor to the Ortesian Empire, disgraced forr Knight of Gold— Petyr Stormcloud!" Patrice exclaid.

For the first ti, boos erupted from the audience. It wasn't a secret to the public that Petyr served under Athyst Hall, and that she had since renounced her loyalty to Ortesia. Unfortunately, old grudges lingered. The war she took part in would forever remain in the people of Radevic and the Commonwealth. Their displeasure of her, however, ant little to the recipient. She marched into the arena, donning the dragonscale armor and wielding her devastating feltal warhamr. As much as everyone loathed to admit it, she was one of the favorites to win the upper tournant.

"Holy Armant: Full suit of armor, sword and shield!" As the spell bathed her in holy light, Archbishop Patrice faced Petyr like one would an old friend. "And her challenger will be I, Archbishop Patrice Starborne."

In the sa booing breath, everyone went wild. Not a single person in the stadium expected it. Even the spectators in the VIP booth were stunned into silence. Over at the royal seating area, Grand Eye Analise and King Turren jumped to their feet. It seed the archbishop didn't tell them either.

Kanae didn't want to risk being glued to their battle and hurried out of the booth. She reached the deserted stadium corridors when their explosive clash shook the walls.

"Kanae!" Alicia flew down the hall to catch up.

"Nice try in your fight," Kanae complinted.

"Oh, don't. Camilla Rudeux utterly defeated . I expected to have done better. I'm so disappointed…" She sulked.

Kanae absentmindedly reached up with both hands and pinched Alicia's cheeks.

"Sorry!" Kanae pulled back. "I thought about cheering you up, but rembered what Suvee said about Dawn's cheeks."

"So, you think Dawn inherited chubby cheeks from ? They definitely ca from you!" Alicia pinched back harder.

The two of them found a quiet place for a quickie. Kanae activated Futanari and pushed into Alicia's steaming pussy. They spent a few more minutes necessary, exchanging kisses and fooling around. As soon as she blew her load—

[Skill Drain has temporarily acquired the skill Magical Stealth.]

"Perfect. Let's go," Kanae said.

They casted Magical Stealth on themselves and hurried to the Basilica of Saint Rue, but not before making a stop at Ivory Hall a stone's throw away from the stadium. As usual, desk jockeys were busy scribbling away at docunts. Half the mbers of Dalu's hall are made up of clerics and scribes, sorting through quest notices from across the city-states. Elven knights in the white and gold trim tabard of their hall conferred with them over the most pressing matters to address. They made up the other half, accepting quests too difficult to complete by normal adventurers and leaving to take care of it.

"Athyst, Alicia. We're leaving?" Ivory descended from the steps of her hall and asked.

"Yeah." Kanae nodded.

Alicia extended her Magical Stealth to Ivory, and the trio set off to the Basilica of Saint Rue. The cathedral was quiet, save for a few Aidenhall knights offering prayers to the Supre One. So among the clergy mopped and swept its many corridors. Others went about their normal duties, lighting candles and incense, praying with visitors, and studying in the basilica's own library.

No one noticed their invisible entry. They parked themselves in one corner of the worship chamber, watching people co and go with nothing suspicious happening. At least not yet. An hour went by, and the three were getting bored.

"You fight today?" Ivory asked.

"Yes," Alicia answered.

"How did that go?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Ah. Defeated, like then," she teased.

Another hour later, a young human cleric rushed into the chambers.

"You wouldn't believe what happened at the coliseum!" the man exclaid, drawing a few mbers of the clergy from their duties to gather around him. "Petyr and Archbishop Patrice faced off in the Knights' Tournant earlier!"

"Well, don't keep us in suspense. Did the archbishop triumph over that turncoat?" one asked.

"Well… it was a spectacle of a fight. They traded explosive blows. I felt it in my bones every ti they clashed. But… no. Archbishop Patrice fell to Petyr's Smite. To the head! The attending clerics administered healing magic, but she won't wake. So of them fear she has fallen into a coma," he explained.

"Oh, gods."

"Supre One, preserve her…"

Soon, the basilica was buzzing with the news that Archbishop Patrice had been incapacitated. Unbeknownst to them, this was her plan all along. As the clergy muttered amongst themselves about what to do now that the head of the church was comatose, a dark elven woman broke off from the rest. She hurried down the left wing without so much as a peep to her peers.

"I can't be the only one who thought that was suspicious?" Alicia asked.

"No, let's follow her," Kanae agreed.

They quietly pursued the cleric to a dormitory quarter. Down this way were individual rooms belonging to higher ranked clerics. Mother superiors and priests lived here with better furnishings. She glanced up and down the corridor before entering her room. The lock clicked shut. Kanae and Ivory pressed their ears to the door, while Alicia quietly picked the lock.

"Mistress, the archbishop is in a coma," the dark elf explained.

"Aha! Is she now? What a fool. With the obstacle out of the way, I should be able to seize the rest of the clerics here. You've been a good girl. Co here and let pamper you, darling!" a kind and matronly voice urged.

"Ahh… finally…"

"Is that any sister you know?" Kanae whispered.

"I haven't the faintest clue, but I've unlocked the door," Alicia replied.

"Allow to enter first. You two move to cover any exits in case whoever it is tries to flee by the window," Ivory explained.

They nodded. Ivory counted off. One… two… three. She kicked open the door and stepped inside. Kanae and Alicia flanked her. However, they only made it a few more steps into the room before their legs froze in place. Shackles made of holy energy anchored them to the floor.

"Don't move," soone behind them said.

The tip of a blade pressed against Kanae's back. They closed the door behind them. Sitting by the window wreathed in sunlight, a succubus of long brunette hair and Dark Elven Ancestry smiled at them. In her hand held a wooden staff. The other finally circled around them, also a dark elven succubus. Her appearance was more tomboyish. Brunette hair cut short, fierce eyes as sharp as the shortsword she wielded at them, and a sleeveless tunic revealed very toned arms.

"More Mistresses from the Queen-Mother?" Alicia growled, shedding her invisibility

"Why, hello Alicia. I regret to inform you that you are wrong. I am simply Darcy. My younger sister here is rcy, though I assure you she is anything but. We are not Mistresses. But we will be once we have completed our mission here and earned the Queen-Mother's favor," Darcy explained.

"And just what is your mission?" Kanae asked.

"Zone of Absolute Truth!" She incanted a spell that seized hold of only Ivory.

Kanae and Alicia exchanged glances. They were immune thanks to Steel Mind being tattooed onto them with Enchanted Ink. Ivory, too, being a Monk that could withstand compulsions to their mind and body.

"Now, I will be asking the questions." Darcy smiled, having not yet realized their immunity.