Cash shop

Alice exhaled slowly and brought up the menu.

The world dimmed.

Gold-rimmed panels unfolded in layers, each one scrolling endlessly into the dark like a predatory gotcha game. The shop felt less like a store and more like a dare.

Dice’s voice purred immediately.

[CASH SHOP]

(Wow. already itching to spend it all. Try not to bankrupt your future self in the first five minutes, okay?)

Alice glanced at the counter.

Unassigned Attribute Points: 170

She winced.

“…I hate this,” she muttered. “This is literally pay-to-win.”

(Correct! And yet here you are. Hypocrisy unlocked.)

She decided quickly.

Half.

No more.

No less.

She mentally earmarked 85 points for the shop and **** herself not to look at the rest.

RACE OPTIONS

ELF

Type: Humanoid Arcane Lineage

Base Cost: 40 Attribute Points

Variant Lock: Dynamic (Auto-Select)

Manual Variant Selection: +15 AP

Overview:

A refined, magically adaptive lineage. Elves possess heightened perception, extended lifespan, and superior mana sensitivity. Your subtype naturally aligns with your dominant magical resonance unless overridden manually.

Bonuses:

+10 Perception

+10 Magical Control

+15 Agility

+15 Appearance

Passive:

Mana Resonance Spell effects stabilize more easily, reducing backlash and misfires.

Notes:

Natural affinity strongly suggests Ash Elf or Grave-Touched subtype

Manual override allows deliberate subtype selection

Dice Commentary:

(Free elegance with every purchase. Warning: smugness not included. Side effects may include long lifespans and quiet judgment.)

ONI Greater Orc Variant

Type: Humanoid Greater Orc

Base Cost: 85 Attribute Points

Overview:

A brutal, enduring offshoot of the orcish lineage. Oni are built for war, survival, and excess. Massive frames, horns, dense muscle mass, and an oppressive presence are standard.

Bonuses:

+35 Strength

+35 Constitution

Passives:

Oni Regeneration Accelerated recovery from wounds

Iron Liver **** resistance to toxins and ****

Addictive Chemistry Oni physiology produces potent bioactive substances

Musk: Induces arousal, courage, and subtle loyalty bias

Saliva: Mild regenerative and analgesic effects; habit-forming

Sweat: Stimulant/aphrodisiac blend; overexposure causes craving

Seed: Extremely potent bliss-toxin; creates physical and psychological dependency in many species

Drawbacks:

Reduced Magical Control growth rate

Social penalties in many regions

Anger management complications

Dice Commentary:

(You gain power, presence, and a walking HR violation. Congratulations. Please don’t ask me to balance this.)

KHEPRATHI

Type: Beastkin Feline (Non-Chimerin)

Base Cost: 45 Attribute Points

Overview:

A nimble, sensual lineage descended from ancient desert guardians. Kheprathi are known for fluid movement, predatory grace, and exceptional reflexes.

Bonuses:

+15 Agility

+10 Perception

+20 Appearance

Passives:

Feline Balance Immunity to fall penalties below lethal thresholds

Flexible Frame Increased dodge and escape success

Additional Traits:

Enhanced night vision

Tail assists with aerial control and rapid directional changes

Dice Commentary:

(Statistically optimal? Debatable. Aesthetic appeal? Astronomical.)

EQUIPMENT & CURIOS

Grin of the Undertaker

Rank: D

Cost: 12 AP

A porcelain half-mask cracked down the center, frozen in a crooked smile.

Effect:

Enemies below 30% HP gain increased fear buildup

Executions restore minor stamina and mana

Curse:

The mask subtly shifts expressions when unobserved. Wearers report the sensation of being watched during combat.

Dice Commentary:

(It’s smiling at you. Don’t worry. That’s normal. Probably.)

Bloodbound Buckler

Rank: A

Cost: 45 AP

A shield grown rather than forged, pulsing faintly like a living heart.

Effect:

Converts incoming damage into temporary HP

When temporary HP is depleted, it explodes outward, damaging nearby enemies

Dice Commentary:

(Hit me harder. No, harder. There you go.)

Gravewind Spurs

Rank: D

Cost: 16 AP

Iron spurs etched with funerary prayers.

Effect:

Successful dodges create a brief afterimage

Enemies striking the afterimage suffer reduced accuracy

Dice Commentary:

(Style points included. Actual skill still required.)

Halo of Inverse Grace

Rank: A

Cost: 32 AP

A broken halo floating behind the wearer’s head at a perpetual tilt.

Effect:

Excess healing converts into bonus damage on the next attack

Healing effects may overflow past max HP into damage buffs

Dice Commentary:

(Who needs mercy when you can weaponize kindness.)

Coffin Nail Charm

Rank: D

Cost: 14 AP

A simple iron nail threaded onto a leather cord.

Effect:

Prevents knockback or **** movement once per fight

Dice Commentary:

(Stay. Exactly. There.)

Bell of the Unanswered

Rank: C

Cost: 21 AP

A handbell that produces no sound.

Effect:

Marks all nearby enemies

Marked enemies cannot disengage or hide

Dice Commentary:

(They hear it. They just can’t run.)

Sanguine Reaver

Rank: B

Cost: 35 AP

A cruelly curved hematite blade, eternally slick with a blood-like sheen.

Effect:

Critical strikes siphon a fraction of the target’s vitality

Once drawn, the blade resists being sheathed until it tastes blood

Dice Commentary:

(It’s not dramatic. It’s just… hungry.)

Ashen Reliquary Core

Rank: B

Cost: 34 AP

A fist-sized crystal containing the cremated remains of a forgotten saint.

Effect:

Mana costs reduced while surrounded by **** or destruction

Mana regeneration spikes after multi-kills

Curse:

The saint disapproves of cowardice.

Dice Commentary:

(You feel judged. Correctly.)

Alice hovered over the final confirmations.

Bell of the Unanswered.

Sanguine Reaver.

Bloodbound Buckler.

And then

ONI Greater Orc Variant.

She hesitated for half a second.

Then pressed CONFIRM.

The shop froze.

Dice inhaled sharply.

(Oh. Oh you’re really doing it. Bold. Powerful. Questionable life decisions detected.)

A new prompt flared.

RACE CHANGE INITIATED

ONI GREATER ORC VARIANT

Attribute Cost: 85 AP

Final Cost Applied: DISCOUNT OVERRIDE ACTIVE

Dice coughed.

(Do not ask how you’re affording this. Accounting errors are a sacred tradition.)

The world went white.

TRANSFORMATION SEQUENCE

Light exploded outward from Alice’s chest like a heartbeat going supernova.

She gasped as magic wrapped around her body, lifting her a few inches off the deck.

“Oh okay that’s new,” she muttered as heat rippled through her veins.

Her skin was first.

A warm flush spread outward from her core, color deepening gradually until her reflection shimmered back at her in polished crimson.

Then

Pressure.

Alice hissed as two points of light formed above her temples, spinning rapidly before solidifying. The light condensed, hardened

and horns pushed through with a sharp, aching pull.

“Ah !” She staggered mid-air, hands flying up instinctively. “Okay. Yep. That part hurts.”

The horns curved upward and slightly back, smooth red with faint black undertones, still glowing at the edges as the magic finished stitching them into her skull.

The parasite panicked.

WAIT WAIT ADJUSTING DO NOT LOCK SKELETAL PARAMETERS YET

Black matter surged over her shoulders, briefly forming a full chest plate that flickered between three sizes before settling as her breasts expanded.

Alice snorted despite herself. “You’re doing great.”

Next came her spine.

A sharp, tugging sensation at her tailbone made her yelp.

“HEY !”

Light poured downward, sculpting something long and flexible before it became solid

a thick, lizard-like tail, unfurled behind her with a startled flick.

The parasite immediately wrapped part of itself around it like a safety harness.

STABILITY CONFIRMED

BALANCE RECALCULATED

TAIL IS… ACCEPTABLE

Alice twisted slightly, watching it move. “…Okay that’s actually sick.”

Her body followed.

Muscle definition sharpened subtly along her arms and stomach, not bulky, not exaggerated, just athletic. The kind of strength you’d expect from someone who swam against tides. Her shoulders broadened just enough to feel solid.

Her hips and thighs shifted next, widening slightly, redistributing her center of gravity. She felt heavier in a way that made her stance feel grounded, like she could plant her feet and refuse to be moved.

Then came her teeth.

A dull ache along her gums as her canines lengthened into short, sharp fangs.

Alice rolled her tongue over them experimentally. “…Yeah. I’m keeping those.”

Her nails darkened, extending into neat, short claws that clicked softly when she flexed her fingers.

The parasite frantically overlaid armored gauntlets over her hands and then retracted them again.

STOP MOVING I AM TRYING TO FIT YOU

Finally, the magic settled.

The light faded.

Alice dropped gently back onto the deck, boots touching down with a heavier thud than before.

She inhaled.

Exhaled.

Looked down at herself.

Red skin. Horns. Tail lazily swaying behind her. A stronger, taller frame that felt… right.

“…Huh,” she said.

She flexed.

Everything responded smoothly.

No strain. No instability.

Dice cleared his throat.

(Well. On the bright side, intimidation checks just became your love language.)

The parasite finished its adjustments, flowing over her body in a brief, shimmering wave before snapping back into its preferred dormant configuration, censoring strategically and aggressively.

I HAVE TAKEN THE LIBERTY OF MAINTAINING MODESTY

YOU ARE WELCOME

Alice laughed, loud and genuine, tension finally breaking.

“Oh my god,” she said, tail flicking as she grinned. “This is so cool.”

She rolled her shoulders, feeling power settle into her bones.

“…Yeah,” she added. “Worth it.”

Alice rolled her shoulders once, feeling the parasite settle after the race change. The armor’s surface gleamed like polished obsidian veined with faint magenta light, breathing in slow, patient pulses.

“Okay,” she said, pulling out the three purchases. “Let’s finish this.”

The parasite stirred.

Hungry.

She set the first item in her palm.

SANGUINE REAVER (B Rank)

The curved hematite blade didn’t clatter when it left her hand.

It sank.

Black tendrils flowered from Alice’s forearm, catching the sword mid-air and peeling it apart like wet paper. The metal didn’t resist. It sighed, as if relieved.

A sharp pulse traveled up Alice’s arm and into her chest.

SYSTEM CHIME.

ITEM ASSIMILATED: Sanguine Reaver (B Rank)

TRAIT GAINED: Hematite Edge

Critical strikes siphon vitality

Constitution drain converted to temporary internal reserves

“Blood demand” behavior integrated into weapon manifestations

The parasite purred.

I understand this hunger.

Alice flexed her hand.

A blade unfolded from her forearm, Now crimson, its edge shimmering with a faint, liquid sheen. It wanted to be swung. She willed it away before it could argue.

BELL OF THE UNANSWERED (C Rank)

The bell looked harmless.

The parasite disagreed.

The moment Alice touched it to her armor, it was pulled under in a ripple of shadow. There was no sound.

None at all.

But Alice felt it.

A pressure behind her eyes. A widening awareness.

SYSTEM CHIME.

ITEM ASSIMILATED: Bell of the Unanswered (C Rank)

TRAIT GAINED: Silent Mark

Passive enemy marking field

Marked targets cannot disengage, hide, or break combat lock

Marking persists through visual obstruction

BLOODBOUND BUCKLER (A Rank)

This one fought back.

The shield thumped like a living thing when the parasite wrapped around it. For a moment, the two organisms tested each other, pulses of mana colliding like heartbeats out of sync.

Then

The parasite adapted.

It swallowed the buckler whole.

Alice gasped as warmth flooded her chest and spread outward, settling beneath the armor like a second circulatory system.

SYSTEM CHIME.

ITEM ASSIMILATED: Bloodbound Buckler (A Rank)

TRAIT GAINED: Sanguine Aegis

Incoming damage converts to temporary HP

Temporary HP detonation on depletion

Blast radius scales with absorbed ****

The armor thickened briefly across her torso, plates overlapping like ribs before smoothing back down.

I will keep you safe, the parasite promised.

Alice exhaled. “You’re really taking this job seriously.”

Always.

She stood still for a moment, letting it all settle.

The parasite armor adjusted again, lines of magenta light re-routing themselves across her frame as if updating schematics only it could see.

Alice blinked.

Once.

Then slowly brought the menu back up.

Unassigned Attribute Points: 0

She stared at it.

“…I was only supposed to spend eighty-five,” she said flatly.

The parasite offered no defense.

It felt pleased. Full. Very full.

Alice pinched the bridge of her nose. “I am so fucking bad at budgeting.”

You made excellent choices, it replied, entirely unhelpful.

Still mortified, she dismissed the interface and walked toward her sister.

That was when she noticed something strange.

No footsteps.

No soft clink of armor plates. No faint, wet whisper from the parasite’s surface. Nothing.

Alice stopped.

Shifted her weight.

Still nothing.

“…Huh.”

She took a careful step.

Silent.

Another.

Nothing.

Her eyes widened a fraction. She experimentally dragged one foot across the deck of the airship.

Not a sound.

Alice grinned, then immediately crouched and sprang upward, landing harder than strictly necessary.

Still silent.

She focused inward, feeling for the new layers the parasite had integrated it must have been the bell. Something loosened. A subtle internal pressure released.

Her next step made a faint, normal sound.

She toggled it again.

Silence.

“Oh. Oh that’s going to be disgusting,” Alice murmured. “Shockwaves with no warning.”

I can manage acoustic output at will, the parasite confirmed. Noise is optional.

Alice laughed under her breath. “You’re terrifying. I love that.”

She kept the silence on as she approached her sister, just to be annoying.

It worked.

Her sister jumped slightly when Alice spoke.

“Hey.”

The vamp dragon turned, eyes immediately dropping to Alice’s horns, tail, and red skin.

She sighed deeply.

“…You picked Oni.”

Alice shrugged. “Yep.”

Her sister’s nose wrinkled. “Ugh. Orc-adjacent.”

“Oni,” Alice corrected cheerfully.

“Still counts.”

Alice snorted. “Wow. Casual racism. Bold choice.”

Her sister waved a dismissive hand. “I’m not racist. I just have standards.”

“Uh-huh.” Alice looked herself over with obvious approval. “Strong, durable, hot, poison resistant, and I get horns. Seems like a win.”

Her sister eyed her up and down again, then clicked her tongue. “You’re going to knock things over with that tail.”

“Probably,” Alice agreed. “Worth it.”

honestly?

Her sister was already a bitch in her head.

This barely moved the needle.

And Alice felt powerful.

Quiet.

Dangerous.

The parasite hummed contentedly under her skin as the last magenta lines finished rerouting themselves, locking everything into place.

Footsteps broke the moment.

Measured. Unhurried. Familiar.

Alice felt them before she heard them.

Her father approached without ceremony, hands clasped behind his back, eyes taking in the scene in one slow sweep: the ruined sky, the drifting ash, her sister still faintly steaming with residual magic, and then Alice herself.

He stopped in front of her.

Looked up.

Then down.

Then, very deliberately, met her eyes.

“Oni,” Quin said.

Not a question.

Alice rocked slightly on her heels. “Yeah.”

A pause.

Long enough that she started bracing for something sharp.

Instead, he exhaled through his nose, thoughtful. Not angry. Not amused. Just… evaluating.

“You chose a lineage built for excess,” he said at last. “Strength. Endurance. Appetite. Consequence.”

Alice folded her arms. “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

“I say it like it’s a commitment,” Quin replied. “Oni do not half-measure anything. Not power. Not desire. Not mistakes.”

Her sister snorted quietly beside her.

Alice lifted her chin. “I’ve never been fucking good at half-measures.”

That earned her a look. Not disapproval.

Recognition.

Quin’s gaze flicked briefly to the horns, the tail, the way the parasite armor sat perfectly flush against her altered frame,constantly adapting.

“…It suits you,” he admitted.

Alice blinked. “That’s fucking it?”

He shrugged. “Approval and disapproval are luxuries. Results matter more.”

She frowned. “That’s not an answer.”

“No,” Quin agreed. “It’s the truth.”

He stepped closer, voice lowering just enough to be private.

“it amplifies what’s already there,” he continued. “Discipline turns it into dominance. Indulgence turns it into disaster. Which one you become is entirely your choice.”

Alice felt the parasite stir at the word indulgence, then settle again, attentive.

She held his gaze. “I didn’t pick it to be fucking safe.”

“I know,” Quin said quietly.

Another pause.

Then, unexpectedly, he reached out and adjusted a loose strand of her hair that had caught on one of her horns.

“Just don’t forget who you are underneath the power,” he said. “Race changes make that easier than you think.”

Alice swallowed.

“…I won’t,” she said.

He nodded once, satisfied or at least accepting, and straightened.

“Get some rest,” Quin added, already turning away. “Tomorrow, we start making your decisions expensive.”

Her sister scoffed. “As if they weren’t already.”

Quin smiled faintly, just enough that Alice caught it.

Then he was gone.

Alice let out a slow breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.

“…Wow,” she muttered. “That was almost fucking parental.”

Her sister snickered. “Don’t get used to it.”

The airship hadn’t docked yet.

Which meant Alice had time to pace.

And pace she did.

The deck stretched wide and elegant beneath her black bone boots, all polished brass rails, dark lacquered wood, and sweeping curves that screamed old-world luxury. It felt like the Titanic if someone had handed the designers a Final Fantasy art book and told them to go absolutely feral.

Crystal pylons rose at intervals along the deck, each one humming softly with contained magic, their inner light refracting through etched runes like stained glass caught in motion. Below the main deck, she could hear the low, steady thrum of the engine core, not mechanical so much as alive, like the ship had a heartbeat.

Alice leaned on the railing and looked down.

Ikos sprawled beneath them, neon lights in desert haze, the flying palace casting a long shadow over the city she’d grown up in. The contrast always hit her wrong. And her, standing in the middle of it with horns, a tail, and eldritch ****-armor that doubled as underwear.

“Fuck my life,” she muttered fondly.

She wandered.

Crew members gave her space. Not fear, exactly. Respect mixed with a very careful awareness that she radiated ****. The parasite hummed under her skin, quiet and pleased, adjusting its surface every time she brushed past something, making sure nothing snagged on her new silhouette.

She followed the sound before she saw it.

A guitar.

Not the gentle strum of tuning pegs. This was aggressive tuning. Strings snapped tight, released, then snapped again. Little bursts of static cracked in the air with every adjustment, blue-white sparks crawling along the instrument’s body like they were having the time of their lives.

Alice rounded a corner and there she was.

Jett Havoc sat cross-legged atop a crate of ammo like it was a throne, guitar resting against her knee. The thing looked less like an instrument and more like a weapon of war that had learned music out of spite. Twin axe-heads flared from the body, cables and sigils running along the neck, stickers plastered everywhere like trophies.

Jett herself was a mess in the best possible way.

Leather jacket half-unzipped, crop top underneath, one eye hidden behind that crossed out eyepatch, the other bright and sharp with manic interest. Her hair fell in wild dark sheets, streaked with red at the ends like she’d dipped it in danger and decided it looked good.

She glanced up mid-tune.

Grinned.

“Oh hell yes,” Jett said, voice rough and delighted. “You've gone Oni kid.”

Alice snorted. “Wow. Straight to it, huh?”

Jett laughed, loud and unapologetic, and slammed a final chord that sent a ripple of sound through the crate beneath her. “Look at you. Horns, tail, **** vibes. That’s not a subtle upgrade.”

Alice folded her arms. “Yeah, well. Subtlety can go fuck itself.”

“Spoken like someone who gets it,” Jett said approvingly. She hopped down from the crate in one smooth motion, landing way too close for comfort and peering at Alice like she was a particularly interesting album cover. “You smell like blood and bad decisions.”

“Cool,” Alice shot back. “You smell like an OSHA violation.”

Jett cackled. “We’re gonna get along great.”

They stood there for a second, the chaos of the ship moving around them, crew shouting orders, magic humming through the hull.

Then Jett leaned back against the crate and started idly plucking at her strings, softer this time. The sparks calmed, turning into a low, resonant hum that made the air feel thicker.

“So,” Jett said casually, “you freak out when the world boss showed up or did you just go straight to punching shit.”

Alice huffed a laugh. “I stopped a flying gargoyle mid-air and beat it to **** with its own arms.”

Jett’s grin went feral. “Oh yeah i remenber fuck. That’s metal.”

“Damn right it is.”

They shared a look.

Just that immediate, easy click of two people.

Jett strummed again, louder, testing a riff that made the nearby crystals vibrate in sympathy. “You planning on leading this party, Oni?”

Alice shrugged, tail flicking behind her. “I’m planning on keeping the people I give a shit about alive.”

Jett nodded, surprisingly serious for half a second. “Good answer.”

Then she slammed into a power chord that sent a harmless shockwave rolling down the deck and laughed again.

“nice to meet you boss,” Jett said. “Try not to get bored. I tend to set things on fire when I get bored.”

Alice cracked her neck, feeling the parasite stir eagerly.

“Yeah,” she said. “I think I’m gonna like you.”

The lower decks of the airship were quieter, the roar of battle replaced by the soft hiss of steam lines and the low murmur of recovery. Brass railings curved along white-enameled walls, all art-deco ribs and glowing glyphs, The air smelled faintly of antiseptic, and hot metal.

Alice followed the sound of voices.

They rounded a corner to find a temporary infirmary set up along the promenade. Crew members lay back on padded benches while pale green healing sigils faded from their skin one by one. At the center of it all stood Melisse a cock in each hand, head bobbing up and down on a third.

With a wet pop he pulled the cock out of his mouth, spit and cum still trailing he straightened as the last sigil winked out, rolling his shoulders with a satisfied little hum. White nurse’s coat, tailored just enough to be dangerous. Short horns curving back through pale hair. Tail flicking lazily behind him, the spade tip tracing idle hearts in the air as if he didn’t even notice he was doing it.

Then his eyes lifted.

They locked on Alice instantly.

“Oh,” he said, smile blooming slow and bright. “I’d recognize that soul anywhere.”

Alice blinked. “You ”

“ Dropped out,” Melisse finished cheerfully, already gliding closer. “Dramatically. Left a crater in my schedule and my heart.” He leaned in just enough to lower his voice. “And now you come back taller, redder, hotter, and dangerous. I see you’ve been busy.”

Jett snorted from behind Alice. “Wow. He’s like a walking warning label dude.”

Melisse flicked her a glance, amused. “And you must be the bard. I like you already.” Then his attention snapped right back to Alice, unwavering. “But you,” he added softly, “you look incredible.”

Alice felt the heat hit her face immediately. “I’m… an Oni now.”

“Yes,” he said, eyes gleaming. “I noticed.” His gaze lingered with absolutely no shame, leering in a way that made her panties feel tight. “Power suits you. It always did.”

She crossed her arms, scowling out of reflex. “You’re being real fucking bold for someone who just finished sucking off half the crew.”

“Occupational hazard,” Melisse replied lightly. “I'm a heal slut. I get very familiar with cocks.” He tapped the badge at his chest. “Besides, your father just bought me out of that dreadful academy contract.”

Melisse’s grin turned wicked. “Mm-hmm. Full release. No more institutional leash. Which means,” he leaned closer, tail curling with intent, “I’m bound by contract now to you.”

Jett let out a low whistle. “Damn, boss. got a pet demon femboy.”

Alice stared. “That sounds… dangerously fun.”

“Oh, it is,” Melisse purred. “But don’t worry. I’m a professional.” He winked. “Mostly.”

There it was again. That subtle pull. An incubus’s presence didn’t shove or demand. It invited. Promised warmth, comfort, attention. Made you want to lean in just to see how close was safe.

Alice felt her parasite stir, alert but curious.

She met Melisse’s gaze and smirked, sharp and newly Oni. “You keep talking like that, and I’m going to prolapse your fucking asshole.”

He laughed, delighted. “Please do. I’ve always enjoyed working overtime.”

Behind them, a crewman coughed pointedly.

Melisse straightened, all business in a heartbeat. “Rest. Hydration,” he said crisply, then turned back to Alice with a softer smile. “We’ll have time to… catch up later.”

Alice watched him move away, heart thudding a little harder than she liked.

Jett nudged her with an elbow. “So,” she said brightly. “When do we unlock his romance route.”

Alice growled under her breath. “Shut the fuck up.”

But she didn’t deny it.

“Someone should put that cheeky little femboy in his place.”

The voice came from directly behind them.

Alice nearly jumped out of her skin.

“What the fuck ” she snapped, spinning

Nox was just there.

Standing a little too close. Arms folded. Expression flat, lips pouting just enough to be unmistakably annoyed. Her shadow still clung to the floor like she’d peeled herself out of it a second ago.

Jett yelped. “HOLY SHIT. Ninja jumpscare.”

Nox tilted her head. “You weren’t paying attention.”

Alice scowled. “You could have fucking warned me.”

“I did,” Nox replied calmly. “You ignored me.”

Alice opened her mouth, then stopped. “…Did you?”

Nox’s pout deepened. “Yes.”

Jett snickered. “Damn, shadow girl. Cold.”

Nox’s eyes slid back to the infirmary hallway they’d just left. “That incubus is disrespectful,” she said flatly. “Excessively familiar. Someone should correct him.”

Alice snorted. “Yeah? You volunteering?”

“I am,” Nox said without hesitation. “If you want.”

That stopped Alice.

She glanced back at Nox.

“…I’ll think about it,” Alice said finally.

Nox nodded once, satisfied. “Good.”

They kept moving.

The ship’s interior opened up into a long promenade, Ornate lights glowed softly along the walls, though several had been shattered during the fight.

They passed a massive rupture in the hull.

Alice slowed despite herself.

A chunk of deck plating had been torn clean away, leaving nothing but open sky and drifting clouds. Far below, Ikos stretched out in sunlit stone and water, the palace rising beneath them as the airship began its final docking approach.

Her stomach lurched.

“Fuck,” she muttered, gripping the railing.

Vertigo slammed into her hard, the height suddenly very real, very immediate. Her tail flicked without permission, armor tightening reflexively as the parasite adjusted her balance.

Jett noticed instantly. “Hey. Hey, don’t look down.”

“Too late,” Alice growled, jaw clenched. “Why is it always fucking heights.”

Nox stepped closer, presence grounding without touching. “Breathe,” she said quietly. “The ship is stable.”

Alice sucked in a breath. Then another.

The dizziness eased.

“…Okay,” she muttered. “Okay. I’m good.”

She straightened and that was when she noticed movement outside the rupture.

A blur of motion.

A familiar cackle.

Rezzy vaulted clean off the side of the ship.

“WAIT ” Alice shouted, lunging

Too late.

Rezzy plummeted past the opening, arms spread wide, whooping like she’d just won the lottery. A second later, there was a distant BOOM as an explosion flared beneath her

Then a much louder SPLASH.

They rushed to the edge.

Below them, nestled into one of the palace’s upper terraces, was a massive open-air swimming pool.

Rezzy burst out of the water triumphantly, fist raised.

“TEN OUT OF TEN LANDING!” she yelled. “STUCK IT!”

Alice stared.

Jett stared.

Nox blinked once.

“…I hate her,” Alice said flatly.

Jett grinned. “No you don’t.”

Alice watched Rezzy swim lazily toward the edge of the pool, smoke still curling off her boots.

“…Yeah,” she admitted. “I Just wish she'd let me fuck those Goblin tits of hers.”

Alice blinked surprised she said that out loud

The door behind them slid open with a soft hydraulic sigh.

Alice felt it before she heard it.

A shift in the air. A presence that did not quite breathe.

Footsteps followed, light and deliberate, placed with the kind of precision that came from never needing to rush.

She turned.

The last member of the party stepped out into the corridor.

Porcelain skin caught the light, smooth and faintly translucent, a soft bioluminescent glow pulsing beneath it in a slow, artificial rhythm. His frame was lean and sculpted, not bulky, not fragile, built like something designed to never be touched. Hydraulic muscle fibers moved under the surface in quiet, seamless harmony.

His hair floated slightly despite the lack of wind, synthetic strands drifting as if remembering water. It was cut jagged and layered, ink-blue at the roots, fading into red toward the tips. One eye was visible, glowing a low amber, calm and unreadable. The other was hidden beneath his fringe.

A bow rested across his back, its limbs folded compactly, arcane filigree etched into its surface like veins of light waiting to wake.

The Doll raised one hand.

A small wave. Casual. Almost shy.Jett tilted her head. “Oh hell. We got an edgy one.”

Alice squinted. “…Is that a doll.”

He inclined his head a fraction, as if that was close enough to correct.

“Arcane Archer,” he said quietly. His voice was smooth, filtered, carrying a faint harmonic undertone like it was passing through water. “Designated evasion tank.”

Alice snorted. “That’s not a fucking thing.”

“It is here,” he replied, unbothered.

She looked him up and down again. No heavy armor. No shield. No visible weapon.

“You tank by not getting hit,” she said flatly.

“Yes.”

“That’s cheating.”

“I am aware.”

Alice felt her Oni temper flare for half a second, then stall.

“…That’s not how tanks work.”

He tilted his head, a faint hum passing through the conduits beneath his skin. “It is how I work.”

Nox had appeared again without announcement, standing just behind Alice with hands folded neatly. Her eyes lingered on the Doll for a fraction longer than necessary.

“A Drowned Child,” she murmured. “How nostalgic.”

The Doll inclined his head to her in return, reverent and precise. “Caretaker.”

“Assassin maid,” Alice corrected automatically.

“Multifunctional,” the Doll said. “Acceptable.”

Jett grinned. “I like him. He’s got that ‘won’t talk but will absolutely save your ass’ vibe.”

The Doll’s eye dimmed briefly to a cooler hue, cyan flickering at the edges. Curiosity, maybe. Or amusement.

“I dodge,” he added, as if clarifying a core principle. “Aggro follows what cannot be caught.”

Alice crossed her arms, tail flicking behind her. “Great. So you’re annoying on purpose.”

“Yes.”

She laughed, sharp and sudden. “Alright, Sasuke. Welcome to the fucking nightmare.”

The Doll bowed slightly, motion fluid and ceremonial.

“I am called Caelum,” he said. “Until I decide otherwise.”

Of course he was.

Behind them, the ship shuddered gently as docking clamps engaged. The palace loomed outside the breached hull, impossibly close now, its white spires and gold inlays filling the open air with dizzying scale.

Alice glanced out through the torn plating and felt her stomach drop as the height hit her again. The world tilted. Her breath caught.

Then it passed.

She grounded herself, claws flexing, parasite humming low and steady beneath her skin.

Alice pinched the bridge of her nose. “I swear to fucking god.”

She sighed. “This party’s a nightmare.”

Jett slung an arm around Alice’s shoulders. “Nah. It’s perfect.”

The Doll’s eyes shifted again, faintly warm now.

“Nightmares,” he said softly, “are very good at keeping people alive.”

Alice huffed.

“…Yeah,” she admitted. “Guess they are.”

The portal bloomed beside her with a low, hungry roar.

Fire folded in on itself, molten light carving a doorway through the air like the world had been slashed open and forgotten to bleed.

Alice stared at it.

Of course her father didn’t say anything. He just stood there, hands clasped behind his back again, watching her with that same infuriating calm. No pressure. No reassurance. Just an open door and the quiet expectation that she would either walk through it or not.

Alice exhaled hard.

“…Fuck,” she muttered.

This was the part she hadn’t planned for.

Fighting? Easy. Spending points she shouldn’t? Apparently effortless. Turning herself into a red-skinned, horned menace with a parasite living in her brain? Done before lunch.

But this?

Recruiting Yamaba meant choosing. Really choosing.

She scrubbed a hand through her hair, claws scraping faintly against her scalp, tail twitching in sharp, irritated snaps behind her.

She liked Yamaba. Gods, she really did. She was strong, terrifying , beautiful in a way that made Alice’s brain short-circuit every time she thought too hard about it. They’d fought together. Talked. Shared a tent.

But if she was honest with herself…

Alice’s jaw tightened.

“…I wanna fuck her,” she said under her breath, flat and unfiltered.

The thought didn’t even come with shame anymore. Just heat. Want. That low, aggressive pull in her chest that hadn’t been there before, or at least not this loud.

Oni blood, she thought irritably. Or brain damage. Or both. Fuck knows.

Her emotions felt closer to the surface now, less padded. Anger came fast. Desire came faster. The parasite hummed faint approval somewhere deep inside her head, as if pleased by the honesty.

That was what scared her.

Was this really about the party? Or was she just dragging someone into danger because she wanted something hot and messy and intense and didn’t give a shit about the fallout?

She clenched her fists, armor flexing in response.

Yamaba already had someone. Alice knew that. Pretending she didn’t would just make her a bigger asshole than she already felt like.

And yet…

“…I don’t want a safe romance,” Alice growled quietly. “I don’t want fucking polite.”

She wanted fire. Teeth. Something that burned back.

Her father shifted slightly beside her, not interrupting, just… present.

That almost made it worse.

Alice looked at the portal again. Heat rolled off it, drying the air, licking at her skin like a dare.

All she had to do was step through.

Commit.

Either recruit Yamaba knowing exactly why she wanted her, or walk away and live with that knot in her chest forever.

Alice swallowed, heart pounding, tail curling tight behind her.