Minato's eyes widened...
He saw a massive statue of two women standing side by side, both holding a child in their arms.
Minato walked up to one of the statues, brushing off the dust that had settled over the inscription.
He squinted, tracing the old letters with his fingertips as he tried to read the words carved into the stone.
But too bad... he couldn't read a single word of it. The letters were too old, cracked, and also written in a completely different language.
He sighed and turned around to walk back to Amelia, who was checking the other statue...
... but then he froze.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw it.
One of the statues… blinked.
A low yellow light shimmered in its eye for barely a second before fading out, as if it had just closed again.
Minato then turned back toward the statue, staring straight into its eyes.
He stood there for what felt like minutes, barely blinking himself... waiting, watching, hoping to catch even the smallest twitch of movement.
Nothing... Just silence.
He exhaled quietly, still staring, when Amelia's footsteps approached behind him.
She stopped beside him, tilting her head a little to the side, her voice breaking the silence.
"... Asian, is something wrong?"
"Hm?" Minato murmured, still staring at the statue.
"Are you seeing that strange… thing again? What's it called?" She squinted her eyes, trying to remember.
"The system?" he asked.
"Yeah, that," she responded, crossing her arms. "Is it saying something?"
Minato shook his head slowly. "No… nothing this time."
"Then what are you staring at?" she questioned him, her tone caught somewhere between concern and annoyance.
Minato hesitated for a moment, his eyes still fixed on the statue. "... Its eyes moved," he said finally. "I saw it... just for a second."
Amelia blinked twice and then looked at the statue. "Really?"
"I swear… it moved," he explained quietly, still watching the statue's face. "It's eye. It looked right at me."
While the two of them were still talking, something cold landed on Amelia's shoulder. She blinked once, looking down, then up at the sky.
A few seconds later, another drop fell... then another...
Minato's eyes followed her face as she looked upwards. The clouds had already darkened fast, covering the whole sky. The atmosphere grew heavy, and the sunlight had been dimmed by the incoming rainfall.
"… It's about to rain," he added quietly.
Amelia brushed a few drops from her shoulder and nodded slowly.
Minato then glanced around, his eyes narrowing through the heavy wind blowing toward the temple. The rain was starting to fall harder now, tapping against the grass and the temple's stone floors.
Briefly, he noticed it... the massive doors of the temple weren't fully shut. One side was slightly open, just enough for the wind to push through and make a subtle creaking noise.
He turned to Amelia. "The temple door's open," he added in a low tone.
Amelia looked over his shoulder, brushing a damp strand of hair behind her ear. "Wait here… let me check it out first," she said, her tone calm and wary.
"No, let me do it," Minato responded quickly, nodding his head.
She narrowed her eyes slightly. "Why?"
"Because I want to do it… and besides, I'm a man... I should be the one taking care of you."
Amelia let out a short laugh, shaking her head... half amused, half worried.
"Hmm… my brave hero," she murmured, her lips curling into a teasing smile. But the worry in her eyes didn't fade.
"You know, Minato… you didn't strike me as the kind of guy who'd risk his life for a lady," Amelia said softly, her voice carrying a playful edge to it. Then her expression softened just a little. "To be honest… I'm impressed... and maybe a little flustered."
Minato scratched his head, looking at her funny. "Just how did you view me before now?"
Amelia smirked lightly, crossing both her arms. "A lowly peasant who needed the help of a noble," she said, pretending to sound proud, though her tone carried a faint hint of warmth.
Minato just smiled back, shaking his head briefly. "Yeah… I figured."
Amelia blinked once, caught off guard by how easily he agreed. For a second, she almost smiled wider... but quickly turned her head away, hiding it behind her hair.
He then walked toward the temple doors, stopping just inches away. For a few seconds, he stood there in silence, his hand hovering over the handle. Then he exhaled twice slowly and pushed the doors open.
A rush of cold wind hit his face; it carried the scent of algae, stones, and something faintly sweet... like a female perfume.
Minato brushed his hair back, muttering under his breath, as he stepped inside the temple.
=========================
[DING]
[PORTAL 1 CORE LOCATED]
[REGION: TEMPLE OF DESIRE]
[CLASSIFICATION: DOMAIN OF THE SUCCUBUS]
[THREAT LEVEL: C+]
[ENVIRONMENTAL STATUS: STABLE – HIGH SEDUCTION ENERGY DETECTED]
[CAUTION: MENTAL CORRUPTION MAY OCCUR UPON PROLONGED EXPOSURE]
[OBJECTIVE: DESTROY THE CORE AND PURGE THE DOMAIN]
[TIME LIMIT: 5 HOURS REMAINING BEFORE DOMAIN EXPANSION]
==========================
As the message faded from his vision, Minato felt a strange pressure settle all over him... like invisible hands were pressing lightly against his chest... But seconds later, it stopped.
Minato decided not to tell Amelia about it, since the signs were minor... and also because he didn't want to look weak in front of her.
He brushed it off, pretending nothing had happened.
Immediately, Amelia stepped into the temple, and she stopped abruptly. Her nose twitched once, then twice... before her eyes narrowed in disdain.
"Minato…" she murmured, her tone suddenly tense. She sniffed the air again, louder this time. "I know this smell…"
She turned to him, her crimson eyes glowing faintly. "It's a succubus."
He had already read the system, but he decided to act confused. "A succubus? Like… the actual kind that drains people's life force?"
Amelia nodded slowly, her expression darkening. "Yes. Seductive demons that feed on desire and emotions. They're manipulative, patient... and deadly." She took another cautious step forward, her eyes scanning the dim temple corridor. "This place reeks of one. The scent is fresh..."
Minato tightened his grip on his bag, his heartbeat quickening. "So she's still around?"
"Most likely," Amelia replied quietly. "And if she's guarding the portal core, she already knows we're here."
While Amelia was explaining to him, Minato suddenly felt strange. Her voice seemed softer, her body somehow became more curvy, her breasts bigger, her lips juicier... For a moment, she looked almost unreal... ten times more beautiful than before.
His pulse quickened, his thoughts became blurred; all he could think of was fucking her. Rough, slow, fast, passionate, all at once. The atmosphere was very dense, sweet, and almost intoxicating.
"Amelia…" he murmured, taking a half-step forward with a boner... before he even realized it.
Amelia's eyes widened instantly. She could feel the shift in the air... the succubus's influence. Without hesitation, she raised her hand and slapped him hard across the cheek.
"Snap out of it!" she shouted.
Minato staggered back, holding his cheek, blinking rapidly as the spell began to clear.
His breathing was still a little heavy, but the unnatural pull and urge that had clouded his vision was gone...
Amelia exhaled slowly, lowering her left hand. "That's exactly what I meant… The succubus is already toying with your mind."