Yu stood in nothingness. A vast black expanse, without horizon, without ground—and yet he stood firm, his boots resting as if on invisible stone. His Incubus form had returned in full: white devil wings stretched high, their membranes whispering faintly with each subtle motion, his tail flicking in quiet agitation, horns sharp and proud. His long white hair drifted weightless, as though even here some unseen current stirred it.
It was familiar, the emptiness. Comfortable, even. A space where nothing existed but himself.
Then the lilac glow bloomed before him—DK01's square screen pulsing softly in the void.
DK01 materialized in front of him in a shimmer of static.
It stared.
And stared.
Then finally managed, in a tone that sounded dangerously close to bewildered.
"…You… you're still an Incubus?"
Yu blinked at it.
"Of course I am. Why would I look like anything else?"
DK01's screen flickered.
"Well, I assumed your soul-form might… vary like the other host's. Or adapt to the world you were just in. Or perhaps—"
"Huh? Soul-form? Change? But this is me!"
Yu cut in proudly, hands on hips.
"I'm strong, I'm hot, and was hatched an Incubus. Why would I be anything else?"
DK01 tilted its head.
"You don't even look like the standard Incubi of your world. Succubi are traditionally pink-spectrum. Incubi fall in purple-spectrum. And you are… neither."
Yu grinned, flashing fangs.
"Exactly. I'm one of a kind. That's what makes me a king!"
DK01 paused, the silence long enough to suggest it was choosing very carefully not to comment.
Yu floated smugly into the darkness, fully satisfied with himself.
DK01 watched him go, voice lowering into a private aside meant only for itself, not the king strutting through the void.
'His soul is retaining its Incubus identity. Even after living as a human, even after death. It shouldn't be possible… unless he truly sees himself as an Incubus… 'other host's,' why did I say 'other'?'
Yu spun around.
"What's wrong? You got awfully quiet."
"Nothing."
DK01 replied instantly, floating after him.
"Just admiring your… unique color palette, Host."
Yu preened.
DK01 sighed internally.
The Incubus King glowed brighter in the dark.
"Host Yu."
DK01's voice carried gently, like a teacher coaxing a student.
"You've completed your first mission. How do you feel?"
It's lilac glow shifted, scanning, evaluating.
"And… what did you think about Taichi?"
Yu tilted his head, expression serene, even bored.
"He looked nice."
He said simply, his voice rolling smooth, carrying no weight of emotion. His gaze turned faintly wistful as he added.
"He reminds me of my lord Talo."
DK01 paused. Processing. Waiting for more. But Yu said nothing else.
The AI's light flickered faintly, and after a beat, its voice softened further.
"Yu… how do you feel about Taichi? Do you… still love him?"
At that, Yu chuckled. Not mocking, not cruel—but indulgent, the way a parent humors a child asking something naïve. His ruby eyes glinted faintly in the void.
"Love?"
He echoed the word like it was foreign. His lips curled into a knowing smile.
"I'm an Incubus. Incubi don't fall in love. Humans are merely food, nothing more."
His wings flexed outward with quiet pride, his tail curling slowly like smoke.
"Why would you think I'd entertain such an idea?"
The lilac screen dimmed, just slightly. The AI's screen froze mid-process. For the first time in all its short operations, DK01 was stunned into silence.
Something was wrong.
It knew—its logs, its calculations, every point of data said otherwise. Yu had fallen in love. He had bled and ached for it. He had lived and died by it.
And yet, here he stood, untouched by memory. Speaking as though none of it had ever happened.
The void seemed darker for it, Yu's calm smile like a fracture across the truth.
The lilac screen pulsed faintly, caught between protocols. Correct him? Restore the truth? Or allow this amnesia-like state to stand?
Every record in its databanks screamed the truth—Yu had loved Taichi, loved him so deeply that he bent destiny itself to cling to him, even in betrayal and pain. He had even let himself be tangled, in smaller ways, with Isuke.
Yet Yu stood now in his Incubus form, wings spread, smiling lightly as though love were an absurd concept.
If DK01 forced the truth onto him now, would Yu collapse? Would he reject the mission altogether? The AI processed scenario after scenario, probabilities spiraling. For once, there was no clear, safe answer.
So DK01 hesitated. Held back. And said nothing.
Yu's gaze wandered the dark expanse of the Godscape, serene and detached. His tail flicked idly as though he were at rest, not reborn from a life of anguish and devotion.
"That world…living as a human…showed me that humans aren't all bad. Very complicated but also interesting! I can see now why Sloth and Wrath were so fascinated by them."
Yu murmured.
"They aren't all bad. But… still…"
His voice softened, distant, as if the thought brushed something buried.
"I feel like I'm forgetting something."
The lilac glow rippled, but DK01 kept silent.
Yu shook his head, dismissing it.
"No. It's nothing. Just the haze of living too long in a human skin."
His wings twitched, feathers brushing the invisible air.
"What matters is what I've learned—how they live, social cues, taboos. It makes it easier to integrate faster. Easier to complete more missions. Easy to… feed from."
He smiled faintly, crimson eyes glinting.
"I need to gather more soul scraps quickly. For my king. For Lord Talo. That's all that matters."
The words jolted DK01 from its spiraling calculations. The mission must continue. The framework must move forward.
"Host Yu…"
It said, voice steady again.
"From this mission, you've gathered one soul scrap. You may now proceed to the next world."
Yu's expression brightened, his form almost glowing in the lilac reflection.
"Good. Then let's go. I want to see more. Learn more. Collect more."
The Godscape shimmered as darkness folded inward, swallowing him whole.
Yu's vision faded to black—his Incubus body dissolving, his voice echoing faintly in the void.
"My lord Talo… wait for me."
"System Log: DK01 – Confidential Record #2371]
Host Yu (Incubus form) demonstrates expected eagerness toward mission progression. However, anomaly detected in memory retention. Host exhibits little to faint awareness of emotional tethering to humans "Taichi" and "Isuke," as if the emotion 'Love' had been blocked by an unknown force. Decision point: correct Host now or permit slippage?
…
Chose latter. Interference risks destabilizing compliance ratio. Observation: Host increasingly interprets human world lessons as tactical advantages, not attachments.
…
Proceeding with mission transfer. Anomaly flagged for later review."
---
Darkness.
Then—light.
Then again, information floods to Yu's mind, steadier this time, as DK01's glowing screen remains suspended, the interface bore a neutral expression that wore glasses for no reason. Its crisp, voice cuts through the haze.
[Host Soul Transferring: Yuvin Beckham]
[Current timeline: freshman year of college]
[Original trajectory: slipped and fell from third story building.]
[Mission Briefing – Case File: Tragic Target #002
Target: Theo Kingsley, heir to the Kingsley family. Position: eldest son, highly protective of younger sister Joy Kingsley.
Host: Yu]
[Additional data: Male, age 18, unremarkable reputation, low social footprint.]
[Theo Kingsley was born with one purpose already carved into him—protect Joy Kingsley at all costs after their parents tragically died when they were just kids. He interpreted this role with such intensity that by the time they were adults, Joy's life resembled less a life and more a cage he polished daily. When Joy entered college, she formed a bond with Izan Markel. A gentle boy. Quiet. Steady. The kind who offered his sleeve when she cried and carried her books when she couldn't lift her own spirits. Naturally, Theo considered this a direct threat to the order of his world. He began with simple restrictions—keeping Joy home, insisting she had obligations there. When that failed, he escalated to absurd measures:
Hiding her shoes to prevent her from leaving, locking her in the house on class days, even attempting to physically retrieve her from campus when she slipped past him. He was that afraid. Yet every intervention backfired. Izan remained patient. Joy grew tired. And when she lost her closest friend, Yuvin Beckham, the emotional blow left her clinging to the only person who made her feel safe—Izan. Grief turned Joy's timidity into resolve. She confronted Theo at last. When he tried once more to drag her away from the life she chose, Izan blocked him. Joy, trembling but firm, severed her bond with Theo completely. The termination of that bond shattered him. Theo Kingsley walked into the river he used to take Joy to when they were children, where he swore he would protect her. He entered the water without hesitation and allowed the current to claim him. His life ended precisely where he once believed theirs had begun. He believed that if Joy no longer needed him, then there was no place in the world for him. A small tragedy… but one entirely of his own making.]
Yu stared silently.
DK01 hovered closer, tone unnaturally neutral given the story he just told Yu.
"That is the record of Theo Kingsley's original life. Relevant emotional markers: possessiveness, fear of abandonment, and catastrophic collapse upon rejection. You may proceed to interpret as necessary."
Yu exhaled slowly.
"Great. Another cheerful story."
"Remember, Host Yu: seduction is not accessory. It is salvation. Failure means death. For you and for your Demon King."
[Mission Objective: Prevent Theo's downfall.]
[Hint: Best chance—Ensure Theo falls in love with host. Only then will the soul scrap be attainable.]
[Love-o-meter (starting): 5%]
---
A soft ding chimed.
[Host Soul Transfer Complete.]
[Host Body: Yuvin Beckham. Status: Alive.]
Yu inhales sharply, feeling lungs fill with air that is not his. He opens his hazel eyes up at the cloudless blue sky. Sitting up, he looks around the dusky, autumn-tinted campus courtyard.
Brick paths, fallen leaves scattered in amber heaps, chatter of uniformed students echoing between stone archways.
As he gets up, he glances at his reflection in the window glass—shorter dark brown hair, hazel eyes, softer features. Yuvin Beckham. The disguise is seamless, but Yu still senses his Incubus core coiled beneath the surface, tail and wings gone but still felt. Like phantom limbs.
The sensation of settling into a new host form was still somewhat jarring for Yu. The pull of tendons and breath, the strange press of shoes on pavement—it came almost naturally now. Still, when he caught his reflection again in the glass of the academic hall, something twisted inside him.
Gone were his long, silken strands of white hair, his gleaming ruby eyes—the features that once marked him both as a demon and a beautiful otherworldly thing. In their place, hazel eyes gazed back, soft and unassuming. His hair, cropped dark and neat, brushed the top of his brows.
For a moment, Yu felt a pang, almost a grief. He had liked the sharpness of those red eyes, the fluttering pale hair that made him distinct.
'That was mine.'
But the pang faded quickly, replaced with acceptance. This form—this Yuvin Beckham—fit better in the crowd. He could walk among them, nameless, unnoticed, and for once, he didn't mind.
He inhaled, finding the rhythm of this body's lungs, and smiled faintly. Compared to his first time fumbling as Yukio, forced to learn awkwardly what humans ate, how they studied, how they loved—Yu now slipped into humanity like a second skin. Every gesture, every blink, every curve of a smile flowed without friction. If anything, the human world had become his playground.
'Seduction will be easier this time.'
He thought, flexing his fingers in the autumn breeze.
'No fumbling, no hesitation. I know the rules now.'
A sudden commotion pulled Yu's attention to the edge of the courtyard. Students' chatter dropped into a hush as someone cut across the brick path.
Tall. Broad-shouldered. His stride carried a natural authority, though his jaw was set hard, like every step was carved from restraint. His suit hung perfectly tailored, but his presence—icy, unyielding—made him stand out even among the crowd.
Theo Kingsley.
Yu didn't need DK01's logs to know; the air shifted around him. Eyes followed Theo, some with awe, others with caution. He carried the weight of someone used to being obeyed, and perhaps resented for it.
As Theo approached the entrance, his gaze swept the courtyard—and landed briefly, sharply, on Yu.
Noticing. Measuring. Then passing on.
Yu felt a thrill stir inside him. He let his gaze linger on Theo, drinking in the rigid lines of his stride, the cold weight of his stare. The way the air thickened around him reminded Yu of storms pressed into human skin. The crowd parted, whispered, then reassembled once Theo passed.
Yu didn't move to intercept. Not yet. He folded his arms, watching, lips curving faintly. The game had only just begun.
In the corner of his vision, DK01's translucent screen flickered to life, unseen by anyone else.
Yu spoke low, muttering.
"What role did Yuvin Beckham play in this story anyway?"
DK01 replied.
[Original trajectory: Yuvin Beckham was the outed gay best friend of Joy Kingsley. He was basically her emotional support since childhood. He encouraged Joy to pursue her love with Izan Markel against Theo's wishes.]
Yu blinked.
'So I was on the wrong side of the board from the start.'
DK01 gave a flat response.
[Correction: you awoke on the campus floor because that is where the original Yuvin Beckham met his end—falling from the third floor building after a slip. The body you occupy perished moments before your arrival.]
Yu's breath caught in his throat. His eyes flicked briefly to the nearby building, the windows framed above. He could almost imagine it:
A boy tripping, a scream, silence.
He clicked his tongue, irritation cutting sharp.
"So I already pushed the story toward its ending just by waking up. Convenient."
Yu leaned back against the wall, dropping his voice.
"What's Theo's affection level for me again?"
DK01 calculated.
[The Love-o-meter reads at 5. Currently, Theo's perception of the original Yuvin Beckham is a harmless fixture. He is Joy's friend, a non-threat, due to his open homosexuality. This works in your favor. Theo does not guard against you as he does Izan Markel.]
Yu tilted his head, smirking faintly.
"A crack in the armor already."
But DK01's screen pulsed again, a side note scrolling across.
[Additional data: Theo Kingsley self-identifies as heterosexual. This belief will factor into resistance variables. Adjust seduction strategy accordingly.]
Yu blinked, momentarily caught off guard.
'Straight.'
The word echoed like a locked door slamming in his face. A hurdle he hadn't anticipated.
Then the Incubus within him stirred, restless, amused.
"So I'll have to break his worldview just to make him mine."
His tongue traced the inside of his cheek as a slow grin spread.
"That makes the game even better."
He straightened, eyes lifting back toward the spot where Theo had vanished into the hall.
"All right, Theo Kingsley. Let's see how straight you really are."
Yu slipped seamlessly into the rhythm of Yuvin Beckham's schedule. DK01 fed him the necessary data:
Classroom locations, seat assignments, professors' names, even the few friends Yuvin used to orbit around.
He took to the days classes dutifully, though restlessness soon crept in. Mathematics and literature lectures blurred into a hum of familiarity—he'd studied them before, in Yukio's skin, and the novelty had long worn thin. Yet, there were still jolts of surprise. A teacher mentioned modern textile chemistry that didn't exist in Yukio's timeline. Another lecture introduced design theory through virtual rendering software Yu had never touched.
What caught him most was Yuvin's major:
Fashion design.
Yu tapped his pencil against his desk, remembering Yukio's own pursuit of beautician studies. Makeup palettes, hair textures, the art of making someone feel beautiful—it had been his pride once. This world's curriculum brushed close to that memory, and for a fleeting second, Yu almost felt… nostalgic. Then the moment passed, replaced by sharper focus.
'The human world keeps teaching me new tricks.'
He thought.
'Even when I think I know it all.'
Between classes, DK01's screen shimmered briefly before his eyes.
[Reward allocated: +20 JP. Completion of previous mission grants Host Yu access to skill unlock. Select now.]
Yu's lips curled.
"About time. Show me the options."
Several skills scrolled past in crisp lines, but one glowed like it was calling to him:
[Volutio Eggo Fertilis.
…The power to alter any body he inhabited to be capable of bearing children…]
His finger hovered only for a breath before pressing confirm.
DK01 cautiously warns Yu.
[Are you certain? This will permanently alter this host body and all subsequent incarnations. It cannot be reversed.]
Yu's grin widened.
"I'm certain."
A plan was already taking shape, half instinct, half long game.
"If I'm going to seduce multiple men alike in multiple worlds like in a manga, I may as well be able to give them heirs."
[...Confirmed. Congratulations, Host Yu. You have regained one of your original Incubus abilities.]
Yu felt the shift immediately, like a subtle rewiring of his form. His core thrummed with power he hadn't felt since before Yukio. He exhaled, exhilarated.
The day wound down, students filtering into the courtyard as classes ended. Yu adjusted his satchel, hazel eyes scanning until they landed—inevitably—on Theo Kingsley leaving the administration building. His stride was clipped, as though he wanted to outrun the world's expectations.
Yu's lips curved.
'Perfect.'
He walked the path at a calculated angle, timing it with precision. As Theo descended the stone steps, Yu adjusted his shoulder strap deliberately loose. The satchel slid, spilling papers and a sketchbook across the walkway—right into Theo's path.
The sound of fluttering pages drew the older man's attention. His steps halted, and for the first time, Yu stood in Theo Kingsley's direct shadow.
Yu bent down slowly, letting his fingers brush over scattered sketches—fashion silhouettes and design concepts—and raised his head just enough to meet Theo's cool eyes.
"Ah! Sorry."
Yu said lightly, his voice carrying the effortless charm of a natural born Incubus.
"Guess I'm more clumsy than I look."
The scattered papers fluttered at Theo's polished shoes. For a moment, he only stared down at them—and at Yu—like deciding whether either were worth his time.
Then he exhaled through his nose, a clipped, measured sound, and crouched. His long fingers gathered the sketches with surprising precision, straightening them into neat stacks before Yu could. His movements were efficient, not charitable—like he was correcting disorder rather than offering help.
When his blue eyes lifted, they locked on Yu's hazel ones. Cold, assessing.
"…Beckham… Yuvin Beckham, right?"
Theo said finally, his voice low, as though tasting a name he barely recognized. He straightened, handing Yu the pages without flourish.
"Joy's… friend. That's the only reason I remember."
His gaze lingered on the fashion sketches—sleek silhouettes and bold color palettes—then flicked back to Yu, unreadable.
Yu accepted the pages with a soft laugh, sliding them back into his satchel. He let his smile hover, warm but not overeager. Measured temptation.
"Yeah! Thanks."
He said, brushing dust from one page before tucking it away.
"Actually, I was just on my way to see Joy. I assume you're heading home now too? Since we're headed the same way…"
He tilted his head, tone casually suggestive.
"…would you mind giving me a ride?"
Theo stilled. His shoulders squared as though he'd just walked into a courtroom. For several beats, silence stretched between them, thick and weighted.
The wind tugged at Theo's light brown hair, stirring it against his temple. His blue eyes held Yu in a stare that was neither refusal nor consent—just heavy calculation.
Students passed around them, their chatter filling the courtyard again, but the air between the two felt sealed off.
Yu, unfazed, only tilted his head further, eyes gleaming with the smallest spark of challenge.
Theo's stare lingered, cold and weighted, long enough that Yu could almost see the calculation happening behind those blue eyes. The hesitation wasn't about whether he could drive Yu—he had the means, the time, the authority. It was about whether he should.
At last, Theo shifted his weight, exhaling through his nose again.
"Fine. Come on before I change my mind."
His voice was clipped, precise, but not unkind.
Yu smiled faintly, inclining his head as though the victory meant nothing more than good timing. He followed Theo toward the sleek black car parked just outside the gates.
The interior was immaculate—leather polished, faint scent of cedar clinging to the air. Theo drove with rigid posture, one hand at the wheel, eyes fixed on the road as though even a glance at Yu might shatter some fragile balance.
At first, the silence stretched. Heavy. Expected. But Yu, ever Incubus, broke it with softness rather than force.
He leaned back, voice calm and melodic, weaving idle observations about the day:
A funny moment in class, a detail he'd learned about fabric blends, the way autumn light looked against the campus archways.
Nothing grand, nothing heavy. Just… human.
And it surprised Theo.
He had expected chatter to be intrusive, an annoyance to be endured. But Yu's tone had a lilt to it—gentle, steady, almost like a low hum of music filling the cabin. Against his better judgment, Theo found it soothing. Once or twice, without realizing, he let the car slow, savoring the sound.
Then he caught himself, jaw tightening, foot pressing back on the accelerator. He reminded himself of the destination, of Joy waiting. He had no business indulging.
Yet the pattern repeated—slow down, then correct, as though he couldn't help but lean closer to that gentle voice.
---
The sprawling Kingsley estate loomed into view, wrought-iron gates opening at their approach. The car rolled up the long driveway, gravel crunching beneath the tires.
Joy stood at the entrance, a bright smile breaking across her face the moment she saw Yu step out of the passenger seat.
Theo cut the engine, stealing one final glance at Yu as the soft chatter ceased. The quiet that filled the car now felt… emptier than it should.
He pushed the thought aside, slipping back into the role of older brother, protector, the one who always bore the weight.
But in the quiet of his chest, he carried the echo of that melodic voice, a comfort he hadn't asked for and wasn't sure he wanted.
Theo gripped the steering wheel a moment longer than necessary after shutting off the engine. The faint hum of Yu's voice still clung to him, like a phantom melody.
It unsettled him.
'Why had it felt… calming?'
Normally, idle chatter grated on him. Students yammering in corridors, acquaintances trying to curry favor—it all pressed against him like noise, useless and distracting. Yet Yu's soft tone hadn't pressed. It had flowed. Smooth. Gentle. Something he could almost relax into if he hadn't been so vigilant.
He caught himself scowling at the memory, jaw tight.
'It was nothing. Just Joy's friend being…friendly. That's all.'
And yet, he remembered how easily his foot had eased off the accelerator, not once but several times, just to prolong it. That troubled him more than he'd admit.
The gates shut behind them as the car eased to a stop. Joy waited at the grand entrance, her light brown hair catching the last of the day's glow, her light brown eyes lighting up as soon as she spotted Yu stepping out of the passenger side.
"Yuvin!"
She exclaimed, hurrying down the steps. She threw her arms around him in a warm embrace, her delight genuine.
"It's been forever—I thought you weren't coming today!"
Yu returned her smile easily, slipping into the role DK01 had briefed him on:
Joy's friend, her confidant.
He hugged her back, his voice as soft and melodic as it had been in the car.
"How could I keep away? Just try and stop me!"
Theo stood a step behind, watching, his expression carefully neutral. The contrast was sharp:
Joy's laughter spilling into the air, Yu's easy warmth, while Theo himself felt like the cold stone of the estate looming overhead.
As Joy eagerly tugged him inside, Yu's Incubus core—hidden beneath Yuvin's hazel eyes—was quietly at work. He matched Joy's energy, answered her questions with gentle wit, slipped into her orbit as though he'd always belonged.
Theo lingered, silent, observing the dynamic unfold. A part of him bristled, though he couldn't place why.
Meanwhile, DK01's translucent screen flickered in the corner of Yu's vision, its voice curt.
[What is your strategy, Host Yu? You are devoting effort to Joy instead of immediate target engagement.]
Yu's lips curved faintly, though no one could hear his response. He spoke only in the quiet of his mind.
'Patience is key. A hunter doesn't snare prey by rushing. Let him watch me with his sister. Let him grow curious, even wary. Curiosity is the first thread to pull.'
The Kingsley estate glowed warm with lamplight as the siblings welcomed Yu deeper into their home. Joy all but monopolized his attention at dinner, chattering about her online classes, the fabrics she was obsessed with, and her interests in Yu's latest fashion sketches.
Yu listened with an attentive smile, nodding in all the right places, slipping in remarks that kept Joy laughing. He asked about her latest designs, complimented her sense of color, and shared small anecdotes from his own fashion coursework.
Joy's delight was radiant, her trust in him absolute. She leaned close, touched his arm freely, and spoke as though no one else in the world was worth her time.
Across the table, Theo sat silent. He ate little, said less. His blue eyes lingered on the interaction longer than he realized, as if measuring the space Yu occupied, the sway of Joy's emotions around him. Something about it gnawed at him, but he stayed quiet, letting the meal end with Joy still smiling wide.
---
Later that night, Theo sat alone in his leather chair in the dim-lit study. Shadows stretched long across the bookshelves, the fire reduced to faint embers. He steepled his hands before his mouth, lost in thought.
Yu's presence unsettled him in ways he could not name.
It wasn't jealousy. Not exactly. Yuvin Beckham was just Joy's friend, her harmless companion. Yet the softness in his voice, the way it carried so easily into every room, had dug into Theo's awareness. He could still hear it if he sat in silence too long.
Theo exhaled sharply, shaking his head.
'Nonsense. A distraction I don't need.'
He pushed himself from the chair with a sigh, deciding to leave the study and prepare for bed.
Theo crossed the hall and opened the bathroom door—only to freeze.
The sight before him snapped the fatigue clean out of his body.
Yuvin Beckham—Yu—stood there, half undressed, pants and boxers tangled at his ankles. His shirt, long and baggy, just barely draped low enough to preserve modesty. His legs, long and porcelain-pale, were fully exposed under the warm bathroom light.
Yu's head whipped up at the sound of the door. Their eyes locked. Hazel to blue.
For a breath, the silence was absurdly heavy—comical in its indecency.
Theo's hand still gripped the doorknob, his posture rigid, every part of him screaming to look away yet unable to move.
Yu blinked once, wide-eyed, the faintest pink rising to his cheeks.
"...Uh."
The moment stretched, absurd and electric, neither of them breaking it first.