Chapter 15: The Succubus, The Shield, and The Conqueror's Haki!
[Ding~]
The soft, unassuming sound of the system notification belied the sheer magnitude of the power that was about to be unleashed.
[Ding~ Subordinate Albedo's bond has been upgraded!]
[Previous Level: Stranger -> New Level: Intimate Friend]
[Reward Issued: High-Tier Armament Haki (Ryuo)!]
[Ding~ Anomaly Continues...]
[Bond Level Upgraded Again!]
[New Level: Shared Life and Death (MAX)]
[Reward Issued: Peak-Tier Conqueror's Haki!]
The notifications rang loudly in Suzaku's mind, like the tolling of a great bell.
Immediately following, a majestic, terrifying power surged into his body from the void.
It wasn't gentle. It was a tsunami.
The infusion of High-Tier Armament Haki brought not only the knowledge of how to flow his spirit outside his body but also a thorough tempering of his physical vessel to handle the strain. He felt as if every inch of muscle, every bone, and every nerve ending was being shattered and then instantly reconstructed by an invisible, iron-hard force.
And then came the Conqueror's Haki.
His soul felt like it was expanding, pushing against the confines of his skull. The will of a King, which had been a flickering flame before, roared into a towering inferno.
"Guh...!"
Suzaku gritted his teeth, clutching his chest. The surging power erupted wildly from his limbs and bones like a breaking flood!
This sudden surge of power was so intense that it left him momentarily euphoric, drunk on strength, yet also physically overwhelmed. His knees buckled slightly, and sweat beaded on his forehead.
Albedo, who had kept her full attention on her new Master with the intensity of a laser, immediately noticed the abnormality.
She took half a step forward, her beautiful face filled with unconcealed concern and anxiety. Her black wings flared out instinctively, ready to shield him from whatever invisible enemy was attacking him.
"Lord Suzaku!" Her voice carried a hint of genuine panic. "What is wrong? Your aura... it is fluctuating wildly! Is it a curse? An enemy attack?"
She reached out, her hands hovering over him, afraid to touch him lest she cause more harm.
"I will destroy whatever is doing this to you!"
"No... wait..."
Suzaku took a deep, ragged breath. He closed his eyes, mentally wrestling the raging Haki into submission. He forced the power to settle, to flow through his meridians instead of bursting them.
He stood up straight, wiping the sweat from his brow. He forced a smile, though it was a bit shaky.
"It's nothing, Albedo. My strength just... suddenly increased a bit. I'm not quite used to the upgrade yet."
Seeing Suzaku's expression gradually stabilize and his breathing return to normal, Albedo finally felt a little relieved. She lowered her hands, though her golden eyes remained fixed on him without blinking, scanning him for any sign of weakness.
"Strength increased?" she murmured, looking him up and down. "Indeed. The pressure you emit is now... significantly more majestic. It is fitting for a Supreme Being."
Suzaku curiously walked to the small mirror hanging on the cabin wall. He wanted to see if the physical tempering had left any marks.
He was surprised to find that his complexion seemed to have become fairer and more lustrous, as if his skin had been refined into high-grade porcelain. His muscle lines, visible through his open shirt, had become smoother and firmer. They didn't look overly bulky like a bodybuilder's, but rather compact and dense, containing explosive power like a leopard.
"Wait a minute," Suzaku muttered, turning his face side to side. "This change... it seems to have made me quite a bit handsomer too! My jawline is sharper."
He touched his face in the mirror, his tone filled with pleasant surprise.
"I didn't expect strength enhancement to come with a free beauty treatment? Nice."
In high spirits, he turned around and smiled genuinely at the woman standing behind him.
"Albedo, you truly are my lucky star! Just summoning you made me stronger!"
"Ah—"
Hearing this direct praise, Albedo froze.
She lightly covered her cheeks with her hands, a captivating blush instantly spreading from her earlobes down to the side of her neck, contrasting beautifully with her pale skin and black hair.
Ripples appeared in her golden vertical pupils. Her breathing became shallow.
"L-Lord Suzaku... are you praising me? Is this... is this what they call a confession?"
Her voice trembled slightly from excitement, her wings fluttering with a soft thwip-thwip sound.
"You called me your 'Lucky Star'... Does this mean I am your favorite? Are you planning to... to take me right here?"
She glanced at the narrow bed in the corner of the cabin, her eyes darkening with lust.
"The bed is small, but I don't mind. I can adjust my size..."
Seeing the conversation rapidly speeding toward an uncontrollable and dangerous (R-18) direction, a layer of cold sweat instantly beaded on Suzaku's forehead again.
This woman is dangerous in a different way!
"Wait! Stop! I didn't mean it like that!"
Suzaku quickly interrupted her increasingly perilous speech, waving his hands.
"I meant... you are a great asset! A valuable companion! Now, let's go! I'll take you up to meet the others on the ship first! Fresh air is good!"
Although her wonderful fantasy was interrupted, Albedo was not annoyed in the slightest. To her, even a rejection from her Master was a form of interaction to be treasured.
She obediently lowered her head, her face still bearing that intoxicating blush.
"Hehe~ Since it is Lord Suzaku's request," she replied softly, her eyes hazy with devotion. "Whatever it is... I will satisfy you. Eventually."
As he led Albedo toward the stairs leading to the deck, Suzaku decided to check the stats. He needed to know exactly what he was working with.
He brought up the system interface to carefully examine his brand-new status panel.
[Host Status: Suzaku Yareon]
Age: 18
Physique: Calamity-Tier (Upgraded from Elite!)
Note: Your very physical existence is a natural disaster. You can punch through battleships barehanded.
Haki Status:
Armament: High-Tier (Ryuo/Emission) - Capable of internal destruction.
Observation: Beginner-Tier (Needs training).
Conqueror's: Peak-Tier (Emperor Level Pressure).
Bloodline: Vermilion Bird Form (Phase 1 - High Integration).
Skills: Basic Swordsmanship, Feather of Scorching Fire, Phoenix Wing Flight.
Legend Points: 135 [2,000 consumed].
"Constitution jumped directly from 'Elite-Tier' to 'Calamity-Tier'?" Suzaku mused inwardly, his eyes widening. "The system skipped the intermediate Hero-Tier entirely..."
It made sense. To fully wield High-Tier Armament Haki without exploding, his body needed to be a vessel capable of holding that power. The system had force-adapted his biology to match his soul.
"It seems I'm no longer human," he thought, clenching his fist. The air popped in his grip. "I'm a monster."
A powerful sense of confidence spontaneously arose.
"Although Observation Haki is still lagging, I now possess all three types of Haki. And with Advanced Conqueror's... in the first half of the Grand Line, there aren't many people who can stop me. Maybe only Smoker or Crocodile would be a threat."
Next, he turned his gaze toward Albedo, who was walking elegantly beside him, her wings tucked in tight to fit through the doorway.
Her status data was even more shocking.
[Subordinate: Albedo]
Race: Succubus (Demon)
Constitution: Legend-Tier
Note: Possesses terrifying defensive power comparable to "Iron Balloon" Charlotte Linlin (Big Mom). Her recovery and adaptability far exceed awakened Mythical Zoan users.
Haki Status (Adapted):
Armament: Peak-Tier [Skill: Black Abyss]
Description: Projects Armament Haki to form an absolute defensive domain. Can deflect, absorb, or reflect energy attacks.
Observation: High-Tier
Description: Wide-range sensing. Extremely strong insight into malice and intent.
Conqueror's: High-Tier [Skill: Aura of Despair]
Description: Manifests as a mental oppression field. Inflicts 'Fear' status on opponents of the same tier.
Equipment:
[3F] (Ginnungagap): A World Item transformed into a weapon. Surpasses the quality of a Supreme Grade Blade (Saijo O Wazamono). Can transform into a bardiche/battle axe.
Skills: Demonic Wing Strike, Indestructible Guardian Barrier, Aegis of the Master.
Suzaku stared at the screen, nearly holding his breath.
"This panel... is ridiculously powerful!"
Albedo's stats were broken. Her defense was Legend-Tier—literally comparable to Kaido or Big Mom. She was a walking fortress.
"Albedo's strength has definitely crossed the threshold of Admiral/Emperor-Tier," Suzaku analyzed. "Even if her offensive power is slightly lower than a pure DPS like Kaido, her absolute defense is arguably the strongest shield in the world."
"Besides monsters of the same tier, who could withstand a single blow from her? This time, I truly... struck gold!"
Having Albedo by his side was like possessing an absolute barrier. No sniper, no assassin, no Admiral would be able to touch him easily.
"This sense of security," Suzaku smiled, stepping out onto the sunlit deck. "It is truly subarashii."
On the Deck of the Vermilion Wing.
Nami was at the helm, humming a tune as she counted the remaining distance to Loguetown. Rem was sweeping the deck nearby.
The door to the captain's quarters opened.
"Hey, everyone! I have news!"
Nami turned around with a smile. "What is it, Suz—"
Her voice died in her throat. Her eyes widened into perfect circles.
Behind Suzaku, emerging from the shadows like a dark angel, was a woman. She was tall, curvaceous, and stunningly beautiful.
But she had horns.
And wings. Giant, black, feathery wings.
"S-Suzaku!" Nami shrieked, her voice cracking. She pointed a shaking finger at Albedo. "S-S-She... who is she?! Where did she come from?! You were hiding a woman in your room?! And she has wings!!"
Rem stopped sweeping. She turned slowly, her blue eye scanning the newcomer. She sensed the immense power radiating from the woman immediately. It was dark, heavy, and far stronger than her own.
"Lord Suzaku," Rem asked calmly, though her grip on the broom tightened. "Is this... lady a new companion? Just like Rem?"
Suzaku took a deep breath. He had prepared for this.
"Everyone, meet Albedo."
He gestured to the succubus, who curtsied elegantly, her wings spreading slightly in a display of dominance.
"As for where she came from..."
Suzaku decided to stick to the lie he had formulated. It was the easiest explanation for the people of this world.
"This is my 'ability'!" he declared with confidence. "It counts as a rather special... um... Devil Fruit ability! The Summon-Summon Fruit! I can summon companions from other places to fight for me!"
He tried to keep his explanation vague to avoid questions about multiverses.
"Summoning?"
Nami blinked, slowly retracting the shock from her face. She looked at Albedo's wings, then at Rem's horn (which was currently hidden).
"There's a Devil Fruit like that? I've never heard of it in the illustrated encyclopedia... But then again, there are many weird fruits."
She rubbed her chin, accepting the logic. Then, she suddenly narrowed her eyes.
She marched up to Suzaku, nudging him hard in the ribs with her elbow.
"But why is the new companion another beautiful woman?" she whispered mischievously, glancing at Albedo's impressive chest. "First a maid, now a... whatever she is. Suzaku, you're not secretly a pervert building a harem, are you?"
"Uh... well... stop complaining!" Suzaku stammered, feeling Albedo's gaze intensify at the word 'harem'. "It's random! I don't choose the gender!"
He cleared his throat, addressing the group.
"In short, her name is Albedo. She is the Guardian Overseer, and she is extremely strong—probably stronger than all of us combined. She is our new shield!"
Albedo stepped forward. She smiled, a expression that was polite but clearly established her hierarchy.
"Greetings," she said, her voice smooth as silk. "I am Albedo. I exist to serve Lord Suzaku. As long as you are loyal to him, we will get along."
Her eyes flashed gold.
"But if you betray him... I will eat you."
Nami gulped. "Understood! Nice to meet you!"
Rem bowed slightly. "Rem welcomes you. Rem hopes you do not leave dirt on the deck."
"I float," Albedo replied simply.
And thus, the crew of the Vermilion Wing gained its third monster.
[Akarin Note:
Your Support Keeps This Story Alive!
If you're enjoying this novel, your support means the world to me. Simple actions like leaving a review, power stone, comment, or sharing the story let me know you're out there. It's the greatest motivation for me to keep updating until the very end and ensures this project continues.
For those who wish to support me more directly, you can join my Patreon at [patreon.com/AkarinTL]. As a thank-you, you'll receive access to 50 advanced chapters.
As a special offer, I've opened a few limited-time tiers at a discounted price! You will get all the benefits of "The Founding Pillars" (normally $20), but at a much cheaper rate.
These slots are extremely limited:
"The Plot Uncoverer": $4.99 (Save 75% / $15.01) - Only 3 slots
"The Dedicated Fan": $9.99 (Save 50% / $10.01) - Only 7 slots
"The Lore Diver": $14.99 (Save 25% / $5.01) - Only 15 slots
I hope I am still worthy of your support. My life truly depends on this... haha, I know I'm so shameless.]