Chapter 90: The Blackmail (3/3)
"Wait, why am I so stupid to explain myself to you? I'll just kill you and get rid of you for blackmailing me."
Her expression turned dark, her eyes shifting with murderous intent as Nagare taunted her with the photographs, holding them up like a winning hand. Her Succubus form exploded outward, longer nails that could cut steel, devil-like wings sprouting from her back, an impish black tail lashing behind her.
She attacked without hesitation.
Her claws raked through the air, aimed at his throat. He dodged, barely, his body twisting with surprising speed. His Yokai form fully emerged, transforming into a monstrous, ugly Slime, a shifting mass of green sludge, his beady eyes still visible within the muck.
"Too slow, Kurumu-chan!" he taunted, his voice gurgling.
She pressed the attack, her claws slicing through his body. The blade of her extended nails carved him into pieces, chunks of slime flying in all directions. She landed, breathing heavily, watching the pieces splatter against the ground.
But then the pieces began to move.
The chunks of slime crawled toward each other, reforming, pulling together like liquid metal. Within seconds, Nagare was whole again, his shape restored, his grin wider than ever.
"Did you really think that would work?" he laughed, his voice dripping with mockery. "I'm a Slime, Kurumu-chan. You can cut me into a thousand pieces, and I'll still be here. All of my pieces, all of me."
She gritted her teeth, frustration boiling in her chest. A weak monster, but the regeneration ability was monstrous. It made him nearly unkillable.
"What's wrong?" he taunted, his body shifting. "Can't kill me? How pathetic. And here I thought you were stronger than me. You're still just a weak Succubus playing at being something more."
"You are the pathetic one, you walking pile of shit!" she spat.
"Watch your tongue, Kurumu-chan." He waved his hand, and a cloud of green gas began to seep from his body. "I've got plenty of tricks. Let's see how you handle this."
The gas spread toward her, thick and cloying, carrying the stench of rot. Her eyes stung, her throat tightening as she breathed it in.
'Paralyzing gas?'
She recognized the effect immediately.
She flapped her wings, creating a gust of wind that swept the gas away. The Slime's eyes widened in surprise.
"You're not the only one with tricks," she said.
She launched herself forward, her body a blur of motion. 'Whiplash'. Her claws and tail moved in perfect synchronization, a rapid series of strikes that carved deep furrows into Nagare's slimy form.
Each hit staggered him, forcing him back but he wasn't dead.
"Again! It is useless against me!" shouted Nagare as his body reformed like a resilient cockroach, continuing to annoy Kurumu.
"Then, I'll let you taste a bliss you have never got before."
Her tail lashed out, catching him across the face, sending a spray of green sludge in all directions. She followed up with a claw strike to his chest, ripping through his form. He reformed, but slower this time. She could see the strain in his movements.
But she hadn't been slacking off since she started receiving guidance from Shizuka when it came to Youjutsu. She had been training for a while learning how to better put to use her Youjutsu. And now, she was going to put that training to use.
She formed black magical seals with her hands while gathering Yoki into her body. A whip-like tendril of dark energy materialized in her grip, crackling with power.
'Lash of Desire.'
The black-purple tendril shot forward, wrapping around Nagare's leg. She yanked hard, pulling him off balance, sending him crashing to the ground. Before he could reform, she was on him again, her claws descending in a flurry of strikes.
"You think you can defeat me?" he snarled. "You think you can just walk away from what you did?"
"Watching you get destroyed will satisfy me. It will wash away that stain."
Nagare stood no chance against Kurumu, since her speed and power were beyond superior, approaching closer to A-tier compared to his measly C-tier Slime status. The difference should have been insurmountable.
But his regeneration kept him going, and his taunts kept chipping away at her resolve.
"What do you think Aono will say when he sees those pictures, Kurumu-chan?" Nagare's voice slithered through the air, sickly sweet. "Do you think he'll still want you? A dirty Succubus who let herself be photographed like a common whore?"
Her claws trembled.
"He'll abandon you, you know. He'll look at you with disgust. All those girls he surrounds himself with, all those beautiful, pure girls. He'll realize you're not one of them. Why would he trade Moka Akashiya for you?"
She was winning the fight, but he was winning the psychological war. Every time she cut him, he reformed. Every time she blasted him with wind, he absorbed the blow. She could feel her stamina draining, her Yoki flickering.
'I could use my Succubi powers,' she thought, the temptation rising in her chest. 'Just this once. I could charm him, make him forget all this, make him willing give me those pictures.'
Her tail lashed, her hands twitching. But she couldn't allow herself to become that bitchy girl again, the one who had to rely on that power to survive. She had come so far. She had changed so much. She couldn't go back.
The respite time she gave herself, trying to calm her thoughts, was enough for Nagare to make his last-ditch effort.
"Stop this madness, Kurumu-chan," he said, his voice soothing, sickly sweet. "Even if you defeat me, even if you kill me and scatter my pieces, I've already taken precautions."
"I gave copies of those pictures to one of my comrades from the Fan Club. If I fail tonight, they will continue the mission of having you return to our embrace."
Ice flooded her veins just imagining the fall of her own image.
"And if I send any of the guys from my Fan Club on this mission, they will be relentless. You'll never be safe, Kurumu-chan. We will ruin your reputation in the entire Academy."
He paused, letting the threat sink in.
"But if you do what I ask, I might forgive you for abandoning us. I might not spread all those hentai pictures to the whole Academy. I might keep them for myself. Our little secret."
He reached into his body, pulling out a bundle of fabric. He tossed it at her feet, and she could see what it was. A maid outfit. Frilly and humiliating. The kind of costume you'd find in a cheap hentai magazine.
"Now be a good girl and just cosplay for me." His form shifted back to his human shape, his slimy features receding. "If you know what's best for you, and your relation with that Aono bastard, put it on."
He had shed his monstrous form, but he was still a monster.
"You're afraid that if those pictures get out, he'll see you for what you really are, a cheap, manipulative woman who used her powers to control others. That he'll see you as just a body."
She wanted to deny it. Wanted to tell him he was wrong. But the words wouldn't come.
Because the seed of doubt was planted there since day one of meeting Tsukune and receiving a chance at redemption. He was right, she's not worthy of receiving Tsukune's affection.
"Put it on," he said, his voice dripping with anticipation. "We're going to have a little photoshoot, you and me. I want to capture your beauty, all of it, so I can enjoy it properly whenever I want."
"Take your time. I want to get every angle. Every perfect inch of that gorgeous body of yours."
She stared at the outfit, her mind reeling, this maid clothing was too sultry, the fabrics you could tell would reveal everything once she put it on. Everything about it screamed degradation.
And yet she was about to do exactly that.
"No. I'm not doing this."
She said it, but she didn't believe it. Because there was no other option.
"You're not in a position to refuse, Kurumu-chan." He pulled out the photographs, fanning them out like a winning hand of cards. "Unless you want these to go public. Unless you want everyone to see what you really are."
Her heart stopped.
Because that was the truth, wasn't it? He'd seen through her, seen the cheap, manipulative woman she'd been. He'd strip away all of the bravado and leave her exposed. When that happened, she'd be alone again.
'Alone. When Tsukune-kun sees this, he'll think I'm still that same person who tried to enslave him.'
'I'll be abandoned by the love of my life.'
'To protect my life with Tsukune-kun… I'll do as he says.'
Nagare in that moment felt over the moon, proud of his achievement. He had used Kurumu's fears to cage her in defeat.
She hated him for it. But she hated herself more for being so weak.
"This is what I deserve," she whispered, reaching down to pick up the outfit. "For all the people I hurt before... this is what I deserve."
Nagare's grin widened as he watched her accept her fate. He pulled out a camera, old and bulky, and held it up to his eye. "That's right. Good girl. Now, put it on. Nice and slow. I want to get every angle."
She changed into the maid outfit, her fingers trembling as she fastened the straps. She hated herself for doing this, revealing her body to someone this disgusting. She hated him for making her do it.
But she had no choice.
Nagare watched her with hungry eyes, his grin stretching wider and wider. His breathing had become labored, his camera ready to immortalize this moment of humiliation.
Then a gush of vampire bats spread across the courtyard like a wave of darkness. Dozens of them, then hundreds, their crimson forms blotting out the last light of the setting sun. They swarmed around Kurumu's body like a cloak, protecting her from his lecherous gaze.
"I've seen enough."
The shadows behind Nagare rippled, and Kurumu froze, her heart pounding in her ears.
'This voice... it's Tsukune-kun!'
'B-But why is he here? He's so busy with the Gazette release.'
'Nooo, I can't face him looking so pathetic!'
She looked up, and her breath caught in her throat.
Tsukune emerged from the darkness like a ghost, his form solidifying as he activated his Shadow Stride. He stood behind Nagare, his eyes emotionless, his expression unreadable. His crimson irises were fixed on the Slime with an intensity that made the temperature around them drop, white hair contrasting with his handsome vampiric features.
'This is him in his Vampire Form... He must be truly angry.'
'It's the first time I've seen him like this since he transformed back at the Swimming Club.'
Behind him, the shadows continued to writhe. Dozens of Vampire Familiars materialized, their tiny forms emerging from the darkness like a swarm of crimson locusts. They fluttered in the air, their eyes gleaming with hunger, their presence a looming threat of overwhelming violence.
Nagare froze, the camera slipping from his fingers. "Wha... what is this? Aono? How did you—?"
Tsukune didn't answer. Instead, he raised his hand, and from the shadows at his feet, something began to take shape. The Slime, who had reverted to his monstrous form, was pushed away instantly by the sheer pressure of Tsukune's Yoki.
The creature that emerged was massive. Its features grew more lifelike with each passing moment, and the terror and dread of a lesser being made Nagare realize what he was looking at.
It was a dragon.
The Red-Eyes Black Dragon emerged from the darkness, its massive form blotting out, its crimson eyes blazing with fury. Its scales gleamed like polished obsidian, and its wings spread wide, casting a shadow that swallowed the clearing.
Nagare stared up at the dragon, his face pale, his body trembling. "A-Aono? H-How could you have a d-dragon as a Familiar? Weren't you using the bats? How is this even possible? A dragon is the pinnacle of this world!"
Tsukune once again ignored the monster trembling in fear. Instead, he turned to Kurumu, his expression softening as he saw her in that skimpy maid outfit. In these moments his mind wasn't even in that direction of 'objectifying' Kurumu's hot looks, no, he felt disappointed for many reasons the young girl wouldn't know.
"Why haven't you asked for help, Kurumu-chan?" asked Tsukune with a softer expression on his vampiric features.
She opened her mouth to respond, but no words came out. She could only stare at him, her heart pounding in her chest.
"You know that I wouldn't get angry at you for such small things. Especially when it comes to something as serious as being blackmailed."
"I watched the fight for a bit. Early on, you've done great pushing your advantage, but why have you stopped from using your Succubi powers when you could have easily caught that slime rat?"
"Are you once again worrying about how I would react knowing you used your Succubus Allure? Don't you already know that I don't care what other people think of you?"
Kurumu lowered her head, her shoulders shaking. She dropped to her knees, the maid outfit bunching around her. She couldn't look at him. Couldn't bear to see the disappointment in his eyes.
"I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice cracking. "I'm sorry for being weak. I'm sorry for not trusting you. I'm sorry... I'm sorry for everything."
Nagare, still trembling from his encounter with the dragon, found his voice again. His delusion was stronger than his fear. "You think you can just ignore me? You think you can—"
Tsukune turned back to face him, and the coldness returned to his eyes. His crimson irises flared with such murderous intent that Nagare's words died in his throat. The Slime's body convulsed, his form flickering as the sheer pressure of Tsukune's Yoki bore down on him.
"Can't you read the room, disgusting slime?" Tsukune's voice was flat, carrying no emotion. "I was having a moment with my girl, and you interrupted."
He took a step closer, and Nagare instinctively backed away.
"You made a mistake tonight, slime," he said, his voice dropping to something colder. "You threatened and blackmailed one of my girls. You thought you could get away with it because no one gives a fuck what takes place in this wretched place ." He paused, letting the words sink in. "But it's time the current order of this Academy is finally shattered."
Nagare's voice cracked. "W-What? What are you implying? Are you trying to break the rules of the Academy? I warn you, if you kill me, all of my Clan will make sure you're dead."
Tsukune's smile was thin, devilish, the smile of a man who had already decided your fate.
"Ohh, the more the merrier, since my Sword still requires more nutrients to finally stabilize itself after I made it share some benefits with me."
"I will wait for your Clan to show inside the Academy so I could wipe them too."
"No one will miss a bunch of disgusting slimes. Red-Eyes. Destroy him."
The dragon's maw opened, and a vortex of crimson energy gathered in its throat. Nagare's pupils dilated with terror, his body convulsing as he tried to dissolve his body into tiny bits and escape while using the cracks of the ground.
But it was irrelevant to Red-Eyes who blasted a jet of flames on his body, erupting the slime's body into a greenish sludge before it vaporized in a second. The heat was immense, a wave of pure destruction that left nothing behind but a scorched crater where he had been standing moments before.
The Slime Yokai was gone. Not a trace remained, and even if the commotion he made would be noticed by many rats hiding in the corners of this Academy, he was resolute that he would no longer hide.
Tsukune lowered his hand, and the Red-Eyes Black Dragon dissolved into shadow, its massive form receding back into the darkness from which it had come. The Vampire Familiars fluttered for a moment longer, then faded into the night, returning to their own posts, surveilling the whole Academy.
The clearing was silent and a long sigh escaped from Tsukune.
He stepped closer to Kurumu, his hand reaching out to cup her cheek. She flinched, expecting him to pull away, but he held her gaze, his crimson eyes warm with something she didn't dare name.
"I am proud of you, Kurumu. But for real, you shouldn't limit your full powers and let all of those muppets embarrass you. All that matters in the end is that I see you. The real you."
Her breath hitched. "Tsukune-kun..."
"Whatever you did in the past, whatever mistakes you made, they don't define you as long you have admitted to your mistakes."
He leaned in, his forehead pressing against hers.
"And don't you dare say you're not worthy. You're more than worthy. You've always been more than worthy."
A sob escaped her lips, and she collapsed against him.
"Tsukune-kun... I feel so unworthy." The words tumbled out of her, straight from her heart, unfiltered. "I see how you're growing stronger, how you're getting more popular with the girls. I notice how Chizuru-senpai looks at you, even Nonko-senpai. How Moka fights for your attention, not including Inner Moka. And I feel like... like the only good thing about me is my body. Nothing else."
She clutched his shirt, her fingers trembling.
"I'm loud. I'm messy. I'm dumb. I can be such an annoying person to be around. I don't have Inner Moka's grace, the innocent side of Outer Moka, Mizore's quiet personality, Chizuru's elegance or even Yukari's intelligence. I'm just... me. And I'm terrified that one day I will not be enough."
She told him all of it, words tumbling out in a flood of self-loathing.
"I'm scared, Tsukune-kun. I'm scared that you'll see me as a burden, that you'll realize you don't need me. That I'm not worth the trouble."
He knelt beside her, his hand coming up to cup her cheek. His thumb brushed away a tear she hadn't realized she'd shed.
"Kurumu-chan... I think you're entirely wrong."
She blinked, caught off guard. "What? How can you say that? You've heard everything I—"
"I like you, Kurumu-chan. And I've just been trying to find the courage in myself to face my own heart."
Her breath caught in her throat. "You... what?"
"I like both the good traits in you and the bad ones you mentioned. No one is perfect. Especially not me. I can be a selfish asshole and a narcissist that ignores other people's needs when I get too focused on my goals."
"And if you're willing to accept me, the arrangement I've mentioned before—we can start building this relationship. Slowly. We can go on dates. Have some alone time without the others bothering us, truly starting to know each other."
In her maid outfit, Kurumu looked up at Tsukune's face, tears streaming down her cheeks. She nodded, a weak, vulnerable and trembling smile spreading across her lips.
"I accept," she whispered. "I want to be one of your girlfriends. But I have to warn you... I'm a needy girl. I can be clingy and jealous. I'll want your attention all the time."
A slow smile spread across his face. "Who isn't needy? I think I'm the most needy person I know. I want all the affection I can get, and I'm planning to get it from all the girls I love."
Tsukune chuckled, and before she could figure out what was happening, he leaned in and kissed her lips. It was gentle at first, then deeper, more passionate.
Kurumu felt like the world had stopped. Her mind was overclocking from the sheer reality of it all. Tsukune, her Tsukune was kissing her, just like she'd dreamed for so long.
Her heart swelled with joy as she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. She melted into the kiss, pouring all the love and fear and hope she'd been carrying into that single moment.
When they finally broke apart, she was breathless, her cheeks flushed, her eyes shining with unshed tears of joy.
"I feel so fulfilled. My heart feels so full now that you've said yes," she whispered, her voice trembling.
He smiled, his hand still cupping her cheek. "Next time someone bothers you, tell me. I'm your boyfriend now. And it's my responsibility to protect you."
She didn't know what to say. Her brain was still processing the fact that she was the girlfriend of the man she'd been pining for so long.
Then, emboldened, she pushed herself up on her tiptoes and kissed him again, more confident this time, more sure of herself and what she wanted.
When they separated, it was clear that she gathered herself and her mood shifted all over since she gave him a sly smile. She twirled in place, showing off the slutty maid outfit. "How shall I serve you, Goshujin-sama?" she asked, her voice playful, sultry. "I can offer you the following: cook something delicious for you, prepare you a bath to clean you off that slime residue—"
She stepped closer, her voice dropping to a whisper.
"Or I can give you myself."
His eyes widened slightly, then his smile turned impish. "My, oh my, all of them are tempting. Do I get only one pick to choose?"
"For you, Goshujin-sama, your maid Kurumu is offering herself and her heart to you."
"I didn't know I was getting a maid girlfriend out of this arrangement," he said, reaching out to brush a strand of blue hair from her face. "Of course, I will choose you if it's on the menu."
She laughed and it felt as if all of the tension she's been carrying was released. She pressed herself against him, burying her face in his chest, her fingers clutching the fabric of his shirt.
"I love you, Tsukune-kun," she whispered, her voice finally steady. "I've loved you since the day you opened my eyes to what being a person is like. And I'll always be yours."
He held her close, his chin resting on the top of her head.
"I'm counting on that, Kurumu-chan. Because I think I'm falling deeper in love with you too."
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