The villagers slowly raised their heads, their gazes - still hazy from the impact of the aura - wandering chaotically until they settled on Lilith. The silence was broken by the dull sound of meat hitting the ground; Lysandra had contemptuously tossed Verial's corpse at their feet.
The elders' eyes widened to their limits. "It's... it's impossible... The Chieftain..." they began to stammer, their voices trembling so violently they were barely intelligible.
Lysandra had no intention of waiting for their laments. Her eyes flared blue as she raised her hand. In a single second, a wave of frost swept through the village. The archer towers, ballistae, heavy palisades, and defensive walls they had built for years were covered in a thick layer of ice.
Finally, her gaze rested on the Chieftain's largest, richly decorated tent. With one short gesture, she turned it into a gigantic, dead block of ice.
The werewolves, who had instinctively tightened their hands on the hilts of their knives, recoiled in terror as Mina joined Lilith. The small succubus walked slowly, with that innocent yet predatory smile of hers, and the warriors parted before her as if she were the very embodiment of death.
Elina watched all this, her ears stiff with terror. Why? hammered in her head. How could Verial have provoked someone so powerful?
"What is happening?" someone asked timidly from the crowd, looking at the dead chieftain. "Did... did you kill him?"
Lilith snorted, the sound like the crack of a whip. She took a step forward, and her aura struck them with full force again.
"You insignificant, stupid, and overconfident creatures dared to attack my territory," her voice was low, vibrating with dread. "Have you already prepared yourselves for my wrath?!"
Under the influence of the new wave of her aura, the werewolves felt physical pain. One by one they fell to their knees, and the truth finally flared in their minds: it was all Verial's fault. His pride had brought destruction upon them.
Heroes and Demon Kings were natural, inherent enemies. The system created them to slaughter one another. And she... was the last living heroine in this village.
A system notification lit up Lilith's field of vision, and the accompanying sound was the most beautiful music to her ears:
[323 Werewolves have surrendered to you!]
[You have conquered the Blood Fang tribe. You have obtained a Bronze Treasure Chest!]
Lilith smiled broadly. Including those she had caught in the Canyon, she now had over 500 werewolves under her command. Although a significant portion of the villagers were women and elders who would handle logistics and maintenance, her workforce in the mines was finally taking real shape.
"This is your new chieftain," Lilith pointed a finger at Varg, who stood stiffly beside her. "He will help you move to your new territory next to my domain. Listen to him as you would listen to me."
The elders and warriors looked at Varg in disbelief. The misfit, the outcast with white patches on his shoulders, was to rule them? However, as soon as their gaze met Lysandra's demonic silhouette or Mina's predatory smile, any protests died in their throats. They began to bow submissively to Lilith, almost licking her feet just to avoid the Demon's wrath.
Lilith, satisfied with the course of the "negotiations," was already straightening her wings to depart when her gaze suddenly stopped on one of the werewolves huddled in the crowd. A cold, predatory smirk bloomed on her lips.
The werewolf blinked nervously and tried to push deeper among its companions, but it was too late. Lilith reached out and pointed a finger.
"Sweetie... maybe you could come over here?" she said in a sweet voice dripping with venom.
The "werewolf" lunged into a desperate escape, but Mina was faster. Green vines shot from the ground, entangling the fugitive's legs in a fraction of a second, immobilizing them in place. The other werewolves, sensing incoming trouble, immediately backed away, creating an empty circle.
Under the stress and the grip of the magical plants, the "werewolf's" form began to flicker and shrink until finally, the illusion shattered completely. On the ground, trapped in the vines, sat a terrified rabbit-girl.
"Hey there..." Lilith approached slowly, looking down at her. "So, we have another Hero here?"
Lilith was genuinely intrigued. Why was a rabbit-girl hiding in a werewolf tribe as one of their own?
Elina possessed a talent called [High-Grade Perfect Mimicry]. It allowed her to transform into any race she had ever seen. Although it was a purely superficial change - she didn't gain a werewolf's strength or an elf's magic - the visual and olfactory aspect was perfect.
In the case of Heroes, talents played a role similar to the unique paths of Demon Kings - they evolved and grew more powerful with each level.
Clever, Lilith thought, looking at the struggling Elina. She was likely trying to blend into the crowd of subjects, hoping I'd overlook her in the chaos so she could find an opportunity to escape as soon as I looked away.
Even Lilith's demonic eyes, despite her inhuman sight, wouldn't have been able to see through Elina's transformation at this level. The only reason she saw through the rabbit-girl's identity was her merciless Analysis, which displayed the Hero status in black and white above the "werewolf's" head.
Lilith extended one long, black claw and, with inhuman precision, sliced through Mina's vines. Then she grabbed Elina by the collar and lifted her in front of her face. In the Monarch's grip, Elina was like a common ant - powerless and completely at the predator's mercy.
Seeing the shimmering talons so close to her throat, Elina panicked. Her heart beat so fast it nearly drowned out her own thoughts.
"Mistress, mercy! Please, don't kill me!" she choked out, her rabbit ears trembling violently.
Lilith smiled broadly, revealing a row of sharp fangs. "You are a Hero, and I am a Demon King," she asked with authentic curiosity in her voice. "For what reason, in your opinion, should I spare you?"
Elina, feeling the cold steel of the talon on her skin, cried out desperately: "I have a reason! I have a reason why you shouldn't kill me!"
Lilith raised her eyebrows, slightly surprised by such confidence in such a fragile creature. "Oh? Really?" Her fangs brushed gently over the heroine's neck, leaving a barely visible trail. "Tell me then. You will only have one chance, though. If I am not satisfied with your reasoning... you know what will happen."
Elina was sweating profusely. Her mind was working at top speed. What do I do? What do I give her? she thought feverishly.
Money? The Demon King probably has plenty of that.
Seduction? She looked at Lilith - a beautiful, powerful female demon. Would that even work? Does she even like women?
No, too risky.
Then her gaze fell on Verial's dead body, and she remembered how much he wanted to dominate this world's system. She remembered the words about rankings, alliances, and how Heroes operate. A lightbulb suddenly went off in her head.
Lilith smiled sweetly, but there was no warmth in her eyes. "Have you thought of something yet? I'm giving you three more seconds... Three... two..."
"I can cooperate with you!" Elina blurted out before Lilith could say "one."
Lilith froze, her hand loosening its grip on the girl's throat. She tilted her head with interest, waiting for the expansion of this intriguing proposal.