Chapter 109: Yearning and fear
Noah stood alone in the depths of the forest. He’d told the others to meet up with Zara and wait—because he had something important to do. Something he hadn’t done in a while.
Bonding. Sharing power with his women.
Noah liked to be prepared. Even though, thanks to his blessing from Laeh, death wasn’t a real threat in this world, he refused to rely on that safety net.
Not yet. Not ever, if he could help it.
He conjured a barrier of pure nothingness around him and sank to the ground, legs crossed, breath steady. As close as he was to his women, there was one thing he would never reveal—the true core of his power.
His system.
No one could see this. No one.
"System," Noah said quietly, "show me Dominique’s profile."
<< Profile >>
Name: Dominique Seductrice
Age: 20
Race: Succubus
Rank: A
Titles: The Child of Lust, The Horny One, The Charming Woman
Affinities: Lust (SS), Charm (SS)
Physique: Heavenly Yin Furnace
Bloodline: Eros’s Bloodline
Talent: Daughter of Lust (SS)
<< END >>
Noah stared at the profile, a brow raised. A bloodline and a physique? Interesting.
And that name...
"Heavenly Yin Furnace?" he muttered, tilting his head. "This feels like one of those cultivation novels I used to read back on Earth."
He smirked, a little nostalgic. Those overpowered MCs, their endless harems, those heaven-defying breakthroughs—he’d read so many, he could probably write his own novel.
...No. Hell no.
He shook his head, laughing softly. "Cultivation novels aren’t as easy as they look."
He refocused on Dominique’s profile. "System. What’s the Heavenly Yin Furnace?"
[A physique that allows its wielder to grow stronger through sexual activity. This physique is exclusive to women.]
Noah blinked, then grinned. "And if I share it?"
[Upon sharing, it will be adapted for male use, Host. No concerns there.]
"Good." He nodded, pleased. "No way I’m letting something like that slip by."
He straightened, eyes gleaming. "Bond with Dominique."
[Ding! Bonding complete.]
He felt the bond snap into place, an invisible thread connecting them.
"Now," Noah whispered, eyes sharp, "share her affinities, talent, physique, and bloodline with me."
He wasn’t taking chances. If he was about to face the Incarnation of Lust, he’d face it armed to the teeth—with their own damn power.
[Applying x10,000 effect.]
[You have obtained the affinities: Lust (Transformation), Charm (Transformation).]
[Talent acquired: Favored by Lust (EX Unique).]
[Physique acquired: Transcendent Yang Furnace.]
[Bloodline acquired: Child of Eros.]
And then—the transformation began. The air crackled with power. The ground shifted as if unable to bear the pressure Noah was emitting.
"Shit..." Noah cursed under his breath as his body was torn apart and rebuilt, the familiar agony of evolution washing over him. His new affinities wove themselves into his Aeon Vein, making it stronger, more complete. Closer to perfection.
His appearance shifted too, growing sharper, more ethereal—already, he’d been beautiful, the pinnacle of mortal allure thanks to his trait. But now, with Transformation-rank Charm layered on top? His beauty crossed into the realm of the divine.
Even more physiques bloomed inside him, awakening, fusing into his Prime Physique, making him even more... primal.
And his bloodline—he could feel it deep, merging into the very roots of his existence. A new force, waiting to be tapped whenever he wished.
All of it happened at once, a tidal wave of power, and the forest around him responded in kind. A thick, intoxicating scent filled the air, enough to drive any living thing mad with desire. Only his barrier kept disaster at bay.
Minutes passed.
When it was finally over, Noah stood, rolling his shoulders, flexing his fingers. His body—elevated. His beauty—deadly. Now, every breath he took, every movement, could capture hearts without effort.
But Noah—practical, calculating Noah—hid it. He masked his divine allure, dialing it back to something just a notch above his previous self.
Still, he couldn’t help but mutter, "Tsk. I don’t like hiding my beauty... I’ll have to figure out how to use it at the perfect moment without scaring everyone senseless."
Decision made, he dismissed the barrier and teleported.
...
He appeared just outside the city, where Dominique, Neko, Ester, Zara—and surprisingly, Lucius—were waiting.
Ester melted into shadows and immediately took back her place, his shadow. Neko shifted back into her tiny cat form and perched on his shoulder, purring contentedly. Dominique sauntered forward with a confident smile, coming to stand at his side.
She tilted her head, eyes gleaming. "You look... even more handsome."
Noah’s smile was smug. "And I’ll keep getting better. I’ll hold the title of the most beautiful mortal alive."
Dominique laughed, low and sultry. "Mmm, really? Can’t wait to experience what it feels like to have the most beautiful mortal fuck you."
His lips twitched. "You’re always horny."
"Only with you, dear." She winked.
Neko rolled her eyes, clicking her tongue. "Slut."
From the shadows, Ester’s dry voice added, "Agreed."
Dominique just laughed, completely unbothered, her gaze still burning for Noah.
Meanwhile, Zara and Lucius stood apart, both frowning—but for very different reasons.
Lucius looked irritated, tense, still caught in the aftermath of being interrupted at the worst possible moment. His body language screamed frustration, like he hadn’t fully come down from... whatever Noah’s sudden arrival had cut short.
Zara, though....
She stared at the scene unfolding before her—Neko, Dominique, Ester—all of them drawn to Noah like moths to a flame. Their emotions were laid bare to her, amplified by her gift: overwhelming love, happiness, fierce devotion. It radiated from them so brightly she almost felt blinded.
And she couldn’t understand it.
She felt it all—so pure, so complete—but no matter how deeply she searched, it made no sense. How? How could anyone feel this way? What had Noah done to inspire such... intensity?
Her chest tightened, a sharp ache blooming where there should have been understanding. Something stirred inside her, something raw and unfamiliar.
She hated it.
Zara clenched her fists at her sides, nails biting into her palms. She couldn’t stop watching, couldn’t tear her eyes away. And yet... every second she stared, the yearning inside her grew louder. More demanding.
’I want it too.’
The thought was sudden, fierce, and terrifying. She wanted to laugh and love like them. She wanted to feel that same warmth, that same intoxicating closeness.
But no. No. She couldn’t. It was too much. Too foreign.
Her breathing hitched, her whole body trembling from the weight of it, and then—with grim precision—she did the only thing she knew how to do. She cut herself off. Shut down her emotions completely, like flipping a switch.
The ache disappeared. The longing, the fear, the unknown—it all went dark.
She exhaled shakily, her expression flattening into something cold, something numb. It was easier this way. Safer.
To cower.
To run.
To hide from feelings she couldn’t understand—because all she’d ever known were shadows, bitterness, and pain.
And what’s more terrifying than something you’ve never known? Never dared to hope for?
Across the clearing, Noah’s eyes never left her. He saw every flicker of emotion, every tremor of vulnerability—and then, the moment she shut it all down. He saw her retreat into herself, into that hollow shell of safety.
And that’s unsettled Noah.
’What did you live through, Zara?’ he wondered quietly. ’What makes you so afraid of love?’
A new resolve sparked in him then, sharp and certain.
Belzebuth... Noah thought , eyes narrowing. I was going to meet him anyway.
His decision was made.
—End of Chapter 109—