"I’ve got to admit... succubi really do have their charms."
Daniel rubbed his chin thoughtfully and then lit a cigarette, slowly exhaling a ring of smoke into the air.
The Demon Race truly lived up to their reputation as a species that thrived on temptation and seduction—the experience had been... intense.
Now, he finally understood why some people were willing to hand over their life essence to a succubus with no resistance at all.
"To die beneath a bed of peonies, even as a ghost, would be romantic," as the saying went.
Still, Daniel didn’t let himself get carried away. He knew where to draw the line.
Before he realized it, Daniel noticed that his resistance to the abyssal environment was beginning to weaken. He was no longer feeling repulsed or hostile toward this place.
And that, most likely, was exactly Sarko’s plan.
Was he trying to lure Daniel into corruption?
A trace of self-reflection crossed Daniel’s face.
The more comfortable things seemed—the more carefully he had to maintain his clarity.
Sarko was definitely not a benevolent host. Daniel could figure that out without even using his brain.
So this was the method he’d chosen to erode Daniel’s will?
Shaking his head slightly, Daniel began to reassess his next move.
The most important thing now was to make Sarko believe that he was not so easily corrupted.
Otherwise, when it came time to negotiate, Daniel would find himself at a disadvantage.
Most likely, the reason Sarko hadn’t approached him directly was because he wanted Daniel to sink deeper into temptation of his own accord.
Having thought this through, Daniel came to a firm decision.
Play if you must, indulge a little if you want—but you must maintain a façade of resistance to all temptation.
Only then would Sarko take him seriously. Only then would he hold the upper hand in negotiations.
With his plan set, Daniel didn’t hesitate. He immediately activated his God Rank Skill: [Time Stream].
In the next instant, time reversed, bringing him back to five hours earlier—
—right before he was about to summon the succubi.
This time, Daniel didn’t make a move on them. Instead, he gave them a cold, indifferent glance.
They had already been punished enough, and he had completely lost interest in them.
"Keep a close watch on them. When the time is right, sell them for a good price."
Leaving behind this order, Daniel vanished from the chamber.
...
Abyssal Royal Palace.
Sarko sat upon his throne, currently entertaining himself by playing gambling games with several concubines from his harem.
However, those concubines were no match for him—they had already lost dozens of consecutive rounds.
Despite their increasingly provocative behavior, trying to tempt him in every way they could, Sarko remained completely unfazed.
Boring. Utterly boring.
These foolish women only knew how to seduce—they had pathetic gambling skills.
Did they really think this was enough to capture the interest of someone like Sarko?
What a joke!
"You’ve already lost all your chips. Leave. Now."
With a cold command, Sarko dismissed them. The concubines’ faces fell, filled with disappointment.
"Your Majesty... we’ve lost the wager. According to custom, shouldn’t you punish us?"
"Yes, Your Majesty... we’ve wagered everything. All we have left are our bodies... which now belong to you..."
"Get lost!"
Sarko roared, and the concubines scrambled away like frightened birds.
None of them feared for their lives. Quite the opposite—they desperately hoped to bear Sarko’s children.
But Sarko seemed to have no interest in them whatsoever.
A few moments later, the grand hall stood empty, save for Sarko himself.
He sighed, feeling more bored than ever.
Just then, a thought occurred to him. He turned to the guard beside him and asked:
"That esteemed guest I brought in... is he enjoying himself?"
The guard immediately lowered his head and began murmuring, seemingly communicating with someone through magical means.
After a short while, the guard turned back and reported:
"Your Majesty, we’ve just received an update. Three-fourths of the casinos in the capital have changed ownership. Their new owner... is none other than the guest you personally invited."
"It is conservatively estimated that he now possesses over ten quadrillion chips."
"He’s currently returned to his residence. It appears he is resting."
Sarko showed no hint of surprise upon hearing this.
In his view, anyone capable of winning against him had to be an extraordinarily powerful figure.
To win three-fourths of the capital’s casinos in just two hours...
Even if Sarko personally took action, that would probably be his limit too.
He shook his head and made no move to interfere with Daniel’s actions. After all, this was just part of the rules of his Kingdom.
Since Daniel had earned the chips through gambling, the rules would protect his winnings.
As for the other gamblers’ losses? Sarko couldn’t care less. They’d only lost bets—not their lives.
If these events led to him forming a good relationship with Daniel, then it was more than worth it.
"Oh, by the way... those succubi we arranged for him—did he enjoy them?"
"They were quite costly to acquire, each one a premium specimen. Surely, he must have liked them?"
"According to the Demon Merchant, it’s impossible for any human to resist a succubus’s allure!"
In truth, Sarko’s attitude toward Daniel had already shifted.
He didn’t merely want to defeat the human—he now saw an opportunity to recruit him.
After all, if a demigod-rank powerhouse like Daniel could become his subordinate, then even when facing the Emperor of the Abyss, Sarko would have more leverage.
Of course, it was unlikely to happen. Such a goal was incredibly difficult to achieve.
But even if he couldn’t recruit Daniel as a subordinate, making him an ally would still be valuable.
Since Daniel wasn’t a native of the abyss, he was destined to leave someday. Forming a partnership now would carry no long-term risk of betrayal.
In Sarko’s eyes, a collaboration with Daniel was all gain and no loss.
Of course, that plan would only work if he could win at least once, and snatch away Daniel’s luck stat.
But that could come later. First and foremost, he had to ensure that Daniel felt welcomed in the Kingdom—as if it were his own home.
Just then, the guard beside him spoke again.
"Your Majesty, it appears the esteemed guest had no interest in the succubi. He simply glanced at them... and then left."
Sarko was taken aback for a moment.
Wait—this human guest actually resisted?
He actually managed to withstand the temptations of succubi?
Such a strong will!
No wonder he had achieved the rank of demigod!
Sarko didn’t doubt the Demon Merchant’s claims. That merchant was famous across realms for never peddling worthless products.
Because of that, Sarko’s respect for Daniel deepened.
He had once heard of a very powerful skill from the human race.
It was said that when activated, it could completely shut off a certain organ, allowing the user to enter a state of pure focus—utterly unshaken by distraction.
However, this skill came with a major drawback.
Use it too often... and that organ would permanently lose all sensation.
In the end, Sarko could only sigh:
"As expected of a true powerhouse... They never walk the usual path."