Last Born Of The Desdemona

Chapter 303: Chapter 303: Opening Ceremony [10]

Chapter 303 – Opening Ceremony [10]

Klaus and Love didn’t have to wander far before spotting where Omm might be.

Part of the battlefield had already been reduced to ruin, crimson and white fire burning so hot and bright that the air itself seemed to thin out around it.

When Klaus and Love glanced toward where Cassius and Copycat were still fighting, catching the impact of their Skills, weapons, and fists, they finally grasped just how ridiculously strong those two were.

The whole forest shuddered, groaning as though the earth itself couldn’t withstand such power much longer.

But they had no time to stop and admire the two Palatines’ battle.

Certainly not.

Even though they’d already taken down two second-years, none of it would matter if the crystal remained intact.

And based on what they’d gathered fighting through the second-years, whoever held the crystal was most likely Copycat himself.

That wouldn’t be surprising at all. The Palatine likely believed himself the only one capable of keeping it safe from Cassius.

Because while others might underestimate his level of power, Copycat had witnessed it firsthand. Cassius was far stronger than most probably realized.

But none of that mattered to Klaus and Love right now. Their only job was to take down as many second-years as possible.

And finally, they found Omm.

However...

"Don’t come any closer!" Omm shouted the moment he spotted them, stopping them dead in their tracks.

Klaus frowned, green hair fluttering in the wind, watching him. Omm stood in front of a stunning woman sitting cross-legged, hovering in midair, wearing a beautiful, sensual smile.

The two of them sat within a wide circle glowing pink and white with essence, and Omm’s face was drenched in sweat, his body trembling.

Veins snaked visibly across his face and neck. He looked to be under intense stress and pain.

Yet there wasn’t a single wound on him.

"What do you mean?" Klaus asked, curious but cautious.

"You’ll—!"

"My love, please, don’t go sharing my secrets with everyone, will you? Women don’t appreciate that." The woman said, bright purple hair falling long and striking black eyes fixed on him. The black of her pupils was impossibly deep against the white of her irises, like an endless void, each pupil shaped like an inverted pyramid.

She wore a long, flowing white dress striped with pink, clinging tightly to her body, offering everyone a full view of a figure that would leave both men and women drooling.

She was a stunning woman. She was the Whore of the Academy.

At her words, Omm groaned even harder, nearly collapsing to his knees, clutching his head as though trying to keep it from splitting apart.

"Ah...s-stop this!" He hissed.

"Stop what, my love? I just want to talk with you. And you two," The Whore looked toward Klaus and Love, "why don’t you come in? Let’s chat."

"Don’t—!"

"I’m guessing it’s a domain-type Skill." Love said, cutting off Omm’s warning, tilting her head, "and given his state, your domain must operate on a mental level. Rather rare."

"Oh, beautiful and clever too. I love you already, Pinky Pinky." The Whore giggled, the sound almost heavenly, "tell me your name? And you, the third most handsome man in the Kingdom, need no introduction. I know you, Klaus Silicin Handoff. Heir of Spirits. I’m your biggest fan. Can I get your autograph?"

Her smile widened, and Omm struggled even harder to keep his own temptations in check.

"Why don’t you come in?"

"Well, how could I possibly turn down such a delightful invitation?" Klaus said with a smirk, starting to walk forward.

But Love grabbed his hand before he got any further, anchoring him in place. He turned toward her, raising an eyebrow.

"What are you doing?"

"You’re so easy to manipulate. Call you handsome once, and that’s it, apparently." Love spat with scorn.

"I’ve been called handsome my whole life, fool. I’m going in because I want to. And do you see another option?"

He raised his hand and fired a wind arrow at the Whore. But it vanished the instant it crossed into the circle.

"See?" Klaus said, "Domain-type Skills have rules. This one clearly doesn’t allow outside combat, like any domain, by the way. And we don’t have time to waste, so let go of my fucking hand."

He wrenched his hand free and, ignoring Love entirely, walked straight into the domain.

Love knew Klaus was right. Domain-type Skills were extraordinarily rare. In fact, this was the first she’d ever encountered besides Emrys’s Storm Domain.

There was no other way in but to enter, but Love felt a deep sense of dread about it.

Still, watching Klaus step inside, she abandoned all caution and jumped in after him, and the atmosphere immediately shifted.

The air turned hot, thick with a sensual scent visibly tinted pink. Their bodies began heating up, faces flushing crimson.

The effect was so overwhelming that both Love and Klaus froze on the spot.

Omm watched them, nearly cursing aloud. This was bad!

"Welcome to my domain, Klaus, my handsome love." The Whore whispered, "and you, Pinky Pinky."

"Don’t...don’t call me that!" Love shouted, struggling to make sense of what was happening, "My name is Love! Love!"

"Love? Oh my. Aren’t you just perfect for my domain?" The Whore said with a giggle, "The rules of my domain are simple. The only way to win is to resist temptation, defeat me, and escape. Now, listen closely, this charming man here is already quite close."

She gestured toward Omm, whose eyes had hardened.

"Temptation?" Klaus echoed, breathing hard to stay steady.

"Yes. My Skill exposes the deepest lust hidden inside a person, drags it to the surface for the whole world to see. So tell me," her inverted-pyramid eyes began glowing brightly, "what is your innermost sexual desire?"

Only then did they truly understand the power the Whore commanded. It was Lust.

And as she amplified her essence within her own domain, something inside both Klaus and Love began straining to break free.

They dropped to their knees, minds flooding with tempting whispers. Sweet, gentle voices, telling them how good it would feel to simply let go of their restraint.

How wonderful it would be to stop caring about anything, to just chase what they wanted.

Everyone carried lust somewhere inside them. Small, perhaps, or deeply buried, but present nonetheless.

And when someone had spent years consciously denying themselves that indulgence, despite living in a world where men and women openly pursued their desires around them, amplifying that suppressed lust made it nearly impossible to resist.

That was Klaus’s case. He’d always wanted his first time to be with his wife, as a mark of respect, both for himself and for her.

And it was the same for Love de Bayard, who, despite the immense temptation within the Model Industry — where people traded their bodies for status — had always felt disgust at the idea of stooping so low.

Her refusal to use her body for gain had pushed her toward the only other path available to achieve her goals: ruthlessness, destroying anyone who stood in her way, by whatever means necessary.

Even Emrys himself had never slept with her; they’d never gone beyond kissing and light intimacy. Perhaps that was exactly why he’d grown tired of her so quickly.

Love de Bayard cared about her body far more than anyone would have guessed.

That didn’t mean she didn’t want to, though. Oh, she absolutely did.

And in that instant, with her lust amplified beyond reason, something inside her cracked.

Love snapped her head toward Klaus, face flushed red, wetness trickling down between her legs.

Klaus fared no better, a visible bulge straining against his pants.

The two stared at each other.

They remained conscious, aware enough of what was happening to know the disastrous mistake they’d make if they let the domain’s effect take full control.

So Klaus fought back with everything he had.

’Windy, take my breath away!’ He shouted inwardly, ’Knock me unconscious if you have to!’

Love was no different. Amid the temptation and the searing heat coursing through her, she searched her mind for any rune that might help.

She found one almost instantly and didn’t hesitate. She pulled out her runic pen and ink, and—!

"No, my dear Love."

The Whore’s voice rang out, and suddenly a small pink-and-white fox materialized from nowhere, snatching both pen and ink and carrying them back to her.

Love watched, eyes widening, before anger flooded her mind, "Give me back my—!"

She snapped her mouth shut and dropped to her knees, the pressure of the domain intensifying further.

Klaus wasn’t faring any better. When Windy drained his breath away, the Whore simply replenished it, pumping her own poisonous, lust-laced air back into him.

His situation only worsened.

Klaus and Love found themselves drawn instinctively toward each other, neither realizing it, until their bodies pressed flush together.

Windy felt dizzy. Linked to Klaus as she was, the attack affected her too.

"G-Get off me," Love hissed.

"You’re the one holding onto me. Let go." Klaus replied, voice slurred, and Love didn’t let go. She couldn’t.

The two stared at each other, time seeming to slow, the world around them dissolving entirely.

Only each other existed, and both grew terrified of a world where only they remained.

They tried to pull apart, only to find themselves drawing even closer instead.

Klaus’s arousal pressed against Love, and the wetness between her legs was now visibly trickling down her thighs.

The embarrassment they felt defied words. They both knew they were doomed, that what they were about to do would ruin everything.

Yet their desire in that moment burned so intensely that the knowledge of consequences didn’t stop them.

It couldn’t.

"...f-fuck. Fuck. Fuck." Klaus cursed, lips trembling.

Love’s eyes glistened with tears as she cupped his face in her palms, "I...will kill you. I’ll kill you, Klaus."

"You—!"

And she kissed him. Her tears fell, and Klaus felt his heart freeze in horror.

But through that horror, he raised his hands, wrapping them around the back of her head, deepening the kiss.

The Whore watched the scene with an incredibly wide smile.

Meanwhile, Omm Min Jambar watched in horror, shaken to his core.

The only reason he’d managed to hold himself back despite the overwhelming temptation was simply because...

’Commander! The plan!’

...the voice in his head refused to let her commander fall to manipulation, Lust included.

Omm wasn’t confident in any plan. But watching Klaus and Love cross the point of no return, he knew he had to act.

’Your name!’ Omm screamed inwardly, channeling everything he had, ’Tell me your name.’

’Ah, my name, Commander? Finally, you asked! Finally!’ The voice was thrilled, ’I am Rokia Enoly. But you named me, long ago, when we fought together at the end of the Golden Generation against the Pale monsters — Rokia the Frosted Blade. I am your Third Captain! Do you remember me, O Undefeated?!’

’I don’t, Rokia.’ Omm said, his voice achingly tired, ’but I need your help, right now. Please, help me.’

Klaus and Love were still kissing. Omm’s heart raced. The Whore laughed,

"Hahahahh, how magnificent!"

’Now!!!!!’ Omm shouted.

’Call my name. Call, and I shall answer. I always do. We...always answer your call.’

Omm’s heart unexpectedly steadied. His trembling stopped, his mind calming.

He closed his eyes briefly, then snapped them open, and,

"Rokia, the Frosted Blade." Omm said, and instantly a whirlwind of frost swirled behind him, "Please, answer my call."

His ring flared with brilliant blue light, and the whirlwind twisted and curled upon itself, slowly taking the shape of a woman clad in armor and a helmet.

The woman then dissolved, merging into his body, and Omm’s eyes shifted to a deep blue.

"Allow me to borrow your mortal body, Commander." Omm — or rather, Rokia — said, toneless. The ring transformed into a long blue sword.

She looked at the Whore, still smiling wildly, her gaze fixed on Omm’s body.

"You’re fascinating, my love." The Whore said, slowly rising from the ground, no longer watching Klaus and Love’s kiss, "Care to tell me your name? I always remember men who can master their lust."

"My name is not yours to know." Rokia said, taking her stance, "For you shall soon walk through Hades’s Gate of Death."

The Whore’s smile widened,

"You mean Vorn, I assume. Doesn’t matter..."

Two pairs of pink-and-white foxes materialized beside her, growling and glaring at Rokia.

"...let’s begin, my dear, lovely brown-skinned man."

Omm, still faintly aware of what was happening around him, froze at that last remark,

"...that’s...that’s kind of racist, isn’t it?"

—End of Chapter 303—