Incubus Awakening: The More I Lust, The Stronger I Become

Logan's face was drenched with sweat, adding to the large splash of liquid engrained in the back of his shirt.

He'd been stepping through what appeared to be a singularly white corridor, the walls decorated by any number of spiritual animal heads ranging from antler-deers to bear-crocodiles.

Shoddily, he fanned himself with both hands, looking to the ceiling. "Damn, this hallway's hot. I understand that a place like this doesn't need air conditioning, but it would still pay to treat your fighters well."

Along the gray tiles that lined the top was his bold reflection, mirrored by a hanging panel of glass. It extended from one end to the other.

Logan had to bask in his new image, finding himself entranced in the self-contemplation.

'To think just yesterday, I was all big and fat. I was an Ungifted, I lacked any real resolve, and, worst of all, I was unable to protect Selene. My life has changed, though for the better? I'm still not entirely sure. All I know is that, starting now, my true life has begun.'

Once his words of introspection brushed up against another thought floating in his head, he raised his hand to his collar, looking for the one thing resting beneath it.

"Hey, Pixel, school's finished. You still gonna sleep in there, or do I have to force you awake?"

His inquiry received tired grumbles, then some light shuffling under his shirt. No words, though.

"I'm not gonna ask you again." This time, he was tapping his thumb and index finger together like a crab. Still, she didn't respond. "Alright, don't say I didn't warn you!"

As fast as he could, he reached his hand for her, pulling her by the cheek. Even though she opened her eyes to the sudden intrusion, it was far too late.

"Ow, ow, ow, ow! Oooooaauuughh, why are you doing this!" As cute as it was, her face was coiled into one of great frustration.

Her limbs flew through the air, fighting back against his grip. As the skin on her cheek begun to turn red, he chuckled once, then let go.

As lethargic as one would be after a great nap, she struggled to activate her wings. While one wing fluttered furiously, the other one was more shy, causing her float to tilt down on one side.

"Damn, I'm not fully awake," she muttered, adjusting herself firmly. Only once her flight went straight did Logan open his mouth.

"Wakey wakey, eggs and bakey!" He said jokingly with both palms in the air.

"Hrrrnnngghh!" Exasperated, Pixel punched him on his nose, dealing little to no damage.

Instead, all she did was set her flight off balance, tears dripping from the corners of her eyes while she struggled to stay afloat.

Does she not realize how cute she looks when she does something like that?

"That wasn't funny!" she stated, raising one fist in front of her. "You know, I took a lot of damage back there in your mishap with Zack! I need rest in order to restore this form of mine!"

Logan raised one eye curiously. "Rest? I didn't know spiritual beings need sleep, that's interesting."

"Sleep? No, it's not like the thing you humans do at night. While you need sleep to recover your function, us spiritual beings just use it as an optimal means to absorb ambient mana faster. We could go entire weeks without it." She sighed, lowering herself to Logan's shoulder.

Logan nudged his finger against the bottom of her chin. At first, she glared at him, but in just seconds, she closed her eyes while purring like cats do.

"You say that, but you were knocked out last night. Snoring, too," he said.

She immediately turned serious, knocking away his finger. "Why, that's no way to speak to a woman!" she yelled, shaking by the very seams.

"Woman?" he whispered to himself. She didn't hear him.

"But no, my point still stands. While we don't sleep in the same sense that you humans do, some of us still choose to enter a deep state of rest. Others enter a sort of 'meditation' instead, where they're not quite asleep, but not quite awake. It's all up to preference."

With one nod, Logan fell silent, continuing his way through the lengthy hallway.

Pixel took the time to interrogate her surroundings, even at Logan himself.

"Where are we?" she asked.

"We're making our way to the battle station where my official duel with Zack will take place."

"Official duel!?!" Pixel stood up, almost falling from his shoulder. Using his lower jaw as a crutch, she talked into his ear. "Kid, what do you think you're doing? Even though I'm in a weakened state, I could still sense that boy's power. He far outmatches you—the way you are now, anyway."

Logan looked down at her, stopping in his tracks. "Pixel, you don't remember what happened, either?"

"What do you mean?"

"Some of the students present were saying that I used my Gift. Even though I can't recall performing such an act, I felt like if I tried hard enough, I might be able to do it again—"

"You idiot!" Pixel smacked Logan's cheek. This time, hard. "I knew you were oblivious, but this is an entirely new level. You weren't the one who used your Gift, it was me!"

"Huh!?!"

Groaning with annoyance, Pixel sat back down, playing with her hair. "It's as I said. Clearly, you don't remember the details of our contract very well, so let me remind you. I can enter your body whenever it serves your ends, and that quarrel with the Emily girl was one of those times."

Gripping his chest and stomach with both hands, a single, cold strand of sweat ran down his face. "Y-you what? So you just entered my body without permission?"

"It's for this exact reason. You subconsciously keep a barrier in your mind up, making it hard for me to peer inside and see what's going on. If I didn't barge in the way I did, then not only would you have fortified that wall and kept me out, but you may well have gotten yourself killed by exposing yourself as weak to all those kids."

Logan dropped his face, staring into his hands. "So you mean to tell me that what the students saw wasn't my power, but yours?"

"Correct."

Like his heart'd been dropped into an unending abyss, his body went cold.

'This is bad. I already knew the odds were stacked against me incredibly, but to know that I don't even possess a proper Gift? What am I going to do? Zack's incredibly strong, and I don't even think I can use my mana right now. Oh, this is bad. I just might—"

"Oh, calm down, kid. You'll figure this out, right? Maybe you can talk it out. After all, you two were good friends before—"

"Shut up!" Logan yelled, stomping his foot on the ground. Then, he continued down the path, eyeing a broad, metal door. "Your knowledge of me is superficial—a facade. You shouldn't speak to me like you understand the life I've lived. You and I are just acquaintances, and nothing more."

She smiled back. "Couldn't agree more. At least you understand—takes off the pressure of having to console you." Once the words left her mouth, he looked down to her just once. She stared forward. "Oh, but don't go and catch feelings. Would make ditching you after the contract a lot harder."

Logan rolled his eyes, raising his hand forward to a doorknob. "You wish. You're just a succubus."

While she laid still—straight-faced—Logan opened the door, revealing the scenery behind it.

An entire stadium's worth of students, all looking at him.