Succumania

The clock ticked. A statuette flashed in his mind.

Luka jolted awake, sprawled across the same bed, in the same suffocating room, the air thick with the sour reek of sweat and despair. His hands trembled as he clawed at the damp sheets, his breath ragged. Sweat plastered his hair to his forehead, cold and clammy against his skin.

He pressed a shaky hand to his chest, fingers digging into the fabric of his shirt as if to claw out the phantom pain still searing through him—Alma Elma's fist, the sickening crunch, the hot spill of blood. It lingered, raw and vivid, a wound his body couldn't forget. With a guttural grunt, he hauled himself up from the grimy mattress, the springs creaking beneath him, and staggered toward the front door, his legs unsteady as if the floor might give way.

The same house, the same situation, but it was earlier instead. The sun wasn't there yet, its only presence faint rays of orange in the distance.

Luka paused at the threshold, one hand gripping the doorframe as he sucked in a shaky breath. The cool pre-dawn air slipped through the gap, brushing against his sweat-slicked skin, but it did little to steady him. His pulse hammered in his ears, drowning out the clock's incessant ticking, and his eyes darted to the mark on his left arm. It throbbed, an insistent ache that mirrored the one in his chest. 

"I…" he muttered, taking in his surroundings. His house was further away, so he decided to check. 

As he walked through the empty streets, he rubbed his face with both hands, trying to scrub away the fog clouding his mind. "What's happening to me?" he rasped, his breath fogging in the chilly air. 

The surroundings were odd. It was definitely his neighborhood but…

Something felt off. Like a feeling that some things are not in the same place as usual.

Then, there it was, his house. Silent, but he could already see the presence of someone in the kitchen, the lights working.

Though… The lights were a bit brighter than usual, he felt.

With a shaky breath, he walked up to the door and rang the doorbell. 

"Coming!" a familiar voice answered, and after a few seconds, the door opened.

Lilith greeted him with a confused look.

"Hm? Hello, mister," she said, tilting her head with a puzzled smile. "Who might you be?"

Luka's fingers curled into fists. He exhaled sharply through his nose, the words catching in his throat.

"So you don't recognize me either…" he muttered, a bitter chuckle escaping him. "Figures."

Lilith frowned slightly. "I'm sorry, have we met—?"

"Nothing. Sorry to bother you."

He turned on his heel before she could say another word, shoving his hands into his pockets as he walked away.

Behind him, the door clicked shut.

His mind reeled.

What the hell was going on?

He had to find someone. Anyone. Someone who remembered. Someone who could tell him that he wasn't losing his mind.

But… 

That guy, Daniel. His face was stuck in his mind, like a pustule that he couldn't get rid of. He looked at the window upstairs, where his room was. 

With a sharp inhale, Luka stepped back, rolling his shoulders as he braced himself.

Then, he jumped. A surge of life force coursed through his limbs, fueling his muscles beyond their normal limits. The ground beneath him cracked under the force of his leap, and in an instant, he was soaring. His fingers grasped the edge of the roof, nails scraping against the worn wood as he steadied himself. With a quick pull, he hoisted his body upward, crouching against the slanted rooftop just outside the window.

The room was dark, but he could make out the faint outline of someone shifting beneath the covers.

Daniel.

Luka's jaw clenched as he reached out and knocked firmly against the glass.

For a moment, he heard nothing. But then, movement.

A muffled groan came from inside, followed by the rustling of sheets.

The figure in the bed sat up. Luka couldn't see his face clearly, but he saw the way Daniel's head turned toward the window, sluggish with sleep.

Another knock.

This time, Daniel stirred properly. A grumble. Then, slowly, the sound of feet hitting the floor.

The curtains shifted, and finally, the window creaked open.

A pair of tired, half-lidded eyes met his. Eyes that suddenly widened in surprise.

"The hell—?" he rasped, taking a step back.

In a blur, his hand shot forward, fingers wrapping around Daniel's throat in a vice grip. Daniel choked out a strangled gasp, stumbling as Luka forced his way inside, shoving him back into the room.

The window slammed shut behind them.

Daniel clawed at Luka's wrist, his breathing ragged as he struggled against the grip. "H—Hey, what the fuck—?!"

Luka wasn't in the mood for pleasantries. His heart was pounding, his mind spiraling. He needed answers.

"You remember me," Luka growled, shoving him against the nearest wall. "I know you do."

Daniel's hands scrabbled against his grip, his body tensing in panic. "Of—Of course, I do, you psycho—!" he coughed, wheezing. "Now let go!"

Luka's eyes burned into his. "Then you tell me right now," he hissed, voice trembling, "what the hell is happening?"

Daniel's face twisted in confusion. "Wh—What?"

"I woke up, and everything was the same. The same damn day, the same events, like it never happened." Luka's fingers tightened for a brief second before he finally let go, shoving Daniel away. "No one remembers me. Not Lilith. Not anyone. But you…" He pointed a shaking finger at him. "You do. So start talking."

Daniel staggered, rubbing his neck with a scowl. He shot Luka a venomous glare before spitting out, "What the hell are you talking about? I just took your harem that's it."

"Then why is the day repeating? Alma Elma killed me, right?" 

"The fuck are you on?" Daniel shot back, steadying himself against the desk. "Hey! You dumb bitch! Come here!" 

Suddenly, someone entered the room. It was Vinum, her eyes piercing Daniel's. "Do you realize the amount of noise you're making? We're trying to sleep here!" she growled while crossing her arms. Then she turned her head to meet Luka's. "W-Wait, who is this guy?"

"We're getting robbed!" Daniel shouted while showing a smug grin to Luka. "Get everyone!"

Vinum's head snapped toward him. "What?! A robber? In our own home?" Her expression darkened in an instant, her sleepy irritation replaced by something far more hostile.

Luka cursed under his breath. He didn't have time for this.

"Listen to me—" He barely got the words out before Vinum moved.

She lunged, her body twisting as she aimed a fierce kick at him. Luka barely dodged, ducking under the strike and backing toward the window.

This is bad. It's like everyone is listening to him!

"Robbers aren't welcome here, young man," Lilith's voice suddenly echoed behind him, her eyes shining in the dark. Her hand glowed and in an instant—

He felt himself tumble. His torso was on the floor, but his legs were still standing. 

Luka's vision blurred, his mind struggling to process the impossible.

He wasn't just knocked down—his body had been split in two.

His breath came out in shallow gasps, cold sweat pooling on his forehead as he stared at his own severed torso, his lower half still standing like a grotesque statue.

What…?

Pain didn't register. Not yet. Just the overwhelming, gut-wrenching wrongness of it.

Lilith's soft chuckle echoed in the room. "Oh dear, I didn't mean to cut so deep. You should've dodged, sweetie."

Vinum scoffed, cracking her knuckles. "That was overkill. But whatever, he was asking for it."

Luka's mouth opened, a choked sound escaping his throat. His hands trembled as he reached for himself—maybe to push his torso back together, maybe to stop what was happening—he didn't know.

But it didn't matter.

His vision faded.

The world turned black.

Then—

The clock ticked.

Luka jolted awake.

Drenched in sweat.

His hands flew to his chest. No wound. No pain. His legs—

He kicked at the sheets. Still attached. Still whole.

His breath came in ragged gasps as he stared at the ceiling, his pulse hammering like a war drum in his ears.

"I died… I fucking died…" his stomach twisted. He sat abruptly, gripping the edge of the bed as he fought a wave of nausea rolling through him. Eventually, it was too much and he darted toward the kitchen to throw up in the sink.

Luka gagged, his stomach twisting violently as bile burned his throat. His body rejected the horror, the impossibility of what had just happened.

His hands gripped the edge of the sink as he heaved, sweat dripping from his forehead and mixing with the cold metal. His chest rose and fell in ragged, uneven breaths.

This isn't real.

But it felt real. The sensation of his body splitting apart, the sheer wrongness of it—it was still there, imprinted in his mind like a scar that wouldn't fade.

Shaking, he turned the faucet on, cupping water in his trembling hands and splashing it onto his face. The cold bit into his skin, grounding him, but the panic refused to leave.

"I died," he whispered again, his voice barely audible over the dripping water.

His reflection stared back at him from the small, grimy mirror above the sink. His face was pale, gaunt, his eyes wild and bloodshot.

"Okay… Okay…" he began talking to himself to keep himself sane. 

Lilith… No, everyone was under his control. 

This wasn't possible, there was absolutely no way this was possible. It must have been a dream. He said he had his harem, did he mean all the succubi?

Eva or even Succubus-chan, he could understand. But Vinum? Lilith? Alma Elma? It was downright ridiculous. Someone like him could never have that kind of power.

He pushed himself off the sink and wiped his mouth clean, his breath still ragged.

He gritted his teeth, dragging a shaky hand through his damp hair. No, think, dammit.

If it was a dream, why did it hurt? Why did he feel everything? The snap of his bones, the cold floor beneath him as he bled out, the fading sensation of life slipping away?

Was there even a way to differentiate reality from a dream? 

Luka staggered back from the sink, his legs weak as he braced himself against the wall. The room tilted faintly as if he was about to faint. He pressed a hand to his forehead, squeeing his eyes shut as if it could force him to wake up. 

"Get it together," he growled to himself, his voice rough and low. He couldn't fall apart—not yet. If this was a loop, if he was dying and waking again, there had to be a reason.

His mind wandered back to the statuette in the bedroom. For some reason, every time he 'died', the image of this statuette invaded his mind, as if it was pulling him back here. 

With a grunt, he sat up, his feet still wobbling slightly with the nausea. Once inside the bedroom, he grabbed the statuette and examined it.

He'd seen it before, hadn't he? Not just here, in this dingy room, but… somewhere else.

"Vinum's room?" he muttered, blinking as he put the statuette into the light to examine it closer. That's right, this was a statuette that belonged to her. "Perhaps it has magical properties like everything else she has…"

With a deep breath, he closed his eyes.

"Control."

He uttered a single word, a spell made only to make everything his own, and by extension, understand it. After a few minutes, he opened his eyes and came to a conclusion. 

The statuette's power matched Vinum's caliber—a monster's craft, an artifact that bound a soul, tethering it to a fixed point in time. If its bearer died within the first twenty-four hours, it yanked them back, resetting the clock. That's why he didn't stay dead. It was a lifeline—or a curse.

That explained why he didn't die. The question now was: why was it here? It made no sense.

Luka's grip tightened on the statuette, its edges digging into his palm as he stared at it, the faint shimmer of its surface mocking his confusion. If this was Vinum's, how had it ended up in this rundown dump, anchoring him to this loop? She'd never mentioned it—not even once.

But a smile crept at the edge of his face. 

No doubt about it, it was help. In her own twisted way, it was help from her, before all of this happened. Had she foreseen this? 

Or maybe…

"I need to confirm one thing," he muttered, his grip tightening on the statuette before putting it on the desk. 

The only way to confirm his suspicions was to walk around the town. Because if it was true, it would be easily solved.

So, despite the late hour, with the night still clinging to the edges of dawn, he stepped outside, the cold air sharp against his skin, and began his search.

The morning broke, and Daniel stirred from his slumber, stretching his limbs with a lazy groan. Time to bask in his newly claimed harem. He fumbled for his glasses, sliding them onto his nose as he rolled out of bed, the floorboards creaking under his bulk.

"My lord," a silken voice purred, snapping his eyes wide and jolting him upright with a start.

"Oh, fuck! You again!" he grumbled, scrambling to his feet, his glare fixing on the figure before him. "I got my wish, right?"

The woman—Daji—smirked behind her fluttering fan, her dark eyes glinting with amusement. "Of course," she replied, her tone smooth as velvet. "I granted you everything you desired."

Daniel's scowl deepened, but a smug grin quickly overtook it as he adjusted his glasses, puffing out his chest. "Damn right you did," he said, his voice thick with triumph. "Got the house, the girls—whole damn package. So why're you here spooking me again? Checking up on your handiwork?"

Daji's fan paused mid-motion, her smile sharpening into something predatory. "Merely ensuring your… satisfaction, my lord," she said, her words laced with a subtle edge. "Wishes are delicate things. They twist, they settle. I'd hate for you to find any… unexpected thorns in your paradise."

He snorted, waving her off as he lumbered toward the dresser, snagging a shirt. "Thorns? Nah, it's smooth sailing now. Those chicks are mine." He yanked the shirt over his head, smirking at her through the mirror. "You did good, fox lady. Real good."

Her eyes narrowed slightly, though her smile held. "I'm pleased you think so," she murmured, stepping closer, her kimono whispering against the floor.

That's it. Drown in lust. Forget everything until you are nothing but a breathless beast in heat. 

"Then, I shall leave for now and leave you to your occupations," she bowed slightly. "Have a good day, my lord."

"Yeah, yeah, good day," he waved her off, barely glancing as she disappeared into smoke.

Daniel smirked at the empty air where Daji had stood, brushing off the faint prickle of unease her words had left behind. Thorns? Bullshit. He was king of this castle now, and nothing was gonna ruin it. He smoothed his shirt—a little wrinkled, but who cared?—and swaggered toward the door, already picturing the scene downstairs: the girls jumping on him.

He thudded down the stairs, the creak of the wood a satisfying echo of his presence. The living room sprawled before him, bathed in morning light, and there they were—his harem, scattered across the space like a tableau of conquest.

However, a girl in a red jacket interrupted him. 

"Hey there, have you slept well?" she asked with a grin. "I wondered if you could help me do some shopping."

Daniel almost yelled at her to even dare ask such a thing but he merely nodded, his eyes too busy looking at her features. "Huh… Yeah, why not."

"Okay, let's go then," Eva giggled before pushing the door open and stepping out.

Daniel scratched his head, still half-distracted by the idea of spending the morning basking in his newfound paradise, but Eva's smirk pulled him in. She had this strange energy—playful, but something about it put a weird itch in his brain.

Eh, whatever.

He stuffed his hands into his pockets and followed her out the door, the crisp morning air brushing against his skin. The town was just waking up, the streets still quiet except for the occasional vendor setting up shop.

"So, what's the deal?" he asked, eyeing her as they strolled down the road. "You're my girl now. Shouldn't you be, like, clinging to me or something?"

"Huh? Of course but you need to treat me good, right?" she turned her head, flashing a grin over her shoulder. "Besides, you would get bored if I was too easy, wouldn't you?"

Daniel felt a surge of pride. Damn right. Even in his perfect world, the girls still had a bit of spice.

But as they walked, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.

The town was too quiet.

The people who should've been out already, no? At this hour, normies goes to shop right?

Daniel frowned. "Hey… doesn't something seem weird to you?"

Eva glanced at him, her red eyes twinkling. "Weird? What do you mean?"

"I don't know… I figured there would be more people…" he muttered, his voice low as he followed her.

"Originally, there were more people, yes." A voice suddenly echoed, making the hair on his back stand on end. 

Eva came to a stop, her eyes blinking at the person in front of her. No, there was a whole crowd in front of her but a single person stood still in the middle of it, looking directly at them. 

Daniel blinked as well and frowned with an almost disgusted expression. 

"You? What the hell are you doing here?" 

The figure in the center of the crowd didn't move at first. The others surrounding him—no, it —stood eerily still, like mannequins, their faces blank and devoid of life.

Then, slowly, the one in the middle took a step forward.

"Why wouldn't I be here?" the voice was calm, but something about it sent a chill down Daniel's spine.

It was Luka.

Except… He looked like he already understood everything and that pissed him off. 

Luka's expression was unreadable, his eyes dark, calculating. His posture was relaxed, but there was something unnatural about the way he stood—like he was waiting for something.

Daniel scoffed, shaking off the unease creeping into his bones. "Tch, what, you pissed because I got your harem? Is that it?"

Luka didn't react to the taunt. Instead, his gaze slid toward Eva.

"Get it loser?" Daniel continued, flaunting as he wrapped his arm around her. "She's mine now."

"Yeah, I get it," Luka sighed. "Honestly, I'm surprised it took me two deaths to get what was going on. It should've been obvious the moment I saw that Succubus-chan recognized me. Hell, even the first death should've been enough."

Daniel froze. To him, it was like the man in front of him was speaking gibberish. "What are you talking about?"

"Tell me, Daniel," Luka looked straight at him. "Have you ever been outside on a Sunday? At 9 am in a small town like this one?"

Daniel narrowed his eyes at Luka, irritation flickering beneath the surface. He didn't have time for this cryptic nonsense.

"What the hell are you rambling about?" Daniel's grip on Eva tightened, as if to prove his dominance over the situation. "You're acting like you know something I don't, but it's just pathetic. I have everything I want. Everything I deserve."

Eva shifted uncomfortably under his arm, her red eyes narrowing as she looked between the two men. Her unease was palpable, though she kept her lips pressed into a thin smile, clearly not wanting to show weakness.

Luka's eyes flicked over to her for a brief moment before he returned his gaze to Daniel. His expression softened just a little…

Almost pitying.

"I guess you never did," he chuckled, shrugging. 

Daniel was about to lash out when suddenly a curl of smoke appeared right in front of him.

"Please my lord, let me handle this," Daji's voice came through, as sweet as ever. "It seems a mouse hasn't realized its place."

Daniel's grip on Eva tightened further as he felt a surge of anger rushing through him. "What the hell?" He jerked his head to look at Daji, her figure materializing from the smoke with that same calm, amused expression.

"You're out of your mind if you think you can just waltz in and—" Daniel began, his voice dripping with scorn, but the words died in his throat as he saw the subtle shift in Daji's posture. There was a predatory air about her now, one that matched Luka's unsettling calm.

"I'm sorry, my lord," Daji purred, her voice still smooth and silken, "but it seems you're a bit… out of your depth."

"Out of my depth?" Daniel scoffed, puffing out his chest again, though there was uncertainty now creeping into his words. "What is he gonna do?"

"So you're the mastermind, master," Luka sighed, his fists clenching. He recognized the figure immediately, except for a few differences.

She was way weaker than the original.

"Exactly," Daji slightly bowed, her fan snapped shut. "My name is Daji, or rather a certain aspect of her… The tail of Lust. Glad to meet you, Luka."

Daniel's confusion curdled into a snarl, his patience fraying at the edges. "Tail of what? What the hell is going on here?" He glared at Luka, then Daji, his bravado cracking under their cryptic exchange.

However, the detective's mouth didn't open, a silent glare was all he would give. 

"I'm surprised, to be honest," Daji continued, her tone laced with feigned hurt as she pressed a hand to her chest. "I gave you your wish, didn't I? It just so happened to align with his, allowing me to strike two birds with one stone…"

"I didn't wish for that," Luka sighed.

"Oh, but you did," Daji countered, her smile sharpening into something predatory, her eyes glinting with malicious delight. " 'I wish to be alone'—wasn't that your heart's cry yesterday? To shed all responsibility, to reclaim your old life?"

Luka's eyes widened, a jolt of realization flashing across his face. "That… that was just a passing thought," he said, his voice tightening. "A moment of frustration. I didn't mean it like this."

Daji's laughter rang out, "Well you should've thought of it sooner, Luka! You wished to be alone, for these succubi to pay, and here you are!"

Daniel's grip on Eva slackened as her words sank in, his brow furrowing. "Wait—so this whole thing," he gestured wildly at the idyllic streets around them, "me getting the harem, him being stuck in a loop—it's all because of his wish?"

"Not quite," Daji said, her fan fluttering open with a delicate flick, revealing painted cherry blossoms that seemed to shimmer faintly. "Your wish for his harem and his wish for solitude tangled together, birthing this… peculiar reality. A fragile paradise where you reign as king, and he drifts as the eternal outcast."

She then bowed to him, her smile curling further. "You are my King Zhou, my cherished emperor for which I would do anything."

"Ahah… I knew it, I charmed you didn't I?" Daniel chuckled. "Then get rid of this guy. He spoils my day."

"I wonder," she straightened. "Would it be okay to kill him?"

"I hope you're not serious, Daji," Luka sighed. "You do realize you're just one tail, right?"

"And what does it mean, my dear?" she chuckled. "That I cannot end you?"

"It means you're a hack," Luka shot back, jabbing a finger at her. "You lost the moment you tried to fuck with me. You're nowhere near the master I knew. At least she would've done the job correctly."

A vein pulsed on Daji's forehead, her composure slipping for a heartbeat before she forced a tight, venomous smile. "Oh? Are you talking about that failure who died like a dog?"

"Ahaha! Take that!" Daniel added, his laugh brittle, more nervous than triumphant.

Luka's gaze turned icy, his voice dropping to a lethal whisper. "Fine, have it your way. After looking through your disgusting PC, I thought jail was a fitting place for you, Daniel. But I guess this place is better."

"This place?" Daniel blinked.

"Yeah. This place," Luka said, his tone flat and unforgiving as he gestured vaguely to the world around them. "You think you're in control? You're a clown, Daniel. A clown in a fake world. Even your girls aren't real—they're just projections of your twisted mind."

He turned to Daji, his eyes blazing with defiance. "You put us both into a linked coma, one where Daniel's mind is predominant. That's why this city makes no fucking sense. He barely even knows where he lives."

After having decided to take a walk, Luka went as far as he could. 

The city center, where it was bustling with people even at odd hours. 

At the outskirts where the positions of the buildings weren't 1:1 with reality.

"What are you saying?" Daniel's voice trembled, his hands balling into fists as he fought to hold onto his reality. "This is my wish! My harem."

"Look around," Luka interrupted, his voice cutting like a blade. "The city center's alive when it shouldn't be, and the outskirts are a mess because you don't remember them right. This isn't your town—it's a shitty dream stitched together from your half-assed memories. You're so pathetic and disillusioned that you can't even get the girl's personalities right!"

He then took a deep breath and wanted to scream but restrained himself. "Wishes don't exist you fucking moron! We're not in Dragon Ball!"

Daji clicked her heels on the pavement, stepping between them with a calculated grace, her smile never faltering. "That's enough, Luka. I am going to remove you for your lies."

"Remove me?" Luka scoffed. "I'll be the one who turns this little place into a prison for the both of you."

"Oh yeah?" Daniel's eyes narrowed. "How can I be sure you're saying the truth and not lying to me, huh? You're just jealous, that's it!"

"Exactly," Daji purred, her chuckle low and venomous. "He's a jealous little man who can't even get it up. And what do we do with pests like him, my lord?"

"Hehe.." Daniel chuckled darkly. "We remove them."

Daji's eyes flashed and she pulled out a talisman. "What a fool you were, Luka… Imagining you can defy me in your state."

"I swear… You really don't know who I am, do you?" Luka sighed. 

"I don't need to," Daji retorted, her grin stretching into something manic as she gripped the talisman between her fingers. "I'll erase the mistake my previous self made by taking a student like you! Every trace of her—gone!"

The air crackled as Daji thrust the talisman forward, its glow intensifying into a blinding pulse. The streets warped further, the pavement buckling under an unseen force, buildings blurring into smears of color. Daniel stumbled back, his bravado faltering as the world he'd clung to began to fray at the seams.

Luka, however, stood unmoving. His gaze sharpened, his expression impassive as a faint, knowing smirk tugged at his lips. He raised his hand, fingers tracing an arc in the air as if conducting an unseen force. "You're nothing but an echo of Lust," he said, his voice calm, almost academic, "a fragment Daji once used to seduce King Zhou and drown him in pleasure. A part of her that my master… well, let's say my master snuffed out long ago. So, let me teach you something."

A ripple of energy surged from his gesture, clashing with the talisman's light. The collision erupted in a burst of sparks, the talisman shuddering in Daji's grip. Her grin faltered, her eyes widening with a mix of rage and disbelief. "What—"

"There are at least three succubi stronger than you back at my house," Luka continued, his tone steady and cutting. "They're waiting for me to wake up. One already gave me the statuette to figure out this mess, and the other two are boosting me right now." He chuckled, raising his left arm with a casual swagger. "And didn't you get the memo? The lord of dreams is always by my side, you dumbass."

The mark pulsed red, giving him all control over himself in this place. 

Daji growled further as she threw three other talismans, her kimono swaying with the motion. "You insolent—" she snarled, but Luka's smirk widened. He leapt forward, ducking low to avoid the talismans.

Luka landed in a crouch, his smirk widening as he rose to his feet. "You're slow," he taunted, his voice laced with mockery. "But then again, what can I expect from a woman who can only trick others?"

Daji's eyes narrowed, her rage boiling over, her hold on the dream slowly slipping through her fingers. She raised her hands, and the air around her began to distort, the ground beneath her feet cracking and splintering. "You think you can mock me?" she spat. "I am Daji! I am the embodiment of desire, the queen of corruption!"

"You came back too soon!" Luka roared, his fist crashing down before she could weave her spell. The blow struck her skull with a sickening crunch, snapping her head back as blood sprayed from her lips. In that instant, Eva's form—standing nearby—flickered violently, warping into a grotesque mass of pulsing red flesh, studded with unblinking eyes and writhing appendages that mimicked human speech, before snapping back to her false shape.

Daniel stumbled back, his face ashen, his voice a trembling whisper. "W-What the fuck was that ?"

"Flesh puppets. They possess a conscience of their own so it's easier to control dreams once implanted in them," Luka smirked. "Don't thank me for telling you."

"I fucked that?!"

Daji recovered quickly, her rage reigniting like a wildfire. She wiped the blood from her lips, her eyes blazing with fury. "I don't get it," she growled. "You could've just walked away, found another house, and lived your life. But instead… Instead…" 

Luka's smirk held firm, unwavering. "Sorry, but seeing this asshole turn those troublesome succubi into brainwashed, half-baked versions of themselves pissed me off," he said, his chuckle laced with menace as the mark on his arm pulsed again, its red light flaring brighter. "I would largely prefer to get annoyed by them once more than live like that."

Daji's eyes burned with hatred as she clenched her fists, the air around her shimmering with dark power. "You think you can stand there and act like you've already won? You don't even know what's coming for you, lowly human. This world you're clinging to will soon disappear!"

Luka's expression remained unfazed, his eyes sharp as ever. "Then show me something real," he challenged, his voice steady and mocking. "Because everything you've done up until now has been one big magic trick."

With a snarl, Daji raised both arms high, the sky above darkening with swirling storm clouds. The ground trembled beneath their feet as the air thickened with a raw, electric charge. "You want reality? Fine," she hissed. "I'll show you true power."

But Luka simply landed one more punch, cutting her concentration off and the spell with it. 

"Sucks to have a spell with such a huge casting time," he sighed. "But nice try."

Daji recoiled as the punch landed, its force shattering the concentration she had tried to muster for her spell. The storm clouds above dissipated instantly, the crackling energy fizzling out like a dying ember. Her body staggered back, and she gritted her teeth, fury flashing in her eyes.

"You… You think you're so clever, don't you?" Daji spat, wiping the blood from her lips with a trembling hand. "But you still don't understand anything."

Luka's smirk never wavered. "Oh, I understand plenty," he said with an almost bored tone, raising a hand to wipe a bit of dust from his sleeve. "I understand that you're just throwing tantrums because you're out of your depth. Honestly, I thought you'd be more of a challenge."

Daji's snarl twisted into a desperate shriek as she lunged forward, claws slashing wildly at the air.

But Luka simply sidestepped every blow with ease, hands in his pockets.

"You should ask that Alma Elma thing to come, or whatever," Luka sighed while effortlessly dodging another slash from Daji.

"Fine! Take it!" she growled, and in a split second, a talisman flashed beneath her kimono. Instantly, the succubi that had been part of Daniel's harem appeared, their eyes blank, empty. Their bodies were nothing but soulless shells, exuding an unsettling chill in the air.

"Last time I got killed by two of them but they're all dangerous…" he muttered. "As long as you believe they are, that is."

With a snap of his fingers, a blue ripple shot outward from his feet. The succubi soon flickered, turning into their true forms of mass of flesh. 

"You know, for a woman of Lust, you truly have a disgusting power," he said with a chuckle. "But it ends now, I hope you like your 'King Zhou', Daji."

Daji's eyes widened in horror as the creatures began to twitch and distort, but her teeth clenched. "How… How are you doing that…" she stammered, her voice filled with disbelief.

Luka gave her a calm, almost indifferent look. "I'm lucid dreaming. It's not that hard when you have control over your body and mind as good as mine."

The succubi continued to convulse in their true forms, their once-beautiful faces now grotesque and alien. Daji staggered back, her power faltering in the face of Luka's calm resolve.

She shook her head, as if trying to shake off the confusion. "No... This isn't possible. You shouldn't be able to do this...!" Her voice grew more frantic, more desperate.

"Guess what," he grinned. "You know who told me how to do that?"

Daji stared at Luka, her breath hitching as he raised his hand overhead, fingers poised for a snap, his smirk unwavering.

"A better you."

He snapped his fingers, and suddenly, everything vanished. Leaving only two of them in a white and empty void. 

Daniel looked around in confusion, stumbling on the formless ground. "Where… Where are we?"

Luka's expression was unchanged, his eyes locking onto Daniel with a calm intensity. "Basically, I made Daji so angry she lost control of your mind. I guess trying to irritate her as much as possible was the right call…" he sighed in relief and gave the air of an instructor, mimicking someone fanning himself. "Rule number 1 of dream fights, make your opponent angry or scared. That will make them lose control over you." He chuckled and shrugged. "It's only me and you now."

Daniel's panic began to rise. "W-Wait! I did nothing wrong! She tricked me! I—"

Luka cut him off with a wave of his hand, his voice laced with an edge of irritation. "Doesn't matter now. You're here because you let her play you like a fool. That's on you, not me."

The weight of the situation began to settle on Daniel as the eerie silence of the void pressed in around them. He stood there, his mouth opening and closing, unable to fully comprehend the gravity of what had just happened.

"This... this is all a dream, right?" Daniel stammered, his voice barely a whisper. "You're going to wake me up, right?"

Luka's eyes narrowed slightly. "Wake you up? How am I supposed to do that? It's Daji who put us to sleep, not me."

Daniel swallowed hard, his mind racing. He didn't understand what was happening. "But… You made her disappear!"

"I did. But she'll come back in a second or two. The time that she cools off."

As if summoned by his words, the void quivered, faint cracks splintering across the endless white expanse. Daji emerged, breathless and disheveled, her kimono tattered as she trudged forward. "Okay… I think… I got the message…" she heaved, her voice ragged but laced with a stubborn edge.

"So? Wanna wake me up?" Luka asked, crossing his arms with a casual shrug.

"In a second…" Daji rasped, raising a trembling finger as she caught her breath. "I've got a question first…"

"Go on," he said, his tone dry and indifferent.

Her lips curled into a grin, sly and desperate. "Do you want to replace him?" She gestured to Daniel, her eyes glinting with a manic spark. "I'll give you everything you desire…"

"Will it be a dream again?"

"I mean…" Daji coughed, a nervous edge creeping into her voice. "Maybe…?"

"Then no."

"Oh, p-please reconsider," she chuckled, her laughter brittle and forced as she leaned forward, pleading. "I'll treat you well—even find a cure for your 'problem,' hm?"

Luka's smirk faded into a cold, unyielding stare, the red mark on his arm pulsing faintly as he stepped closer. "A cure?" he said, his voice low and edged with disdain. "You think I'd trade reality for another one of your cheap illusions? Pass."

Daji's grin faltered, her hands twitching as she tried to muster a response. "But… but think of it!" she stammered, her voice rising with desperation. "Power, pleasure—anything you want! I can make it real for you!"

"Real?"

"I'll gather the other tails! And then—"

"Oh, it's already a failing plan," Luka interrupted, his tone dismissive. He waved a hand as if swatting away a fly. "Just wake me up already. I'm done playing your games."

Daniel, still reeling, took a shaky step forward, his voice trembling. "Wait—what about me? What happens now?"

Luka glanced at him, his expression softening just enough to hint at pity—though it was a cold, detached kind of pity. "You?" he said, his voice almost bored. "Who cares about you?"

Daji barely glanced at Daniel, her focus entirely on Luka. Her lips pressed into a thin line, her frustration evident. "Then, I shall wake you up, I guess," she sighed, her tone resigned. She raised a hand, the air around her shimmering faintly as she prepared to release her hold on the dream.

"H-Hey!" Daniel shouted, his voice cracking as he looked between the two of them, his hands shaking. "Don't ignore me, you bastards! You're the ones who put me in this supernatural mess!"

Daji tilted her head, her expression one of mild curiosity, as if she'd only just noticed him. "What are you talking about?" she asked, her tone almost innocent. "I picked you because you were so vile I could make Luka suffer. That's it."

Daniel's face flushed with anger and humiliation. "What? That's it? You ruined my life just to mess with him?!"

"Ah, so that was your goal? Well at least you hurt my nose. Geez the smell of his house…" He wrinkled his nose in disgust.

Daniel's fists clenched, his frustration boiling over. "You think this is funny? You both dragged me into this nightmare, and now you're just going to leave me here?!"

Luka's smirk returned, though it lacked any real warmth. "Look, you're going to have everything you want, right Daji?" 

"Right," she nodded with a disgusted expression. "I will give you back your little world and my puppets of flesh shall satisfy your desires."

"Those things? No way I'm—" Daniel started, but before he could finish, Luka and Daji disappeared in a flash of blinding light. He reached out, his hand grasping at empty air. "Hey, come back!"

The light faded, and Daniel found himself back in his house, lying in his bed. He blinked, disoriented, and quickly sat up, his heart pounding. The room was eerily quiet, the familiar surroundings doing little to calm his nerves. He rubbed his eyes, trying to shake off the lingering unease, and swung his legs over the side of the bed.

"Hey! Where are you?!" he shouted, his voice echoing through the empty house. His heavy footsteps shook the ground as he pushed the bedroom door open, his eyes darting around frantically.

"Oh! Danny!" a disembodied voice greeted him, its tone oddly cheerful yet unsettling. Daniel froze, his breath catching in his throat as his eyes landed on the source of the voice.

A mass of red flesh, covered in eyes, slid across the floor toward him. The eyes blinked in unison, their gazes fixed on him with an eerie intensity. "It's not like I like you… idiot!" the creature said, its voice a strange mix of mockery and something almost resembling affection.

Daniel stumbled back, his stomach churning. "What the hell is this?!" he shouted, his voice trembling. "Get away from me!"

The voice from the mass chuckled, a sound that sent a chill down his spine. "What are you talking about? It's me! Vinum!"

Another humanoid mass of flesh appeared from the doorway, a bit bulkier. "Is something wrong Danny? Do you need big sis to help you?"

"What the hell is going on?!" Daniel shouted, his voice cracking under the strain. "Daji? Luka? What have you done to me?!"

The first creature, the one that had called itself Vinum, slithered closer, its voice taking on a teasing tone. "Oh, don't be like that, Danny. We're here to take care of you. Isn't that what you wanted?"

"No! This isn't what I wanted!" Daniel backed away, his hands trembling as he looked for an escape. "I didn't ask for any of this!"

The bulkier creature chuckled, a low, guttural sound that made Daniel's skin crawl. "You didn't have to ask, little brother. Daji knew what you needed. And now, we're here to make sure you never feel alone again."

Daniel's mind raced, his panic rising. He glanced around the room, searching for something—anything—that could help him. But there was nothing. Just the two grotesque creatures, their eyes fixed on him, their forms shifting and writhing as they closed in.

"Stay away from me!" he yelled, his voice breaking. "I don't want this! I don't want you!"

Vinum's voice took on a pouting tone. "You're so mean, Danny…"

The bulkier creature laughed again, its voice booming. "Don't worry, little brother. You'll learn to love us. Everyone does, eventually."

For you will be drowning in your delusions…

Forever.

"I'm back!" Luka opened his eyes and shouted immediately, startling the succubi gathered around his bed. Vinum was sitting close to it on a chair while Alma Elma was awfully too close to him, her hands wrapped around him competitively with Lilith. "You can get your hands off me now…" he grumbled.

"Seems like our efforts weren't in vain," she sighed, her voice strained, as though she'd just finished a difficult task. "Sending information of one object in your mind wasn't easy, boy."

"But I appreciate it. Otherwise I think I would've become a vegetable."

"A tasty vegetable…♪" Alma Elma teased, her fingers playing on his torso. 

"Please don't say that," his face paled in an instant. "I know what you're capable of and you killed me in my dream. You two Lilith."

Lilith smiled widely, unphased by his obvious discomfort. "But it was just a dream, right?" she said lightly, though there was a strange edge to her words. "It's all over now."

Luka gave her a flat stare, his mind still processing what had happened in that dream. "Sure, sure. Just a dream..." he muttered, but something in his voice suggested that he wasn't entirely convinced.

Before he could continue, a voice boomed from the other side of the house, pulling everyone's attention away from the immediate conversation. "Hey! Hey!" Morrigan's voice rang out, booming through the walls. "The fox we caught tonight woke up!"

The sudden shift in focus didn't escape Luka. He glanced at the others in the room, his gaze momentarily flickering between Alma Elma, Lilith, and Vinum, before it locked onto the door. "That's... her," he muttered under his breath, his mind already turning over the implications of Morrigan's announcement.

"Time to go deal with that, I suppose," he added dryly, pushing himself off the bed.

Alma Elma leaned forward slightly. "You should be careful, Luka. That fox might be more trouble than it's worth."

"I know," he replied, his voice flat. "She's the one behind all this."

Without another word, he moved towards the door. Vinum followed him and they soon arrived in the living room where a single lady with a black fluffy tail was tied up and gagged with teary eyes.

"Yo, Daji. Sleep well?" Luka said, a sardonic grin tugging at his lips.

"HMMMM!!" she protested, her muffled indignation vibrating through the gag.

"Remove her gag, Morrigan," he sighed.

Morrigan grumbled under her breath but obliged, her telekinesis flicking the gag away with a lazy flourish. "Finally!" Daji gasped, sucking in a dramatic breath. "Is this how you treat all your guests?"

"You forced me to sleep in that creep's room—and nearly killed me in the process," Luka shot back, his tone icy.

"Wait, shouldn't being killed be worse than—" Morrigan began but Luka quickly shut her up with a stare.

"Anyway, I hope you don't miss the opportunity I gave you, Luka."

"I don't," he replied, his gaze unyielding. "Where's Daniel?"

"Daniel?" Morrigan snarled, her lip curling in disgust. "You saw that guy?"

"Yeah, it was his room I got stuck in," Luka said, his expression darkening.

"My condolences," she replied with a pitying tone.

"He's still out cold at his place," Daji said with an exaggerated sigh, rolling her eyes. "I assume you want me to wake him—"

"Don't."

"Huh?" Daji blinked, thrown off balance.

"Don't wake him up," Luka said, his voice hardening into steel. "In fact, make his life harder ."

"Oi, Luka," Morrigan interjected, recoiling slightly from his venom. "I get that he's a pest, but—"

"It's that or I do something the cops will never be able to find," Luka cut in, his eyes narrowing to slits.

Morrigan arched an eyebrow, smirking faintly. "I'm not sure which is worse…"

Daji squirmed in her bindings, her fluffy tail flicking nervously as she studied Luka with growing unease. "You're serious?" she asked, her voice tinged with disbelief. "You'd rather leave him stuck in that coma?"

Luka shrugged, his face a mask of indifference. "Never pretended to be on a moral high ground and never will. This piece of shit was blackmailing girls at his company for sex. Let him rot."

"Okay, that I didn't know," Daji sighed. Then she looked back at him with shining eyes. "Well, if you're not waking him, maybe we could… strike a deal instead?" She flashed a tentative grin. "You're clearly resourceful, Luka. We could do great things together."

"Okay, so tell me who's your boss."

"W-What?" she stammered, her eyes looking away. 

"You knew me even though we never met. You might be the reincarnation of Daji, but you're a new person entirely, you shouldn't be able to remember what I did," he explained with a matter-of-fact tone. "So who the fuck sent you before I tear your tail apart?"

Daji's tail stiffened as she froze, sweat running down her cheeks. "Hum… Well… You see…"

"Morrigan, prepare to pull out her tail," he ordered.

"Aye sir!" the succubus's hands began glowing blue.

"Awawa! Stop it! Don't pull on it! It's precious to me!" she closed her eyes as she felt the tingling sensation of Morrigan's aura wrap around her tail. "It's the Hatman! The Hatman I tell you! Don't pull!"

Luka froze.

"What kind of ridiculous name is that?" Morrigan growled, pulling further on the fox's tail. "Give us a real name!"

"Stop it, Morrigan," Vinum sighed.

"What?" she turned around, and looked at Luka.

His eyes were so focused it was as if he was seeing someone else in the room. 

His jaw clenched, knuckles whitening as he fought to keep his composure. "The Hatman," he repeated, his voice low and dangerous, each syllable laced with barely restrained fury.

"Y-Yes! He told me to pull a prank on you so I did!" she tried to raise her hand defensively but she was still bound. "It wasn't my idea!"

Thud!

His fist connected directly with her face, with all of his weight behind it. 

"The Hatman?!" he cried out, his eyes bloodshot. "This guy is fucking dead! Don't speak his name lightly or I'll crush your skull into the floor!" 

"Ahhh! Help me!" she yelped as another fist came crashing down, but Vinum caught it just in time, stopping Luka in his tracks.

The force of Luka's punch stopped just short of Daji's face, his clenched fist hovering inches away from her skull. His breath came in ragged gasps, the intensity of his rage palpable in the air. His eyes blazed with fury as he fought to keep his emotions in check, his body shaking with the effort.

"Luka," Vinum was standing between him and Daji. "Enough."

Luka's eyes flickered to her, his gaze burning with an intensity that suggested he could snap at any moment. But he didn't. He took a slow, deliberate breath, his fist trembling in the air before he finally dropped it, stepping back.

"She's lying…" he spat. "She's lying otherwise Saki would've told me he was back."

Daji, still trembling from the force of his rage, swallowed hard, her voice barely above a whisper. "I'm sorry... I didn't mean.."

With another spat, he left the room, his footsteps echoing in the house. They heard a few cries upstairs asking to get out and the crash of a door slamming shut. 

Morrigan, who had been watching the exchange with a curious expression, finally spoke up. "Who the hell is this Hatman, and why does Luka look like he's about to tear the world apart just hearing about him?"

Vinum sighed. "I don't know and I wish I did. That fox might be telling more lies to rile him up," her eyes darkened as she looked at the bound woman.

Daji trembled under the weight of their gazes, her body stiff as she realized she was still very much at their mercy.

She looked from Morrigan to Vinum, her eyes wide with fear. She swallowed hard, as if trying to keep her composure. "I'm telling the truth!" she pleaded, her voice breaking. "He's real!"

"Enough with this," Morrigan growled. "What's his plan? What does he want with Luka?"

"I don't know!" Daji cried out, her voice desperate. "I only know what he told me! He said he wanted him to know he existed!"

Morrigan nodded, fixing Daji with a hard stare. "Talk, fox. Who is he? What's his tie to Luka?"

Daji swallowed, her tail flicking nervously. "I… I barely know anything. He called Luka a loose end he had to deal with."

"A loose end?" Vinum's eyes sharpened. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I don't know!" Daji's voice rose, panicked. "He didn't explain!"

"Do you know what he looks like?" Vinum asked.

"H-He looked like a man with a wide hat! And a trenchcoat!"

"Sounds like the guy we met in Nina's lab…" Morrigan muttered. "But Luka said it couldn't be someone he knew."

"Then it's someone passing as him?" Vinum sighed. "Anyway, I have work to do. If you would, put her in the cellar."

"Okay!" Morrigan flashed a predatory grin, her eyes gleaming with mischief. "Hop you go!"

"W-What? Wait! Don't put me ther—HMMM!" Daji's protests were cut short as Morrigan shoved a gag into her mouth, silencing her. The succubus lifted Daji effortlessly with her aura, the bound fox floating in the air like a ragdoll.

"Don't worry," Morrigan said, her tone mockingly sweet. "The cellar's nice and cozy. You'll love it."

Daji's muffled protests grew louder, but Morrigan ignored her, carrying her out of the room with a spring in her step. Vinum watched them go, her expression thoughtful. Once they were out of earshot, she turned her attention back to the empty doorway, her mind racing.

"A loose end…" she murmured to herself, her voice barely audible. "What aren't you telling us, boy?"

A day before…

"Finally found ya," the Hatman chuckled. 

After finding out that the ritual was already done, he scoured the place to find any trace of the resurrected tails. The first one he had found was a woman at a bar, spending her time seducing guys.

Strong but not strong enough to really hurt him, good.

"What do you want?" the woman asked with a bored expression. 

He wrapped his arm around her, a sly grin spreading across her face. "I want you to help me with something…"

"You see, I have a long-time friend who doesn't know I exist for some reason…"