Ling Ye rubbed his palms together, eyes gleaming with excitement as he stared at the mysterious roulette resting in his hand. The Demon's Roulette was a notorious gamble among lords, and he knew it well. This thing wasn't just a prize machine—it was a double-edged blade. Alongside potential treasures, it held just as many curses waiting to screw over the unlucky.
He scanned the wheel carefully. The sections flickered with possible rewards:
Tier-4 Nest [Lesser Demon Marksmen] – 0.5% chance
A-rank Hero [Demon Warlord] – 0.3% chance
S-rank Weapon [Bloodfang Blade] – 1% chance
S-rank Crop Seeds [Blood Spirit Fruit] – 2% chance
Hero Shards x10 – 2% chance
Time Scroll 100 hours – 5% chance
Mana Crystals, food, and basic construction resources – over 30% chance combined.
That only added up to half the wheel. The other 50%? Pure punishment. Ling Ye's eyes narrowed as he read through the malicious traps:
[Demon's Curse] – All unit stats reduced by 30% for three days (10%).
[Demonic Invasion] – A wave of demons storms your territory (5%).
The rest were similarly nasty debuffs or catastrophic events. This was why most lords hesitated to touch the roulette at all—one bad spin could cripple their entire territory.
But Ling Ye? He had something no other lord possessed: Golden Legend. With this Infinite Golden Trait, the roulette had no choice but to cough up its single most valuable treasure.
His lips curled into a grin as he clasped his hands in mock prayer. "Alright, lady luck… no, screw that. With Golden Legend, it's not luck anymore. Buddha, bless this spin anyway."
He pressed the spin button. The pointer in the center whirred into a blur, spinning so fast it left afterimages. Ling Ye held his breath as it gradually slowed, clacking over the high-tier rewards he'd already predicted. First, it passed the Lesser Demon Marksmen, then glided right past Demon Warlord. His brow furrowed.
"Wait, what—"
The wheel came to a stop on a thin line he'd thought was nothing but a border mark. A notification popped up before his eyes:
[Congratulations! You have drawn a Mystery Reward from the Demon's Roulette: SSS-Class Hero – Succubus Queen Claria!]
Ling Ye blinked. "Mystery reward?"
He leaned closer, finally noticing the smallest sliver on the wheel, marked with only a 0.01% chance. It was so narrow that he hadn't even registered it before. But Golden Legend had fished it out effortlessly, delivering what was undoubtedly the roulette's true jackpot.
He let out a low whistle. "No way… an SSS-class hero. Less than two hours into this world, and I'm about to sign a contract with a top-tier hero. I've really broken the game this time."
He didn't hesitate. A scroll materialized in his hand, its surface glowing with ominous purple light—the Summoning Contract for Claria, the Succubus Queen. He crushed it without a second thought.
A massive, complex magic circle unfurled on the ground ahead of him, carved in twisting black-violet runes that pulsed with power. The air rippled like molten glass, space itself bending under the summoning energy. Then, with a soft click of heels, a sinuous figure stepped out of the light.
Ling Ye froze for a second, his brain producing only two words: holy hell.
This woman didn't just fit the name Succubus Queen; she redefined it. The curves, the aura, the mesmerizing sway of her walk—it was like someone had taken every fantasy depiction of a succubus, turned the dial past maximum, and then whispered, Now make her a queen.
She halted in front of him, her pert nose twitching slightly as if tasting his scent in the air. Those seductive, hypnotic eyes widened a fraction in surprise. "You… are my Lord?"
Ling Ye tilted his head, keeping his tone calm and measured. "Don't I look the part?"
Claria's gaze raked over him slowly, a teasing smile tugging at her lips. "You seem… rather weak for a lord who could summon me."
Ling Ye's expression darkened slightly. Did I just get looked down on by my own hero? He knew why, though.
He'd only been in this world for less than two hours. Even with the unique talent and aggressive start, his territory was still in its infancy. A hero of her caliber usually only appeared in the late game, once a lord's empire was fully developed, strong enough to earn their allegiance.
But Ling Ye wasn't just another lord. He was a reborn conqueror, and his presence radiated confidence forged from a lifetime of dominance.
He let his tone turn cold. "Is that really how you speak to the one you're sworn to serve?"
For the first time, Claria hesitated. She was the Succubus Queen, a being whose very existence made men crumble at her feet. Normally, they'd be drooling, begging for her attention. Yet this supposedly 'weak' human stood there, his aura sharp and commanding, pressing down on her instincts.
A flicker of genuine intrigue crossed her face. Then, with a low, sultry laugh, she covered her lips and dipped her head gracefully. "Forgive me, my Lord. To bind myself to you must be fate itself. I… look forward to being conquered by you."
Her words dripped with double meaning, but beneath the playfulness, there was real acknowledgment.
Ling Ye's mouth curved into a slow, confident smile as his eyes roamed over his new hero, unbothered by her earlier jab. "Don't worry," he said, voice smooth as steel. "Following me will be the best decision you've ever made. I'll lead you to the divine throne itself. Immortality awaits us."
For just a heartbeat, Claria's breath caught. She didn't know where this mortal found such unwavering certainty, but his calm declaration rang with a truth that made her pulse quicken. Perhaps it really was divine will that had brought them together. How else could a freshly awakened lord already command her respect?
A system chime interrupted the moment.
[Claria's affection for you has increased by +10. Current Affection Level: 60 (Friendly).]
Ling Ye blinked, suddenly remembering that hero loyalty worked on a scale.
0: Mortal enemies
20: Hostile
40: Neutral
50: Indifferent
60: Friendly
80: Close Companion
100: Absolute Loyalty – To the Death
At least he was safely above neutral. Any lower, and he risked rebellion or, worse, betrayal. Plenty of lords in his past life had died because they couldn't manage their own heroes. In the Lord World, interpersonal politics could kill you just as easily as a sword.
Satisfied, Ling Ye pulled up Claria's information panel, eager to see just what kind of powerhouse had joined his command.