C1 The Nest of the Koraka Demon Ninja

From behind the veil of white silk in the hidden chamber, a sultry, lingering breath could be heard.

A bewitching woman, her kimono slipping off her shoulders to reveal a delicate collarbone and a pale expanse of chest, appraised the handsome young man suspended in the gossamer threads of a spider's web.

She was a vision of allure, her kimono accentuating her charms. The jewels adorning her forehead shimmered like the multifaceted eyes of an insect.

At that moment, those jewel-like eyes blazed with a crimson light, signaling her excitement.

Her actions resembled a tender morning ritual, as she meticulously and earnestly wiped the youth's face, neck, and even the corners of his mouth with her handkerchief.

Her touch was anything but professional, more intimate than any massage.

With each caress, she drew a breath from the boy's neck, as if she were a creature of enchantment.

A pink mist, almost tangible in its ability to parch one's throat and stir primal urges, wafted from the kimono-clad temptress.

Slowly, the room filled with this pink miasma, a demonic aura that seemed to awaken the instincts of those within its reach.

Despite the kimono-clad woman's provocative allure, the beautiful youth she attended to remained utterly still.

His immobility was not just because he was ensnared like an insect in a web, his body bound in a cocoon of silken threads.

He had grown accustomed to his predicament.

For nearly half a month, he had been at the mercy of this Enchantress.

Each encounter with her left him weaker, his vitality waning.

To an onlooker, it might seem a scene of indulgence, yet in truth, his very life force was being drained.

The essence of a human, akin to the demonic aura of an Enchantress, was being siphoned away.

While the loss of Demonic Qi might leave an Enchantress merely weakened, for humans the stakes were far higher.

Too great a loss of essence could be fatal.

In the span of that half month, he had perished dozens, perhaps hundreds of times, at the hands of the Enchantress in kimono, each visitation leeching away copious amounts of his essence.

Moreover, whenever he inhaled the pink demonic miasma released by the enchantress, his body would convulse and he would die.

In fact, he had died countless times already.

Why he was still alive was a mystery even to the handsome youth himself.

Perhaps it had something to do with the mark resembling nine fox tails over his heart.

Furthermore, with each death—whether from having his essence drained by the enchantress or from inhaling her demonic qi—he distinctly felt his vitality and resistance to poison grow.

Yet, he couldn't reveal his immunity to the demonic aura the enchantress exuded.

Thus, he slowly closed his eyes, once vibrant with heterochromia, now dulled, surrendering to the whims of the kimono-clad temptress.

As a mere human, he was no more than an insect caught in a spider's web before the stunning kimono-clad enchantress—at least for the moment.

"Pop~"

With cheeks flushed, the enchantress left a "strawberry" kiss on the beautiful youth's collarbone.

Savoring the mark she had made, she reluctantly released the glistening youth, his neck now slick with a shiny liquid.

The liquid was gradually absorbed into the young man's body.

He lay there, his body tinged with crimson, eyes tightly closed, lost in a trance.

It was spider venom, capable of paralyzing the captured 'prey,' draining them of their strength.

The voluptuous woman in the kimono curved her lips into a pleased smile and then slowly peeled away the garment draped over her chest.

As the matriarch of the newlyweds and a leader within the Koraka Demon Ninja clan, she was no stranger to tumultuous affairs.

Yet, in the presence of this striking human youth, she found herself yearning for an intimacy akin to that of a young spider reaching mating age for the first time.

She had to confess, she was becoming addicted.

Since stumbling upon this enchanting human boy in the woods half a month ago, her infatuation had kept her confined to this silken chamber, her daughters neglected.

It was a time of bewitchment and blurred consciousness.

She desired more than just his company; she yearned to possess every part of him.

"My precious little one, why are you so adorable? Hmm? Humans were supposed to have been extinct for centuries."

With her sharp-nailed fingers, she gently stroked the face of the immobilized handsome youth, leaving faint, reddish scratches on his skin.

The Enchantress fought hard against the "hunger" within her, yet her body instinctively entwined with his. Like a spider poised to savor its captured prey, the Spider Ninja leader's voluptuous form pressed down upon the beautiful youth.

Essence, the sustenance of Enchantresses, flowed from the youth into the kimono-clad Enchantress. As the demonic energy within her swelled, the elegant woman licked her lips with anticipation.

Then, like a tender and bashful maiden, the alluring woman in the off-shoulder kimono rested her chin on the chest of the young man before her. Her lovely face softly grazed against his chest.

Despite sharing a room for over half a month, the Enchantress and the beautiful youth had maintained a certain distance. Only now could the Enchantress keep her wits about her while feasting on his essence.

Yet, she couldn't quell the rising tide of passion within. Warm breaths continuously escaped her deep red, seductive lips.

"Why has a human appeared now, of all times? Hmm? My little darling, what's your story?"

"How did you come to be here, centuries after humanity's demise? And you're no ordinary human."

"No ordinary human possesses the power of 'immortality,' and your essence is unlike any I've encountered."

"Could it be that you are a remnant of a noble human lineage? Perhaps a Yin Yang Master or the like? Hmm? Darling, won't you enlighten me?"

But even if you ask, I have no answer to give.

The beautiful youth, currently drained of his essence by the Demon Ninja leader, could only recall his name.

Mori. That was his name.

Beyond that, his memory was a blank slate. He couldn't remember why he was in that forest or why he possessed an 'immortal body' that wasn't inherently human.

Though much was unknown, Mori still held onto a few certainties.

Take, for instance, the kimono-clad Enchantress currently siphoning his life force, who once said:

The humans of this island country perished centuries ago.

Now, demons have claimed dominion over this land.

Yet, within their ranks, a hierarchy exists.

Demon males hold no status or power whatsoever.

They are relegated to the most menial roles as simple farmers and foot soldiers.

The Enchantresses, on the other hand, wield control over this realm.

Male beings, human or otherwise, are consigned to the lowest echelon in this nation.

It is a matriarchal demon realm.

— Mori, to his even greater misfortune,

is likely the sole surviving human male in this country.