At this point, the plan was clearly veering off course.

The original goal had been to hold back until all the Heroes reached level 7 before converging to confront the Goblin Centurion. Yet the creature had arrived early, lending its brute strength to the goblins on the battlefield.

The Centurion’s interference threw the Heroes into disarray, disrupting the rhythm of the planned “General Offensive.” Now, Anyi’s group faced not only the task of killing a Goblin Centurion but also the challenge of doing so before the remaining two returned to the field.

[Sword Hero: We have to accelerate the pace.]

Ideally, they’d bring down one Centurion before the other two left the battlefield. But if things took an unexpected turn, they might soon find themselves facing two—or even three—Centurions at once.

[Thorn Hero: I’ll locate that Goblin Centurion as quickly as possible.]

The need to speed up put a heavy burden on Miruku; if she located the Centurion before the others returned, the “Surprise Attack” plan could be nearly complete. But if they came back first, any advantage would be lost.

In the jungle, goblins were everywhere. If the attack failed, who could guarantee they wouldn’t be discovered by some hidden patrol?

“Faster!” Layton urged, giving Rose a push that nearly sent her flying forward.

His 28 Strength points in full effect, she could feel the raw force behind it. She steadied herself and shot him a coy smile. “Hero sama, don’t be so impatient. My body’s not as tough as yours.”

“Won’t your scent attract goblins?” Dus wondered aloud, noting the subtle, almost intoxicating fragrance that seemed to cling to her.

Rose let out a soft laugh. “But aren’t the goblins also drawn to the other Hero groups? They won’t stray this way, at least for a while.”

Dus’s brows furrowed. “You overheard our plans?”

“Oh, I wouldn’t dare.” Rose’s smile never faltered. “We monsters just have a bit sharper hearing than humans. Sometimes we catch things that aren’t meant for us. But even if I heard, what could I do about it?”

“You’d better not have ill intentions,” Anyi said coolly, his gaze piercing. “Or I’ll kill you.”

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

A chill ran down Rose’s spine at his words—she knew he wasn’t bluffing.

“N-No, I wouldn’t dare,” she replied, though her voice wavered.

In truth, she harbored no real ill will, only a small hope that if the Heroes ever left, she could seize the opportunity to help the other succubi escape. She’d prepared for such an opening. As long as the Heroes were around, any escape was impossible. But the moment they were gone, her kin would have a strong chance.

How would they know if the Heroes had left? Simple—they’d make periodic disturbances and see if the response was a Hero or an ordinary human.

...

Just then, a strange noise echoed from the succubi’s room.

Despite their hands tied behind them and bound to their legs, the succubi had no trouble standing or even bouncing around the room. To prevent any wild escape, the window had been locked tight.

Thud! Thud!

The two succubi stationed themselves by the door, ramming their shoulders into the wood, creating a loud and persistent echo.

Outside, the stationed believers glanced at each other, keeping their distance as instructed. One of them furrowed his brow. "What are those damned things doing?"

"Looks like they’re trying to push the door down?" the other mused.

Even from afar, they could see the door rattling, though the succubi, limited to body-checking, lacked the force to break through.

"Are they planning an escape?" one asked in surprise.

"Could be," the other replied in a low voice. "Stay alert."

What they didn’t realize, however, was that their little discussion confirmed something crucial to the succubi: no Heroes were standing guard.

If a Hero had been outside, he’d have stormed in by now with threats to quiet them. But without one nearby... they could put their plan into action.

The two succubi by the door glanced at each other, sharing a nod. They halted their knocking, sat down, and, scooting carefully, positioned themselves so that their bare legs stretched toward the door’s narrow bottom gap.

Slowly, a faint pink mist began to waft out from their exposed skin, seeping through the crack. The mist was made of mana and was invisible to those without the sense to see it. But once they smelled it...

One of the believers stiffened, blinking, as a strange warmth started to creep over him. Others felt it too, unable to fight the wayward sensations that tightened in their chests. They turned, slack-jawed, staring at the door, tongues thick and mouths dry as if the door itself was some alluring lure.

With the succubi’s overwhelming mana—more than any ordinary person could resist—every thought faded from the believers’ minds. In a trance, they shuffled toward the door.

Heh heh… heh heh… came soft, foolish chuckles as four believers produced their keys and fumbled with the lock.

As the doors swung open, light streamed in, and the succubi stood waiting, watching the drooling believers stare back, their eyes dull and glassy.

“Could you untie these ropes for us?” the lead succubus cooed.

"Heh… heh… yes…”

“Baa... Baa…”

One of them mumbled, “What if… Hero-sama comes soon? Untie too fast, Hero-sama will… kill…” The warning left him frowning blankly.

If her hands had been free, the succubus would have slapped her forehead. “Ah! What do you mean, the Heroes aren’t here?” she asked, forcing a charming laugh.

“Hero-sama… they all left here…” the believer mumbled, his dull eyes unfocused. “To punish the forest… goblins…”

The succubi’s eyes widened.

This was… the perfect chance to escape!