Lilith stood in the center of the ring of fourteen colossal gates of light.
Her new purple wings, still feeling strangely heavy and cumbersome, arched and flared behind her, reacting to the violent surges of energy emanating from each threshold. She turned her head slowly, her blood-red pupils - defiant against the overwhelming spectacle - scanning the portals.
Meanwhile, the ANALYSIS skill she had unlocked thanks to her "virgin status" immediately began scrolling detailed descriptions of each destination, painting a picture of a world steeped in peril and political intrigue.
Her gaze first landed on the first gate, which bled a cold, pale blue light. The system ruthlessly laid bare its flaws.
[ TRANSPORT GATE 1: THE INFINITE WASTES ]
LOCATION: Southeastern region of the Infinite Continent.
DESCRIPTION: This gate connects to a desolate region almost entirely devoid of life. A lack of any significant natural resources, extreme climatic conditions, and a total absence of strategic value make this terrain absolutely unsuitable for kingdom-building or faction development.
EVALUATION: Not recommended. Choosing this gate is a waste of time.
She shivered slightly and shifted her gaze to the adjacent portal. It radiated a powerful, tempestuous aura, with lightning raging within. ANALYSIS delivered a sharp warning.
[ TRANSPORT GATE 2: THE STORM MOUNTAINS ]
LOCATION: Southern part of the Infinite Continent.
DESCRIPTION: A region incredibly rich in rare minerals and magical ores, making it a tempting target. Unfortunately, this region lies entirely within the borders of the Storm Empire - an immensely powerful, militaristic nation of hundreds of millions with a formidable army and numerous Heroes. Any attempt to establish a Demon King faction here will be immediately detected and crushed in its infancy.
EVALUATION: Not recommended. Risk of immediate elimination.
The next gate pulsed with a pure, golden light that felt strangely familiar and soothing to Lilith - until she read the description, which sent a jolt of terror through her heart.
[ TRANSPORT GATE 3: THE HOLY VALLEYS ]
DESCRIPTION: A legendary region considered the heart of civilization, boasting unimaginable wealth in resources, fertile lands, and ancient artifacts. However, it is also home to the most powerful human and elven kingdoms, where dozens of Epic-class powerhouses and Legendary Heroes are stationed.
WARNING: Going there as a newborn Demon King is practically suicide; certain death within the first hours of the game.
NOTE: There are fourteen different entry points in this region, but almost every one has critical issues - they are either filled with lethal natural hazards or under constant surveillance by powerful factions. It will be difficult to survive even the Safety Period here.
Lilith huffed, her new, ample breasts rising and falling with her quickened breath. Her purple wings twitched nervously behind her as she read through the traps the system had laid out.
Wonderful, just wonderful... it's either an empty field or a Hero army welcoming committee. Is there anywhere in this game where I won't die in the first minute?
She scanned further, passing gates leading to the:
[SHADOW NECROPOLIS] - too depressing and full of undead.
[FROST PEAKS] - I'd freeze to death before I even awakened a fire talent.
[VENOM JUNGLE] - too many bugs, and I'm a Succubus, not an entomologist...
Finally, her crimson eyes rested on the fourteenth transport gate. It pulsed with a dark, violet light, almost identical to the glow of her current temple.
[ TRANSPORT GATE 14: THE VALLEY OF ETERNAL DARKNESS ]
LOCATION: Northeastern part of the Infinite Continent, deep within the Valley of Chaos.
DESCRIPTION: This region is situated deep within the infamous Valley of Chaos. While the forest is rich in resources and magical materials, its geography is complex, mountainous, and divided into territories inhabited by many different, often primitive or powerful races. For this reason, it is difficult for any organized nation - including the mighty human empires - to establish a foothold here.
CHARACTERISTICS: This is a land of absolute lawlessness, barbarism, and chaos, where the law of the jungle prevails. The lack of central authority means no standing Hero armies, but also necessitates fighting for every inch of land against local threats.
Lilith clenched her new black talons. Her curly black hair cascaded over her shoulders as she stared at the description with growing interest.
"Lawlessness, barbarism, and chaos... meaning no organized manhunt for my head during the first seven days. That sounds like the only chance for a weakling who just became a Primordial Succubus Monarch and can't even flap her wings properly yet..." she thought.
Her lips curled into a predatory, determined smile as she made the decision that would shape her future in this ruthless new world.
Lilith was about to raise her hand toward the fourteenth gate, but she suddenly froze. Her purple wings slumped, their tips sweeping the grimy floor, as a sober, analytical thought took root in her mind - cutting through the adrenaline and the shock of transformation.
She looked around the monumental circle of portals, feeling alternating waves of heat and cold from the different worlds against her marbled skin. She slowly exhaled, her lungs now possessing a far greater capacity than her human ones.
Wait... since the system isn't showing me a damn timer right now, I'm going to take a moment to think about what the hell is actually going on, she mused, narrowing her crimson eyes.
I died; that's certain. I was brought here and forcibly shoved into some macabre game. But whose game? Is it a toy for bored gods, or something even more abstract? My only goal is to conquer the world to regain my freedom or ascend higher, which means the universe isn't just Earth - it's an entire ladder of different realities...
She looked again at the descriptions of the gates. Her brows, now accentuated by her predatory horns, knit together in deep concentration as she analyzed what the messages had left unsaid.
"Most of these descriptions mention existing kingdoms, millions of inhabitants, and Epic-class powers... this isn't an empty map prepared for players. It's a living, ancient world that existed long before us," she muttered, her voice now lower and more velvety, echoing off the pillars.
"Fourteen billion beings are about to drop onto their heads like a plague of locusts to play at heroes and demons... I wonder if the locals even know what's coming. Will they welcome the 'Heroes' with open arms, or treat us all like invaders from another dimension that need to be slaughtered?"
Suddenly, without any warning, the third gate - the one leading to the Holy Valleys - began to tremble. Its golden glow died with a loud, electric crackle, and the portal simply collapsed in on itself, vanishing into nothingness.
Lilith jumped back, her massive wings instinctively flaring to maintain her balance as her heart leaped into her throat.
[ INFORMATION: THE QUOTA OF PLAYERS SELECTING TRANSPORT GATE NO. 3 HAS BEEN FILLED. THE OPTION HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN FROM THE SELECTION POOL. ]
In a single second, Lilith's confidence evaporated, replaced by a panic that she would be trapped in some deserted wasteland because other players were faster at making decisions.
"I choose gate fourteen! Do you hear me?! Gate fourteen, the Valley of Eternal Darkness!" she screamed, pointing a talon at the violet portal, practically begging the system for confirmation.
[ SELECTION CONFIRMED: VALLEY OF ETERNAL DARKNESS. ]
[ LOCATION RESERVED. COMMENCING TRANSFER. ]
The remaining thirteen gates immediately dissolved into the darkness. Before Lilith, only one gargantuan portal remained, pulsing with a dark energy that seemed to call to her, promising chaos and blood.
[ YOU MAY NOW PASS THROUGH THE PORTAL AND BEGIN YOUR LIFE AS A MIGHTY DEMON KING - THE PRIMORDIAL SUCCUBUS MONARCH. ]
[ GOOD LUCK. ]
The final message seemed strangely ominous, almost as if the system were wishing her luck on her way to the gallows. It made her smile crookedly, revealing her slightly elongated, sharp fangs.
She took a deep, steadying breath, squaring her shoulders. She felt her new, gigantic breasts strain against the violet armor as her wings shivered with excitement. She took several confident steps forward, standing right at the threshold of the portal's light.
I don't care what's waiting for me out there. This is my second life, and this time, I don't intend to spend it on my knees for anyone, she thought, looking one last time at her predatory talons and clenching them until the scales on her hands grated against each other.
A small, still slightly stressed but fiercely determined smile bloomed on her face as she stepped without hesitation into the violet depths of the portal, leaving behind the empty temple and her human past.