"Ayaka!" Akira called out, looking down. "I think I stepped on something!"

"Uh oh…" Ai's voice rang in his head.

Ayaka rushed over, kneeling beside where his foot had pressed. Beneath the layer of frost, she saw a metal panel flat against the ground, almost invisible in the ice and snow.

"A pressure plate," she said, brushing away more frost to reveal symbols carved into the metal. "Good catch."

The panel showed kanji characters: fire, water, wind, earth, and ice. The fire symbol was glowing faintly now that Akira stood on it.

"Don't move yet," Ayaka warned. She picked up a piece of ice and tossed it onto a nearby panel with the ice symbol.

Suddenly, spikes shot up from the ground with great force, piercing through the ice chunk and shattering it.

"...right. So stepping on the wrong ones kills us," Akira said, trying to stay still.

"Seems that way." Ayaka examined the surrounding area more carefully. Now that they knew what to look for, they could see dozens of these panels scattered across the street in a grid pattern, all leading toward the inn.

[PUZZLE DISCOVERED: PATH OF ELEMENTS]

[CURRENT PROGRESS: 1/12]

"This one has fire on it," Akira observed. "And the door said, 'walk the path of ice.' But you just showed that stepping on ice triggers traps."

"Exactly. Except… the puzzle is inverted."

"Meaning we need to avoid the element that matches the Gate."

Ayaka traced a path through the visible panels with her eyes. "Step only on the fire symbols. They're the safe path."

Akira carefully moved to the next fire symbol, his foot coming down slowly. Click. Another mechanism activated, and the counter updated.

[PUZZLE PROGRESS: 2/12]

"Keep going," Ayaka encouraged, following behind him.

Three more fire symbols, then they reached the inn's entrance.

[PUZZLE COMPLETE]

[+20 PP]

[PP: 600 → 620]

The ice door swung open silently, revealing only blackness. Then, blue flames erupted at the entrance and trailed a line of torches farther into the interior.

"The Guardian is inside," Ayaka warned. "Be ready. Ice Succubi are different from regular demons. They use seduction as a weapon, targeting your desires and draining your Essence through intimate contact."

"So don't let her touch me?"

"Exactly. And don't listen to her voice… it's hypnotic." Ayaka's expression turned serious. "If she catches you, I might not be able to break her hold. Beta-level demons are far more powerful than Delta."

They entered together.

The inside of the inn felt like a frozen wonderland. Ice sculptures decorated the walls, chandeliers made of icicles hung from the ceiling, and a blue fire flickered in a large fireplace.

They rounded a corner, and the temperature dropped further down, so fast that their breath clouded in the air.

In the middle of the room, relaxing on a throne made of clear ice, sat the Guardian.

She was breathtaking, but in a way that made Akira's heart race with both desire and fear. Her skin was a soft, pale blue, almost glowing in the dim light.

Long white hair flowed down her back and spilled over her shoulders, moving gently as if a breeze was playing with it, even though the air was still. Her bright ice-blue eyes were fixed on them, filled with a hungry, knowing look.

She wore a thin robe that looked almost like it was made from frost. It hugged her body closely, highlighting her curves beautifully.

The fabric was so tight that you could see the shape of her full breasts, the dark blue of her stiff nipples pressing against it, the curve of her waist, and the smooth line where her thighs met.

When she shifted, the robe parted just enough to reveal the soft, bare skin between her legs.

The sight would have even been more enticing if not for the aura of deadly cold radiating from her.

"Well, well, well," the Ice Succubus purred, each word sending shivers down Akira's groin. "Fresh meat wanders into my lair."

She slowly uncrossed her legs, letting the robe fall open. The cold air kissed her exposed skin, but instead of goosebumps, tiny frost flowers bloomed across her breasts and belly, framing her stiff nipples.

One hand trailed down her face, nose, until two icy fingers pulled her lower lip down a bit.

"How delicious," she breathed, licking her lips. "I do hope you're here to warm me up… or let me drain every last drop of heat from those pretty bodies."

[WARNING: GUARDIAN DETECTED - THE ICE SUCCUBUS]

[WEAKNESS: FIRE-BASED ATTACKS, SUSTAINED ESSENCE DRAIN]

She stood gracefully, moving toward them with a hypnotic sway in her hips. "A young essence bearer and his succubus ally. What an interesting pair. Tell me, boy, what brings you to my domain?"

"We're closing this Gate," Akira said firmly, raising his dagger.

"Are you now?" She laughed, and the sound was both beautiful and chilling. "You're brave. I like brave. They taste better when they finally break."

Tendrils of ice suddenly shot up from the ground, wrapping around Akira's ankles before he could respond. He tried to move, but the ice held tight, quickly spreading up his legs.

"Akira!" Ayaka launched a burst of energy at the Succubus, but she deflected it casually with a wave of her hand.

"Patience, little sister," the Ice Succubus said. "I'll get to you. But first..." She approached Akira, trailing one cold finger along his jaw. "Let me taste what makes you special."

The cold burned where she touched him, leaving minor frostbite marks. His Essence began draining immediately, flowing out of him like water through a sieve.

Her hands glided down his neck to his chest, brushing over his shirt and teasing him with each touch. Every caress left a cool trail on his skin. Akira felt himself getting lost, his consciousness slipping as the cold and exhaustion pulled him down deeper.

"Such power," she whispered, pressing against him. "Such delicious, raw essence. You're practically overflowing with it. Let me help you... release it."

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