Kiriel paused for a moment in front of the boarding room door, vaguely sensing that someone was watching her—but she didn't pay it any mind.
The instant her hand touched the latch, she felt that something was… wrong.
The air inside reeked of blood, of rusty iron, and of lingering magical aftershocks that had yet to fade.
She opened the door.
Lioren was curled up in the corner, his back pressed against the cold brick wall.
His breathing was ragged, uneven. Blood flowed from his shoulder and arm, dripping onto the floor and spreading into dark, blotchy stains.
He lifted his head, the corner of his mouth curving into a weary smile.
Lioren
"You're back…"
Kiriel showed no surprise.
She closed the door and locked it.
Kiriel
"You went too far."
Her voice was low and resolute.
Lioren let out a hoarse laugh.
"I didn't think… it would hurt this much."
"At the church… there's nothing but prayer and torture."
"Prayer… torture… until the mind is completely empty."
Kiriel stepped forward and knelt in front of him.
"Can you still endure it?"
Lioren was silent for a few seconds, then gave a faint nod.
"Maybe… still."
He lowered his hand to the floor and used his own blood to draw a distorted magic circle.
The lines trembled—but they were complete.
The moment the circle was finished, the blood flowing from his body suddenly reversed, crawling back up his arm toward the inverted cross etched into his skin.
The mark flared with a crimson glow—then quickly faded.
Lioren whispered,
"So this is… a miracle."
Kiriel reacted instantly.
She tightened the magic-binding restraints around his body, forcing him flat against the floor.
"I'm sorry."
Lioren jerked violently.
"Kiriel—!"
Kiriel
"You don't understand."
Her voice was tense.
"A miracle isn't a blessing."
"It's a stimulant."
Lioren began to tremble.
A cold, twisted pleasure surged straight into his brain—not happiness, but a warped high that slowly dissolved his consciousness.
"This feeling is—"
"If you let it take over, you'll destroy yourself without even realizing it."
Lioren tensed.
His muscles swelled unnaturally.
Kiriel ground her teeth.
"Physical strength… increasing explosively."
"If you lose control—"
The restraints shook violently.
---
INSIDE LIOREN'S CONSCIOUSNESS
He stood in the middle of a sea of blood.
From the sky, corpses fell endlessly, slamming into the ground with heavy, wet sounds.
A laugh rang out.
From the sea of blood, the Fire Demon emerged.
Its skin was charred black like ash, split open by flames.
"Long time no see, Lioren."
Behind him, thunder exploded.
The Lightning Demon manifested, its body wrapped in scorched flesh.
"A vessel like you… dares to seal me?"
Frost poured down.
The Ice Demon appeared, wearing a dress embroidered from frozen human skin.
"How beautiful…"
"Blood and despair… they suit me so well."
The ground shook.
The Earth Demon rose up, its stone body cracked, blood seeping from the fissures.
Four pairs of eyes fixed on Lioren.
The Fire Demon laughed loudly.
"Thanks to you… we finally woke up."
---
BACK OUTSIDE
The restraints shattered.
Kiriel was thrown hard onto the floor.
A hand clamped around her throat, slamming her down.
Kiriel gasped for air.
"Lioren—"
Lioren's eyes had lost all focus.
The voice that came out… was not entirely his.
"So this is your bitch?"
"I'll rape her."
Kiriel struggled to breathe, but her gaze remained clear.
(If this continues… he'll be completely gone.)
Lioren violently tore off her clothes, leaving Kiriel with nothing to cover herself.
---
OUTSIDE
Avana stood frozen before the slightly open door.
All she saw was Lioren pinning Kiriel down by the throat on the floor as they had sex, Kiriel's strained moans echoing in the room.
She couldn't hear the words.
She couldn't see the truth.
Only a scene enough to shatter her heart.
Tears fell.
Avana turned her back and walked away.
---
INSIDE THE CONSCIOUSNESS
Lioren was sent flying, crashing to the ground.
Ribs cracked loudly.
The Fire Demon bent down, its voice dripping with contempt.
"Why resist?"
"You were born to be a vessel."
Lioren coughed up blood.
But in those trembling eyes… there was still a spark of clarity.
"It's not over yet…"
The Fire Demon burst into laughter, dry and harsh like burning coal.
"So what are you going to do?"
Something dropped between the two of them.
Thud.
A human head, its face still frozen in terror.
Lioren didn't hesitate.
He twisted his body, poured all his strength into his leg, and kicked hard.
The head tore through the air, flying straight at the Fire Demon.
CRACK—
The charred skin on the Fire Demon's chest split open along a thin line, like porcelain lightly struck.
The Fire Demon looked down, then laughed.
"That's all?"
Lioren narrowed his eyes.
(He didn't react…)
(Not because it didn't hurt.)
(He didn't realize it.)
He shot a quick glance at the other three demons.
Lightning. Ice. Earth.
They stood still.
Too still.
Not a single movement.
Lioren's heart sank.
The Fire Demon sneered.
"Wondering why they aren't moving?"
"Simple."
It tilted its head, its voice overflowing with pleasure.
"They're busy controlling your body out there."
"To rape your bitch."
Lioren froze.
"KIRIEL—!"
He bit down hard, blood spilling from the corner of his mouth.
Then he turned and ran.
The Fire Demon wasn't in a hurry.
It merely walked.
"Meaningless."
Around Lioren, corpses continued to rain down.
He grabbed heads one after another, throwing them backward as he ran, calculating every move.
(Its skin…)
(Not its real body.)
(A shell.)
(What breaks isn't force—)
(It's structure.)
The Fire Demon raised its hand.
"Fire Cyclone."
Three pillars of flame erupted beneath Lioren's feet.
No dodging.
Lioren leapt onto a corpse, dragging several more bodies tight against himself.
BOOM—!
The flames shredded the corpses, but most of the heat was absorbed by flesh and bone.
Lioren rolled away, gasping.
The Fire Demon watched, its voice full of disdain.
"Running like an animal."
It kept walking.
With every step—three fireballs appeared, moving slowly but locking onto his path.
Lioren was forced to dodge continuously, barely maintaining distance.
Time passed.
The Fire Demon roared.
"Enough."
"Fire Formation."
A massive cage of flames rose around Lioren, burning walls slowly closing in.
No escape.
The Fire Demon spread its arms.
"Keep running."
Lioren clenched his jaw.
(Damn it.)
(Then—)
He threw three heads into the air.
Then—
KICK. KICK. KICK.
The heads flew, smashing into the Fire Demon in succession.
CRACK. CRACK. CRACK.
Cracks spread across the charred skin.
The Fire Demon roared.
"Struggling until death?!"
Lioren narrowed his eyes.
(It still doesn't realize.)
(Then I'm right.)
He gathered all his strength and threw a single head.
The Fire Demon raised its hand.
Flames surged—
But—
BOOM—!
The head pierced straight through the hand, completely destroying the flaming arm.
The Fire Demon froze.
"…What?"
Lioren gave it no time.
Another head slammed directly into its chest.
CRACK—BOOM—
The skin shattered.
Inside, a fire core was revealed—contracting, trembling.
(That's real.)
Lioren delivered the final kick.
The head shot forward like a cannonball.
The Fire Demon screamed.
"DON'T YOU DARE—!"
It raised a fire shield, but—
SHATTERED.
The head punched through, smashing straight into the core.
The flames went out instantly.
The Fire Demon's body crumbled into ash.
Its final scream echoed:
"WRETCH—!"
Then it vanished.
A voice echoed from afar.
The Lightning Demon laughed softly.
"…Pathetic."