"Yo! Where did this beauty come from? She's so damn hot and tempting!" The gang leader stared at Riel with a shameless, hungry gaze. "Beauty, be my girl. You won't lose anything," he muttered as he stepped toward her.
Zamel's lips curled into a cold smirk. "Idiot," he murmured under his breath.
"She's innocent. Leave her out of this! I'm the one you have a problem with!" Lora hurriedly stepped in front of Riel, shielding her despite the obvious fear trembling through her body.
Riel chuckled lightly and patted Lora's shoulder with surprising gentleness. "I indeed have nothing to lose," her smile carried a chilling undertone that made even the leader's soul quiver.
Riel slid Lora to the side. "But you have a lot to lose, human boy." Her lips stretched into a devilish smile.
Before any eye could catch the movement, Riel raised her leg and struck.
Her kick landed squarely in his abdomen with brutal force—sending him flying as blood burst from his mouth. Not satisfied in the slightest, she appeared behind him before he touched the ground and delivered another crushing kick to the back of his head, launching him upward again.
But that still wasn't enough.
Riel caught up to him midair with terrifying speed.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Her Triple Fox Kick landed in rapid succession—ending with a final devastating strike that hurled him into the ground with a thunderous impact.
The dust settled.
The young man lay broken and blood-soaked, unable to move, unable to even cry. His body was a ruined heap, barely clinging to life.
The remaining two men saw the condition of their leader and immediately collapsed to their knees. Terror weighed on their backs like a mountain. They didn't even dare breathe too loudly.
Riel stared at the half-dead man with furrowed brows. "Can someone explain to me how he is still breathing?" her voice was eerily calm, though displeasure was clear—she had left him alive on purpose, and yet even that annoyed her.
The two men trembled uncontrollably. Even Lora felt her heart shake.
"Sh-she's… more violent than anyone," Lora thought, a trace of fear flickering in her gaze.
Riel noticed and clicked her tongue. "Then get lost if you're afraid of me," she remarked coldly.
The two men took the words as a blessing meant for them and bolted as if death was at their heels, while the statement was clearly for Lora.
Lora, however, moved closer instead—shivering. "C-Can… can I hug you?" she whispered, voice trembling.
"No." Riel responded simply, cold as stone.
Lora bit her lip hard, tears spilling. She dropped to her knees and bowed deeply. "Thank you, Classmate Riel. You're the first person who ever stood up for me. I… I don't know how to repay you," she sobbed.
Riel frowned, irritation written all over her face.
"Damn, I cried even worse than this in front of Deav… Is this how annoying I was?" she thought, grinding her teeth.
"I punished him because he offended me. Don't misunderstand, it has nothing to do with you," her tone grew even sharper.
"If Deav is displeased with me, I don't want to live anymore. From now on, I'll never cry again," she swore silently.
Lora wiped her face and managed a small smile. "Classmate Riel… may I be your friend? No—even just your errand girl is fine."
Riel stared at her for a long moment.
"It's cheap to chase someone's attention like that. You can be my first human friend. But from now on—never bow to anyone. Even if you can't fight back, don't lick anyone's boots. If you change, I'll consider accepting you fully. I don't need burdens." She declared and entered the car without hesitation.
Zamel glanced at the near-lifeless body, a chilling smile appearing before he also stepped into the car. The vehicle drove away.
Lora clenched her fists, determination burning in her eyes. "I swear... I won't be bullied again. I will become Riel's close friend."
Then she paused. "But… why did she call me human friend? She sound as if....ah, forget it thinking too much is another trouble"
Her eyes briefly fell on the injured boy. She felt no guilt—only relief. The school would investigate. She would not let Riel take the blame.
She turned and walked away.
---
DR LAGE GROUP
"This is Deav's workplace… it's huge!" Riel hopped out of the car, glancing around with bright curiosity. "I can feel his presence nearby," she chuckled and rushed ahead—only to be stopped by the guards.
"Your ID, please," the guard on the left requested.
Riel blinked. "What is ID?" she inquired blankly.
Zamel stepped forward. "Look closely. She goes in and out freely from now on," he stated coolly.
The guards hesitated, then stepped aside.
"Zamel, now that I think about it, you seem very familiar with human stuff," Riel observed, eyes narrowing playfully.
Zamel folded his arms proudly. "Very familiar. Right—since you're here, I'll get you a surprise," his tone suddenly brimmed with excitement.
"What surprise?" Riel's eyes lit up instantly.
Zamel smirked and guided her toward the entrance. "I'll be back before dawn," he announced, then headed to the car.
"Hey! Why does the surprise take so long?" Riel yelled, but Zamel only waved as he drove off.
Riel sighed. "I hope it's something edible…" she chuckled and stepped inside. "Now, where do I find Deav?"
"Ah—just follow his scent."
She followed it to the elevator.
"What's this box?" she frowned, drew back her fist, and—
BOOM!
The elevator exploded like a bomb. The emergency alarms wailed through the entire building.
"So noisy," Riel muttered, standing casually amid the wreckage.
"Up."
And she vanished.
...
Inside a meeting room, Deav sensed her presence immediately. A gentle smile—rare and warm—softened his usually icy face.
Everyone froze.
The devil was smiling… kindly?
Before they could process it, the emergency alarms blared.
They all turned to Deav in horror—yet his mood seemed to improve.
They were baffled beyond belief.
Then—
BANG!
The meeting room door shattered off its hinges.
Everyone stared.
Except Deav.
Whose smile only deepened.