In a certain sense, the position he was stuck in could be called a win.
But Lucian was nowhere near shameless enough to enjoy it right now.
To be fair, Gavial's brute strength was downright terrifying.
Her limbs didn't grip like clamps—they crushed like a steamroller.
If he hadn't been sparring with Hoshiguma on a regular basis, or forced to endure those all-night endurance "training sessions" whenever she got him drunk, he wouldn't have lasted three moves against Gavial.
Even with sheer stubbornness keeping him going, his stamina was nearly gone. Her legs clamped around him so tightly he was starting to hallucinate.
But what could he do? How was he supposed to turn this around?
Drawing a weapon was completely out of the question.
They agreed on hand-to-hand. Gavial might be unreasonable, but she could fight. Pulling a weapon now would be embarrassing. Lucian still had some pride.
Same with using Originium Arts—that would be cheating.
And in this tiny room, if he took Gavial into the air and slammed her into a wall by accident, he'd feel horrible about it.
Lucian wasn't the type to rough up a woman.
Though, with Gavial, he was probably the delicate one who needed protection.
So what now?
How could he save face—better yet, get the so-called jungle tyrant to embarrass herself?
Lucian's brain spun into overdrive, the Halo over his head spinning like a centrifuge.
Then it hit him.
Using the only hand he still controlled, he groped blindly against Gavial's thigh and forced the words out:
"Gavial! You're an Infected, right?"
"Yep. Got a problem with that?" she replied without hesitation.
Lucian put on his most provoking tone. "Then what's your crystallization rate? A medical operator shouldn't 'forget' something that basic, right?"
"Of course I remember. Around fifteen percent."
Gavial tightened her grip on him, limbs winding even tighter.
"What are you plotting? Don't tell me you hate the Infected and don't want to touch me. Say something that stupid and I'll rip your arm off."
"If I hated the Infected, why would I even be here?!"
Lucian snapped back, and his free hand pushed further.
He didn't have the luxury of propriety anymore—not when Gavial clearly didn't care. Like a drowning man clawing at anything, his hand slid along her thigh, then further, pushing under her safety shorts—
His eyes lit up. "Found it!"
Gavial raised a brow. "Huh? Found what?"
Her body tensed, ready to punish him for being handsy.
But Lucian was faster.
He grabbed that hard, jagged thing—something that could easily slice skin—and said sincerely:
"Bite down. Don't bite your tongue."
Then he pressed his palm against the Originium Crystals embedded beneath her skin... and rubbed.
The crystal cluster was tough, unmoving—impossible to break.
But its uneven surface was more than capable of cutting skin, let alone when someone intentionally ground their hand against it.
Gavial saw Lucian's hand go bright red with blood and froze.
"You got cut by my crystals?! You idiot! Do you have no common sense? Hold still, I'll clean— g-gh—!?"
Her voice jumped an octave.
The unstoppable jungle tyrant trembled from head to toe, her face flushing blue, then red.
And then, completely losing control, she let out a high, strangled—
"HOT! HOT HOT HOT—!! My—my butt! Aaahhhh—!!!"
Lucian exhaled in relief. "Not my fault. You're the one with crystals growing in unfortunate places."
He slumped back against the wall, finally free, absolutely exhausted.
The wound on his hand was already in Complete Recovery, only the blood remaining as proof.
But Gavial's entire backside and thighs were coated in that blood—and she was done for.
She bent over, tail shaking violently, wailing like a little girl:
"Eeee—! Eeeeyaaaah—!! Hot hot hot! It burns! Give me water!!"
Lucian folded his hands politely. "Sorry. Won't help."
"You're not on fire. Your crystals are just reacting violently to my blood. The higher your infection rate, the stronger it gets. You'll be fine in a few minutes. Good luck."
This was the true power of the Holy Son's blood.
Even his Red Sugar, which was diluted tenfold, still reduced crystallization rates with noticeable potency.
Severe patients over ten percent could barely endure it.
Someone like Blaze—a total lightweight—would choke and cry after one piece.
Hand her a glass of Lucian's actual blood and she'd probably cling to his leg calling him "dad."
Compared to that pathetic sight, Gavial had impressive endurance.
Even so, she was on all fours, tail quivering, eyes watery and murderous:
"What are you?! I've never felt pain like this—not once since I was born! My butt is definitely split in half! Completely split!"
Lucian waved lazily. "It already comes in two halves. You're fine."
Even now he refused to comfort her, watching gleefully instead. Hopeless.
When Gavial recovered, she was absolutely going to get revenge.
But Lucian cared more about enjoying the moment than survival.
Turning down a free win would just be stupid.
He grinned. "You'll remember my name now, right, Gavial? I'll even skip the treatment fee for your Oripathy. Just call me 'good big brother Lucian' and we're even. Deal?"
"Go. To. Hell!"
Tears streaked Gavial's face, but she still glared stubbornly.
Honestly... it was kind of cute.
Especially seeing someone so dominant reduced to such a helpless pose, butt raised, trembling in front of him...
Lucian worried he might awaken some very unhealthy preferences. He'd definitely bully Croissant a little when he got home to recalibrate himself.
And of course—it was still Gavial.
The burn from his blood hadn't even faded, but she was already adapting, gritting through the pain.
She forced herself upright, sniffling.
"I remember now... A few days ago, Warfarin had that weird 'go to the bathroom fifty times' condition. And Kal'tsit choking Blaze, trying to force-feed her Red Sugar... That sugar was yours, right? Made from blood that affects Oripathy!"
Lucian applauded. "Impressive, impressive. Truly a proper medical operator. Sharp mind. But who's Warfarin? Is she in the medical department? I haven't met her."
Gavial rolled her eyes. "She's still living in the bathroom. Claims she won't show her face until she can eat that sugar without leaking anything."
"You freak. If you're into blood-drinkers, go feed her your blood!"
"...Rhodes Island even has a blood fiend? This place is insane."
Lucian's admiration for Rhodes Island rose another full tier.
What a wild place indeed.