The demons froze again, laughter faltering, just long enough for tension to coil tightly around the room. The succubus’ grin widened, eyes sparkling. “Yes! That’s it… make them feel it! Make them regret ever thinking they were stronger than you!”One ram-horned demon stepped forward, claws gleaming. “We’ll see,” he said, voice low and dangerous. “We’ll see how clever you really are.”Ethan shifted his weight slightly, like a predator calculating the best moment to strike. “I warned you,” he said softly. “I’m patient. But I don’t wait forever.”The succubus let out a small, excited laugh. “Oh, they’re going to learn tonight… they’re going to learn.”Another demon barked a laugh, rubbing his hands together. “This is going to be fun. Little brother thinks he’s some unstoppable force, huh? Can’t wait to ruin that confidence.”Ethan’s eyes narrowed just a fraction, calm as ever, as if measuring them all in a single glance. “Confidence is earned,” he murmured. “Let’s see who earns it tonigh

For a heartbeat, no one moved.Then the demons laughed.Rough, ugly sounds, relief and triumph crashing together. “There it is!” one barked. “He does bleed!”Another pointed, giddy. “Did you see his face? He felt that!”The leader’s grin spread wide. “See?” he snarled. “Just another body waiting to drop.”The succubus stopped clapping.Her smile vanished, color draining from her face as she stared at the blood seeping between Ethan’s fingers. “B-Brother…?” she whispered, voice trembling.Ethan looked down at the wound. Blood. His own blood, dark and vivid against his sleeve.Then back up. His eyes blazed. Fury ignited, sharp and relentless.“I gave you your last chance to run,” he said, voice low and deadly. “I warned you. But no… you didn’t listen.”The demons laughed, a rough, mocking chorus.“Ha!” one jeered. “Is that all you’ve got? A little scratch?”“Look at him, boss!” another called, grinning. “He bleeds just like the rest of us!”The leader stepped forward, sneering. “You tal

There was a sound—dull and deep, like a hammer striking wet clay. The shockwave rippled through the leader’s body, armor denting inward, flesh collapsing around the impact. His momentum died instantly, halted as if he’d slammed into an invisible wall. His eyes went wide, bulging as all the air fled his lungs in a choking gasp. Spittle flecked his lips as his mouth opened soundlessly. For a heartbeat, he remained standing, disbelief frozen across his features. Then his knees buckled. He collapsed forward, hitting the ground hard. The impact echoed through the chamber as his massive frame struck stone. His breath rattled out of him in broken, uneven wheezes—once, twice— —then went terrifyingly still. The remaining ram-horned demons stared. Weapons slipped from numb fingers, clattering uselessly to the floor. Jaws hung open. The arrogance that had filled the room moments before drained away, replaced by raw, animal fear. One demon took an involuntary step back. Another whispered,

One spun in a circle, wings flaring wide despite the damage. “We’re alive! We’re actually alive!” Another rushed forward and hugged the smallest tightly. “We made it. We made it!” The smallest succubus looked up at Ethan, eyes bright and reverent. “You scared them. You scared all of them.”Ethan didn’t react to their comments.The smallest succubus hesitated for half a breath—then stepped forward.She stopped a few feet from Ethan and bowed deeply, wings folding tight against her back. When she straightened, her expression was still bright with relief, but there was something softer there now. Something earnest.“Thank you,” she said. Her voice wavered, then steadied. “You saved our lives. All three of us.”The other two succubi immediately followed her lead.The biggest one dipped her head, one hand pressed over her heart. “Truly. If you hadn’t shown up when you did—” She let out a slow breath. “We wouldn’t be standing here.”The third nodded quickly, tail curling nervously. “We

Karpeta shook her head immediately.“It’s not charity. It’s exchange. You saved my life.”Ethan opened his mouth to object, but she barreled on, wings twitching despite the torn membranes.“Whatever debt you think you don’t want,” she said, jaw tightening, “it already exists. Pretending otherwise doesn’t make it disappear.”Her voice wavered for half a heartbeat—then steadied.“Let me help you with yours.”The biggest succubus let out a quiet, knowing huff. “Told you. Once she decides something—”“She does not bend,” the third finished dryly. “She collides.”Karpeta shot them both a look. “You’re not helping.”“We’re being accurate,” the biggest one said, hands up. “There’s a difference.”Ethan studied Karpeta again.Really studied her this time.The way dirt clung to the edges of her armor. The shallow cuts she hadn’t bothered to treat yet. The wings—torn, uneven, still trembling faintly from strain. And yet she stood straight, shoulders squared, chin level, like pain was simply ano