"Haha, I'm blowing up with you!"

A mad grin spread across the face of the Sage who wished to remain anonymous.

Carving magic arrays *down there* wasn’t something Jetri planned to survive. People would gossip about this for the rest of his life. Besides, His Sage-ness wasn’t high-level enough to craft arrays that could restrain or seal this Level 150 Succubus. He’d gone all-in on destructive power. This thing would probably blow him sky-high too. And it wouldn’t just be *that spot* exploding.

Jetri’s life flashed before his eyes. Nothing worth clinging to. As for Demon Kings and Valiant Heroes? To hell with them all! *I quit!*

A hysterical shriek from the Succubus yanked him back from his memories.

"Son of a bitch, Richard!!!"

The moment Chelsey sensed the magical surge beneath her, rage consumed her. But stopping it was impossible—and she’d never had a way to counter it anyway. She didn’t know how many arrays Jetri had carved there—gravity, slow, paralysis… Yet her fury wasn’t about dying this way. It was because—

"I still need to *use* it after you’re done!! So I’m gonna die? Fine! Damn it!"

"You’re fucking ruthless!!!!"

The Succubus punched her own head in despair. She’d rather kill herself than let Jetri take her down with him. She even cursed the slowing spells for making her movements sluggish. But she was still fast. In an instant, her beautiful, seductive face exploded into crimson mist before Jetri’s eyes. Yellow and green gore splattered the anonymous Sage. Blood speckled the headless corpse of the Succubus. Her alluring body crumpled softly.

Jetri’s mad grin froze.

The Half Elf lying on the ground stared, stunned.

Everything happened too fast.

So fast the magic arrays were still activating when Chelsey killed herself.

From Jetri’s *explosive* preparation to Chelsey’s suicide—three seconds flat.

Who knew how furious Chelsey was to scream dozens of curses in those three seconds?

The Succubus was dead. Cleanly.

Only the humming of the magic arrays filled the air.

Jetri halted the arrays a split-second before detonation. When the humming died, silence followed.

Creatures of the Darkwood had long fled Chelsey’s terrifying aura.

Without her, Lilith was speechless.

Silence hung heavy.

Jetri expressionlessly moved the Succubus’s lifeless body aside. He sat up, cross-legged and naked, deep in thought. Lowering his head, he saw the dense web of magic arrays carved *there*. His gaze flicked to the Half Elf watching him with conflicted eyes. The Sage’s stare turned dangerous. *If I silence the witness… no social suicide, right?*

Sensing his look, the Half Elf shivered faintly.

Silence stretched between them.

Silence.

Thick silence.

Jetri wiped the gore from his face.

"You’d be better off staying unconscious," he broke the quiet. He *had* to say something. Or the awkwardness would kill him. Alone, the Sage might’ve rolled on the ground in embarrassment.

"Waking up was useless anyway," he muttered.

"I-I… I can pretend I saw nothing…" The Half Elf avoided his eyes, voice trembling. Crimson pupils flickered with confusion. She stole a glance at Jetri’s blank face before lowering her gaze again.

"Maybe I should just kill you…" Jetri sighed darkly.

He didn’t mean it. He just trudged heavily to retrieve his clothes.

Thick fog obscured their vision.

The Half Elf looked up suddenly—Jetri was gone.

Panic seized her chest.

"Jetri!!" she cried instinctively.

"I’m here, I’m here…" Jetri emerged from the mist, face ashen. "What?"

"N-Nothing…" She flushed, ashamed of her outburst. Though nothing could be more embarrassing than blowing someone up *down there*.

Jetri pulled the Half Elf up.

After a pause, he hoisted her onto his shoulder. Easier. And no misunderstandings.

Maybe part of him just wanted to hold her.

Their figures faded into the fog. Voices grew distant.

"Jetri…"

"Hmm?"

"I thought… you wanted me as your… lover… That’s why I…"

"Must you say this *now*?"

"You’ll actually listen at a time like this."

"Afraid I’ll abandon you here?"

"Then… hear me out before you leave?"

"I don’t want to hear it."

"Actually… now I think… being your lover… might be okay…" The Half Elf ignored his refusal.

"Fine. I’ll leave you here."

"…Then I won’t say it."

Behind them, the fog swallowed the corpse of the Succubus Lord. The headless body dissolved slowly, consumed by mysterious flames until not even ash remained.

From the mist ahead, the Half Elf’s voice floated back, soft and small.

"Can you carry me properly? This is uncomfortable…"

"Why are you so troublesome?"

"Just hold me? I’ll let you erase the memory of… what you did back there… when we return?" Unable to see his face—or perhaps too vulnerable to guard her words—her tone softened.

"Tch."

***

Meanwhile, the female demon blocking Vya suddenly stiffened.

"Oh dear… my master’s dead again…"

Bound to Chelsey, she was the first to know—besides those present. Resignation flickered across her lovely face. When Vya’s next strike came, she didn’t dodge. The blade split her body in two.

Vya didn’t finish her. She rushed anxiously into the Darkwood, charging straight into Demon Clan territory. Victoria followed. They collided with Jetri carrying the gravely injured Lilith.

Relief washed over Vya’s face.

Victoria hurried forward. Jetri handed Lilith to the princess.

Seeing Vya, Jetri finally smiled—a true smile of relief.

Every time he saw Vya, he felt it: *Ah… it’s finally over.* Only with her did the whole ordeal truly end.

Vya closed the distance in three strides and crushed him in a hug.

Jetri blinked in surprise, then chuckled, hugging her back.

But Vya’s armor…

Was really digging into him.