"Uh… Your Excellency, please—just forget it. I’m nobody. How could I possibly dirty your hands?" The Demonkin forced a shaky smile, cold sweat beading on his brow. His survival instinct screamed: *Do not fight this man. You will suffer.*

"Oh~ Is that so? Fine then." I gave a light nod.

"Thank you, Your Excellency! Thank you!" Relief flooding his face, the Demonkin turned and fled into the distance.

"Wait!!"

An icy, sinister command cut through the air. Just hearing it sent a chill down his spine.

"Y-Your Excellency… is there something else?" He twisted back instantly, face pale with terror.

"Who gave you permission to leave? Did I say you could go?"

"B-But… your meaning just now was—"

"Shut up. I said I wouldn’t duel you. I never said you could leave."

"Y-Yes… my mistake. Then… what does Your Excellency wish?"

"Let’s play a game. Win, and you walk free. Lose, and you still live—but you tell me everything you know. Deal?" I smiled faintly. Honestly, I couldn’t care less about this weak creature’s life. Intel mattered far more. Wasn’t this more interesting than brute force?

"Y-You say it… I’ll do it." After a brief hesitation, the Demonkin agreed. He dared not anger this terrifying figure. Winning meant everything; losing cost nothing… *I don’t want to betray my race… but I have no choice.*

"Attack me with your strongest magic. As many times as you like. If I flinch once—you win. If I don’t move—I win. What do you think?"

"Y-You’re *sure*?!" He stared in disbelief. *This human’s insane. A frail human body can’t withstand magic—magic pierces flesh! He’s walking straight into death.*

"Of course. Go ahead. Unleash it." I nodded blankly. I wanted to test this human body’s remaining magic resistance.

"O-Okay… Never heard such a strange request. But since you insist—behold my ultimate fire magic: Annihilation!!" Violet flames erupted. A strange purple fireball plummeted toward my head. Most Demonkin magic burned this ominous violet—a hue meant to inspire dread.

Boom!!!

The moment it touched my scalp, the fireball shrank rapidly, flickering… then vanished.

"This…" Too many shocks had numbed his ability to react. He pointed at me, speechless, then slumped to the ground, dazed.

"Too weak. That won’t break my defense. I see you’ve lost the will to fight. Now—tell me everything about the Demonkin." My tone was flat. The earlier amusement had faded. Maybe he was just too weak.

Ah~

Suddenly, he spewed black blood and collapsed. Instantly.

"Hmm… A Transcendent-tier Magic—Sealing Curse? Interesting." A soft chuckle escaped me. "So the Demon Sovereign anticipated betrayal. She bound all her subordinates with a loyalty curse. Judging by his shock… he had no idea."

I suddenly found the Demonkin… intriguing.