Chapter 85: What You Won't Do for Love
5th Day of the 1st Fire Cycle[1], 2000 g.c.
Returning the story to the newly recreated chamber on the thirty-third floor, my aura poured out unchecked. It filled the room like black smoke, thick and suffocating, carrying an omen that went straight past skin and into the bone. The chill it produced had nothing to do with temperature. It was emotional pressure made physical. My mana signature stank of despair and anger, a heavy musk that would have crushed the lungs of anything weaker without magickal resistance. The chamber answered back, walls groaning, stone ribs creaking as if the structure itself was trying not to cave in under the weight of my slip.
Azumi's unconscious body reacted first. Her skin prickled, goosebumps rising in waves as if her instincts sensed a predator standing too close. Even knocked out, even bound in sleep, her body knew something was wrong. My mana slid over her like a living thing, pressing, testing. Victorya Umbra responded oppositely. She stood calm, smiling softly, basking in it like she was standing under a familiar night sky. There was comfort there for her, something warm and steady she couldn't explain yet.
Luda didn't smile. The emerald-eyed Celestial stayed still, posture sharp, eyes locked on me. Not judging—just measuring. Ready. He felt the seriousness in the pressure and stayed tuned in, waiting to adjust or intervene if I lost myself completely.
Across from us, Luvina tried to look unbothered. She failed. Her face stayed composed, but her eyes told the truth. They tracked the movement of my aura with open fascination, grey pupils dilated as she watched only a fraction of what I was holding back.
"Holy Shit… he's supposed to be a Sonata Syn like me. Are we all this fucking powerful, or is he special?"
Her throat bobbed as she swallowed.
"Shit. He looks mad."
I took a step forward. The floor groaned under my foot.
"You," I said, my voice low and rough. "Before your next words, think wisely about what you say to me. I'm no longer in the mood to play around."
She flinched. Just a little. A blink too slow, a breath caught halfway. But she recovered fast. Luvina always did. Bioluminescent lines pulsed beneath her dark skin, glowing softly as they traced across her body like living circuitry. The Umdori's light tattoo brightened and dimmed in slow waves, reacting to the pressure pouring off me.
"Look," she said, lifting her hands slightly, palms open. "I'll tell you everything you want to know, but can we go somewhere private first? There are way too many ears around for what I need to discuss with you."
Before I could answer, Luda's voice slid into my mind.
"Play her game, Xi. Give her the request for privacy, but leave this channel open. I want to hear every damn thing this woman has to say."
He wasn't wrong.
Yet, I didn't need her cooperation. I could rip the truth straight out of her skull if I wanted. This whole back-and-forth was a courtesy. Controlled restraint. Still, I let the silence stretch. Long enough to make her shift her weight. Long enough for the pressure to sit heavy in her chest.
Then I spoke.
"Fine. Come with me."
I flicked my left hand upward.
Spatial Mana unfolded beneath us like a blue-indigo mirror shattering in reverse. The portal gate bloomed open soundlessly, swallowing us both whole in a blink. The transition hit her hard. Her balance slipped, body jolting as her sense of direction got yanked sideways. When the disorientation faded, awe hit her right after.
My [Midnight World] stretched out under an eternal night. Violet snowflakes drifted slowly from the sky, soft and weightless. A massive moon loomed overhead, its pale light washing across endless terrain while constellations of countless stars burned sharp and clear above us. The air was calm, steady, and alive. Everything existed in a state of ordered chaos, all of it bound together by my mana.
"Whoa," she said quietly, stepping forward. "This place is beautiful. Where the hell are we?"
She held out her hand, letting the snowflakes land against her palm.
"It's real," she murmured. "But not cold. Oh… It's made of mana. This is his mana?"
[Moon Sage: Tsukuyomi] didn't waste time. [Appraisal] spun up the moment we arrived, layers of analysis peeling back around her soul.
"Recording information about Omnia, Orion, and Cultivation Pills from her memories with [Detect Thoughts]."
[Midnight Star: Belial]'s voice followed, lazy but alert.
"While he's cookin', we'll need to stall for a bit of time, Boss."
I turned back to her.
"We're somewhere private, like you asked. Now, start talking."
She sighed heavily and rolled her eyes, shoulders dropping like she was shedding a weight. When she turned, our eyes locked. I saw exhaustion buried under her confidence. She saw rage barely chained in mine.
"Dude," she said, shaking her head. "Just relax and chill a bit. You're killing the mood."
"Mood?" I snapped. "Bitch, what mood? Ain't no mood."
She clicked her tongue.
"Gods. Look, before you get even more pissy, I'm on your side. I want to help you against those dusty ass Angels."
That caught me off guard.
I felt it hit my face before I could hide it. A flicker of confusion. She saw it. Her lips curved just a bit, subtle as hell.
"I want to know what happened to my woman," I said, voice tight. "Where's Omnia?"
"That's just it," she replied, tone sobering. "The Angels got her. One called Orion the Hunter, to be exact."
I already knew.
I knew it before the words left her mouth. But hearing it said out loud cracked something open inside me. My control slipped. Mana surged outward in a violent pulse. Magitons screamed off my body, blasting the violet snow into nothing. Seconds later, behind me, some stars detonated. Constellations fractured as supernovas bloomed all at once, painting the sky in violent gradients of purple, cerulean, and crimson. Night twisted into instant twilight.
"Xi," Luda warned inside my head. "You've gotta calm down, bruh. You're weakening the connection."
[Midnight Star: Belial] followed, sharper this time.
"Keep this up, and we'll start syncing again."
Their voices cut through the storm. I dragged in a breath and forced the surge down. The world stabilized. The stars settled. Snow began to fall again.
I was shaking. Not from fear or no shit. But from some rage I didn't want to admit was that deep.
"This guy is fucking ridiculous," Luvina thought, eyes wide as she watched the sky heal itself. "His mana signature is endless. This has to be the true potential of a Sonata Core that she spoke about. Maybe there was truth in her words."
She stood there, bathed in my night, glowing softly. And I stood there, realizing just how close I was to losing myself. The Umdori's body betrayed her before her mouth ever did.
Bioluminescent light raced across her tattoos in erratic pulses; excitement and fear tangled together with no filter. The glow flared brighter along her ribs and thighs, then dimmed, then surged again. My eyes caught the detail I hadn't clocked at first, and irritation sparked hotter than the distraction. Her nipples were hard, unmistakably outlined beneath the thin lace robe clinging to her body. The fabric was sheer enough to be disrespectful, and that was when it clicked that she wasn't wearing anything else. No armor. No panties. No wards I could see. Just lace and a pair of silver high heels sinking lightly into the violet snow.
Bare ass naked. A bad lil' primal bitch.
I forced my gaze back up. Now was not the time to be horny. Not even close. Still, it pissed me off that my emotions felt like they were sliding all over the damn place, anger bleeding into curiosity, tension bleeding into something else I didn't feel like naming.
She tilted her head, studying me.
"Demon Lord Xiro," she said, voice smoother now, more deliberate. "I must ask. Who is the Aeon of Death to you?"
I didn't hesitate.
"I'm her master," I said. "And her boyfriend."
Her lips curled.
"Her boyfriend, huh? How did you end up dating an Aeon?"
"I put my faith and dick in her."
She laughed once, sharp and honest.
"Fair enough. Did you know it was the Aeon of Death who brought me to this universe?"
That got my attention.
"I'm not really sure how," she continued, light pulsing again along her spine, "but she altered my soul with a unique core she called Sonata Core Sex. Codenamed Major."
"You're the sixth Core of the remaining fourteen," I said. "I know all the lore already."
Her brows lifted.
"Oh? So, what Sonata Player are you? What incredible ability do you own?"
"Sonata Player?"
"That's what I call people like us," she said, tapping her chest lightly. "From what I remember from the Aeon of Death, these cores are exceptional in power. Each one got a unique name and ability."
"I see you're well informed."
"Of course, darling. I'm not the martial type like you. I fight better in other forms." Her eyes dragged over me slowly. "Now. What Sonata are you?"
"Sonata Core Zero," I said. "Its codename was Moonlight, or some shit."
She whistled softly.
"Wow, the first one. So your physical form was named after your core? That's pretty cool."
"Stop trying to butter me up," I said flatly. "And continue talking."
She sighed.
"I missed the charming version of you I met at the entrance."
"You mean the one your magick clone met," I replied. "Wit' yo scary ass."
She snorted.
"Anyways. I was given a new body and dropped on this exoplanet. She told me I'd be a future weapon against the Archon of Fate. Some weird cryptic promise I didn't understand."
"Don't worry," I said. "I understand it. The Archon of Fate is her mother."
Her shoulders slumped.
"Wow. More family drama from divine families. I swear I got a history with this."
"So if you were cool with Omnia," I said, voice tightening, "why did you let Orion take her?"
Her tattoos' glow dimmed.
"I admit, when I was first summoned, I felt a kinship to her I couldn't explain," she said quietly. "But she was an Aeon. And I don't do deities of any kind. Call it trauma or whatever. Besides, I didn't know it was her until Orion said it. She looked different."
"I guess I get it."
"I'm sorry your girlfriend got kidnapped," she said, lips tilting again. "But you're too cute to be worrying about a lonely bed."
"I won't be alone," I said. "I'll get her back before dayhalf."
"Stubborn," she said softly. "My type. You know Orion's using that woman to lure you into a trap, right? He asked me to stall you. Probably setting it up somewhere in the Sycamore Tree."
"Good," I replied. "That means I don't have to chase them."
She studied me for a long second.
"I wouldn't normally trust my life with anyone," she said. "But honestly, I've been trying to get a read on your mana's limit and failing. I'm convinced you can win against Orion bitch ass."
"I already know you were planning on using me to fight the Angels," I said, "then try to kill me or something afterward."
She smiled slowly.
"Not kill you. Just fuck you to death."
"At least you're being honest."
"You think so?" she said. "Good to hear."
"What's your beef with Orion?"
"Fuck Orion," she swiftly replied.
She closed the distance between us. Snow crunched softly under her heels as she stepped in close. Her fingers reached up and gently moved one of my dreadlocks out of my face. Her touch was warm, deliberate. She looked me straight in the eyes.
"Orion found me in the country of Sangria about thirty years ago," she said. "That was around the time the four previous Demon Lords split up from being the Devas of Arcadia."
"My mom's old group," I said. "They used to keep balance with the continent's leaders. That's when Arcadia's whole power struggle started."
She nodded.
"Orion promised he could get me back to my world. A universe different from this one. A promise I believed he'd keep, being an Angel and all."
That stopped me.
If Orion had been honest with her, she would've known that wasn't how time worked under the Prime Realm System. He'd fed her just enough truth to hook her. Nothing more.
"The only way he could keep that promise," I said carefully, "is by killing you. That timeline doesn't exist anymore."
She blinked.
"Huh? What does that mean? What are you talking about?"
"Like this," I said. "A Stellar Kingdom Cycle only begins with the big bang of the omniverse. That's a full reset of the system governing existence."
Her breath caught.
"So… I'll never see…"
Sorrow slammed into her all at once.
Her eyes glazed over, tears gathering but refusing to fall. The bioluminescent tattoo across her body shifted from soft pink to a deep, heavy blue. The motes washed over me, thick with grief, tugging at my emotions like it wanted to drown me alongside her.
"Those lying bitches," she whispered. "All of them."
Then she went silent.
Almost as if a part of her had just died.
I watched her then, really watched.
Now that she knew there was no world waiting for her on the other side, I wondered what she'd do next. It hit closer than I expected. She and I had more in common than she realized. Another soul ripped out of their life and dropped into an isekai story that didn't ask permission.
While [Moon Sage: Tsukuyomi] finished stitching together the stolen threads from Luvina's mind, I gave her space. Real space. No pressure, no questions. Just the quiet weight of realization settling in. When you understand that everyone you ever loved is unreachable, not dead but erased by time itself, that shit hits different. Midnight snow kept falling, violet flakes dissolving before they touched the ground, like the world itself didn't want to let sorrow linger.
[Midnight Star: Belial], on the other hand, was not impressed.
I felt his irritation coil through my spine.
"I can't believe you're being this damn nice," he growled from inside me. "We could put her under hypnosis and be done with it. What happened to all that vitriol from earlier?"
[Moon Sage: Tsukuyomi] answered him calmly, already a dozen steps ahead.
"Master is pursuing a long-running trap," he said. "Using honey instead of vinegar, as the saying goes."
I stayed quiet, watching Luvina breathe, watching the glow along her skin ebb and flow like a wounded tide.
"Enemy of my enemy, Belli-boy," I thought. "No need to use force yet."
A soft sniff cut through the silence. The kind people make when they finally get their shit back together, even if it's just barely taped up.
She wiped at her eyes, shoulders squaring.
"Thank you for that moment," she said. "Sorry you had to see me like that. Losing someone special is hard, you know?"
"I actually do," I said. "I'm in the middle of saving someone special right now. So now that you've recollected yourself, anything else you wanna tell me?"
She clicked her tongue.
"Not the empathetic type, huh?"
Her smoke-grey eyes met mine again. She stepped closer, slow, deliberate. Her fingers brushed my jaw, resting against the side of my face. Warm. Too familiar.
"Yet you have the eyes of a man in love," she said softly. "And one of endless desire."
I didn't lean into it.
"You're looking at the eyes of a Demon Lord running short on patience."
She smiled, unfazed.
"Then I'd better start with the Cultivation Pills we were contracted to produce."
"Then get to talking," I said. "What about them?"
She lifted a finger.
"Wait, Devil. Before I share that, I need something from you."
"If it's dick," I replied flatly, "you couldn't have picked a worse time."
She laughed under her breath.
"Hehehe. I can always get that later. And to make sure I'm around for that, I need you to promise me my safety. Along with three other people."
"Safety?" I asked. "You scared you won't survive the rest of the party?"
"No," she said calmly. "I'm smart. That's the only way I'll survive the rest of this month-cycle."
That was when I felt it.
Not a punch. Not an invasion.
A pull.
Subtle. Insidious.
Her Sonata Skill finally showed its hand. [Dominus Luxuriae]. It had been brushing against my mind-space the entire time. Not forcing emotions into me, but nudging the ones already there. Anger flared hotter. Tension slipping sideways into other urges. My passion didn't disappear. It got… flexible.
[Moon Sage: Tsukuyomi] reacted instantly, weaving counter-patterns with [Moon Sage: Belial]'s help, stabilizing my emotional axis before it tipped too far.
"I know this bitch ain't been using a Sonata Skill on me this whole time," I thought.
Luda's voice slid into my head, steady as ever.
"Keep your cool, Xi. Earlier, you mentioned those same pills. If she knows how to make them and what they really are, take her request for now. You can always kill her later if you feel like it."
I exhaled slowly.
"Fine," I said aloud. "You're under my protection. You and these other… wait. Who are the other three?"
"The other witches of my convent."
"Fuck no," I snapped. "The Blood Imp, Kiranna, has to die. She killed my uncle and hurt my aunt."
"I'm not talking about her," she replied quickly. "I already told you I'd give you her life. She doesn't share the original group's ideology and crosses lines constantly."
[Moon Sage: Tsukuyomi] pinged me.
"There has been a shift in her heartbeat and mana," he said. "She was lying somewhere in those statements. I cannot pinpoint where until memory cross-referencing is complete."
"She's a woman fighting to survive the moment. Every word she tells me is a lie when it demands it."
Luda agreed. "Don't stress the lie right now. It'll show itself when it's ready."
She wasn't a physical threat. Not like an M-Cee. Not like an Artist. But information was power, and she had a lot of it. Keeping her close made the night simpler, even if nothing about it was easy.
[Midnight Star: Belial] chuckled darkly.
"It's never easy, Boss."
That was when she leaned back and let the lace robe slide off her shoulders, slow and intentional. More of her breasts spilled free, glowing softly under the [Midnight World]'s stars. She was turning the dial up, testing reactions.
"I mean," she said sweetly, "we're both Sonata Players. We gotta stick together. All that jazz."
"It's probably dangerous to allow you to get so close, but terms accepted," I said, unmoved. "Now what's so special about these damn shiny pills?"
Her grin widened.
"Awesome. So check this. The Angels got factories like the Sycamore Tree all across Arcadia."
She closed the distance like she meant it, pressing her chest against my lower torso, trying to erase whatever personal space I'd left between us. Her bioluminescence flared in soft waves, the light reflecting off my bioarmor and bleeding into the violet snow beneath our feet.
"They use them to produce a divine supplement that gives you an improbable power boost when digested," she said, voice low and close. "I can't explain it fully, but Orion claims it releases the God Particles within a Soul Core. Or God Qi, whatever that means."
I frowned, eyes lifting past her shoulder as my mind spun.
"Hmm. Sounds like it's activating a forced Ether release," I said slowly. "But that would mean the pills are causing magiton fusion since that's the only way to create Divinity Mana that I know of."
She blinked.
"What? What are you talking about now?"
Luda's voice cut in, amused.
"Xi… you speaking like an Hedarian or some shit. You're back in that science bag again."
I waved it off.
"Nothin', my nigga. I'm just saying it's magick steroids."
"Oh," she said, nodding. "Right."
Her thoughts flickered loud enough for [Moon Sage: Tsukuyomi] to catch, and even without him, I could feel the weight of it.
"So he really did say it… No way. That's a term I only heard in my original world. What does he know about that word?"
I looked back down at her.
"So what are the cons of the pill?"
"Cons?" she echoed. "While you're on it, there isn't a visible downside. But once it's in your body, it marks your soul with a seal I've never seen before. One I can't remove."
"Have you taken one?"
"Hell no. Once I found out Orion was working for the Archon of Fate and the Archon of Endless Skies, I couldn't bring myself to do it. Feels like selling my soul."
"So you cooked up a crack and handed it out anyway," I said flatly. "You're a drug dealer."
"Yes," she replied without shame. "And I'd do it again if it meant staying alive."
"How'd you even learn about the seal?"
"I'm skilled with Astral Mana, you know, spirit manipulation," she said. "When you're used to what a soul looks like clean, you notice when something's off. It pulses on this weird frequency. Like it's humming чужд."
"Foreign?"
As her words settled, [Moon Sage: Tsukuyomi] hit me with something I didn't expect.
"Your emergency spell, [Master's Protection], has been activated."
"What you talmbout?" I thought immediately. "That only triggers if Omnia's spirit senses danger she can't escape."
"Our connection is severed again," [Moon Sage: Tsukuyomi] replied. "I can't complete the appraisal. But I have located her position."
"That's why you're the goat, Tsuki."
Luda came in right after, tone sharp.
"Aye, Xi. You might wanna come back to the real world. Elysia just hit me with some troubling news you'll wanna hear in person."
I sighed.
"I swear it's always been something since I got back from the labyrinth."
I cracked my knuckles and looked back at Luvina.
She smirked faintly.
"Guess our little talk is over. Shame. I was enjoying your company away from all that noise."
"Once I collect the other witches," I said, "you'll be chilling here with Zawa till I deal with the Trappers."
Her eyes widened.
"She's alive? I'm shocked. After I lost her signature through the crystal ball, I thought you killed her."
"I thought about it," I said. "But decided to spare her after she sucked my dick."
She laughed, clearly entertained.
"If that's all it took, then you could have just said so from the start," she murmured, eyes lowering as she looked up at me.
"I'll keep that in mind."
I snapped my fingers. The air tore open, spatial fabric twisting into a spiraling hyperspace gate. In one clean pull, it swallowed us whole, ripping us out of the calm midnight snow and throwing us back into the living, breathing chaos of the Sycamore Tree.
As the indigo portal stretched open, it ripped a fresh wound into the air of Floor Thirty-Three. Luvina and I stepped through like we'd never left, the tear sealing behind us with a low spatial hum. The room felt different. Thick. The smell of anxiety hung in the air, sharp and metallic, like fear had been sweating through the walls. Even the Sycamore Tree itself felt tense, its wood fibers groaning softly, waiting on me to move first.
Elysia and Luda stood together off to the left, close enough that their auras overlapped. Lynnette kept her distance near the far side of the chamber, posture casual but eyes alert. Victorya Umbra stood apart from all of them, chin slightly raised. The second she saw me, her eyes lit up like she'd just been called back to the stage. Without a word, her corporeal form broke apart into shimmering motes of spiritons. The particles drifted through the air like frost caught in moonlight before flowing straight into my chest. Her presence slid back into my Soul Core, cool and composed, yet the return felt warm in a way I couldn't explain. As she merged, her voice brushed against my spirit, soft and loyal.
"I await your call whenever you need me, Your Majesty."
Luda clicked his tongue and looked around the room.
"Xi, looks like this party you brought me to got infested with some bullshit."
I glanced his way.
"What you talmbout, broski?"
He nodded toward Elysia.
"Tell him what you told me."
Elysia took a breath, fingers twitching once as if annoyed.
"There are hundreds of angelic creatures called Watchers running amok throughout the Sycamore Tree. Not only that, someone disconnected my use of Spatial Mana across the other floors. I don't have control of the tree anymore."
I exhaled slowly.
"If I had to bet money, it was probably Orion."
Luda snorted.
"You'd be rich by my account."
Luvina's head snapped toward us, eyes wide.
"That can't be right. The Watchers should be docile until I give the command."
I shook my head.
"I'm mad you didn't clock them as Trojan horses."
Elysia tilted her head.
"What's a Trojan?"
I didn't miss a beat.
"A condom."
She blinked.
"Cun-dum? What is that?"
Luvina squinted at me, suspicious.
"Something that doesn't exist in this world. Demon Lord... where are you really from?"
Luda clapped his hands once.
"Everybody, focus. She lost control of the Watchers. That doesn't change who the enemy is."
"I don't know why she was surprised," I said. "Those creatures were rentals from the Trapper. First one to backstab in a coup is always the hired help."
"That's why I kept them restricted to special floors," Luvina replied.
Luda turned to her.
"What kind of abilities does this Trapper, Orion, have?"
I folded my arms.
"Not fully sure. From what I've seen, he can straight-up stop magick. Like, delete the shit."
Luda grimaced.
"That's annoying."
"That matches what I've seen," Luvina added. "He just turns off mana and phenomena. Mad creepy."
Lynnette raised a hand halfway.
"Uh… y'all talking about that tall dude with the glasses and brown hair?"
I looked at her.
"So you've seen him too?"
"Yeah," she said. "Looked real dapper. Real tough. Y'all don't like each other or something?"
"Fuck no," I said. "He kidnapped my woman. Plus, he's a bitch ass nigga from Paradiso."
She frowned.
"...I don't get it."
Before I could elaborate, the chamber doors snapped open hard enough to rattle the walls. Roxy burst in first, fuchsia eyes locking onto Luda like heat-seeking missiles. She launched herself at him, arms wrapping around his neck. Even with his face cowl still down, I could see the smile he tried and failed to hide. She kissed him all over, laughing as she clung to him like the world might end if she let go.
Dream Flower stumbled in right after, breathing hard.
"Girl, can we rest a sec—" She froze. "Oh? Luda? Xiro?!"
I chuckled.
"Dream Flower, you're right on time."
The sudden noise and movement finally shook Azumi out of it. The Harlequin Witch stirred, ears twitching as she sat up slowly. The daze on her face was deep. She'd lost a fight. That didn't happen to her often, and it showed.
Luvina leaned in close and murmured something about Azumi. I nodded and walked over. On the way, I flicked my wrist and conjured two Arcanum Delights. I tossed one to Dream Flower and pitched the other toward Lynnette. Lynnette caught hers without looking, instinctively. Both thanked me. Lynnette stared at the treat, curious, stomach growling loud enough to snitch on her.
Azumi finally looked up at me. Her heterochromatic eyes, blue and green, crossed like blades, tracked every movement. Predator gaze. Clean. Sharp. Beautiful in that dangerous way Gaia specialized in.
"Damn Omnia," she muttered. "Cheating and shit."
I smirked.
"Yeah. That sounds like her."
Her eyes drifted to my horns.
"Oh? Purple horns. You're the Devil of Velonica, ain't you?"
"Demon Lord Xiro of the Mikazuki Clan," I corrected. I knelt and conjured another Arcanum Delight, holding it out to her. "Here. Eat this."
She eyed it warily.
"What's this?"
"Eat it," I said. "It'll make you feel better."
And with no further instruction, Azumi ripped the Arcanum Delight clean in half like she didn't trust it yet. She popped one side into her mouth, chewing slowly at first. Then her ears perked. Her eyes widened just a little. Whatever resistance she had died right there. She shoved the other half in and swallowed it whole.
You could hear it. A soft, crisp poppin' sound, like tiny sparks snapping under her skin as her mana recovered. The air around her hummed faintly, blue-green wisps curling off her shoulders as her Mana Pool refilled and stabilized.
Luvina drifted over behind me, close enough that I felt the warmth of her body before she spoke.
"I'm glad to see you still alive, Azumi."
Azumi licked her fingers and leaned back on her hands.
"Sometimes I wish I weren't." She squinted up at Luvina, then smirked. "Oh, hey, Luv. What you doin' here?"
"I was speaking with the Devil," Luvina said smoothly. "He's agreed to help us with the Angel problem."
Azumi's ears drooped.
"Awww. So I don't get to fight him tonight? That sucks."
I snorted.
"Looks like everybody wanted to throw hands with me. We'll reschedule. Right now, I gotta retrieve Omnia."
Azumi's expression shifted, playful curiosity melting into something more serious.
"Oh? What happened to her?"
"Luvina or Zawa will fill you in," I said. "I'm about to send you to join her."
Her head tilted.
"Huh?"
"I'll explain soon," Luvina said quickly.
Azumi didn't get time to ask another question. I snapped my fingers, and a circular floor portal bloomed beneath her feet, ink-black and lined with violet runes. Gravity folded inward. Azumi yelped once before the portal swallowed her whole and sealed like it was never there.
Zawa Moon and Azumi Midori were now tucked safely inside my [Midnight World]. Out of danger. Out of my way. That left two more witches to retrieve if I was gonna keep my word to Luvina.
The moment didn't get time to breathe. Dream Flower was looking around the chamber now, eyes scanning faces. Counting. Missing some.
She swallowed.
"Um… Xiro? Have you heard anything from Ameera or Nicole?"
That question hit harder than I expected.
For half a second, I avoided eye contact. I didn't know about Ameera. But I knew exactly what happened to Nicole. For the first time that night, I hesitated. Something in me refused to say it out loud. Not yet. Not to her. So I did what any bad person trying to be a good friend would do.
I lied. Halfway.
"I don't know about Ameera," I said. "But Nicole's safe within me. Which reminds me, I need to tuck you into my [Midnight World] for protection. Shit's about to get worse."
Relief flickered across Dream Flower's face. But the way she stared at me told me she wasn't fully buying it. I didn't blame her. It felt wrong dodging the truth, but I didn't have the time. Omnia was waiting.
And of course, the nighthalf wasn't done with the bullshit.
Another telepathic ping slammed into my mind. This one was sharp. Urgent.
"Yo, Xi! I need a huge favor. Drop a portal at my location, quick."
I sighed inwardly.
"Well damn. This is starting to feel like déjà vu."
The stress in Alex's voice told me everything. I didn't waste a second. Space tore open right beside me, a hyperspace doorway ripping into existence. Alex slid out of it mid-spin, the Dawn Goddess in hand. The portal snapped shut behind him.
Blue ichor splattered his clothes. Dark blood, too. He was breathing heavy, eyes darting before locking onto me.
"Yo, what floor is this?"
"Thirty-third."
"Really?" His shoulders relaxed just a touch. "Thanks, fam. Let's go, Danica."
I frowned.
"What's crackin' wit you?"
"Ameera's in danger," he said fast. "I gotta hurry and save her and her family."
He didn't wait for permission. He dipped into a crouch and launched upward, bo staff snapping into place. His feet kissed the ceiling, and I felt the familiar surge of Quantum Mana.
[Quantum Leap] activated.
In a burst of azure light, he vanished.
Dream Flower heard every word.
"If you're handling this," she said quietly, "I can rest a bit. But don't be afraid to call on me if you need help."
Elysia stepped forward, wings flaring slightly.
"Lord Xi, a tremendous divine magickal force is moving throughout the Sycamore Tree. It's slaughtering any life it comes into contact with."
I rolled my neck.
"Looks like the Angels went on offense."
"Then we need to hurry and find my last two friends," Luvina said.
"The Trappers have taken over the tower," Luda added. "That means we should start our attack."
Roxy nodded, fists clenched.
"That's the only way Lord Xiro will retrieve my sister. We go on the hunt."
"Yeah," I said. "I'm on it." I glanced at Lynnette. "Aye, human girl. You need shelter, or you good?"
She looked offended. Then annoyed.
"My name is Lynnette Judas," she snapped. "I don't know what the hell's going on anymore, but if it keeps me near you, then sure. You still owe me a fight."
I smiled.
"I adore your single-minded focus."
I counted heads. One. Two. Five.
I folded the space above them with Spatial Mana, indigo light washing over the group. The air softened, then collapsed inward. All five women vanished at once, absorbed into my [Midnight World] with a gentle spatial hum.
That left Luda, Roxy, and me.
"We'll split up," Luda said. "I'll help Alex. I got a bad feeling about leaving him alone."
"How?" I asked. "And do you even know where he went?"
"I don't," he admitted. "But Roxy can track her sister. And I've been studying how you teleport. So, I'ma try out your Blessing."
I blinked.
"Wait. Are you about to really try [Spatial Teleportation]? I gave you tips on it back in the labyrinth."
"Well," he shrugged, "lucky you. You get to see me attempt it for real."
He formed a hand sign like a shinobi and focused. Spatial Mana gathered at his fingertips, golden and unstable. It wobbled. Almost collapsed.
He pushed through it.
A golden portal tore open above him, steady this time. Roxy hugged him tight beneath its glow. Sparks of unstable electricity sparked within it.
"Dope shit," I said. "You're better than you thought."
"It needs practice," he replied. "Anyways, see you when you finish."
I nodded. The portal swallowed them both and sealed.
Now it was just me.
The board was clear. No spectators left to worry about—just targets.
[Moon Sage: Tsukuyomi] chimed in, cool and precise, feeding me coordinates. "Ebony Witch. Floor Fifty."
I grinned and crossed my arms, gathering Quantum Mana and Spatial Mana together. Magitons bent and warped, forming an invisible bubble that crushed space inward.
The world folded.
And I was gone.
It's funny. I found myself in a whole new world, living a whole new life, and I was still surprising myself with the shit I'd do for love.
[End of Chapter]
[1] April on Earth