"…Focus," Kael said quietly. "Control the flow."
The beast girl—Yumi—sat cross-legged across from him, her hands pressed tightly against her chest. The demon essence she had consumed moments ago burned inside her like molten metal, spreading through her mana channels without mercy.
Her breathing was uneven at first.
The burning eased.
The chaotic surge of energy softened, becoming something she could grasp. Her tail, which had been stiff and trembling, loosened slightly.
The faint dark glow around her body stabilized.
Her shoulders dropped.
"…I'm okay," she said after a moment. "Your turn."
Kael didn't hesitate.
He took the demon core into his mouth and crushed it between his teeth.
Pain exploded.
It wasn't like heat.
It wasn't like fire.
It was like swallowing something that did not belong inside a human body.
