Misfortune stared blankly at Mizuno standing in front of her, blocking the only exit.
Just moments ago, this same guy had been clinging to her leg, begging for mercy—and now, the instant he realized she couldn't possess him, he'd flipped completely, declaring he was going to Uma-Pyoi her?
If that handsome face were swapped with some greasy thug's, he'd look exactly like one of those sleazy TV side characters—bullies who grovel before the strong and torment the weak.
And yet… this shameless, switch-flipping audacity was exactly what Misfortune loved about humans.
To swallow humiliation under a stronger foe, only to lash back when the tables turned—ah, that kind of tenacity was delicious.
Why did that air-headed Fortune get to have such an entertaining servant? Why couldn't she have one like him?
"Damn it…" Misfortune muttered, pushing herself upright, smearing blood from her lip.
Now, her gaze toward Mizuno brimmed with a strange mix of irritation and envy—though even she wasn't sure whether it was aimed at him or the Fortune sleeping inside his heart.
"Move!" Misfortune snapped, striking a pose with one hand on her hip and jabbing the other at his chest. "You annoying Fortune follower—maybe I can't touch you right now, but that doesn't mean you can destroy me!"
"You've only had your body tempered by Fortune energy, which repels mine. It's just a natural barrier, nothing more!"
"A barrier isn't a weapon—it can't hurt me! As long as I don't enter your body, and you don't enter mine, our energies won't react. You can't do anything to me!"
"So stop wasting our time and let me leave. Be smart about it, and maybe next time I'll Uma-Pyoi you gently for your cooperation."
She tossed her hair with an airy shrug and tried to slip past him—but Mizuno instantly sidestepped to block her again, moving like an automatic defense system.
"You're not going anywhere," he said, flashing a mischievous grin as his hands clamped down on her shoulders.
"Kekeke—who said I can't destroy you?"
"You must be joking. What possible method could—" Misfortune froze mid-sentence, her expression twisting as a realization dawned.
Wait… there was a human way to expel energy—by releasing it together with their… essence.
"Ugh!" Misfortune's arms shot up to guard her chest, face paling as a blush bloomed across it. "Don't tell me you plan to inject your energy into me?!" she shrieked, trembling from head to toe.
She looked exactly like a terrified girl cornered by a sleazy delinquent.
"Huh?" Mizuno blinked, tilting his head in honest confusion. "Hey! What are you even imagining?! I'd never actively Uma-Pyoi someone! Besides, you're not even human!"
"Oh?" Misfortune raised a skeptical brow. "Then what is this plan of yours? How do you intend to 'use your Fortune energy' to destroy me?"
"Heh heh~ Isn't it obvious?" Mizuno's smile turned sly, a glint of mischief lighting his eyes.
"I'm going to roast you with my big heater~♪"
"Big… heater?" Misfortune's gaze dropped automatically—and landed squarely on his crotch.
"Eeeek!" she squealed, clutching herself tighter. "You are planning to Uma-Pyoi me after all!"
"No way! Come on!" Mizuno jabbed a thumb at his chest, exasperated. "The 'big heater' is me!"
"You?" Misfortune blinked, baffled.
"You really don't get it, huh~?" Mizuno said smoothly, confidence radiating off him.
"Get what, exactly?" Misfortune frowned, completely lost.
"You'll understand soon enough~"
With that cryptic line, Mizuno stepped forward and suddenly wrapped her in a tight hug.
"?!" Misfortune stiffened, too stunned to react. Pressed limply against his chest, she could only blink up at him in confusion.
So… this was his grand "heater" plan? Just… hugging her?
Maybe… maybe he wasn't trying to destroy her at all. Maybe he'd finally grown tired of serving Fortune and was hinting at switching sides.
After all, who hugs someone they actually intend to kill? Hugs were for allies—or lovers.
Yes, that had to be it! He was surrendering to her, offering his loyalty through this symbolic gesture.
"Hoho~" Misfortune's lips curled in satisfaction. So that was his game. He could've just said it, but whatever—she'd seen through him easily, as always.
Heh, even Fortune's precious little servant couldn't resist her charm in the end.
"Hehehe~" Misfortune grinned smugly, basking in her imagined victory.
But after a few seconds, her expression began to falter.
Something was wrong.
Her chest—tight. Breathing—labored.
"Hah… can't… breathe…" she gasped, clutching her sternum.
Mizuno wasn't squeezing her, and as a spiritual avatar, she shouldn't need to breathe in the first place. So why… why did it feel like she was suffocating?
And worse—her body was burning.
"It's hot… so hot…" she whimpered, sweat streaming down her pale face as her tongue lolled out.
She looked just like Daiwa Scarlet and Vodka earlier—only this wasn't arousal. It was agony, like she'd been shoved into an oven and was melting from the inside out.
"!!" Misfortune lifted her eyes to Mizuno's calm, smirking face, realization and horror dawning at once.
"This… this is your so-called 'method of destroying me'?!"