Demha was preparing for the challenge.
He needed to uncover the full potential of his devices — they were his only hope to stand on equal ground against the advanced abilities of other species.
He decided to return to the Hunter Portal alone — no Lessa, no Tena.
He wanted to learn how to survive without risking them.
The monsters inside the portal respawned over time, but that was exactly what he needed.
In the past year, he had trained relentlessly. He learned hand-to-hand combat, practiced sword and stick techniques from SS warriors who had settled in OMA, and even began to study the basics of Esor's power system.
He discovered Esor people were known for converting sunlight into energy — stored and released as simple, glowing energy balls.
But their power was limited. Even the strongest Esor warriors could manage only five full charges before collapsing from exhaustion. The energy wasn't even that deadly.
Demha couldn't find much use for it yet — but knowing how to counter it could matter in the future.
Now he entered the portal with only his gun, a long stick, and the two devices: Kill/No Kill and Heart in Another Soul.
⸻
The portal looked like a massive cave, descending across three levels:
• Floor One — packs of two-headed wolves
• Floor Two — venomous spiders and snakes (sometimes horrifying combinations)
• Floor Three — half-dead bears, stronger than any normal beast
And at the very bottom of Floor Three stood a glowing blue stone wall — the same place where the Kill/No Kill device had once pulsed.
⸻
This time, Demha was all focus.
No Lessa. No Tena.
No room for distraction.
He moved like a ghost, striking efficiently.
For the first time, he realized how skilled he had become.
The first floor — cleared with only light scratches.
And the more he killed, the more the Kill/No Kill device pulsed.
At one point, during a break between battles, he noticed the device felt hot.
That was new.
When he pressed his hand to it, a small fire ignited on his palm — but there was no pain.
Curious, he held a piece of alien paper to the flame — it burned instantly.
Five minutes later, the device cooled, and the flame vanished.
Something was changing.
On Floor Two, the snakes and spiders were harder.
Demha managed to kill twenty of them, but there were too many. He retreated to recover.
That's when he noticed the Kill/No Kill device becoming itchy.
He touched it — and one of his fingers turned purple.
When he raised the finger toward a plant nearby, it fired a tiny energy pulse — weak, but effective.
He realized:
Every time he killed enough of a species, he absorbed part of their essence temporarily.
He experimented.
He get out some of healing potions he already bought earlier but he realized that — the Heart in Another Soul device was pulsating too !
It reacted to the healing potion — pumping faintly. When he spilled the potion onto the device, it absorbed it and began to heal his wounds.
The pain was harsh — but the recovery was faster than using potions alone.
⸻
He spent a month inside the portal, testing everything:
• Mixing essences from different species.
• Pushing the limits of his energy.
• Poisoning himself, then trying to heal.
• Spilling potions on the devices.
His conclusions:
1. Kill/No Kill: Stores the energy of defeated creatures. The power, duration, and type depend on the monster. Mixing two species increases power but also pain and energy cost.
2. Heart in Another Soul: Stores healing potential. Can absorb external healing items like potions and activate when needed — though not as effective or painless as when powered by Tena and Lessa.
⸻
Meanwhile…
Lessa began to worry.
Demha said he needed a little time to train.
She had wanted to join, but OMA needed her more — especially now.
New settlers were arriving — mostly humans.
That wasn't unusual… but since they arrived, thefts and arguments had increased.
Rumors began spreading:
"Demha made a deal with DE. He abandoned Earthsos. He's trying to escape alone."
Lessa didn't want to burden him further.
She spoke to Tena. They agreed — they would protect OMA themselves.
Tena used her roots to extend her senses across the city.
After weeks of careful investigation, they discovered a secret meeting among the new humans.
Tena couldn't show the screen, but she let Lessa hear what was happening.
A powerful voice — a man — spoke on the call.
His orders were clear:
"Ruin Demha's reputation. Turn the people against him.
If he doesn't serve us… kill him.
Deliver his body as a tribute. Earthsos will become a subject and we will become their rulers forever."
Lessa's eyes burned with fury.
That night, she gathered the guards and dragged the conspirators into the plaza.
Chains around their hands.
Tena by her side.
All of OMA gathered to watch.
Standing high above the crowd, Lessa spoke:
"These humans came here to deceive us .
They would harm OMA.
They would harm Demha."
One of the prisoners laughed.
"Of course she defends him. They've made a deal with DE! They'll betray you all—"
He didn't finish the sentence.
With a single motion, Lessa cut his throat — his head hitting the stone like a dropped fruit.
Silence.
Even the guards — stunned.
Tena stood beside her, unmoving.
Another man began to speak —
But stopped mid-word under her gaze.
She spoke again, voice cold:
"Demha is the reason Earthsos exists.
He saved Earth. He saved SS. He saved Esor.
If he makes a deal with DE…
I'll be the first to follow him.
Anyone who object — come ..
You face me."
Everyone stand in silence , the one who was speaking and they listening to , wasn't their angel who always bring smile and beauty to OMA .. it was more like their QUEEN , and they all wanted to follow her ..
Lessa gave an order
And
The guards obeyed.
The remaining prisoners were executed — except the one who had stayed silent in fear.
She pointed at him.
"Go. Run back to your masters.
Tell them —
Anyone who comes to OMA must bear the consequences."
The man ran — stumbling into the desert.
And then…
Moment of silence .
Lessa looked at the ground to find her face reflection on the blood lighted out with the moonlight . It was cold picture of herself ..
Everyone is amazed mixed with fear and respect, deep down they feeling safe , they have their queen to protect them .
A shopkeeper — whose store had been vandalized by the traitors — raised his hand and cheered.
Then another.
And another.
OMA roared with pride —
For their queen.
Demha had never asked to be king.
Lessa had never wanted to rule.
But in that moment —
She was the queen.
And her will was law.
⸻
After that dark night of blood, Lessa felt a mix of anger and sadness. She didn't show it to anyone, but Tena felt it. Quietly, the two disappeared into the darkness.
The guards handled the bodies, and the people of OMA cheered for their queen. But Lessa just returned to the apartment. It was too quiet without Demha there. She stared at the moonlit window in silence.
Tena, sensing her, wrapped gentle roots around her hand, warm with energy. Lessa smiled faintly and hugged her back. That warmth gave her strength. Her decision was already made — but now, it was clearer than ever.
She would stand by Demha. Even if it meant war.
She tucked Tena into bed, made sure she was safe, and took a long, quiet shower. After taking a breath for herself, she slipped out of the apartment and into the night.
It was 3 a.m.
She was heading to the hunter portal.
She needed to see Demha.
⸻
Meanwhile, Demha had pushed himself to his limits. After fully testing the potential of both his devices, he was now focused on mastering combat alone.
He was deep inside the third floor of the portal — the floor where half-dead bears roamed, stronger and faster than anything he had faced before. He was bleeding from everywhere… but a smile stayed on his lips.
He didn't smile out of arrogance or lust for power — but because he knew, deep down, he was finally becoming strong enough to protect the people he loved.
He stood atop a hill of corpses — hundreds of monsters lay slain around him. Still, he knew it wasn't enough. He had to push further.
His healing potions were gone. The energy in the Heart in Another Soul device was nearly empty. He whispered to himself:
"I don't know what kind of challenge is coming… but I need to be ready."
Then he had an idea:
If he lured the bears into the spider floor, maybe he could test himself against both threats at once.
He fired an ice ball — a technique he earned from defeating the bears — into the third floor's chamber, then quickly retreated to the second.
It worked — maybe too well.
The bears came first. Then the snakes and spiders.
Then, unexpectedly, the two-headed wolves from the first floor appeared too.
Demha hadn't bothered them — but somehow, they had been drawn into the chaos.
Now he stood at the center of the second floor.
Surrounded by waves of bears, wolves, spiders, snakes — even newer creatures.
Any other warrior would have run.
Demha stood his ground.
demha tells himself " this nothing comapred to what i have been through ".
He remembered a voice.
That rabbit's voice — and the sound of his laughing
His smile faded.
Then he went to fight with all of he got .
This was getting dangerous. His energy was almost gone. He had used every drop of healing power left in his devices. Blood poured from his leg. A snake lunged for his back — but he reflexively spun and shot it down.
A wolf charged — he raised his gun…
Click.
Out of bullets.
The wolf leapt.
But a spear pierced its skull midair.
Lessa.
She landed beside him, furious, slashing through monsters with a roar.
"THIS is what you meant by just a little training?!"
She killed a bear and two wolves. A spider leapt at her — Demha instantly slashed it midair.
"S-Sorry," he said between breaths. "I needed to make sure I can protect you and Tena."
An insect spat poison — she fired an arrow through its skull before it reached him.
"Who said I need your protection?" she yelled. "I can protect myself — and YOU too!"
Demha blocked an incoming bear with a stick and spun, knocking away three flying bees.
"I don't care how strong you are," he shouted. "You're my responsibility! I won't let you go through another challenge , i cant see you worry , it would make me worry !!"
Lessa fired five arrows in one shot — they exploded midair in a powerful burst.
"What?!" she shouted. "Don't treat me like a child! I'm not the same girl anymore. You don't even know what I just did while you were down here fighting monsters!, no way you going to the challenge alone "
Demha prepared a kill/nokill combo shot and unleashed it, clearing several monsters.
"You have to trust me in this !! You have to be save so i can fight !! And what did u do ?" he asked, panting.
Lessa stopped. Her eyes lowered.
"I killed humans."
Demha didn't even hesitate.
"Then they deserved it."
She stared at him — shocked.
Lost foucs for awhile , getting deep inside her own thoughts
Deep down, she had been breaking.
She had never killed before — not like that. She was still trying to justify it, trying to bury the guilt.
But the way Demha said it — with certainty, without judgment — made something inside her ease.
Maybe she had done the right thing after all.
She didn't need to explain herself.
Suddenly, monsters swarmed again. When Demha saw her unfoucsed and floating into her ideas and sensed danger , he unleashed a powerful mixed-element blast — a massive beam, everything he got but at least it was strong enough to wipe the room clear. They got 180 seconds of silence.
He ran toward Lessa, grabbed her shoulders.
"Are you okay?"
She looked into his eyes, tears building — and just threw herself into his arms.
She didn't say anything.
Just cried and held him tightly.
At this moment , lessa felt she cant argue with him anymore , she will just trust his judgement , but still she cant stop worrying about him neither want to let him alone away from her , but also remember what she just witness and know that if both of them went to challange who will protect OMA she has to stay to defend their place, it was so many thoughts and mixed feelings , she couldnt find words to describe; so she just cried while hugging him .
Demha held her, confused, but gently petted her hair to calm her.
"Whatever happens," he whispered, "we'll face it together. Just trust me."
She nodded.
Then the ground trembled. A massive creature was approaching.
Demha readied his stick.
"Let's finish this first. You able to fight?"
Lessa wiped her tears.
"Yes."
They fought side by side, cutting through the waves. Mantises, hippos, crocodiles — monsters from unknown worlds poured into the chamber.
But now, they didn't stand a chance.
This couple — Demha and Lessa — cleared the entire hunter portal.
If there was a ranking, this portal would be ranked B — a level that would normally require a full team of seasoned hunters.
But
They did it alone.
Just a normal couple tried to survive in this world
Exhausted, they collapsed against the wall.
Lessa rested her head on Demha's shoulder.
Suddenly, the Heart in Another Soul device began to glow.
But this time… there was no pain.
Their wounds closed smoothly.
Not just Demha's.
Lessa's, too.
Something had changed.
"Demha's heart… is inside Lessa's soul."
They didn't know how.
But they were glad.
They talked for hours — everything that happened in that month. The conspiracies. The training. The pain. The victories.
Finally, Lessa said:
"If you won't let me join the challenge… fine. I'll take care of things here. But promise me one thing: come back alive."
Demha smiled, kissed her forehead.
"Don't worry. Just trust me."
He stood, hand in hers.
"I have to see that message again."
Lessa nodded.
"I'm coming with you."
They walked together into the portal's final room.
The message returned:
"You ready to restore the forgotten memories?"
Demha took a breath.
"Yes."
⸻
Light consumed them.
They floated in a space-like void. Screens began appearing.
They watched…
Different species, chained and abused.
Guards stepping on them. Beating them.
In every memory, the oppressor was the same.
Humans.
There was no sound.
Just visions from long ago.
Then three massive ancient kingdoms appeared.
Two symbols matched the Kill/No Kill and Heart in Another Soul devices.
The third was unfamiliar — mysterious.
A new challenge appeared — and DE's king was shown.
Humans lost. But three kings approached DE's king.
They spoke… but the scene cut out.
Demha and Lessa reappeared outside the portal, back on Earth.
The hunter portal behind them crumbled into dust.
They stood, silent.
Demha turned to her.
"Earth… was in the Multiverse."
He looked into her eyes.
And the truth began to dawn.
⸻
[End of Chapter 9 – "Bridge"]