Noose's lips curled into a grin that didn't quite reach his eyes.
"Jackpot," he repeated, louder this time, almost sing-song. Gaya arched a brow at him, unimpressed.
"Jackpot? Really? People just crawled out of death's maw and that's what you say?" she scoffed, crossing her arms.
Noose shrugged, leaning lazily against a tree. "What? You expect me to cry and clutch my chest? Come on, Gaya. I literally pulled them out of the fire. You do the saving, you get the prize. Simple math."
He twirled one of his mirage blades between his fingers like a coin, then flicked it upward. It spun, shimmered in the forest light, and disappeared before hitting the ground.
Cindy clung to her mother, sobbing. The woman whispered comforts, but her eyes never left Noose. Fear mixed with gratitude in her gaze—like she wasn't sure if he was her family's savior… or another devil in disguise.
Noose noticed, of course. He always noticed. "Relax, miss," he said with mock politeness, bowing slightly. "I only slaughter arrogant children and rescue crying ones. You're safe. For now."
Her grip on her baby tightened.
Gaya rolled her eyes so hard it was a miracle they didn't pop out of her skull. "You could try sounding less like a villain when you speak."
"Where's the fun in that?" Noose shot back, flashing a crooked smile. Then his expression darkened, eyes narrowing toward the faint line of smoke still visible on the horizon. His tone dropped, playful but edged with venom.
"The Blood and Bone Sect," he muttered, almost tasting the name. "You know, I've always wondered… if I peel their bones out one by one, would they still dare to call themselves that?"
The air around him warped slightly as his killing intent leaked, sharp enough that even the forest seemed to quiet.
Gaya sighed, fanning herself with one clawed hand. "And here we go. Playful one second, psychotic the next. Pick a mood, demon."
"Why pick one when I can have both?" Noose said with a grin that was all teeth. "Now, little Cindy…" he crouched down suddenly in front of the girl, his face softening just enough. "Where exactly did the bad men go after they did this?"
The girl sniffled, wiping her nose on her sleeve, and pointed shakily toward the mountains.
Noose's grin widened again, like a child who'd just been handed candy. "Perfect. Mountains always make a good stage for screams."
Gaya groaned. "You're insufferable."
"And you love it," he quipped back, standing and cracking his neck. The mirage blades shimmered back into existence around him like a deadly halo.
"Alright then," he said, voice dropping to a low, playful hum. "Let's go make some bones sing."
The forest fell into silence as Noose's voice echoed, sharp and sweet like poison honey. The mother held Cindy tighter, her instincts screaming to keep distance from the man who had saved them so effortlessly—and with such cruel amusement.
"Bones… sing?" Gaya repeated flatly. "You realize normal people don't use words like that, right?"
"Exactly. That's why I'm not normal." Noose tilted his head back, stretching his neck until it cracked, then exhaled slowly. The mirage blades orbiting him pulsed faintly, hungry for blood, reflecting flames from the distant burning village.
He snapped his fingers, and one of the blades shot forward, impaling a tree trunk with a hiss. The wood shrieked, split apart, and toppled with a thunderous crash.
"See?" Noose said, almost cheerfully. "Even the trees sing for me."
The little girl whimpered, burying her face in her mother's chest. Gaya smirked but shook her head. "You scare the innocent more than the enemy."
Noose's grin widened. "Oh, don't be dramatic. The innocent get lullabies. The guilty?" His tone dipped to a silky whisper, eyes glinting like a predator spotting prey. "They get requiems."
He didn't wait for a reply. The air shimmered around him as if reality itself bent to his will. His confidence was absolute, his posture relaxed, almost casual—but every step he took radiated danger, like a panther lazily stalking its next kill.
"The Blood and Bone Sect probably think they've made a statement," Noose mused aloud, more to himself than anyone else. "Burn a village, kill some peasants, scare the rest into submission… yawn. So unoriginal. I'll give them credit, though—at least they picked the perfect stage for me."
He gave Cindy a wink, his smile sharp enough to cut. "Don't worry, little one. I'm going to turn your nightmares into their reality. And I'm very good at sharing."
The girl shivered, clinging tighter to her mother.
"Confident much?" Gaya asked, her tone dry but her eyes watching him closely.
"Confidence?" Noose chuckled darkly. "No. This is certainty. They just don't know it yet—but they're already corpses. I'm just deciding how creative I want to be with the carving."
The mirage blades began to hum, circling faster, like vultures tasting blood on the wind.
Then Noose's expression softened suddenly, almost playful, like he'd remembered an inside joke only he could hear.
"Actually," he said, tapping his chin, "maybe I'll leave one alive. Gotta let someone crawl back to their Sect and spread the word, right? That's how you build a proper reputation." He licked his lips faintly, savoring the thought. "Fear travels faster than fire."
Gaya's claws flexed. "And if their elders come hunting you?"
Noose chuckled again, tilting his head as though the question amused him. "Then I'll finally get some exercise. Gods know I'm overdue."
The playful tone was back, but his eyes—those cold, unwavering eyes—made it clear he meant every word.
With a casual flick of his wrist, Noose summoned the mirage blades to his side, then began walking toward the mountains where the girl had pointed. His voice drifted back like a lullaby carried on the wind.
"Let's go, Gaya. It's time to make the Blood and Bone Sect remember why even demons fear the dark."