The next morning, Shen Seizan's body still felt heavy.
Despite Kin's repeated urges to rest, Shen refused to lie down for too long. Something inside him felt… unsettled. As if the demon's voice from the day before hadn't completely faded—it echoed, faint but persistent, somewhere deep in his veins.
Meanwhile, Kin busied himself in the kitchen, preparing Shen's favorite soup. He kept glancing toward the hallway, his eyes worried. His hands trembled slightly while cutting vegetables—he was trying to stay strong for Shen's sake.
Suddenly, Shen called out, his voice low.
> "Kin… can you check my back?"
Kin rushed over, alarmed. "What's wrong?"
Shen slowly lifted his shirt, turning to show his back in the mirror. Kin gasped. Strange burned-in symbols—like ritualistic markings—were etched faintly along Shen's spine, glowing ever so slightly under the morning light.
> "It's like they're carved into your skin…" Kin whispered in horror.
Shen looked at himself through the mirror, his face pale. "I told you yesterday… I think that demon branded me during the ritual."
Kin's eyes filled with tears. "We need to do something. This… this can't stay like this."
Just then, the temperature in the room seemed to dip. A chilling breeze crept through the closed windows. Shen suddenly clutched his head.
> "He's whispering again," Shen muttered, falling to his knees. "I can hear him inside me…"
Kin didn't hesitate. He kneeled beside Shen and pressed his forehead against Shen's, voice calm but firm.
> "You are not alone. We will fight this. Together."
He immediately called Vixen.
Vixen, already on edge since last night's attack, was at the house within minutes. When he entered the room and saw Shen's condition, his expression darkened.
Without a word, Vixen extended both hands and released his Alpha Divine Pheromone, stronger than before—protective, radiant, and sharp enough to burn through evil.
The markings on Shen's back began to smoke slightly. Shen screamed in pain—but the demonic whispers dulled. The symbols began to fade, slowly retreating from his skin like shadows fleeing sunlight.
Vixen panted, weak but stable. Kin caught him as he staggered.
> "You're pushing yourself too hard," Kin murmured.
Vixen looked at both of them, eyes tired but determined. "We don't have time to rest. That demon marked him for a reason. We need to find out why."
Shen, pale but conscious, lifted his gaze. "It said something yesterday… that its spell still lives in me. That it wasn't done."
The three sat in silence for a moment.
Then Kin spoke quietly.
> "What if… the only way to break the curse is to face the demon again?"
Vixen's jaw tightened. "Then we go back."
Shen gave a faint, bitter laugh. "You guys are really something, you know that?"
Vixen offered a half-smile. "We're something together."
Outside, the wind rustled the trees ominously again. Something was coming.
But this time, they were ready.
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