Chapter 6
The demoness stared at Felix's seemingly lifeless body with growing irritation.
How strange…
She tilted her head, long dark hair cascading over her shoulder. "I really don't understand. Why isn't the demonic parasite I planted tearing him apart from the inside?"
She leaned closer, her beautiful face hovering inches above his. Her crimson eyes scanned his closed eyelids with dark fascination. Slowly, almost lovingly, her fingers traced down his bloodied cheek before wrapping around his throat. She squeezed gently at first, then tighter with her both hands.
"Mmm… I healed you, darling," she whispered seductively, her breath hot against his ear. "I stitched your wounds so tenderly. And you can't even repay me with one little request? How ungrateful."
Her grip tightened further, nails digging into his skin. "I don't know why your stubborn body refuses to surrender to my parasites… but don't worry. I'll help them along."
She smiled, licking her lips as she watched his face.
Just then, Felix's eyes snapped open.
A cold, pitch-black smile stretched across his lips. There was no panic. No reaction to the hand crushing his windpipe just carnage.
Thunk.
A dull, wet sound echoed through the tunnel.
The demoness's eyes widened in shock as searing pain exploded in her belly. She gasped, a soft, broken whimper escaping her lips as she crumpled to the floor beside him.
Disbelief washed over her face.
Impossible…
She could hear her loyal human-insect hybrid still twitching weakly in the distance. She could also hear Felix slowly rising from the rubble, his footsteps heavy and deliberate.
Terror gripped her for the first time.
"N-No… wait!" she cried, voice trembling as she tried to crawl away. "… please! I saved you, remember? I stitched your wounds! I could have let you die on the cold, but I helped you! Don't do this it's because of me your alive now, I beg you I'll remove the parasites!"
Her seductive mask shattered completely. "Please! I'm begging you—spare me! I'll do anything! I'll give you my body, anything you want! Just don't—"
Felix's heart burned with pure rage. He wanted to kill this woman himself. No one else. In the endless darkness he floated watching his body take action.
Then a strange sensation flooded his mind.
It reminded him of the numbness that came when he sat in one position for too long — that tingling shock when blood flow returned. The prickling fire of circulation restarting.
Follow it…
A familiar voice echoed deep in his heart.
In the real world, demonic energy thrashed wildly through his flesh. But instead of fighting it, he let it be. Starting from the soles of his feet, the dark power surged upward like blood rushing through veins — tempering every muscle, every bone, every organ it passed.
His body trembled violently.
The demoness, still struggling on the ground and unable to stand, let out a mocking laugh. "This is your end, how silly! You will explode! Do you really think you can harness demonic energy? You have no bloodline. There's nothing special about you, you pathetic worm!"
She grinned through the pain. "Overload yourself and explode! At least I'll die knowing you're following me."
"Hahahaha…"
Felix held his face, laughing madly. His eyes completely pitch black.
"I think… I understand it now."
He took a step forward. His bones cracked audibly. Ribs splintered. Pain tore through him, but he kept moving.
"Use demonic energy to temper the flesh… then use that flesh as a container."
The demoness's face twisted in shock. "What… what is this human saying?"
In her memories, she recalled a terrifyingly powerful demon who had spoken almost the exact same words.
No… it can't be—
Felix continued advancing. Each step sent fresh cracks through his ribs and spine, yet he remained fixated on her. Blood sprayed from his mouth with every breath.
"Ahh… I will die," he growled through gritted teeth.
But he didn't stop.
He reached her, dropped heavily onto her chest, and pinned her arms to the ground with his knees. The demonic energy surged like a broken dam, flooding his body with raw power and madness. This time, he was fully conscious of every second.
He raised the bloodied stone high above his head.
The demoness screamed.
BANG!
BANG!
BANG!
Her strong demonic physique kept her alive far longer than a human. Her skull cracked but refused to cave in immediately. She thrashed and screamed beneath him, her once-beautiful voice turning into wet gurgles.
But Felix kept smashing with a bloody smile.
Blood, bone, and brain matter splattered across the tunnel floor. He didn't stop until her head was nothing more than a ruined pulp.
Only then did the stone slip from his fingers.
Felix collapsed sideways onto the cold ground, chest heaving, blood pouring from his mouth and nose. His body was breaking apart from the inside, bones fractured, organs strained to their limit.
Yet the demonic energy continued circulating — tempering, strengthening, changing him.