Chapter 62: Demons Chapter 62: Demons
---Next Day---
"Everything set, Lily?" Leo asked.
Lily turned toward him with a bright grin, eyes sparkling with excitement.
"Yes!" she said, patting the travel bag strapped to her back.
"All the High 1-star Treant cores—done! Mana crystals—done! Dried jerky—done! Water—done! And finally—"
She caught the hilt of her sword, gripping it firmly.
"My weapon—done!" she declared with a proud smile.
Maybe it was because this was her first real adventure, but Lily seemed unusually elated. Her entire face glowed with enthusiasm.
Leo chuckled and reached out, ruffling her hair before giving it a light pat. Her cheeks instantly flushed, and she puffed them in a cute pout—clearly enjoying the gesture but refusing to admit it.
"Good girl," Leo said with a warm smile.
Lily’s expression softened for a moment before concern replaced it.
"But will you be fine, Leo? You gave me way too many mana crystals. What if you run out?"
"Me? Out of mana?" Leo scoffed lightly. "Don’t joke. Even if I do run out, I can regenerate it quickly with Niri’s help. Besides, I still have more mana crystals with me."
"Don’t forget, I have two spirits too! My mana’s also great," she said, puffing her chest slightly.
Leo smirked. "Right, right—but they only increase your mana pool. When you summon them, they’ll drain mana, not regenerate it. Keep that in mind."He flicked her forehead lightly.
"Ow!" she winced, rubbing the spot, glaring half-heartedly.
Leo laughed softly. He couldn’t help it—teasing her felt natural, effortless. She was probably the first girl he had ever grown so close to.
Then a thought crossed his mind. He reached into his spatial storage and took out the necklace Brant had given him—the one with the green gem that shimmered faintly under the morning light. Its glow was soft, serene, reflecting off his palm.
I should probably give this to her, he thought. With my Spiritual Island, low-level mental attacks won’t work on me. But Lily... people may not harm her outright, yet who’s to say they won’t try to manipulate her through her mind? She’s strong—but I have no way to gauge her mental resilience.
"Hm? What’s that, Leo?" Lily asked, noticing the necklace in his hand.
"Turn around," he said simply.
Lily complied, though her brows furrowed in mild confusion.
Leo stepped closer and gently fastened the necklace around her neck. His fingers brushed against her skin—warm, smooth—and her face turned scarlet in an instant. Before she could say anything, Leo leaned in and kissed her cheek... then playfully bit it.
"Ouch! What was that all of a sudden?" she asked sharply, trying to sound stern but failing to hide her flustered tone.
"Nothing," Leo replied, smiling faintly. "Just keep it on at all times. It’ll protect you from mental attacks."
Before she could respond, he wrapped his arms around her from behind, pulling her into a tight embrace. He lowered his head, nestling into the space between her neck and shoulder, inhaling softly.
Lily’s breath hitched, then she relaxed, tilting her head to the side to give him space. She nuzzled her chin gently atop his hair.
"I’ll miss you," Leo murmured against her skin.
"It’s only for a month," she whispered, her voice tender. "Make sure to take care of yourself."
"Yeah. You too."
For a moment, silence filled the air—peaceful and fragile. Then suddenly, a thunderous gong echoed through the city, the reverberation rolling through every street and alley.
The Trial Bell.
"Everyone, pay attention!" a voice boomed, amplified through mana across the city. "In five minutes, teleportation will begin. Prepare yourselves! If you lack confidence, break your metal plate now—you will be withdrawn from the trial. But if you’re ready, stay sharp. From this point on, your life is your own responsibility!"
The voice faded, leaving a moment of eerie stillness across the city—as if the entire population held its breath at once.
Then, noise erupted.
Shouts. Cheers. Nervous laughter. Some faces glowed with excitement, others trembled with fear. Some were calm, some serious—but all were ready, one way or another.
Amid that chaos, Leo and Lily stood close, their world narrowing to just the two of them. They spent those final minutes locked in a deep kiss—silent promises passing between them. When the last seconds began to tick away, they separated, staring into each other’s eyes.
A shared nod.A final words left unspoken.
And then—
they vanished.
One by one, every participant dissolved into streams of light, their bodies fading from sight until the entire city stood empty, echoing with the faint hum of the lingering mana they left behind.
---
"Xyren! Everything done on your side?"
A deep, resonant voice echoed in his mind.
The crimson-skinned man, lounging atop a cracked obsidian boulder, raised his head lazily. Curved goat-like horns jutted from his forehead, their black sheen faintly reflecting the red glow of the underworld’s fire. His hands ended in razor-edged claws of metallic gray, and his eyes—pitch black with scarlet irises—gleamed with faint irritation.
"Zyreth?" Xyren replied, his tone bored. "Ah, yes. Everything’s done. But I still don’t understand the point of this."
A sharp click of tongue echoed back through the telepathic link.
"Tch. You’re still complaining about that?"
Xyren scowled. "And what do you expect me to do? Do we really need to go through all this trouble just to kill a bunch of human brats?"