Kain's amber eyes flicked between the hooded figure—now revealed as Shennong—and the two succubi at his side, their features eerily similar to the others yet marked by subtle differences: sharper cheekbones, eyes that glowed with a colder, more calculating light. The supreme succubus, her shoulder still oozing black ichor from Kain's attack, froze as Shennong's voice cut through the chaos.

"What an intreseting group of creatures we have here! Succubi, a strange hunter and humans from Sturgon," Shennong said again, his tone carrying the weight of inevitability. "This isn't your hunt. None of you know about the real threat. So lay out everything you know and surrender to me!"

Before anyone could respond, a blinding flash illuminated the clearing. A sword, gleaming with an otherworldly light, materialized out of thin air and streaked through the night. It impaled one of the lesser succubi lunging toward Captain Morrigan, pinning her to the ground with a sickening thud. Her scream echoed, then faded into a gurgle as black ichor pooled beneath her.

"No one moves...without my permission," Shennong muttered, showing that sword belonged to none other than him.

Kain's breath caught. Where the hell did that come from? His grip tightened on the rune-covered tube, its hum steady but urgent. He scanned the shadows, searching for the source, but found nothing. His gaze snapped back to Shennong, who stood unfazed, his hands clasped behind his back as if he'd expected the blade. WIth his words confirming Kain's suspicions he knew this wasn't a man he could take lightly.

"Who are you?" Kain demanded, his voice low and edged with suspicion. "You're the troublemaker I've been hearing about, aren't you?"

Shennong's lips curled into a faint smile, but he didn't answer. Instead, the supreme succubus's expression twisted, her crimson eyes widening as she stared at the two women beside him. "Aren't those succubi..." she hissed, her voice trembling with a mix of fear and recognition. "Aren't those two succubi... two servants of Yenissa?"

One of her underlings, a wiry succubus with claws like polished obsidian, stepped forward, her gaze locked on the pair. "Those markings on their wings… the look in their eyes… they're definitely Yenissa's, I rememeber them back in our world." she confirmed, her voice quivering with unease.

The supreme succubus's face soured, her composure cracking further. "Enough!" she snapped, her voice booming through the clearing. "We're leaving. Now."

It was as if she had tasted bitter medicine—the way her face changed from intimidating to annoyed in an instant.

"My lady!" the underling protested, her claws flexing. "We can take them all! The cart, the knights, this… shadow-walker—they're no match for us!"

The supreme succubus whirled on her, eyes blazing with fury. "Do not question me, Mongrel!" she snarled, her aura flaring, sending a ripple of pressure through the air. "We fall back. Now. This is something I need to find out more about."

The underling shrank back, silenced. With a final glare at Shennong, the supreme succubus raised a hand, and a shimmering portal of dark energy tore open behind her. She stepped through, her underlings scrambling to follow, their forms dissolving into the void. The portal snapped shut, leaving an eerie silence in its wake.

Kain's mind raced. Yenissa? Who the hell is that? And why's she running from Shennong? His instincts screamed that this was no ordinary encounter. The supreme succubus was powerful—possibly a matriarch, as he'd suspected—but something about Shennong and his companions had spooked her.

His job was to hunt demons, to protect the cart and its mysterious cargo tied to royals or at least Sturgon government, but this situation was spiraling beyond his control. He wasn't prepared for a fight of this scale, not without more intel. For now, the supreme succubus could wait. Shennong and his two succubi were the immediate threat.

What about the humans who had heard about his identity? Kain had to wonder. But he knew that, just like in his adventuring days, his presence would simply be seen as that of an extraordinary human. Vampires like him were rare—so rare that the few who wandered these lands were often more powerful and more noble than most demons or humans.

He turned his attention to the trio. Shennong stood calmly, his sharp features illuminated by the moonlight, while Rilith and Velara flanked him, their postures relaxed but ready. Kain's eyes narrowed. They're not attacking yet. Why?

Behind him, Captain Morrigan's voice broke the tension. "Form up!" he barked, rallying his men. The knights, shaken but regaining their composure, tightened their grip on their weapons. The cart driver, still wrestling with the panicked horses, shouted, "Captain, we need to go! This isn't our fight anymore!"

Morrigan's jaw clenched, his gaze flicking between Kain and Shennong. "He's right," he muttered. "Whatever's in that cart, it's drawing too much attention. We're leaving." He raised his sword, pointing toward the path. "Men, protect the cart! Move out!"

The knights hesitated, glancing at Kain, who stood alone against Shennong and his succubi. "You sure about this, stranger?" Morrigan called, his voice gruff but laced with concern. "You're outnumbered."

Kain didn't look back. "I've got this," he said, his tone flat. "Get the cart out of here."

Morrigan nodded, his expression grim. "Good luck." With a sharp gesture, he urged his men forward. The cart lurched as the horses surged down the path, the knights forming a protective ring around it. Their footsteps faded into the distance, leaving Kain alone with Shennong, Rilith, and Velara.

Shennong tilted his head, studying Kain with a mix of curiosity and amusement. "Who the hell are you?" he asked, his voice smooth but carrying a dangerous edge.

Kain smirked, twirling the rune-covered tube in his hand. "That's what I'm wondering about you, troublemaker. Who are you to act so high and mighty in front of a dangerous creature like that?"

Shennong's smile widened, but his eyes gleamed with cold calculation. "You're bold, I'll give you that. But I don't have time to waste on you." He raised a hand, and the ground trembled. Roots erupted from the earth, twisting into a massive wall of gnarled wood that separated him from Kain. Rilith and Velara moved in sync, their wings flaring as they leaped toward him, claws extended.

Kain reacted instantly, phasing into the shadow realm. His form flickered, becoming a blur as he dodged Rilith's slashing claws. He reappeared behind her, swinging his dagger in a precise arc. The blade grazed her wing, drawing a thin line of ichor. She hissed, spinning to face him, her eyes blazing with fury.

"Fast," she snarled, lunging again. "But not fast enough."

Velara flanked him, her movements fluid and predatory. She conjured a whip of dark energy, snapping it toward his legs. Kain leaped, twisting midair to avoid the lash, and fired a crimson beam from the tube. It struck Velara's shoulder, forcing her back with a grunt of pain.

"You're not bad," Kain said, landing lightly on his feet. "But you're not Yenissa, are you? Who is this Yenissa? Why did supreme succubus retreat hearing that name?"

Rilith's eyes narrowed. "You know nothing of our mistress, you don't need to know anything about our mistress." she spat, her claws glowing with dark energy. She charged, her strikes a blur of speed and precision. Kain parried with his dagger, the runes on its blade flaring with each clash. Sparks flew, illuminating the clearing as their movements became a deadly dance.

Shennong watched, his expression unreadable. "Enough," he said, his voice cutting through the chaos. He raised both hands, and the wall of strong crystals expanded, curling toward Kain like a living cage. "I have better things to do."

Kain gritted his teeth, phasing again to slip through the crystaline walls. He emerged on the other side, only to find Shennong and the succubi gone. The clearing was empty, the air still and heavy. He scanned the shadows, his senses straining, but there was no trace of them—not even a ripple of demonic energy not even mana.

"What the hell is this power?"

"Damn it," he muttered, lowering the tube. Its runes dimmed, the hum fading to silence. They're gone. Just like that. He turned, his eyes lingering on the spot where the cart had been. The knights were long gone, their tracks barely visible in the moonlight.

Kain's mind churned. Shennong's name had been whispered in every tavern and shadow market he'd visited in recent weeks—a figure tied to chaos, to demons, to relics like the one in the cart. And Yenissa… whoever she was, her name had sent a supreme succubus running. This wasn't just about the cart or Sir Juno's sword anymore. There was a larger game at play, one Kain wasn't sure he was ready to join.

He sheathed his dagger, his cloak rippling as he phased partially into the shadow realm, concealing himself from prying eyes. The forest was silent now, but he knew it wouldn't stay that way. Shennong and his succubi were out there, and so was the supreme succubus. Whatever they wanted with the cart—and with Sir Juno—it was only a matter of time before their paths crossed again.

For now, Kain had a job to do. He'd track the cart, ensure it reached its destination, and figure out what made it so damn important. But as he melted into the shadows, one thought lingered: Who the hell is Yenissa, and why does she scare a matriarch?

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