Avradren was growing frustrated. None of it made sense anymore. He exhaled sharply and charged again. As Renny sidestepped, Avradren abruptly halted and snapped into a follow-up strike.

Renny didn't have enough time to deactivate the Royal Eye. Instinct kicked in. He caught Avradren's arm, twisted, and slammed him into the ground with a brutal pivot. But Avradren bounced back up instantly and drove a heavy fist into Renny's face.

Renny had already deactivated the Royal Eye. The pain and exhaustion hit him all at once, his limbs felt like lead, his vision a blur. He couldn't react in time.

Avradren didn't hesitate. He summoned a chakram mid-stride and brought it down toward Renny's throat in a clean execution arc.

Renny exhaled.

His Royal Eye flared to life again.

In an instant he was gone from Avradren's sight, then behind him, faster than the demon could register. He jumped onto Avradren's back, locking both legs around his arms to pin them down as they crashed to the ground. His hands clamped around Avradren's neck, squeezing with everything the Royal Eye could give him, the mark still burning bright across his right side.

Avradren thrashed wildly, trying to tear himself free, jerking his body left and right, but Renny's grip only tightened. Renny roared through the pain, sweat pouring down his face as the Royal Eye burned through his nerves. Every second felt like fire tearing through his body, but he didn't let go.

For nearly a full minute, the struggle raged, Avradren twisting, Renny squeezing with everything he had left.

Then Renny pulled in one last breath, clenched his jaw, and squeezed with all the strength the Royal Eye could muster.

And whispered his snap spell.

The spell hit Avradren's strained neck at its weakest point.

SNAP.

The sound echoed through the forest. Renny's final scream overlapping with the vicious crack of bone and demonic energy snapping at once. Then, suddenly...

Avradren's body went limp. He was knocked out cold.

Renny instantly deactivated the Royal Eye, gasping as the pain crashed into him all at once. He rolled Avradren's body off to the side, panting, shaking, vision fading at the edges. He reached into Avradren's pocket, retrieved the soul key, and forced himself onto his feet.

He staggered forward, limping, every step unsteady. His legs shook… then finally gave out.

Renny collapsed face-first onto the ground, the world spinning, the soul key clenched weakly in his hand.

***

Renny woke up to the sound of his TV buzzing softly in the background, the lights on, and sunlight slipping through the window. He squinted, confused, staring at the unfamiliar brightness. When his eyes adjusted, he saw Myla in the kitchen preparing tea.

Oliver was sitting right beside the bed, chewing on a bone like nothing in the world was wrong.

Renny tried to sit up.

Oliver's ears perked immediately and he barked, a short, happy, "you're alive" kind of bark. Myla turned at the noise.

"Ren, dear… you're awake." She rushed over and gently pushed him back down. "Relax. Lie down."

Renny blinked, still trying to understand. "How… how am I here?"

"Well," Myla sighed, glancing at Oliver, "your dog brought you. I came in this morning and found you lying here on the floor. I didn't even know you had a hell dog. When I asked, he just stared at me! Why didn't you tell me about him?"

Renny exhaled slowly. "He's not a dog. He's a Rothound."

Myla frowned. "A what?"

"A hell dog," Renny repeated, not wanting to go into it.

He winced and shifted. "What about Avradren?"

"You mean Avradren Damaruk?" she asked.

"Yeah."

"Why are you asking about him?"

Renny rubbed his forehead. "I got in a fight with him."

He froze. "The soul key." His hands patted his clothes, his sheets, even under the pillow. "Where is it? Did you get it? The soul key…"

"Babe," Myla said gently, holding his shoulder down, "I said relax."

She pointed at the small table near the bed.

"It's right there. You still have it."

Renny let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. Myla guided him back against the pillows.

"Lie down," she said softly. "You're not going anywhere right now."

Renny let out a long breath of relief. "How long was I out?"

Myla hesitated. "A week."

Renny's eyes widened. "A week?"

She nodded. "I was worried at first. I even thought about taking you to the hospital, but… you kept showing signs of recovery. So I stayed, kept an eye on you, made sure you were okay. I figured rest was what you needed."

Renny rolled his head back onto the pillow, staring at the ceiling. "Yeah… a lot of rest."

He exhaled again. "Thank God I won that battle."

Myla glanced at the soul key on the table. "Was that what the fight was about? The key?"

Renny nodded. "If I'd lost, Avradren would've taken it. I couldn't let that happen."

"But… Ren," she said slowly, "Avradren is a Grade Three demon. You're barely Grade Two. How could you have beaten him?"

Renny fell quiet for a long moment. "I was just… determined. That's all."

Myla folded her arms. "Ren, there are things you're not telling me. First the dog, now this…"

"Oliver," Renny said.

She blinked. "Who?"

"The dog. His name is Oliver."

"Oh." She frowned. "And how exactly did you get Oliver?"

Renny paused, eyes shifting away. "I… can't tell you that."

Myla raised a brow. "Wow. So many secrets."

"It's an Ezraphor thing," Renny said softly. "It's tied to my family. Nothing special. And you have your own family affairs you don't share with me. I don't pry, because I respect that. This is the same."

Myla looked at him for a moment, then sighed. She understood the reasoning even if she didn't like it. "Fine."

Renny lifted his arms slightly. "Come here."

Myla leaned in, careful of his still-sore body, and he wrapped his arms around her in a warm, tired embrace. He pressed a soft kiss to her forehead.

"Thanks… for taking care of me while I was out," he murmured.

She smiled against his shoulder as he reached out his other hand. "Oliver," he called.

The rothound perked up immediately. Renny ruffled the creature's fur.

"And you too, buddy. If you hadn't dragged me out of there, Avradren would've probably woken up before me and taken the key. So thank you."

Myla rolled her eyes playfully. "Don't be cringy, babe."

Renny blinked. "What? I'm being loving. Showing gratitude."

"Mm-hmm," she teased, leaning in to peck his lips.

They shared a brief, warm moment before she pulled back with a small smile.

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