Renny screamed, the pain tearing through his chest as Krovanis laughed, low and cruel, basking in his suffering. Krovanis leaned on the Mirror Fang, his arm resting casually on the hilt still buried in Renny's shoulder, pinning him to the earth.

"Why, Ezraphor?" Krovanis said, voice trembling with rage and grief. "Why did you do this to me?"

His eyes flared, teeth bared as his words poured out like venom. "You deprived me of sharing my journey with Leila! You tore apart the bond we built! Because of you, she's gone, and I'm left chasing shadows, forced to play catch-up while Yurokane sits ahead of me!"

He bent lower, face inches from Renny's. "Do you have any idea who I am? I am Krovanis Omekro. Every demon, even my grade-mates, fear me. No one stands against me, and yet you, a repeat demon, working with that bush rat I buried years ago, think you can challenge me?"

He gave a sharp, humorless laugh. "You walk into Hell for one year and think you can do as you please? Kill demons, send others back to the lobby, and move like there are no consequences? No, Ezraphor. You're not that untouchable."

He straightened, his voice hardening. "The only reason that bush rat can stand before me is because he was once my senior and still clings to that illusion. But tonight, I'll fix that."

Krovanis wrenched the blade free from Renny's shoulder. Blood spattered across the dirt as Renny screamed again, body twisting in agony.

"I'll send you both back where you belong," Krovanis hissed. "Once I'm done with him, I'll wrap up my contract, reclaim my grade, and no one, not even Ravuto, will touch me again."

He stood tall, eyes cold and resolute. Then, in a flash of black mist, he was gone.

***

Renny pushed himself off the ground slowly, clutching his wounded shoulder. Blood ran freely down his arm, but his expression stayed still. He steadied his breathing, slow inhales, slower exhales until the pain dulled. The wound began to knit itself shut, the torn flesh stitching together under. When it finally sealed, he rolled his shoulder, stretched, cracked his neck once, and reached down for his fractured dagger.

His eyes flickered with a faint glow as his demon vision ignited. The forest came alive in red outlines, every movement, until he locked onto Krovanis's position in the distance.

Without hesitation, Renny bolted forward. His feet shattered leaves beneath him, his form cutting through the air like a silent streak. As he closed in, he unleashed a barrage of vicious, calculated slashes, each strike ringing with precision and fury. Krovanis parried and countered, but Renny pressed harder, relentless.

Then Renny cast a spell under his breath.

The ground beneath Krovanis ruptured and gave way, dragging him into a sudden sink of broken energy. The moment he stumbled, Renny was already there, his dagger flashing down. He struck, again and again, weaving between shadow and blur, his attacks coming from every direction.

But Krovanis caught him mid-motion, his massive hand clamping around Renny's neck.

"Is this what you call fighting?" Krovanis snarled, eyes burning with fury. "You're mimicking me, Ezraphor? Pathetic."

Renny's eyes narrowed. Without a word, he slashed Krovanis's wrist, deep and fast. Krovanis roared and let go, staggering back.

That was the signal.

Ravuto burst from the shadows, pest-thread whip cracking through the air as the two demons began circling Krovanis, coordinated, relentless, striking from alternating sides.

Renny darted back a few steps, muttering under his breath.

"Kraveth Shyrr." Explosive Fracture.

The air pulsed. Every mark Renny had carved along Krovanis's wristbones detonated at once.

Krovanis staggered back, his entire forearm shattering into molten dust.

But before the smoke cleared, it began to reform, dark tissue knitting, bones reassembling, his arm regrowing in seconds.

Krovanis looked up with a twisted grin. "You'll have to do better than that, Ezraphor."

Ravuto wasted no time. He raised a hand and muttered under his breath,

"Tamaa-Mist."

The air thickened instantly, curling into a pale green vapor that spread around Krovanis. The mist shimmered faintly as it filled his lungs with each breath, and within seconds, he began to choke and stagger. His essence was being drained, his energy pulled from within and absorbed by the mist itself.

Krovanis let out a furious snarl, swinging his weapon wildly through the haze. "You think—cough—this can stop me?!" he barked, his voice strained, veins pulsing along his temples. He stumbled to one knee, glaring at them both through the dissipating fog. "I'll shake this off… in no time…"

Renny watched silently, eyes calm but sharp. His fingers flexed around the hilt of his fractured dagger as he murmured to himself,

"I've been wondering when I'd get to test the dominion spell I pulled from the Memory of Creation… I suppose it's fitting that it's on him."

He slowly lowered to one knee, eyes glowing faintly as the X-shaped scar over his left eye began to burn white. Then it split open, his Royal Eye activating, the mark illuminating the air with tendrils of violet light.

Renny raised his gaze to Krovanis, voice calm and absolute.

"Dominion: Yami-no-Mura."

The moment the words left his lips, Krovanis froze mid-motion. His body went rigid, his glare dimmed, and all movement ceased. The forest grew eerily quiet, the mist still curling around him.

Ravuto took a cautious step forward, whip at the ready. "What… what did you do to him?"

Renny didn't look away from Krovanis.

"The same thing he did to you," he said evenly. "The madness loop spell. He's reliving the same attacks I landed on him… over and over again. In his mind, they'll never stop."

Ravuto's eyes widened slightly, watching as Krovanis's expression twitched and distorted, his body trembling under invisible pain.

Renny stood up slowly, his voice low.

"Let him drown in his own violence for a while."

Ravuto stared at the frozen Krovanis, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Incredible… you actually copied that fool's spell. But how?"

Renny didn't look at him, his focus still locked on Krovanis.

"There's no time for explanations," he said sharply. "I'm still Grade One. It won't hold him for long. Not at the strength a Grade Five could manage."

Ravuto exhaled through his nose, nodding once.

"Then we move fast. You've done enough already, restraining him was all we needed."

He reached into his coat and pulled out a small, black whistle engraved with the Collector's insignia. Bringing it to his lips, he blew softly. Within moments, the Collector's Hands appeared. Ravuto pointed toward Krovanis.

"There. Take him."

The Hands moved in unison, gliding toward the restrained demon. They reached out and tagged Krovanis with their seals, each mark flaring briefly before sinking into his flesh.

Krovanis's body convulsed once, then went completely still. His eyes rolled back as he collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

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