It was Asmeryn Damaruk. His hand was clamped around Renny's throat, pressing him harder into the wall.

"I've been looking for Krovanis," Asmeryn said, his voice low but edged with restrained fury. "We were supposed to meet, but he's nowhere to be found. And clearly, he isn't dead, if he was, we'd have known." His eyes narrowed, studying Renny's expression. "But here's the strange part: a grade four demon, Ravuto Yakzur, our senior from long ago, the one who vanished, is suddenly back. And Krovanis is gone. Now, I remember telling you it was Krovanis who made him disappear back then." He leaned closer. "So tell me, Ezraphor… have you conspired with Ravuto? Where have you put Krovanis?"

Renny's jaw tightened. "You said it yourself, Krovanis was the reason Ravuto disappeared. Maybe Ravuto found his way back and took his revenge. Why are you blaming me for it?"

Asmeryn's elbow dug harder against Renny's throat, pressing him into the wall. "Don't act smart with me," he hissed. "Since your arrival, it's been one conniving act after another. First Leila. Then Seraphine. Now Krovanis?"

Renny's voice came strained but steady. "Then if you're well aware of all my supposed victims… wouldn't it be wise not to join the list?"

Asmeryn's brow furrowed. "What are you implying?"

Renny lifted a finger, signaling for him to ease off. For a moment, neither moved. Then Asmeryn stepped back, letting him drop.

Renny rubbed his neck, catching his breath before speaking. "I know you failed your contract, Asmeryn. And unlike what you tell others, you weren't part of the royal plan to get the Ezra fruit. You only got lucky, Krovanis and Seraphine's deliberate repetition gave you enough noise to hide your failure. But that window's closing. Keep playing blind, and you'll miss your shot at early promotion."

Asmeryn's expression hardened, confusion flickering beneath his fury. "How do you know that?"

Renny stepped forward, calm returning to his tone. "You're speaking to someone who took down three Grade Five demons. Surely, you've realized by now that some things are not beyond me." He straightened his collar, his gaze sharp. "My advice, Asmeryn, focus on your contract. Don't get tangled in this royal dance. If you're smart, you'll get promoted early and leave Oroshika behind. Free yourself, move on with your demonic life. But if you keep walking the same path as those before you… you'll end up exactly where they did."

Asmeryn took a step closer, his voice low. "Is that a threat?"

Renny's lips curved faintly. "It very well is. I won't sugarcoat it. Focus on your contract, senior. I'm doing the same. We all have our roles, no need for extra charades, understood?" He turned, walking past him. "Have a nice day, Asmeryn Damaruk."

He didn't look back as he left, his steps measured and unhurried, while Asmeryn stood rooted in place, watching him go.

***

The early promotion window for repeat demons would close on the 30th of July, ten days left for Renny and the other repeats in his grade to secure their rise. Officer Daniel's faith had plummeted to 55%, his resolve cracking by the hour. That meant Renny's chances of defeating the soul guard were rising. All he had to do now was wait for Daniel's faith to shatter completely.

From the shadowed plane, Renny watched as Charles Whitmore signed the documents finalizing the adoption of Eli and the other orphans selected for the sponsorship program. When the ink dried, the storm came. Officer Daniel burst into the orphanage, his voice echoing through the halls. He ranted about betrayal, shouting that this was wrong, that the orphanage should have listened to him. "I'm an officer!" he barked. "It's my job to protect these children! What would I possibly gain from making this up?" His desperation deepened, and with each outburst, his faith level fell, 55%, 54%, then 53%.

Renny stood unseen in the folds of the Shadow Realm, watching the scene unfold, until a surge of radiant light ripped through the darkness and slammed into him. He staggered back. The Soul Guard had arrived. It had sensed the threat to its vessel's faith, and it had finally found the culprit responsible.

Renny tried to escape, but the light around him folded space itself, there was no way out. Left with no choice, he turned to face the Soul Guard. The good thing was, it wasn't as powerful as during their first encounter. Back then, he had no abilities, and Daniel's faith had been unshaken. But now, both those factors had changed drastically. This time, it would be a real fight.

Renny lunged, his Fracture Dagger flashing through the light. The Soul Guard met him blow for blow, their movements a blur of precision and fury. Renny attacked with every ounce of strength, parried with every shred of instinct, yet the real challenge remained—finding a fracture. Soul Guards were near-perfect beings; flawless, without weakness. His demonic abilities found no purchase, no corruption to exploit. All he had was his raw physical skill, his endurance, and his will.

The Soul Guard, though weakened, still wielded the purity of light as a weapon. Radiant arcs burned across the air, clashing against the dagger's shadow edge. Each strike pushed Renny further back until the final blow sent him crashing against the ground. The Soul Guard loomed over him, its blade of light drawn high, ready to strike him down once and for all.

But in the outside world, tragedy struck.

Charles Whitmore and Eli were involved in a fatal accident, both losing their lives on the spot. The news reached the orphanage, and Officer Daniel heard it along with everyone else. The revelation shattered him completely. His faith plummeted to a staggering 20%, and with it, the strength of his Soul Guard crumbled.

Inside the shadow realm, Renny felt the sudden drop. The Soul Guard's blade barely cut across his side, a wound he could withstand. With a guttural grunt, he seized the weakened guardian in a headlock, muscles trembling as he twisted sharply until a sickening crack filled the air. The Soul Guard's head tore free from its body, light bursting and fading in fragments as Renny let out a strained "Argh!" before gasping for breath.

Silence followed.

He stepped forward, his chest rising and falling, and looked down upon the broken officer kneeling amidst the chaos and sorrow spreading through the orphanage. Without resistance, Renny reached out and removed the soul key from Daniel's neck.

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