A strange hunger coiled in his gut, twisting and crawling as though something deep inside had awakened.
It wasn't the familiar ache of an empty belly—it was something darker, sharper. An urge. A craving. He wanted more. More demons. More flesh. More power.
The realization only made his body tense further. His mind retraced the fight, and the truth clicked together.
Because Juer'lo had transformed into his strongest state at the end, Riley had managed to devour him at the peak of his power. That was why the attributes were so absurdly high. That was why his gains were nothing short of monstrous.
It made sense now. Juer'lo in his full demon transformation had been terrifying. His power had skyrocketed to the point where Riley, even with all his tricks, would never have stood a chance head-on.
He hadn't defeated him with strength—only by catching him off-guard, only because the demon had underestimated him.
