Chapter Sixty – When Fire Learns Mercy
The shrine exploded into motion. Hunters poured from alcoves; talismans spat snakes of light; monks roared sutras through loudspeakers that cracked under their own holiness.
Zael spun the double-bladed sword, a black sun around which men orbited briefly before being flung to their fates. Where his wings swept, the air rippled with heat. Where his boots fell, seals died.
Hayato rose, bleeding at the temple, and drew the kind of sword that had a history: a straight blade wrapped in prayers that had outlived empires. He crossed the floor in a blur and cut a burning line across Zael's ribs.
Aiko cried out—she felt the bite as if it carved her, too. Zael's attention sharpened to a killing point.
"Don't," Aiko gasped, stumbling to her parents, sawing at their bonds with her teeth when the knife failed. "Yamete! (やめて!Stop!) Don't become what they want to see."
Zael caught Hayato's next strike, twisted, and drove the man to his knees. The Demon King leaned in, fangs inches from a throat that hammered like a snare drum.
He looked at Aiko.
Her eyes were wet and furious. The pendant on his chest pulsed fast-fast-fast.
Zael exhaled. He knocked Hayato senseless with the flat of his blade.
"The world will not remember this part," he said, voice rough. "But you will."
He turned—and the shrine darkened.
Something vast filled the doorway, blotting out the moon: serrated wings, a crown of spines, a smile made for endings. Ravnos laughed, the sound like chains dragged across a graveyard.
"Brother," he purred. "Did you bring me a gift? A queen? A leash?"
Zael's fire flared so hot the talismans curled and fled their own ink. He shifted Aiko subtly behind him with a sweep of tail.
"Kuru ka. (来るか.Come, then.)"
Ravnos grinned wider. "Gladly."
They collided. The floor split. The mountain listened.
Aiko shielded her parents with her body as dust rained and the roof groaned. Hunters—those who could still move—staggered away from the center, some crawling for the exits, others transfixed by the sight of gods of ruin grappling in a room made for prayer.
Zael's wings shed ropes of fire that sizzled to smoke before touching wood. Ravnos's talons sparked against the Demon King's blade, shrieks of metal on bone. Each time Ravnos feinted toward Aiko, Zael took the strike that followed, hissing through fangs, smiling like a promise.
"Why do you bleed for them?" Ravnos mocked. "For a necklace? For a name?"
Zael drove him back, step by burning step. "For a song," he said. "For laughter in tunnels. For a girl who tells me to wear a shirt."
From beneath a fallen beam, Keiko blinked through soot. "He… he listened?"
Aiko groaned. "Not really."
Ravnos lunged, jaws yawning. The black nail—still humming in the ruined sigil—sang to Aiko. She snatched it, muscles screaming, and hurled it with every shred of strength left.
It struck Ravnos's exposed shoulder and buried deep. He roared—more furious than hurt—but the half-second of shock was all Zael needed. The double blade flashed, and a wing of the Betrayer tumbled, thudding across the stones in a shower of sparks.
Ravnos reeled, expression curdled. "You would die for them."
Zael's answer was simple. "Kimi no tame nara. (君のためなら.If it's for her.)"
The mountain held its breath.
Ravnos retreated into the smoke, laughter hollow now. "Then I will make her the knife."
He plunged through the outer wall and vanished into the night. The wind took his leaving like a stolen secret.
Silence ebbed in by degrees—broken beams creaking, the wet cough of a defeated man, the tiny prayer Keiko whispered without realizing it.
Zael sagged, one wing half-ruined, blood striping his open chest. Aiko ran to him; they collided, foreheads pressing, the necklace trapped warm between skin and breath.
"Baka… (バカ… Idiot…)" she whispered, half laugh, half sob. "You were supposed to wear a shirt."
He smiled, raw and wicked and unbearably alive. "And hide this?" He tapped the pendant with a claw he had the decency to keep blunt. "Zenzen. (全然.Not a chance.)"
Behind them, Hayato stirred, dazed. He stared at the three of them—monster, girl, parents—and didn't reach for his sword. Not this time.
Aiko turned, voice shaky but clear. "Let the others go. Call off your men. Or I'll make sure the next nail finds a heart that deserves it."
Hayato looked at the wrecked shrine, at the broken chains, at the fire that hadn't burned the helpless, and something in his face fissured.
"…Go," he told the remaining hunters hoarsely. "Before I change my mind."
Zael's eyes never left the doors. "He won't be the last," he murmured.
"I know," Aiko said, threading her fingers through his, ignoring the stick of drying blood. "But right now, you're not alone. Issho ni. (一緒に.Together.)"
He squeezed once. "Issho ni."
Outside, Tokyo breathed—a ragged, fearful breath, but still a breath. Above, the first faint hints of dawn turned the city edges silver. The pendant warmed against his chest like a sun that belonged to only two people.
And far away, in the old tunnels where laughter still echoed, a promise waited to be kept.
Chapter Sixty-One – A City That Pretends Not to Burn
The sun rose timidly over Tokyo, as though it feared what it might find when its light spilled across the city. For a while, it seemed reluctant to climb the sky, hiding behind clouds swollen with smoke. The shrines still smoldered, their once-holy courtyards now blackened ruins. Statues of fox spirits and stone lions lay toppled, and the paper charms that once fluttered from wooden beams had burned to ash.
Those who passed the temple grounds spoke in low voices, not daring to raise them above whispers. "It collapsed in the night."
"The air smelled of iron and ash."
"The hunters… they lost more men than they expected."
Nobody said the words aloud, but everyone thought them. Demon.
The streets buzzed, though uneasily. Salarymen in suits walked faster than usual, eyes darting toward alleys. Housewives returned to the morning market, but clutched their baskets tight. Children on their way to school lingered at intersections, holding hands as if separation might mean something worse than being late.
And yet, amidst this quiet terror, the city did what humans always did when the world shifted beneath them: it pretended nothing had changed. Convenience stores reopened. Pachinko parlors sang their hollow jingles. Cafés served overpriced lattes. A fragile peace lay across the wards like thin frost—ready to shatter at the slightest touch.
The Demon and the Girl at Home
In a quiet basement bar beneath Shinjuku, a place usually reserved for exhausted salarymen seeking cheap whiskey, the atmosphere was tense and almost reverent.
Zael sat at the low wooden table, his tall frame awkward against the cramped space. His jacket had been torn apart in the battle, hanging in tatters around his shoulders, exposing his chest where black veins of healing still crawled like ink beneath pale skin. His wings had retracted, but faint trails of fire still shimmered at their tips, dripping onto the floor like embers that refused to die.
Beside him sat Aiko, still in her school uniform from the night before, her knees pulled close to her chest on the tatami mat. Her hands trembled faintly as she clutched a steaming mug of tea her mother had forced into her palms. The rising steam clouded her face, though her eyes—sharp, wary, and tired—never left Zael.
Across from them, Shinji, her father, poured sake with hands that tried not to shake. Reina, her mother, fussed over Zael with the nervous energy of a mother hen, dabbing his forehead with a towel even though his body's heat kept making it sizzle faintly.
"We cannot protect you, Zael-kun," Shinji said finally, his voice quiet but firm. "Not from this scale. Not from what you are." He set the sake bottle down harder than intended, making the liquid slosh. "But…" He hesitated, glancing at Reina and then at Aiko. "We can refuse to betray you."
Zael's gaze lingered on the cup of sake before him. He picked it up slowly, as though it were a weapon to be inspected. The liquid shimmered unnaturally in his hand, reflecting the faint glow of his veins. His lips curved—not in mockery, but in something softer, almost wistful.
"That," Zael said, raising the cup slightly, "is more than most kingdoms ever gave their kings."
His voice was calm, but his words carried the echo of centuries. Aiko caught it—caught the loneliness inside them. She turned her face away before her heart betrayed her.
"Next time," she muttered, cheeks red, "you wear a damn shirt."
Her parents blinked at her, startled. Zael tilted his head, then, to everyone's shock, smirked.
The smirk deepened when Shinji's eyebrow twitched in indignation. "Oi, oi, Aiko—language!"
For the first time since the shrine burned, laughter broke the room's tension. It was awkward, broken laughter, but it was laughter nonetheless.
Zael chuckled low in his throat, eyes glinting with an expression that was neither cruel nor mocking, but something closer to amused gratitude.
Aiko rolled her eyes, trying to hide the way her chest eased at the sound.
Tokyo Adjusts
By midday, barricades that had blocked certain wards were lowered. The police vanished from certain streets without explanation. Patrols grew sparse. People noticed demons in human disguises slipping through the markets—hoods drawn, footsteps light—but no one reported them.
A shopkeeper selling taiyaki (fish-shaped cakes filled with sweet bean paste) looked up to see a cloaked figure with oddly sharp teeth waiting patiently in line. His heart froze, but then he remembered the hunters' cruel faces, the way they'd shaken him down for "donations" the week before. He forced a smile instead.
"Irasshaimase! (Welcome!)" he said, handing the taiyaki over with trembling hands.
The demon bowed deeply, murmured, "Arigatou. (Thank you.)" and vanished into the crowd.
The shopkeeper swallowed hard. For the first time, he found himself silently rooting for the monster.
The Bar, Again
The night drew in with neon lights flickering above Shinjuku. In the same bar, Shinji poured a second round of sake for Zael, his hand steadier now. Reina had gone upstairs to fetch more bandages, muttering about boys who didn't know how to sit still when injured.
Zael leaned back, wings folded tightly, the fire dimmer now. His necklace—a simple silver chain Aiko had slipped around his neck months ago—gleamed faintly against his chest. His eyes kept returning to it, as though it anchored him.
Shinji finally broke the silence. "Why her?"
Zael's gaze shifted, sharp as a blade. "Why… who?"
"My daughter." Shinji's voice did not waver this time. "Why her?"
Aiko nearly choked on her tea. "Otou-san! (Dad!)" she squeaked, cheeks flaming.
Zael stared at Shinji for a long time, the silence so thick Aiko thought the table might split under the pressure. Then he smiled—not cruel, not kind, but something sharper, an edge honed by years.
"Because," Zael said softly, "she does not bow to me."
The room froze. Even the neon hum above the bar seemed to die.
Aiko's throat went dry, her hands clenching her cup. Shinji looked away first, muttering into his drink.
Zael raised his cup once more, sipping like a man tasting the last peace the world might ever give him.
And so Tokyo pretended not to burn. Citizens whispered, hunters regrouped, demons waited, and in the shadows of it all, a girl and a demon king sat across from each other, sharing laughter in a borrowed peace, while war stirred at the edges of their fragile city.
Chapter Sixty-Two – Ravnos Whispers
The night sky of Tokyo was not empty. It was full of secrets.
Above the skyline, hidden between neon lights and clouds heavy with city smoke, shadows slipped like oil. The hunters had regrouped in their hidden base beneath Minato ward, their headquarters disguised as a decrepit Shintō shrine. The entrance was nothing but cracked wood and abandoned stone lanterns, but beneath the earth stretched a labyrinth of tunnels carved long before skyscrapers were born.
Inside, the Hunters' Council gathered. Candles lined the walls, flickering in sickly orange. Men and women in black coats bowed their heads, whispering prayers against darkness.
At the head of the chamber, a tall man stood—silver hair cropped short, eyes hard as ice. His name was Ravnos Takeda, a name that echoed with both reverence and dread. Ravnos was not like the others. Where most hunters were stern, he was theatrical. Where most prayed, he sneered. And yet, no one dared challenge him, for Ravnos was both strategist and executioner.
He raised a hand, and the whispers died.
"The shrine fell." His voice was soft but traveled through the cavern. "More men dead. More blood spilled. And for what? To chase a shadow."
One of the younger hunters—a boy no older than nineteen, trembling but eager—spoke up. "It is not just a shadow, Takeda-sama. He is the Demon Warlord. The King."
Ravnos turned, his smirk sharp as a blade. "Ō (王, king)?" he mocked. "A king of beasts, perhaps. A crown of ashes. Do not mistake power for rule."
The chamber shifted uneasily, yet no one interrupted.
Ravnos stepped closer to the map laid out on the stone altar. It was Tokyo, marked with pins and red ink. Circles surrounded shrines, markets, and schools. Aiko's school was marked with a particularly dark stain of ink.
He touched it with one long finger. "This girl… Aiko Watanabe. Reports confirm her proximity. Our informants say she has not fled. She has not betrayed him."
A murmur rippled through the council.
"Then she is either a fool…" someone muttered.
"Or his leash," Ravnos finished smoothly. "And a leash is stronger than any blade."
He raised his hand again, and in the shadows, something moved.
Two figures stepped into the candlelight—tall, cloaked, their faces hidden. They were not fully human. Their bodies twitched unnaturally, like puppets pulled by strings. Their eyes glowed faintly, crimson in the half-dark.
Gasps echoed around the chamber.
"Demon thralls," someone whispered. "He controls them—"
"No." Ravnos smiled, revealing teeth far too sharp. "We do."
The silence that followed was suffocating. Ravnos spread his arms as though unveiling a masterpiece.
"While he hides in the cracks of our city, we evolve. The hunters are no longer just men with swords and prayers. We will match demon with demon. Blood with blood. Tokyo will not be theirs."
The cloaked thralls bowed their twisted heads. Ravnos's smirk widened.
Back in Shinjuku
Aiko sat on the fire escape outside her family's apartment, legs dangling into the humid night. Neon signs blinked below—karaoke bars, ramen shops, love hotels. Somewhere in the distance, the faint laughter of drunk students echoed.
She pressed her forehead against her knees, sighing.
Zael appeared behind her so quietly she almost didn't notice. He crouched, his wings folded tight, the faint embers dripping like dying stars.
"You're sulking," he said simply.
Aiko shot him a glare. "I'm thinking, baka (バカ, idiot)."
Zael tilted his head. "Thinking looks very much like sulking when your face is buried in your knees."
Aiko groaned, shoving him lightly. "Don't you have demon things to do? Scaring cats? Brooding in alleys?"
Zael actually chuckled. "You make it sound like I have a schedule."
She looked at him then, really looked, at the open jacket, the necklace gleaming faintly, the strange balance between his sharp danger and the absurd casualness of sitting on her family's fire escape. Something in her chest twisted.
"Zael," she said softly, almost a whisper. "Why do you stay?"
For a long time, he didn't answer. He leaned back, looking at the Tokyo skyline. Lights painted his pale skin in strange colors.
Finally, his voice came, quieter than she had ever heard it.
"Because you haven't asked me to leave."
Her heart skipped. She turned away quickly, muttering, "Idiot."
Zael smirked again.
Chapter Sixty-Three – The Hunters Move
The next evening, the city felt… wrong. Too quiet, despite the noise. Too heavy, despite the neon.
Reina Watanabe noticed it first while buying vegetables at the local market. The usual chatter of vendors was subdued. Men loitered in corners in coats too heavy for the summer heat, eyes scanning the crowd.
When she returned home, her hands shook as she set the groceries down. "Shinji," she whispered, "they're watching."
Zael, who had been sharpening his double-bladed sword against the kitchen light, paused. His eyes flicked toward the window. The pupils narrowed.
"Hunters," he said flatly.
Aiko nearly dropped the rice bowl she was holding. "What? Here?!"
Zael stood, his jacket falling open, shadows curling faintly around his boots. His necklace caught the dim light, a cruel reminder of how human he looked—until the wings unfurled behind him with a low hiss of burning fire.
Shinji moved to the window, peering through the blinds. Figures stood across the street, unmoving, their silhouettes too disciplined to be neighbors.
"Why aren't they coming in?" Aiko whispered.
"Because," Zael said, voice low, "they want you to panic first."
The silence that followed was suffocating.
Then the knock came. Slow. Heavy. Deliberate.
Chapter Sixty-Four – Chains and Fire
The door splintered before anyone answered. Smoke grenades rolled across the tatami, filling the apartment with choking haze. Reina screamed as shadows burst inside—hunters in masks, blades gleaming with seals.
"Take them alive!" someone barked.
Zael roared. The walls trembled. His wings flared open, fire dripping like molten tar, burning holes in the carpet. His sword appeared in his hand in a rush of shadow, both blades gleaming like death.
But when he moved to strike, he froze—because one of the hunters had seized Aiko, a knife pressed to her throat.
"Demon!" the hunter spat. "Yield, or the girl bleeds."
Zael's chest heaved, his jaw clenched. Shadows writhed around his boots, desperate to strike. His fire hissed like a living thing. Yet he did not move.
Aiko's eyes locked on his, wide but unyielding. She shook her head faintly. "Don't—"
The hunter pressed the knife harder. A thin line of blood appeared. Zael's entire body went rigid.
Then something snapped inside him.
The air thickened, the shadows deepened, and even the hunters flinched at the sudden drop in temperature. Zael's voice echoed—not human, not sane.
"Let. Her. Go."
The hunters faltered. For a moment, the entire apartment felt like the mouth of Hell.
But Ravnos was not among them—not yet.
Chapter Sixty-Five – Ravnos Enters
The chaos of the fight froze as a new figure stepped through the broken doorway. His boots echoed on the wooden floor. His silver hair caught the dim light.
Ravnos Takeda.
He carried no weapon, only a smile that was sharper than any blade. His coat swirled as he stopped, surveying the scene—the fire, the blood, the trembling girl in the hunter's grip, the demon king holding himself back with impossible restraint.
"Well, well," Ravnos drawled, as though stepping into a party. "So the stories were true. The Demon Warlord does bleed for a girl."
Zael's eyes narrowed, his wings arching higher, fire hissing louder.
Ravnos spread his arms casually, as if to embrace the tension. "Tokyo belongs to us, monster. But do not despair. We will build your throne out of your corpse, and perhaps let your little pet sing at the coronation."
Aiko's heart slammed against her chest. She could see it in Zael's face—the rage that trembled against the thin leash of control. If he broke now, if he gave in, there would be no saving any of them.
And Ravnos knew it. His smile widened.
The night in Tokyo was about to burn again.
Chapter 66 – The City of Rumors
Tokyo was never truly quiet. Even in the small hours of the night, neon lights flickered, trains rumbled underground, and the air was alive with the restless sighs of a city that had forgotten how to sleep. To Aiko, however, the city felt different lately. Something heavier lingered in the air. A tension. A rumor.
At school, whispers had begun to spread like wildfire.
"Did you hear? Someone said they saw a man with black wings on the Shibuya rooftops!"
"Eh, baka (バカ – idiot), that's just some cosplayer."
"No, no, I swear, they said his eyes were glowing red!"
Aiko sat in class, her chin resting lazily on her palm, trying not to look suspicious as her classmates discussed the "urban legend" of the shadowed figure. She knew better than anyone that the rumors weren't rumors. But she wasn't about to admit she'd seen Zael in moments where he was… less than human.
Her best friend, Mai, leaned over with a mischievous grin.
"Ne, Aiko… you're hiding something, right?"
"Eh? What are you talking about?" Aiko snapped out of her daydream, blinking rapidly.
Mai grinned wider, poking her shoulder. "Don't play dumb. You've been spacing out every day. You smile at your phone like a crazy person, and when someone mentions 'the winged man,' your ears twitch like—"
"They do not twitch!" Aiko protested, cheeks heating.
"See? Busted!" Mai laughed so loudly that the teacher glared. The class erupted in chuckles.
Even Aiko couldn't help but giggle, though she muttered under her breath, "Urusai (うるさい – shut up)."
But inside, she was struggling. Zael had grown more distant these past days. He attended class like any other transfer student, wearing that open-chested jacket she teased him about, but something in his eyes had changed. Sometimes, when he thought no one was watching, she saw his irises flicker crimson. Sometimes she swore his shadow moved before he did.
And sometimes… she thought she could feel his heartbeat inside her own chest.
After School
The sun dipped behind the skyscrapers, painting Tokyo in streaks of gold and violet. Students poured out of the gates, laughing, gossiping, and clinging to each other's arms. Aiko and her three best friends walked together—Mai, bubbly as always; Yumi, more serious and sharp-tongued; and Hana, who carried her violin case like a weapon.
"So, Aiko-chan," Yumi began with a sly smile, "how's your 'mystery boyfriend?'"
Aiko nearly tripped. "Mystery—what?! I don't have one!"
"Oh please," Hana teased, "we all know you're hiding someone. First, your ex ditched you. Then suddenly, you're glowing like a shōjo manga heroine in love. Who is he? Spill!"
Aiko groaned dramatically, covering her face with her hands. "Why are my friends like this…"
She peeked between her fingers. Zael was waiting at the school gate, leaning casually against the fence. His long black hair caught the evening breeze, his strange, piercing gaze scanning the crowd. Most girls stopped mid-step to gawk at him. Boys muttered enviously. He was dangerous without even trying.
And yet, he was staring only at her.
"Ohhh my god," Mai whispered, grabbing Aiko's arm. "That's him, isn't it?!"
"Eh?!" Aiko squeaked. "No! He's just—uh—"
Zael began walking toward them, his steps slow, deliberate. He had that aura again—half human charm, half something too sharp for this world.
Aiko's three friends exchanged looks of pure, wicked delight.
Mai whispered loudly, "Your 'just classmate' looks like he came straight out of a drama series!"
Hana added, "If you don't date him, I will."
Yumi smirked. "Too late, Hana. Aiko's already blushing like she's in episode ten of a romance arc."
"BAKA!" Aiko shouted, swatting at them as they burst into laughter.
Zael reached her, ignoring the others entirely. He spoke softly, in his smooth voice:
"Shall I walk you home?"
Her heart thumped. Her friends gasped. The world felt suddenly very small.
"…Fine," Aiko muttered, cheeks burning. "But only because it's dark."
Shadows in the Alley
Later, as they walked through a quiet side street, Aiko tried to focus on anything but the way Zael's presence made her feel both safe and nervous.
But then—footsteps.
Zael froze. His body tensed.
From the corner of her eye, Aiko spotted two men in dark coats, following a little too closely. They weren't drunkards. Their movements were too sharp. Too deliberate.
Before she could say anything, Zael moved.
One second, he was beside her. The next, he was gone.
A scream echoed from the alley. A wet sound, like flesh tearing. Aiko's stomach twisted as she spun around.
Zael stepped back into view, wiping crimson from his mouth with the back of his hand. His eyes glowed faintly, his teeth sharp in the dim light. The two men lay crumpled behind him, unmoving.
He exhaled slowly, trying to compose himself, then turned to her with a calm smile.
"Nothing to worry about."
Aiko stared, her heart racing.
Nothing to worry about? NOTHING to worry about?!
"…Zael…" she whispered, trembling. "What… are you?"
For a long moment, he didn't answer. His gaze softened, but his silence was louder than words.
And though Aiko forced herself to walk beside him the rest of the way home, one thought refused to leave her mind:
She was falling for someone who couldn't possibly be human.
Chapter 67 – Hunters' Net
The next morning at school felt like nothing had happened. Students gossiped, teachers droned on, and the smell of cafeteria curry drifted through the halls. Aiko sat at her desk, staring at her notebook, pretending she wasn't replaying last night's horror over and over again.
The sound. The blood. The glow of his eyes.
Her pen slipped from her fingers.
"Oi, Aiko-chan."
She jumped. Zael was standing beside her desk, one hand casually tucked into his open jacket, his usual unreadable half-smile fixed on his lips. The girls at the back of the room squealed softly, whispering about how cool he looked.
"Y-you can't just sneak up like that!" she hissed.
"I didn't sneak," he said calmly. "You were lost in thought. About me?"
Her face turned scarlet. "Baka!"
Before she could argue further, the teacher walked in and class began. But Aiko couldn't shake the feeling of invisible eyes watching her. Not Zael's eyes—someone else's.
After School – The Net Tightens
Tokyo's streets bustled as always, but the world felt slightly… off. Too many men in black coats leaned on lampposts. Too many vans parked at corners. Aiko wouldn't have noticed normally, but Zael's hand subtly brushing her arm made her realize.
He was on edge.
"Zael…" she whispered. "Are we being followed?"
He didn't answer, but his jaw tightened. His gaze flickered toward a rooftop.
Aiko swallowed. She'd read about hunters in old folklore books. Secret organizations dedicated to slaying demons. At the time she'd laughed at how ridiculous it sounded. But now, the truth was pressing against her chest like ice.
When they turned down a side street, the trap snapped shut.
Five figures stepped out from the shadows. All wore dark, reinforced armor that gleamed faintly under the streetlights. Crossbows, blades, and strange glowing chains crackled in their hands.
Aiko froze.
"…Zael…"
The tallest man stepped forward. His scarred jaw clenched as he addressed them:
"Demon King Zael."
Her blood turned cold.
Demon King.
They knew.
Zael tilted his head, almost amused. "So the whispers reach even you dogs. Interesting."
"You are an abomination," the hunter spat. "Your bloodline should have ended centuries ago. Tonight, it will."
Aiko's heart hammered. Zael didn't flinch, but she saw the faint twitch of his wings under his jacket, suppressed but itching to unfurl.
And then the hunters attacked.
The Clash
Chains flew first, glowing with ancient runes. Zael moved with impossible speed, his hand snapping forward. He caught one chain mid-air, the metal sizzling in his grip, and yanked—pulling the hunter off his feet.
The man hit the pavement with a sickening crack.
Arrows followed, slicing through the air toward Aiko. She screamed—only to find herself suddenly pressed against Zael's chest, his arm shielding her. The arrows struck his back and shattered like glass.
"Stay close," he whispered.
Then his wings burst forth. Black feathers, laced with fire that dripped like molten metal, spread wide with a sound like thunder. Aiko gasped, her entire world frozen in awe and terror.
"Subarashii… (素晴らしい – magnificent)," one hunter muttered, almost reverent, before charging.
Zael's double-bladed sword materialized in his hands with a low hum, black steel glowing faintly crimson. With one swift spin, he knocked aside two men at once. His movements were too fluid, too fast, too merciless.
And yet—when another blade nearly struck Aiko from the side—he faltered. His focus split.
A chain caught his arm, burning deep into his flesh. He snarled, ripping it free, but Aiko could feel his pain like it was her own.
She cried out, clutching her arm though she wasn't hurt.
"…Zael…!"
He glanced at her, just for a heartbeat. And in that moment, three more hunters surrounded them.
Chapter 69 – The Demon King's Wrath
The sky broke.
Storm clouds swirled over the city as though the heavens themselves recoiled from what was about to come. Thunder rolled like drums of war, lightning painting the rooftops in silver fire. And from the edge of that storm, a black figure cut through the night, wings burning with molten flame.
Zael.
His descent cracked the air like a sonic boom. Shadows stretched and twisted as his boots slammed into the asphalt outside the warehouse. The Hunters guarding the perimeter staggered back, their crossbows trembling in their hands. One man found the courage to shout—
"Fire! Bring him down—!"
He never finished. Zael blurred, a streak of black and crimson light, his dual-bladed sword carving through the night. One sweep — and half a dozen Hunters fell, their bodies scattering like broken dolls. His eyes glowed molten red, pupils narrow slits of demonic rage.
Inside the warehouse, Aiko flinched as the ground shook. Chains rattled violently as Ravnos turned his head, his lips curling.
"So…" Ravnos whispered, amused. "…the beast comes."
The steel doors exploded inward, ripped from their hinges as if they were paper. Flames licked across the floor where Zael stood, wings spread wide, dripping fire like molten tears. His chest was bare beneath the open jacket Aiko had given him, the necklace glowing bright against his skin.
"Aiko." His voice thundered through the chamber.
Her eyes widened. "Zael—!"
He saw her — bound, chained, her skin raw from the cursed iron. He felt every ounce of her pain like knives twisting in his own flesh. His fury sharpened into something unbearable.
"You dare," Zael growled, his fangs bared, "to touch what is mine?"
The Hunters roared back, raising their weapons. Spells ignited, arrows coated in holy light, chains blessed with ancient seals. They charged as one.
Zael didn't move. He let them come.
Then, in a single breath, he unleashed.
His wings snapped downward, a wave of black fire rushing across the ground. Screams filled the air as flames clung to the Hunters, eating flesh but leaving their shadows writhing on the walls like separate, dying creatures. His sword spun in a deadly arc, severing weapons and limbs alike. His movements were so fast they blurred, his voice echoing with a demonic snarl:
"Fall before your King!"
Ravnos watched, calm even as his men were slaughtered. He tilted his head toward Aiko, who shook with both relief and terror.
"See, girl?" Ravnos said softly. "This is the monster you love."
"No…" Aiko whispered, her tears cutting tracks down her face. "This is the man who came for me."
Zael stood among bodies, his breath heavy, blood dripping from his blade. His glowing eyes locked on Ravnos at last.
"Release her," Zael growled, his voice like thunder splitting stone.
Ravnos only smiled, drawing his own weapon — a black glaive humming with cursed energy. "Then come and take her."
The ground cracked beneath them as they clashed. Zael's dual-bladed sword sparked against Ravnos' glaive, each strike shaking the warehouse like an earthquake. Hunters who had survived scrambled away, unable to withstand the sheer power released with every blow.
But in the chaos, Aiko's eyes widened.
She saw something on Ravnos' wrist — a glowing sigil, identical to the one etched on her chains. The realization hit her like lightning.
He's not just holding me hostage… he's feeding off me.
Her strength was being drained to empower Ravnos.
She screamed, "Zael! The mark—! On his wrist!"
Zael's head snapped toward her, then to Ravnos. His lips pulled back in a snarl. With a surge of fury, he slammed his blade down, forcing Ravnos back. Flames erupted around them, the chains binding Aiko rattling violently as Zael's wrath made the warehouse walls tremble.
"You dare," Zael roared, his voice shaking the heavens, "to chain her soul to your filth?!"
The necklace around his neck flared, brighter than ever before. Fire poured from his wings, not dripping this time but cascading like rivers of molten lava. His voice shook the world:
"I am Zael — King of Shadows, Lord of Wrath! And anyone who touches her… BURNS!"
He launched forward, his blade a comet of death aimed at Ravnos' heart.
Captured
The chains wrapped around him like serpents, glowing brighter as they tightened. Zael roared, flames bursting from his wings, but the runes hissed, suppressing his strength.
"NOW!" the scarred leader shouted.
The hunters moved swiftly, not toward Zael—but toward Aiko.
Two seized her arms, pinning her as she kicked and screamed. Her cries echoed down the alley, swallowed by the city noise.
Zael's eyes widened, his fangs bared. "Don't touch her!"
But the chains held him back, forcing him to his knees.
The leader stepped forward, grabbing Aiko by the chin and forcing her to look at Zael.
"You feel her pain, don't you, monster?"
Zael froze. His silence was the answer.
The hunter smirked. "Good. Then you already know. The only way to kill you… is through her."
The Separation
They dragged Aiko into the van, ignoring her screams. She kicked, bit, and cursed in Japanese at the top of her lungs:
"Yamete! (やめて – Stop it!) Hanashite! (離して – Let me go!)"
Zael thrashed against his chains, his fire burning brighter, but the runes glowed until his wings flickered and faded.
The last thing Aiko saw as the van door slammed shut was his face—his crimson eyes blazing with rage and despair, locked onto her as if he could burn her image into his soul.
"AIKO!!!" he roared, his voice shaking the city.
And then, silence.
Chapter 68 – The Captive's Truth
The warehouse smelled of mildew, blood, and fear.
Aiko sat chained to the rusting iron pillar, wrists bound by cold steel etched with glowing runes. Every time she struggled, the links burned her skin like living fire. Her parents were tied nearby, their eyes red with tears, their voices hoarse from pleading.
Yet, despite her trembling body, Aiko kept her chin high. She remembered what Zael had told her once, during a quiet night on the school rooftop:
"Never let them see you break. Fear feeds the wrong people."
So she didn't break.
The Hunters lined the walls like statues, weapons gleaming faintly in the pale light. Their leader, Ravnos, stepped forward. His dark coat whispered across the concrete floor, his boots echoing in the silence. His eyes gleamed with a cruel calmness.
"Pretty little bird," Ravnos murmured, crouching in front of Aiko. "You really thought your life was simple? Family, school, friends, contests, music… You've been living inside a shell, unaware of the truth lurking under your very skin."
Aiko glared, though her heart thudded painfully. "Shut up."
Ravnos smirked, tilting his head. "You don't even know, do you? You feel it sometimes, don't you? A whisper when the night is quiet. Dreams of wings, fire, and blood. That's no coincidence. You are tied to him. Not by chance… by design."
Her stomach lurched. "What… what are you talking about?"
Ravnos' smile widened. He leaned closer, his voice lowering to a chilling whisper.
"You were born under the eclipse. Do you know what that means in our records? You are the Tether. The chain that binds the Demon King to this world. His strength flows through you. His weakness is you. Hurt you…" Ravnos dragged a dagger across her chain, sparks flying, "…and he bleeds."
Aiko froze, her breath catching. She wanted to deny it — to scream that he was lying — but her body remembered. The times Zael had flinched when she was injured. The way his presence filled her dreams before they ever met. The necklace burning hot whenever they were apart too long.
Her lips trembled. It's true…
Her parents sobbed harder, her mother whispering prayers under her breath. Ravnos rose to his feet, his voice carrying now to his gathered Hunters.
"Tonight, children, we do not hunt the King. Tonight, we lure him. We break him. And if he refuses to break…" His eyes glimmered like steel in moonlight. "…we kill the girl, and his reign ends forever."
The Hunters murmured in grim agreement. Some smiled with anticipation.
Aiko's heart pounded. She clenched her fists, ignoring the sting of the chains. Fear crawled in her veins — but beneath it was anger. Pure, hot anger.
"You think you can make me betray him," she said, her voice shaking but loud enough to echo. "But I'll never give you what you want. Never."
Ravnos' smile did not fade. If anything, it grew sharper.
"Oh, you will," he said smoothly. "Because betrayal doesn't always come from choice… sometimes, it comes from desperation."
He leaned down again, whispering into her ear:
"Tell me, Aiko-chan… if we put a blade to your mother's throat, would you still be so brave?"
Her body jolted. Her eyes darted to her parents, who sobbed harder, their faces pale with dread.
And in that moment — for the first time — she wondered if courage was enough.
Far away, Zael felt it. The bond tugged at him violently, her fear spiking through his veins like poison. His wings spread with a sound like tearing metal, fire dripping from their feathers. His chest burned under the necklace she had given him.
And for the first time in centuries, his demonic heart clenched.
"Aiko…" he growled, his voice trembling with rage. "Don't break."
Chapter 70 – Ashes of Betrayal
The warehouse was an inferno.
Steel twisted and collapsed as the walls burned, black fire crawling like living veins across every surface. The screams of dying Hunters echoed, then fell silent, leaving only the sound of crackling flames and the clash of two titans.
Zael's blade locked with Ravnos' glaive, the force of impact cracking the concrete floor beneath them. Their eyes burned into each other's — Ravnos' cold, serpentine malice against Zael's molten rage.
"You're strong," Ravnos hissed, forcing Zael back a step. "But your strength is also your weakness."
With a flick of his wrist, the sigil on his arm flared. Aiko gasped as pain lanced through her chest, the cursed chains glowing with the same mark. Her body arched, a scream tearing from her throat.
Zael froze. His fury twisted into terror. "Aiko!"
The sigil pulsed again. Ravnos' laughter cut through the firelight.
"Every strike you land on me, Demon King, she will feel. Every wound you carve into my flesh, her body will mirror. What will you do now? Kill me, and you kill her!"
Zael's blade trembled in his hand. For the first time since his descent, he hesitated.
Aiko's breath came in shallow gasps, sweat dripping down her brow as her voice broke through the agony. "Zael—! Don't stop! Don't… let him win!"
But her voice was cut short by another scream as Ravnos pressed the mark again.
"Look at her," Ravnos sneered. "She suffers because of you. Do you truly think she will choose a monster over her own survival?"
The chains twisted tighter. The curse whispered in her ears. If you denounce him… if you sever your bond… the pain will stop.
Aiko's vision blurred. She could feel Ravnos' voice crawling in her skull, seeding doubt. She looked at Zael — his monstrous wings blazing, his fangs bared, his eyes burning like a demon from the darkest abyss. For one terrifying second, she saw him the way humans feared him.
Is this… what I love?
The thought stabbed her heart.
Zael saw her hesitation. The flicker of doubt. His chest ached worse than any wound.
"Aiko…" His voice was softer now, breaking through the storm. He lowered his sword slightly, his breath heavy, his wings dimming as if surrendering to her judgment. "…Even if you curse me, even if you turn away… I will never let you go."
His words rang in her heart.
Ravnos snarled, pressing harder. "Choose, girl! Save yourself — or burn with him!"
The mark seared hotter. The chains rattled. Aiko fell to her knees, torn between agony and love, the whisper of betrayal curling against her lips—
But then she remembered.
His smile the night he walked her home.
His hand brushing away her tears.
His whisper in Japanese, soft and unguarded: "Anata wa watashi no hikari da" (You are my light).
Her eyes snapped open. Her voice, hoarse but defiant, screamed across the inferno:
"I choose him! I choose Zael — always!"
Light erupted from the necklace she had given him, blinding. The sigil on Ravnos' arm cracked, spiderwebbing as though the bond itself was rejecting him. He staggered, his smug grin faltering.
Zael's flames surged higher, fueled not by wrath this time — but by her choice. His blade burned like a star as he raised it, his voice echoing with finality:
"You lose."
With one devastating strike, he severed Ravnos' cursed arm, shattering the sigil and freeing Aiko from the chains.
The warehouse collapsed around them, reduced to ash and ruin, as Zael caught Aiko in his arms. She clung to him, trembling, her tears soaking his chest.
He whispered in her ear, low and fierce:
"Nido to kare ni fureru na. (Never let him touch you again.)"
And for the first time, Ravnos' smirk was gone.
Chapter 71 – The Scars We Carry
The night outside was eerily silent. Sirens wailed in the distance, drawing closer, but they were faint compared to the thunder that still echoed in Zael's chest. He carried Aiko out of the collapsing warehouse, his wings unfurled like a shield against the falling embers. Each step was heavy, his fury still simmering, but the weight of the girl in his arms steadied him.
She was trembling, her body slick with sweat, her pulse shallow. Though the cursed chains had vanished, the echo of their pain lingered in her veins. Zael laid her gently on the hood of a scorched car outside, brushing strands of hair from her face.
"Aiko," he whispered, his voice breaking for the first time in centuries. "Ore no… baka na onore no sei da. (This was… my foolish fault.)"
Her eyes fluttered open, still hazy with exhaustion. She managed a weak smile.
"You always… blame yourself." Her voice cracked, but there was stubborn humor in it, the Aiko he knew. "Even when I made the choice."
Zael's hand trembled as he pressed it against her cheek, claws carefully withdrawn. His chest was bare beneath the open jacket, marked with blood and soot, but her gaze clung to his eyes, not the monster's features.
"You almost—" He stopped, the words choking him. "If I had lost you, I…"
She raised a finger and placed it on his lips. "But you didn't. And I won't leave you. Not now. Not ever."
For a moment, the fire behind them was forgotten. Time froze as they sat in the glow of embers, clinging to the fragile truth that neither Ravnos nor fate could sever.
But the night was not merciful.
The Hunters that had survived the inferno regrouped at a distance, watching. Their commander, bloodied but alive, raised a trembling radio.
"He's weakened. He hesitated for the girl. We have our proof — the King can bleed. Prepare phase two."
Zael's ears twitched. His demonic senses caught the whisper of steel against concrete, the tightening of gun straps, the metallic clink of silver bullets being loaded. His jaw clenched.
He turned back to Aiko, whose body was still weak. "I'll get you somewhere safe."
"No," she whispered, grabbing his wrist with what strength she had. Her grip was feeble, but her eyes blazed with defiance. "I stay. We face this together."
Zael's heart twisted. She was human, fragile, breakable — and yet she stood firmer than any demon under his command had ever dared. For her, he could not retreat.
He rose to his full height, wings stretching wide, flames dripping like molten gold. The Hunters flinched at the sight, though their rifles stayed aimed. Zael's voice cut through the night like thunder:
"Kore ijō, kanojo o nerau na. (No more. Do not target her again.)"
The commander sneered through bloodied lips. "You can't protect her forever, Demon King. We'll find her weakness. Or we'll make you create it."
Zael's eyes darkened, and a shadow rolled from his body like smoke. For a heartbeat, the Hunters felt the weight of his true self, the predator beneath the man. They shivered despite themselves.
Aiko pushed herself upright, swaying but resolute. Her voice rang out, hoarse but unyielding:
"You'll never take him. You'll never take us. I won't let you."
Her declaration cut through the tension sharper than any blade. For the first time, Zael's lips curved into something that wasn't just rage or sorrow — but pride.
The Hunters hesitated, fear creeping into their ranks. They had seen what happened to Ravnos, and even wounded, Zael was still more beast than they could cage. One by one, their rifles lowered. The commander cursed, retreating into the shadows, his voice carrying one last vow:
"This isn't over. The girl will be your undoing."
Zael stood silent, watching them disappear into the night. His shoulders shook, his claws twitching — he wanted to rip them apart. But he felt Aiko's hand slip into his, grounding him.
"They're wrong," she whispered. "I'll never betray you. I'll never be your undoing."
Zael turned to her slowly, his face softening under the firelight. He bent his forehead to hers, eyes closing. "…Then I swear, I'll never let anyone hurt you again. Even if the world burns."
The flames around them began to dim as the night wind carried the smoke away. The city beyond was waking to sirens, to chaos, to rumors of a fire that no one could explain. But for Zael and Aiko, the war had narrowed to something simple, fragile, and terrifyingly real.
They had survived. Together.
But the scars they carried tonight would never fade.