Twoof! Ratatatat!
The demon unleashed another barrage of anti-tenzen blasts.
Nara darted sideways—barely avoiding a few—but several orbs still grazed him, searing flesh and burning fabric.
"Shit! Argh—dammit," he gritted through clenched teeth, wiping blood off his forehead as he crashed to the floor.
He groaned. "This demon's a real hassle…"
His eyes narrowed at it—calm, unmoving, and deadly.
'I don't have the luxury to drag this out… that sensation just now—it was unmistakable.'
But as quickly as it came, it vanished.
Leaving only a vague pulse… familiar, but impossible to place.
'No openings. And even with all those attacks, it's not running out of anti-tenzen. Unlimited ammo?'
His gaze shifted toward the summoning circle.
'That's the power source. It's feeding it. And worse—I can't get close.'
He raised a trembling hand. The skin around his palm twitched.
'I'm nearly out of energy. This isn't sustainable…'
But in that instant...
Twoof!
Another orb blasted through the air, colliding and exploding the ground beside Nara, as Nara jumped off.
"Tch. Panicking won't help…" he whispered to himself, and suddenly...
An idea struck him.
His eyes sparked. "...Wait a sec—"
"Ohh!" he suddenly exclaimed.
Alpha flinched in the corner. Still clutching her gold pouch like it was sacred.
"N-Nara?" she stuttered. Her voice cracked, eyes shadowed with fear. Her yellow hair clung to her sweat-soaked face.
"Oi, Alpha!" Nara called.
"What now? Don't tell me—don't you dare think of escaping without my babies!"
Nara blinked. "Huh?"
He stared at her, then down at the gold pouch, then back at her.
'She values that gold as much as her life?!'
Still, he grinned mischievously. An idea was brewing.
Alpha caught the look and instantly panicked. "Eeeeh?! Don't tell me—!"
"Oh my babies!" she screamed, hugging the sack like a long-lost lover. "We'll live together, eat together, sleep in the same bed—forever!"
Nara took slow steps toward her, eyes gleaming with mischief.
"Stay away!" she shouted. "Don't touch my babies! I swear I'll bite!"
"Shut yer yapping, gold psycho," Nara snapped. "Why are you so damn obsessed with that pouch?"
"Hmph!" Alpha turned her head with a pout, her cheeks puffed. For a moment, she actually looked... angelic.
Nara grimaced. "Tch. Beauty and psychopathy—two sides of the same coin."
Then he dropped his grin.
"I've got a plan. Something that might beat it."
He paused.
"But... I need some of your gold for it to work."
Alpha's eyes widened.
"No!" she barked. "Absolutely not! Strongly disagree!"
Boom. Another anti-tenzen blast struck near the wall behind her, as she jumped away, alarm written all over her face. The seal pulsed brighter—almost as if the demon was getting stronger.
Nara raised a brow. "Hmm. Well then, I guess that's it."
He turned dramatically, strolling away. "I'll just sit back and let the demon do its thing. Seems to like going after the weak first."
"What?!"
"Maybe once it's done chewing on you, it'll go dormant. I'll just... wait it out."
Another orb charged up, its glow casting sharp shadows across the chamber.
Alpha blinked. "Eeeeh?!"
"Hey, I could use a break. Who knows, I might even get all the gold to myself." He shot a glance back. "Maybe buy a mansion in Centralis."
Alpha twitched.
"Tch..." She bit her thumb, conflicted.
Nara smirked. 'C'mon, take the bait...'
"And hey," he added, "If there's anything left of you, I'll give your bones a proper burial."
Alpha exploded. "OKAY OKAY!! FINE!!"
Nara stopped mid-step and turned back. "Really?!"
He quickly straightened up, trying to look serious. "Ahem—I mean, good."
"But one condition," Alpha added darkly.
"…Go on."
"I take the pass."
"What?!"
Nara's jaw dropped.
'Shit. She turned the tables!'
She was smirking now.
'I walked right into it! Can't back out after all that bluffing—dammit! I should've seen it coming… Figures. Eldrid's top scammer!'
"Hehehe…" Alpha chuckled, savoring her victory.
'If the gold's destroyed, no one gains. But if it survives, I win either way. He thought I was cornered—but I reverse-psycho'd his dumb hero brain!'
Nara just stood there, defeated.
"…I lost."
But then—
"However…" Nara raised his head, eyes burning again.
"Huh?" Alpha blurted in surprise.
"The important thing is getting out of here alive," he said. "I can think about the pass later."
He turned toward the demon.
It hadn't moved, it stood still there.
The dim glow of anti-tenzen pulsed at its fingertips like a slow heartbeat.
"I'm not dying in a room with a lunatic and a walking turret." Nara whispered.
He took a breath.
"Let's end this."
Alpha blinked, still hugging her gold, but for the first time... she nodded.
Nara stepped forward.
His silhouette stood between her and the demon, fire beginning to flicker faintly at his fingertips again.
'This plan better work… or we're both toast.'
***
TBC