Chapter 9: This Song for Her

“Awoooo.”

The dim glow of the full moon bathed him as he let out a long howl that shattered the stillness of the night.

A mournful symphony, the very heart-song of the black wolf, ruler of the forbidden forest. A melody that revealed the longing of the Howler for a beloved he had never even known.

“What a beautiful song. I wonder who that howl is meant for?”

The howler stopped. He turned around and found a gothic vampire already standing behind him.

A wide grin stretched beneath her lips, painted with vibrant crimson lipstick. “It’s been two years since we last met. Looks like you haven’t changed much, little wolf.”

Sirius stepped closer. “You as well, Lady Valeria. What brings you here on a night like this?”

Valeria fell silent for a moment. “Do you still remember the hero I once told you about?”

Sirius nodded slowly.

“The bad news is, the Hero has returned. From what I’ve gathered, he’s gathering companions to fight against the demon race.” Valeria stared intently at Sirius before continuing.

Sirius furrowed his brows. “That means I’ll be one of his targets too.”

Valeria gave a small smile. “Of course. Every living demon is a target for the heroes. They don’t care how we live our lives. And in your case, you’re a demonic beast feared by humans. He’ll come after you soon enough.”

“So, tell me—are you afraid?” Valeria smiled mischievously, as if teasing him.

“Not at all.” Sirius’s reply was firm, without the slightest tremor of fear.

Valeria smirked faintly. “I figured you’d say that. Can’t blame you for feeling confident. You’re known as the wolf who rules the forbidden forest. No human has dared approach you in the past year, right?”

“Yes. Only those who are too brave... or too foolish step into my domain.”

Valeria’s eyes glowed with a seductive red under the moonlight. She squinted, observing Sirius closely before letting out a sigh. Her expression suggested she saw something in him.

“You... since when did you become this strong?”

Sirius narrowed his eyes. “I’m... not sure. I just kept trying to survive and fought off those who disturbed my peace.”

Over the past two years, Sirius had grown into an immensely powerful being. He could easily slaughter every opponent. Moreover, after devouring them, Sirius absorbed a fragment of their strength, accelerating his growth to a terrifying degree.

Valeria stroked her chin. Her eyes, still glowing red, remained fixed on Sirius, as if probing deeper into his nature.

“How many have you eaten?”

Sirius’s eyes widened at the sudden, ambiguous question. “You know about my ability?”

“A little. My eyes told me. Honestly, some demons like us have unique abilities that look like gifts.”

Sirius had realized at some point that he gained a bit of strength, knowledge, even combat experience from those he consumed. From then on, he never let a single scrap of their flesh go to waste after killing his enemies.

“A... unique ability?” Sirius tilted his head.

“Yes. A special power only you possess. Like how you can steal a fragment of your enemies’ powers by devouring them. I, too, have eyes that let me see the ‘fragility’ of the world.” Valeria made a gesture as if brushing her right eye while grinning.

“Fragility? What do you mean?”

Valeria shrugged. She slowly began to spin under the night sky, her gown billowing like black mist.

“I’m not sure how to explain it. But... how about this.” She stopped. Her smile vanished. “On your body... there’s something. A black spot on your stomach. As if the world made a mistake forming that part.”

Sirius squinted. “You... can see it?”

Valeria looked at him with glowing red eyes, calm yet threatening. “Yes. Cracks, anomalies, and irregularities. Not just in your stomach, but in your soul—so fragile and chaotic.” A sharp grin, as if she knew everything.

Sirius took a step back, his stance guarded.

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“Relax, darling. The crack in your soul—no, you yourself are already so fascinating. But I’ll respect your privacy. It’s far more exciting to watch your progress little by little.” Valeria winked.

Sirius relaxed his muscles.

“Yes. Enough with the small talk, sweet wolf.” Valeria waved her hand, a wide grin on her face. “Let’s get straight to the point.”

She cleared her throat. Her eyes narrowed sharply. “The Hero has risen. Demons are now racing to find and dominate other demons. You can’t keep fighting alone. For the second time, let me offer you the same thing I did last time.” She extended her hand, her lips curled in a confident smile.

Sirius lowered his head, considering her offer for a moment.

The wind blew gently, rustling the thick fur that covered his battle wounds.

He had faced many powerful foes. Not only humans, but other races as well—elves, beastmen. He had also been approached several times by powerful demons who tried to force him into their factions.

“Well?”

“Let me think about it, at least for another year.”

Valeria sighed, disappointment clearly painted across her face. “Very well, take as much time as you need. Or how about this.” She reached into her skirt pocket and pulled out a piece of paper covered in magical script. “Take this. If you ever want to join, all you need to do is channel a bit of mana and you’ll be transported to me. You can channel mana, can’t you?”

Sirius nodded. He had devoured many sorcerers. That was why he could use a bit of magic, even though he knew he didn’t have much natural talent for it.

Sirius took the paper with his mouth.

“Thank you.”

Valeria adjusted her long hair, tousled by the refreshing spring breeze.

“Oh, right. Let me see how far you’ve come.” Drops of blood appeared from a magic circle, floating around her. The blood gathered and formed a long, irregularly shaped spear aimed at Sirius. “Are you ready, Sirius?”

Sirius gave a faint smile.

“Anytime.”

Valeria made the first move, swinging her spear. A slash of magic shot straight at him.

Sirius leapt forward, dodging and lunging at Valeria with his claws. But the moment he struck her, Valeria turned into thick blood.

“Where is she?!”

Sirius’s eyes darted around rapidly, searching for the real Valeria. Amid the confusion, his instincts kicked in.

Above!

Sirius looked up. Valeria had already raised her blade.

Slash!

A gaping hole split open where Valeria had struck. Luckily, Sirius had leapt several meters back just in time.

Valeria landed gracefully, then lunged straight at him. Her blood spear clashed with his fangs and claws.

Clang. Clang.

The sound of their weapons echoed through the forest, clashing in the stillness of the night.

Step by step, Valeria’s movements were nearly silent. Her dress twirled with her motion, as if she were dancing to the rhythm of clashing blades.

Each strike of her spear was fluid and threatening. She spun, her skirt and hair trailing behind her. Her swings and thrusts shot toward Sirius’s openings.

Sirius matched her with his claws, his body flowing with the rhythm of her attacks, as if he too had been caught in Valeria’s bloodstained dance. He kept leaping back in curved movements, trying to find her weak point.

Clang. Clang.

“Incredible. You’ve grown so fast in just two years.”

Sirius gave a faint smile.

“Thank you for the compliment.”

The two continued to circle each other, exchanging blows. Rather than fighting, it felt almost as if they were dancing under the moonlight on this silent night.

Tap.

Valeria firmly planted her right foot, swinging her spear upward in a vertical arc.

Sirius leapt aside, letting out a thunderous roar.

“Roaaar!”

“That won’t work a second time.” Valeria extended her hand. “[Rho Aias]”

A magic circle shaped like a seven-petaled flower appeared before her, spinning rapidly and deflecting Sirius’s soundwave.

She then waved her hand. Her grin widened. “Preparation is complete.”

Sirius looked up, seeing dozens of magic circles surrounding them.

This is bad!

“[Multiple Magic Storm]” Valeria chanted the name of her spell.

A barrage of magic surged toward Sirius like a storm. Explosion after explosion, elements, blood attacks, and curses rained down on him.

“Aaaargh!”

Sirius was overwhelmed. He tried to escape Valeria’s attacks by leaping and using magic to blend into the shadows of the dense forest.

[Shadow Assassins]

But Valeria’s magic kept tracking him, like a bird that always knew his exact location, unleashing explosions amid the thick trees of the forbidden forest.

“It’s useless,” she said, her tone flat and smug. “You can’t run from my magic, Sirius.”

She was right. Escaping was pointless. Her magic would keep chasing him. The only way out was to take the risk and strike once!

Amid the explosions, Valeria laughed loudly.

Without her noticing, Sirius had already moved behind her blind spot. He leapt out from the shadows, charging through the underbrush.

Valeria turned her head, her eyes widening, jaw clenching tightly. But just as Sirius closed the distance, that expression of fear vanished, replaced by a faint, chilling grin.

“Gotcha!” Valeria reached out, her fingers curling as if grasping something. “[Broken Heart]”

“Aaaargh!”

While still airborne, Sirius felt a searing pain in his left chest. He lost balance and crashed to the ground right beside Valeria. His chest was bound by a chain that seemed to pierce deep into his body.

Valeria crouched beside his face, a mischievous smile on her lips. “Next time, make sure you don’t get marked by something that could be used as a conduit for your enemy’s magic.”

“Yes. That’s enough for today’s lesson. You’re strong—very strong, even. Just a bit lacking in experience.”

Valeria snapped her fingers.

The magical chain binding Sirius’s heart vanished. He rose, panting. Sirius looked weakly at Valeria. “Kuh... I lost. For the first time. Does this mean I have to accept your offer?”

Valeria chuckled softly. “Only if you want to. I won’t force you.” She ended her jest with a sigh. “I just needed to confirm your strength. At the very least, now I know you’re stronger than most demon commanders. That’s a relief—it means no one can force you to join their army.”

Valeria turned around. “Well, until next time. I hope we’ll meet again at my castle, Sirius.”

Before vanishing into a flash of ruby light, Valeria gave him one last sweet smile.

Moments after Valeria disappeared, silence returned to Sirius. Her brief presence had stirred a longing in him for the woman that haunted his blurred memories.

He looked up, gazing at the full moon hanging above. “A part of me hoped she was her. But that’s impossible.”

Lost in longing, Sirius poured out his feelings through a long, sorrowful howl.

A song that only his heart could understand, wrapped in invisible wounds.