Among all the demons I had faced up to that point, this one proved to be the toughest challenge. For a moment, I doubted my ability to come out victorious.
Even after the battle ended, my body was burning intensely. My clothes were in tatters, the shirt practically destroyed by the flames, and the pants visibly more damaged but still wearable.
Upon closer examination of the surroundings, I noticed that this setting was distinct from floors zero and one, which were almost identical. Here, there were several openings in the walls, allowing light to enter, but the environment still maintained a slightly gloomy atmosphere.
"Cure Iz."
"Izumi?"
"Come down."
"Okay."
Unfortunately, my healing ability didn't affect clothing, which would have been quite useful. I decided to remove my armor and boots, leaving myself with just the pants, which looked more like shorts at that point. The situation was a bit strange, but there wasn't much to be done.
"Izumi, you scoundrel," Ui murmured shyly, blushing slightly, perhaps embarrassed to notice my well-defined chest. As far as I knew, women appreciated this characteristic in men. As for my knowledge on the subject, well, that's a story for another time and not relevant here.
"If you don't want to see, move away."
"No!," she shouted, excited, raising her clenched hands near her generous breasts.
"What?"
"Ah! Um! I mean… I like… seeing you!" she mumbled, her face red, looking shyly around.
"Whatever," I said. "Don't you feel any pain?"
As I observed the injuries on her hands, it was clear that they were serious. Both hands were severely injured. The wound on her left arm was probably from the burn she suffered when we reached this floor, while the other must have been the result of punching the flames of the demon's corpse.
"It hurts a little, but I can bear it," she gave a timid smile while holding her left arm and looking away.
For a moment, I regretted that my 'Cure Iz' was an exclusive healing technique for me, but I soon realized there was nothing I could do about it. However, something felt wrong with me. Why was I worrying so much about this? Something inside me was changing, and I knew I needed to get back to my old self.
"I don't mind," I sat down on the floor, waiting for my burns to heal. "Do as you wish."
"Okay," she replied in a softer voice than usual.
I needed to complete the healing process, but considering the extent of the burns, it would take a few minutes to finish.
"Izumi, I've always watched you, but I've never seen you eat or sleep. Could you tell me why?"
She stared at me intently, waiting for an answer she found satisfactory. I didn't mind sharing this, as it wasn't anything of great importance.
"Demons don't have the same needs as humans."
"But you're human too!" She expressed with conviction.
She genuinely cared for me, but I had well-defined boundaries and wouldn't allow it to cross a certain line. I would accept just a little, out of respect for my mother.
"I can do it or not. It won't change if I don't."
"But!" She shouted. "I wanted to sleep with you and for you to taste my food," she mumbled while interlocking her index fingers.
"That will never happen."
"But one day, it might happen."
"I hope that day never comes."
"No!!!" She shouted loudly. "I'll only do it for you. When hunger strikes. Promise me?"
If I promised, it would show that I cared about her, and I wouldn't allow that to happen. I would deny it with all my might.
"No."
"Promise me!" She raised her voice again.
"No."
She lunged at me without warning. Normally, I would have been able to dodge, but due to my severe injuries, dodging would be a difficult task. However, I didn't even try, and that decision cleared my mind. This girl was the only one I couldn't control.
"Promise me!" She said, looking close to my eyes.
I didn't know what was happening to me. Everything seemed strange. This woman who would have been easy to kill before, but now I felt weak around her, incapable of such an action. I had no choice but to accept this punishment.
"Okay. Now get off."
"Yes!" She replied with evident happiness while remaining on top of me.
"I can't wait for the day you're hungry. Xixixixixi!"
'I'm sorry to tell you, but that day will never come. Hunger will never come for a demon. I've never been hungry, and today won't be the day I feel such a need. This promise was a vague thing that will be forgotten when you die.'
"Um! I feel weak," Ui collapsed on the floor, but that was expected, considering she had endured intense heat and no breathing for a long time.
It took a considerable amount of time for her to faint, making me suspect that she wasn't an ordinary human. Most people wouldn't be able to stay in that place for so long without possessing an exceptionally resistant body or defending themselves with bare hands.
'What could she be?'
"Izumi, I think I'll need your help again," her voice was very soft.
"You're really dead weight."
"Your dead weight," she smiled.
This woman always caught me off guard. Maybe she was my natural enemy, and ironically, she was in love with me. Was this some kind of karma? Reflecting on it, her hair color was white, just like mine.
Could she be a half-breed like me? However, it seemed unlikely given the fact that she needed to perform human functions, something I didn't need. Furthermore, her skin was rosy, clearly showing that my hypothesis was incorrect.
"Carry me," she said, raising her hands.
"Do you think I'll do that?"
"Yes."
She must trust me a lot. If there were reincarnation, I might think that we were a couple in past lives.
"What a cheeky woman."
"Your cheeky woman."
Such audacity. It was time to stop talking to her because with every conversation, I realized that a part of humanity I didn't know was growing inside me. It filled my heart and was irritating. To achieve my revenge, I couldn't allow myself to feel these human emotions.
"I'll carry you like a burden."
"I don't mind, as long as it's you."
I picked her up by the waist and slung her over my shoulder. Perhaps, by the time we reached the next floor, all my wounds would be healed. I started walking and found a fairly ordinary staircase. I had expected something more extravagant, but it wasn't. When I reached the third floor, I found Max and Fallen Tits talking to a human.
"Izumi? What happened to your clothes? I thought you guys were up ahead."
"We were fighting a demon on the previous floor in hell."
"Hell?"
"Ui! What happened?!" Fallen Tits approached. "You're all burned!"
I put Ui down and continued walking. I passed right through the human, who didn't stop my progress.
"So, it was true that only Izumi could pass?" Max asked.
"Indeed. I was instructed to let only him pass. And you stayed here until everything was over."
I didn't imagine that Fearless wanted a private audience with me, but it made things easier. I wasn't in the mood to fight a human who, at first glance, seemed like a weakling. I continued walking and entered a large room. What stood out the most was the clock above an empty throne and some statues of demons and humans around.
"Welcome, my loyal guinea pig."