CHAPTER ELEVEN: The Demon Who Dared Touch Her

His name was Velak Raith.

A demon prince from the 9th ring.

Strong. Sharp. Beautiful.

His record?

Nine undefeated duels.

One god-level kill.

A smile that melted bones.

He was sent by the Council to test Nyra's limits.

He flirted with her during the announcement.

"Nyra, was it? I like the way your shadow looks. Mind if I borrow your soul?"

She didn't reply.

The duel was public.

Every instructor watched.

Even Lucifer stood on the tower, arms folded, wings half-unfurled.

Velak smirked, spinning twin chaos blades.

> "I promise to make it fun."

Nyra didn't move.

The moment the bell rang—

He vanished.

Reappeared behind her with a strike aimed at her spine.

CLANG.

Nyra blocked with Whisper. One hand.

Didn't even look at him.

Then she headbutted him.

Hard.

The impact cracked the arena.

Velak staggered back, stunned.

"Play rough, huh?" he said, wiping blood from his mouth.

He activated his Demon Form.

Wings like oil.

Eyes like pits of rage.

Aura dense enough to crush lesser fighters.

Nyra closed her eyes.

Then she activated nothing.

No glyphs.

No aura.

Just intention.

And suddenly, Velak couldn't breathe.

His chaos blades shattered.

His heartbeat slowed.

Reality bent around her presence.

She walked up and placed her hand on his chest.

"You like my shadow?" she whispered.

"Then drown in it."

She opened her palm.

And his shadow consumed him.

Not his body.

His confidence.

His strength.

His arrogance.

Velak dropped to his knees, weeping.

Lucifer laughed for the first time in years.

"Perfect," he whispered.

"She didn't kill him. She broke him."

After the match, students refused to even speak Nyra's name.

She returned to the void chamber alone.

But Caelia followed her again.

This time, they didn't speak.

Caelia just climbed into her arms and laid her head on Nyra's chest.

And for the first time, Nyra said:

"I'm scared."

Caelia looked up.

"Of what?"

"Of not stopping."