Nero didn't draw her blade. Instead, she swung her cane, smacking two werewolves airborne with a single motion before glancing at Runa nearby.
The white-haired girl showed no fear, no hesitation. She lunged forward, sliding beneath one of the werewolves, and without a second thought, drove her claws into its gut. With a vicious tug, she tore a crimson gash, and flames erupted from the wound, charring the beast's insides without spilling a drop of blood.
Not bad. Runa fought like a seasoned pro, not some rookie just getting the hang of her demonic gear.
Another werewolf lunged at Nero. She flicked her cane, morphing it into a scythe and slinging it over her shoulder. The handle's tip jabbed the beast's throat, knocking it back. Then, with her left shoulder as the pivot, the scythe spun in a gleaming arc, slicing through the night. The werewolf's head hit the ground before it could blink.
Two moves. Five werewolves. Half of them already down.
If Nero's style was elegance, Runa's was nothing short of savage. Compared to the feral werewolves, she was the real predator. Unlike Nero's controlled finesse, Runa was the one chasing, pouncing, while the werewolves scrambled to dodge her.
One wasn't fast enough. It learned what happens when Runa catches her prey. Her claws sank into its chest, flames igniting the wound. With a brutal yank, she ripped the beast open, letting the chilly night air flood its chest cavity.
She plucked out its heart, tore its throat for good measure, and tossed the twitching corpse aside, already locking onto her next target.
Nero got the picture. If she didn't step up, Runa would steal the last kill—she clearly didn't know the meaning of "polite." So, Nero strapped on Gilgamesh, her old favorite, and launched herself into the air. Her foot traced a perfect arc, aiming for the final werewolf's skull.
The beast dodged, but Nero had planned for that. Landing on one foot, she let her gear absorb the impact to spare the pavement someone else had worked hard to lay. She spun, whipping her right leg like a lash, catching the werewolf's waist.
The beast went flying, spinning like a top, its spine snapped in two from the blow. Nero didn't pursue. Instead, she struck a pose, twirling on her toes before casually tossing a blue-and-red rose conjured from her demonic energy.
The rose's stem shot like an arrow, piercing the werewolf's throat. With a snap of Nero's fingers, it exploded, shredding the beast's neck into a bloody mess.
Petals fluttered down, settling on the werewolf's limp body.
Over on Runa's side, she'd already gutted her target, yanking out its entrails. Wiping the demon blood off her hands on a nearby wall, she turned her blue-and-yellow mismatched eyes on Nero, blinking expectantly.
"What's up?" Nero asked with a grin.
"Pretty flower," Runa said.
This kid's thoughts were a mystery. Nero chuckled, tossing out, "Wanna learn how to do it?"
Runa didn't hesitate. "Yeah."
Now what?
Nero scratched her head. "It's made from demonic energy. Not sure if you can pull it off."
"Wanna try."
"Alright, next time we meet, I'll show you the ropes."
With that promise made, it was time for Nero to get to business. She'd gotten close to Runa to dig into that "Little Ace" character, and now was her chance to ask.
"So, Runa, about you—"
But before she could finish, Runa leaned in, baring her teeth with a little grin.
"What's up?" Nero pivoted smoothly.
"Smells… nice…" Runa's eyes glazed over, her voice dreamy. She sniffed the air, thick with blood and demonic energy, a blissful look crossing her face. Without warning, she lunged for a hug.
Nope. Nero caught Runa's hands with ease, using her slight height advantage to keep the girl at arm's length. After all, Runa was still just a middle schooler who hadn't even hit high school.
"Weird…" Nero frowned, studying Runa's odd behavior. "What's gotten into you?"
Unable to hug Nero, Runa settled for grabbing her hand, rubbing her cheek against it like a cat. "Nice smell…" she mumbled.
Nero was pretty sure this wasn't about matcha or coffee. Then it clicked—Runa was probably picking up on the demonic energy lingering in the air.
And another thought hit. The werewolves, before they'd fully turned, had mentioned "something delicious." If they were talking about the same thing…
Nero stowed her weapon, grabbed Runa by the collar with her free hand, and hoisted her up, booking it out of the area.
Thanks to Runa's comment, Nero finally noticed it—a faint trace mixed in with the demonic energy. The scent of Original Sin.
Sure enough, once they were out of the alley, Runa started to snap out of it. She blinked, confused. "Nice smell?"
"You got caught up in the demon's aura," Nero explained, setting her down on a rooftop. "Ever smell anything like that before?"
Runa shook her head. "First time."
"Hm."
Nero gazed out at the glowing commercial district in the distance, taking a deep breath.
The night air carried a faint whiff of demonic energy, and within it, the subtle trace of Original Sin. Same as when she'd first arrived in this city.
But this time, she'd caught the tail of whatever was hiding behind that energy.
From Runa's behavior—and the werewolves'—it was clear the demonic aura was stirring some kind of desire. Especially in Runa. She and Nero were both women, and in the eyes of religious doctrine, the desire Runa was showing was undeniably… immoral. Beyond propriety.
Tainted by Original Sin.
And the sin that sparked physical pleasure, luring people into shameful desires? Only one fit the bill.
Lust. The demon lurking in this city wielded the power of Lust.
As the realization hit, a faint glow pulsed in Nero's chest.
A new Stone of Original Sin had begun to form.