Capítulo 8 — The First Gesture
As they walked through the ruined streets surrounding the abandoned building, Razan glanced at Loona beside him. Her steps were light, almost silent, her tail swaying behind her with that same irritated confidence she always carried. He exhaled and finally asked:
"Loona, are you sure you want to come with me this time?"
Loona turned her red eyes to him, lifting a brow with that familiar sass.
"Well, I can help, you know?" she replied. "After a whole year working with you, I think I can handle a bunch of shitty low-tier criminals, right?"
Razan held her gaze, noting the stubborn fire in her eyes. He knew this look well enough: if he didn't let her come with him, she would sneak in anyway—and probably get into trouble. He sighed heavily.
"Alright," he muttered. "We'll go in together. Just stay by my side. You're still not strong enough to handle these idiots alone."
"Okay, okay… I won't leave your side," she grumbled, crossing her arms like a sulking child.
They pushed open the rusted door and entered the building.
Inside, a group of bandits argued loudly. Their voices echoed against the crumbling walls.
"Jack, this is your fault and your stupid plan!" a bull demon yelled, pointing accusingly at a spider demon.
Jack shot his companions a glare filled with venom.
"You useless pieces of trash, the plan wasn't just mine! Stealing those weapons, selling them to other Overlords, getting rich—that was our plan. Right, Joe?"
Joe shrugged with a twisted grin.
"Yeah, but now we've got bounties on our heads," he hissed. "But hey, if we hand you over and blame it all on you, we might actually get out of this… and still make some money. Sorry, Jack, you're not useful anymore."
"You filthy traitors?!" Jack screamed.
Joe laughed darkly.
"Wake up, idiot. This is Hell. There's no such thing as loyalty."
At that moment, Razan stepped inside, clapping slowly—each clap echoing like a death sentence.
"As expected of Hell… nothing but trash," he said with a cold smile. "But I guess trash can't help being trash."
His draconic power rippled through the air as his half-dragon form began to manifest—black scales spreading along his arms, dark aura swirling, wings forming behind him like shadows made flesh.
"At least I know I'm not killing innocents," he continued with a cruel grin. "So… let's dance, you worthless scum."
With explosive speed, Razan launched himself into the group. The impact cracked the floor beneath him. His movements were brutal, merciless—each strike sending bodies flying, shredding through the weak criminals like paper.
Loona let out a long sigh as she watched him descend into his battle frenzy.
Yep. He was in full "maniac mode."
While Razan handled the slaughter, she scanned the room and spotted a metal chest overflowing with stolen cash. Her eyes gleamed.
"Nice… I totally hit the jackpot."
She quickly began stuffing the money into her bag. But just as she reached for the last stack—
Cold steel pressed against her neck.
"Don't move, or you die," a weak but desperate voice hissed.
Loona slowly turned her head and saw the spider demon—Jack—the one they had left half-dead earlier. Blood dripped from his wounds, but his shaking hand held a weapon firmly against her throat.
A weapon with a faint holy glow.
Jack glared at her. "You know that monster boy, right? Well… you're my ticket outta here."
Meanwhile, Razan finished wiping out the last of the bandits in a storm of claws and dark aura. He looked around, expecting Loona to pop out from behind something with money in her hands.
But she wasn't there.
He sighed. "Of course she wandered off…"
Just as he was about to search for her, something froze him in place.
He saw it.
A blade pressed against Loona's neck.
Not just any blade—an angelic weapon. A single scratch could kill her.
Jack noticed Razan halt and grinned shakily.
"Looks like I was right. This little wolf is important to you, huh?"
Razan's expression twisted with fury.
"Let her go," he growled, voice dropping into a dangerous, draconic tone. "Or I'll make your death the most painful one possible."
Jack barked a broken laugh.
"Kid, that's not how negotiations work. You give me what I want, I give you what you want. Simple."
Loona clenched her teeth.
"Don't do what he wants," she snapped. "You don't need to save me. Hell is full of hellhounds like me. You can find another one anytime. There's no reason to risk yourself for me."
Jack's eyes widened. In Hell, throwing away an ally to save yourself was normal. Expected, even.
But Razan looked straight at her, expression deadly serious.
"There might be a lot of hellhounds in Hell," he said quietly. "But Hell doesn't have another Loona."
His voice dropped lower.
"So stop talking bullshit… and just wait for me to save you."
In a blink, Razan moved.
His speed ripped through the air like lightning.
He slammed his foot into Jack's chest, the impact punching a hole straight through him.
But before dying, Jack thrust the holy spear toward Loona.
Razan saw it. He knew instantly he wouldn't reach her in time.
So he didn't hesitate.
He threw himself in front of her.
The angelic blade pierced straight through Razan's torso.
He let out a roar of pain—then obliterated Jack's body completely, leaving nothing behind.
A second later, Razan collapsed to the floor.
Loona snapped out of her shock and rushed to him, dropping to her knees.
"Razan!!"
He opened one eye, saw her terrified expression, and smiled weakly.
"Well… if I get this kind of attention every time I get stabbed… I don't mind repeating it."
"This is not the time to joke, you idiot!" Loona yelled, voice cracking as her hands trembled.
Razan gripped the spear, pulled it out of his body, and tossed it aside.
"Tch… thirty percent is still too low. A spear like that shouldn't even scratch my dragon body. But with only this much of the model… I guess it's fine. If it were a stronger Overlord, I'd be sliced in half."
He gestured to his wound, already closing rapidly.
"See? I'm healing."
Loona stared at him, overwhelmed. Her throat tightened. She didn't know how to thank him. She didn't even know how to process the flood of emotions inside her.
So she did the first thing her heart pushed her to do.
Silently, she grabbed Razan's hand…
…and placed it gently on top of her wolf ears.
Razan froze for a moment, shocked.
Then he smiled softly.
He began to pet her ears tenderly.
"…Yeah," he whispered. "I get what you're feeling."