The candle flickered violently, its small flame bending and stretching as if reacting to an unseen pressure coiling within the room. Shadows peeled away from the towering bookshelves like living ink, retreating as several figures stepped forward with deliberate, soft footsteps. With every inch they gained, the oppressive darkness withered, and she became clearer beneath the wavering, amber candlelight.
She stood amidst the sea of knowledge, a thick, leather-bound tome clutched tightly against her chest.
Her gaze locked onto me sharp, analytical, and deeply unsettling. Her eyes traced my silhouette with the precision of a scholar examining a specimen. Chest. Arms. Face. Then back down. Then up again. Three… maybe four times her eyes made the circuit.
That was the exact moment the cold air hit my skin, and the realization struck.
I was still shirtless.
Before I could even process the embarrassment, she reached into the depths of her oversized coat and pulled out a silver tape measure. Her fingers, cold as a winter morning, wrapped around my wrist as she lifted my arm with effortless strength. The metal tape slid across my ribs, pulling tight against the muscle, then up to the breadth of my shoulders, and down to my waist. The faint, rhythmic scratching of her pen followed as she scribbled frantic notes into her book.
"Fascinating," she muttered. Her voice was calm, but carried a manic edge of excitement.
"Well… that was completely weird," I said, my voice nearly cracking. I tried to maintain a shred of dignity. "Yuri, mind explaining the local customs?"
"This is Himori Sakumora," Yuri said, raising her hand with a casual, bored wave. "My elder sister."
Just like Yuri, Himori possessed weary, gray eyes but hers looked heavier, burdened by an exhaustion that felt centuries old rather than sharp with hostility. Her light-blue hair was gathered into a neat, thick braid that trailed behind her like a silken rope, brushing against the floor. An enormous coat swallowed her frame, the sleeves hanging so low that her hands were mere phantoms beneath the fabric.
"Nice to meet you, I guess," I said, lifting my hand in a half-hearted, awkward wave.
"You are a pretty interesting demon," Himori replied, her eyes never breaking their intense focus. "Normally, my instincts would demand I attack you… but I think I'll abstain." A faint, ghostly smile tugged at her lips. "After all, I'm much weaker than my baby sister."
"BABY SISTER?!"
Himori exploded forward, a blur of motion as she wrapped her arms around Yuri in a crushing hug,I could her bones crack. She began rubbing her cheek against Yuri's with zero shame, her tough-girl persona, and a deep analytical face evaporating instantly.
What kind of sisters are these…? One is a violent, blood-hungry maniac, and the other is a creepy bookworm with a deceptive smile. There is no way they share a bloodline. No way.
"Yeah, happy family reunion," I cut in, my tone sharpening to break the mood. "But are we going to fight, or can we get to the point? I have a proposal."
Himori's eyes shifted back to me instantly. That gaze cold, focused, and predatory sent a chill straight down my spine that felt like a physical blade.
"What is your proposal, demon?"
"If I win, you join my cause," I said, swallowing the lump of fear in my throat. "If I lose… you can have my life. Simple as that."
I'm really out here gambling my soul like a desperate idiot. But in this void, a gamble is the only currency I have.i am ready to do what it takes to get stronger
"I'll join you."Himori replied before I could process my thoughts
"…Wait. What?"
She smiled brightly, a look so cheerful it felt completely at odds with the tension in the room. "If my little sister is following you, then I will too. Even if it's just to spend more time with her." She reached out, playfully stretching Yuri's cheeks like dough.
"Well, that was surprisingly easy"
"Make no mistake; even if we fought, the outcome would be the same," Himori interrupted, her smile turning thin and razor-cold. "Your demon form would keep you from the brink of death, and fighting you would be… strategically foolish."
She pointed slowly at Esta, who was still clinging to my hand with a grip like iron.
"…Yeah? What about her?" I asked, scratching the back of my head, feeling a bit defensive.
"That is a sentient magical weapon forged by dwarves and tempered with fairy magic," Himori said calmly. "It has reached its adult form. It is soul-bonded to protect its master." Her eyes narrowed until they were slivers of gray light. "If I struck you, she would end me before I could blink."
"Ohhh… that's news to me," I muttered, glancing down at the seemingly innocent girl.
"And one more thing," Himori added, tilting her head curiously. "Why are you shirtless?"
"Long story short? My wings shredded my clothes when I transformed. I gave my jacket to Esta because she was… well, barely wearing a thread." I let out a heavy sigh. "Anyway, we need to rest. We've been tracking through the white nothingness for three days."
"Which means more quality time with my precious baby sister," Himori chirped, grabbing Yuri's cheeks again.
"I'M NOT A BABY! LET GO!" Yuri shouted, her face turning a bright, embarrassed red as she pointed at her sister furiously.
I sat back against a shelf, watching them bicker. Something tight and painful twisted in my chest.
I've never had that. The easy banter, the annoying but deep bond. Only Ayomi used to treat me like that teasing me until I snapped, pushing me to laugh when I wanted to sulk. She was always the sun, and I was always the grumpy shadow.
Saturday mornings… her rhythmic knocking on my door. Playing in the dirt behind my sister's mine. Chasing butterflies until the horizon turned purple and gold.
That life feels like a fairy tale told to a different person. I live among monsters now. And the mirror tells me I am one of them.
I sat down, pulling my knees to my chest as their voices drifted into the background of the massive library.
"It's a weird sister relationship," I muttered to the shadows with a light chuckle to the sky.
"Master… Esta sleepy," Esta whispered, her voice like a fading chime. She rested her head on my thigh, drifting off into a deep slumber almost instantly.
I brushed her hair back gently, my fingers lingering. She looked so innocent a child's soul in a woman's body. Was I truly her first master? Or was I just the latest in a long line of owners? Himori had recognized her instantly. An adult form…
Too many questions and not enough ink.
"Alright, playtime is over," Yuri said, suddenly standing in front of me with her arms crossed. "Let's move."
"Minor problem," I said, nudging Esta gently. "She's completely out."
"That sounds like a 'you' problem," Himori replied flatly, her scholarly coldness returning. "By the way manners." She bowed with a slight, elegant tilt. "Himori Sakumora. Ranked fourth among the High Humans."
"Justin voidborn Khoas," I replied, standing up and trying to look the part of a leader. "Son of the Fourth Demon Lord."
"…WHAT?! YOU'RE ROYALTY?!"
"Yea I think so?" I said as I put a finger on my chin
" You sure don't look the part" she replied her eyes running up and down from the head to the bottom off my body
"When I told Yuri, she said she wanted to taste my blood," I said, shooting Yuri a look.
"HEY! DON'T BRING THAT UP!" Yuri screamed, her face flushing.
"Not my problem you're a total maniac."i replied with a light grin
"Say that again and I'll rip you to shreds!"
"I didn't say you went 'ohhh, so divine!' wait I just did."i teased with a sly chuckle
"Ice Magic: Ice Shards!"
"Wind Magic: Wind Barrier!"
Magic circles flared with a brilliant, violent light. Shards of ice shrieked through the air like frozen glass. A wall of howling wind slammed against them, shattering the ice into a fine mist.i did wind magic without even thought my body moved on its own again,this body never seems to amaze me
"ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL US BOTH?!"i shouted
"It's the only way to shut your dirty mouth!"
Himori watched the chaos, then suddenly burst out laughing, the sound echoing through the shelves.
"Tell your sister I still value my life," I muttered, retreating behind my barrier.
" Says a demon who gambled his soul a few minutes ago" Himori added with a sarcastic laugh
" Well what you I've have given you other than my soul, exactly nothing" I shouted
" Well umm you"himori response as she is cut short by her sister
"Enough. We move."she replied with a grit of her teeth
Yuri stormed ahead, her hair flicking behind her like a whip. Himori followed with a calm, swaying grace. I sighed, hoisted Esta onto my back, and followed. Watching Yuri's silhouette ahead… she's terrifyingly strong, and I know she hasn't even shown me half of it. And damn it she's actually kind of cute when she's mad.
Focus, Justin.
"Himori, what exactly is your power?" I asked, trying to break the tension.
"Blood manipulation and high-tier water magic."
"…Blood?"
"Blood is mostly fluid. I specialize in the fluids of the body. I also possess an intimate knowledge of monster anatomy."
"…How do you kill them?"
"I prefer it when they explode," she said dreamily, a distant look in her eyes. "Internal pressure buildup. Like organic fireworks. A beautiful rain of red."
"…Yeah. You two are definitely sisters." I shivered. "How long until we hit the next target?"
"The strongest and the third-strongest are traveling together. They are roughly two weeks away from this coordinate."
"Two weeks?! I'm literally aging as we walk!"
"You've been in this void for about a week now," Yuri said, a small, knowing smile playing on her lips.
My heart skipped a beat. A week?
"…So that means I'm fifteen now?"
"WAIT YOU'RE ONLY FIFTEEN?!"
Both sisters screamed in unison, their voices echoing into the dark corners of the library.