Elemental Cats

The tunnel led to a large open space that seemed like a central hub. The room looked like it was large enough to fit Kahglia, but since she wouldn't have gotten through the tunnels, it wasn't worth regretting the decision to leave her behind. More importantly, the magic filling the room made it seem like it wouldn't be easy to move around in it.

The cages around Nil, Lucy, and Scrael were more than enough evidence that the room was covered in defensive measures. Toz saw with his mana vision how the cages of wires of blood drew power from the thick demonic energy in the room and from the condensed ball of blood that hovered in the center of a raised dais.

So, even if the cats managed to snap or break their cage, they couldn't get out since it would get repaired instantly. Even if they destroyed the entire cage, it would just get replaced before they could even take a step. And the thick, oppressive demonic energy made it difficult to use magic for anything other than strengthening their bodies.

Asilean could negate some of it with his void magic, but not enough to get them all out.

But what was more surprising than the cats and the cages they had somehow gotten themself inside was the sickly pale man on the other end of the room, who was in a similar cage, just adjusted to his size. Since the cage around Lucy and Scrael looked a little tight, Toz wondered if the cages came in one size, but it seemed they were adapted to fit their target.

It was a weird consideration since the Tribe of Blood didn't seem like the type of people who cared about whether any captives or intruders suffered. But Toz didn't pay it any mind, and he looked at Red Hook, waiting for her to get to work.

After taking in the room, Red Hook whipped out her dagger again.

The pale man, who had looked at them warily ever since he noticed them, furrowed his brow in confusion and thoughtfulness as he saw the dagger. But after only a few moments, he dropped his jaw. 𝙛𝙧𝒆𝒆𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝙤𝙫𝒆𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝓶

"H-how do you have that!?"

Toz looked at the man while also asking Asilean a question.

"Who is that guy, anyway?"

"It's the leader of the Tribe of Blood guys. He's apparently some bigshot or something. I didn't really listen."

"Okay. But why is he stuck in his own trap?"

The pale man heard Toz's question, and since he was also getting ignored, he couldn't help but get angry.

"You lowly human! As soon as I get out of here, all of you are dead! Especially you!"

The pale demon looked and pointed at Lucy with an enraged expression.

"Ah."

Toz got an expression of enlightenment as he heard and saw the demon's movements.

"Yeah, when Lucy messed with the magic and took control of the Blood Fiend, he also got rid of this guy's means of control. Well, it ended in all of them getting stuck in their cages."

Asilean shrugged. But Toz could tell he was gloating a little over the other cats' miserable fates.

"Hey! Old man, do you know what this dagger is?"

"Tch. Disgusting human, hand over the Blood Ancestor's knife right now, and I will give you a painless death."

Toz looked at Asilean again with a raised eyebrow.

"Wasn't Lucy the Blood Ancestor?"

"No, he just used it because he thought it sounded cool after overhearing it from a few demons before we ambushed them."

"Huh. What were they talking about?"

"Uh… I was busy with other things at the moment, but I think Nil got a pretty understanding."

Asilean avoided Toz's gaze with a guilty expression. He hadn't been busy with other things. He just hadn't paid attention. Toz noticed, but he didn't say anything about it since it wasn't necessary, at least as long as Nil actually knew something.

"So, that guy's a transcendent, right?"

Asilean nodded.

"He a match for you, Red Hook?"

"Nope."

"Awfully confident for someone who just broke through, no?"

"Awfully cocky for someone still at the seventh level, no?"

"Still fought and lived against a transcendent at the seventh level, though."

"You would have been dead without me. Is the exhaustion finally getting to you? How many fingers am I holding up?"

"Twelve."

Toz's confident answer without even looking at her made Red Hook subconsciously begin counting the fingers on her hands. Though she only got to two before glaring at Toz.

"I don't know everything-"

"No kidding."

"But! You said that guy was from the Tribe of Blood, right?"

Asilean nodded.

"And if he's a big shot in that tribe, it's reasonable to guess that he uses blood magic, right?"

"Yeah, that he does. He tried to break out of the cage using that magic several times. Stupid idiot didn't even realize that he was only strengthening the trap."

Asilean looked at the man from the Tribe of Blood with a condescending expression.

Red Hook folded her arms confidently.

"Yeah, then there's no need to worry. Thanks to this little dagger, I practically rule blood magic."

Toz looked at her with raised eyebrows, and he couldn't contain his curiosity.

"Really? Can you awaken it as well?"

"Awaken it?"

"You know. Bring out its true nature as if you're using a spell. But instead of a spell, it's just using magic."

"What the fu-"

Red Hook first looked at Toz as if she couldn't even understand what he was saying, as if he was speaking another language. But a light flashed through her eyes.

"Wait! If that's possible..! Hold on-!"

Red Hook looked at Toz with wide eyes.

"Since you asked that…."

It was obvious what Red Hook wanted to know as she stared at him, question marks filling her eyes with intensity. But Toz just winked.

Before Red Hook could continue prying, Toz pointed at the room.

"So, how's it going?"

"Tch."