Elemental Cats

"There's a lot of demonic energy, so it's gonna take a while, especially when dealing with that thing."

Red Hook pointed at the sphere of condensed blood attribute demonic energy that looked like an oversized and polished marble. She still held her dagger, and Toz could see it draining all the demonic energy with his mana vision.

"So, we just wait, then?"

"Well, if you massage my shoulders, I might be able to do it faster."

Red Hook rubbed her shoulder while looking at Toz.

"Really? Let's get to it then."

Toz showed a surprised expression first before grinning as he rubbed his hands together. Red Hook was surprised that he accepted it so easily. But when she saw his hands begin glowing with an orange light, Red Hook gulped.

"Hey, why are your hands glowing?"

"Oh, this? You've heard of hot stone massages, right?"

"You know what? On second thought, I don't think a massage will help."

"It won't hurt, though."

Red Hook wanted to retort and say that his hands that were hot enough to make the air around them blurry certainly looked like they would hurt. But she gave a polite smile instead.

"Some other time, maybe. I am busy at the moment."

Red Hook thought she heard Toz click his tongue, but since she started concentrating on the dagger and what it was doing, she pretended not to notice.

Since Red Hook was busy, Toz took the opportunity to check on the cats stuck in their cages. Although Lucy and Scrael had somehow managed to get stuck in the same cage that was clearly made for only a single cat, it didn't look like they were suffering from anything other than boredom.

Unfortunately, the cats couldn't escape the cages' restrictions the same way the Blood Demon had done, so they couldn't speak with Toz or the others while he was still outside the room. But they knew each other so well that they could practically communicate just by exchanging glances, and Toz could rest assured that the three trapped cats were alright.

Since Red Hook was still draining and weakening the blood attribute demonic energy after Toz checked on the cats and made sure they were alright, Toz sat down to let his body rest and recover some mana.

The blanket method had been running non-stop for a while now, so he wasn't about to run out, but he still wanted to be prepared in case something happened. He also had to deal with the effects of drinking so many mana potions in one go. Since they were concentrations of mana extracted from various materials, it was inevitable that they would contain impurities.

Usually, such minuscule amounts of impurities wouldn't do anything unless one drank mana potions regularly. But Toz had consumed so many potions that he could feel the impurities clogging his body and mana pool. So, before they set or became trouble, Toz used his flourishing fire mana to burn them all away. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝑒𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝒸𝑜𝘮

Despite all the accumulated fatigue from staying awake, fighting, and pushing his body to the limits for so long, Toz felt refreshed. He opened his eyes and stretched to take a look at how Red Hook was progressing. But his eyes locked onto the pale Blood Demon before he could check.

"Hey, you knew what this Hidden Blood Dagger was, right?"

Toz wasn't sure Red Hook knew the dagger's origins. But even if she did, Toz wasn't sure she would tell him just like that. In that case, it would be worth a shot to try and satisfy his curiosity by asking the Blood Demon.

The Blood Demon spat on the ground.

"Hidden Blood Dagger? Is that what you think it's called? Lowly, disgusting humans. You don't even know the true name or worth of what you have."

"You called it the Blood Ancestor's dagger. So is its name something like Blood Ancestor Junior or Darling?"

"I can tell what you're trying to do, human."

The Blood Demon glared at Toz. And Toz shrugged.

"And what am I trying to do?"

"You're fishing for information."

"No way! You figured it out that quickly?!"

Toz feigned shock so painstakingly obvious that Red Hook had to suppress a grin.

"And now you're trying to agitate me and make me talk without thinking?"

Toz looked at Red Hook for dramatic effect as he spoke.

"Wow! We're dealing with a real genius here!"

Red Hook did her best to suppress her laughter and concentrate on controlling the dagger.

The Blood Demon was about to burst from contained rage. But he did his best not to explode, despite the anger filling his body at Toz's disrespect.

"Bloodletter, the Siphon's Blade."

"Huh? Is that its name?"

Toz tilted his head at the Blood Demon's unexpected cooperation.

"Yes. Now, revel in the greatness that is the Sanguine Monarch's weapon!"

"Okay. But why did you tell us so easily?"

Toz looked a little dissatisfied.

"Since you have uncovered the Blood Ancestor's weapon, you shall at least be granted the honor of being the first victims of the dagger to hear its name in several millennia!"

Toz and Red Hook looked at each other before Toz faced the Blood Demon again.

"We have no intentions of dying, though?"

"That's not up to you to decide. The moment you touched the dagger, your friend there was doomed. I don't know how you've managed to retain sanity for so long, but the more you use the dagger, the more it will corrode your mind. And when you fall to nothing but a mindless Blood Berserker, you will mine to control!"

At those words, Toz carefully shuffled to the side and away from Red Hook while throwing a few cautious glances in her direction.

"Hey!"

Red Hook kicked after him with enough force to stir the wind and rustle his hair. Thankfully, she didn't actually have any intentions of attacking him and only kicked the air.

"I don't know what this bastard's talking about. I'm as sane as ever!"

"It's too late already?!"