As the days passed, Kael's body fully regenerated. His natural resilience wiped away every trace of battle fatigue.
Sara, however, was still trapped in a slow and painful rehabilitation process. Kael barely left her side. Whenever she needed to move, he was there. He gently helped her walk, carefully fed her, and attended to every little task she couldn't manage on her own.
One morning, the estate was bathed in warm, soft sunlight. Kael sat quietly on the living room sofa. He was waiting for an expected visitor.
After a short wait, the main doors clicked open. Uncle Vrenz walked in. He was accompanied by a young female secretary carrying a thick stack of corporate folders.
Kael stood up from the sofa. He offered a polite smile and a subtle nod. "Good morning."
The secretary paused in her tracks. She looked at Kael in mild surprise before quickly returning the smile. She couldn't help but think to herself, Does a young master of his status usually pay attention to a secretary?
Before Kael could say anything more, a faint, painful groan echoed down the hallway. It came directly from his bedroom.
The secretary's eyes widened instantly. Her gaze snapped toward Uncle Vrenz in shock.
Kael offered a brief, apologetic bow. "I am sorry. Could you please wait a moment?"
Kael walked down the quiet hallway to his room. A few moments later, he reappeared. He was carefully holding Sara in his arms.
As Kael carried her into the living room, Sara's eyes immediately locked onto the unfamiliar woman standing near the door. A subtle frown formed on her face. But the moment her eyes shifted and recognized Uncle Vrenz, her guarded expression melted away.
Kael set her down gently on the sofa. He sat right beside her.
Uncle Vrenz smiled warmly at his secretary and introduced her. "This is Sara. Kael's girlfriend."
Kael's gaze dropped to the floor. His face flushed slightly as he unconsciously held Sara's hand a little tighter.
The secretary looked at the two of them and asked politely, "Sir... is she living here in this house with you alone?"
Sara gave a small nod. She winced slightly as her hand rested against her wrapped bandages.
Kael didn't say a word. However, the clear red tint on his ears gave away his deep embarrassment.
Quickly changing the subject, Kael steered the conversation back to their corporate plans. He clearly laid out his ideas and technical design strategy for the smart toothbrush project.
Sara sat quietly beside him. She stared at his unusually serious, professional expression with an amused, weirded-out face. Seeing the cute dynamic between the two, a light, genuine smile appeared on the secretary's lips.
After reviewing the preliminary plans, Uncle Vrenz nodded in satisfaction. "Alright, Kael. We have high expectations for this product. It will be a strong foundation when we officially re-emerge as a united company."
At that moment, the front door swung open. Renjiro stepped inside.
He immediately noticed the unfamiliar woman standing in the living room. He shot Kael a subtle look. His eyes silently asked, Who is she?
Kael responded with a calm, polite glance. He subtly gestured with his eyes for him to come over.
Renjiro walked over to the sofa. He greeted Uncle Vrenz respectfully as he joined the group, filling the room with a comfortable, lively atmosphere.
Meanwhile, far beyond the mortal world, deep within the dark and oppressive expanse of the Demonic Realm.
Inside a grand, towering hall carved from jagged black obsidian, seven massive thrones formed a high circle. Thick, ominous mana hung heavy in the air, radiating an aura of pure pressure.
At the absolute center of the hall, the grandest throne remained empty.
Six terrifying Demon Lords sat in their respective seats. Their glowing eyes pierced through the shadows.
Suddenly, one of the Demon Lords slammed his massive, clawed fist onto the armrest. He stood up abruptly. His roaring voice shook the very pillars of the hall.
"We have received confirmation... The immortal being, Ignis, has been slain!"
He glared across the chamber at the other lords. His voice trembled with anger and disbelief.
"And to make matters worse... he was killed by a mere mortal! That is absolutely impossible!"
The dark hall of the Demonic Realm trembled under the weight of the Demon Lord's roar. Flame-like shadows flickered violently against the jagged obsidian walls as the remaining five figures shifted in their seats.
"A mortal?" another Demon Lord sneered. His voice dripped with dark thunder. "Ignis was an ancient entity. A human cannot sever the thread of an immortal life without divine intervention."
"Then explain his absence at the Gates of Death!" the first Demon Lord barked. He leaned forward as dark mana flared around his horns. "The Death God himself confirmed it. The human who did this carries the name Kael Redgrave."
A heavy, suffocating silence fell over the hall.
Slowly, the third Demon Lord—a creature wrapped in pale, silk-like shadows—tilted his head. "Redgrave... That bloodline was supposed to be extinct."
"Extinct or not, he has broken the cosmic law," a deep, ancient voice reverberated from the darkest corner of the room. "If a mortal can slay immortals, the balance between realms will collapse. We must eliminate him before his soul fully awakens."
The first Demon Lord grinned, showing rows of razor-sharp teeth. "Send the Shadow Envoys. End him while he is still bleeding from his last fight."
Back in the human realm, evening had settled over Kael's estate.
Uncle Vrenz and his secretary had already left. The house was quiet once again. Renjiro was resting on the patio outside, while Rexon was down in the basement laboratory monitoring company data.
In the living room, Kael helped Sara walk back to her bed. She sat down softly on the edge of the mattress, letting out a small, tired breath.
"You worked hard today," Kael said softly. He pulled the blanket over her legs. "Get some rest."
Sara looked up at him. Her dark eyes reflected the warm glow of the bedside lamp. She reached out and gently grabbed the edge of his sleeve.
"Kael..." she whispered. "Earlier today... when Uncle Vrenz called me your girlfriend... you held my hand really tight."
Kael froze. His cheeks warmed instantly. He turned his face away and scratched his neck awkwardly. "Ah... that was just... I didn't want you to feel uncomfortable."
Sara gave a small, genuine smile. Her long ears twitched slightly. "I wasn't uncomfortable."
Before Kael could process her words, the warm light in the room suddenly flickered.
The lightbulbs died. Pitch-black darkness flooded the room.
The temperature plunged below freezing in a split second. Frost rapidly spider-webbed across the glass windows. The air grew so thick it felt hard to breathe.
Kael's playful demeanor vanished instantly. His eyes turned sharp, gold, and cold.
"Sara, stay behind me," he ordered. His voice dropped to a dangerous whisper as he stepped in front of her bed.
Outside on the patio, Renjiro's eyes snapped open. He drew his blades in a single motion, sensing the terrifying aura engulfing the entire estate. "What the...?"
In the bedroom, the shadows in the corners of the room began to writhe like living snakes. From the floor beneath Kael's feet, thin black tendrils crept outward. They formed a complex, glowing crimson magic circle.
Warning: High-Tier Spatial Interference Detected!
Domain expansion: [Abyssal Isolation] has been activated.
You have been separated from the mortal realm.
A high-pitched, mocking laughter echoed from the darkness, bouncing off the walls.
"Kael Redgrave..." a cold, ethereal voice whispered right behind Kael's ear. "The Lords of the Demonic Realm send their regards."
Kael didn't flinch. A faint, dark purple aura burst from his body. It shattered the creeping shadows around his feet.
He didn't draw a weapon. He simply raised his right hand, his eyes glowing with terrifying, divine pressure.
"You picked the wrong house," Kael whispered.
With a loud snap of his fingers, purple lightning ripped through the darkness. It illuminated the terrifying faces hiding in the shadows—and set the stage for an inevitable bloodbath.