House Asmodeus –
The sparring arena behind the grand Asmodeus estate was shrouded in floral mist—an artificial battlefield created by Amaryllis herself. Iruma stood shoulder to shoulder with Alice, both boys ready for whatever would come.
In front of them stood Lady Amaryllis, her eyes like blooming roses laced with poison, her magic rolling like a perfume-scented wave across the arena. A teasing smile played on her lips.
"Let's begin."
Suddenly, the world around them rippled—first violet, then green, and finally a deep, hypnotic purple.
Iruma blinked.
What's going on? This mana pressure—
But before he could brace, the world twisted—
– Illusion –
He was no longer in the arena.
Iruma stood at the center of an elegant moonlit garden. Petals fluttered in slow motion. Surrounding him were countless women, all impossibly beautiful—delicate, bold, all shapes and forms—and all of them reaching for him with affection.
They were smiling. Whispering his name.
And they were… wearing almost nothing.
Wha—?! W-What is this?!
A flush crept over Iruma's cheeks. He spun on his heel to look away—only to see more flowers blooming, more women appearing from behind the trees, rising from the waters, fluttering from the skies.
His breath hitched.
No—I need to focus! It's an illusion! I KNOW it's fake! She will not hurt me? Right?
He gritted his teeth, trying to open his Rinnegan, his Sharingan, anything to break it—but the magic here wasn't bound by the same logic. This wasn't a Genjutsu. This was something deeper. More… emotional ! A demon magic.
A whisper danced on the wind.
"Desire is the truest mirror of the soul..."
Iruma felt heat flood his face. His knees wobbled.
No—this isn't real. This is wrong. I don't even—want this!
Yet his body trembled, his instincts screaming from the overwhelming sensory pressure. His will, normally so strong, faltered.
He clenched his fist—his sword appeared in the illusion, icy and gleaming, but even that barely kept him grounded.
And then—
CLAP.
The world shattered.
Amaryllis clapped her hands once again, swiping the air to dispel the illusion. The arena returned to its warm sunset hue. The sweet smell of desire faded.
Iruma dropped to one knee, sweat rolling down his temple. His face was flushed, and his breathing ragged.
"Wha…"
"It's over." Amaryllis smiled gently, brushing her pink curls behind her ear. "'Crimson Veil'—it reveals one's most opposite obsessive fantasy and traps the target within it. Most demons never break out until I allow it."
"You really hate Lust illusion Iruma chan?" Amaryllis said.
Iruma looked up, eyes narrowed.
"Tch."That illusion was... even than stronger my own Genjutsu I've experienced. What kind of magic is that?
Amaryllis turned to Alice, who stood panting but upright, slightly dazed but nowhere near as shaken.
"Good job, dear. You're improving. Even with our main attribute being flame, your exposure to lust magic is building resistance."
Alice gave a stiff nod, trying not to show how uncomfortable he was.
Iruma looked at him sideways.
"That didn't bother you?"
"Mother's illusions are… specific. I've been trained to handle them. Still..." Alice coughed lightly. "It wasn't exactly easy."
Amaryllis chuckled.
"Don't worry, Iruma-chan~ You actually lasted quite a while. Most full-grown men faint in thirty seconds."
Iruma wiped his brow.
"...Why are you training us like this again?"
She tapped her lips.
"Why, because desire is the foundation of many forms of demon magic! Especially for someone with you inside of him."
Iruma blinked. "What?"
She smiled. "Your ring. Its magic is fueled by hunger. By wanting. Lust, craving, longing—it's all the same fuel. So I wanted to see how far you've come… and what you desire most."
Iruma's stomach twisted.
Ali-san's healing… my ring's evolution… This magic really is tied to something deeper. Not just willpower. But emotions I haven't even acknowledged.
And then a small voice echoed from inside him:
"Heh. You really are pathetic when you're flustered, you know that?"
Iruma groaned.
"Ali-san, not now…"
"Just saying. You liked that illusion a little too much."
---
The moonlight barely reached the training courtyard behind Sullivan's mansion. Shadows over the cobblestone as Iruma stood across from Opera, blade in hand, body trembling slightly.
His head hung low. Sweat dotted his brow.
"I couldn't even last a second, Opera-san."
Opera's tail flicked behind them lazily, calm as ever.
"Of course you couldn't."
Iruma looked up, startled by the blunt response.
"I mean... I know she's one of the Thirteen Crowns. I know she's even stronger than you, probably. But I thought I could at least last a minute. At least resist a little."
Opera didn't blink.
"You're still young. You're growing. Only training can change what you hate about yourself."
He stepped forward.
"Now show me how much you've grown, Iruma-sama."
They clashed.
This time, Iruma didn't get blown back instantly. His movements were sharper, refined. When Opera lunged, Iruma sidestepped—not perfectly, but with enough speed to avoid a clean hit—and retaliated. His blade barely nicked Opera's arm again but this time its actually slice off.
A thin trail of blood glistened.
Iruma froze. "I… actually hit you? Ahh i slice you!!"
Opera smiled softly. "You did. But remember—most demons of higher rank can regenerate."
Before Iruma's eyes, Opera's wound closed up as if it never existed.
"It's not just power you need," Opera explained. "To truly hurt a demon, your attack must be filled with both emotion and chakra—your life force. And for those stronger than you, sometimes the only way is…"
He paused, eyes serious.
"…to sacrifice your life for one final strike. A technique that makes you invincible for twelve minutes. Enough time to kill even the most powerful."
And that attack name is "Heart of Human" or "Sacrifice of Gambles"
"That's a very lame name is it not? Both of them."
"Well it's But devil can't do that only Human can. "
"Why?" Iruma aks with bit of confusion on his face
"Well , thats becasue Human are mortal. And demon isn't . Only Way a demon can die is by battle or drained magic mana"
Iruma's eyes widened.
"That's insane…"
"It's Humanity (Sacrifice of Gambles ). That's what it is."
Iruma took a step back. My eyes—my Sharingan, even my Rinnegan—they awaken from emotion… Then why can't I do them into something like that?
"Opera-san… what kind of emotion are we talking about here?"
Opera closed his eyes.
"Hatred. Real hatred. Not annoyance. Not frustration. The kind where someone hurts you so deeply, so permanently, that you would cut down their bloodline without hesitation. That's the hatred of demons. Not of Human hatred. You will not feel sympathy nor you will feel eager"
Iruma's breath caught.
"…But there's also love." Opera opened his eyes. "You cant kill your friends, Iruma-sama. Because they're below Rank 6, you could hurt them in training or spare—but you don't. You hold back."
"That's love."
He pointed to Iruma's chest.
"Your power is different. You could forge a blade with love just as sharp as one forged with hate. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."
Iruma gripped his sword tightly, heart pounding.
Emotion. Chakra. That's the key. I can't mimic My old's path exactly… but I'll walk my own version of it and make it even worse.
Later That Night – Demon Town Shopping Street
The bustling night market glowed with warm lights, strange smells, and even stranger demon food. Iruma walked between Sullivan and Opera, carrying bags of ingredients, potion items, and snacks.
"Oji-san, do we really need five bags of those jelly eyeballs?"
Sullivan pouted. "But they're delicious and limited edition! You never know when a Crown-ranked guest might drop by."
Opera rolled his eyes.
Iruma laughed, finally feeling lighter after the day's intensity. But even in the crowd, he couldn't shake the memory of Amaryllis' illusion magic… or the way Opera's words hit him like a truth he'd always known but never named.
Ali-san whispered inside him:
"You've gotten stronger. Not just in body… but here."
Iruma smiled gently.
"I still have a long way to go."
And above them, the moon watched silently—its Firstborn walking forward, step by step, into the night.
Ali san said something to Iruma which bring a smirk on iruma face.
"Well lru boy , you can hurt demon if you fully accept my power but thats needs an A rank 8 demon to do, but you are now on 5. But you can kill demon its not like i dont know. I know more than your butler. HA HA HA HA.... be proud lil-iru"
*** What are odd, Alired is saying? can a human slay a demon? ***