Chapter 272

Volume 2 Ch 15: Devouring

The ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍instant that black scale appeared, the violent torrent of energy rushing through Ryan’s body seemed to find an additional outlet and storage point. The force of its wild influx faltered slightly and became somewhat more docile.

The ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍golden patterns spreading across his skin gradually stabilized as well, no longer flashing so violently.

With ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍a soft thud, the utterly exhausted Iruya finally lost the strength to remain standing and collapsed to the floor, leaning against the cold edge of the bath. She panted heavily, her violet eyes fixed in shock and uncertainty on Ryan at the center of the Magic Circle—his body covered in golden markings, that strange black scale embedded in his chest, and the gold-red light in his eyes not yet fully faded.

Gold-red ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍eyes.

Iruya ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍had never seen such eyes before—

No. ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍She had.

In those horrifying images depicting the Law-Devouring Ancient Dragons consuming the stars, the pupils of those twisted beasts had been exactly that color.

And in the final moments within the ruins, Ryan’s eyes had been that color as well.

Like molten gold. Like a burning sun. Yet cold as iron frozen for ten thousand ages.

The instant that gaze fell upon her, every hair on Iruya’s body stood on end.

It was not fear.

It was something deeper, something rooted in bloodline instinct itself—

Like an antelope facing a pride of lions.

Like a rabbit encountering a hawk.

Before her mind had time to react, her body had already responded.

“Back!”

She suddenly leapt backward two full steps. Silver light flashed beneath her feet as layer after layer of pale silver protective Magic bloomed around her like flowers opening in alarm, stacking seven layers deep in an instant.

At the same time, without conscious thought, she raised her hand. A sharp Wind Spike spell, enough to pierce through iron armor, burst from her fingertips and shot straight toward Ryan’s chest.

No!

Iruya regretted it the very instant the spell left her hand. Only after her body had acted on instinct, defending itself, did she fully realize the situation before her.

Ryan had only just completed the ritual. His state was still unclear. If she wounded him now...

But it was too late to call it back.

That Wind Spike, carrying roughly thirty percent of the Mana she had poured into it in unconscious reflex, tore through the air with a shrill whistling scream, racing toward the young man seated naked in the center of the bath, his skin covered in flowing golden patterns.

And then she saw something she would never forget for the rest of her life.

When the Wind Spike reached a point roughly three feet from Ryan’s chest, it suddenly slowed, as though it had plunged into an invisible swamp. Under Iruya’s stunned gaze, the black hexagonal scale in his chest, edged with flowing gold-red patterns, gave off the faintest flicker of light.

There was no sound. No explosion.

That Wind spell, which could have pierced iron armor, was like a drop of ink falling into a boundless sea. Like a wisp of smoke drifting into a cavern without end.

It was eaten.

Completely. Silently. Without so much as stirring a single ripple of Mana, it vanished before that black scale, which was no bigger than a fingernail.

The scale did not even shine brighter, as though what it had just devoured had not been an attack spell capable of killing a person, but merely an insignificant breeze.

Iruya froze where she stood, her violet eyes wide as she stared at what had just happened.

Her throat went dry. Uncontrollably, an image rose in her mind:

A drop of thick red pigment falling into a basin of clear, ever-purifying living water.

No, that was not right.

It was as though the pigment itself had leapt into the water, only to be instantly broken down, assimilated, and erased without leaving the slightest trace.

How... how could this be possible?

Even if it had only been a casual strike, it had still been a genuine offensive spell!

And it had simply been... eaten?

Then, just as her mind reeled and her gaze remained locked on that scale on Ryan’s chest, another fact—one she had completely overlooked—suddenly crashed into her awareness.

This man was naked.

During the ritual, the energy impact had been so violent that the clothes Ryan had still been wearing—already damaged from the earlier battles—had been utterly reduced to ash in that burst of power.

At this moment, he sat in the center of the bath, surrounded by rising steam, silver-white damp hair clinging to the sides of his neck as droplets slid down the lean lines of his body.

His muscles were not exaggeratedly bulky. Rather, like those of the finest hunting cat, every inch of him held a sense of restrained, fluid power.

His skin seemed even paler than before, a cold ivory white like polished bone, now tinged with a healthy flush.

Beneath that skin, faint, almost transparent golden patterns flowed in subtle motion, like living things, or like the imprint of some ancient totem, tracing the perfect contours of a body that looked almost sculpted by divine hands.

The sight was filled with a kind of power and beauty that seemed beyond human.

Without meaning to, Iruya’s gaze lingered for a moment longer than it should have on the smooth lines of his waist and abdomen, his broad chest, and his sharply defined arms. Then, quite involuntarily, her eyes drifted lower—

And only then did she realize what she was looking at.

“Ah—!”

A short cry slipped from her throat, so unlike anything she herself would ever have expected to make.

The face of the elven princess, normally cool and moonlike, instantly flushed a color more vivid than sunset itself.

Like a startled rabbit, she spun around at once and clamped both hands tightly over her eyes. The tips of her pointed ears turned so red they looked as though they might bleed.

“Y-you... your clothes! Put something on at once!”

Behind her came what sounded like Ryan’s low cough, touched with a trace of awkwardness, followed by the rustle of fabric.

Iruya kept her eyes squeezed shut, yet the image she had glimpsed remained stubbornly in her mind—the smooth lines of muscle, the faint golden patterns moving under the skin, the strange black scale on his chest that seemed capable of swallowing all light, and that one fleeting glance of...

No. She could not think about that.

She shook her head hard, trying to fling the image away, but the heat in her cheeks refused to fade.

“All right.”

A moment later, Ryan’s low voice sounded again. It already seemed to have recovered its usual calm.

Only then did Iruya cautiously peek through her fingers. After confirming that Ryan had already dressed himself in a simple dark set of everyday clothes, every button fastened with meticulous care all the way to the top so that everything below his neck was tightly covered, she finally let out a breath of relief, lowered her hands, and turned around.

But the flush on her face had not fully faded yet. Combined with the pallor from loss of blood, it left her looking less distant and cold than usual, and more vividly, awkwardly young.

Ryan’s eyes had also returned to their normal gray-blue, though the faint golden ring at the edges of his pupils now seemed slightly more noticeable than before.

He looked... well.

No—not merely well.

Iruya could feel it. Standing there, without deliberately releasing any pressure at all, he gave off the impression of still water over a bottomless abyss, as though unimaginable power had been folded inward beneath the surface.

The weakness from Mana exhaustion that had clung to him before had vanished without a trace, replaced by a restrained sharpness, like something poised and ready to spring.

“How... how do you feel?” Iruya forced herself to ignore the heat in her face.

Ryan did not answer immediately.

He raised one hand. His long, clean fingers gleamed with healthy life beneath the warm magical light of the bathroom.

He stared at his own palm, as though sensing something within it.