Chapter 180

Chapter 180: Chapter 180

With that, The Reaper walked away, his figure gradually disappearing into the distance. Blood dripped from his wounds—proof that even legends could bleed when faced with the right opponent.

Seraphine and Cassius stood frozen for a long moment, unable to believe what had just happened.

Then they heard it—a weak groan from behind them.

They turned to see Satou stirring slightly, his body’s regeneration working even in unconsciousness to repair the most critical damage. He wasn’t waking up yet—wouldn’t for hours, probably—but he was alive.

Against all odds, against the strongest hero in the world, against an opponent with three hundred years of experience and the ability to adapt to anything...

They’d survived.

Seraphine fell to her knees, relief and exhaustion overwhelming her. Cassius sat down heavily, his broken ribs protesting the movement.

And in the distance, The Reaper hummed to himself as he walked, already thinking about the next time he’d get to fight someone interesting.

For the first time in two centuries, he actually had something to look forward to.

—--------

Cassius had managed to carry Satou’s unconscious body to one of the few intact buildings—a reinforced medical facility deep within the central spire. Seraphine followed, limping badly, her wings still shredded and refusing to regenerate properly.

"How is he?" Seraphine asked as Cassius laid Satou on a bed.

The vampire’s expression was grave. "Alive, but barely. His mana reserves are at absolute zero. His body is covered in wounds that his regeneration can’t heal without energy. And his life force..." Cassius paused, checking Satou’s pulse. "It’s stable, but weak. He pushed himself far beyond what should have been survivable."

"Will he recover?"

"Yes," Cassius said with certainty. "Lord Satou’s regeneration is special. Once his mana begins recovering naturally, his body will repair itself. But it will take time. Hours, maybe a full day before he regains consciousness. Days before he’s back to fighting condition."

Seraphine collapsed into a chair beside the bed, her entire body trembling with exhaustion and residual adrenaline. "He saved us. A demon lord I tried to seduce, who had every reason to let me die after my manipulation attempts... saved us."

"That’s who he is," Cassius replied simply. "Lord Satou can’t stand to watch someone die when he has the power to prevent it. Even if it costs him everything."

They sat in silence for a moment, watching Satou’s chest rise and fall with shallow breaths.

"What about the others?" Seraphine finally asked. "My warriors. My council members."

"I’ll check on them," Cassius offered. "You should rest here. Your injuries need time to heal as well."

"No," Seraphine said firmly, trying to stand. Her legs gave out immediately, and she collapsed back into the chair. "Damn it. I need to see my people. Need to know who survived."

"Lady Seraphine," Cassius said gently. "Your people need their leader alive and recovered, not collapsed from exhaustion trying to check on everyone. Let me do the initial assessment. I’ll report back within the hour. Please... rest."

Seraphine wanted to argue, but she couldn’t. Her body was screaming for rest, and her rational mind knew Cassius was right. "Fine. One hour. Then I’m going out there whether you approve or not."

"Understood," Cassius said with a slight smile. He moved toward the door, then paused. "Lady Seraphine... what Lord Satou did today—fighting to total exhaustion to protect people he barely knows—that’s not something you see often. Even among the so-called ’good’ demon lords."

"I know," Seraphine whispered, her eyes fixed on Satou’s unconscious form. "I know."

Cassius left, and Seraphine was alone with her thoughts and Satou who’d sacrificed everything to save her city.

The news Cassius brought back an hour later was both better and worse than expected.

"Zero deaths among the warriors," he reported, still somewhat amazed by that fact. "The Reaper kept his word—he disabled everyone but killed no one. Broken bones, severe injuries, magical exhaustion, but everyone is alive."

"How is that possible?" Seraphine asked. "He was moving at speeds that should have been lethal. Fighting with power that could level cities."

"He was holding back," Cassius explained. "Even in berserker mode, even while fighting Lord Satou at full intensity, he maintained enough control to pull his strikes against your warriors. He could have killed them all in seconds. Instead, he defeated them in ways that left them alive."

Seraphine didn’t know how to feel about that. Relief that her people survived, certainly. But also something like humiliation—The Reaper had been so far above them that he could afford mercy even while treating them as obstacles.

"Veronica, Lilith, Morgana, Carmilla and Seraaphine(clone) are all recovering," Cassius continued. "Severe injuries for all of them, but nothing life-threatening. They’ll be back on their feet within a week. The regular warriors will need longer—some have injuries that will take months to fully heal."

"The civilians?"

"Unharmed. The evacuation protocols worked. They’re starting to return now, wanting to see their city and help with reconstruction."

Seraphine let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. "So we survived. All of us. Because The Reaper decided we were entertaining enough to spare."

"And because Lord Satou fought him to a standstill," Cassius added. "Don’t discount that. The Reaper was genuinely challenged. Those thirteen wounds from Void Fang—they were still bleeding when he left. He’s probably seeking medical attention right now, something he hasn’t needed to do in centuries."

Seraphine looked at Satou again, at his peaceful face despite the lingering wounds. "How long until he wakes?"

"His mana is recovering, but slowly. I’d estimate another eight to ten hours. His body is prioritizing healing over consciousness."\

"Then I’ll wait here," Seraphine decided. "When he wakes up, I need to... I need to thank him. Properly."

Cassius raised an eyebrow but said nothing. He simply bowed and left, leaving Seraphine alone with Satou once more.

Hours passed.

Seraphine sat beside Satou’s bed, watching him breathe. Her own injuries had healed enough that she could move without pain, though her wings would take days to fully regenerate.

She’d cleaned his wounds personally, using her limited healing magic to accelerate his natural regeneration. It wasn’t much—her corruption magic was better at transforming than healing—but it was something. A small way to repay the debt she now owed him.