"Brat, that's not for you to decide."
Guren's tone was grim.
"Oh my, why so grumpy? If you smile more, Sister Mahiru will love you even more~"
Luke didn't take it seriously.
He turned his gaze to the japanese sword in his hand; the craftsmanship was exquisite, and the curvature was just right.
"By the way, Pervert Guren, do you have some kind of special fetish?"
Ichinose Guren's face darkened further. Being called a pervert repeatedly made even his thick skin feel a bit thin.
Luke gave a mischievous grin.
"Why did you stick an explosive talisman on yourself?"
Ichinose Guren's eyes narrowed slightly as he quickly looked down at his body, only to see a Curse Talisman stuck to his chest.
"Have a nice trip."
Boom!
An explosion rang out, and smoke filled the air.
"Cough, cough, cough."
Guren lay miserably on the road, the clothes on his chest blown open to reveal a sturdy but bloodied chest, gasping for air in large gulps.
If he hadn't been wearing clothes specially reinforced with cursed techniques, there was no telling what might have happened.
As the smoke cleared, Luke was already nowhere to be seen.
"That damn brat!"
"Hey now, Guren, it looks like you need help right now."
"Shinya, help me heal my injuries."
"Hahaha, that's right, crave me even more!"
...Luke returned home carrying asuramaru.
It was nearing evening, and Akane Natsume had not yet returned home.
Luke went back to his room, double-locked the door, and drew the sword.
In the blink of an eye, he arrived back in that pure white space.
"So, now we should have a good talk about the name Ashera Tepes."
asuramaru appeared somewhat eager.
He had lost his memories from before he became a demon, yet the brat before him had spoken a name that felt incredibly familiar.
It was a name he had forgotten for over a thousand years.
Compared to completing Hiiragi Mahiru's mission, asuramaru was clearly more interested in his former name.
Thus, he chose to accept Luke.
Luke smiled as he looked at the eager asuramaru.
"Don't be in such a hurry; we have three months to talk about this topic properly."
Luke looked at the calendar: September 27th.
"You even know what's going to happen in three months? Human brat, I find you a bit hard to read, but what makes you think you're in a position to negotiate with me?"
asuramaru was very dissatisfied with Luke's answer.
Hearing this, Luke feigned a headache.
"I'm the type who can't handle being scared; once I'm frightened, I tend to forget things, especially things about Ashera Tepes."
Luke looked troubled as he rubbed his forehead.
"Are you threatening me?"
asuramaru was getting angry.
Luke spread his hands in a gesture of helplessness.
"How would I ever dare to threaten you, Lord asuramaru?"
Then, Luke put on a look of astonishment, covering his mouth and gasping.
"Oh my, Lord asuramaru wouldn't kill me, would he?"
asuramaru reached the end of his patience with Luke's attitude.
"Brat, don't push it too far."
A smear of pitch black, like ink dropped into water, began to spread from beneath asuramaru's feet. In the blink of an eye, it enveloped Luke.
"Tell me everything you know, or I'll make you wish you were dead!"
Luke felt the thick Demonic Aura permeating the air around him, making it difficult to breathe for a moment, yet he remained calm and composed.
"Don't you demons love making deals the most? If I tell you what you want to know, what can you give me?"
After a long silence, asuramaru's voice came from the darkness.
"Power. I can grant you immense power."
Luke shook his head dismissively.
"I don't need it."
"Hypocritical brat. Everyone says they refuse a demon's power, but not a single person can resist the temptation. With power, you can do anything!"
Luke shook his head again.
"I don't need it."
"Kid, I'm a demon. I have no physical form; I only have power to give you. You must know this. Are you playing with me?"
asuramaru was feeling furious.
"Who says you only have power?"
Luke asked mysteriously.
asuramaru froze for a moment.
What else could I give him?
"Promises."
"Huh?"
Luke held up three fingers.
"I need you to give me three promises."
asuramaru was a bit dazed.
"What do you mean?"
"It means when I have a need, you must fulfill my request."
"Brat! What do you take me for? A slave?"
Luke didn't get angry; he simply said something that left asuramaru momentarily speechless.
"You are sealed inside a sword with no freedom whatsoever. Is this situation any better than being a slave?"
asuramaru couldn't refute it. Demons and Vampires were two extremes.
Vampires, aside from their craving for blood, had no desires to speak of; they could endure loneliness better than high monks who had left the secular world for decades.
Demons were exactly the opposite. All demons loved desire—they loved the desires of others and their own desires just as much.
The longer a cursed gear weapon went without being mastered, the harder it became to master.
Because the longer the demon within the weapon was lonely, the stronger their desires became; they wished they could be used every single day.
So, being sealed in the prison of a cursed gear weapon could truly drive a demon insane.
"Agree to my terms, and I will not only help you find your memories, but I will also let you leave this desolate space forever."
The dark Demonic Aura receded like a tide, and asuramaru's figure appeared.
The japanese sword that had been under his feet was now held against Luke's neck.
The anger was gone from asuramaru's face as he smiled and said to Luke,
"I'm starting to feel like you're the demon and I'm the one being tempted by you."
"Lucky for you, kid, I'm quite interested in your proposal."
Feeling the coldness at his neck recede and a trickle of blood flow out, Luke's heart finally settled.
"Well then, a pleasure doing business with you~"
He had won the gamble!
But he had relaxed too early.
asuramaru glanced at the drop of blood seeping from Luke's fair neck and licked his lips.
"Wha... what are you looking at?"
Luke noticed that the look in asuramaru's eyes wasn't quite right.
"Hmm, let's add one more condition: you have to provide me with food."
"Fo... food?"
Luke asked uncertainly.
"Don't demons devour desires? Do you still need to eat?"
asuramaru's smile grew wider and wider.
"Well, actually... drinking blood is also an option~"
"Drinking blood? Eh! Wait!"
asuramaru summoned several chains that bound Luke, sealing his mouth in the process.
"Let's have the first meal then."
Leaping behind Luke, the chains tightened, exposing Luke's neck.
"Oh? It seems you've already seduced other diners."
Luke knew asuramaru was referring to the bite marks left from when Krul sucked his blood before.
"I'm not in the habit of sharing utensils with others."
With a movement of the chains, the other side of his neck was exposed.
asuramaru bit down.
Luke was speechless with grief.
Are you two siblings treating me like a signature board? One on the left, one on the right—I'm really over this.
Hey, hey, hey, you're sucking even harder than Krul did!
Holy crap, I'm dizzy, dizzy, dizzy!
Sorry, Princess Krul, I can't be your exclusive supplier anymore; I'm no longer pure.
You will get 90 chapter ahead for this fanfiction.
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