"You have no idea," Renny muttered to himself. He already saw a fracture potential on her, an opening he intended to exploit.

Renny attacked, swinging distraction strikes as Seraphine weaved through, each movement fluid and calculated. He slid, tackling her as she fell, their faces now inches apart. With a sharp motion, he drove his dagger toward her neck, but it shattered on impact.

She smiled at him as the blade fractured into pieces. Unbelievable… how? Was she really that durable?

Before he could process it, she shoved him back and rose to her full height. Renny grasped only the handle of his broken dagger, stunned.

Seraphine's gaze bore into him, cold and unrelenting. "You truly believe you can oppose the royals in hell? That you can play at power with that Rotman of yours by your side?" Her voice was low, sharp, each word striking like a blade. "Do you not see, Ezraphor… you've already lost. That wretched creature beside you... he shares the same fate as you. If you wish to continue living even as a normal demon, there is only one path open to you."

Renny's eyes flicked to his dagger... now nothing more than a handle, the blade gone. He sucked his teeth. Fighting her with his demon abilities was pointless. There was only one real option if he was to escape this encounter.

"I'm not interested," he muttered, bracing himself with a new resolve as he tried to activate his royal eye.

Seraphine was faster. In a blur, she yanked him backward, slamming him into the wall. His face jolted against the surface, the wall groaning under the impact. Her palm pressed mercilessly against the back of his head, pinning him in place, leaving him no room to maneuver.

Renny struggled, straining against the pressure, but it was useless.

"What did I just say? Huh?" she hissed, gritting her teeth. "You're trying to act smart with me? Do not mistake me for the driver you killed... you will face that punishment. But first… you will release Leila's soul."

Renny gasped, his face still pressed against the wall. She eased just enough pressure for him to speak.

"I… I can't," he rasped. "The tree devoured her. She's… gone."

Seraphine's eyes narrowed. "This is hell, Ezraphor. Souls do not die here... they are claimed. The Ezra tree has taken a soul that does not belong to it. It must be returned."

"They can take it, if they want," he said, "since they desire her soul so badly."

Seraphine's grip tightened slightly, forcing a groan from him. "Watch your mouth," she snapped. "You know full well they cannot enter the garden except by your permission. Just as you allowed Leila, you must allow me to retrieve the soul."

So this was their endgame, Renny thought. "What's to stop me from using the tree against you, like I did to Leila?"

Seraphine's eyes went colder. "Don't be foolish. Don't assume we're unprepared for every trick you play. You think you pulled one stunt and that's the rulebook? It won't repeat itself."

Her gaze hardened. "Refuse, and you'll witness the hell the pastors warned humans about. Forget being a demon… I'll make you live a life far worse than the one you had on Earth. Progeria, was it? It would look like a blessing compared to the torment I'll inflict on you."

She let the words hang, heavy in the air. "You have two weeks to prepare. Two weeks. I will come for you on the 20th. Then, and only then, we collect Leila's soul. I would have come sooner, but I, too, have duties as a repeating demon, all because of you. So do not test me on that day, if you know what's good for you."

With that, she released him, dusting off his body and adjusting her suit. Her gaze swept the room, taking in the chaos. "Look at this mess," she murmured, shaking her head. Then, a small smile curved her lips. "Alright. Let's go inspect your work." She exited, urging Renny to follow as he struggled to regain his composure.

They exited the back room, and Leila inspected everything carefully. Once satisfied, she nodded, signaling that Renny was free to go. "Don't forget what we spoke about," she reminded him sharply.

Renny left sluggishly, rubbing the back of his neck. The force she had used to press his head against the wall had been immense, and that was without her even trying. He could feel the raw power grade fives possessed; she had shattered his weapon effortlessly. He felt a pang of gratitude for the Ezra Garden. If the sanctuary law did not exist, Leila could have dealt with him in ways beyond his comprehension.

He slowly stepped out of the venue, still reeling from what had just transpired. His mind was consumed by one thought: how in hell would he escape her when she came for him on the twentieth?

The next day marked contract day. Renny went to meet Agent Kaviru, where the details of his failed contract, and his options were laid bare.

Kaviru explained that a demon could forfeit a contract before its expiration if they presented a reasonable, tangible justification. Renny had that option; after all, he could claim his failure came from lack of resources. But forfeiting wasn't what he wanted. He had a plan now, one he was certain would work. The first time, he had failed because he lacked the tools. This time, he wouldn't.

The second option was harsher but tempting: extend his current contract for six more months. If he succeeded during that extension, he'd regain his place with his grade and move on to sign a new Grade 2 contract. It was his only chance to catch up with his peers. But if he failed again within those six months, he'd lose that chance forever, forced to slog through the rest of the year in shame, repeating the same cycle.

Renny weighed both paths, clean slate or dangerous extension. In the end, he chose the latter. He extended the contract.

The cost was immediate. Instead of the usual 1000 contract points, he received only 500. Barely enough to acquire anything meaningful. Worse, his one reliable weapon had been shattered in his clash with Seraphine. He was back to square one.

Still, all was not lost. His mark points remained untouched, a reservoir of 480 to spend on seeds or spells. He might lack weapons, but at least he wouldn't be defenseless.

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