The Broken Halo

The private combat chamber remained tense and silent after Simon stopped Sava’s final attack.

Crimson cracks still glowed faintly across the dark-red floor before slowly fading. Sava stood in front of Simon with one wrist lowered, while Simon’s palm remained against her left breast.

The Second Claw stared at him with narrowed golden eyes.

Too many questions had appeared in her mind during the brief exchange.

The first concerned Simon’s true strength.

She had watched him avoid every one of Sava’s attacks with an almost insulting ease. He never stumbled, panicked, or created unnecessary distance. Even when Sava increased her speed and began using close to half of her power, Simon continued moving by the smallest amount required.

Then he stopped her final technique.

He softened the floor beneath her feet, solidified the space around her hand, peeled apart the unstable lightning with six opposing wind currents, and redirected the remaining power into the ground.

Each action required a different affinity, excellent timing, and a degree of control that many Greater Demons could not achieve.

’He is definitely not a Supreme Archfiend.’

The Second Claw found it far easier to believe that Simon’s heart rank was another disguise.

He had not fought a Half-Step Greater Demon, a Minor Greater Demon, a Prime Greater Demon, or even a Superior Greater Demon.

Sava possessed a Supreme Forged Heart.

Even though she had not used her full power, a Supreme Greater Demon should not need her full strength against an Archfiend in the first place. Talent could bridge gaps, but there had to be a limit.

What disturbed the Second Claw almost as much was the way Simon had corrected Sava.

He did not throw out vague advice after surviving an attack. He identified the flaws while her techniques were being used and manipulated Sava’s body to demonstrate exactly where her balance, rotation, timing, and lightning betrayed her.

And he had been right.

Blackmoon looked young. Every report described him as young. Yet only an old warrior, a veteran who had survived countless battles, should have been able to teach a Supreme Greater Demon with such calm authority.

Perhaps Blackmoon truly was only one face.

Perhaps the Outsider beneath it was far older than any of them believed.

’Then what is his real face? Who is he?’

Sava’s voice finally broke the silence.

”How long do you intend to keep using this opportunity to touch my breast?”

Simon lowered his gaze.

He looked at his palm, then at where it rested. Without any sort of apology or embarrassment, he calmly removed his hand and stepped back.

Sava’s eyes narrowed into cold slits.

”Shameless bastard,” she muttered.

She adjusted the front of her dress, then turned toward the Second Claw and bowed.

”Master, forgive me. I allowed my anger to control me and almost used enough power to expose us.”

The Second Claw waved one hand.

”It is fine.”

Sava raised her head.

”In a way, you did well. We came here uncertain whether the Outsider possessed enough ability to justify his confidence.”

Her golden eyes returned to Simon.

”Now we know he is not a mere Supreme Archfiend.”

Simon remained silent, and the Second Claw leaned forward slightly.

”What is your actual heart rank?”

”You can sense it.”

”I can sense a Supreme Infernal Heart,” she replied. ”I no longer believe that is the same as your true rank.”

”It is.”

The answer came without hesitation, and the Second Claw studied his calm face once more.

”Then explain your speed, strength, reactions, and the concentration and purity of your demonic energy.”

Simon smiled faintly.

”I was able to accomplish what I accomplished in this battle because Sava went easy on me. She was also angry and not thinking clearly.”

Sava’s brows knitted tightly, and the Second Claw gave him a flat look.

”A talented Supreme Archfiend should still struggle to perceive a casual attack from a Supreme Greater Demon, much less avoid dozens of them.”

”Her movements had flaws.”

Simon looked at Sava.

”Small ones, but enough. Her lightning announced some attacks before her body moved. Her balance became rigid whenever she intended to change direction, and her waist exposed the path of her strikes.”

Sava’s lips twitched.

”If she improves those little details,” Simon continued calmly, ”she might cause me serious damage the next time.”

A vein rose on Sava’s temple.

The only wound she had inflicted was a shallow cut created by a surprise attack, yet Simon spoke as though he were generously encouraging a student who had almost performed well.

She wanted to ask how he had seen through her techniques.

She wanted to demand another fight with no restrictions.

She also wanted to strike the calm expression from his face.

But for some reason, none of the words left her mouth.

The Second Claw rose from her chair.

”I see...”

Her eyes flickered with a strange light.

”If you want to hide your abilities and the truth, I don’t think I can force you to expose them. Also, we have obtained what we came for... and more.”

Her gaze remained on Simon for one final moment before she looked at Sava.

”We are leaving.”

Sava inhaled slowly and forced the crimson lightning around her hands to disappear.

The Second Claw snapped her fingers.

Their true appearances blurred. Sava’s bronze-red skin became light grey, her long hair shortened, and her amber eyes returned to dull violet. Beside her, the Second Claw once again assumed the reddish-brown face and tied dark hair of a Red Sand Hall attendant.

They collected the trays and walked toward the door.

”You never told me your name by the way,” Simon suddenly said.

The Second Claw stopped with one hand near the privacy formation.

Simon leaned casually against the edge of the table.

”The Eastern Hand, Sleeping Commander, and Old Banner may be beyond my reach. Surely your name is not.”

She turned her disguised face toward him.

”Do you genuinely intend to support Crownless Dawn?”

Her playful tone had disappeared.

”And are you truly unaffiliated with Black Horn?”

Simon met her gaze.

”I am not a member of Black Horn. Blackmoon is useful to them, and they are useful to me.”

He paused.

”The same is true of Crownless Dawn. I will support it for as long as our interests continue travelling in the same direction. I have never promised anything more.”

The Second Claw watched him in silence, then a faint smile appeared on her borrowed lips.

”We will see about that.”

She deactivated the privacy formation and opened the door. Before stepping into the corridor, she looked back at Simon.

”My name is Ivara.”

Then she left with Sava, and the door closed behind them.