“W-What do you mean by that?” Cassia asked as her expression stiffened.

Just the thought of the Heavenly Demon, who had made her a puppet for the last ten years, sent a cold shiver racing down her spine.

“Y-You mean... the Heavenly Demon is nearby?”

“No. I can feel it inside your Stigma,” Kwon Oh-Jin replied.

If the Heavenly Demon had been nearby, Vega would’ve noticed it long before he did.

“Inside my Stigma?”

“Yeah.”

He could guess why the Heavenly Demon’s energy suddenly surfaced within the Stigma of Ophiuchus.

The Stigmas of Black Star Celestials are infused with the Black Heaven.

The very Celestial that gave Cassia her Stigma had accepted the Heavenly Demon’s power. Naturally, its trace lingered in her Stigma.

Which is why she lived as the Heavenly Demon’s puppet for ten years.

Kwon Oh-Jin bitterly smiled at Cassia, who gripped her dress uneasily at the mention of the Heavenly Demon.

“What do you mean, you feel the Heavenly Demon’s energy inside my Stigma?”

“You don’t have to be so scared. Cassia, you know that a Black Star Celestial’s Stigma carries traces of the Heavenly Demon’s power, right?”

After living over a decade as his puppet, she would know that better than anyone.

“Y-Yes, I know, but...” Cassia cocked her head as if to say, “Why bring that up now?”

Didn’t Kwon Oh-Jin already know that as well?

He gently caressed her Stigma. “Until now, I couldn’t feel the Heavenly Demon’s presence.”

“What?”

“Even if it carries the Heavenly Demon’s power, it’s only the tiniest fraction.”

In terms of flow, it went like this: The Heavenly Demon → Celestial → Stigma. By the time that power reached Awakeners like Cassia or Isabella, only the faintest trace remained.

Apparently, even that much was enough for the Black Heaven’s Domination to take hold. Either way, until now, it hadn’t been strong enough for Kwon Oh-Jin to sense it.

But now, I can feel it.

He could sense the Black Heaven’s energy slumbering within the Stigma of Ophiuchus on her chest.

It’s not like it suddenly appeared out of nowhere. It must’ve been there the moment Mobius gave her the Stigma.

Kwon Oh-Jin simply hadn’t reached the level where he could notice it until now.

“If you can notice the energy now, that means...”

“It means I’ve finally gotten strong enough to match his level.”

He had managed to reach the very threshold of the Heavenly Demon.

Not that reaching the bare minimum is really something to celebrate.

Still, it was better than staring helplessly at an unreachable cliff. Clinging to the edge at least, even by his fingertips, was a strangely encouraging thought.

Cassia’s emerald eyes sparkled as she cried out in admiration, “T-That’s incredible, Lord Oh-Jin!”

She knew of the Heavenly Demon’s impossibly strong realm better than anyone, so she couldn’t help but be moved.

Kwon Oh-Jin awkwardly coughed at her excitement. “No need to make a fuss.”

After all, he hadn’t truly reached the same level yet. At best, he had just managed to grab hold of the Heavenly Demon’s foot. Being praised like this felt a bit much.

“No! You don’t realize just how incredible that is!”

“Stop it.” With a sigh, Kwon Oh-Jin shook his head. “Anyway, there’s something I want to test.”

“Test? What do you mean?”

“Just stay still for a moment.” Kwon Oh-Jin pressed his hand against Cassia’s Stigma and slowly drew up the Black Heaven.

Rumble!

Black clouds spread from his fingertips and seeped into the Stigma of Ophiuchus.

Cassia jolted. “Ugh!”

Kwon Oh-Jin closed his eyes and focused.

I can feel it.

A constellation shimmered in the night sky. Within that radiant starlight, black clouds writhed.

Kwon Oh-Jin reached toward the Heavenly Demon’s Black Heaven, hidden deep inside the Stigma of Ophiuchus. He seized the black clouds, lodged there like a parasite, and forcibly pulled them out.

“Ahhk! U-Ugh...!” Cassia violently convulsed as if having a seizure.

The Black Heaven, lying in her Stigma all these years, being ripped out felt like having a piece of her very soul torn away.

“Hold on a little longer,” he said.

“Hhhnn... Y-Yes, Lord Oh-Jin.” Despite the searing pain, Cassia bit down on her lip at his warmth.

Kwon Oh-Jin carefully extracted the Heavenly Demon’s energy embedded in her Stigma.

Her mana is too unstable.

Her mana thrashed violently as he ripped away the Heavenly Demon’s energy. It was as if the ground beneath her had suddenly collapsed, leaving her flailing for balance.

The Heavenly Demon’s power has already become part of her Stigma.

Simply removing it wouldn’t restore Cassia’s Stigma to its original state. A malignant tumor that had already become part of the body would draw blood when forcefully cut away.

In that case...

Kwon Oh-Jin channeled his own energy to fill the void where the Heavenly Demon’s Black Heaven had been torn out.

The raging mana settled, and Cassia’s ragged breathing slowly steadied. “Haa, haa!”

He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and pulled back from her. “Phew. It’s done. You’ll never be under that bastard’s Domination again.”

Both Cassia and Isabella had collapsed in agony when the Heavenly Demon revealed himself in the Demonic District. Now, Cassia would no longer fall under the Heaven Demon’s sway. Kwon Oh-Jin had completely carved out the Heavenly Demon’s energy from her Stigma and replaced it with his own.

Even if the Heavenly Demon’s Black Heaven was someday destroyed, Cassia and Isabella would no longer die along with it. Kwon Oh-Jin had now shattered every chain that used to bind her.

Well, except they’ve just been replaced by me.

No chains remained so long as he didn’t actually use the Domination trait.

Cassia’s green eyes widened. “Ah...”

She gingerly touched her Stigma and trembled. “The Heavenly Demon’s energy inside me is really all gone?”

“That’s right.”

A shiver of realization shot down her spine, and tears welled in her eyes.

“W-What’s wrong?” Kwon Oh-Jin asked.

“Hic...”

Seeing him all flustered, Cassia couldn’t hold back anymore and burst into tears.

Did he even know how much his casual act meant to her?

“I was always... always so afraid.”

She always feared the thought of the Heavenly Demon’s energy still lingering inside her. He could turn her back into a puppet anytime he wished.

Worst of all—

“T-That I might hurt you again with my own hands. I never stopped worrying about it.”

That was weighing on her all this time.

Kwon Oh-Jin wryly smiled and gently patted her trembling back.

For someone who usually looks so composed, she’s got such a fragile heart.

Cassia and Isabella really were sisters, alike even in their vulnerabilities.

“It’s fine now. You don’t have to worry anymore.”

“Sniff... Thank you.” Cassia leaned her head against his chest with a shy, teary smile.

Kwon Oh-Jin continued comforting her when Isabella strode up and tugged Cassia off his shoulder. “How long do you plan on clinging to Mr. Oh-Jin?”

Cassia narrowed her eyes and glared at her sister. “We were having a nice moment. Why spoil it?”

“Hmph. And let an affair play out right in front of me?”

“My, anyone who hears you would think you and him were already married.”

The sisters started snapping at each other again.

Kwon Oh-Jin sighed and shook his head. “Enough, both of you.”

“Why? It’s fun.” Song Ha-Eun kept munching on popcorn and laughed at the show.

“Now’s not really the time for you to be entertained, you know?”

Wasn’t Song Ha-Eun supposed to feel the most uncomfortable right now?

“Thanks to someone, my tolerance for this kind of stuff has gone up.”

Kwon Oh-Jin had no rebuttal and could only clear his throat awkwardly. “Ahem...”

Just then, Isabella stepped closer. “Mr. Oh-Jin, that means you can erase the Heavenly Demon’s energy from my Stigma as well, right?”

“Of course.”

Though they possessed different Stigmas, both bore traces of the Heavenly Demon’s power. Replacing it with his own Black Heaven wouldn’t be difficult.

“Then, could you please remove it?” Smiling sweetly, Isabella pulled his hand and pressed it against her left breast.

The overwhelming presence pressing against his palm created an illusion of a massive mountain looming before him.

With playful eyes, Isabella burst into laughter. “What’s wrong?”

Behind them, Cassia’s face twisted sharply. “Funny. You didn’t react like that when you touched mine, Lord Oh-Jin.”

With a victorious grin, Isabella raised her chin smugly. “Well, obviously.”

Cassia gnawed at her nails and glared daggers at her sister.

“Enough. I need to focus.” Kwon Oh-Jin ignored the sensation in his palm as best he could and drew forth the Black Heaven’s power.

Just like with Cassia, he ripped out the Heavenly Demon’s energy rooted in Isabella’s Stigma and replaced it with his own.

A soft gasp of admiration slipped from her lips. “Ah...”

Isabella traced the Stigma over her chest, and a radiant smile spread across her face.

“It feels like... you’ve entered inside me, Mr. Oh-Jin.”

“You’re talking about the Black Heaven, right?” 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

“It’s warm and comforting.”

“Bruh.”

Excuse me, young lady. Why are you putting it like that?

Kwon Oh-Jin pressed his forehead as if he had a headache.

Isabella’s expression twisted as blood-colored mana violently burst forth from her. Clutching her left chest, she painfully groaned. “Agh...! Ahhh!”

Her mana spread out like a thick fog.

“This is...”

Any Awakener would recognize this sight.

Kwon Oh-Jin had gone through the same thing just recently, the promotion of a Stigma.