Chapter 9: Devil vs Devil 3
Dirga woke up to a sterile white ceiling and the steady beeping of a heart monitor. A sharp ache pounded through his skull. His limbs felt like lead, and his chest rose with shallow, deliberate breaths.
Where...?
He blinked, slowly taking in the hospital room. His body was sore, his spirit heavy. A quick glance at his wristwatch revealed the time: 2:00 PM.
"Damn..." he muttered.
He had slept for nearly 14 hours.
He could feel it. The fatigue that went beyond mere physical exhaustion — this was something deeper, heavier. A spiritual hollowness that clawed at his insides. His soul usage had reached 0.08. Not even a tenth of his essence was gone, and yet... it felt like something vital was already slipping away.
He sat up and scanned the room. No flowers, no notes, no TV. Just silence. Then the door creaked open, and Lilith stepped in.
"Are you okay?" she asked. Her voice was soft, but there was a rare flicker of concern in her eyes.
"Barely," Dirga replied. His voice was hoarse. "But forget about that. Tell Mr. Domiscus Vantasio to prepare for the final ritual. Tonight."
Lilith’s eyes widened. "So soon? You just—"
"Before midnight," Dirga interrupted. "That’s the deadline."