The Life of Lust Demon

"Oscar, don't just stand there! Uncle Bodhi needs you now!" Zoey snapped, urgency in her voice.

Startled, Oscar nodded quickly. "Y-yeah, on it!"

Without wasting another moment, he hurried over to Bodhi, his hands already glowing with healing energy.

Zoey turned to Anos, her gaze lingering before she asked, "That power… was it the Time Element? Are you able to manipulate time?"

Anos exhaled heavily, steadying himself as he got to his feet. "No. If I had the Time Power, I wouldn't have waited until things got so desperate. It was just a one-use artifact. I wasn't sure it would work, but we got lucky."

Zoey studied his face, then nodded. She decided not to push the matter. "Either way, you saved us. Thank you…" Her words carried a sincerity that wasn't lost on him.

The others quickly joined in.

"Anos, we owe you our lives!" Knox, Xander, and the rest said in unison. Their gratitude wasn't hollow; they knew they would have died if not for his intervention. Now, battered and bruised, they were alive—and they had Anos to thank.

"Ding… Zoey's favorability towards you +30. Current favorability: 25. Friendly."

Anos shook his head slightly at the system's notification, though he wasn't surprised. Life-saving acts tended to leave an impression.

Zoey's voice softened. "I was wrong about you. I judged you unfairly when we first met, and I regret that. Thank you for what you did today."

Anos shrugged lightly. "Don't worry about it. I wasn't just saving you; I was saving myself, too."

"Ding… Zoey's favorability towards you +5."

Knox stepped forward, his expression firm. "Brother Anos, if you ever need help, you have my word—I'll repay this debt no matter what."

"Same goes for me!" Xander added.

Anos rubbed the back of his neck, clearly flustered. "Let's not get too formal here. Just focus on healing for now."

Zoey nodded firmly. "Rest up, everyone. I'll keep watch."

Anos walked with Zoey over to Bodhi, where Oscar was just finishing his treatment. Bodhi, now conscious, gave them a tired but grateful smile.

"How's he doing?" Anos asked.

Oscar wiped his hands, his expression serious but calm. "The worst is over. The wounds are deep, but he'll make it."

Bodhi pushed himself upright with effort, holding his side as he looked at Anos. "I don't even have the words. If not for you, we'd all be dead. You have my loyalty—and that of the Iron Reavers—forever."

Anos waved him off awkwardly. "Let's not make this a big deal, okay?"

Despite his humility, Anos couldn't help but feel a deep respect for the Iron Reavers. They were genuine and loyal people, and he was glad to have stood alongside them—Owen being the lone exception.

---

While the group rested, Anos and Zoey leaned against a large boulder, their conversation picking up where it had left off.

"I've been meaning to ask," Zoey said, tilting her head toward him, "you're at Stage-Ten in the Elemental Foundation Realm, right? Your moves earlier were pretty sharp."

Anos smirked. "Sharp enough. Why? Planning to back out of our bet already?"

Zoey let out a light laugh. "Back out? Please. I could take you down without breaking a sweat. Don't let that earlier fight inflate your ego."

Anos raised an eyebrow, his grin widening. "Oh, that's some confidence. Just don't blame me when you owe me big after I win."

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Zoey crossed her arms. "Win? Not if you pull another one of those time-stopping tricks. That was cheating."

Anos rolled his eyes, exasperated. "For the last time, that wasn't me. It was a one-off artifact. My actual element is lightning."

"Lightning, huh?" Zoey asked, her tone skeptical. "Then how come I haven't seen you use it yet?"

Anos opened his palm, allowing arcs of electricity to crackle across his fingers.

Zoey raised an eyebrow, clearly impressed. "Not bad. But don't get too comfortable. I'm faster than I look."

"Fast enough to run away when I win?" Anos quipped, his grin teasing.

"Ding… Successfully provoked Zoey. Scumbag points +20,000."

Zoey narrowed her eyes at him, but a faint smile betrayed her amusement. Her attitude toward him had softened since his timely intervention during the earlier chaos.

Her expression turned serious as the topic shifted. "I still can't believe Owen turned out to be working with the Evil Fiend Temple. He almost got us all killed."

Anos leaned back against the boulder, his tone casual but sharp. "Yeah, I've had a run-in with him before. He's my teacher's cousin—though calling him family is a stretch. Probably hates me because I pretended to be Teacher Sofia's boyfriend once."

Zoey raised an eyebrow. "Pretended? You, of all people? That's rich. You mean Sister Sofia, right?"

"You know her?"

Zoey nodded. "She stayed with our crew for a while. Hard to imagine she'd vouch for someone like Owen. She probably had no clue he was tied to the Evil Fiend Temple."

Anos's gaze hardened. "It's worth digging into his family. If he's involved, chances are the rest of them aren't innocent either."

Zoey's fists tightened. "You're right. I'll let my grandfather know once we're back. He'll make sure this is investigated."

Anos noted the mention of her grandfather but chose not to press for details.

Zoey smirked suddenly. "But seriously, Sister Sofia asked you to pose as her boyfriend? What was she thinking?"

"Hey!" Anos shot back, mock-offended. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Zoey laughed. "I mean, she clearly has better taste than that."

Anos grinned. "Exactly. Her standards are higher than yours, which is why she picked me. Maybe you're just not qualified to judge."

"Ding… Successfully provoked Zoey. Scumbag points +10,000."

Zoey rolled her eyes, though the faint blush on her face hinted at a mix of annoyance and amusement.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

Before the exchange could escalate further, Levi and the others approached, looking more composed after their brief rest.

"How're you holding up?" Anos asked.

Bodhi nodded, his tone steady. "I've handled worse. We're not turning back now."

Zoey frowned. "You're still recovering. Is it really worth the risk?"

Oscar stepped in, his voice reassuring. "We'll be fine. Unless something truly monstrous appears, we can handle it as a team. Besides, those potions are working wonders."

Xander added, "And let's not forget—we came here to find the Ice Origin Core. We're not leaving empty-handed."

Anos shrugged. "I'm good with moving forward, but I'm not going to push anyone. The shard can wait if it has to."

Zoey sighed, giving in to the group's resolve. "Alright, but listen up—safety comes first. If things get out of hand, we retreat. No arguments."

With that, the team gathered their gear, determination etched on their faces as they set out toward the unknown, ready to confront whatever awaited them.

---

Ahead of them lay a path shrouded in mystery—a part of the area that hadn't been ventured into for quite some time. Though not entirely unexplored, it had been long enough to guarantee one thing: beasts were bound to lurk in the shadows.

Anos and Zoey took the lead this time. Despite her youth, Anos had to admit he was impressed by Zoey. At her age, most people were preoccupied with trivial pursuits, yet here she was—fiercely skilled, calm in the face of danger, and adept with a variety of advanced tools. Even when the group had faced their lowest moments, Zoey's composure had never faltered. It was hard to believe she was just a teenager.

"Why do you keep staring at me?" Zoey's sharp voice snapped him out of his thoughts, her brows furrowed with suspicion.

Anos blinked, caught off guard. It wasn't as though he was ogling her or anything. He shrugged casually, trying to keep it light. "Just curious how a 'little sister' looks when she's serious."

Zoey's expression darkened, her ponytail swishing behind her as she glared at him. "Little sister?! Says the guy who acts like a cocky big brother. Maybe you're the one who needs to grow up."

Anos smirked, and a wicked thought flickered in his mind before he could stop it. Big and cocky, huh? If only you knew how big and cocky, sweet Zoey. Bet you wouldn't be calling me a brother then. He quickly composed himself, keeping his amusement from showing as he replied, "Ouch, no need to get so worked up. You're not that scary."

If it weren't for the fact that Anos had saved her and her team earlier, Zoey might have considered tackling him right then and there. But no—dignity first.

From the side, Oscar snickered. "Anos, better watch out. Sister Zoey doesn't let grudges slide. She might already be planning your downfall."

"Shut it, Oscar!" Zoey shot him a playful death glare, her cheeks reddened with mild irritation.

Anos smirked. "Revenge, huh? I'd like to see you try."

Zoey flicked her ponytail with mock disdain. "Please. I'm above petty schemes."

"Sure you are," Knox chimed in with a grin. "But let's not forget the time Oscar swiped her cup noodles, and the next day his meal mysteriously had sleeping powder in it."

"Knox!" Zoey's voice rose in exasperation as the group burst into laughter.

Despite the lighthearted banter, Zoey's sharp instincts didn't waver. She glanced at her tracking device and frowned slightly. "Stay sharp. There's movement up ahead—a lot of beasts."

"Anything particularly strong?" Anos asked.

Zoey shook her head. "No Spirit Core-level monsters detected. Just the usual."

"Then it's no big deal," Anos said confidently. "Let's keep going."

Twenty minutes later, the group reached their destination. The journey hadn't been without challenges—they'd encountered and dispatched over 30 beasts, including a formidable Stage-Two Spirit Core Realm creature. Despite his injuries, Bodhi had managed to defeat it with Zoey's wind-element support, and Anos had gained valuable combat experience in the process.

"This is it," Zoey said, pointing to a three-meter-wide, ice-sealed hole in the ground. "The Ice Origin Core we're after is down there, floating on the water's surface."

Anos crouched down, studying the icy barrier with curiosity. "An underground river, huh?"

Bodhi nodded. "Exactly. The Ice Origin Core rests just beneath the surface."

"Odd," Anos muttered. "Why would the Ice Origin Core just float there? Shouldn't there be a source deeper underground?"

The group exchanged uncertain glances.

"That's a good question," Bodhi admitted. "But no one's ever stuck around to investigate. Most treasure hunters just grab the Ice Origin Core and leave."

Zoey tilted her head, clearly intrigued. "Anos, are you suggesting the Ice Origin Core might be tied to whatever made this area the Inner Zone?"

Before he could respond, she added with a smirk, "Oh, and by the way, you're just Anos—not 'Brother Anos.'"

Anos laughed. "You'll call me that eventually."

"Hah! In your dreams. Beat me in a duel first, then we'll talk!"

The two continued their playful exchange as the group gathered around the ice-sealed hole. Beneath the thick layer of frost, the faint sound of flowing water echoed.

Zoey rummaged through her pack and pulled out a compact metal box. She placed it on the ground and said, "Uncle Bodhi, break the ice."

Bodhi nodded and summoned golden energy to his fist. With a powerful punch, the ice shattered, sending shards flying and revealing the underground river below. The crystal-clear water shimmered faintly, and cold air rushed out as the surface began to refreeze.

Zoey's gadget came to life, unfolding a mechanical arm equipped with a fine-mesh scoop. She carefully lowered it into the frigid water, extracting two fist-sized, translucent blue orbs. They shimmered with an otherworldly glow, radiating intense cold.

"What kind of tech is that?" Anos asked, clearly impressed.

Zoey smirked knowingly. "High-tech enough that you'll never figure it out."

The Ice Origin Core was transferred into a specialized white metal bucket designed for extreme temperatures. Bodhi inspected the haul and nodded in satisfaction. "This should cover our mission expenses for at least a month."

Anos grinned. "Great. Now let's hope the trip back is as smooth as this find."

The group exchanged determined nods, their spirits high as they prepared to embark on the next leg of their journey.