Garion tilted his head slightly and looked at the thin demon again.

"…Vessel Demon," he repeated. "That name doesn't sound powerful at all."

He folded his arms.

"Honestly, it sounds weak," Garion said. "So what kind of demon is it, really?"

The demon slave stood still, eyes lowered, body unmoving.

Atlas answered calmly.

[Vessel Demons are incomplete demons.]

[Their bodies are weak, underdeveloped, and unstable.]

[They usually lack strong instincts, ambition, or resistance.]

Garion frowned.

"So they're born defective," he said. "That's harsh."

[It gets worse.]

Garion glanced at the demon again.

[Because their bodies are incomplete, they can easily accept foreign souls, memories, or consciousness without rejection.]

Garion's eyes narrowed.

"…So that's it," he said slowly.

[Yes.]

[That makes them perfect backup bodies for high noble demons.]

Garion clenched his jaw.

"Second lives," he muttered. "Insurance."

The Vessel Demon didn't react. It didn't flinch at the word body. It didn't show anger or fear.

It simply stood there, quiet and hollow.

Garion stared at it for a long moment.

"…What a pitiful race," he said honestly.

He looked back up.

"Then why did you say they're one of the most powerful demon races?" Garion asked. "That doesn't add up."

There was a short pause.

Then Atlas replied.

[Because of their incomplete bodies.]

Garion blinked.

"…Say that again."

[Because they are incomplete, they are not locked into a single path.]

[They can grow in directions other demons cannot.]

Garion's eyes widened slightly.

"…Wait."

He looked back at the Vessel Demon, really looked this time.

"…They're blank," he said.

[Exactly.]

Garion's breathing slowed.

"…Including my cultivation path," he said quietly.

[Yes.]

[Including the God Physique Cultivation Path.]

Garion laughed softly, shaking his head.

"So demons saw this race as trash," he said. "As containers."

He took one step forward.

Then another.

Before anyone could react, Garion reached out and grabbed the Vessel Demon by the arm.

The demon stiffened.

Its eyes widened slightly, confusion flashing across its usually empty face.

"…Huh?"

That single sound slipped out of its mouth, thin and uncertain.

It had never been touched like this before.

The surrounding slave demons froze.

A heartbeat later, the guards noticed.

"What the hell are you doing?!" one of them shouted.

Another guard stepped forward, eyes blazing with anger.

"How dare you touch Lord Morveth's belongings!"

Garion didn't even turn his head.

He adjusted his grip on the Vessel Demon, making sure it wouldn't fall, then casually swung his free fist.

The punch landed squarely on the guard's face.

The guard flew backward and smashed into a wall, crumpling to the ground without another sound.

The other guards froze for a split second.

"…Kill him!" someone roared.

They rushed forward together, weapons raised, demonic energy flaring.

Garion sighed.

"Annoying."

He stepped into them.

A punch sent one guard flying.

A kick crushed another into the ground.

A backhand knocked a third unconscious.

None of their attacks even slowed him down.

The Vessel Demon was carried along in Garion's grasp, feet barely touching the ground, eyes darting everywhere.

Why…?

Why me?

It couldn't understand.

It was weak. Useless. A spare body.

Why would anyone take it?

[Quickly, follow the arrow.]

Garion's eyes flicked upward.

A faint arrow appeared in his vision, pointing down a narrow street.

"Got it," Garion muttered.

He turned and moved, breaking into a run.

The guards shouted in panic and chased after him.

"Stop him!"

"Don't let him escape!"

"If Lord Morveth finds out...!"

They ran harder, fear driving them forward.

They were terrified of Morveth's punishment.

They didn't know.

They couldn't know.

That Morveth was already gone.

Garion glanced back over his shoulder and grinned.

"You guys really should've checked the situation first," he said.

He scooped up a handful of loose stones from the ground and flicked them backward.

Each stone hit with brutal force.

One guard went down clutching his leg.

Another was knocked off his feet mid-run.

A third collapsed face-first into the dirt.

Garion didn't slow down.

The Vessel Demon bounced slightly in his grip, heart pounding.

"W-Where are you taking me…?" it asked quietly.

Its voice was thin. Careful. Afraid of being punished for even speaking.

Garion looked at it.

"…You can talk," he said. "Good."

The demon flinched, expecting anger.

But none came.

"I'm taking you somewhere better," Garion continued casually.

The demon didn't understand.

Better?

There was no "better" for a Vessel Demon.

"I'm… weak," the demon said hesitantly. "I can't fight. I can't help you."

Garion snorted.

"Yeah," he said. "I know."

That made the demon's chest tighten.

"But that's exactly why you're perfect."

The Vessel Demon didn't answer.

It didn't know how.

No one had ever said something like that to it before.

The faint arrow continued to hover ahead, pointing beyond the city gates.

Garion followed it without hesitation, moving through broken streets and out into open ground.

The walls of Grimveil City slowly fell behind them.

The sound of heavy footsteps echoed from behind.

The guards were still chasing.

The Vessel Demon glanced back and saw them clearly now.

Steel Demons.

Their bodies were tall and broad, skin layered with a dull metallic shine.

Each step they took cracked the ground slightly.

Their eyes were cold, focused, and filled with confidence.

"…They're still coming," the demon said quietly.

Garion glanced back and clicked his tongue.

"Persistent," he muttered.

The arrow flickered again, pointing farther ahead.

The Vessel Demon swallowed.

"W-Where are you taking me?" it asked.

Before Garion could answer, Atlas spoke.

[Of course it's a place for your God Gym.]

Garion smirked after hearing it. "I see."

The footsteps behind them grew louder.

One of the Steel Demons roared. "Stop right there!"

Garion slowed to a halt.

He turned around and looked at the approaching demons.

There were five of them left.

All Steel Demons. All confident. All certain they would win.

Garion gently set the Vessel Demon down on the ground.

"Stay here," he said.

The Vessel Demon hesitated. "W-What are you doing?"

Garion rolled his shoulders once.

"Now," he said, "let me show you a good show."

The Vessel Demon frowned deeply.

"A… good show?" it repeated.

It looked at the Steel Demons, then back at Garion.

"You're facing Steel Demons," it said nervously.

"They're one of the strongest demon races when it comes to bodies."

Its voice lowered.

"They don't rely on tricks. Or spells. Their bodies are their weapons."

Garion smiled.

"That's exactly why this will be fun."

The Steel Demons stopped a short distance away. Their leader stepped forward, metal skin creaking slightly as he moved.

"You really think you can escape?" the Steel Demon growled. "You're alone."

Garion cracked his neck.

"Alone?" he said. "Nah."

He tapped his chest.

"I brought my body."

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