Chapter 369: Kill The Shopkeeper Darian’s laughter echoed for a brief moment. "Why don’t you abandon that useless corpse and join me instead? I promise to show you a far better time than whatever that pathetic merchant could provide. A demon of your... considerable talents... deserves a partner with actual stamina and power." The dark king’s entire demeanor had transformed from the respect he’d shown during their previous transaction into open contempt now that he finally had leverage. Where before he had been like a loyal dog hoping to be thrown scraps from Noah’s shop, desperately purchasing items and maintaining politeness to preserve access to the shop’s resources, now he radiated arrogance. "Look at you, so desperate and pathetic, flying around like a frightened bird protecting a worthless egg. Did you really think you could escape from both light and dark elves simultaneously? Your toy is unconscious, your resources are depleted, and you’re surrounded by forces that vastly outnumber whatever pitiful strength you have remaining." He gestured dismissively at Noah’s limp body. "That human was useful when he controlled access to his shop’s miracles. But now? He’s just dead weight dragging you down. Surrender him to me, swear your service, and I will let you live long enough to enjoy your new position warming my bed." Lola’s expression darkened into a frown that promised violence, her exhaustion momentarily forgotten in the face of such disrespectful arrogance toward Noah.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ Lola’s anger was evident in the way her fire wings started burning with intensified fury, the flames shifting from red to deeper shades of the colour. Her demonic tail, which had been relatively subdued during the flight, now swished around with visible agitation that left trails of heat distortion in the air. Her eyes glinted with such pure killing intent that even the experienced dark elf warriors flanking Darian took involuntary steps backward with sweat beads on their forehead. Darian simply laughed at her display of rage, finding her fury entertaining rather than threatening given her obviously exhausted state. "Oh, please calm down, little demon. That impotent anger is beneath you. Accept reality with grace rather than throwing childish tantrums when you’ve clearly lost." Lola did force herself to calm, but not because of his condescending mockery. Her rational thinking cut through the rage to recognize that emotional reactions wouldn’t save them. She had to think critically and strategically if they were going to survive this impossible situation. Buying time until Noah woke up wasn’t a viable option either. She could see the furious Seraphina approaching in the distance, her single remaining arm radiating light magic while her face twisted with pain-fueled determination. Within seconds, Lola would be trapped between light and dark elf forces with nowhere left to run. Salvation was so close, yet so far. Damn it. How did things go so terribly wrong...Noah. She had to somehow break through Darian’s blockade and reach the shop before Seraphina arrived to complete the encirclement. There was indeed one way she could accomplish that, but the method made Lola feel guilty—terribly, deeply guilty in ways that she couldn’t utter. Darian interrupted her thoughts with another contemptuous demand. "Kill the shopkeeper now and swear service to me. I’ll even make you my favoured concubine if you comply immediately. Surely that’s better than dying alongside that unconscious human?" Although Darian didn’t know why the human was unconscious, that didn’t matter. All that mattered was the fact that he was in a weakened state and would soon be dead. Lola looked at Darian’s smirking face, then down at Noah, cradled in her arms. His facial expression remained peaceful despite everything occurring around him, like a prince in enchanted slumber, completely unaware of the desperate battle being fought for his survival. After a brief moment of hesitation, Lola finally made her decision. Then, in an unexpected turn of events to everyone present, including the dark elves and the distant light elf observers, Lola plastered her lips against Noah’s in what appeared to be a farewell kiss. But it wasn’t farewell. Her tongue began playing with his, their saliva mixing as she initiated something far more intimate than simple affection. Her demonic nature activated techniques that transcended normal physical contact, creating a connection between their life forces that allowed energy transfer in ways unique to her species. She was strengthening the bond that Noah had created when he had first saved her from Prince Malphas. Lola’s aura started rising slowly, almost imperceptibly at first. The gathered dark elves didn’t notice the gradual increase, assuming she was simply saying goodbye to her fallen master before surrendering or dying. But then, all of a sudden, her aura flared considerably. The power surge was dramatic and unmistakable, her capabilities shooting upward as she drew upon Noah’s vast reserves of vitality through their intimate connection. She wasn’t stealing his reserves; she was amplifying her own depleted reserves with fresh energy using a method of dual cultivation. Darian’s smirk vanished instantly as he recognised what was actually happening. He had thought she was giving Noah a final kiss before killing him as commanded, but it seemed he had made a catastrophic miscalculation. Her aura rose rapidly to match his own level, and worse, it showed signs of continuing to increase even further. Afraid she might elevate herself beyond what he could handle, Darian decided immediate action was necessary. "Grab them both! Now!" King Darian commanded the multiple dark elf grandmasters beside him. He didn’t want to kill Lola if avoidable—she remained the most beautiful woman he had ever encountered, and a succubus at that. He had never possessed one of her species before, and the thought of breaking such a magnificent creature to his will held tremendous appeal. But allowing her to complete whatever technique she was executing would be foolish. Darian took direct charge of the assault, launching powerful dark element attacks specifically at Noah’s vulnerable unconscious body. If he could kill or critically injure the shopkeeper, the energy transfer would be disrupted, and Lola would return to her depleted state.