Inevitably, everyone has to yield at some point, willingly or coerced by a demon. The balance of karma is imposed upon even the supreme deities. Ric attempted to disrupt this cycle in his previous life, only to falter in the face of the cycle’s demand for equilibrium.

Be it a pure deity or an unholy demon, both had to yield to the inexorable will of the cycle—a balance that must endure. Until the inconspicuous onlookers navigated the currents of time, they would inevitably be drawn into the equilibrium dictated by the cycle.

To die without causing a ripple or surrendering was the mark of a fool.

The denizens of Hope demonstrated resilience as they rode the tide of time, demonstrating a strength that surpassed Ric’s expectations.

Henzo might seem stupid, but Ric realized how sharp his senses were. Within a span of hours, Henzo absorbed various facets of Ric, growing into a sharper and wiser individual with each passing second. Much as Ric might have desired to claim credit for this growth, it was Henzo’s accomplishment alone.

Throughout the ages, enlightened beings only underwent a change of their own volition, impervious to external influence, whether wielded by the hands of the seven deadly sins or the novel strategies devised by demons.

A person falters when they willingly relinquish control to another’s grasp. Ric, and perhaps Henzo, stood as exceptions to this norm, and delving deeper into the current debate would only augment Henzo’s understanding.

In time, Henzo might learn and win the argument. Ric foresaw the outcome, so he took the loss instead of letting the monster grow. In this long game, allowing the monster to flourish unchecked can spell disaster for him later down the line.

“Merely leaves caught in the cycle,” Ric scoffed.

“What does that make you then?” Henzo inquired, his curiosity piqued, his ears attentive for truth, while his gaze remained fixed on Ric’s lips, as though gold coins were about to drop the next moment he opened them.

“I am the one destined to shatter this cycle,” Ric replied, taking a step back from Henzo, who had ventured a bit too close for comfort. The prospect of breaking his unintentional celibacy with Henzo was not an appealing thought.

“What’s so wrong with going with the flow?” Henzo took a step forward, prompting Ric to retreat further.

“The same issue that plagues these walls,” Ric gestured toward Cathel’s outer mud barriers. “Limitations,” he clarified. “Becoming mere pawns in some divine scheme.”

“The cycle is a god?” Henzo asked, puzzled.

Ric shook his head, a smile playing on his lips. “Someone or something beyond that... I had to ascend to divinity to grasp it, only to be cast out at the brink of enlightenment.” His fist clenched in anger, though his smile betrayed a different sentiment. “As if it could evade the gaze of a demon king. Such audacity, TCK,” he tsked. “I intend to shatter the chains, then mold the cycle to my whim.” His smile twisted into an ominous grin.

“Just to be clear, we’re still discussing the abstract concept—Cycle of life, right? Not a literal wheel?” Henzo raises a skeptical eyebrow.

“Balance,” corrected Ric.

“Alright, count me in,” Henzo replied with an innocent smile.

Ric found himself bamboozled for the second time in his entire life, and by the same person, no less. “You don’t even grasp the full extent of my goal.”

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

“Should I?” Henzo questioned.

“Shouldn’t you?”

“No.” Henzo frowned at Ric, baffled by how such an intelligent person failed to comprehend the basics of friendship. “I have nothing better to do, so I’m going to help you reach your goals,” he smiled.

‘This guy!’ The bond within Henzo smacked its head against his soul, hoping some of its wisdom would penetrate the fool, or at the very least, he’d shed some of his naivety.

Ric harbored a similar question, but couldn’t fathom the simpleton’s logic. “Why?” was the only word he blurted out.

“For a smart guy, you sure don’t have a clue about friendship, do you?” Henzo’s frown took on a tangible form, catapulting Ric into the realm of confusion.

“That makes no sense whatsoever,” Ric snorted.

“Yes, it does,” Henzo countered.

“No, it doesn’t,” the bond yelled within Henzo’s head, but he ignored it, too.

In control of his faculties for the first time, Ric couldn’t help but wonder how the days seemed to stretch longer. With this damn fool irritating him every other second, the days dragged even further.

— — —<>|*|<>— — —

The citizens of Hope swallowed their nonexistent pride, having long shed it upon becoming residents of Hope, and relegated Ric’s words to the recesses of their minds. Not because Mary said so, but because Henzo’s declarations of seizing the kingdom with the aid of their newfound ally somehow sounded plausible.

They now had a plan, and the inquisitive citizens marched closer, fueled by the hope of dinner.

Yes, the spirit weapon promised sustenance in exchange for assistance, and not just any meals but dinner. This meant they might actually eat today, a prospect unrelated to their bland lives—pun intended—or the demon’s promise.

“All of you were against him half a day ago,” Debbie barked. “Now you are bowing to him, and for what?”

“Food!” An old man shrugged, and the others followed suit, acquiescing to the claim. “Food.”

“All of you... ugh,” Debbie exclaimed, releasing a frustrated, deep sigh. “He’s right. You’re all hopeless.” With a frown, she stormed away.

Once again, the citizens shrugged and veered in a different direction, heading toward Ric, the demon, with a plan for dinner.

Debbie stumbled upon Henzo in her room, where he was collecting the three carcasses of the guards, their titles lost alongside their deaths.

“I understand the rest...” Debbie pointed a trembling finger towards the outside world. “But you.” The finger shifted, now pressed against Henzo’s chest. “Weren’t you always on my side? Is one meal enough to break your promise?”

In her anger, Debbie pays no heed to Henzo’s black legs and arms, holding the carcasses as if they were mere bags of feathers.

“Ha…?” Henzo twisted his lips in disgust. “Are you talking to me?”

“Who else is here?” Debbie gaped as Henzo peered above at the carcasses. “I forgot how dense you can be.” She clasped her forehead, slumping onto the bed made of hay and covered with fine silk. Well, the best-discarded cloth Henzo found in the trash.

“What does my promise have to do with anything? Wait... no! Does it? No, it doesn’t.” He argued with his conscience as Debbie brushed off another of Henzo’s peculiar moments. “You said you would always be on my side,” she muttered, twiddling her thumbs.

“Friends before hoes,” Henzo replied with a smile.

“What?!”

“What?”

“How dare... why—what... I don’t know what that means,” Debbie confessed.

“I don’t get it either, but my buddy taught it to me before sending me to get them.” Henzo peers up at the trio. “When I was in a similar dilemma as you are right now.”

“How does that solve my problem?”

“The hell should I know? It helped me solve mine. I don’t get it, but it does,” he said, smiling as the bonds manipulated his legs out of the room.

‘We have limited energy, don’t forget,’ it urged when Henzo tried to resist.

“Why?” Henzo questioned the bond.

‘Bros before hoes?’ It replied with the same puzzled sensation Henzo felt.

“Okay,” Henzo conceded, convinced.

He hopped out of the second floor. A *!Thud!* resonated within the townhouse, followed by vibrations. A similar sensation ran through Mary’s very being, but Debbie's wails beckoned her attention before she could turn toward the clatter Henzo had caused.

“Is it that time of day already?” Mary sighed and made her way up the spiral staircase.

Debbie wanted to slam the door in Mary’s face, but Henzo had already broken it to enter her room, so now she glared at Mary instead.

“What happened here?” Mary glanced around the messy room. “How hard is it to maintain something you remind everyone is precious?” She mumbled under her breath.

“Henzo,” scoffed Debbie.

“That scrawny kid?” Mary scanned the room, then moved to the corridor and balcony to check their surroundings, yet she couldn’t find Henzo anywhere.

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