It was a dark, pitch-black night. There wasn't even a single common firefly, and the summer night was so dark that one had to rely almost entirely on the full moon in the sky.

Akaza had been staying in the Infinity Castle during the day and had come outside as soon as the sun, his weakness, set to have a meal for the first time in a while. Honestly, he was going crazy because he wanted to go outside so badly. Staying inside the Infinity Castle, it was hard to endure that damn Doma constantly circling around and mocking him.

To make matters worse, Doma was Upper Rank 2, a position higher than his own. Since it was a seat he had lost in a Blood Battle, he couldn't even say anything... Walking while suppressing his anger like this, Akaza soon reached the point where he was exiting the dark forest path coming from the Infinity Castle.

In a forest like this... Akaza judged that while there might be brave human men who would set foot in such a forest on such a dark night, there would be no weak women. Anyway...

...Akaza wondered, 'Why is it that human women are always rejected from somewhere deep inside me that even I don't understand?' He certainly considered the weak to be hideous and loathed them. With few exceptions, most women belonged to the category of disgusting weaklings, so why human women... Just as he was lost in complex thoughts for the first time in a while—

Thud.

The sound of something collapsing weakly reached Akaza's ears clearly. If it was this sound, it was definitely a human. Just as he was hurriedly turning around to see if the human who would be his first meal in a long time was a strong one or a disgusting weakling...

...!

It was a human woman. Moreover, she was a weakling who looked frail at a glance, the kind he loathed the most. But... what was this feeling? Even though he clearly saw the human woman, the feelings of disgust and loathing vanished without a trace.

...Was this an unpleasant feeling? His heart ached so much. Beyond just aching, it was even painfully intense, yet it beat more violently than when he saw any strong opponent.

He couldn't even remember how long it had been since his heart had ached like this, and so intensely, but he could never deny this feeling.