More girls stepped forward, standing in perfect formation.
Their eyes were steady, but some looked nervous.
They had just seen what happened to the first three.
The screaming, the collapse, the transformation.
But they still came forward.
Zain was about to move.
His hand lifted slightly as he prepared to activate [Heavenly Demon Slaves] again.
But his vision blurred.
His knees buckled.
And suddenly—he dropped.
The room tensed.
Velra's expression shifted instantly.
She stepped forward in a flash and caught him by the shoulder before he hit the ground completely.
"Master!" she hissed. "What's wrong?"
Zain groaned and tried to push himself up, but his arms were shaking.
He gritted his teeth.
"Damn it… My energy's gone."
His head dropped for a second.
"I used too much converting them. Marking all three… was my limit."
He forced himself to one knee. His breath was sharp, uneven.
"It drains more than I thought."
