Demon's Hand

The cave was dark and damp, with only a dying bonfire in the corner providing a meager amount of light and warmth. Several layers of dry straw covered the ground, serving as the bed for the three siblings.

In such an environment, it was like hell for the three children.

Lu Chongwei frowned and snapped his fingers.

Snap.

A ball of warm, bright fire appeared out of nowhere in the center of the cave, dispelling the chill and illuminating the entire space.

Mirajane and Elfman were startled by this display and instinctively huddled together.

"Don't be afraid, it's just for light."

Lu Chongwei found a clean stone to sit on and distributed the food he brought to the three of them.

Lisanna, while taking large bites of bread, mumbled to her brother and sister about her experiences in town.

"...And then the mayor brought people to attack me. Luckily, Brother Lu Chongwei blocked the stones and yelled at them all to leave..."

Lisanna was sensible; she omitted the details of being injured by the villagers and begging on her knees, only recounting how Lu Chongwei had saved her.

She didn't want her sister and brother to worry, nor did she want them to harbor more hatred towards the townsfolk.

Lu Chongwei sat to the side, listening quietly, and didn't expose Lisanna's well-intentioned lie.

As Mirajane listened, her eyes gradually reddened.

Although she didn't know the specific details, seeing the still swollen and red wound on Lisanna's forehead, and her dirty clothes, how could she not guess how much her sister had suffered?

"Thank you..."

Mirajane put down the bread in her hand, stood up, and bowed deeply to Lu Chongwei.

"Thank you for saving Lisanna... really, thank you so much."

Her voice was choked with emotion, her fierce facade completely dropped, revealing the vulnerability of a girl her age.

"It was nothing."

Lu Chongwei waved his hand and took out the best healing medicine and bandages from his bag, handing them to Mirajane.

"This is for you. Lisanna said you were injured on your back. Falling from that cave entrance must have hurt. Treat it quickly."

Mirajane took the medicine, her fingers trembling slightly.

"Thank you..."

She thanked him again, then asked Elfman for help. Turning her back, she carefully lifted a corner of her cloak.

In the firelight, Lu Chongwei saw that Mirajane's once fair back was covered in a large area of shocking bruises and abrasions, some places still oozing blood.

Elfman clumsily applied the medicine to his sister, tears streaming down his face as he did so.

"Sister, does it hurt?"

"It doesn't hurt, not at all." Mirajane gritted her teeth, enduring the sharp pain of the medicine on her wounds, and forced a smile to comfort her brother.

Lu Chongwei watched this scene and sighed inwardly.

These three children had it truly tough.

Once the wounds were mostly treated, Lu Chongwei cleared his throat and got to the point.

"Mirajane."

Lu Chongwei looked at the girl with her back to him, his tone becoming a little more serious.

"I want to see your arm."

At these words, the atmosphere in the cave instantly froze.

Mirajane's hands, which were tidying her clothes, froze in mid-air.

She slowly turned around, pressing her right hand, hidden under her cloak, tightly against her chest, fear and resistance resurfacing in her eyes.

"No..."

Mirajane shook her head, shrinking back.

"I can't... you can't see..."

"You'll be scared... you'll think I'm a monster, just like those people..."

"You'll kill me..."

That was the biggest scar in her heart, the root of all her nightmares. She didn't want this good person who had just saved her sister to show that look of disgust and fear.

"I won't."

Lu Chongwei looked directly into her eyes, his tone firm and calm.

"I'm a Mage. I've seen far stranger things than you can imagine."

"Trust me, Mirajane. Running away won't solve anything."

"If you want to protect your younger siblings, if you want to escape this life of hiding, then let me see."

Lu Chongwei extended his hand, palm up, just as he had done for Lisanna before.

"Trust me."

Mirajane looked at the hand, then at Lu Chongwei's deep, calm black eyes.

After a long moment.

She took a deep breath, as if making a significant decision.

"If you're scared... please don't hurt Lisanna and Elfman..."

Mirajane said, trembling.

Then, she closed her eyes and slowly, bit by bit, extended her right hand, which had been hidden under her cloak.

The cloak slipped off.

In the firelight, the arm was fully revealed.

It didn't look like a human arm at all.

Her originally slender, fair arm was now swollen by a circumference, her skin turned black, covered in a layer of hard scales.

Her fingers had become sharp claws, glinting with a metallic cold light.

The entire arm exuded a chilling, evil aura.

"Ah!"

As soon as Mirajane extended it, she flinched as if burned, trying to pull it back, not daring to look at Lu Chongwei's reaction.

However.

A warm, large hand steadily grasped her monstrous "Demon's Hand."

Mirajane stiffened and abruptly opened her eyes.

She saw Lu Chongwei holding her wrist, examining it closely. Not only was there no trace of fear or disgust on his face, but instead, there was a look of excitement, as if he had discovered something new?

"Just as I thought."

Lu Chongwei even extended a finger to tap the black scales, producing a crisp "ding ding" sound.

"This hardness, this way the magic flows..."

Lu Chongwei looked up at the stunned Mirajane and smiled.

"Congratulations, Mirajane."

"This is not demon possession, nor is it a curse."

"This is magic."

"A very rare magic with infinite potential—Take Over Magic."

"You are not a monster; you are a Mage who has awakened magical talent."