After spending a while at the shelter, Rei comes to realize that Lì is A-Yin's gofer, constantly bustling around the camp to manage and organize various tasks. The red demon is very kind to her, suspiciously kind. It is plausible that his job is to keep her under control. 

Right now, the fubai is wandering around in the camp, not that she has much to do these days. 

In the heart of the training arena stands a demon adorned with olive skin etched with scars, donning a shirt that conceals his arms, save for a glimpse of ink escaping from his right sleeve. With a powerful and lumbering grace, he wields an axe. 

Rei places her hand on the railing, propelling herself with a push from her right foot, effortlessly vaulting over it. If memory serves her right, this must be Kahn. Lì has inundated her with names and details, leaving her somewhat uncertain about his identity. Evidently, Kahn was among those who arrived on a naval freighter the same night she ventured to the docks seeking information.

“You there!” she yells at him as she approaches.  The demon turns, raising an eyebrow, as she asks, “Do you want to train?”

At the sound of her words, he bursts into laughter. “With you? You're a wren.”

Her gaze immediately hardens in a silent threat. 

“If I were you, newbie, I wouldn't raise my crest too much. I'm a middle demon, and you are the pocket version of a fubai.”

The minor demons turn to them, gathering around the wall, their giggles directed at her. Mocking glints in their colored eyes fixate on her, stirring anger to a boiling point. Her gray fingers scratch against the sword sheath as she tries to control her breathing to calm down, but their derisive smiles make every attempt futile. 

Who the fuck do you think you are?

A-Yin swiftly approaches, drawn by the commotion. The moment they spot him, the demons retreat, creating a vacancy in the front row for him. Her gaze, laden with warning, doesn't bode well. It’s going to be funny.

Rei draws her sword, staring into Kahn’s amber eyes. “You sound like a scared little pussy, general of my ass.”

The leader bites his tongue, trying not to laugh.

An annoyed snort comes from the thin mouth of the muscular demon, who immediately opens his arms in a gesture of defiance. “How dare you disrespect me!” Kahn growls angrily as strands of blue rasuah coil around his muscular body, akin to ivy branches enveloping a tree trunk. Charging at her with violent intensity, his ax is poised to strike her shoulder. Yet, with a sudden and nimble duck, she evades the impending blow. Exploiting his exposed side and the undefended arms still locked in an attacking stance, she swiftly and precisely maneuvers her blade to breach his flesh. The fabric of his shirt tears, and a few drops of blood trickle from the tip of her sword. The unarmored demon clenches his teeth, more from vexation than pain; indeed, the wound is superficial and will heal quickly.

A collective "Oh" of astonishment resonates through the crowd. A-Yin arches an eyebrow, finding the clash intriguing, and he places his hands on his chin, absentmindedly scratching the skin near the black scales. She is fast and agile, which is undoubtedly an advantage over the muscular demon’s slowness. On the other hand, Kahn is a middle demon, and he knows that his general still has a hidden ace.

Kahn intensifies the corruption in his muscles, enveloping his body in a bluish glow that now extends to his red horns. He doesn’t seem to appreciate having made a fool of himself. Yet the fubai doesn't seem scared or surprised. An amused grin marks her face as she mocks him. “Look at you, so scary.” 

“Stop before you get hurt.” His empty threat provokes nothing but laughter and a quick attack, which is blocked with the handle of the ax. They stare into their eyes menacingly. More pressure is applied to his weapon as a bluish string slowly reaches it. Kahn forces her to step back when her long sword suddenly catches fire. The black flames gush from her blade and scorch his hands. His olive skin burns terribly, and he instinctively retracts the attack. Another sharp hit from top to bottom, this time much stronger than before. The blade painfully implants itself in his left shoulder.

With a derisive tone, she retreats as the demon raises a hand to his fresh wound. “This is really unfair. We should be equal in this battle!” she says as she puts back the sword from whose sheath a light smoke emerges. Then her hands move forward, beckoning him to come closer. Rei is now so elated that her fangs protrude from her lips. “Come on, big guy, catch me!” 

A-Yin's eyes widen with surprise. What is she doing? She certainly cannot be stronger than him, yet she confronts him in his own realm of expertise. Do you have a plan, or are you just a cocky brat? he wonders.

The muscular demon throws the ax away, charging at her again. However, his arms grasp only emptiness, as she skillfully evades each attack. Rei moves with nimble grace, her long hair teasing his fingers and sparking from the slight electric shocks. Annoyed by his apparent weakness, she turns to the demon.

"I want to make friends here, so I'm going to help you," she declares, abruptly halting in front of him. His powerful hand seizes her by the hair, lifting her like prey. Electric shocks course through her lean body, causing tiny involuntary twitches in her muscles. Yet, it's a level of discomfort she can handle, having endured greater pain in past sparring sessions with less gentle opponents. With arms crossed, Rei questions, "Why are you giving me so much freedom?"

Kahn waves her in the air mockingly. "What do you think you're doing? Melee is definitely not your strong suit."

I’ll not be so sure anymore. A-Yin clenches his hands on the railing, eagerly awaiting her next move.

She throws a punch at Kahn, aiming to distract him, and, as intended, he blocks her with his free hand, leaving one side vulnerable. A cocky smile graces her lips as the pointed toe of her boot, infused with black rasuah, forcefully strikes him under the armpit. Caught off guard by the decisive blow, he opens his mouth slightly and spits in response to the pain. His grip on her hair slackens, allowing her to plummet, but her hands grasp onto the neckline of his black shirt.

A headbutt onto the mouth unbalances him, causing the muscular demon to crash to the ground with her atop him, blood streaming from his lips. In a swift motion,  Rei seizes the dagger strapped to her thigh and aims it at his throat. "You shouldn't judge your enemy by their size."

The blade is lightly pressed against his rough skin, which tears and bleeds. “You are weak and slow.” the fubai thunders. 

His amber eyes glare at her as the minor demons get quiet, shocked.

“But I'm willing to help you if you stop being a dick.” Rei gets up from the ground and holds her hand to make him stand up. His disdainful gaze remains fixed on her, but a spark of curiosity is ignited by her proposition. Despite his initial reluctance, he accepts her offer to stand, acknowledging the respect owed to a formidable opponent. 

The arena gates swing open, and a dozen minor demons rush in as they realize the situation has settled. Stepping forward, one of them, with pink eyes gleaming and a broad smile adorning her face, addresses Rei, "That was impressive! No one expected that, judging by your physique."

Rei's white eyebrow arches, irritation evident in her expression, causing the smaller demon to tremble.

“I didn’t mean to offend you. I-I am Lesia. I don't have great skills in handling rasuah, and I can't imbue it in my weapon, but can you teach us some moves in close combat?” 

A smirk curls on the fubai’s lips, and she replies, "Of course, I have nothing better to do," extending her hand. "I'm Rei." Behind her, Kahn secures his brown hair into a low ponytail and gives her a pat on the shoulder. "I can be your sparring partner."

Wu’s green, poisonous gaze follows her every movement while A-Yin approaches, intrigued. The little fubai seems full of surprises, which amuses him to the point of wanting to try her skills firsthand. Grinning, he turns to Kahn and jests, "Let me take over, or tonight you won't sleep from the pain."

“Boss.” the word rings slowly and provocatively from her lip, and a smug smile forms on his face, too pleased by how Rei pronounced it.