Alastor's body still stung in pain, even hours after his fight with Adam. He had managed to fix himself up enough to appear decent in the presence of others, but a permanent scar was etched across his torso.

It was a reminder of his weakened power, that he barely made it out alive. If he had not fled when he did, he would be just another slaughtered demon. He wasn't proud of the decision, in fact, he found it shameful. But he knew it was his only option.

(You have been in Hall for a very long time. So, you know, the INS and outs, and you are very attractive and you use the fact that you're attractive to your advantage to make soul deals, and unlike other overlords that use chains, you use golden threads to control. The demons that have a contract with you and every contract. You have with demons, other demons have something to do with nobody else owning their soul.)The scar only fueled his desire to break free from his soul bound to Kuriko.

Alastor's jaw clenched as he ground his teeth, his smile remaining. The memories of his first encounter with The Overlord flooded his mind. He was naive and had not yet known the ins and outs of Hellish culture, at that time. But he learned quickly.

Overlord after Overlord fell at his feet, crumbling into his control. He grew arrogant and agreed to a deal with Kuriko, only to find his power weakening.

It was humiliating to be owned and Alastor hated his lack of independence. His own collection of souls had grown but no matter how many he possessed, his powers remained weak. He had always prided himself on his invincibility and strength, and his contract with Kuriko threatened it.

His back was turned when he heard the faint pop from across his room. Alastor gripped his cane tightly, leaving scratch marks on it. He knew it was only a matter of time before his owner would arrive after sensing his injuries.

"You know, I'm glad you stopped by. I always thought you were too self-involved to care about the demons you've enslaved," Alastor said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "But how kind of you to make sure I'm not dead."