Sustained by the nourishing power of Ethan's life-essence, Kunou was able to maintain her teenage transformation. Ethan held her close as they rested, his mind already drifting toward how he might bring Yasaka into the fold for the rest of the night. He didn't just want to "deflower" the mother and daughter; he wanted a night of triple-cultivation to pass the long hours.
Suddenly, a violent ripple tore through the space around them. Ethan instinctively pulled the blankets over the naked, fox-eared Kunou. A magic circle flared to life, and the petite, delicate figure of Ophis slowly emerged.
Ethan let out a breath of relief, though his expression soon turned grave. Yasaka, sensing the disturbance, rushed into the room. Ethan signaled her to take Kunou away. "Yasaka, take Kunou to another room and let her rest."
Yasaka stared at Ophis in shock. "Ethan-sama, who is this...?"
Ophis was a mess. Having lost 75% of her power and suffering from deep wounds, her aura was erratic and wild. Even in this weakened state, she radiated a pressure that made Yasaka's blood run cold.
"This is Ophis—the Infinite Dragon God. Don't worry, we're on good terms. Go now."
Once the foxes were gone, Ethan immediately pulled the small, black-haired girl into his arms. Though her physical wounds had closed thanks to her god-tier regeneration, her clothes were shredded and stained with dried blood. The joy of his conquest over the kumiho duo vanished, replaced by a cold, simmering fury.
"Was it Cao Cao?" Ethan asked, his voice low and certain. "Did he use Samael again?"
Curled in Ethan's lap, Ophis wrinkled her nose. She wasn't used to the musky, pungent scent of sex that clung to his bare skin—a mixture of Ethan's own heat and the feminine juices of the two foxes. Ethan realized he was still naked and filthy. "Sorry, let me go clean up first."
"No need," Ophis whispered, reaching up to wrap her thin arms around his neck.
Her usual gothic-lolita dress was in tatters. The cross-shaped bandages that barely covered her nipples were peeling away, and the hem of her skirt was practically gone, exposing her slender, pale legs. She had spent the battle defending her core, but now, in front of Ethan, she let her guard down completely.
As her tattered rags fell away, Ethan swallowed hard. Seeing her like this—vulnerable yet trusting—he suppressed his lust and held her tenderly. "Tell me what happened."
Ophis closed her eyes and recounted the betrayal. Ethan felt a pang of guilt. "I shouldn't have let Cao Cao deliver that message."
"It doesn't matter," Ophis said tonelessly. "They would have come for me eventually. I am their leader in name only."
Ethan squeezed her tighter. Emboldened by his own rise to Dragon God status and the trust Ophis placed in him, he decided to reveal the truth about his "reawakened memories"—his knowledge of the future. Ophis, being the Ouroboros Dragon, understood the concept of fate and destiny far better than anyone. She accepted his explanation without hesitation.
"I see... that's why you felt so special the moment we met," Ophis murmured, a rare hint of warmth in her voice. Ethan was the "Variable"—the one force capable of breaking the infinite, stagnant loop of her existence and turning it into an upward spiral of evolution.
She looked up at him with a faint smile. "If what you say is true, then losing my power today might not be a tragedy. If I take on a mature form to stabilize my remaining power, I might actually become stronger than before."
In the original timeline, Ophis took on the form of a mature, curvaceous woman to protect Issei Hyoudou from the side effects of Dragonification. Now, however, the catalyst was different.