Demonic Witches Harem: Having Descendants Make Me Overpowered!

Without thinking, Claude rushed after Theo, catching up to him just as he stepped outside. 

To his surprise, Theo was standing there, waiting for him, a grin already tugging at his lips.

"You want to know how I figured out about your cacodemon, don't you?" Theo asked. His tone was casual, but the atmosphere around him shifted.

The air turned colder, sharper—like ice piercing Claude's skin. Theo looked terrifying. 

If Claude had truly been the ten-year-old child he appeared to be, he might have burst into tears right then and there.

But Claude was no ordinary child. Beneath this facade was an ex-25-year-old otaku with an ego larger than life itself. 

He stood his ground, glaring at Theo as though ready for a fight.

"No," Claude said firmly, his voice steady despite the tension. 

"I already know you're the one who helped Enzo against my wolves. What I do want to know is who you really are."

Theo's grin widened, darkening his expression. For a moment, his eyes flashed red before fading back to black.

Claude froze. 'Was that… my imagination?' he thought, swallowing hard.

"Let's talk somewhere more private," Theo said, his voice low and commanding as he turned toward the forest.

Claude hesitated but glanced down at his shadow. Within it, he could sense the presence of Sun, Moon, and Star, his Chaos Hounds. 

They moved within the darkness, silently guarding him. Their presence gave him a small measure of courage, and he followed Theo cautiously.

As they walked deeper into the forest, Theo broke the silence. 

"Those things you call wolves… they're not wolves. They're Chaos Hounds. Lowly cacodemons that feed on the carcasses of another cacodemon."

Claude's eyes widened. "You seem to know everything, huh?" he said warily, slowing his steps to keep a safe distance from Theo.

"Of course," Theo replied without looking back. "I also know you gave them your blood."

Theo stopped suddenly, turning to face Claude. "You shouldn't have done that, Claude. Your blood is more precious than you realize."

Claude stopped too, his gaze narrowing. "Who are you, really? How do you know all this? Have you been watching me this whole time?"

With each question, Claude instinctively stepped back, the suffocating presence of Theo pressing down on him. 

Especially when he wasn't treating him like a child—he spoke to him as if he were a subordinate.

'Did he know that my soul isn't a ten year old child?' he thought, making him more careful of the man. 

Theo sighed,"I've told you already. I'm the same as you. We're father and son."

Claude glared, taking another step back. "You're not my father. My father is Enzo."

Theo rolled his eyes. "Don't play dumb with me. Even a stranger passing by can tell you're my son. The resemblance is undeniable."

He smirked, taking a step closer, forcing Claude to retreat further. "And I know you're dying to understand your powers, aren't you?"

Claude clenched his fists. "Then tell me. What are my powers?"

Theo's grin widened. "Darkness, of course. Haven't you figured that out already?" He paused, his tone turning serious. 

"And that makes you a ticking time bomb, Claude."

Claude stiffened as Theo continued, his voice eerily calm. "Sooner or later, someone will discover your power. When they do, they'll burn you alive. And considering how careless you've been with those lowly cacodemon, parading them around the town as if no one could see…"

Theo reached into his pocket, pulling out a small flask. He tossed it to Claude, who caught it instinctively.

"Drink this," Theo said. "A gulp each day. It'll be enough to deceive the holy knights. And stop feeding your Chaos Hounds your blood—for now. At least until the clerics from the other church leave this town."

Claude opened the flask and immediately recoiled. The stench was unbearable—thick, rotten, and metallic. Even his Chaos Hounds stirred uncomfortably in his shadow.

"What the hell is this?" Claude asked, covering his nose with his sleeve.

Theo's gaze hardened. "Don't spill it. That liquid is as precious as your life."

Claude stared at the flask, torn between skepticism and the growing realization of the danger he was in.

As Theo turned to leave, Claude called out, "Wait!"

Theo stopped but didn't turn around.

"Can you… can you become my teacher?" 

Claude asked, his voice cautious yet resolute.

Theo chuckled softly, finally glancing back. 

"There's little I can teach you, but I'll consider it."

His smirk returned, sharp and teasing. "Here's your first lesson: your Chaos Hounds are nearing their mating season. If you don't find them a suitable mate, they'll become uncontrollable."

Theo turned away, his figure fading into the shadows. "Figure it out, kid."

Claude stood there, dumbfounded. "Mating season? A woman?" he muttered, rubbing his chin. 

"Is he telling me to kidnap someone?"

*** 

After that encounter, Claude begrudgingly drank the red liquid Theo had given him every day. 

It was revolting—bitter to the point that the taste clung to his tongue, making everything he ate or drank taste foul.

To counteract it, Claude could only stomach sweet foods. Even then, the bitterness lingered, as though it was taunting him.

Dalia, of course, noticed her son's change in eating habits and became concerned. But every time she asked, Claude brushed it off, insisting she focus on Enzo instead.

"Dad's the one having trauma," Claude said nonchalantly, though the corner of his lips twitched in amusement.

Enzo had indeed been spiraling. 

Every night, he would burst into hysterics, claiming cacodemons were circling the house, their dark presence suffocating him. 

His episodes had rendered him unable to work or even leave the house for long.

What Enzo didn't know, however, was that his torment was orchestrated.

Every night, Claude commanded his Chaos Hounds to prowl just outside the house, letting their faintly glowing eyes and low growls terrify Enzo. 

Occasionally, one would scratch at a window or release a guttural snarl, sending Enzo into another fit.

"Consider it punishment," Claude muttered one night, watching from the shadows as Enzo cowered in the corner of the living room.

*** 

Today, Claude was sitting cross-legged on the grass, the sun casting a warm glow over the forest clearing. 

His Chaos Hounds—Sun, Moon, and Star—lay lazily around him, their black forms blending into the shadows.

Theo stood before him, arms crossed, his expression neutral as he began another lesson.

"Darkness and holy power are opposites," Theo explained, his voice calm but firm. 

"But that doesn't mean their magical sources are fundamentally different."

Claude tilted his head, intrigued.

"In the past, when the Lord of Calamity ruled this world, darkness had its own clerics and cardinals. We, too, could heal, regenerate, and wield magic much like the other elements," 

Theo continued, his gaze sharp.

"Magic, at its core, isn't about the element—it's about control. Elements like fire, water, earth, and air only enhance the magic. Affinities, like darkness or light, shape its nature, but magic itself is neutral."

As Theo spoke, Claude tried to absorb the information. He began to understand: his darkness affinity didn't limit him to only dark spells. 

With enough control, he could use spells, like a "fireball," but infused with the essence of darkness instead of fire.

"The key," Theo said, stepping closer, "isn't memorizing spells—it's mastering control. Let the darkness flow through you. Shape it. Command it."

Claude nodded, glancing down at his hands. Following Theo's instructions, he meditated, focusing on the faint, sluggish current of darkness flowing through his veins. 

He concentrated, trying to draw it into his palms, but it flickered weakly like a dying ember.

Theo sighed. "Unfortunately, that liquid I gave you suppresses your power. It's a temporary measure to protect you from the holy knights. Don't even think about using your darkness within the village or anywhere near the Everbright Church."

Claude's brows furrowed, but he nodded in understanding. He hated the suppression, but he wasn't stupid enough to ignore the danger.

After a long silence, he finally asked, "Why… why do you and I have this power? Are people just born with different elements and affinities?"

Theo's expression froze, his usual confidence faltering for a brief moment. When he spoke, his voice was quieter, almost hesitant.

"You're right," Theo said slowly, his eyes distant. "We're just born with it."

Claude frowned. There was something in Theo's tone—something heavy, like regret or sadness. It was subtle, but it was there.

'Born with it,' Claude thought, gazing at the faint tendrils of darkness swirling in his hand.

The weight of the realization settled in his chest. 

Who would want to be born into a world where wielding darkness meant living in constant fear of being hunted and burned alive?