Kaelion landed atop the roof of a house with an annoyed expression. A sudden message surged through his mind—Saria was dead, and Arayn was the one who had killed her. The news stopped him cold. Valen hadn’t been the one to do it. That revelation alone sent a flicker of disbelief through him, quickly replaced by irritation.
To make matters worse, another version of himself had been destroyed by Aveline. It stung more than he cared to admit. Both he and the fallen Kaelion were original, as were several others like him. That was his secret, a truth only he fully understood.
The double failure gnawed at him. Aveline had bested him, and Valen had let Arayn steal the opportunity to kill Saria. Frustration simmered beneath the surface, but now wasn’t the time to dwell on it.
He needed to regroup with Valen. Answers awaited, and Kaelion intended to get them.
---
Arayn stepped into the district just beyond the neutral zone. As he anticipated, demonic beasts had already begun to encroach on the area. Without hesitation, he consumed a Wisp of Demon Soul and downed a Dexterity Growth Inducement Potion. His goal was to reach level 20 and recover the dexterity stat he had once possessed.
Wiping his mouth, he prepared to begin the hunt alongside Soren. Before they could move, his attention caught a distant commotion. Lyssa and Thalric were locked in battle with a group of demonic beasts. A faint smile tugged at his lips. It seemed the two had reconciled after all.
For a brief moment, Arayn considered eliminating Thalric right then and there. The thought was tempting, but he dismissed it.
"You are lucky, Werewolf. I will let you live to see another day."
His growth took precedence. Turning away, he motioned to Soren, and together they headed down another street, ready to begin the hunt.
As they reached a particular street, Soren crouched low, his hands drawing patterns as the camouflage barrier shimmered into existence. The barrier mirrored the surroundings perfectly, blending them seamlessly into the environment and rendering them invisible. Arayn stood nearby, his demonic sword resting against his shoulder, his sharp gaze sweeping the empty street for any sign of movement.
Murmuring an incantation, Soren gripped his wand tightly. The artifact expanded his mana pool, allowing him to summon an impressive number of creatures. Dozens of frog demons materialized from a magic circle etched into the ground. A few of the creatures bounded away, quickly scattering to lure their prey. Moments later, the distant rustling against buildings and a hiss echoed through the street, signaling the arrival of their target.
The Infernal Fangtail lumbered into view, a hulking serpent with molten scales. Its four eyes burned like embers, and its fangs gleamed with a faint heat. The massive serpent prowled closer, its tail swishing, completely unaware of the trap it had wandered into. Arayn’s lips curled into a grin as he gripped the hilt of his sword, his eyes narrowing with anticipation.
Soren stepped forward, his gaze locking onto the beast. His eyes flared with an eerie light, and the beast froze mid-step, its body stiffening as [Corlust Eyes of Petrification] took hold. The effect lasted only a moment, but it was long enough. The remaining frog demons lunged, their throats swelling before they unleashed streams of noxious venom that splattered across the beast’s hide. The creature roared in pain, its movements sluggish as the poison coursed through its veins.
Arayn surged forward, the weight of his blade singing through the air as he struck. The beast howled, its cry echoing off the buildings before abruptly cutting off as Arayn’s sword cleaved through its neck. Dark energy rippled from the blade as the beast's soul was drawn into the sword.
[Your lifespan has increased by twelve hours]
[Your dexterity has increased by one]
He exhaled slowly, the rush of power spreading through him as he absorbed the soul’s energy. Arayn glanced at Soren and remarked, "This is a good strategy. Lure another one."
Without hesitation, Soren closed his eyes and reached out through the mental link he shared with his frog familiars. A subtle pulse of telepathic energy was all it took to send the command.
Moments later, a croak echoed in the distance, followed by the heavy thud of clawed feet on cobblestone. The Blazeborne Striker chased a demon frog, its spines casting fiery burst. It hissed, its molten saliva sizzling as it hit the ground, and the air around it shimmered with heat.
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
As before, Soren’s eyes glowed with power, and his [Corlust Eyes of Petrification] locked onto the beast. For a fleeting moment, the creature froze, its body stiffened into stone-like rigidity. The frog demons seized the opportunity, spitting streams of venom that splattered against the creature’s glowing scales.
This time, something went wrong. The Blazeborne Striker roared. Its spines flared brightly, and it launched a fireball directly at their hiding spot.
“Move!” Arayn barked, grabbing Soren’s arm and leaping toward the nearest alley. The fireball exploded behind them, the heat licking at their backs as they rolled to safety. A burst of flame scorched the walls of the alley, and smoke filled the air.
As soon as the flames subsided, Arayn stepped out of the alley, his demonic sword already in hand. The Blazeborne Striker snarled and turned to face him, but Arayn was faster. With a swift dash, he closed the distance and slashed across its chest.
[Soul Rend]!
His blade carved through its molten scales. The beast let out one last cry before collapsing to the ground, its spines dimming as the light in its eyes faded.
Soren emerged from the alley, his expression tense as he dusted soot off his cloak. “I didn’t expect a monster could see through my camouflage barrier,” he muttered, glancing at the smoldering remnants of the street. His voice carried a hint of frustration. “And now my demon frogs are all dead.”
“Calm down,” Arayn said. “Summon them again. We’re not done here.”
Soren exhaled sharply, nodding. As he began to draw another magic circle, his hands moved with a steadier resolve. “I get it now. It’s not just about hiding. I need to focus on reinforcing the barrier’s defense, not just its camouflage. That thing wouldn’t have broken through if the barrier was stronger.”
Arayn’s gaze shifted as a thought struck him. His hand instinctively brushed against the ransel at his side. The Infernal Codex. He hadn’t even opened it yet. A faint smile tugged at his lips as he decided it might finally be time to put it to use.
Meanwhile, Soren finished the summoning circle, and dozens of frog demons emerged once more, croaking restlessly as they awaited commands. “Should I start luring again?” Soren asked, turning to Arayn, his confidence seemingly restored.
Arayn shook his head, his eyes fixed on the street ahead. “Not yet. Hold your position. I need to do something.” His hand tightened on his sword as he scanned the surroundings.
Arayn retrieved the Infernal Codex from his pouch, its dark leather cover etched with ancient runes that seemed to glow faintly. Flipping it open, he ran his fingers over the crimson-inked pages until he found what he sought. He whispered the incantation written as the runes on the page ignited, glowing like embers in a dying fire.
A system message blinked into his vision.
[Name: Infernal Aegis (C)
Grade: Magic
Description: Surrounds the caster with a shield that absorbs a percentage of incoming damage and reflects a portion of it back at attackers.]
[The cost of learning: Sacrifice 24 souls of beasts above level 10 within six days. Do you want to learn this ability?]
"Yes," he said firmly.
The codex’s glowing runes leaped from the page, swirling around him like fiery tendrils before embedding themselves into his skin. The sensation burned for an instant, a searing heat that dissipated as quickly as it had come. Another message appeared before his eyes.
[Ability learned: Infernal Aegis (C). Added to Status Window.]
Soren tilted his head as he watched Arayn finish with the codex. "What are you doing, Master?"
Arayn caught the look and raised an eyebrow. "You’re curious, aren’t you?" he said, his tone almost teasing.
Soren gave a small nod, his curiosity unmasked.
Arayn exhaled, closing the codex. "Alright, I’ll explain. Do you know the difference between a normal class holder and a demonic class holder?"
Soren shook his head, prompting Arayn to continue.
"Normal class holders have two ways to learn abilities," Arayn began. "The first is through their class. Abilities are essentially engraved into their class framework. The second way is through skill or magic books. It’s straightforward but takes time and effort to learn."
He held up the Infernal Codex. "Demonic class holders, on the other hand, can instantly learn abilities from something like this—an Infernal Codex. It's a one time usage item, and there’s always a cost."
Soren frowned slightly, leaning in closer. "What kind of cost?"
"The cost depends on the ability and how frequently you rely on the codex," Arayn explained. "It starts small, sacrificing a few beast souls, for example. However, the more you learn this way, the heavier the price becomes. Fail to meet the cost, and you won’t just lose the ability. You’ll be erased from existence."
Soren’s eyes widened, and he stepped back instinctively.
"That’s why I don’t recommend relying on the codex for every new ability," Arayn continued. "It’s powerful, yes, but reckless usage leads to death. If you’re going to use it, you need to calculate your risks."
Soren nodded slowly, his expression thoughtful but wary. "Got it," he said. "So, you’re careful about what you choose to learn from it."
"Exactly," Arayn said. "Power like this isn’t just a gift, it’s a gamble. Although, I don't think you need to learn from Infernal Codex too much. Remember, your class is Demonic Acolyte. You can learn demonic abilities instantly through demonic contract. It's an advantage that other demonic classes don't have. They still need to learn abilities manually after a demon teaches them one. I, too, don't want to depend on Infernal Codex too much. I just did it because of the situation. For you, Soren, you just need to buy catalysts to summon demons and perform contracts with them."
Soren nodded. "I understand, Master. As long as I am not in a pinch, I won't learn from Infernal Codex," he said.
Arayn gave an approving smile before stepping closer and patting Soren's head. "Good. Now, let’s get back to work," he said. "Go and lure the beasts again. We can’t afford to waste any more time."
Soren raised his wand to command his demon frogs once more. "You heard, Master. Six of you go and lure demonic beasts again. The rest stays here. You will weaken the lured beast with your poison."