In a pitch black space, a little flame was burning with a pale blue light.
Pain. Sadness. Hatred.
The flame was feeling many different emotions for unknown reasons to him. It didn’t know where it was neither how it ended up here.
However, it wanted those feelings to stop. It could remember a time when he couldn’t feel those feelings, but everything was fuzzy.
It couldn’t scream, it could just endure everything alone in this place.
Time went by, and bit by bit, it got accustomed to those feelings, growing numb to them. At that time, its consciousness started to drift, and it went into a deep slumber.
Time passed before it woke up again.
And the same scenery was displayed before him. Nothing but darkness. It looked around itself. Gazing at the abyss around him, it searched for something different, something else which wasn’t darkness.
And with time, it found something. No, it found multiples things. Flames like him. However, their glows were frail. As if they were about to disappear. The little flame, reluctant to lose sight on something else different from the darkness surrounding him, wanted to help those flames.
But how?
It couldn’t move. It could just see.
No, it could do something else.
The little blue flame stared at the darkness surrounding him. And before long, faint black lines started to surround him and enter him.
System: New type of energy is entering the host. Evolution starting.
A blue screen appeared in front of the flame, surprising it. It had never seen this before, but it could understand what was written on it.
However, it couldn’t do much. The flame was trying to absorb the darkness surround him to grow and help those other flames by sending them some of his energy.
And the flame grew. Its size was comparable to an ant at first, but it was now as big as a human head. Its color changed also. From pale blue, it became gray.
Feeling its growth, the flame was satisfied. But it hadn’t finished. The flame sent waves of its new-found energy to those other flames. However, something unexpected happened.
System Assimilation complete. Host has evolved and is now capable of using a new type of energy. A name is needed for it.
Syetem A name has been given by the Creator. please check your status to see it.
System A Links have been established with the other fragments. Host is stable. Fusion possible. Estimated time for a complete fusion: 100years.
System Host will be put in a deep slumber in the mean time.
After it finished reading the last message, before the flame could think of anything else, its consciousness drifted away.
Sadness. Regret. Sorrow.
These feelings woke the flame up.
It didn’t know what had happened, but it could feel that it had become stronger. However, these feelings were becoming more and more powerful. It didn’t know why it felt that way. However, its memories became clearer than before. Everything was still very blurry, but it could at least make out the outline of few things. It noticed that two bodies were particularly present in its memories. However, no matter how hard it tried, it couldn’t picture their face or characteristic.
It eventually gave up. The flame couldn’t force its memories. They would surely come back to him in the future.
After calming itself, it finally could regain the control of its emotions.
Then, it stared at the scenery around him.
Everything was different. There was no more darkness. Everything around him was completely white, while itself had become black.
It could no longer feel the presence of any other flame around him. They had been absorbed by him.
It was all alone. Again.
System Host has fully recovered. Host has stored enough energy to leave ***. Does Host wish to leave this place? Be careful, after leaving this place, Host will be unable to come back, and the destination is unknown.
The flame was shocked. It didn’t expect this. However, some questions needed to be answered.
Status.
Soul Search
Name - Title(s) The One Who Has Been Cursed By Luck, The Bearer Of Sin, The One Rejected By The Divine, The Shattered Soul, The Survivor, The First Devil Soul Class - Bloodline - Blessing(s) None Mana - Divine Power 0/0 Devil's Power 999 999 999/999 999 999 Intelligence 23 Luck -10 000 Widsom 17 Magic - Endurance - Aptitude Agility - Strength - Dexterity - Perception 35+20 Charisma -
The Shattered Soul You have been broken to the very core of your being. Memories of your pasts lives are lost. The Survivor Against all odds you survived. Your danger awareness has greatly improved. The First Devil Soul Devil's Power is your origin.
The flame was curious. It knew that it wasn’t the first time it saw this, however, those titles and this devil’s power were something it couldn’t understand.
Why am I cursed? Why am I rejected? Did I do something which led me to this state in my past life?
It tried to look through its memories once again in order to see if anything will become clearer with these new pieces of information. But it still couldn’t remember anything else.
Another matter perturbed it. The insane amount of devil’s power in it. Though it wasn’t sure that the darkness around him was the cause, it was the only thing it could think about.
After pondering for some time. The flame finally made its choice. It didn’t know what happened to itself in the past, but if it had ever done anything bad, it would try to atone for it once it comes out.
It was something which seemed natural to the flame. Like someone taught it that in the past.
Yes. I wish to leave this place.
System Please wait. Teleportation will nearly consume all of Host's energy. As the process will leave the Host in a weakened state for a while. Host is advised to be prepared for that.
The little flame had strange feeling that what awaited him was another deep sleep phase.
System World Shift launched.
And this was the last thing he saw before his consciousness faded away once again.
The flame was floating in a desolate room. It didn’t know where it was, but looking at the things which were around him, it could more or less guess.
The room it was in, was a mess. Multiple bricks were all over the place, the decayed corpse could be seen and vegetation started to grow over them.
Torn banners were barely hanging on the walls. Most of the pylons had crumbled. However, the roof was still intact and didn’t seem to be about to fall at any moment. And at the center of the room, there was an altar. The stairs were in pieces but its form was still visible. And a giant cross was planted at the top of it.
This was the moment the flame saw her. A crucified old woman. Her limbs and head were severed but were pinned on the cross. Besides her dried skin, nothing remained on her bones. However, her white hair was still slightly moving in front of her nose, as if she was alive.
The flame gently moved towards her while hovering.
It was the first ‘living’ thing it encountered since it arrived here. It was curious about her.
When the flame arrived in front of her, the head of the old woman lightly trembled.
She was aware of his presence.
Little by little, she opened her eyes, letting the flame looked at the abyss in them.
Her appearance who could frighten the bravest knight didn’t perturb the flame. It still looked at the dried face of the old woman without saying anything.
“Well, I wonder who you may be, black soul…”
Her mouth was still closed. She was speaking with her own soul. Her voice was weak and ragged like she was suffering and was about to vanish at any moment.
The flame was greatly shocked. It didn’t expect the old lady to be able to communicate with it.
“Hello! I don’t have a name, I just came here.”
“Oh… I see. So what are you doing here?”
“I don’t know. After I left that place I was transported here. Old lady, you look hurt. Do you need help?”
The eyebrows of the old lady rose. She had been sealed here for years waiting for her soul to ultimately vanish. She hadn’t expected that a nameless black soul could enter here and offer his help.
She laughed. Mentally so that the flame could hear her.
“Little soul, you cannot help me. My soul is bound to disappear, my very essence has been destroyed and this is the result.”
“Let me try.”
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The old lady was flabbergasted. Until her surprise turned into fear. The reason for that was that small black lines came from the black soul in front of her and started to penetrate her body. It was something she had never felt and seen before.
“What are you doing?! What is this?!”
System Target's soul critically injured. Target's soul belongs entirely to the divine. Recovery impossible with Host's power.
Seeing the message, the flame felt dejected. It wanted to help but couldn’t.
“Don’t worry old lady. I didn't want to hurt you… I intended to heal your soul with my energy but it seems that I can’t. My energy is incompatible with you.”
Feeling the depressed tone of the black soul, the old lady’s expression turned even more complex.
Her guess was right. The thing the black soul used wasn’t something she had seen before. There was nothing incompatible with the divine. And she wasn’t ignorant in that aspect. After all, regardless of her current state, she was a goddess.
“This… What type of energy is that?”
“Devil’s power.”
“Devil? Never heard of it.”
“Really? It was all over the place back there. However, I only have so little left after coming here…”
System Devil's power has been added to this world with our arrival. Host will passively absorb it at a slow pace and can absorb it faster if it is done actively. Please do keep in mind that Host requires Devil's power to stay stable.
Oh! This is good. Well, not very good since I can’t live without it, but there won’t be any problem if I can find some here… Though it doesn’t seem that there is any in this place…
“Bach there? You teleported here from another place.”
“Yes. However, it is very different from here. There isn’t a thing at that place, completely void.”
The old lady’s head trembled slightly. Before a horrifying crimson gas started leaking from her body parts. Then, she began to laugh dryly.
“This is… Really unbelievable…Hey little soul, how about we talk about each other for a while? I need some company.”
The flame turned brighter as if it was excited. It has been long since it could talk with someone and was quite eager to meeting another being other than itself. And like that, days passed while the two of them chatted. The little flame was very happy while the old lady was laughing to her heart content in front of his lack of knowledge. She had a fun time telling him about her battles and experiences on the battlefield.
“Yes! I was bored back there! Here there seems to be a lot of fun things to do! But… Old lady, what is happening to you? Your body is…”
“I am starting to rot. My time has come… Just when I met you. But don’t bother yourself with that, I am old enough and want to rest. However, I’d like it if you could accomplish something for me.”
The little flame gently moved as if nodding and waiting for her to continue.
“Become strong, strong enough to be unrivaled among the mortals and unrivaled among the gods, and take revenge for both of us.”
The flame stopped moving.
“Both of us? What do you mean old…”
“My name is Slaughter, I was a goddess. However, since I belong to the neutral gods and refused to side with either Sin or Order, they hunted me down and destroyed my God Soul. This place is my main temple. It used to be brimming with my followers, now there is only their blood flowing in the depth of this land.”
“This… But why did they do this to you? You said that you were neutral right?”
“Ownership. In order to ascend and attain the grade of a supreme being, there are some clues who led us, gods, to think that it was needed to establish complete dominance in among both mortals and gods. Order and Sin are the leading figures of the gods but since their strength is relatively equal, they are trying to dominate mortals through their followers. However, the churches of neutral gods couldn’t keep their standpoint anymore they needed to choose either side or face retaliation from both sides.”
“Then… Why did old lady not accept to join either one?”
A crooked smile appeared on her dried face.
“Because I could kill to my heart’s content. And, as a person, you, and especially you should aim to not follow any gods blindly.”
“W-Why?”
“How many points do you have in luck?”
“… -10 000.”
“Do you know why you can’t store any divine power? Do you remember your past life?”
No. The flame didn’t know. These were questions he asked himself before but couldn’t come up with an answer.
“Order took your power. Luck Cursed you. And Sin shattered you. Your family was tortured and killed by their followers. And why? Because you could have become a hindrance, more than I was. Inside you, there is the legacy of our eldest brother and because of that, all those things happened. I know about you. You created quite the ruckus back then.”
Each and every of her words struck the little flame consciousness like a bullet train. It had a hard time remaining calm. Flashbacks of his previous life would appear at the end of her words.
The face of his mother. Her caring and loving face. Her frail ill body. She was raped in front of him and burned alive.
His proud and strong father. He never abandoned them. He faced their hardships head on and took decisions to save them despite the danger. He protected them with everything he could until the end.
His mother was sick because of his curse. His parents died because of Order’s followers. And Sin prevented him to ever feel the warmth he should have felt in his home. Everything came back to him.
The black swaying flame remembered. He knew now. Why all these emotions tormented him.
The crimson gas coming out from the old lady’s decaying body started to gather around the black flame. Little by little. The ground started to shake.
Blood was coming out of the ground, like a snake it aimed for the dark red hovering ball in front of the old lady.
The smile on the old lady’s face grew wider and wider.
“Listen well boy, because these will be my last words. I will give everything I have to you. I will use my and my followers’ blood to create you a body. I will also use my most precious blood for you. Your body will be like no one else. However, you will need time to grow. Don’t even think about taking revenge right now. Your growth rate can’t surpass a Chosen right now. And defying a church without being able to kill their chosen is nothing but suicide. However, when you will unlock me and my eldest brother legacy fully. No one shall stop you. You can make every one of them pay. If someone stands in your way, kill him. No matter who it is. This is the path of Slaughter.”
Those were her last words at the cocoon of blood in front of her. She could not reincarnate. She would forever disappear. But she was happy. She was happy because she felt it. The bloodbath incoming. The chaos rampaging. A new type of being who could rival a god. A being who could slay one.
System Anew body has been found for the Host. However, the compatibility isn't sufficient. Remodeling needed. Devil's power required. Sufficient amount available. Does Host wish to begin the alteration?
Yes.
The original blood red cocoon turned into a darker color. A gray gas started coming out of it.
System Body completed
System Host has achieved an unprecedented feat. Host has gone against the laws of this world.
System Blessing(s) has been removed.
System Sygil(s) has been added.
System Host has unlocked the title and class: Heir of Chaos
System Host has unlocked the title and class: Heir of Slaughter
System Host has unlocked the title and class: ???
System The following titles have fused: The Bearer of Sin, ???, Heir of Chaos, Heir of Slaughter, The One Rejected By The Divine, The First Devil Soul
System New title acquired: The Fallen
System Your classes evolved.
System First Door of the Fallen has opened. Adversary is now free.
System A name is recommended for both the Host and Adversary.
In front of a 6 years old looking boy, numerous blue screen appeared one after another. The little flame’s new body was a red-haired boy. His face was good looking with its chubby cheeks. His left eye was blue whereas his right one was red. A black cross could be seen on his forehead while a black collar was visible on his neck. Despite that, his rosy skin and calm gaze made him look like an innocent little boy.
“Luc… Asfer…”
Remembering his old name, the little boy thought about how he should name himself in this life. A name which won’t disappoint his deceased parents.
“My name shall be Lucifer in this life. However… Who is Adversary?”
“I am.”
A voice which sounded exactly like himself resounded in his head.
“Who?!”
“I am Adversary. Or shall I say, I am Lucifer too.”
“You are me?”
Lucifer was flabbergasted.
Did I go crazy?!
“No, not yet. You can say that you are the Original while I am the Adversary. I am you and you are me. However, we don’t follow the same path, but we’re seeking the same end.”
“This…”
“Look at your status page.”
Lucifer went silent
Status.
Name Lucifer Title(s) The One Who Has Been Cursed By Luck, The Fallen, Class(es) Devil of Slaughter lv.1; Devil of Chaos (locked); Devil of Origin lv.1 Bloodline Homunculus (??%), Dragon King (5%) Sigil(s) No followers Mana 200/200 Divine Power - Devil's power 124/999 999 999 Intelligence 23 Luck 0 Widsom 17 Magic Mana Creation (Grade 10:0%);Blood Control (Grade 10; 0%); Sigil (Grade 1: Maxed) Endurance 25 Aptitude Adversary, Adept of Blood, Will of the Devil Agility 32 Strength 30 Dexterity 33 Perception 22 Charisma 57 Fury 0/100
Adversary Duality. Adept of Blood You have control over your blood. Will of the Devil Immunity against a god's charm.
The Fallen You are walking on a lonely road. As the sole Devil in this world, you shall be feared and unrivaled. You have access to the Ten Devil's Door. Conditions need to be met in order to open one. You can also impart your sigil on those you consider trustworthy. Those who bear your sigil shall be recognized as the follower of the Devil.
Mana Creation Grade 10 You can use mana to create objects and tools. They can't last for a long time Blood Control Grade 10 You can manipulate your blood at short range. Sigil Grade 1 Your own power. Grant those who are loyal to you a part of your stats. The given stats point will be lost so be careful. You can choose the amount you want to give. You can communicate with your followers wherever they are and pinpoint their location.
…
This is… insane… What the hell is this?! Dragon King?! Devil?!
“I have the same status page as yours. However, I don’t have the class: Devil of Slaughter.”
“So… You have Devil of Chaos?”
“Yes.”
Lucifer turned silent.
“Why?”
“Because we’re different. Though it’s hard to tell right now, but our way of doing things is different. That’s the only reason I can guess. I have a mindset suitable for Chaos whereas you have one suitable for Slaughter.”
“I see…”
Lucifer closed his eyes. Thinking about his past life, a deep killing intent surged from his body, before it stopped. His new body’s fitness was extraordinary.
Many things crossed his mind, but he remembered the old lady’s last words.
He had already witnessed those followers’ strength. His father who was 3 times stronger than this body also died.
“It’s impossible to fight them. They are way too numerous and stronger than us and if we were to be caught this would only end up in our premature death. Though I am not the one in control of the body, I won’t let you go on a suicide mission.”
“Yeah I know… It’s just that… Wait a minute. You can control my body?”
“Our body. If you want me to because you need my power, you can switch with me by inverting the cross on our forehead. I can also end up in control if you fall unconscious or get weakened.”
“This…”
“I am not looking for the ownership of this body. Remember that we are the same person? I want what you want. However, our means to get it are different.”
Lucifer nodded. The other him was stating the truth, at least, he could not feel any lies in his words.
“However, we will have to switch from times to times.”
“Why?”
“I also want to move around…”
Lucifer could only smile wryly. He was in his soul state for an unknown period of time, thus he knew better than anyone else how it felt to be able to walk around again.
“Hum… Yes. We’ll switch. However… We need another name for you… Calling you Lucifer would be quite disturbing for me…”
“Yeah… But if we meet other people we can’t say to them that we’re both living in this body. And it’ll bring confusion.”
“You’re right, but need a name for you, at least between ourselves. And… It’s better if we don’t talk about our case… I was already considered as a cursed being for being emotionless, I don’t want to think about what they’d call us for split personalities…”
“We will be thoroughly inspected… However, we need to lay low.”
Lucifer nodded before thinking about a name for his other self. He didn’t know why, but the appearance of his other self brought him a pleasant feeling. He didn’t have to be alone anymore. Though his location was unknown, the world around him unkind to his existence, he had someone to converse with and who knew about his past.
“I know. Your name will be Mephistopheles.”
“Why such a complicated name?”
“Like this, I can call you Mephis while you call me Luc. Using our full name to call ourselves will be too tiring so I chose a long name so I can use the shorter version as your surname.”
“…”
“What?”
“Was I always that dumb?”
“Hey!”
After quarreling with Mephis, Luc made his way toward the old lady’s corpse.
Looking at her pitiful state, there was something Luc couldn’t understand but quickly stopped thinking about it. He then used his tiny body to take off each and every part of her bodies off the cross. His intentions were clear, she didn’t die a proper death, but he would at least offer her a proper burial.
I owe you a lot old lady. My mother always told me to be kind with those who are kind to me and my father told me to always make my mother happy and listen to her. I didn’t manage to make her happy, but I will listen to her. However… Old lady, I wish that… I could talk to you again.