Shai was glancing at the clock in his room.
‘Is it about time?’' He thought to himself as he furiously went through his books, studying concept after concept.
At the back of his mind, he was keeping track of canon events.
Based on what he knew, the ‘cutscene,’ [First Week of Classes] was about to end. With Levinas Hades, and the protagonist, Arthur Rose’s, first encounter.
In other difficulties, this unskippable cutscene did not include anything dangerous. However, in hell-mode, Arthur Rose would be attacked by a demon, and the cutscene would end much earlier than normal. The player would have no choice but to figure out a way to run and dodge all the projectiles coming at them. Inevitably, however, a curse and a mark would fall on Arthur’s body, forcing him into a state where he has to rapidly strengthen himself to avoid being corroded... or slain.
This part of the game challenged a player’s ability to maximise efficiency. If you were bad at handling resource acquisition and distribution, then you would have no hope to get past stage one.
Shai drummed his fingers.
He had been debating whether or not he wanted to involve himself with the main cast. He wanted to be cheeky — figuring out a way to survive without ever speaking to the important characters.
Alas, upon his plan’s third revision, he deemed it too risky of an attempt. He was not about to play around with his life like that.
Therefore, while he studied, he kept the characters’ movements in mind.
No matter what they did, Shai would be there to capitalise on their actions. This was the plan he had decided on doing.
***
It was early in the morning, and Arthur Rose went out for his routine in the training grounds. A seeping cold coursed through his body, flowing from the wound in his chest.
Arthur had no idea where it had come from, but he had a lingering suspicion that it was due to his recent encounter with a demon.
He bore the pain in silence as he swung his sword.
It was a monotonous practice as he slowly perfected his swings.
“Practicing again today?” Levinas walked in, seemingly with bags under his eyes. The door closed shut behind him.
Arthur squinted, but nodded nonetheless.
“What does the Opal class’ top seat want from me? I noticed you watching last night.”
“I heard you were attacked by a demon,”
“Yeah. I was narrowly able to escape death.” Arthur’s answer was void of any fluctuation of emotion, “I’ve reported it to the academy, and they’ve already taken action. Why are you asking?”
“If I may, what did the demon look like?”
Arthur hesitated to answer, but seeing Levinas’ determined expression, he obliged.
“…Large purple horns, four eyes — one for each cardinal direction, and red skin…” Arthur frowned, realising that something was wrong as he was making his description. Levinas had pulled out some kind of weapon from within his sleeves. “Hey, what are you doing?”
“...Let me tell you something, Arthur Rose,” Levinas’ words were slow. “The demon you encountered should have the name [Hark’suv the Insidious]. She has a special ability.”
Arthur felt a wave of nausea erupt inside his mind, and Levinas brandished his sword.
“My family calls it, the [Blood Mark].”
Levinas rushed forward with reckless abandon, his expression cold as ice. The needle-like sword in his hands pierced into the air above Arthur’s head.
Suddenly—
[KYAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHA!]
A figure emerged from thin air, parrying Levinas’ needle sword with an extremely long fingernail. Incessant, high-pitched laughter resounded throughout the room.
This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.
[KYAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHA!]
Levinas felt his consciousness blur from the sound, blood poured out from his ears. Meanwhile, Arthur collapsed onto the ground, his body spurting with blue-tinged blood.
Things weren’t looking good.
***
“It’s locked,” Shai massaged his temples in annoyance. The door to the training grounds were shut tight. Levinas had overestimated himself, thinking he could handle anything in his way, even if Arthur was possessed by a demon.
Unfortunately, Levinas would guess wrong in all instances the game would show.
[KYAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHA!]
Shai heard the signature laughter he was more than familiar with. At one point in time, he had even used it as a ringtone.
In just a few taps, Shai alerted the school’s authorities of the anomaly going on in the training grounds.
Luckily, since it was still very early in the morning, only Arthur would’ve been training there.
[Demonic Growth].
The ability to grow through the blood, murder, and massacre of other species.
With each human a demon devours, the stronger they become. Like a typhoon siphoning strength from the ocean.
“Should I help?”
Shai pursed his lips as he gave the matter some thought. He did not know how to wield weapons, nor could he control mana. His Aberrant Circuit currently lay dormant, and his sleep-deprived brain could barely function.
Alerting the authorities was the most he could do, especially since Arthur and Levinas would be unable to do so due to Hark’suv’s [Mana Jamming].
—Ding!
[Hell’s Mana detected.]
[Your Aberrant Circuit is reacting!]
Shai blinked.
In the next moment, his mind was as clear as day.
“An opportunity!” He exclaimed, before rushing towards a more secluded corner of the hall.
He than sat down cross-legged, and closed his eyes.
Hell’s Mana was fiery, vigorous, and viscous. However, a seething rage allowed it to flow as swift as a river.
Sensing this, Shai couldn’t help but adorn a manic grin on his face.
His body shifted, and his Aberrant Circuit grew active.
Like a black hole, he pulled the surrounding mana towards his body. He was a ravenous serpent, swallowing all that could satiate his hunger.
***
Levinas was barely able to keep himself alive. The needle-like sword in his hands flashed like it was weightless, parrying and stabbing out. However, despite the numerous exchanges he had with his foe, not a single strike of his made its mark.
Hark’suv was dancing around his blade, using her claws like ten thin swords.
No matter how much Levinas attacked, he could only strike air.
‘She’s playing with me!’
Levinas could feel his impending doom.
[KYAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHA!]
And the endless laughter was not helping.
It was like a venomous bite, seeping into his sanity and corrupting it with a pitch-black filth.
—Slash!
Lost in thought and growing despair, Levinas made a mistake. His vision blurred, and a dull, buzzing sensation erupted from his shoulder.
Levinas looked over.
His eyes dilated in shock.
“M-my arm!” This was his exclamation.
[KYAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHA!] And it was followed by Hark’suv’s mocking laughter.
His arm had been severed! Cut off from the rest of his body.
The pain then grew a hundredfold, as if it was reacting to being acknowledged.
Enraged, Levinas let out a bestial roar. With a bloodshot gaze, Levinas sprung forward, his sword was like an arrow, flying true.
“Arthur, you worm, wake up!”
A twitch.
But no reply.
Arthur had been drained of blood, teetering on the precipice of death.
“Damn it!” Levinas felt five cold wounds tear through his flesh.
Blood flew into the air, splashing onto the floor, the walls, and the distant ceiling above.
Levinas tumbled to the floor, gripping his chest in pain.
His face was rapidly growing pale.
[KYAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHA!]
Hark’suv’s laughter never stopped.
Levinas could finally feel his consciousness slipping away.
When suddenly—
[—Kheuk!]
Hark’suv choked.
The demonic energy that emanated from her was rapidly thinning. The power she used to sustain her existence… It was like the oxygen humans needed to breath.
And that very same power had halved in an instant.
Levinas thus saw an opportunity.
With the final ounces of his remaining strength, he lunged forward once more.
This time, as the suffocating demon staggered from her stance, he was able to pierce through her head with his sword.
“Erupt!” Levinas roared.
Flames sprouted in a violent eruption.
Like a blooming rose, Hark’suv’s head burst in a wonderful display of demon blood and fire.
***
Shai breathed out a breath of vile air. His eyes flickered red and black, ominous and filled with malice.
[Mana: 0.138/1 (Aberrant Circuit)]
[Current Mana Composition: 99% Hell’s Mana, 1% Natural Mana]
Hell’s Mana was circulating within his body, bringing him a strength similar to the time when Filth Mana had supplemented him with mutations aplenty.
It was only in this moment that Shai could feel that he had officially awakened. Moreover, he had glimpsed a few of the mysteries regarding his Aberrant Circuit.
“I guess it’s time to go.” Shai stood up and stretched. “Based on the time it took for the demonic energy to disappear, Levinas should’ve been able to defeat Hark’suv without losing more than one limb.”
Footsteps were rapidly approaching.
He then put on an expression of panic as he waved to the well-dressed Myrlite Guards.
“Over here!” He cried out, “I could feel demonic energy seeping out of the training grounds!”