Shai was given a few hundred Credits and sent away. He happily received his reward and disappeared into obscurity, allowing Arthur and Levinas to take the spotlight.
Going about his class as normal, save for the empty spot of the class’ top seat, Shai did his best to stay awake. His hand was moving on its own, taking notes, while he stole moments of slumber with his eyes closed tight.
When the day ended, a school-wide warning was issued, resounding on every wristwatch.
[Demons have been reported to be lurking around school grounds. Students will be rewarded for the report of any suspicious activity and presence of demonic energy found. Proceed with caution.]
[The danger level around the school is currently: Yellow]
[Please be advised.]
From yellow, orange, red, and black, the four colours that corresponded to danger were an intuitive system that the world had acknowledged.
Looking at such an announcement, Shai nodded. The storyline that he knew was proceeding at a pace he was familiar with. The butterfly effect had yet to occur.
“It’s better to keep it that way,” Shai couldn’t help but sigh.
There were a few events in the game which would be aided by an advanced artificial intelligence, thus subjecting it to a truly reality-like experience where every decision mattered.
Those events were the signature features of hell-mode, and the reason many players fell in love with running the game again, and again, and again.
Shai had to prepare for those events, because as far as he knew, the artificial intelligence was quite the drama queen.
If the butterfly effect could cause a storm from the flap of a butterfly’s wings, the artificial intelligence made it so that an entire galaxy could be misplaced instead.
It was insanity.
Shai shivered.
Thankfully that was in the far future.
For now, he had to make sure to siphon as much energy as he could from Hark’suv’s multiple appearances.
That’s right.
Hark’suv wasn’t dead. All Levinas had killed was one of the many Hark’suvs in existence. Another one would surely find its way to Arthur until the Blood Mark on his body is removed.
This was why resource acquisition and distribution was the most important aspect of this chapter of the storyline. If the player levelled too slowly, or expended too much energy, Hark’suv the Insidious would be able to kill Arthur in her next appearance.
Luckily, Levinas was around, serving as a powerful supporting character for the player.
“For every one of Levinas’ limbs, Arthur will be able to avoid death,” Shai shook his head as he made his way to the library.
***
Levinas Hades.
Perhaps it was a hint to who he was, but having the last name of the god of death spoke much about his origins. Most people, however, would simply attribute his origins to a myth.
Unbeknownst to many, every inch of the underworld existed. Yet many still refused to believe.
Levinas still found it amusing.
[Viskaellamun Hades, Lord of the Dead, Master of the Underworld]
Such was the full name of Levinas’ great, great, great, great, great… great, great, great grandfather.
Even after his parents’ death, he was still present. No matter how many of his relatives died, he was still there.
“Death comes for us in our most unexpected moments. My reapers loom like an omnipresent fog, hidden beyond common sense.” Viskaellamun would hum to the next generation born from his ichor. “Humans are better off unsure of our existence.”
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Knowledge of the underworld was a privilege, and so was the time of one’s own end.
“The reason I am speaking to you all now, is because a great turmoil is about to sweep throughout the world. Beings who ignore the beautiful cycle of life and death, existing only to consume, are like the pests in the fields of Asphodel.”
Viskaellamun handed Levinas a needle-like sword. Each human child born of the underworld was each given a weapon.
“You will be my reapers.”
Levinas knelt down to accept his blade.
“I accept this mission,”
Memories of his own parents’ tragic deaths at the hands of demons were still fresh in his mind. The only way to retrieve their souls was the annihilation of an entire [Demonic Name].
“Even when all hope is lost, I will fight. Even in suffering, I will claw my way up.” He gave his salute. “Even in death, I will live.”
He was ready to accept the weight of his identity as a child of the underworld.
***
Levinas was jolted awake. His eyes flitted around, rapidly taking in his new environment.
“I— I’m alive,” Levinas coughed up an exclamation.
“You better be!”
—Thud!
There was a flash of green hair, and the scent of flowers assaulted his nose.
“…Alissa, you’re hurting me,” Levinas felt pain erupt from his shoulder. His arm had been reattached, but the raw state of the wound couldn’t be healed in an instant.
“You wouldn’t be able to feel pain if you died!” Alissa’s voice cracked as she held him tight.
It was only after a few minutes of persuasion that Alissa finally let go.
“How long was I out for?” Levinas massaged his forehead. His fingers were weak from the bloodloss.
“Almost a day,” A Myrlite Doctor walked in with his priestly robes. “I was able to heal your wounds and reattach your arm — there won’t be any scars. However, I can’t replace all the blood you have lost. You’ll have to stay in the infirmary for a day or two for supervision."
“—As well as for your own safety.” A familiar voice sounded in Levinas’ ear.
“Professor Thomas,” Levinas nodded, “I supposed you’re here to ask about the demon, yes?”
“You are correct. I need as many details as you can provide.”
***
“Hmmm,” Feigning interest in the book he was reading, Shai’s thoughts were churning.
Seated opposite him, reading her own set of books and studying diligently like the model student she was, was a prominent character of the game. A heroine, for that matter.
‘Aria of House Red Evening,’ Shai flipped a page of his book.
The first seat of the star class, Class Diamond. A powerhouse, with A-Rank Mana at Level 2.
She had power on par with a few of Myrlite’s weaker teachers.
‘Someone who has already been inside the Wizard’s Tower to level up,’
To others, sitting with Aria would be a source of honour. However, to Shai, it was a weird sensation. He couldn’t place it.
He knew so much about the girl in front of him. He had played through all of her routes and bought many of her limited-edition cosmetics.
From a purely mechanical perspective, Aria of House Red Evening was a very fun character to control. Whenever the game required Shai to use Aria, he would always have a blast — even in hell-mode.
Unfortunately, this was reality.
‘However! If I can learn Aria’s moves, then… hehehehe,’
Shai almost burst out laughing in real life. Luckily he reined it in just in time.
“You’ve been glancing at me for a while now. It’s starting to bother me.” Aria spoke to him first. “Is there anything I can help you with?”
In response to this, Shai’s mind cooled down. He raised a brow and prepared a reply. His eyes caught sight of the book that Aria was reading.
“Your choice in books has garnered my… curiosity.” Shai spoke formally with an academic cadence, “Blood Magic is a quite a niche branch of water-based magic, and a controversial topic in the circles where it is practiced. What made you so curious as to want to learn about its vampiric nature?”
Aria blinked, “As expected of someone from Myrlite… How much do you know about Blood Magic?”
Shai simply smiled…
“Just surface level info,”
And went back to his studies.
Seeing this, Aria squinted. However, if the other party had no desire to converse with her, she would not specially seek them out. As long as they no longer bothered her with their gazes, all was well.
***
As the night grew deeper, students began leaving the library to return to their rooms to sleep.
Aria and Shai, however, didn’t seem to feel the passage of time. It was only when morning arrived, and when the pile of books at their side had been exhausted, that they realised that a new day had begun.
“…Good morning,” Shai was surprised to see Aria looking as fresh as the night before.
Meanwhile, he could tell that his face was oily, and that his eyes had grown bloodshot. Fatigue had firmly settled on his shoulders, but he knew that he had very little time to rest.
There would be another demon attack today. Just like yesterday. In fact, Arthur would be plagued by an ever-increasing frequency of demon attacks.
Hark’suv, or at least the demons of that [Demonic Name], were all relentless.
The only way to survive her endless pursuit was to continuously get stronger. Luckily, Arthur would have the help of the school, and each victory would allow him to gain insights to his battle style and path forward.
However, this attention from the school would prove to be a double edged sword… But that was a topic for the future.
‘For now, I need to have breakfast.’
Shai stood up and prepared to leave. Under the inquisitive gaze of the princess who had accompanied him in his studies, he placed the books neatly in the to sort table, and then left.