A vehement argument resonated in the emptiness, voices thick with fury and despair.
"Why are you doing this?! Why are you attempting to destroy the lives of other races beyond human kind?!" a voice thundered.
Another answered harshly, "Because they live longer and breed at a much slower rate. Humans, however, die rapidly but breed exponentially. By feeding on their souls, we become stronger far quicker than waiting for the slow, pathetic cycles of the other races."
"That is not our mission! Father made them! We are to guard them, not exploit them for selfish purposes!" the first argument went.
"Guard them?" Another laughed. "They are full of pride and arrogance, endlessly fighting amongst themselves, attempting to master everything. They are not worthy! If we eliminate them, we can build a world of real equilibrium."
"So then how are you so different from them? You refer to yourselves as gods, yet you ride roughshod over Father's last desire. You are blinded by your own pride!"
A cold voice cut in, "Father is dead. We are free to do as we wish. And you… who are you to scold us?" you maybe strong.
All went foggy. The memory broke apart.
Ryo's eyes snapped open. His breathing came in gasps,
uneven gasps. Sunlight poured through his window—it was morning.
A voice reverberated in his mind.
[Memory Fragment Acquired.]
He covered his chest with a hand. That memory… it wasn't a dream. It seemed real, but strange, as if he used to know it but had forgotten it a long time ago.
His body was. different. Lighter. Stronger. He attempted to look at his Status Window, but—
[Update ongoing. Status Window temporarily not accessible.]
"Again?" he grumbled. "What's going on with me?"
Shaking his head, he prepared for the day and went downstairs to have breakfast with his parents. After a quick conversation, he departed for the academy.
However, something didn't feel right. A mysterious presence hung over him, but Enemy Detection sensed nothing.
"Am I losing my mind…?" he whispered.
At the S-Class, he met Seyra and Selena waiting along with four other students.
Selena presented the first as her twin brother. Seyra presented another as her brother. The final student, however—
"Ai?!" Ryo blinked, as if hallucinating.
Ai cocked her head. "Who else?"
"How are you here?!" he exclaimed in shock.
She explained casually, "Yesterday, when you were meeting with the Vampire Lord, Seyra invited me to come to the academy. I'm the same age, so I took the test and passed."
".Seriously?"
Ai smiled mischievously. "I aced it, obviously."
Of course she did. Ai was a genius.
The teacher came, telling them to greet each other before class.
But, during the lesson, Ryo still sensed that creepy stare upon him.
During the break, Ryo went to the back of the academy, a secluded place where there were no peeping eyes. His instincts screamed at him—he wasn't alone.
"Who's there?" he demanded. "Reveal yourself."
Silence.
Then, a figure appeared out of the darkness. A violet-eyed young man.
Ryo knew him. He had seen this individual in the classroom class previously. There was something about him that seemed normal yet utterly unnatural.
"Who are you?" Ryo demanded. "Why are you stalking me?"
The man smiled weakly. "So you have finally come back…"
Ryo bristled. "What?"
The body of the stranger twitched as if it were an extinguishing flame. "Now, I can now rest, my lord."
Before Ryo could do anything, the figure disintegrated into light and entered him.
A wave of energy hammered through him. His mind went blank for a second as the voice of the system rang out in his mind.
[Memory Fragment Acquired.]
[New Skills and Characteristics Unlocked.]
[User Level Not Low Enough to Access.]
[Suggestion: Level up by killing monsters.]
"Wait, what?!" Ryo hardly had time to think before the system threw him another surprise.
[Advanced Training Mode Engaged.]
"Hold on—"
[Teleporting…]
The world distorted. The academy disappeared. He found himself back in an unfamiliar area—
A gray emptiness that went on forever.
[New Quest Issued: Die 500 Times.]
Ryo's eyes expanded. "WHAT?!"
[Goal: Die and re-skill 500 times to open up your next evolution.]
An abomination appeared before him, its claws sharpened.
"You've gotta be kidding me."
Author's Note:
Hello everyone! This chapter was dramatic! We received huge lore reveals, mysterious figures, and Ryo being deposited in literal hell training.
Some points to note:
The Gods' Strife – We now understand that there was a huge conflict among god-like beings. But who is "Father"?
Memory Shards & News – Ryo's status continues to change. What new powers has he opened up?
A Stalker & New Friend? – Who was the violet-eyed guy? And why did he address Ryo as "my lord"?
Forced Death Training – The system really wants Ryo to suffer, isn't it?
What do you think will happen next? Drop your theories!
See you in the next chapter!