Your Shadow Is My Light - XHiccupX (2024)

Chapter 1: Prologue - If I can go back in time

Chapter Text

Normal text
Thinking
Onomatopoeia

Ahri's POV
Whoosh!

A silvery sheen caught my eye. Seconds later, a white katana accented in gold etchings stabbed towards me. I instinctively sidestepped. The gleaming flat edge glided across my emotionless face, inches away from sending me straight to hell. Gusts of razor-sharp wind brushed against my cheek. Then came the feeling of warm liquid trickling down my face. The Demon Slayer was lethal enough to even temper the fluid airflow surrounding its sabre. No doubt befitting its history of purging all evils.

My reddish eyes drifted to the deadly blade flailing in front of me. Truthfully, I wanted this stupid sword to just claim my life. End my misery. After all, what's the point of living when everything dear to me has perished beneath this cruel blade? My parents. My clan. My lover. All fell to this cold chunk of steel. But knowing that this weapon and its owner was the source of my family's downfall was only fuelling my hatred endlessly. The regret and anger blended into a cognitive dissonance of depression and hysteria. I yearned for death, and yet, I'm also unwilling to die like this. Not like this. Not until I see this bastard's head rolling at my feet, just like what he had done to my little deer.

My dull gaze sharpened, pupils constricted and tails flared out dangerously. A burst of energy surged through my leaden body. Ears flattened back as I bared my fangs. Despite the exhaustion wrecking my consciousness, I lunged forward in the blink of an eye and grabbed his forearm with brute force, crushing his brittle bones. A shrill grunt flowed into my ears. In one smooth motion, I swept my leg at his and that bastard went toppling over. Before I could punch his despicable face in, a massive fireball hurtled toward me.

I leaped back in time, but not before the tips of my fur were singed. I winced, swishing my tails to put out the embers. These vermin! If they hadn't crippled me. If they hadn't gouged out my mana core, I'd have long incinerated these goons to a crisp! Not scuffling with the likes of them!

"Die, monster!" the pathetic excuse of a half-mage rushed at me.

There was a sad*stic glint in his beady eyes. Exactly like the scene where he sliced my baby's arm off. He's the real monster! Not Rae!

I knew who he was, alright. He's the deplorable rat that kept hounding Rae at every step of the way. Inflicting her with so much pain and anxiety. The sh*tbag who kept bullying her maliciously while the rest of their disgusting party watched nonchalantly. Their indifference was the one that fanned the flames and emboldened him to continue acting atrociously. It was this apathy that had doomed Rae. What 'heroes'?! Rubbish! They're all beasts in human skin!

Before I croak, I'll have your head!

All rationality fizzled out as I pounced on him with fervour, nimbly evading his sword before skewering his chest. Right where his heart was at. Holding his delicate and still beating heart in my palm, I crushed it without mercy. The pig's face contorted as I roughly tore my arm out, ripping him a new one. Blood splattered across my face. But there was not a hint of remorse. Only a mad grin. The trash buckled, crumpling to the ground where he laid motionless. It's truly gratifying to finally see this black-hearted animal get what was coming to him.

"Will!" a choked cry sounded from behind.

And in the next second, a sword impaled my heart. I staggered, coughing up blood. A twinge blossomed in my chest. And it's slowly ballooning, spreading to the rest of my cold body. Nerves exploded as sirens wail in my head. But I didn't struggle. Because this was the moment I've been patiently waiting for. The moment when this coward finally exposed the chink in his armour. The time for me to deal a fatal blow to this self-proclaimed 'hero'.

Got you.

Disregarding the blade that was still lodged inside me, I whirled around and swiped at his head viciously. Everything was a blur as my claws raked across his oh-so precious face, like ripping through paper. It instantly disfigured him, something I had long wished to do ever since Rae kept ignoring me in favour of that damn face. Not only that, the top half of his head went flying off the rack. Just like what he had done to my poor baby. What can I say? Karma is truly a bitch.

Viscous brain matter splurged out. His arm went slack and I kicked his corpse away. Incoherent screams and shouts reverberated in the battlefield. But I was scarcely in the right headspace to listen to the curses directed at me. All I felt was a surge of dizziness. The world started spinning around me. My body threatened to collapse from excessive internal bleeding. I panted heavily, feeling as if every pocket of air was being squeezed out of my lungs. I was dying.

Ah... Finally... We can finally meet again...

She must have been so lonely down there. Just wait a little longer, Rae. We can soon meet each other again.

Aware that I was moments away from reuniting with Rae in hell, I lurched forward, slowly limping towards her body. Sticky blood continued to seep into my clothes. With every painstaking step, the sword embedded in my soul sent waves after waves of debilitating agony to my consciousness. But I couldn't care less. I'm just too damn tired. Too busy hyperventilating to bother saving myself. It's all too little, too late. Lead continued building in my limbs as I stumbled to Rae's side. By the time I reached her, I just knelt down and cradled her decapitated head in my arms, tenderly stroking her black hair. It was still just as silky as ever. So soft. So beautiful.

"Does it still hurt?" I whispered breathlessly, my head lowered to look at her pale face.

No answer came. Only the crackles of surrounding fires that had engulfed the barren wasteland at some point. I couldn't hear the annoying barks. The wishes for me to die. Those calling for my head. Ants encircled me as they continued to approach cautiously with their weapons drawn. However, all this went unseen and unheard. I was only concerned with soothing my baby. After moments of haunting silence, tears dripped down my face again. Sadness and grief welled up inside me. Those bastards were in a fit of meltdown for their dead heroes. Heartbroken at their gorey demise. And yet, no one was crying for poor Rae who was once their comrade. She was also brutally murdered for something that wasn't her fault. For something as vague as a baseless prophecy issued by some 'goddess'—a lie orchestrated and weaved together by the corrupted human royalty. For an unworthy king to keep his undeserved throne. It's as if those brain-dead fools had completely disregarded the existence of Rae. Abandon what little sentiment left between people who hailed from the same world.

I sniffled and sobbed uncontrollably, somewhat hysterical. Others refused to mourn for her death but I do. I was the only one who shed tears for her. Not those unfeeling creatures. Those... monsters.

I'm not willing...

Enemies continued to enclose me. But there was no fear of the impending danger and the futility surrounding my current predicament. Only regret. And sorrow.

Crack.

Somewhere deep in the depths of my convoluted mind, the illusion of a familiar dead tree manifested. Its wilted branches suddenly splintered and fell off. In its place, new twigs sprouted. Its thin body continued to elongate and broaden into full-fledged branches. They expanded outwards, interweaving to form a dense web of worlds and destinies. All interconnected with one another.

I could feel hope dying out, the flickering embers smothered into wisps of smoke. But I was still praying hopelessly. Maybe a little foolishly. Praying that fate would give me a second chance at life. I want to redo everything. I want to protect Rae from those cruel bastards. From those liars. Tell her that unlike the rest, I can see her plight. If they are unwilling to believe her, I will. I believe in her innocence. The real demons are those pathetic humans. Not her.

If I have a chance...

Crackle.

Leaves dotted the wide canopy, followed by blossoming flowers. Buds unfurled into petals as grains of mana pollen were released from the hanging anthers. They sprinkled into the wind like fine dusts of sand.

A pair of feet soon appeared in my vision. A looming shadow cast over me threateningly. My fists slowly clenched in a vice-like grip, until blood dripped from my palms.

I felt my hair being pulled back roughly and an unearthly shriek blasted in my ears, "You bloody vixen! How dare you kill Arthur!"

But I stubbornly kept my head buried. I don't want my last sight to be of this whor*. The banshee raised her arm high up in the air, no doubt eager to chop off my head.

If I can go back in time...

Unwillingness brewed inside, now almost to the point of overflowing. My threshold of tolerance was nearly at its limit. I'm unwilling. Why? Why must it always be us who suffers? Because we're not heroes? Because we're demons? Why were they the ones to reap the benefits through other people's sorrows? If such selfish acts were considered 'heroic' and 'valiant', then what made them any different from us monsters? Why were they the protagonists of this story? Why must we be the cannon fodder villains for them to trample all over? Why? Just why???

If I can be her first encounter...

The once frail and dying world tree was now in full bloom, with all its lush leaves and blooming flowers basking in the warm sun. Swaying in the gentle breeze.

If I can just meet her before the rest...

Whing.

The resonance of the swinging metal blade buzzed through the silent atmosphere. The feeling of cold sharp air fell on my bare neck. A small glow pulsated at the corner of my darkening vision. Without warning, the tiny white dot suddenly ballooned into a glare, engulfing my entire figure.

Chapter 2: How long must I continue to suffer?

Chapter Text

Normal text
Thinking
Onomatopoeia

Rayne's POV
My bloodshot eyes shot open as I screamed. I stared up at the ceiling, panting harshly. And completely frazzled by the unusual nightmare. With quivering fingertips, I absent-mindedly touched my cheeks. They returned wet—tears. There was a painful ache in my chest. A gaping hole right where my heart was at. Right where that blond bastard had maimed me. The emptiness was like nothing I've felt thus far. Very sore. And extremely unbearable.

How strange. What was that all about? Who wants me dead? Whose body was I in?... Who's that woman?

I groaned tiredly, massaging my temples covered in cold sweat. My whole back felt sticky and uncomfortable. As if blood has seeped through my clothes. Just like that woman. A fleeting memory suddenly flashed in my mind. I was breathing heavily while shouting gibberish. My whole body was stained in red from head to toe as I held a kitchen knife with trembling hands. So tightly that my knuckles turned white. Repeatedly stabbing the already mangled corpse beneath me like a depraved savage.

Thump. Thump.

Almost immediately, a twinge flared up in my eye socket. My shoulders tensed as I balled the thin blanket in fists. The stinging sensation rapidly invaded my nerves, spreading to the rest of my skull. I was beginning to feel light-headed. Heaving erratically, I gingerly pressed the adhesive patch covering my right eye. The skin beneath tingled. Swollen. Although the wound had long since scarred over, it was still inexplicably tender, always following closely in tandem with the guilt. I winced, desperately trying to push the nauseating memory to the back of my mind. A few deep breaths later and the throb finally waned, leaving behind a numbing emptiness. Just like my chest.

I slowly propped myself up, only to frown in dismay at the strewn sleeping pills on the ground. It was a mess. I must have forgotten to cap the bottle last night. Those things cost a fortune! A huge cut from my already meagre part-time job at the local convenience store. If I were to waste this precious ambrosia... I'd be f*cked for the next month.

A puff of steam came out in a sigh. I hurriedly picked up the scattered white pills, blowing off the dust before carefully placing them back into the bottle. Once everything was more or less accounted for, I stretched my stiff body and went to prepare breakfast. Just like yesterday morning. Like clockwork every day. Just living with the pain and repeating the same routine. Over and over again. Until I either die from an overdose of sleeping pills or never wake up. Whichever comes first. It's just... too tiring. Having to live with guilt taking fleeting pricks at my consciousness. Every morning was just a new day of suffering, each day a repetitive chore. I didn't see the point of struggling to stay afloat after what I had done, but Mom's tearful pleas were the shackles preventing me from doing something foolish. Her wish for me to continue living. This promise was the only reason why I continued teetering on the edge of life and death. From childhood all the way to adulthood. Every. Single. Day. How... painful.

When will this end...

The dusty flooring creaked beneath me as I walked to the kitchen counter, which also happened to be my bedroom. If you could call the musky couch a bed. But even that was a bit of a stretch.

As always, the very first thing I noticed was the kitchen knives sitting quietly in the holder. The handles stuck out like sore thumbs, as if trying to remind me of my sins. Taunting me every day. And like the coward that I was, I instantly averted my gaze. How pathetic. I had intentionally splurged on an opaque wooden holder where I couldn't see the gleaming edges. But even that wasn't enough. Just the sight of those deadly knives would give me crippling anxiety. In fact, I stubbornly insisted on moving out despite being tight on funds. Choose to rent an apartment and toil for years just to pay rent. All to get away from my childhood nightmare. Because staying there would have driven me insane. I could literally hear voices in my head. My father's abusive shouts. My mother's desperate pleas. And I know for a fact that it wasn't just a temporary side effect of insomnia since it just kept following me whenever I'm inside that cursed house. So I'd rather rent an apartment in a poor district and slave away at a minimum wage job than continue hallucinating those voices.

Time continued to tick on. The longer I stared at the black plastic handles, the colder the soles of my feet. Knowing that my crazy mind would start to wander if I didn't distract myself, I hastily opened the small fridge and got out a tupperware of cut frozen tomatoes. It tasted nasty. There's always this unpalatable texture whenever it thaws—slimy and mushy. But I'd take that over using a blasted knife every day just to make stupid sandwiches. If it weren't for the fear of starving to death, I'd rather not eat at all.

Now that I think about it, my whole life's a joke. An irony after another. I didn't want to live just to slowly pass the years one agonising minute at a time, counting down the days to my death. And yet, at the same time, I feared death the most. Because I don't want to die. I can't die. Otherwise, Mom would have perished for nothing. And I can't have that.

After stuffing stale wheat bread down my throat, I routinely put on an egregiously thin jacket whose stuffing was already leaking out bit by bit. It was fine in the summer, but during the blustery winter season, this cheap thing couldn't stop the merciless cold air from piercing my battered body. I pulled up the zipper and rolled down the sleeves, hiding the unsightly blemishes running down my forearms. Now that everything was nicely covered and secure, I peered at the mirror, only to habitually flinch when a psycho stared back. I don't know when it all changed. I used to love appreciating my looks with Mom. Together with her, we'd spend hours on end in front of a mirror, trying out new hairstyles and clips. But now, I can't stand the idea of appraising myself. It just seemed so... dirty. Not something worth being proud of.

From the corner of my eye, I swear I could see a blurry reflection of a little girl sitting on a woman's lap in the mirror. She was smiling naively, completely unaware that her illusion of a warm house was on fire and in the midst of burning down. It was merely cleverly hidden by the black hair woman. The mother hummed softly while brushing the child's silky hair.

"My little Reina is so beautiful~ You will surely grow up into a fine lady."

"Really?" the girl asked excitedly, "will I be as pretty as Mommy?"

The child didn't dare to say it out loud but she's actually secretly happy that she looked nothing like her absent father. Instead, she's almost the splitting image of the woman braiding her hair.

"Of course~ Reina will be even prettier than Mommy," the kind woman played along, a twinkle sparkling in her violet eyes.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

Unable to stop myself, I reached out to touch the chilly surface, only to have the shimmering illusion disappear without a trace. Like ripples on a pond's surface. That was when reality came crashing down. A sense of loss hit my soul hard.

I closed my puffy eyes, leaning my forehead against the mirror. How funny. Turns out the outside world was not all sunshine and rainbows. It's not as simple to navigate as I initially thought. Reality was cold and ruthless, especially to people they deemed undeserving of nice things. It was so different from how both of us had envisioned it to be. The foolish me used to actually believe my mother's words. Believed that I would grow up to be as beautiful as her. I had looked forward to that day for so long. Hoping that Mom would be there at every important milestone in my life—see me when I enrol into high school; praise me when I'm neatly donned in a graduation cap and gown; congratulate me when I got my first job; move together to a bigger and brighter apartment. But Mom never got her wish fulfilled. She never saw the grown-up me, even as I was soon to leave high school for college. In reality, I was not as perfect as she thought I was. Looking at my current lanky and gloomy self, it was a stark contrast to the innocent angel she adored in the past. I didn't turn out to be the flawless beauty in her mouth. Far from it. I became a withdrawn social outcast who happened to also murder her parents. In other words, a hideous menace to society.

I stared hard at my hair, attempting to braid it, only to fail miserably. Again. I just didn't have the technique. Unlike Mom, my clumsy fingers didn't have the dexterity to do anything right. Which also happened to be one of my regrets—not asking Mom to teach me how to braid my hair. I naively assumed she would always be there in my life so I never bothered learning. How I missed wearing a braid.

Breathing out in resignation, I opened my eyes and gave myself one last cursory scan, rearranging my fringe to cover my right eye before leaving. The moment I unlatched the door and pushed it open, a blast of frigid wind hit me square in the face. I puffed out frosty steam as my teeth chattered. Shivering in my thin clothes, I hustled down the rusty stairs. There were many cheap one-room apartment rentals like mine around here, all squeezed into this one narrow alleyway. Garbage and litter overflowed from the industrial bins, a common sight in the poorer districts. The cleaners tend to avoid these parts, which I can't really blame since this is where most of the shady businesses take place in the city. Even I get iffy when passing through here.

Graffiti of vulgar signs and languages was sprayed on the brick walls. Strewn cigarette buds and plastic bags crinkle beneath my feet as I rush through the dark alleyway. There were familiar faces of homeless regulars lounging on the grimy benches outside. As well as the shifty delinquents who stunk of beer, with tattoos scrawled on every inch of their exposed skin. They were whispering in gruff voices while furtively exchanging small ziplock bags of white powder for cash.

Unknowingly, I gazed at their transaction for a second too long, only to have one of them shoot me a ferocious glare and bark, "Who you're staring at???"

I frantically sped up towards the open street. Best to not find trouble for myself.

Before turning around the corner, a chilling breeze blew past, carrying along their scornful jeers, "puss*."

The biting gales cut into my cheeks sharply. With an empty mind, I trudged in the same direction I've always had for the past 4 years. The familiar prisonlike compound looming ahead was giving me the jitters. Butterflies in my stomach. Nerves grew tauter as a sense of dread washed over me. I really hated coming here. Even if there's lukewarm sunlight.

How odd life was. I lived a couple streets away. And yet, for some reason, my neighbourhood was the only one with thugs and smoke permanently hanging in the air. Cracked roads filled with trash. And forever enshrouded in gloom. Every season of the year. But the school building next door was somehow a complete opposite—bathed in coloured rays all year round, even during winter. Always with clean fresh air to breathe. Everything was just... bright. As if life was perfect and dandy for the people living uptown. Was this the inherent difference between a sinner and the virtuous? They lived a good man so they're granted such luxurious treatment?

As I approached the classroom, my footsteps grew infinitely heavier. The suffocating sense of fear overwhelmed me, squeezing me breathless. Not long later, I stood before the formidable door. While reaching for the doorknob, my hand visibly shook.

Please. Just let today pass by without issue. Please...

However, I should have known fate wouldn't stop torturing me just because I had an extra bad night. The moment the door swung open, a painful blow landed on my head. Coldness was dumped all over me, drenching my body in viscous substance.

Clank! Crash! Clank. Tumble, tumble, tumble.

The clunk was particularly deafening in the silent room. A metal bucket rolled across the ground, dragging along a trail of red. The funky odour of paint wafted to my nose. I froze before slowly looking down at my hands. They were stained in an ominous red. The same shade as the ones that day.

Blood... It's blood...

I could almost smell the fishy stench. Hear the sound of flesh ripping and bones breaking. Feel the increasingly lax grip on my bruised neck. It's as if someone was pinching my heart. My whole body started shaking uncontrollably. Maybe it's because of the heavy concussion I had just received, but there was a constant head-splitting ringing in my ears. And among them were the hysteric laughters and mockery.

"How is it?" Will sneered as he peered at my petrified face, "brighten up yet? Always looking so miserable and stupid every day, like the whole world owes you something when you're the one stinking of poverty. Unlucky jinx. Stop spreading your disgusting depression here. Keep your death vibes to yourself."

Thump.

My heart skipped a beat and a shudder ran down my spine.

No... It can't be...

Impossible. I had hidden everything so well... No one's supposed to know about it. It's supposed to be buried forever.

His insults were laced with barbs and poisonous stings, pricking at my dignity. I could feel something unnerving stirring inside.

Endure... Just endure... It will pass.

It doesn't matter. I'm no stranger to this bullsh*t anyway. I should just keep quiet. Brave the storm and let it pass naturally. Because there's no point in fighting back. I have nobody on my side while they have their rich fathers and mothers as backers. The moment I antagonised them, their armies of lawyers would never let me go. In fact, they CAN and WILL kill me with a mere pinch of their fingers. Just a stack of cash could land me in prison regardless of the truth. So it's better to just shut up and endure. Besides, this was what I deserved for being a white-eyed wolf. For killing my parents. This was God's retribution for the wicked.

That's what I chanted obsessively in my heart, but everything spontaneously combusted when that bastard sneered, "Hmph! Think you can hide your sins forever... murderer!"

What little semblance of order in my life shattered. Reality collapsed right there and then. My mind momentarily blanked out.

In fact, something short-circuited up there as I completely freaked out, "NO! It's not me! It's not me! I did not—"

Seeing that he finally got a reaction out of my usual dull expression, Will cackled maniacally.

My pain only served to excite this pervert as he goaded with renewed vigour, "A serial killer trying to mix in with us normal people? But you forgot. A murderer will always be a murderer. So you should've stayed in your lane."

His grubby hands then reached for my eye patch, "Let's see what a real murderer looks like~"

The oppressive hand cast a dark shadow over my pale face, its silhouette perfectly overlapping with the one in my childhood. A painful throb prodded at the eye beneath the patch. My heartbeat thundered. An electric shock passed through my arms. My hand moved on its own and slapped his bloody sausages away. Hard. The conspicuous smack reverberated in the room of donkeys.

"DON'T TOUCH ME!" I roared.

The classroom subsequently went pitch silent. Retaliating was something I've never done before. Even when being walloped and hustled for my lunch money by his gang of cronies. I had always remained quiet and timid, letting them push me around however much they wanted without ever returning a punch. But I wasn't in the mood to ponder about the consequences of my actions.

"It's not me. Please. I did not. He's the one who started it," I murmured crazily under my breath, "I did not—it's not me..."

I could vaguely hear people mumbling, pointing fingers at my humiliating state. Some whispered in hushed voices while others continued giggling at my expense. Like I'm some sort of clown to dance for their entertainment.

The magnified pig's face in front of me instantly contorted in obvious displeasure, "How dare you touch me, bitch!"

He raised his fist, about to crack my skull when a voice sounded from behind, "What's going on???"

I weakly turned my head. It was Arthur, our class president. He was standing at the doorway, frowning at me and the mess. My eyes instantly lit up. It's as if I had seen a life-saving straw. I lurched forward, wanting to convince him that it wasn't my fault. I'm innocent. I didn't mean to kill my father. It was all a lie. Rumours created by this bastard.

But his words managed to knock me back to reality, "What's going on?"

His eyes were focused on Will. Not me. He wasn't the least bit interested in my excuses.

Will shrugged while gesturing nonchalantly, "Nothing. Just ousting out the murderer from our midst. This wench mutilated her father by repeatedly stabbing him. But instead of being incarcerated behind bars where she belonged, she seemed to have escaped punishment. So I'm merely helping to dish out divine retribution on a vile criminal."

Blood thundered in my ears as fear creeped up my throat. I'm scared. They will hurt me. They're all working together. They want me to die!

There was an uncomfortable pause before Arthur smiled weakly, trying to calm the dicey situation, "There must be some kind of misunderstanding here."

That's what he said but I could clearly hear the indifference in his voice. The tiredness and slight annoyance. He didn't want to get involved in all this drama. But his responsibility as class president required him to discipline and maintain order within this horde of malicious monkeys. If he didn't have his reputation to protect, he would have likely ignored everything.

Thump. Thump.

Please... Don't give up on me... Please, I promise. It isn't me... It isn't...

"HA! What kind of misunderstanding will there be??? My father works for the cops. He even kept a copy of her files and criminal record. If you don't believe me, I can show you. Let everyone see this bitch's real face."

Arthur hesitated. He then peered at me. Finally. He finally acknowledged my presence. But not in the way I hoped for. His expression was complicated. Conflicted about whether he should continue to maintain this superficial harmony with a vicious oddball. There was even subtle fear in those blue eyes. The sign of rejection.

Why... Why won't you accept me... Others might not understand, but you should... You have to...

Usually, he's the only one who bothered helping me while the rest only contributed to the unfeeling laughter. And I thought it would remain like this even if he did one day discover my past. But... he chose to forsake a murderer too...

Why... Why can't you understand me... It's not my fault...

The moment those blasphemous thoughts came to mind, a pang of guilt welled up in my chest. What kind of blind confidence was this? How could a murderer even remotely suggest that she was in the right after brutally butchering someone? Especially when it's her own father. I must have really gone mad.

"He's right, Arthur," a grating voice chorused along.

Lily, the leader of the entourage of banshees that frequently buzzed around Arthur, came forward to loop her arms around his while scrutinising me with narrowed eyes, "Look at how much she's denying. If she really didn't commit a homicide, she wouldn't be this panicked."

As she vomited these sinister lies with a straight face, she pulled him around my figure. Far away from me. There was now a circle of empty space surrounding me. Like I was some freak show for them to observe and dissect. Although this classroom was filled with people, I've never felt more isolated in my life. The loneliness. The depression. It's all eroding what's left of my self-esteem. Their indifferent stares resembled sharp knives, continuously slicing me without mercy. Exactly like what I've done to my father. This was truly karma at its best. An incorrigible murderer can only truly repent after tasting the horror and suffering they had inflicted on their victims.

The corner of my eye stung. I don't know if it's from the irritation of the paint or something else. I just know that I felt like breaking down. If possible, I wish to curl into a ball and let the ground swallow my desolate figure. In a space with no one to condemn me. It certainly didn't help my crumbling mental state when the obnoxious buzz in my ears gradually got louder. Something inside me died. And I'm too afraid to find out what it was. It could very well be my sanity. My humanity.

I... I can't trust anyone here. They're all enemies.

The piercing stares were too much for me. Without hesitation, I bolted out of this godforsaken hellhole, dragging with me a trail of red. It followed me everywhere, like a f*cking persistent co*ckroach. It just wouldn't leave me be. Terror exploded in my heart as I basically started fleeing from the blood traces. My lungs burned, my legs aching from the overexertion. But I couldn't give a damn. Just continued running like my life depended on it. Along the way, I passed by our homeroom teacher.

"Where do you think you're going, Miss Caddel??? Skipping classes again?!"

Don't call me that! I hate that name! It's not me!

Even the adults were apathetic to my existence. They couldn't be bothered to remember my self-introduction. I clearly recalled emphasising that I preferred to be called by my mother's maiden name. And yet, even this tiny detail was too much for them to care. My life was doomed from the moment I picked up that knife.

Why... Why is my presence like a ghost? Why won't they listen?

Ignoring her stormy expression, I stumbled up the endless flights of stairs, all the way to the rooftop. By the time I burst through the door, I was completely out of breath. I leaned on the railings and gasped. Black spots dotted my vision. Everything hurts. Especially my right eye. Taking in large gulps of air, I collapsed to the ground and huddled against the railings that did nothing to stop the freezing wind. Noticing my bloody hands once again, I haphazardly wiped the disgusting fluid from my arms and face. But all that did was smudge it even more. Everything was a mess. Disintegrating before my eyes. The atmosphere was silent, save for my harsh pants. This was what I liked about our school rooftop. No one ever comes here except for loners. So I could just hide in this haven where it's just me left to stew with my insecurities alone. My secret little bubble protecting me from the cruel outside world.

Pretty snowflakes fell gently, melting on my body upon contact. It had begun to snow lightly. Really mirroring the fateful afternoon where it all started. Visions of the horrid past flickered in my eyes, like a broken video fast-forwarding to all the traumatic moments. The fuzzy image of a stained knife in my hands. The helpless father lying beneath me. And Mom's motionless body lying in the background. Blood... There was so much blood. It's everywhere. On the floor. On my father. On my hands... Sharp pain concentrated in my right eye. I winced, covering the tender flesh while hyperventilating. I could feel something threatening to snap in my mind.

I'm not a murderer! I'm not!

While trapped in bouts of self-denial and slowly descending into madness, my thoughts ended up drifting to Will. The bastard who tormented me ever since I stepped foot in this place. He was never pleased with my poor bum being in this prestigious school, in the same class as him. He thinks it's revolting and will sully his name. So of course he would make sure my life here was hell from day one. It started off with painful bumps on the shoulder whenever he walked past me. Then I somehow became his bread shuttle unilaterally. And when no one reported him, it finally escalated into outright physical abuse—from intentionally throwing a basketball at my head during PE to beating me up after school. Anything awful you could possibly imagine, he had tried it on me. As long as it's shy of killing me, he would do it in a heartbeat.

I breathed heavily, feeling blood rush to my head. Anger boiled inside me. All this wouldn't have happened if that f*cker didn't exist! If he had died, the nightmares would finally stop. Those spiteful whispers would finally cease. Everything would finally return to a peaceful silence. Unknowingly, an unsettling glint flashed in my eyes. If... If that bastard disappears tomorrow... all this pain would end. If he dies... If everyone in that bloody room dies, this wouldn't spread outside of the classroom—no. It must have already circulated throughout the whole school by now. So I must deal with all of them. Just so long as everyone in this building dies...

My fists clenched, nails digging into my palms. But the sting didn't register in my dull mind. Only the sudden radical notion of killing everyone here to end my sufferings.

"Endure... Just endure. Everything will be alright tomorrow."

Mom's voice was like a thunder strike—loud and powerful. It immediately halted the dangerous flow of thoughts in my psychotic mind. I was startled. Horrified at my own cruelty. Guilt surged again. How dare I think of such inhumane things? Isn't this the thought process of most remorseless serial killers? What have I become? Was I really broken on the inside?

I sniffled, wiping the sticky residue on my face. Just a little pain and I'm already kicking a fuss. Then what about my victims? How would they feel facing the opposite end of my blade? I don't have the right to whine and throw a tantrum. After all, things could have turned out much worse for me. My case could have been easily deemed as an act of homicide. I could have been convicted to lifetime imprisonment for manslaughter. And yet, I have the gall to bitch and moan after getting away scot-free with a slap on the wrist—an act of self-defence. I should've been grateful for the way things turned out. Just be thankful I still have the freedom and chance to get bullied instead of being stuck in a dreary cell.

I squeezed my clammy hands for comfort. I wasn't a coward. At least, I hope not. I did think of slapping back at their douchery. Fighting for my dignity. However, I ultimately chose the path of a pacifist. Because I'm afraid of dying. And more importantly, I'm scared of losing my temper and doing something I would regret again. I'm terrified of the possibility that a mutilated corpse would appear at my feet again when I regained consciousness.

"You're my everything, Rayne. I don't want you to be hurt. So promise mommy. Promise me you will live. No matter what."

Every word of hers echoed in my mind like a broken recorder. It was the only thing stopping me from committing suicide. And it had worked for so many years. But... I'm not sure how long I can last like this. The same lie of 'everything would turn out for the better' can only last for so long. How long must I continue to suffer? How long must I wait for the nightmares to leave me alone?

My gaze wandered to the tiny parade square below me. What an enticing sight. Unbeknownst to me, I had climbed over the waist-height railings. Sitting in the middle of a blustery snowstorm, everything beneath seemed so small in comparison. So inconsequential. Just a jump and everything would end. I could finally be free. Maybe there's also hope of reuniting with Mom in hell.

I recognised the familiar faces down there. I had already missed homeroom and half of PE. And would probably miss everything after this. People were beginning to glance upwards. I can't really make out their expressions. Not that I give a f*ck. I'm tired of seeing their annoying faces. I don't want to see them anymore.

"Promise me you will live. No matter what."

Without hesitation, I pushed myself off. There was a brief sense of weightlessness before gravity sent me hurtling straight down. Rushing winds howled in my ears, tousling my messy hair. I could even see droplets of red paint floating in the air, closely in tow with my plummeting figure. For some inexplicable reason, I was actually calm. Much more serene than my usual anxiety-ridden state. I merely watched the grey sky gradually leave me further. Maybe even a little excited. Anticipating the moment when I could see Mom again. I missed her so much.

Unfortunately, fate has other plans for a murderer like me. It hadn't yet deemed me worthy of happiness. Before I could feel the crushing pain, a white glare suddenly exploded out of nowhere, swallowing everyone in the small parade square.

Chapter 3: I must be a hero!

Chapter Text

Normal text
Thinking
Onomatopoeia

Rayne's POV
Just as fleeting as when the nova glare materialised, it quickly vanished in the blink of an eye. I plopped down disgracefully on my butt, my insides intact and unscathed. After falling from the sixth storey.

Wha...

The dazed look on my face stiffened unnaturally when I heard my mother. She was faintly calling for me, her quivering voice filled with unprecedented anxiety and madness. The way her trembling hands hugged me bruisingly for fear that I would really disappear in the next second.

"You're my everything, Rayne."

Thump. Thump.

My smooth brain finally caught onto my stupidity. I almost threw up at the near-death experience. What the hell was I doing??? How could I be so selfish? Dying just because I can't take a little pressure??? Can death even whitewash my sinful soul??? What about Mom? Would she be happy that her cowardly daughter unravelled all her sacrifices???

I am Mom's greatest hope. Her pride and joy. If I died, everything she had suffered thus far would be for nought. Fed to the dogs. I would have personally crushed her hope with my bare hands. Am I really so cold-hearted as to even do this to my own mother? My flesh and blood mother?

I sat on the crisp maroon carpet, at a loss. Arched entrances lined the four sides of this spacious room. A soft clink came from the crystal chandelier above, bathing everything in harsh white light. Marbled tiles layered the floor, so polished that I could see my own pale reflection. In front of me stood a long flight of stairs plated in pure gold, leading up to a wide platform. On it was a throne encrusted in priceless jewels—ruby, diamond, sapphire. You name it, that chair probably has it embedded somewhere.

A wrinkly geezer with a lofty expression reclined on the tacky throne in a posture that screamed 'I am royalty! Notice me, peasants!' He was adorned in fancy robes with a lanky silk cape whose sole purpose was to be a glorified broom. A golden crown similarly studded in precious gems sat on his head of white hair. The old man has weird tastes, alright. Not even bothering to shave his beard or trim his long hair. It made him look like a lion way past his prime with all that unkempt mane. He's the kind of snob that thinks money makes the man. Though his fashion sense was distasteful, there's no doubt that this person was rich. Filthy rich. Possessing overflowing wealth that most people could never hope to attain in their lifetimes.

Am I... in some castle?

The realisation of my current predicament finally sank in.

Where the hell am I???

I glanced around in fright at the strange new environment. The air was eerily quiet. Weirdos covered from head to toe in hooded robes surrounded us. Definitely mages. They looked the part anyway. There were also unsmiling palace knights everywhere, dressed in full-body armour and armed with sharp blades. Ones that actually looked real, not just some cheap flimsy stage props. My back broke out in cold sweat at the sight of those deadly edges gleaming at their waists. These people were standing in the way of the only exit, trapping me here amidst their psychotic cult.

W-What do they want? Is this a kidnapping??? Since when do kidnappers nowadays dress like they're in some high school musical play??? More importantly, why would they even kidnap me??? I have no money! I'm just a cursed orphan that could barely cover each month's rent, much less be anything of value. I'm no bargaining chip!

Are they asylum-seeking patients on the loose???

Sweat dripped down my forehead as I waited for them to state their conditions with bated breath.

"We did it! The summoning was a success!" one of the hooded goons at the front exclaimed, shattering the pin-drop silence.

Both of his hands were clasped together in a prayer. I squinted at his gibberish nonsense.

'Summoning'? Magic?

Is this one of those isekai tropes in novels? I mean, it kinda makes sense since they're all dressed like freaks. If they were to wear such bizarre apparels on Earth, I don't believe the cops would NOT come out in squadrons and cuff their wrists. Besides, those swords and axes definitely wouldn't pass through TSA. So that must mean I've transmigrated to a mediaeval time period. Maybe in some kind of fantasy realm too.

... sh*t!

Before I could descend into a full-blown panic attack, a familiar voice of my nightmares jeered, "What were you trying to do, huh?"

I whirled around. To my dismay, I wasn't the only one thrown into this foreign place. The rest of my class were here too, busy spectating the joke sitting in front of them.

Arthur frowned in disapproval, "If there's something that upset you, we can always discuss it calmly, Rayne. No need to escalate it into such..."

His voice trailed off, clearly trying to stop himself from saying 'brainless acts'.

"Drama queen," Will snarked, "a little scuffle between students and you already peed your pants. What a puss*."

"Enough," Arthur snapped.

This was the first time he had directly admonished that bastard.

Unfortunately, he only shrugged perfunctorily, "I'm telling the truth. She's just trying to make a mountain out of a molehill. I bet she probably wants to give everyone a bad rep, paint us all as murderers just to soothe her twisted desires."

The rest nodded in agreement while glowering at me. As if I was the one who shat on them just 30 minutes ago.

I fidgeted uncomfortably at the hair-raising animosity, my complexion growing increasingly bloodless as I stuttered, "H-He splashed r-red paint on me—"

"So?" Will provoked, "it's not permanent. Can't you just wash it off? A little prank and you want to condemn everyone as sinners? How small-minded can you be? You freak!"

Hostile glares pierced my body. The others clicked their tongues disdainfully, their expressions pinched and dissatisfied as they parroted after him.

"Right! Such a bitch! No wonder she's a loner."

"How vengeful. She seriously wants to traumatise all of us with a dead body just because of a harmless joke??? What a sick pervert!"

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. A murderer will forever be a murderer. Such a depraved psycho shouldn't be left to roam outside."

"Who's to say she wouldn't get pissed off and kill someone over a small matter?"

"Best to stay away from this jinx."

My chest squeezed painfully with every one of their vindictive criticisms. The way they ganged up on me in their cliques. The way they belittled my pain and depression... The way they made it seemed like I'm the only one freaking out over an 'inconsequential prank'... It actually made me question if I was indeed just needlessly creating a big hoo-ha for attention. Was I the one being selfish and difficult? Did I truly have the morbid idea to doom them all with the same fate as me?

I pursed my lips, shutting up instantly. I was now in unfamiliar territories. Who knows what kind of perils were out there? The last thing I wanted was to risk making enemies out of everyone and get the royal boot. It would have been a death sentence. So it's best to reign in on the hissy princess fits. Let it go. Endure. Until I manage to find a way back, it's better to just suck it up. I can't die. Not like this.

"Endure... Just endure. Everything will be alright tomorrow."

"Sorry..." my timid voice was barely audible.

Will snorted triumphantly. Even with my head lowered, I could already imagine him gloating and relishing in my defeat. This was his usual gaslighting tactic. Anytime I tried bringing up his douchery, he'd always find a way to downplay my concerns. Make it seem like I was the one in the wrong and he's the victim instead. Then have everyone roped to his side. With pressure from the masses, it becomes a thousand times more difficult to find faults with this scum. Because everything I said would have been seen as a petty attempt to garner pity. Not to mention, who am I compared to him? He's one of the popular guys in our class. The sporty kid who's also the captain of the basketball team. Meanwhile, I'm just a nobody. A loner. A murderer. No one would abandon his ship for mine. That's how reality works. The virtuous with a clean slate could do no wrong.

"O brave heroes, please save our world!" the mage guy interrupted, as if he hadn't just witnessed any discourse.

... Seriously???

I couldn't believe just how oblivious he was. Is this really the time to play charades??? Or was he merely ignoring me?

"What do you mean by that?" Arthur probed, puzzled.

With a face that resembled a dead NPC, the weirdo continued his 'riveting' tale, "There is a long and complicated story behind this, but we have summoned you cardinal heroes using an ancient ritual. The previous generation of heroes have fallen in battle. Without a force of good for mankind to rally behind, our enemies have grown bolder and are close to wiping us out. So we had no choice but to call upon you."

The rest looked at each other in disbelief.

"Our world teeters on the brink of destruction. We beg you, O brave heroes! Please save us!"

Right on cue, the rest of his scammer crew clasped their hands together like they're praying to god. Yup. Definitely not normal. They're so engrossed in their act that they not only look the part of a fanatic cult follower, they have also mastered the art of talking like an NPC. Utterly mind-boggling.

Are they practising for opera?

However, Will was thoroughly pleased with the respect showered on him.

"Well, I guess I could hear you out at least," he smirked with a smug face, basking in their subservient attitude.

You could see his giant nostrils flaring with pride as this egomaniac basked in the rainbow farts blown his way.

"The world we lived in is called Runeterra. However, times haven't been peaceful as of late. For there exist terrorists who seeked to annihilate our kind."

"Terrorists as in...?"

"Demi-humans," the pope guy clarified, "the population is divided into two, the humans and the demons. Just like how we have a king to govern the territories under us, the demons also have their own monarch—the demon lord."

My jaw dropped. I couldn't believe such dog-blooded backstory could actually exist in real life. I thought these fairy-tale circ*mstances only existed in Mary Sue novels. Apparently not.

"The demon lord is a nefarious being whose sole goal is to conquer the lands and annihilate the entire human race. Under him are nine generals. At his bidding, they commit treason and murder in his name, laying waste to civilisations. All to expand his corrupted reign. If we were to let those hateful devils run rampant, the lesser demi-humans beneath them would surely raze down every settlement. Kill every living thing they come across. Loot homes and rape the women."

There was a long silence as we soaked in the information. I could feel the onset of a migraine. I more or less already guessed what he wanted from us—be heroes, slay this so-called demon lord and his generals, commit mass genocide to save humanity. You know, all the dirty work. Don't mind them as they turtle in base and wait for our good news. Not only were their requests unreasonable, I'm also sceptical of this guy's rambles. It had so many questionable loopholes. I'm not saying that the demons would never kill for sport. But that can't be the entire population either, right??? I don't believe that every one of them were bloodthirsty and vile, borned just to terrorise humans all day long. There must be at least one peace-loving demi-human, right??? One bad egg (or 10 in this case) in the basket doesn't mean all of them were rotten and must be exterminated. That's generalising as hell. And it isn't fair to those who didn't hurt anyone...

Really, all this only reminded me of the compulsory therapy I had to attend after the court ruling. Every one of the therapists I've been assigned to think I have a screw loose in my head. They lumped me together with the real serial killers just because I've brutally murdered my own father. They always asked the same few questions. Why did you not call the police and let them handle the case? Why did you have to stab your father multiple times when he's already incapacitated? But they never asked WHY I attacked him. They never asked what he did. They never asked what happened to Mom...

"We can't allow those inferior co*ckroaches to commit such treachery. They need to be kept in line, have their souls cleansed and presented to the goddess for judgement. So please, O brave heroes, as apostles of the Holy One, deliver divine retribution to these sinners and save our country."

Others may be deaf, but I'm not. The venom laced in his words was so obvious. Something that goes deeper than the mere hatred for the slaughter of their kind. The discrimination they had towards demi-humans was glaring. Even from the few sentences they uttered, I could already tell that these folks deemed anything non-human as beneath them. In other words, they're human supremacists. Not that far off from Hitler. Definitely not someone I'm eager to fight for. Because if they could hate on someone just for their race, they could literally hate on anyone for no reason. Who's to say they won't suddenly turn on me for some absurd reason?

And there's also another issue about these people's attitude. After wasting so much saliva, the supposed king still hasn't spoken. He's just watching us with an aloof expression. That amount of arrogance certainly didn't look like terrorised fogeys who finally grasped onto life-saving straws in the form of high school students. Everything just screams suspicious.

"And where do we come in?" Arthur asked the most important question.

Pope wannabe beamed from ear to ear, "The goddess has chosen all of you to take on this sacred mission. Naturally, the Holy One would have blessed her descendants with indomitable powers to aid you in your quest."

... Why is this beginning to sound more and more like some religious cult thingy?

"With her protection, you can slay monsters to earn experience and level up your attributes. Their carcasses will drop raw materials as well as magic cores which are powerful crystals filled with tremendous mana. They're extremely versatile and can be used to power anything from small machinery to entire cities. They are also the main currency used in our world and can be exchanged for food, potions, weapons and grimoires. The higher the grade, the more valuable they are."

... Then by this logic, what made these goons any more righteous than the demi-humans? They inflict misery on others for their entertainment while these devotees farm materials off their corpses. I don't see the morality in their actions. In fact, it's not much different from human traffickers.

Murmurs came from the group.

"Sounds a bit like a game, doesn't it?"

"Yeah, yeah, with all the fantasy elements and monsters. How fascinating."

Looking at their unhinged excitement as they daydream about becoming stupid superman, it seemed like I'm the only one who has their head screwed on right. The only person concerned about a very major threat—the prospect of death. See, these folks didn't say anything about transferring our souls into the inhabitants of this world. They SUMMONED us. In short, they teleported our physical bodies from Earth straight to Runeterra. So whatever happens to us here has very real consequences. We could actually die if we're not careful. But these f*cking Mary Sues and Gary Stus here weren't even aware of this ugly reality. They merely saw all these as a game.

Needless to say, everyone was hyped about this dubious quest. Hungry and desperate to be part of an epic legend. Especially Will. That narcissist was practically rubbing his hands while cackling with glee, probably thinking of all the fame and fortune he was going to get for saving mankind. The title of 'hero' definitely went to his head. It's even more bloated than it already was.

But unlike these thickheaded fools, I didn't quite buy their 'hero narrative'. I don't know why but something about them seemed odd. The more the lead mage yap away, the more he reminded me of those Jehovah's Witnesses who went door to door to preach and psycho people into joining their faith. Their propaganda just seemed too... brainwashy. What's more, the other mobs were also acting mighty suspicious. Like the way those mages frequently whispered amongst themselves. Or how the nobles in frills and pointy shoes smiled in an unsettling sort of way, as if they knew something we don't. Or the fact that their king didn't once properly acknowledge our presence. These people... they're not actually thankful for our appearance. All the typical bland NPC dialogues didn't even sound genuine. Like, how come I can't tell the urgency in their voices???

Liars. These rats are definitely liars.

The pope guy spread his arms, "Come. I'll perform some divination reading. It will reveal your occupation granted by the Holy One. Depending on your assigned roles, the base attributes you received will also be different."

Now this got my attention. If whatever he said was true, then everything here operates like a MMO. Meaning that one's occupation could make or break the game. It could determine your entire livelihood, whether you would become an omnipotent hero revered by all or a worthless villager that served as nothing but feed for monsters. It could change one's destiny.

Gears started turning in my head. Maybe... Just maybe I could actually get a class that's respectable. Something honourable and virtuous. Able to mask away my horrible past in its glory...

People began lining up, stepping forward one by one to have their fortunes read. There were many occupations—cleric, druid, fighter, barbarians, ranger, rogue, mage, sorcerer and warlocks. All of which were desirable outcomes. Not too shabby. But not too fantastic. Until it came to Arthur. When it's his turn, a bright light emerged from his hand. Sort of like a lighthouse.

The moment the stinging glare died down, the pope smiled so widely that you'd think he won the lottery, "Paladin! We have a paladin in our midst! He's the chosen child of light in the prophecy. Destined to lead the Heroes' party! The person who will ultimately slay the demon lord and purge all evils from our lands!"

... Woah...

There were gasps and wows. The girls were practically boring him with their heart eyes, completely swooned by his charm. On the other hand, jealousy and dissatisfaction brewed on the guys' side, probably complaining why the child of destiny must always be that bastard. Meanwhile, I'm just praying that I get something that could help me change my fate. Though I'd be lying if I say I didn't feel the least bit envious of his bright future ahead. It's basically guaranteed.

Like all things fair, Will also got a decent class, admirable even—the dragon knight.

"Dragon knight. Able to call upon the powers of the dragons and command these mythical beasts. He is the master of fire magic and swordsmanship, second only to the Paladin."

Normally, most people would have been glad they got such an important role but Will only cursed under his breath, "Tch. Why is that sissy the Paladin??? I should've been the one."

A nagging thought unexpectedly materialised in my mind.

Why is it always that dickhe*d that gets all the good stuff... Why can't it be me...

Only to be taken aback at my shallowness. How dare I think of such blasphemous things??? Will might be an asshole but at least he didn't go around stabbing people. So obviously he would be favoured by the goddess. How dare I compare myself with him. Of course it can't be me. A murderer can't be a knight. Or anything for that matter. I should be thankful if I got anything remotely useful.

Behind him was me. I was the only one left whose fate remained in the air. With a racing heart, I stepped forward. But not before being bumped in the shoulders by that f*cker.

"Let's see what you get, idiot."

I stumbled before regaining my balance. My shoulder hurts.

Endure. Just endure. Once I get a good enough class, something that could rival a paladin and a dragon knight, that would shut his trap. He won't ever talk sh*t again. The flies buzzing around me 24/7 would also leave. Just so long as I get something decent, my crappy life would change for the better.

With such messy thoughts, I stood before the fortune teller who had my future in his hands. The person lightly grasped my clammy palms and closed his eyes, chanting some complicated runic magic. Without warning, darkness seized my vision, plunging me into a pitch-black dimension.

What? Where am I???

Unease crawled up my skin as I whipped my head around in a panic. There was nothing in this space. Not a sound. Not a smell. Not a colour. Only a perturbing emptiness. A bit suffocating. Trapped in this freaky realm, a pair of purple eyes gradually opened in the middle of nowhere and stared at my soul. They were shining aglow, indifferent and void of compassion. As if a god was peering down at an insignificant mortal. Cold and emotionless to their plights. My legs started trembling as the magnetic presence ensnared my consciousness, slowly drawing me in. I couldn't look away. This was literally 'if you stare into the abyss long enough, the abyss stares back' kind of moment. My heart thumped loudly and out of sync. I was utterly terror-stricken.

D-Death!

H-He must be the grim reaper. Here to take me back after avoiding death for so long. Years of laying low couldn't possibly outrun Hades forever. He must have found me after searching every nook and cranny. And now that he got ahold of the heinous criminal, he's about to dish out punishment for the crime of evading judgement. I was going to die for my sins today.

No... I can't die... I can't! I—

A rough shove abruptly broke this illusion. Light returned once again as I tripped and fell. I was back to the throne room. I blinked in confusion, very disoriented. The burning sensation on my wrist distracted me. I looked down to see an unknown symbol seared into my skin. Permanently. It was two simple triangles connected by the tip. The shape of an hourglass. I dumbly caressed the engraving, feeling the sting of the burnt skin. I have a bad feeling about this... This ominous mark...

The soundless atmosphere was finally broken by a horrified voice, "Necromancer."

The moment he uttered such a foreboding word, everyone fell silent. I just sat on the ground foolishly, unable to process the sudden turn of events. Unable to accept this conclusion.

Why? Why did it turn out like this?

For as long as I could remember, I hated being the unscrupulous serial killer. I wished to be the innocent. The knight in shining armour. Might sound a bit delusional but it's the only way for the guilt to go away—to be known as a commendable Samaritan. And I thought this transmigration was the ticket to my dream. I was hopelessly banking on this to finally break free from the pungent blood trails. Because unlike the rest, I wasn't gifted. I didn't have the natural charisma and leadership of Arthur. Didn't have the borned athleticism of that sh*tbag Will. So I had to work harder than anyone else. Fail harder than anyone else. Because I didn't know anything else except to work hard. Just like what I had always done in school—bury my head in textbooks and hope that everything would somehow work out by itself. If I showed enough dedication, maybe fate would recognise my efforts and let me prosper later on in life.

However, instead of being on the high road to justice, my future inexplicably took a nosedive. Sinking deeper into the man-eating quicksand. In the end, I wasn't the Son of Heaven. So their goddess decided to play a cruel joke on me. Assigned me the one class I desperately didn't want—a necromancer. As if ridiculing me, telling me that my sins make me unworthy. They would always follow me wherever I go. Even to this strange new world. It's a sign. A warning. A grim reminder that running from the past was futile. Blood would forever be on my hands. And ultimately, all my efforts were bound for failure. There's only one ending awaiting a deranged murderer. And it's not a heroic one.

Why... Why do this to me...

My face was ghastly, drained of colour. While wallowing in self-pity, Will was having the time of his life. Apparently, he too had the same idea.

He doubled over in manic laughter, his mocking chortles echoed in the silence, "HAHAHA! What's this??? Even the goddess knows you're trash! A coincidence??? I think not! HAHAHA! The irony is f*cking hilarious!"

He then squatted in front of me with a scornful expression, "Why so quiet? Upset? Were you actually dreaming about being the protagonist? What a joke. Your rubbish life will not change. You will only ever amount to a bread shuttle. Nothing more. And everything less!"

I flinched from the painful truth. As much as I wanted to spit in his face, I couldn't. Because even I thought of the same thing. If this wasn't glaring enough evidence that reality doesn't want me to succeed, then I don't know what is. Lightning never strikes twice in the same place for no reason.

As if things couldn't get worse, the archmage started shrieking his head off, "YOU MONSTER! THIS IS A SIGN FROM THE HOLY ONE! YOUR EXISTENCE IS ONE THAT HERALDS DEATH!"

While he continued screeching soprano, armed troops drew their weapons on me. Will intentionally distanced himself away so that I could bear the brunt of their resentment. Spiteful gazes landed on me, wanting nothing more than to peel off my skin. Hostility peaked at an all-time high. I could practically taste their abhorrence. And it's all from the residents of this bloody world.

Ding!

[Bloodlust is detected.]

A translucent holographic screen suddenly popped up in front of me. It seemed like I was the only one who could see it since the rest didn't even flinch. Great. I'm not only about to be skewered to death, my mind was also going nuts. Now I was utterly terrified. I don't want to be a psycho! I didn't want to have anything to do with that miserable role!

"MONSTER—SHE'S ONE OF THEM! WE NEED TO KILL HER BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE!"

I could feel a heavy stone dropping in my heart. It sent decimating ripples to my soul. The threat of death.

"Promise me you will live."

Ding!

[Bloodlust is detected.]

Something broke inside me as I scrambled up, shouting hysterically, "This must be a mistake—you're lying! I'm not a demon!"

But my outburst was only creating more chaos, instilling fear into the hearts of these rats. My unstable emotional state was freaking them out. The guards trained their blades at me, ready to pounce the moment I retaliated.

Ding!

[Bloodlust is detected.]

"SHUT UP, MONSTER! QUICK! PUT HER DOWN!"

The palace troops surged forward, setting off a flurry of metallic clanks from their armour. Meanwhile, the rest of my class was merely watching the drama with interest. They're only concerned about how I was going to die. The more tragic it was, the better. Anything outside of hyperventilating and being a clown had little to do with them. Even if we came from the same Earth, none of them had any intention of helping.

Ding!

[Bloodlust is detected.]

It certainly wasn't helping that the pinging sound kept wailing non-stop, the black notifications repeatedly overlapping each other. As if I can't tell these motherf*ckers want me dead. The thin threads of sanity were snapping one after another. My fingers twitch, slowly bunching into fists.

"Promise me you will live. No matter what."

I won't die. I can't die! I cannot—

They want to kill me. They want me to disappoint Mom. They're going to make her cry. Make her upset. Make her hate me.

I was breathing heavily as my ears started ringing. My fists were clenched so tightly that blood was drawn. But I couldn't be bothered about it. Only hear the incessantly pounding in my head. Feel the anger rapidly boiling inside, seeping into every nook and cranny of my veins. Feel the unfairness of it all. Why? Why must I always suffer like this?! What did I do to deserve this fate?!

They... They must be Father's accomplices! They must be! I have to kill them! Before they hurt me and make Mom cry!

Blood rushed to my head as my pupils shrunk.

Moments before all hell broke loose, the damn mute king finally spoke, signalling to others that he's still alive and kicking, "Stop."

The encroaching guards paused, awaiting further instructions.

"This is an unprecedented case. We have never had a necromancer in our ranks. Normally, you would have been executed immediately. But I have decided to spare you. You will be allowed to join the heroes' party to prove yourself useful. Until you have contributed to the demon lord's fall, you are on probation."

Thump. Thump.

The seething rage that had been steadily building inside detonated as I fired back without mercy, "SCREW YOU! You shameless motherf*ckers have the cheek to spew all this rubbish after what you've done???"

I knew it was stupid of me to cuss at royalty. I was the one outnumbered here. That old fart could easily send me straight to the execution grounds for treason. But I just couldn't give a f*ck. I was already stressed about being abducted to this dumpster. Worried about my safety and livelihood. Anxious about whether I would ever be able to return back to Earth. And yet, the culprit that kidnapped me, the one who created all this clusterf*ck—THIS BASTARD dared to utter such bullsh*t in front of me?! The nerve to still act so high and mighty! He's the goddamn f*cker who brought me here without my consent! Not only did he have the face to request me to die for him, he still dare to f*cking show me this attitude?! Is his skin really that thick or has he been living his whole life with his head shoved up his ass??? I haven't even grilled him for branding this disgusting thing on my wrist and he dare show me this curt attitude?!

I'm not the savage! You are! You all are!

"You're either f*cking clueless or you really think I'm a slave for you to wave about as you please!" I roared, utterly livid, "get your head out of the gutter! As if I will sacrifice my life for you motherf*ckers! Send me back!"

This was the first time I have spat out so much vulgarities. But politeness be damned! I was just too delirious with fury to care about etiquette. Every word ended up skipping the filtering part in my head. If I'm going to die here, I'll f*cking flame this saggy cow to grilled steak!

"HOW DARE YOU INSULT THE KING!" one of his minions squealed.

[Bloodlust is detected.]

But the old donkey only raised his hand, getting him to shut up promptly, "I can't send you back. Your arrival has caused the lives of many of our high-ranking mages. Not only were you not grateful for being spared after wasting our resources by offering such an inferior class, you still have the audacity to demand us to die for you once again? Please be aware of your place. I can't afford to waste any more precious resources on worthless ants."

His solemn expression was still just as haughty as ever, glancing at me as if I was dirty trash. This kind of superiority complex was bloody grating on my nerves. He really thinks everyone would bow down to him just because he's of royal descent. Sorry, donkey. But I'm not from bloody Runeterra. So I don't give a rat's ass about respecting this old man! And it wasn't just him being the brain-dead unreasonable ape. Even the other nobles were nodding in agreement. I could hear their disdainful mumbles loud and clear. The most prominent one being that I had wasted a valuable mage's life. They must have a screw loose in their heads! I think they're in for a kind reminder of who's the conceited ass who kidnapped high school teens just to beg them to commit genocide in their stead.

More fiery anger erupted inside me, "Are you f*cking kidding me??? Do you know the word 'responsibility'??? Or must I spell it out for you??? Who was the one who gave me this job??? Did I force you to summon me??? Did I say that I want to partake in your cringefest charades???"

I will not die for your f*ckers! Your extinction has nothing to do with me! Nothing! All of you can die for all I care!

"You're the ones who decided on your own to abduct me! I did not want to be here or be heroes to a bunch of assholes—"

"Stop," Arthur cut my rant off, "control yourself, Rayne. We're in the audience of royalty."

His eyes were full of disappointment. Miffed by my behaviour. I could feel my heart momentarily stop. He had deemed the problem to be me. Again. It's always been like this. Whenever Will harassed me, it was my fault for pissing him off. It was my fault for not growing eyes and bumping into his shoulders. It was always my fault. Never others. I was the scapegoat to all the disharmony and issues that's been plaguing this class from day one.

A familiar sense of helplessness and aggrievedness welled up. Why won't he side with me? Was these egomaniacs from another world much more important than me? Is it because they didn't harm a fellow human? Is it because I'm a murderer? That's why he doesn't want to understand me?

"You should be thankful he had shown you mercy, Rayne," he continued with a tone of righteous indignation, "besides, how can you be so selfish as to watch the innocent suffer? We're granted powers. So we have the responsibility to protect the weak."

... Then what about me... Who will protect me...

It was easy for him to say such lofty ideals because he's bestowed with the role of a paladin. He has all the natural attributes and innate talent that comes with being the child favoured by the goddess. Guaranteed to be invincible in the coming future. So of course he doesn't have to worry about his safety. Unlike me. I had no powers. No respect. And definitely no allies here. Not with this miserable occupation. What was some measly necromancer going to do in front of a fire-breathing dragon? Just a stomp of its feet would crush whatever skeleton soldiers I could muster. I'm cursed to have a horrible class progression. Fated to be cast out of their ranks. Runeterra isn't like Earth with laws in place to protect the weak. There are monsters. Both humans and demons. The only law here is survival of the fittest. Anything goes as long as one is strong. So I can't protect myself. I'm no different from the ordinary hapless citizens on the streets. I would literally get mauled to death the moment I take one step out of the castle gates.

That was what I wanted to say but in the end, I just pursed my lips and stopped my egregious tirade. Because it's obvious the class president wouldn't support me even if I raised my concerns. Since he had already determined these aliens to be far more important, whatever I said wouldn't convince him one bit. In fact, if I continued being stubborn, he might just lose his patience and forsake me entirely. I can't risk losing the one neutral ally I have. That would be foolish and the fastest way for me to be booted to the underworld. I can't die! So I must swallow my discontentment and be more cooperative. Be docile. As long as he doesn't find my presence repulsive, he would let me follow him. That's as good as a protection I could ever get out of him.

Endure. Just let go. It's not worth it.

Seeing my deflated response, he smiled faintly, "It's okay, Rayne. I will protect you."

Will you? Will you actually protect me?

The grey notifications in front of me finally faded away, as with my anger. Everything just sort of fizzled out, leaving behind a cold desolate abyss that threatened to devour me whole. Paranoia and doubts plagued my consciousness. My chest felt so suffocated. It hurts so much...

"Now that that's settled, let's move on to the more pressing matter," the motherf*cker said while nodding to the fake pope.

Feeling his sharp stares on me, the monkey continued, "Of course, we wouldn't be so unreasonable as to ask you to brave the dangers without any adequate rewards. As long as you defeat the demon lord, each one of you will be granted a noble title, as well as 1 acre of land and a mansion for your efforts."

More feverish murmurs. The group's morale was peaking as exhilaration ran through their minds. We can live like kings and queens, they must have thought. Unfortunately, I didn't quite get the memo. I just can't seem to find it in me to squeeze out a strangled smile.

"We will also hold an official ceremony to commemorate your valiant deeds."

My godawful expression froze.

"All of you will be crowned as national heroes."

The surrounding chatters faded into the background. All I could hear was the archmage's words resonating in my head.

'National heroes'?

"Your contributions will be carved out in stone memorials and your legend passed down for generations to come. You will forever be remembered as humanity's saviours."

Thump. Thump.

If I'm known as a full-fledged hero... wouldn't that bury my past as an incorrigible murderer? Wouldn't my altruistic deeds be recorded and retold? Then there wouldn't be any evidence to condemn me anymore. Not when my name appeared in their history books. Blood could finally be washed away from my hands. Surely one dead father couldn't possibly outweigh the lives of millions, right?

My right eye started hurting again but I merely touched it gently, a genuine, and somewhat manic, smile cracked on my face. The first time in years since I actually felt hopeful. If I defeat the demon lord, the nightmares would end. The guilt would be cleansed away. There will be more good night's sleep in the future. I could finally be considered a good man.

"So please, save us, heroes."

Arthur nodded, "Since we have no way back, we might as well help you. I promise to rid you of all your sufferings."

As for me, my promise only goes as far as getting that title. I must be a hero! At all costs! Doesn't matter if I have to step over these donkeys' corpses to get what I want! I will be a hero!

After that decree was laid down, everything went by in a blur. Palace servants rushed around the castle, whisking us through a brief castle tour. Maids and butlers were zipping about in the great hall, carrying trays and metal platters of delicacies. After the tour, we were then hustled to our individual rooms to freshen up for the royal banquet taking place later in the evening. Since Arthur was the chosen child of light, he received the most care and attention. Multiple beautiful young maids fawned over him, helping to draw a warm bath and adjust his attire. Like he had no hands to do these basic things himself. I bet they're only there to salivate at his abs and to shamelessly grope his naked body. The rest also received adequate hospitality, though their arrangements were not as extravagant as Arthur's. Well, everyone except me. Even the servants were giving me the dirty look, not daring to stay within breathing range of a death mage. The single maid assigned to me just haphazardly prepared a shabby wooden tub and threw a gown on my dusty bed before booking it. The water was so cold that it nearly froze my toes off.

While my teeth chattered, I hugged myself comfortingly. It's okay. It doesn't matter if they don't appreciate me. They don't have to like me. All I need is that hero title. Once I have that and saved enough personal funds, I will immediately flip them a middle finger and be off on my merry way. In fact, I should feel lucky. In the past, there was nothing I could do to change my fate. But now, there's actually hope for me to prove myself innocent. Just so long as I can grasp that opportunity and show that I'm not the murderer, it doesn't matter if they show me a black face.

After staying in the icy water and scrubbing every trace of paint out of my hair, I got out. The dress prepared for me was one with frills and butterfly knots. Something I'm not too fond of. It made me look like some walking flower maiden. I have no intention of breaking my spine just to wear a corset and impress those snobs.

I dug through the closet for something more practical. A few tosses later and I settled on a black button-up shirt and white pants. A beige coat was used to cover my arms. As for the new branding those nitwits had given me, I got gloves to cover it up. Out of sight, out of mind. I don't want to be constantly reminded that I'm a necromancer.

A silver sash wrapped loosely around my waist and to top it off, a pair of knee high combat boots. The heels weren't ridiculously high like those high heels that I'd risk spraining my ankles every few metres. Besides, I was well aware of my status here. I'm not welcome in the palace. People hated my guts. So dressing in such a restrictive manner would only encourage snakes to backstab me. I won't leave myself vulnerable to those insolent hyenas.

There's still ample time left so I started thinking about my next step. This is a fantasy world that's teeming with monsters. Therefore, the first thing I must get is a sword. That could be easily solved by raiding the armoury. Either that or wait for the free handouts given by those donkeys, so no worries there. I also remembered the pope guy mentioning something about potions. I probably need to stock up on those. Just in case I get hurt. Question is, where do I store them? If this world followed the logic of MMOs, potions would likely be a red liquid in a glass vial. It wouldn't be realistic to fight with a bunch of fragile materials jiggling in my pockets.

While pondering about the viability of my future plans, the memory of those strange black notifications resurfaced in my mind. Back then, I was too preoccupied with a nervous breakdown to think carefully about it. If I'm not wrong, judging from the translucent holographic design, it kinda resembled a status window to keep track of my attributes. Most of the time, such functions would also come with an inventory.

"Status," I guessed.

Almost instantly, the same greyish screen popped up.

"Woah..."

I blinked in amazement, scanning through the yellow numbers flashing before my eyes. It had everything—name, stats, class and skills learnt. The stats were all denoted with numbers, most hovering below 10. Only exception was MP. Unlike other attributes which were abysmal and an absolute embarrassment, my MP number was astronomically high, hanging around the 50s. That must be the necromancer's best attribute...

Under the skills column, there was Shadow Extraction and Shadow Preservation. I raised an eyebrow and tapped it.

Another panel immediately jumped out.

[Shadow Extraction Lv. 1]

[Job-specific skill]

[No mana required]

[A shadow soldier is created from a body without life by taking out its mana. The chance of failure increases the higher the target's stats are, and the more time passed since the target's death.]

I scoffed lightly in self-depreciation. The yellow hue reflected off my increasingly hopeless eyes as my line of sight drifted downwards to the next panel, secretly hoping that it wouldn't be the same type of skill. But I was sorely disappointed again.

[Shadow Preservation Lv. 1]

[Job-specific skill]

[No mana requirements]

[Store shadow soldiers in the caster's shadow. Selected soldiers can be summoned or reabsorbed whenever the caster chooses.]
[Lv. 1 effect: Shared senses]
[Able to share the senses of a selected shadow soldier.]

[Saved shadow number: 0/10]

The light in my eyes dimmed. I could feel another part of me dying. As expected, I would possess skills to summon the dead. In the months to come, I'd most likely be interacting with vengeful ghouls. But... I don't want to be known as a grim reaper...

The title of necromancer glimmered quietly on the black screen, almost hauntingly. A sense of helplessness slowly bloomed in the depths of my consciousness. Is becoming an archlich the only bleak future awaiting me? Am I destined to forever be associated with death and murder? Why... Why do this to me... I could literally settle for anything. Even a pathetic villager was fine. Just so long as it isn't a necromancer... Why did it have to be a necromancer...

Must I really be the harbinger of death...

"You're my everything, Rayne. I don't want you to be hurt. So promise mommy. Promise me you will live."

The corners of my eyes grew sore. I hurriedly shook my head.

Stop it! If I ever want to be a hero, I need to stop moping around.

I took a deep breath and focused on my HP stat. It was at a hundred. Not too little that I would disintegrate from a monster's sneeze. But not so much that I could tank a chop of an axe. I squinted, observing the numbers. It showed 90/100 for my HP, even though I don't recall being hurt. Even my attempt to jump down a six-story building was denied halfway.

Could it be...

I touched my eye patch. The skin beneath tingled.

"Haizzz."

Whatever the case, I need to find a way to level up and earn some stat points for HP first. It's too low. Too dangerous for a game over screen to appear. After I get all that sorted out, THEN I can start considering how to earn money.

I got up and patted the dust from my pants. Suddenly, the thought of dining with a horde of savages didn't seem so appealing. I don't feel like having indigestion from seeing that old fart's face. Besides, like all celebrations, there would probably be beer...

Thump.

The old memory of empty beer bottles and cans strewn across the floor was still raw in my mind. The smell of alcohol and booze was thick in the air, almost suffocating. And the silhouette of a man lounging on the sofa taking puffs of cigarettes like a waste. Instead of working to support his family, he'd rather be a rabid animal, screaming and smashing through furniture until someone came to placate his princess tantrum. That shameless dick had no qualms in having his wife work multiple part-time jobs just to support his gambling addiction.

Thump. Thump.

The familiar burning throb in my eye socket returned again. I squeezed my eyes shut and took a shaky breath. Anyway, it's not like they would miss me. So I can just skip dinner and survey my surroundings instead.

Following my memory from the earlier castle tour, I left the room and walked towards the gates. Many servants and guards passed me but none of them acknowledged my presence. Likewise, I also didn't want to ruin my mood so my eyes were glued to the status window floating in front of me. Seeing as no one stopped to take a second glance, it's safe to say that they can't see this. Maybe I'm the only one that even had this gimmick. Good. Means I still have some kind of ace up my sleeves. Whether it's useful or not was another question, but at least there's something there. I could slowly learn the ropes without drawing too much attention to myself.

Within a few minutes, I reached the entrance without anyone stopping me once. There were two massive towers at the exit. And connected to them were concrete walls. The high walls stretched across the entire compound, blocking out most of the outside world. Sort of like a glorified birdcage. This space was completely isolated from the rest of the country. Guards with bows marched along the top of the castle walls. Not only that, there were countless old-fashioned cannons jutting out of every other battlement. This fortress was practically near impenetrable. The moment any demons dare to take a step too close, the guards on top would have seen it from a mile away and blast them to smithereens. Not to mention the sheer number of knights and mages flooding in their ranks. That begs the question, do they really need the help of inexperienced high school teens? Why would they choose to grovel and prostrate themselves when they possessed so much firepower? It didn't make any sense for such arrogant f*ckwits to lower themselves like this.

The gnawing worry returned again. The gut feeling that there's something wrong with this band of Jehovah's Witnesses. What was their purpose of forcefully summoning us? What's their goal? What were they not telling us?

Chewing my lips, I stepped through the raised steel portcullis. As usual, the guards paid no attention to me. Away from the confines of the cramped palace, I could finally feel the gentle breeze. It brushed past my face, licking the ends of my hair. An expansive blue sky hung overhead. Warm afternoon rays shone on the capital city. Over in the distance, the silhouette of towering curtain walls rounded the capital city, preventing demons from pouring in and devastating the peaceful city. Traditional mediaeval houses and stalls dotted the landscape. Streets filled with bustling life and mouth-watering fragrances. The open space... It's like nothing I've felt before. It's just so... free. A stark contrast to the neighbourhood I lived in. Because my apartment was in the poorer districts, most of the flats were squeezed together so there's not a lot of breathing room. But out here...

I took a deep breath of the air clean of exhaust fumes, gawking at the sheer size of the country. This might just be the only good thing about coming to this dogwater world. Don't get me wrong, I still hated being here with every fibre of my being. This wasn't a safe place for me. Especially when there exists turds like that old fart and the conceited nobles. As long as they're here, I would never be able to feel at ease. Not with them constantly breathing down my neck. But I have to admit, compared to the dreary castle, the rest of the capital city was much more comfortable. Maybe this isekai experience wouldn't be too bad...

I leisurely strolled through the busy streets. Commoners dressed in coarse tunic roamed the area. Rotten wooden crates stacked in every corner as countless shoddy booths parked on either side of the street. The scent of warm home-made food entered my nose. I stared absent-mindedly at one of the stores selling skewers of mystery meat. All I knew was that they're not the normal chicken and pork variants. Some sticks even had tentacles still wiggling and very much alive. The appendages were massive, maybe even half a metre long. One could imagine the kind of deep sea kraken they came from. A couple live tentacles curled around the scorching grill in an attempt to escape. But the whistling stall owner merely stabbed the mischievous tentacles with more skewer sticks while spit-roasting an overgrown pig's head over an open fire. The tongue was still hanging out of its mouth, the face of the demon frozen in a state of terror. I nearly threw up. It didn't look as appetising as its aroma.

Tearing my gaze away, I hurried along. As I drifted deeper into the heart of the city, the scenery changed drastically. The illusion of a supposed haven began mutating. Instead of individual houses, it became tightly packed slums. The pleasant facade of the capital city thoroughly disappeared, revealing its true state—poor and underdeveloped. A stark opposite to the sheer wealth in the castle. Out here, there were literally hundreds of homeless folks donned in grimy unwashed rags. Most hang out in alleyways to rummage through overflowing trash cans for scraps. They looked gaunt and severely sunburnt. Some even malnourished to the point of looking like zombies with parched lips. As if they hadn't had a sip of water in days. In fact, beggars loitering by the streets immediately extended their chipped bowls out to me when I walked past. And it's not like I wore something fancy. It's just, compared to them, I at least had the basic necessities to live by.

What's going on???

Is it even possible for the difference between ordinary citizens and nobles to be this much? Like, yes, I understand that it's impossible to have perfect equality. There would inherently be differences between the living conditions of the wealthy and the poor. But it shouldn't be this extreme. It's practically night and day. What's more, if the king realised how poor his subjects were, why was he still wasting money on decorating his throne instead of setting up rations and creating more jobs for those living below the poverty line? Just selling that damn chair of his was probably enough to feed the masses for a week.

I narrowed my eyes, recalling the high walls surrounding the castle. How it seemed like the inside was completely isolated from the outside world. Could it be...

"Did you hear?" a stranger's voice broke my train of thoughts, "the king seems to have summoned yet another batch of strangers from another world."

I whipped my head towards the source of that sound.

"Again??? Why is he getting more foreigners??? Now we're gonna have to pay more taxes to feed those pigs!"

"SHHH!" his companion hushed him while nervously looking around, "are you mad??? Don't be so loud!"

"I don't care! Why must we slave away to house those outsiders?! Just because they're heroes??? What logic is this?! If they're truly heroes, why is my son forcefully conscripted to slave away in the mines when I can't pay for their expenses??? I only had one son! ONE!"

As he raved, a vague yell echoed in the distance. The sound of whips cracking. And the jingle of heavy chains being dragged roughly on the ground. From the corner of my eye, I spotted scrawny children being herded by guards. They were wearing tattered clothes stained with dirt, their necks and limbs cuffed in thick black chains. Most noticeable of all was the animalistic tails and ears sticking out of the unruly mob of hair.

Demi-humans.

This country's authorities were not only treating demons as portable monster farms, they're also enslaving their children for god knows what. Foreboding chills gripped my heart as I stared at the cruel sight. Somewhere deep in my mind, I was starting to re-evaluate just how despicable that shrivelled prune on the throne was. And he had the audacity to point fingers at the barbaric ways of the demons when he's also doing the same atrocious sh*t! The gall to call me murderer just because of some stupid occupation when he runs a slave trading business!

He doesn't deserve to be king!

The freezing wind carried along a sigh of resignation, "I know, old man. I understand your pain. My daughter was also taken away. And I haven't heard back from her for more than a year. She must have already perished in the mines."

What...

The air fell deathly silent as both men brooded over their loss.

"What the hell are those nobles even doing with all the magic crystals?" one of them asked angrily.

"There are rumours that they needed them to aid the strangers in their quest. Some also said that the donkey on the throne is using the crystals to import more jewellery and gems."

"If they raise the taxes again... my family will die... They will really die..." their voices gradually grew fainter the further they walked, until it disappeared entirely, leaving me alone to stew with my own complicated thoughts.

Should I... Should I tell Arthur?

There's obviously something shady with those f*cktards. The way they ruled this country was downright baffling. It literally doesn't make sense for the king to collect so much taxes when his people could barely afford it. Forget about the demon lord's invasion. His subjects would die way before him and his army could besiege this city. And it's all because of this asshole wringing them dry. And what was his purpose for collecting so many crystals? There were so many unanswered loose ends. So many doubts. I should tell him. Common sense says I must tell Arthur before those goons lead us by the nose straight to hell.

But the sore memory of Arthur's disgruntled reaction when I went crazy on that donkey made me hesitate. In the end, I decided against that thought. Nothing would come out of it. He obviously wouldn't take me seriously. No one ever had. Not the police. Not my class. Not him. They just don't empathise with me. They don't understand what I've been through. And they don't want to understand. Calling out the king's false pretence would only make him more irritated with me. Maybe I'm just overthinking too much. After all, not everyone's as heartless as me. Not everyone was a homicidal lunatic. So it's best not to project my self worth onto others. Don't be nosy. And don't get involved in such thankless matters. I only need to mind my own business and focus on keeping my head.

Ding!

My shoulders jolted in fright. The abrupt beep nearly gave me a heart attack.

[Bloodlust is detected.]

However, this time, it was followed by new notifications.

[An emergency quest has been issued.]

[Emergency quest: Kill the enemies!]

[Enemies required to be killed: 3]

[Enemies killed: 0]

[Time limit: 00:10:00]

Multiple panels bombarded at the same time, obstructing my view. Especially the giant one with the quest requirements. Enemies? Kill??? Where??? Was I being followed all along??? Did that donkey send guards after me??? Was he intending to get rid of me after all???

"Show yourselves!" I blurted out, my high-pitched voice betraying the supposed indignant words.

But desolation answered me. I swept my surroundings in a panic. Only to realise to my dismay that I had somehow wandered to a secluded area with not a single soul in sight. In a place where no one would possibly be able to find a corpse. Perfect for a gruesome assassination. Tensed silence hung in the air, save for the howl of the ominous wind. Goosebumps were everywhere, my hair standing on ends. I watched in horror as the timer continued counting down. One second at a time. Like a ticking bomb.

What happens if the time runs out??? Will it kill me?! But I don't even know where these enemies are!

Before I could have another nervous breakdown and doom myself further, the running tally under the 'enemies killed' suddenly soared. So fast that it was a blur. Then all the pulsating windows inexplicably collapsed and I was left standing on the spot, dumbfounded.

What the hell—

"Status!"

The familiar window reappeared. But there's no unnerving quest panel in sight. It was just the default screen. Did someone take out my enemies??? But that can't be. I didn't hear anything. No blood-curdling screams nor desperate scuffles. Neither did I have any friends.

Did the system co*cked up?

I mean, it might be an error. Otherwise, how's it possible I already made an arch-enemy when I just arrived here a few hours ago? Yeah. That must be it! Just a harmless error. Nothing more.

The street remained a ghost town as the afternoon sun began to set. Except, this time, a shudder ran down my spine. Someone's looking at me. Might be my paranoia acting up but I swear there's a pair of eyes staring at me from one of these dark alleyways. The ancient eyes of a remorseless predator. They're watching me. Hidden in plain sight. Plotting the many ways to disembowel me. The grislier it was, the better. My nose twitched, picking up a bloody stench. And that was all it took to scare me sh*tless.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

My legs moved on their own and I sprinted back to the castle like a madman. Desperate to run from those unfriendly eyes. I shouldn't have come out here alone! Stupid, stupid, stupid! I should've just stayed next to Arthur! And not be some retarded imbecile waltzing around waiting to be slaughtered!

"Promise me you will live."

I must live! I cannot die! Not here! Not like this! Not until I become a hero!

Chapter 4: I want there to be an 'us'.

Chapter Text

Normal text
Thinking
Onomatopoeia

Ahri's POV
"AHHH!"

I jolted awake and gasped for air. A rush of oxygen reinvigorated my injured soul. Tears streamed down my face but I was too busy hyperventilating. The scarring experience of my head being chopped off was still raw in my mind. The pain of flesh ripping apart and bones breaking left a throbbing soreness. And that wasn't even the worst of it. The most agonising part was the sense of hollowness dug out by sorrow. The aching depression of being left alone in the midst of enemies. The regret of not meeting Rae before those bastards damaged her beyond saving. And the delusional desire to go back in time to change the future.

I panted harshly, my whole body convulsing from the traumatic after-effects. There was a constant buzz in my ears as I stared up at the familiar, yet unfamiliar, ceiling. I must have caused such a ruckus since frantic footsteps scurried outside. Ears perked up in alarm as my fur bristled. I forcefully suppressed my bewilderment and rolled over onto my belly, glaring at the entrance vigilantly. At this moment, a woman whom I thought I'd never be able to see again burst into the room.

M-Mama?

She was standing there, her pretty maroon hair fluttering in the breeze. Those serene blue eyes filled with concern were staring at me. It's been so long. So, so long since I felt her caring gaze. More tears flowed down.

Is this the afterlife? Is that why I can see Mama again?

The sight of me bawling like a fountain has Mama rushing forward. Unable to control myself, I zoomed towards her, intending to hug her tightly and cry about how unfair life was. But as I reached out for Mama, I noticed my long fair arms had shortened into white furry paws. My slender fingers were also reduced to stubby pink pads.

Wha—

Warm arms circled my bum and I was scooped up. That's when I realised just how tall my mother's human form was. She tightly hugged my tiny body, dispelling any fearful doubts on whether she was real and not just a figment of my imagination. This is Mama. My Mama. Because no one could possibly replicate her hugs. They always have this distinct touch to them.

"What's wrong, baby? Is anywhere uncomfortable?" her melodic voice flowed into my ears, tugging at my heartstrings.

My ears flattened sideways as I buried my head in her embrace and sobbed even louder. The hysteric waterworks just wouldn't stop as I whimpered and hiccuped, reducing her poor kimono to a glorified napkin. I just couldn't control my emotions. I missed her so much. Every time I closed my eyes, the nightmare of ferocious flames swallowing my home would haunt me. The memory of my parents' blood-curdling screams as they were skinned alive, their tails ripped out by those repulsive bastards. The blatant greed flickering in their beady eyes as they inflicted such grisly suffering on my innocent parents. It still gave me the chills even till today.

Mama softly caressed my furry head while cooing, "Breathe, my dear."

Intermittent whines responded to her waxy coaxes.

She then nipped my ear affectionately, "It's okay. It's all a nightmare."

As she placated my turbulent emotions, I could feel her gently swaying us left and right, her warmth enveloping all the grievances I've suffered. Her hands continued to rub my head comfortingly. I nuzzled her chest, breathing in the nostalgic floral scent. It's been so long since I've last smelled such a calming fragrance. It helped to pacify my outburst, soothing the suffocating loneliness in my heart. The ragged blubbering ceased as I hiccuped and sniffled noisily with a stuffy nose. My puffy eyes were almost swollen to a shut. What a mess.

"Better?"

I nodded faintly, licking her palm. Mama only chuckled lightly as she wiped away the sticky tear stains on my face.

"Can Ahri tell Mommy what you dreamt? What made you so sad?" she asked with a serious face while brushing my fur.

My lips parted, but no sound came out. I paused, then looked up to stare deeply in her eyes. I was trying to use telepathy. But no matter how hard I squinted and held my breath, the familiar crackling sound never appeared in my mind. I let out a whine of frustration and pouted. I couldn't understand what's going on. Why had my magic regressed so much that I couldn't even do something as simple as talking???

My tail swished agitatedly. However, in the midst of flapping it, I froze.

Eh?

Then started wagging my tail again. My tails—why was there only one??? I looked back in a panic, only to see one lonesome fluffball instead of nine. But I was definitely borned with nine tails! After all, they were my sole pride and joy. Most of our clan members only had three, at most four tails. To cultivate nine bushy ones, one must spend years absorbing life essence relentlessly. A nitty-gritty detail I could directly skip. While others had to take 10 gruelling years to cultivate a human body, I achieved it in the short span of 5. By the age of 10, I could beat most of the four-tailed elders. And by 18, my position as the next successor was more or less guaranteed. In short, I was borned to stand above the rest, my powers far exceeding theirs. An apex predator—that's my role. And yet what's this??? It's like I've degraded to a mere child! Stuck in a hapless baby's body!

Mama stifled a giggle as she nuzzled my ear, "So cute~ It's okay. No rush. Mommy will wait for you to grow up."

... I'm not a little girl, Mama!

Especially when I'm already 20! I turned my head away and sulked angrily.

A soft chuckle made my heart tremble, "When will you grow up, baby? Mommy really wants to see your human form. Must be as pretty as a little vixen~"

Her words startled me into silence. What does she mean by this? Hasn't she already seen my human appearance before? Why would she say it like she never—

My gaze wandered, landing on a small calendar hanging on the wall, only to be dumbfounded at the date. This... This was 2 years ago! The year when Rae first came to Runeterra.

Mama carried me out to the dining room. Papa was sitting at the table, leisurely sipping on a cup of steaming tea. I didn't even react when I was placed on a velvet cushion next to him. Confusion was permanently etched on my face.

Papa raised an eyebrow and asked worriedly, "What's wrong with Ahri? She looks lost."

"She's still a little frazzled from her nightmare. Just give her some time to adjust back to real life."

Mama sat beside me and lightly nudged my lips with a peach slice. I opened my mouth cooperatively. The moment my fangs punctured the fleshy meat, flavourful juices burst out, coating my tongue. It was sweet and refreshing, releasing a delectable aroma that engulfed my olfactory senses. The tangy acidity made my taste buds tingle with unadulterated joy. Especially when a rush of euphoria and mana coursed through my veins. My pupils dilated. I squinted in happiness, my tail whirling around until it was a blur.

I felt Papa prodding my bulging cheeks, "Eating peaches can make you so happy?"

I nodded vehemently. Not just the yummy snacks. It's also because we were eating breakfast while chatting around a table once again. A moment of peace where there's no constant threat of war... I missed it so much. If only Rae was here too... I want to introduce her to them. Tell them that she's the mate I've decided on for the rest of my life.

Mama continued feeding me while I chewed thoughtfully, piecing together fragments of my memories. The most prominent one was hallucinating a tree moments before my untimely demise. Now that I think about it, I think that was the tree that has overlooked our territory since the dawn of time.

Yggdrasil—the tree of life. Legend says that it is a hub that connects worlds and alternate dimensions. Acting as a link between time and space. The world tree records everything. Every history. Every generation. Every memory. Everything. It's a sacred existence that we kumihos protect from the prying eyes of greedy marauders.

According to folklore, it was once a mighty tree that protected our clan since ancient times. If the successors were deemed worthy, Yggdrasil will grant them a share of its powers, allowing the Alphas to harness its ability to bend and manipulate reality. It was this formidable power that kept us safe from outsiders. However, as generations passed, the immortal Yggdrasil suddenly started to wither. We didn't know when it started, just that it was dying at an alarming rate. It began with losing all its leaves when it's supposed to remain lush even during winter. Then came the shedding of its bark. No one knew why. We had tried every possible solution. Test the hot springs near its roots for pollutants. Check for any possible infestation of poisonous bugs. But nothing worked. It just continued to wilt. Until the world tree inevitably died, causing the magic barrier to shatter and enemies to flood our lands. It's also during this chaotic time when those despicable heroes came to raze down our domain.

We initially thought that it's because the clan's royal bloodline was weakening. Every year, our magic prowess diminished as the number of purebloods fell. The newer upcoming leaders were feeble compared to our ancestors. Nowhere near the past glory days of cutting mountains and boiling oceans. That's why the tree of life refused to bless us. But if that was the case, Yggdrasil should have started recovering when my parents took up the mantle and became heads of the pack. After all, they were the first pair in a long time who managed to achieve nine tails, a miracle that hasn't been witnessed for generations. However, even with my birth, the tree's health never saw an upturn.

If I envisioned Yggdrasil finally blooming after aeons of withering... could it be that I had earned its recognition? It had deemed me worthy to inherit its powers over time and space. The lingering regret allowed me to turn back the clock. Returning to the time before the tragedy occurred.

I chomped on another peach slice, thinking hard. If it's like this, then it would make sense why my powers had regressed so much. Because turning back time was no small feat. One seemingly miniscule change could set off a chain of butterfly effects. Just like ripples in a pond. Yggdrasil's intervention has affected the past. Consuming the majority of my cultivation and reverting me back to an ordinary fox.

Pretty soon, the whole plate of peaches was vacuumed up. I sighed blissfully, patting my round tummy.

Mama was smiling warmly while pinching my cheeks, "Ahri sure has a good appetite this morning~"

Of course~

Knowing that I have returned to the past would obviously make me thrilled. Maybe... Just maybe the tragic future could be thwarted. If I intervened early, we could live to see a happy ending. As long as I stop this ill-fated destiny at its root and prevent everything from spiralling to the point of no return. Which means making contact with my little deer early in this timeline. There's so many things I want to say to her. So many past regrets and unspoken confessions. If I stayed by her side from the very beginning, it could change Rae's destiny. And hopefully... she would not like that blond scum in this life. This time, I would bring her back to get married. Take her far away from those jinxes!

I blinked at Mama, pointing a paw at the front door. She nodded, ruffling my hair. I hurriedly raced out. Our house was near Yggdrasil, which means the very first thing I saw was an impossibly thick trunk. It stretched for miles, its long roots snaking across several acres of land. I stood still under the cooling shade, staring in awe at the tree. In my memory, Yggdrasil has always been grey and gloomy, giving off a deathly aura. So it's a little shocking to see a luscious tree emanating such rich vitality. Warm sunlight bounced off its wide canopy, making it glitter like thousands of stars. Just like in my illusion, the blossoming gold flowers swayed languidly, basking in the afternoon heat. Millions of mana pollen were released into the wind and scattered to all four corners of Runeterra. Under the scorching rays, it seemed like the tree was dripping liquid gold with the falling petals. A mesmerising sight indeed.

Was it a coincidence that I had imagined you blooming before death?

My silent question went unanswered. The gentle rustle of leaves filled the tranquil atmosphere. I reached out. A bright yellow petal happened to fall on my tiny paw. I watched the fluttering petal quietly for what seemed like an eternity before it drifted away with the passing breeze. A pair of beautiful violet eyes appeared in my sea of consciousness.

Rae.

I have to find her. My little Rae. My baby. Yggdrasil had helped me once. So I must cherish this opportunity. I have to change our future. I want there to be an 'us'.

With that, I sprinted out of our territory and headed straight for the capital city. I don't have to give my parents a heads up since they had already implanted a tracking seal on me since I was a baby. So they knew where I was at all times. It took days of tireless running across grassy plains, strategically avoiding troublesome foes and only stopping to take a short break. Because I was anxious to see her again. I don't know the exact day when Rae was first summoned here, just that it was during this time period. I have to hurry if I don't want to miss the moment. I must make contact with her before her mind's poisoned by the likes of her trashy brethren. Rae's misery began and ended with that blond! So I must stop her from falling in love with him at all costs! Nothing good ever comes from liking that piece of sh*t. Only devastation and betrayal. Compared to him, I could do so much more for her!

After 3 days, I finally spotted glimpses of foreign landmarks in the suburbs—human territory. It wasn't long before their borders came into view. I slowed to a halt, taking a puff of air and resting my leaden paws before resuming my journey. Seeing the long line of carriages queuing outside the main entrance, I quietly darted between giant cartwheels. After a few minutes, I snuck past the lax screening. Under the noses of these two-legged creatures, I easily whizzed through the impoverished districts, only needing to hide behind rotten wooden crates every once in a while. And it's not like I'm being a professional ninja or something. With how white my fur was, it should have been pretty eye-catching. What can I say? Humans are weak and stupid for a reason. They're too busy hoarding magic crystals to bother noticing their environment. That's why they need to summon strangers from another land for help. It sort of became a running meme amongst us demons that they needed to get someone to fight their battles for them. Pathetic.

Once I reached the gates of their colossal castle, I loitered nearby to observe the patrolling guards. Noisy chatters in the background disappeared as my pupils constricted. Ears stood at attention, my breathing slowed to a halt. It's like returning to the good old days of hunting, lying prone and waiting for prey to let down their guard. Patiently biding my time until they approach just a little too close. The palace security was generally tighter than the streets. But not completely impenetrable. There's still brief moments of laxness when they go to swap duties. And that would be the moment when I strike.

Pretty soon, it was time for the changing of shifts. The soldiers atop the walls hastily rushed downstairs, eager to go for their lunch breaks. Neglecting their duties for a split second in favour of stuffing themselves.

NOW!

Taking advantage of the dozing guard by the gates, I dashed into the heart of their lair. Completely unhindered. Inside, it became a thousand times easier since the hallways were empty. Must mean they're all gathered somewhere for a ceremony. Like a summoning ritual, for example.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

I picked up the pace, scampering along the corridors and occasionally sniffing the air for human scents. While tracing their steps, I took the opportunity to survey their base. Compared to the run-down streets outside, the interior was downright grand. Almost ostentatious. With polished floors that reflected my appearance and weird artefacts displayed on pedestals. The gaudy silk tapestries hanging off the walls must have cost a fortune. Likely enough to power an entire settlement with the amount of mana crystals they're worth. What kind of incompetent ruler would abandon their starving pack to enjoy the fruits of their suffering???

However, one thing's for sure. This was not a home. Even with such extravagance, the atmosphere was cold as a graveyard. Void of any life and vibrancy. How could anyone like living in such desolation? There's literally no one but the creepy inanimate paintings for company.

The hallways were deathly silent, save for the soft pitter-patter of my paws on the slippery floor. It wasn't until I rounded the last corner that I finally heard signs of life. Harsh white light poured out of open doors. There were people in there. In fact, the room was packed like sardines, filled with deafening chitters. I huddled behind a wall, rapidly scanning through the sea of bewildered faces to find my soul mate. When my line of sight landed on her, my whole world instantly stopped. It's as if time had paused at the moment when I first saw her in what felt like years. Even though in reality, we were separated for less than a week, my eyes couldn't help but grow moist. Knowing that she's alive and well. Knowing that she has yet to suffer the traumatic betrayal of her kind... Immense relief welled up inside me. The corners of my eyes reddened.

Ah... There it is...

Those alluring violet eyes. Ones I never thought I would be able to see again. I could feel a tug at my heartstrings—the feeling of heartache. The sight of my baby literally had my legs growing weak. Her constitution was just as deadly as ever to us humihos. The smell of her lovely soul wafted to my nose, ensnaring my body in its grasp. Her fragrance was just too enticing. Even back then, I had long suspected that there's something special about her life essence. Part of the reason why I followed Rae in the later stages was because being near her nourishes my depleted powers. It could make me stronger. So it presented me with the possibility of avenging my parents. But that's not the only reason. The other was me voluntarily choosing to follow my mate. She's the only one who didn't see my kind as a treasure trove waiting to be squeezed dry.

I need to find a way to fix her right eye.

My gaze lingered on her figure, fixated at her charming face. It was so different from how I remembered it to be. In my past life, I only met Rae when she's a little older and quieter. And it's also during the traumatic event when her party invaded my home. Back then, she was already exposed to years of cruelty and indifference. As a result, her presence only exuded tiredness and wariness. The dejected look on her world-weary face just wouldn't go away. No matter how hard I tried to cheer her up, I never saw Rae smile. Even more so after she was ousted out of her pack. Her whole demeanour practically collapsed. She became depressed. Depraved. Despondent. And obsessed with gaining her comrade's approval. But now... Now the younger version of Rae was still innocent. Looking so much brighter, with hints of life sparkling in her purple eyes. This only proved that time had indeed turned back to the moment when it all began. Yggdrasil had gifted me the chance to change our destinies.

I must protect her this time.

A subconscious smile spread on my face as I quietly took in my baby's youthful appearance. My tails wagged, egging me to just screw everything and pounce on her. Lick her face and nuzzle her neck. Maybe even have some spicy alone time in bed. The thought of playing with her was making my heart race like no other. I just want to cuddle with her~

In the middle of this spacious room, Rae was seemingly cowering on the ground while the people from her world glowered at her. Especially that bastard Will. My ears almost bled from the sheer rubbish he vomited out. And not once during his ridicules did Arthur stood up for Rae. Not once. He never slapped that trash's big mouth for her. Merely stand aside and let the verbal abuse continue. Like a bloody coward! They all were!

Why did you favour that nitwit over me??? How is he better than me???

My claws dug into the marble tiles, creating sharp indents as my pupils shrunk agitatedly. I was utterly livid, seething with rage. How dare they!

Before I could lose my mind and just incinerate every monkey in this sh*thole, Rae's timid voice soon trickled into my ears.

"Sorry..."

It instantly doused my boiling anger. My gaze softened as I watched her helplessly sitting there while covered in yucky red goo. All alone in a den of hyenas who were waiting to rip her asunder. Seeing her swallow her pride and pander to them had my heart aching.

No... Don't say that...

It's not your fault. You didn't do anything wrong. It's those fools that have wronged you. So don't put yourself down like this...

Actually, I could kind of understand why she would become so hesitant and scared in the future. How she never dared to stand up against their bullsh*t. Because compared to the rest of her pack, she was arguably weaker. The runt of the litter. So she's terrified of being abandoned in this cruel world where prey would only be devoured. That's why she's willing to take their abuse in exchange for minimal protection. It's the only choice Rae has to live.

My ears drooped lifelessly. I have to fight the urge to go up and comfort her. Even if I desperately wanted to tell her that I'll protect her, I can't. Not with these dangerous animals around. I'm weak now. I can't possibly abduct her in front of these mages. It would only risk hurting her during the ensuing scuffles. Best to wait when she's alone. Then I can kidnap her back home.

I grinded my teeth and continued staying prone. I was eyeing the revolting liars in stupid white dresses. I know who they were—the idiots who pulled some dumb prophecy out of their asses and proclaimed my baby to be the next demon lord. Because of their words, it's like everyone lost their collective minds and reasoning. Without hesitation, they all hopped onto his bandwagon and started raving about how everything made sense. After all, Rae always had a gloomy aura around her. And she even sheltered a vicious kumiho general! So she must be the next 'big bad guy'. Of course, conveniently forgetting that Rae was the one travelling with them for the past 2 years, not that puss* in a dress. He's busy sh*tting his pants in a church. But nooo. Suddenly, that douchebag became the all-seeing god whose words were law. Rae's dedication and loyalty to her pack was undoubtedly fed to the dogs.

By now, God's deplorable chihuahua was fibbing left, right, and centre, fabricating the truth without so much of a bat of an eyelash. A seasoned liar. Shameless!

He was praising their goddess and whatnot, rambling something along the lines of us demons needing to be eradicated for world peace. You know, the usual horsesh*t. As if these savages weren't also slaughtering us and raiding our homes. In the first place, I don't even think such a goddess existed. As far as I could tell, no folklore ever mentioned anything about extraterrestrial beings in Runeterra. Only demons and humans. If there exists such a holier-than-thou entity, why would the humans be rotting now? Why won't their oh-so venerable god come down to bring 'divine judgement'??? Why summon a bunch of wide-eyed kids to commit genocide??? Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if everything was just a hoax to maintain the pecking order. A sham for that fatso to keep his throne.

He's lying! I won't hurt you, Rae.

I instinctively tuned out of that liar's yabbers and solely focused on my baby deer. Her incredulous expression told me that even she didn't quite believe their faith. My face lit up in happiness. That's good. Rae's already suspecting them. As long as she wasn't brainwashed. As long as she's not a slave to their radical ideology, it would make it a lot easier for me to lure her in later.

Don't trust them! It's all a scam to get free labour out of you. They only want to convert you into mindless livestock for them to wring dry. They're all enemies!

I tapped my claws impatiently on the floor. It soon came to the part where the strangers lined up for some kind of divination reading. Once it's my baby deer's turn, that's when all hell broke loose. Unlike the rest that have garish colours of the rainbow shining from their hands, a black mist shrouded Rae, wanting to drown her in darkness.

This bastard!

I panicked, bolting upright and about to rush out to disembowel that vermin when he suddenly lost his marbles. The nutcase shoved my poor mate and started shrieking about how she was bad luck. It was a sign from the holy one, he says. But all I could see was that his bloody incompetence nearly murdered my precious. And he had the gall to yell at her?!

Rae's ghastly complexion was growing paler by the minute as her body shook like leaves. I could feel my heart being pinched at the thought of how aggrieved she must have felt. Being abducted against her will and having to deal with their contempt as if she's the one to blame for their superstitious tendencies. Even I would feel depressed. And that's only a few minutes of breathing the same air as them. Imagine being stuck with those donkeys for years... I would literally go insane.

Turns out nothing changed in this new timeline either. The rest of her pack was still listening to this 'apostle of God' like he's their wet nurse that could do no wrong.

But what shocked me most was when Rae spat at them viciously, "SCREW YOU! You shameless motherf*ckers have the cheek to spew all this rubbish after what you've done???"

My shoulders jolted in surprise at her sudden outburst. After all, I had never seen her blow up before. The girl has always been meek. Often letting the other putrid heroes bully her into submission. Who knew a docile little deer would debut in such a flamboyant fashion when she's young? But the question is, where did this bold Rae disappear to? Why can't I see a hint of her daredevilish attitude years later?

My baby proceeded to flame them without mercy. Every disgusting thing they retched at her was deflected right back with double the toxicity. Not going to lie, I thoroughly enjoyed seeing her rip those donkeys a new one. A welcome sight. Rather than hold back and let prey step all over her, I'd prefer if she bites back. A rebellious little Rae is also sexy. I watched in amazement as she went at it with gusto, shredding their pride and ego like it was nothing. My baby's on fire~

Although her little revenge ultimately didn't amount to them grovelling for forgiveness, it didn't matter. As long as there's signs of defiance in her, I'm happy. Anyway, it's fine if they refuse to beg for mercy now. I just need to hurry up and grow stronger. Consume more life essence to restore my depleted powers. Once I've returned back to my prime, I can be her backer and let Rae properly flame the crap out of those unworthy critters.

After the little hoo-ha, the strangers were led to their individual burrows. I darted furtively along the outskirts, closely in tow behind them. Rae's den was located on the first storey in a relatively deserted corner where most servants wouldn't pass by. Perfect for a little wifey heist!

I hopped onto the window sill and peeped inside. It's a rather shoddy standard for someone of royal's descent. The bed was dusty and cramped, barely big enough for one person. And because of the horrible orientation, sunlight barely illuminated the grimy room. In short, it's gloomy and sad, unbefitting of my precious baby.

I stared pointedly at the depressing den, then focused on the extra critter in the room—the maid. Panic gripped my heart as I eyed them both. Why isn't she leaving yet??? I know human royalty means being disabled, lacking hands and feet. So they frequently asked someone else to do everything for them. The thought of this presumptuous servant stripping Rae almost made me vomit blood out of anger. I was fuming mad, literal steam escaping my ears.

Bitch! Get your dirty paws off my mate!

The audacity to touch my wife! If she dares feast her eyes on my treasure, I'll gouge them out! If she dares touch her milky skin, I'll tear them out and stuffed it down her throat!

Fortunately, before I could break through the window and maul her to death, the maid was wise enough to flee after throwing some tacky dress on the bed.

Good! Know your place, peasant!

My tails flapped happily as I obediently waited for my wife to be done with her shower. Once she's clean and comfortable, then I'll make contact. While fluffing up my pretty tail, the creak of a door opening soon came. I excitedly look up, only to scream.

"Kyaaa!"

I hit the deck and hurriedly buried my bleeding red face in my paws. Heat shot up my flushing ears as they wiggled uncontrollably. It was only a fleeting glimpse but the image was permanently seared into my brain. The sight of my baby all naked and pure. With droplets of water dripping down the ends of her long raven hair. The shimmering water stains on her shoulders and navel. As well as glistening moisture trailing down to forbidden territories...

More redness erupted on my cheeks. She looked so good. My wife's body is so sexy. Wait, no! Get your head in the game, Ahri! Now's not the time to gawk and salivate! I need to talk to her! Ahhh! But that body! Even though it's a little on the thin side and lacking some curves, it was still tantalising as hell, with the baby-smooth skin and slim waist. Rae's the real goddess that had descended upon those undeserving animals.

"Kyuuu..." I whimpered softly.

Her delicate collarbones and graceful figure was making my mouth water. I bet... if she trained for a little of those abs and V lines...

Oh... sh*t.

I covered my eyes with my ears while whining, mentally scolding myself for being thirsty at the wrong time. My horny brain should get back into the closet first! After I bring her back, THEN it can come out! Woo... but it's not my fault. My mate's trying to seduce me! She must be! With that sultry body... I wonder what the view would look like if I'm on top of her... That innocent face contorted in pleasure... the pretty eyes brimming with tears... the sweet voice of hers moaning beneath me, crying and begging for mercy. My pupils dilated at the fantasy. If... If only she could call my name with her enchanting voice...

Wait! Snap out of it!

Shocked by where my mind ended up wandering to, I shook my head. That—stop it! S-She—Rae's trying to seduce me! It's her fault for looking so hot!

While trying to convince myself that I'm not a pervert for wanting to ravish her, I conveniently forget that I was the one stalking and peeping at her now. Because it's not my fault! That... That's for my mission! Anyway, she's going to be my wife sooner or later! What's the matter if I want to appraise her body now???

"Kyu..."

I blinked, rubbing my warm chubby cheeks with my paws and patting them. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to erase the memory of her exposed shoulders glowing sensually in the dim light. Not permanently, mind you! Just... for now. After my job here's done, then I can take them out and appreciate them privately!

After what seemed like an eternity, I finally lowered my paws from my eyes, only to realise that the room was empty.

... Stupid, stupor, stupid! Ahhh! I got distracted!

Following the lingering lemon scent of her body wash, I scrambled after Rae. At the same time, I checked out my baby's new clothes. It was stylish and simple without all the funny ribbons and frills. Refreshing and clean. Makes me wonder how people could hate her when she's so pretty. So cute. The urge to snuggle with her flared up again.

I swallowed thickly, staring at her figure hungrily. My heart was fluttering like crazy, heat punching me low in the gut. This—she looked illegally arousing in clothes too! Feeling heat creeped up my cheeks again, I shook my head to clear out any naughty thoughts. That can come later.

Rae strolled out of the palace and into the district. Away from the company of royalty, you would have thought that this was the perfect time to kidnap her. But I should have known reality would be different from expectations. A few minutes of tailing her and I was already starting to go bonkers with the number of cows roaming the streets. Why are there always flies buzzing around??? They're everywhere! Humans in every corner imaginable. Rae was never alone for a second. So I could only loiter in the vicinity like a stalker. Of course, it wasn't completely peaceful. There were people eyeing her maliciously. Mercenaries. They're a bunch of unscrupulous swines that would do anything for a quick buck. Even if it's selling their souls. They hinted to each other silently before beginning to follow her. More and more of their sleazy rat gang joined in the hunt for my clueless mate. One, two, three of them total. I could already see their eyes darkening with greed. After all, even while wearing clothes from this world, it's pretty obvious that Rae didn't belong here. Her face was too white and innocent, completely oblivious to the cruelty of this dog-eat-dog world. So she was the juiciest target to be sold to prostitution. Especially with her naturally charming face and sharp jawline.

I bared my fangs and growled in a low voice, skulking the kittens playing tiger. Once they're conveniently bunched up, I jumped into action. Muscles in my legs rippled as I leaped out with a powerful lunge. A swipe at the nearest head and blood splurged out. Red splattered across my face, dying my snowy fur a bloody colour.

One down, two to go.

Not wasting a single second, I used his ruined head as a boost to pounce on his other buddy. I landed on a petrified face and clawed out the beady eyeballs. The rat opened his mouth, about to scream bloody murder when I ripped out his throat. An incoherent gurgle and the giant toppled over. I landed gracefully on the dirt ground and ambled to the last remaining prey. Greenish light leaked out of the corpses. They twisted and twined languidly in the air, as if tempting me to gorge them down.

My jaws widened and the fluorescent life essence curled towards me in a rapid swirl. An ominous whirlpool of ghostly light engulfed my body. The moment the soft glow caressed my tongue, a heavenly flavour instantly set off all my tastebuds. My pupils dilated.

Thump.

A particularly deafening thump pulsated in my ears. It was a deep throaty sound coming from the depths. The sound of my blood pounding. The beating of my heart. Rich mana flowed in my veins, before settling in my stomach. There was a brief gurgle. Then came the scorching heat. It ballooned into an uncontrollable wildfire, boiling my whole body. Just as fleeting as when the discomfort materialised, it quickly retreated and concentrated on my spine instead. My tailbone tingled. An unbearable itch flared up. Something was growing out. My current tail made way as another furry one soon joined it. Now there were two. A welcome sight indeed. Just by being near Rae, my regressed powers were seeing signs of improvement. It wouldn't be long before I could regain my original nine tails again.

After that enjoyable and highly nutritious meal, I smacked my lips. Delicious~ I want more. The last goon was backing away, his face pale as sheets. The knife in his hands trembled, his knees moments from buckling. I curled my lips sinisterly, my pupils constricted into slits.

Yummy, yummy snacks. So many delicacies, so little time.

"K-Kumiho! Y-You monster—"

I opened my mouth and mana was sucked in from the air, rapidly condensing into a single blistering orb of pure destruction. The fireball shot out at blazing speed and straight up punched a hole through his intestines. The dripping walls were still glowing hot, singed to a crisp. He crumpled to the ground and heaved like a cow. Seeing his life essence seeping out, I quickly waltzed over and pressed his neck, preventing any more annoying whimpers. Another paw easily dislocated his jaw.

Look at me.

His fearful and slightly delirious eyes returned my hypnotic gaze. I could see hope slowly dying out. He knows he's about to die~

Liquid soul rushed out in torrents from his orifices, bringing along euphoria and ecstasy. My paws twitched from the overstimulation. It's so good! More! I want more! Gallons of life practically poured out as I slurped them greedily. His pale face quickly rotted to a sickly shade of yellow. Ashen-grey skin contracted and wrapped around his bony skeleton. It wasn't long before his pupils grew dull. Eyes sank into sockets as the tensed body beneath me slackened. My mouth closed as I came down from the high.

Thank you for the meal~

If there's one thing annoying about exterminating rodents, it's that their fluid tends to get everywhere. My matted fur was in a mess. I rubbed my stained paws in disgust, promising to bathe in one of the nearby wells.

"Show yourselves!" my mate's voice drew my attention.

I whirled around. Rae was thoroughly freaked out, looking everywhere with darting eyes. She knows. She could sense my presence. Without warning, the frightened deer bolted back towards the dangerously lair of humans.

Wait!

I didn't have time to chase up to her before her figure was gone like the wind. To make matters worse, after that fateful day, Rae never came out alone again. She just stubbornly followed the blond scum. As if that coward would protect her! One moment of mistimed horniness and fantasies had gutted my plan. AHHH! Stupid, stupid brain!

I hid in the shadowy bits of the colosseum, my ears droopy and whining sadly. Today was just like every other day. I was watching my mate trying her hand at different weapons. Unlike the other heroes who more or less found their calling in varying chunks of metal, Rae couldn't get any weapon to work for her. It just... didn't fit her. The way she held a sword was funny. Her movements were especially clunky and awkward when she swung a blade that probably weighed just shy of her bony arms. Even bows didn't work since she doesn't have enough strength to fully draw back the bowstring. Not to mention her horrible aim. And it certainly didn't help when that bastard Will kept getting on her nerves. I silently watched as she struggled to get a horse under control. That damn thing was bucking for its life, wanting nothing more than to fling her off.

It's still the same in this timeline too. In the past, Rae was also unpopular with animals. They just hated her guts from the get-go. She couldn't even approach a stupid mutt without that thing attempting to bite her hand off. Rae did also carry a sword on her, but she rarely used the thing. Merely shrink away from battles.

And just like back then, I still couldn't wrap my head around her infatuation with a hunk of steel. Why would she not use magic??? For some reason, while Rae was weak at every aspect, her sea of mana was vast and bottomless. It's pretty obvious. The girl's meant to be a caster. A mage. A necromancer. So why dabble in primitive ways? Why not play to her strengths? Why not protect us...

<Flashback starts>

Rustle, rustle.

In the dark of night, I skirted past a cluster of trees, trying to find Rae. Vague sounds of laughter and incessant chatters resounded from behind. Rae often leaves halfway during meals. Which I don't blame her since even I can't stand their cackles. Those bitches always hide their ridicule behind seemingly innocent words. But anyone with a working brain cell could tell that they were secretly dissing Rae. Everyone except for the bloke with yellow hay for hair. He's deaf and stupid. Maybe blind too.

Leaving the cold yellow glow of the campfire behind, I soon found myself surrounded in shrubbery and vegetation. The place was dark and eerie, with only the accompanying howls of the night wind. But this was still leagues better than enduring the malign slanders and abuse from those little sh*ts.

"Rae?" I called out softly.

Silence.

Crack. Rustle.

I instantly whipped my head around. There was no one there. My hair stood on end as anxiety creeped up my throat. We shouldn't linger here too long. There's unseen dangers everywhere. Creatures that could easily snap our heads off. Especially when Rae’s timid and weak. Plus, with my mana core ripped out, I'm as good as a crippled animal, only left with brute strength at my disposal. I can't protect us properly without magic.

"Rae—"

Snap!

My words were cut short when a dark silhouette barreled out of the woods and smashed into me. I was instantly floored before a crushing pressure pressed down on my chest, threatening to break my ribcage.

I grunted breathlessly, trying to push the heavy paw off in vain. The bastard was squeezing out all the air in my lungs so I couldn't muster enough strength to throw him off. I could do nothing but struggle helplessly under its grasp as claws dug into my skin. I looked up to come face to face with an overgrown Chimera. Its mangy lion head was snarling, intending to disfigure me. My pupils shrunk and I raked my claws at its face. A large gash slashed across its eyes, blinding it. The hideous thing roared in pain before its tail swooshed up. The dragon head attached at the end bared its jaws filled to the brim with serrated fangs, about to take a chunk out of my head.

The tail snapped towards me with unfathomable speed. I couldn't dodge. My eyes instinctively squeezed shut as I waited for the tearing pain to come. Wait for darkness to claim me. But death never came. There was only the sound of flesh ripping before the weight was lifted off my chest.

"Ahri!"

I opened my eyes to see a shadowy figure looming over me. A bright red plume fluttered in my view. The flowy ends tickled my cheeks, long and majestic, dyed the colour of fresh blood. I stared speechlessly. It's like nothing I've seen before. He has a humanoid body but I couldn't smell a drop of life essence from it. Jet-black armour plated his figure, covering every inch of organic skin. Or maybe the thing wasn't even alive in the first place. A tattered black cape draped behind his suit of armour, its inner lining gleaming a misty blue. Every part of the entity was shimmering in darkness, the outline of his body broken and wispy. In his hand held a greatsword that was glowing a ghostly-blue hue—the demon king's longsword. But what left the deepest impression was his eyes. Those empty and dead slanted sockets in his visor. They radiated the same luminous blue light. Emotionless and cold-blooded.

From the chivalrous demeanour and the distinct red plume, I immediately recognised this knight. Blood-Red Commander Igris, one of the demon lord's generals that the heroes had previously slain. He's supposed to be dead. I personally saw his head being impaled. There's even a scar cutting across his left eye from when Arthur had stabbed him. So what's he doing here???

"Stand down, Igris. You're scaring her."

My frazzled state was soothed by familiar warm arms wrapping around me. Rae supported my upper body and held up a potion.

"Drink."

I obediently glugged down the weird bloodlike liquid. It tasted awful with the funky flavour. The cold fluid sloshed in my belly for a few moments before the sharp indents left in me gradually closed. Rae was busy wiping away the splattered gunk on my face.

"Why did you come out here alone??? It's dangerous—"

"You resurrected Igris?" I cut her off.

The girl shifted uncomfortably, "Yes."

"When?"

"... After the rest left the castle."

There was a long pause before everything clicked, "You're a necromancer, aren't you?"

If it's like this, then it all made sense, why she possessed such lucrative amounts of mana and yet couldn't wield a weapon properly. Because she's not meant to be on the frontlines.

Necromancer. A sub-class of magic. A grim magician and the undead army that follows. That’s a class that normally resides at the back. A powerhouse capable of summoning creatures of the dead to protect them and lay waste to their enemies. Then came the million-dollar question of why Rae stubbornly chose to stick to the blades.

"Why didn't you use this power? You could've been stronger than those nitwits."

I couldn't understand why she acted weak and docile in front of those obnoxious heroes. If she could even revive a Marshal grade general as her underling, then this meant that her necromancy ability wasn't inferior or one to scoff at. They're special. If she continued honing the skill diligently, it wouldn't be too far-fetched to say that she could one day become the next demon lord—no, even more powerful than the current one. Because the generals beneath the present monarch were not bound by servitude. They didn't swear loyalty to him. So there's always a possibility that they might turn on him if somebody else offered greater benefits. But for a necromancer... their summons would never betray their oath. In fact, they're willing to die for their master if need be. So why... Why did Rae let those bastards trample all over her when she could have been next in line for sovereignty?

I stared quizzically at the strange creature before me. Rae was silent, pursing her lips in a complicated expression.

After what seemed like an eternity, she finally answered, "I hate that curse. I don't want to be associated with powers over the dead... I want to live as an honourable hero..."

... Huh?

"Then why use it now???"

My mind couldn't keep up with her logic. I seriously don't understand this naive little deer.

"I had no choice. You were planning to follow me, even after I told you not to. So I have the responsibility to protect you from the rest. I don't want you to die because of my selfishness."

Thump. Thump. Thump.

By now, Rae had finished wiping off the last traces of blood. Her hand was about to retract when I grabbed it. Others frequently mocked her cold hands for being ones of a murderer. But no matter how many times I've touched it, it always seemed warm and soft. Like an angel. Filled with kindness. Not at all like the other ruthless heroes. Compared to her, they're the barbaric savages going around killing demons and decimating territories in the name of justice. Unlike them, Rae never once looted homes of the innocent. Even if it’s the only way for her to obtain strong equipment.

<Flashback ends>

Looking at her half-heartedly fumbling with a battleaxe, my heart ached. This won't do. It's not the time for her to be soft. Her flimsy resolve would only be an achilles heel in this place teeming with dangers. Both externally and internally. If the other useless fools refused to train her, then I will.

I lowered my head to ponder. A good first step is giving Rae confidence. Letting her practise keeping her wits about her while facing off against a monster should be a good start.

Not only that, I also need more people on my side. Not just because of those bloodthirsty human turds, but also because of the demon lord. He would not sit idly by once he caught wind of my actions.

Gears turned in my head as I thought hard. If I'm not wrong, Eve was the first to die under Arthur's blade. That hoe must have been too overconfident back then. If not, I really find it hard to see how a thousand-year-old demoness would lose to a bunch of wide-eyed brats. So I need to warn her properly. She cannot croak in this life. I need her to protect my baby.

Chapter 5: I want to go back with you...

Chapter Text

Normal text
Thinking
Onomatopoeia

Rayne's POV
I fidgeted unnaturally, shifting the baldric on my waist. It's like a deadweight, constantly messing up my balance. My centre of gravity felt so lopsided with the hefty scabbard pulling down my left side. Made worse by drowsiness and exhaustion. All of which weren't good signs for my first dungeon expedition. I hissed when the belt dug into the same spot again. The rough leather material has been scrapping my skin for the past 30 minutes. And the soreness was getting worse. No doubt there's probably a giant bruise there. I adjusted the strap again, distributing the painful weight away from the stinging laceration.

A sigh came out.

Why can't I do anything well?

For the past few days, we were being indoctrinated by their system. A fixed schedule was imposed unilaterally—mages were in charge of imparting common sense (and 'demons are bad 101') while the palace knights let us dabble in weapons to find our calling. Although the theoretical lessons weren't too difficult to follow along—just memorise a bunch of fantasy elements—the practical side of things was where I struggled most. My vehement refusal to be a necromancer meant that I at least have to be good at some other weapon. But that plan hasn't been working out so far.

Unlike others who were somehow talented in a weapon they've never touched once in all 18 years of their lives, I couldn't find one that wouldn't make me trip or accidentally cut myself. The katana was too long and heavy for me to swing nimbly. I was pretty sh*t at the bow with my horrible aim. Don't even mention the axe with its short reach and my equally short arms. Despite my high MP stat, I strangely have zero affinity for other magic variants. It's as if all the mana was locked behind commanding a death army, something Will never failed to rub it in my face.

I remembered feeling desperate, repeatedly trying out every weapon in the arena over and over again. Poring over grimoires for simple spells like creating a spark of ember. Anything! I just need something! A gimmick to protect myself in this harsh world. But even that reality wouldn't give me. It just kept pouring cold water. I was doomed to be just as useless as that game system. Besides giving me migraines from the bloodlust notifications, the trashy system hasn't panned out at all. What's the point of being the only one to possess such lucrative cheats when I can't even reliably earn EXP??? Why? Why must that hippy goddess do this to me??? Is my hero dream destined to go up in flames before it even started???

To make matters worse, while I had to endure contempt from the palace goons during the day, nighttime wasn't treating me well either. I couldn't sleep peacefully. Not once since the day I was stranded here. Because I need my sleeping pills. Without them, the nightmares would haunt me every night. I tried inquiring from the mages but they only looked at me with an astonished expression. Like I'm some demented patient wanting to die in my sleep. This stupid world has mythical dragons and yet didn't have something as simple as sleeping magic??? Where's the logic???

None of them were willing to help so I was left to deal with my insomnia alone. But I'm not sure how long I could last like this. In fact, I'm starting to have a phobia of nightfall. Worried that a certain bastard would terrorise me in my sleep.

"Gather around," the field instructor hollered.

All of us assembled at the arched entryway bordering the capital city. Of course, it also came with a familiar elbow in the ribs. I pursed my lips and inched away from that f*cker. I can't afford to get injured when we're soon departing to hell.

"We're dealing with a C-rank insect dungeon today. The main boss is the Giant Arachnid Buryura."

There were rounds of thrilled chatter before the instructor signal for silence.

"Its usual attack patterns include acid spit and firing sticky webs from its spinnerets. So as long as the tanks stand in front with their shields up, we should be fine."

Murmurs sounded.

"Clear? Then get on your horse and we'll set off. The dungeon is only 10 minutes away."

With that, the group dispersed to their assigned steeds. Meanwhile, I gulped nervously while standing before mine—a black stallion with muscles rippling in its flanks and legs. Normally, this would have been a cool ride if it weren't for the fact that this horse hated my guts. From day one, the damn animal seemed to be averse to my presence. Probably because it could sense the deathly aura from my occupation. It must be. Otherwise, why would its panicked eyes always read 'f*ck off'? The stallion would constantly paw the ground restlessly, refusing to let me get close. And on the off chance I managed to sneakily sit on its saddle, the thing would start thrashing wildly in an attempt to throw me off. No amount of hay and apple bribery would get that thing to like me just a little bit. And today was no different.

The horse snorted rudely while giving me the side eye. Both its front hooves shifted uneasily, clearly indicating that it wasn't gonna give me a break anytime soon. I breathed out and approached it.

"You're going to listen to me today," I murmured, mostly to myself.

I can't have a dumb animal get in the way of my hero dream!

The thing blew hot hair out of its snout, almost defiantly, daring me to take a step closer so that it could kick my lights out.

"I fed you so many apples so the least you could do is pretend to be cooperative just for today," I said firmly.

The black stallion fidgeted uncomfortably. The moment its gaze wandered off, I surged forward with lightning speed and hauled myself on top of it. The mad thing immediately bucked uncontrollably, shaking its mane wildly. I held on for dear life, occasionally experiencing the alarming feeling of brief weightlessness on my butt. This only made me yank its rein tighter, just shy of choking it, which aggravated the animal even more.

"Girl, can you not even train a horse well?!" the damn instructor yelled in annoyance, more concerned with shaming me than helping out.

If you have the time to trash talk, why not give a hand???

I could hear snorts and snickers around me. The rest were busy watching the butt of the joke too. Especially that bastard Will. He's the one who looked the most gleeful.

Painful bumps bashed out bruises. Even worse when I began to lose strength in my grip. My palms were already chafed with abrasions and rope burns. I couldn't hold on for long. Moments before I was yeeted off, the difficult creature inexplicably ceased its tantrum. It stood as still as a pole. So polarising to its usual sassy attitude that I almost thought I had hallucinated everything in my tired mind. I blinked my bloodshot eyes in confusion, glancing suspiciously at its face. There was an odd glaze over the horse's dark eyes. As if it was hypnotised. The back of my head tingled with numbness. There it was again. The feeling of being watched.

Am I actually going insane???

"Done?" the lead instructor barked impatiently, "then we're setting off!"

With that, we galloped out into the open plains. Throughout the journey, the rebellious horse was being downright obedient, steadily keeping pace alongside the rest. How lucky.

I took a deep breath as the wind brushed my face. Warm rays beat down on me. It's my first time out of that suffocating city. Out here in the wilderness, the grassy fields were vast and endless. There were no borders and walls. Only the sun and blue sky. I could get used to this.

Not long later, our group stopped outside the dungeon's premises. About time. Any longer and my waist would be in utter shambles. The small clearing wasn't fancy. Just a bunch of broken pillars and boulders scattered around the ruins.

The moment I got off my ride, a hefty bag was dumped in my arms.

"Deadweight should be the group's porter. Anyway, it fits a donkey like you. HAHAHA!"

Arthur glanced over worriedly, "Will, Rayne doesn't have the strength to carry so many things. I can help store your things in my interspatial bag."

But his rare moments of concern were easily diverted by that bitch beside him, "It's okay, Arthur. At least let her feel like she has somewhat contributed. Anyway, best not to waste too much of your limited inventory space. What if rare loot drops during the excursion? We need the space to store IMPORTANT items."

"True..."

Sensing his hesitation to pick between a useless classmate or the possibility of priceless loot drops, Lily just straight up decided for him, "Let's not waste any more time and kill the boss. Then we can go home early."

Both of them then left with the instructor without turning back once. That's how it always was. Arthur being led around by that banshee entourage. He never had an opinion of his. It's always for the 'greater good'. So minorities like me would never benefit from his cruel decisions.

There were giggles as the rest waltzed past as if I didn't exist in their world.

The last person to leave was Will who didn't forget to elbow my forearm, "If I find anything missing, I will kill you."

Thump. Thump.

That jackass wasn't joking. He had always wanted to get rid of me. Now that we were in a lawless society, he might actually put me six feet under for real. Especially when the class was indifferent to our current abusive dynamic. No one was going to protect me here. So I could only suck it up if I want to live long enough to become a hero.

Out of anger, I carelessly slung the mountain bag that's literally half my weight across my shoulders, my good eye nearly taken out by the head of a sharp pickaxe jutting out. I sighed again. Actually, far from being mad at others, I was more pissed at myself. At my helplessness. For choosing to endure when it's obvious they would only take my silence as a sign of weakness.

When would all this end...

I took a deep breath and hurriedly trudged after the group. A few metres down the twisty windy tunnel and I already couldn't see three feet in front of me. I could only rely on the sound of those obnoxious chatters to guide my way. Not a very reassuring prospect. My nose twitched. It smelled damped in here, with faint water dripping sounds echoing somewhere out there. There's also this revolting stink of moisture and rotten flesh hanging in the air.

"Luminescence."

A ball of yellow light manifested on Lily's staff. The glow drove away most of the gloominess, revealing an underground maze of sorts. Fortunately, we were alone in here. For now.

"Weird," one of the students mumbled, "why are there no monsters?"

??? Dying to be eaten so early???

"And I thought most dungeons would have light. At least, that's how it is in RPGs."

"It's normal for caves to have very few luminous stones," the instructor clarified.

Great. That means the local magic beasts here like darkness. And most certainly doesn't depend on their sight to hunt. In fact, stupidly emitting such a bright light was as good as announcing our arrival to the inhabitants and encouraging them to swarm us in packs. Exactly the same logic of how insects are attracted to light.

Seeing the fork before us, Arthur immediately took charge, "Where do we go next, Trent?"

"Ah, give me a second. Pathfinder."

A long gleaming rope suddenly materialised in thin air and snaked towards the fork. They then split into two, each end going down separate paths.

A few minutes passed and he said, "Left."

Without questioning how accurate his call was, our group just plunged headfirst into the tunnel. And I thought the experienced field instructor would at least double-check with the hero wannabe beforehand. After all, we're only newbies with swords but no brains. I guess I'm the only one with their heads screwed on right.

Not trusting these fools, I whispered, "Status."

A black floating screen jumped out. But unlike last time, there was an additional panel extended to the right. It was a rough map of this dungeon, clearly showing all the routes and dead ends. Initially, the map was empty, save for mini green dots that were supposed to represent us. But in the next second, red spots sporadically overlapped ours—enemies.

Where?!

They're directly on top of the green dots, which means they should be in plain sight.

[Bloodlust is detected.]

[An emergency quest has been issued.]

[Emergency quest: Kill the enemies!]

[Enemies required to be killed: 100]

[Enemies killed: 0]

[Time limit: 00:30:00]

The faint echoes of scraping noises soon came. Dust and gravel crumbled down from the ceiling. My eyes widened as I looked upwards.

Above!

Menacing scarlet eyes appeared in numerous shafts. When they crowd around the openings, it revealed their blood-red carapace. Barbed arachnid legs in a stampede created a deafening ruckus. Especially when the spiderlings shrieked in their overwhelming numbers at the sight of food.

sh*t, sh*t, sh*t!!!

"Stand ready! Those are Buryura's children!"

Without warning, a mage shot out a fireball, causing a huge explosion that flooded the cavern in dense smoke. Chunks of boulders and debris fell. I heard a sharp whistling sound and ducked. A long stalactite impaled deep into the rocky ground. That could have been my head if I was a second slower!

IDIOT!

If he used such destructive magic, it would bury us all alive!

"Stop! Don't use such high level magic! Otherwise, the cave will collapse!"

Charred carcasses plopped onto the ground, oozing out a rain of greenish fluid. Rancid odours stunk up the whole place. A gurgle came from my stomach. I didn't have the chance to puke my guts out when hordes of monsters dropped from the f*cking sky. They had the rough shape of a spider but their face was hideous beyond belief with multiple beady eyes and jaws lined with overly-sharp teeth. And they're grossly oversized too. They were stuff of nightmares.

"Tanks, activate your taunt abilities!"

A couple students hollered at the top of their lungs while banging their swords noisily against massive shields. A reddish force field sweeped out in all directions and smashed into the ugly freaks.

[Taunt effect detected. Your resistance is too high. The effect has been nullified.]

A noticeable shiver passed through their exoskeletons. Followed by manic screeches as the spiders poured out in numbers and rushed towards the shield guys. Like a wise person, I inched away from those monster magnets.

If there's one thing good about travelling with a bunch of Mary Sues and Gary Stus, it's that they're a bunch of edgy pigs who's fighting to be the protagonist of a shounen anime. Nasty organs sailed through the air as savages chopped and slashed with unhinged glee. Anything they came across would be hacked down within seconds. The surrounding madness and bloodbath stunned me stupid. There was blood. So much blood. I could practically see the greedy glint in their cold eyes. The prospect of EXP and potential loot drops has utterly driven them mad with bloodlust.

Are they really the same classmates I've had for four years?

I cowered in an inconspicuous corner, away from the gruesome slaughters. Just focused on keeping my presence as invisible as possible. At least their rabid killing sprees make it safer for me since they're drawing all the aggro. Just treat these dogs as a free ticket to the boss room.

The 'enemies killed' tally rose rapidly, until the quest panel collapsed like last time. Severed abdomens strewn the grotesque crime scene. There were no more scuttling arachnids.

"Urgh—" I almost threw up.

Compared to my sickly-green face, the rest were boasting about how much EXP and spider eyes they got. Truly disturbing. Some even sound eerily similar to psychopaths as they bragged about the number of lives they had taken like discussing what's next for lunch. Do they not realise that they're actually squashing living and breathing animals??? Or were their minds completely warped by the notion that all these were just a game? Or maybe they're just that violent and cold-blooded from the start.

"Good job, heroes. Let's move to the boss room," the instructor's voice boomed loudly.

Helplessly watching their leaving backs, I bit my lower lip and frantically kept up. If I want to live, I must follow these nutcases.

Our party was making swift progress as the guys at the front repeatedly maimed anything that moved. I just kept my head lowered the whole time, trying to avoid seeing the bloody mess and dismembered corpses. I'm not the one that did this to you guys! So don't look at me like this!

Very quickly, the local population in the dungeon plummeted. A little TOO quickly. No more overgrown insects rushed to our faces. Only their mangled remains scattered across the terrain. Blood traces splattered the walls. Someone had brutally disposed of those creatures. And judging from how wet and fresh the green fluid was, it's very recent. Maybe just an hour ago.

"Where's all the bugs??? How can we earn EXP if everything's dead???" someone whined.

The instructor frowned while scrutinising the stains, "Maybe Buryura is near here..."

His words trailed off as he turned a corner, only to completely stop dead in his tracks.

"My god..."

Before us was a spacious clearing. But what made it different was the sheer volume of webs stringing the area. It's completely layered in the white stuff. Thick sticky goo spanned from wall to wall, and stuck to those fly traps were monsters trapped in cocoons. Bugs were swathed in death silk, hanging off the ceilings and dangling in mid-air. While some were directly smothered to death, there were many whose petrified figures were permanently frozen in time. Their jaws were forced agape by the webs as they wriggled desperately.

Blood drained from my face as I stared at the horror scene in terror.

"It's Buryura's lair."

And like the deranged perverts the rest were, they entered the hellhole without hesitation. The moment my foot crossed the boundary denoting the spider's nest, I felt the airflow stiffen. It grew awfully still. In an unnatural sort of way. A milky barrier covered the exit. Panic. I pushed hard on the shimmering film, but the thing refused to budge. Right on cue, a red panel popped out.

[! Alarm]

[You cannot leave the dungeon. Either kill the boss or use a return crystal.]

Great. Just great! So I can't even abandon ship when things go south. I'm stuck with these crazy dogs in a suicide mission.

Maybe I should have scrapped all the funds to purchase a return crystal...

As we ventured deeper, a blue hue gradually lit up the dim cave.

"Jackpot!"

Chunks of mana crystals jutted out of the walls. They were glittering in the gloom, emanating a cool soothing aura. It would've been a sight to behold if we weren't in a man-eating spider's home.

"It's worth less than monster dropped crystals but with this many, they should still fetch a high price," the instructor said, grinning from ear to ear.

I could practically see the unsettling greed gleaming in his eyes. In all their eyes, in fact. They could throw away their petty lives just for a few pennies. I don't want to be stuck with these lunatics!

While their attention was glued to the riches in front of them, mine was focused on the dark silhouette hanging at the back of the cave. It was a mutated tarantula, more than 10 metres tall. Its abdomen was protected by grey carapace. Even the eight legs were plated in chitinous armour with only the grey joints exposed. Barbed hooks lined its legs, serrated fangs protruding from its sinister jaws. But what freaked me out most was the multiple glowing red eyes. They dotted its massive head, shining eerily in the darkness. It might be a C-rank boss, but it's a powerful magic beast, exuding a strong sense of despair and doom. Not to mention its tendency to spit bursts of corrosive saliva and melt faces. Looking at the behemoth size, only one thought crossed my mind—we're going to die. How the hell are we supposed to defeat such calamities as puny mortals??? Just a C-rank and they're already the height of a three-storey building??? We're going to die—we're all going to die!

Floating above the snoring beast was a white name.

[Giant Arachnid Buryura]

The rest finally noticed the monstrous thing loitering in our midst. The arachnid must still be stuffed from its last meal or something. Most of its eyes were shut, saved for the few dull ones. They droop drowsily. Each snore it made was like a low rumble of an earthquake. Terrifying.

Before I could leave these gawking dumbf*cks behind and book it, the bloody instructor suddenly suggested more madness, "Once the boss is defeated, the dungeon will collapse. So we must mine and transport the mana crystals before defeating the spider."

Hushed whispers sounded.

"Are you crazy—"

My words were cut off when he proposed a horrible plan, "Since the monster is going to wake up when we dig anyway, why not let someone distract it while the rest work on moving the crystals?"

The moment he said this, his eyes automatically drifted to me, the first time he had acknowledged my presence. Others followed suit and stared at me with a pointed gaze. I could feel the back of my head pounding, buzzing with alarm.

"I can't—I'm weak! I will die to that creature!" I shouted, my volume just shy of waking up the sleeping beauty and dooming us all.

It was at this time when Will decided to throw me under the bus again, "So we should be the ones dying??? The goddess has assigned us important roles for the mission. We can't risk our lives for something this mundane. Meanwhile, a weakling like you offers nothing to the table. So it makes sense that you should take one for the team."

"Yeah," the toxic Lily sang along, "besides, you should be grateful that we allowed you to be a part of our party. The least you could do is act as bait and distract that thing. Or are you planning on free-riding our efforts?"

My eyes nearly rolled out of their sockets with her dumb logic. Why should I die for them??? Why should I die when I would most likely get no share in the loot?! They didn't say anything about 'being part of the team' when it came to splitting the rewards and yet when it's sh*t labour, suddenly they believe 'teamwork makes the dream work'??? I'm suddenly part of the team???

However, despite the inherent flaws and loopholes in her reasoning, the rest were more than happy for somebody else to be the lure. As long as it wasn't them. They're discussing amongst themselves, subtly moving away from me.

I was being stared down by their dissatisfaction and scorn. They were doing the same thing again, using peer pressure to guilt-trip me. It's hard to speak like this. Their disdainful venom echoed deafeningly in the silence, all of them serving to stab me mercilessly. My heart thundered, my breathing harsh and erratic. It's so suffocating here. I can't breathe.

"Right! I only saw her sh*tting her pants in the corner when we're busy chopping down monsters!"

"She didn't even do anything. What a useless skiver!"

"Why did we let such a selfish donkey join our party???"

Thump. Thump. Thump.

Hearing the unanimous support, Will sneered triumphantly while leisurely enjoying the terror on my face. He's waiting for the other students to slowly crush me with their indifference.

I backed away from this horde of psychos, but a large hand pressed down on my shoulder. It was pinching painfully, enough to cause a bruise. And maybe dislocate my arm. I froze and slowly looked back, only to come face to face with a black-faced baboon. Bloodthirst coloured the instructor's stormy expression as he glowered at me. There's no doubt—if I don't run straight into the waiting maws of death, this bastard would be the first to murder me.

"You have already wasted the lives of many precious mages with that disgusting occupation. We didn't say anything and even graciously allowed you to enjoy the palace's accommodation. And yet you're not willing to sacrifice a little for the greater good???"

His voice was low and monotonous but I could clearly sense the killing intent hidden behind these words.

[Bloodlust is detected.]

The notification was pulsating urgently, warning me of the real monster standing beside me.

Seeing my pale face, Arthur finally decided to lend a hand by shoving me down the cliff himself, "It's okay, Rayne. I'll look out for you."

Will you? Or will you be blinded by some stupid rock??? Just like the rest...

After all, he's also the same guy that chose to dump a pile of luggage on me in favour of saving inventory space. Would he really be willing to throw behind precious metal ore for me? Or was this all lip service to manipulate me?

"If anything goes wrong, I will rescue you."

The rejection got stuck in my throat. In the end, I never screamed and flicked them a middle finger. Every ounce of grievance and fear was swallowed again. I couldn't utter anything else. Not with all the terrifying glares and sinister smiles. Their animosity choked out every bit of aggrievedness. If I continue to be stubborn, I would really die here. At least with the fat spider, I have a slim hope of making it out. But with them...

My silence made the instructor snort, "Good."

He then peeled the bag from my shoulders. The heavy straps digging into my skin were lifted. The sad irony. It's only when they want to use me that they're finally willing to help out. Is my life really not comparable to a bunch of dirt stones? Just because I'm a murderer? Is this the kind of people I'm fighting for? Why should I be their hero?

I stood rooted on the spot with my back drenched in sweat.

"What are you standing there for? Stop wasting time and go kill yourself," Will cackled while shoving me forward.

I staggered and peered at the towering school bus before me. It's enormous. With those sharp legs... It could easily skewer holes in me.

I gulped thickly and unsheathe the sword that's for show. The sheen of the stainless steel sparkled in the dim lighting. I blinked as visions of my young self clutching a bloodstained knife while ruthlessly maiming my deadbeat father flashed by. Back then, that bastard was already incapacitated. Helplessly lying beneath me. And yet I continued to mutilate him. The therapists were right. Why did I continue stabbing him when he's already down?

Is this retribution?

The soft crunch of loose pebbles beneath my feet jostled the titan awake. Eyes shot open before they zeroed in on me. I could see my ghastly face reflected in its beady eyes. My hands holding the cursed weapon trembled even more.

I...

Ding.

[Bloodlust is detected.]

[An emergency quest has been issued.]

[Emergency quest: Kill the dungeon boss Buryura!]

[Time limit: 01:00:00]

Rumble! Crash!

A thunderous tremor shook the ground. A wall of boulders erected behind me, sealing my escape route. I was left in pitch-black darkness. Left to the wolves by those vermin.

I'm going to die.

Buryura dropped down with a heavy thud. It opened its cavernous jaws. Inside, rows after rows of jagged teeth poked out of its gums. A foul stench exuded. I could still see remnants of rotting meat stuck between its fangs. Within the next second, a screech blared out. G-force smashed into my body, almost knocking the wind out of me.

Without wasting a second, the crazy mother trucker barreled towards me. Its long legs crushed the rocky ground with ease. Even for its humongous size, it was still lightning fast. My legs were frozen stiff with terror. I couldn't move a muscle, except stupidly stare at death straight in the face.

Am I... going to die?

"Promise me you will live. No matter what."

Mom's tearful request was the wake-up call to slap me back to reality. I can't die like this! Not as a murderer! I have to live for Mom's sake! I can't be monster feed! I have to become a hero!

[Bloodlust is detected.]

At the last second, I dived to the side. Just a hair's breadth from being punctured by those serrated legs. The creature crashed into the man-made wall, causing more debris to fall. There was a noticeable crater cracked by its skull. I could see a chip in the rock wall. As well as the hint of blue light.

I need to get this bastard to ram into it more!

Having a solid plan really worked wonders to a scared mind. Instead of running around like a headless chicken, I scrambled up and continued to play cat and mouse with the monster. It was shrieking in anger, trying its dadgum best to chomp my upper torso. Its cheeks bloated up unnaturally. Smoke leaked out. I widened my eyes and duck, narrowly avoiding spurts of corrosive acid. The wall behind me sizzled noisily, a f*cking crater staring me straight in the face. If I wasn't quick enough, that would've been my head.

Fear exploded in my mind as I screamed, "ARTHUR, HELP! HELP!"

But only empty silence answered my pleas. No one came through. The bloody wall still remained intact. That bastard went back on his words. He didn't plan on helping me at all. Arthur had deemed me below a bunch of f*cking rocks.

Light dimmed in my eyes. A suffocating sense of helplessness bloomed in the depths of my waning consciousness. Buryura bucked its abdomen and raised its spinnerets high up in the air. While wallowing in self-pity, a white blob hurtled towards me. It smacked into my chest and floored me, nearly cracking my skull in the process. The blob spread into a splotch of sticky webs, taping me to the ground. I couldn't lift my sword arm. And the next moment, two thick spears impaled my shoulders. The flimsy leather pauldron couldn't stop the attack at all.

Thump.

"AHHH!"

More blood splurged out when I convulsed uncontrollably. Agony rapidly invaded my system, dulling my brain. It's unbearable. Even more unbearable than having glass shards fly into my right eye. My brows were pinched, complexion pale as beaded sweat rolled down. I couldn't think of anything but pain, pain and more pain. My nerves were overwhelmed with stimulation. Blood soaked through the fabrics of my shirt. Tears streamed down my face as Buryura twisted its legs in me. It lowered its growling face to mine, hissing triumphantly. Even a f*cking bug was mocking me. Mocking my efforts. Mocking my life. Its gigantic face occupied most of my dimming vision.

Why? Why is life always so cruel to me? Why did I have to suffer like this? Why did I think I could ever become a hero? Why did I think I could live till the end of the story? How stupid. As if a bloody necromancer deserved any right to be a messiah. All it would ever amount to is a grim reaper. A murderer. It's naive of me to hope for a beautiful ending. It's obvious from the start. There's no hero's fate waiting for me.

Why did I think I could ever wash away my sins?

Blood thumped in my head. A buzz rang in my ears. Blood has already mixed with salty tears. I couldn't breathe well. Not with the immense pressure exerted by this monster. The creature widened its mouth. I peered blankly at the gaping jaws that's rapidly approaching my head.

Thump.

[Bloodlust is detected.]

Maybe it's because of the idea of death nearing, the inevitably of dying, but I suddenly remembered a paragraph of words when I first checked my status. The description of my ominous class.

[Your desire for redemption burns strong enough to call upon those who wander the valley of death. Armies of the dead who follow your commands shall create a path where your thread will be law.]

My fingers twitched under the sticky hold. A hedonistic idea gnawed at the back of my mind. There were many corpses of its children and prey wrapped in cocoons here. And I'm a necromancer. So...

If I'm going to die anyway... If I'm destined to be in a lose-lose situation...

I clenched my fists, biting my lips till they bleed.

Suddenly, a geyser of boulders sprayed out and the entire rock partition collapsed. Dim light poured into the graveyard. I could hear human voices.

"Rayne!"

Before Arthur could surge forward, the monster jerked its head up and screamed.

[Taunt effect is active. Your resistance is too low. The effect has been applied.]

A shudder ran down my spine as I felt my muscles tensing and cramping. I couldn't move. Couldn't even breathe properly, much less call for help. The range of its AOE spell was wide, resonating throughout the underground chambers. The rest instantly froze. No one could move. Even the paladin couldn't escape the grasp of its high-level taunt effect. He stood rooted on the spot, unable to draw out his blade. The spider's mouth curled into an ugly sneer as it lowered its head once again. It was hell-bent on eating me.

[Bloodlust is detected.]

Actually, I know this wasn't truly a dead end. Lily's occupation was a cleric. So she's immune to such crowd control abilities. She could have easily cast buffing spells and removed the taunt. But she didn't. Because she didn't want me to live. From the corner of my eye, I saw her smirking with contempt. Evil mockery glazed her eyes. She's intent on watching me get mauled to death.

No, please, I'm so close. So close to living. Don't do this to me... I want to live. I must live. I must be the hero—

A bright glare suddenly exploded out of nowhere. The nova light almost seared the back of my eyeballs. The creature shrieked, recoiling from me. I felt the painful pressure lifted from my shoulders. Through squinted eyes, I managed to make out a blurred silhouette of something small sailing gracefully through the air. And in a split second, a smell of burnt flesh engulfed my nose. There was a blood-curdling cry and Buryura was split into two perfect halves. The hideous head was seared clean off, its bulging neck ending in a glowing stump. The kill quest subsequently also disappeared.

The harsh light quickly faded at the same time when the gory carcass fell on top of me. Green fluid spurted out. The spider's internal organs spilled onto my body. Blood splattered my face as I lay on the ground absent-mindedly. The surrounding walls were charred black. Embers decorated the place. Blue colour ones. The webs previously entangling me were somehow also burnt to a crisp.

"What was that???"

"Who did that?"

"Not me."

"sh*t! I wanted its EXP!"

While people were furtively bitching about unimportant matters, I laid there at a loss. My face was still scrunched up in a grimace as I panted harshly. Every subtle pull of a tender muscle was only worsening my seizure. I could smell the bloody stench. Feel the stickiness of its fluid on my face. Tension in the atmosphere was finally broken. By none other than that f*cker Will.

"HAHAHA! Did you guys see her pathetic face??? It looks like she's pissing herself! Like she's f*cking constipated! Just from a mere teeny weeny spider! HAHAHA! Actually, you know what, it fits you. A deranged psycho that stinks like sh*t!"

He was laughing hysterically, completely disregarding my pain. Under his example, the rest cracked up too. They started giggling and chortling like madmens. And the haunting laughter was only growing louder, echoing in my head.

They want to kill me...

They want to make Mom cry. Just like Father...

"You're my everything, Rayne."

Thump. Thump. Thump.

Should I kill them?

While trying to press down the blatant smile on his face, the asshole instructor ordered, "Okay, okay. Jokes aside, hurry up and load up the crystals. This place is caving in soon."

Right on cue, dust and debris sprinkled from the ceiling. A light tremor shook the cave, snapping me out of that dangerous thought. My stomach churned uncomfortably. Something surged up my throat. Especially at the grisly death that was displayed in front of me. I felt like puking. But I held it in. Because now wasn't the time to hurl my guts out. Half of Buryura's heavy abdomen was pinning me to the ground. My mangled shoulder muscles had robbed all the strength from my upper body. To make matters worse, my arms were shaking too much for me to muster any ounce of strength. I was about to be crushed to mush by the carcass. And if not, by a bloody boulder falling from the sky if no one came to fling this fatso off.

My arms strained under the futile struggle, inevitably pulling the raw wounds that were oozing blood. Black spots dotted my vision as tears welled up. It hurts. It hurts so much.

Luckily, it's at this time when Arthur finally decided to be an actual hero and not some unmoving statue. He pulled off the corpse, allowing rancid air to enter my lungs. Even though I knew he went back on his words, I still couldn't help but feel wronged. I was completely shaken up. Like a distressed child, I wanted a hug. Or just some comforting pats on the back from him. Anything. I just felt like crying. Felt like throwing up. Fleeting images of the spider's blood splashing across my face continued to replay in my delusional mind. As well as my father's look of terror underneath me. I flinched as dull stabs of pain surrounded my right eye. More soreness and despair choked out my breath. I felt so smothered. I wanted a hug.

However, I should have known Arthur wasn't interested in my depression. Not one bit. He's just that indifferent. Without any words of disingenuous comfort, he immediately groped the exposed insides of Buryura. Tearing apart its stomach, his hand returned green, with strands of sinews and tendons entwined around his fingers. As well as a large emerald crystal.

Ahhh... Of course he's finding that...

Arthur shamelessly pocketed the fruits of my blood, sweat and tears without so much of a perfunctory ask for permission. Just because he thought it's only natural that the leader of the heroes should have all the good stuff to better save humanity. Why should he be concerned about the opinions of a porter?

After the green gemstone vanished inside his interspatial bag, he was finally in the mood to throw out a brief glance of worry, "You're hurt."

That bastard still refused to drop his Samaritan act. But how altruistic can one truly be after demanding a helpless classmate to die for him to collect rocks?

As he uttered such half-hearted concerns, his body stiffened. I could see his arms tensing by his side. Hesitating. Normally, he's someone who soothes others by hugging them. But the sight of nauseating puke smeared on my clothes was too sickening for him to even pretend. Or maybe he just didn't want to touch a vile murderer. Who knows if she's just pretending for him to let down his guard? He's suspicious of my motives. After all, I almost perished because of his greediness. Would I not be vengeful towards him?

Seeing his reluctance, I couldn't help but remember the time he first helped me. It's when Will and his putrid goons were pressuring me to be their bread shuttle. I think the strong sense of justice in him made Arthur unable to continue pretending to be unaware of all their bullsh*t. At least, he needs to fake his concern. Just harmlessly question them without explicitly offering his help. That would satisfy his righteous ego. However, all Will did was put on a greasy smile on his face while ruffling my hair roughly. Under his watchful yet blind gaze, that bastard painfully pulled my hair, almost threateningly. The flippant excuse that f*cker gave was that we were 'friends' and that's what brothers do for each other—they help by cowardly ganging up on a loner in numbers. I wanted to rebuke him but the vicious glint in his eyes made me change my mind. Arthur's too indifferent to see his help to the end. So I was scared of what Will would do the moment the class president stopped paying attention to me. I would really die. So I didn't refute his horsesh*t. Chose to play along with a bitter face. Arthur was unsure and repeatedly asked if I was being truthful. But I could see immense relief in the forced expression of concern. He didn't want to get involved in unnecessary shenanigans either.

Of course, the cursory attention he showered on me now would make some students unhappy.

"Hmph! slu*t! Only know how to act like a pitiful mutt for attention!' Lily scoffed under her breath, her black face looking like she's about to disfigure me.

There was a painful pinch in my heart. I started gasping as the pain in my eye rapidly intensified. In the end, my terrible complexion made Arthur compromise begrudgingly.

"I apologised for Will's prank. He explained that it's safer for us if we isolate the boss away. Just in case we suddenly aggro it. And what he said made sense. So I thought as long as you scream my name, I could still save you in time. But the sound insulation muffled everything on the other side. So I couldn't hear your shouts."

Is he trying to offer me solace? Or is he merely finding excuses to justify his ruthlessness? So his sense of moral justice wouldn't feel too bruised? So he wouldn't feel too guilty? I don't know. And I'm not sure if I want to know... I fear that the answer might not be what I wanted to hear...

As if desperate to take the heat off his back, he passed the torch to Lily, "Why didn't you cast any cleansing spells?"

Like a borned green-tea bitch, the theatrical actress had long changed to a weak and hapless demeanour, whispering softly, "I-I'm sorry... I just... got too frightened by the monster... I couldn't move my body. I thought I was about to die..."

Like any person with normal working brains would be so petrified just by standing there. If Arthur's not blind and actually looked at her 'sorrowful' face properly, he would realise there's not a hint of remorse.

While spitting out such preposterous rubbish, she squeezed out a few drops of tears. Let them trickle down her cheeks. She must have watched too many dog-blooded K-dramas of damsels in distress. A pity she couldn't hide the mockery in her eyes. It's clear as day. But no matter how feigned it seemed, it's still highly effective on stereotypical blind male MCs like Arthur. The sight of crocodile tears on a liar's face was enough to short-circuit the child of light's brains.

It went haywire as Arthur threw all rationality out of the window and started consoling the 'frightened villager girl', "It's okay. Don't cry. It's not your fault. It's your first time after all. So it's natural to be scared."

He didn't urge that bitch to heal me. Just let her quiver in his arms. Unlike with me, Arthur was more than willing to embrace her shoulders and coax in a sticky tone. Just because she was clean and innocent. As long as she didn't murder someone personally with her own two hands, she's a scared little saint.

He then turned to me, "I think this matter should stop here. Lily's already spooked quite badly. It's unreasonable to expect so much out of her. Anyway, you also turn out fine in the end, so no need to make a big fuss out of nothing."

The tone of self-righteousness was what's getting on my nerves. Irritation flared up, on the verge of detonating into a tirade. Unknowingly, the self-depreciation gradually mutated into anger. Fury. And aggrievedness at how unfair it was.

Really? Then what about me? So it's reasonable for me to die for your pockets???

If a popcorn-eating piece of sh*t could be this traumatised from risking nothing at all, then what does that say about me who acted as glorified bait? Am I not human too?

Why won't you care about me? Just a little bit! That's all I ever ask for! Why won't you understand me?

That's what I wanted to bring up, but the deriding words ended up stuck in my throat. No matter how egregiously toxic that baboon was, it couldn't be worse than the human blood on my hands. A murderer has no right to press charges on someone who's merely returning the favour.

Just like this, Lily's attempt to murder me was swept under the carpet. Ultimately, nothing came out of this incident. While the greedy hyenas were busy vacuuming up every chunk of crystal, I just blankly lumbered out of the shaking dungeon despite the bleeding holes in my torso. The sharp pangs of pain were completely blunted by the heavy sense of desolation. Fortunately, the bug-infested maze remained inexplicably empty. All the monsters that have respawned were already burnt to ashes. The fresh remnants of embers were still present. Blue embers. But I was too distraught to give a f*ck about my mysterious saviour. Just continued hobbling through twists and turns, occasionally stumbling over a rock. All the way out of this dungeon using the trash system's in-built map.

In hindsight, maybe hiding my suffering back then was the right course of action. A wise choice to ensure my longevity. It would be stupid to thoroughly rip apart the superficial facade of friendship between me and Arthur just for someone like Lily. He's still useful to me. Just as he needs me to act as bait, I also need him as my glorified meat shield. He's the only thing stopping Will from decapitating me in this lawless society. The last thing I wanted to do was make an enemy out of the one neutral ally(?) I had. I'm just putting him in a difficult position and jeopardising my future needlessly. So no need to feel depressed. It's all a matter of equal trade. He used me while I used him. No need to put too much thought into this transactional relationship...

As I repeated this in my mind, wet warmth tracked down my face. I slowly touched my cheeks. They were tears, signs of weakness I've been desperately trying to hide from the class. It would have been a death sentence to reveal my vulnerability in front of those sh*tbags. So now that I was finally alone to wallow in pain, I couldn't stop the waterworks from flowing out. As much as I wanted to lie to myself, I still couldn't help but feel hurt about this. I thought Arthur was different. He must be, right? After all, he's the only one who bothered pretending to be kind in front of me. That must mean that I at least hold some weight in his heart, right?

More tears filled with aggrievedness trickled down. All the grievances I've suffered over the years just sort of escalated out of control at the same time. Especially after the realisation that Arthur wasn't the same as the one on Earth. The class president I've looked up to as my moral compass had longed since degraded to a selfish prick from the moment he was given the role as paladin. Whether he's aware of it or not, Arthur has grown colder as a result of the 'greater good'. Blind and deaf to what was happening around him. He had chosen to forsake the unimportant minority—the murderer—in favour of this so-called justice for a bunch of sleazy royalty. I could feel my eyes growing sorer by the minute.

Afraid that the rest might be coming out anytime soon, I limped to a shadowy spot hidden behind thick vegetation. Pathetic whimpers escaped my tightly bitten lips. My HP continued to drain as more blood seeped out. Now it's hovering at dangerously low levels. The yellow numbers turned orange in the blink of an eye.

Ding!

A giant panel jumped out. My status window has opened on its own, highlighting the embolden HP stat.

[! Warning]

[Please replenish your HP before it reaches 0.]

Tears blurred my darkening vision. Despair enshrouded my mind.

Is it even possible for me to become a hero?

I cry over something as small as this. I couldn't even defeat a bunch of overgrown spiders. And at the hint of danger, all I did was freeze and start blubbering away like a fool. Can someone like me even dream of whitewashing my crimes? Can I ever be anything more than a degenerate father killer?

"Endure... Just endure. Everything will be alright tomorrow."

The orange HP numbers soon darkened to red.

[! Warning]

[Please replenish your HP before it reaches 0.]

The warning message finally reached my eyes. I panicked, taking out a potion from my inventory. Without hesitation, I chugged the unidentified liquid down my throat, only to retch when the blood-red fluid reminded me of Buryura's gruesome fate. Visions plagued my increasingly hopeless mind. The knife stained in red. The gory sight of a mutilated corpse. Mom's still body in the background.

[! Warning]

[Please replenish your HP before it reaches 0.]

I chugged another potion, and puked again. Like a clown, I went through my whole inventory of stolen potions from the castle's lab, only to vomit out its contents before the fluid could even take effect. The red notifications kept beeping non-stop, warning me of my dropping HP. Thankfully, after repeating such stupidity enough times, a few drops managed to trickle down my sore throat. I could see my HP numbers growing, now to an orange colour instead of a red one. Once the threat of death was thwarted, my incapacitated brain finally registered the agonising pain in my shoulders. The angry wounds were swollen, probably infected from the dusty and damp environment underground. I grunted, taking more sips of the potion that looked too much like blood. I made a conscious effort to fully swallow the funky tasting fluid. I can't afford to waste any more precious ambrosia.

Flesh slowly regenerated. Broken fibres of muscles and tissue reattached each other. They filled the gaping holes, allowing lost blood to be replenished. Then came a wave of exhaustion. A new message popped up.

[! Warning]

[Fatigue: 80/100]

Not sure if it's my body being fatigued after doing the impossible or whether it's because I'm emotionally drained from crying my eyes out. I only know that I hated being in this world. Tired of seeing those f*ckers. Sick of everything. I sniffled, squatting down to hug my knees.

I want to go home...

"Kyu?"

A mellow bark caught my ear. I raised my head, only to see a small baby fox popping its head out from a nearby brush. It was beautiful, with snow-white fur and a fluffy tail. Its muddy paws were dyed a darker shade from travelling on dirt terrains. Sort of like cute brown socks. Or mini boots. Liquid gold coloured its irises, the pupils so round and curious that my heart melted. Even though being in a fantasy realm meant that everything cute could be a bloodthirsty creature underneath, I didn't feel apprehensive whatsoever. Probably because hours of seeing creepy man-eating arachnids had dulled my wariness. Anything floofy was now a godsend. Of course such an adorable sight wouldn't faze me at all. In fact, it's so poofy that I wanted to hug the fat baby. Especially when Arthur refused to give me one...

I reached out, but immediately retracted my hand when I remembered that it's covered in revolting red gunk. Anyway, I reeked too. Best not to mess up the cub's silky fur.

The kit co*cked its head to the side before eagerly ambering up to me. It gently nuzzled my legs, even though they're filthy. The initial milky fur was smeared with splotches of red and green.

Thump. Thump.

So cute...

Using the cleanest possible hand, I fished out a napkin from my pocket and cautiously wiped the stains on its snout. Like an intelligent animal, the fox obediently stayed still and let me rub its nose. Gazing into the amber eyes filled with distress, as if asking if I was alright, the aggrievedness suddenly amplified by a thousand times. How ironic. Even an animal could tell that my eyes were puffy with just a single glance. But not my classmates of 4 years. Not a fellow human. It just... hurts.

"I'm fine," a barely recognisable nasal voice croaked out of my mouth, "just... tired."

Really tired...

I don't even know what the hell am I doing, talking to a fox like it could understand me. If a human won't even pity me, what does that say about a four-legged creature? I must have really gone nuts after that near-death experience.

The baby cub squinted, then bit onto the cuff of my trousers. It tugged lightly, wanting me to follow. How nice if it could really bring me far away from this nightmare.

I curled my lips dryly, "I can't go with you."

I'm powerless now. If I stray far away from the other heroes, I would undoubtedly die out there in the wilderness.

My finger tickled its nose, "I have no food to feed you."

The fox blinked its large round eyes. I stared back. Those eyes... they're really magnetic. So much so that I couldn't tear my gaze away. I don't know... It's just... something about them makes my mind run blank. Unknowingly, I had stopped blinking. Just quietly immersing myself in the depths of those dark pupils. It's as if my soul was being hooked over, slowly losing control of my consciousness. If... If I leave, would life become easier? Would others even realise I'm gone?

"I..."

I want to go back with you...

However, those fateful few words were never verbalised. Just as I opened my mouth, a jeering voice echoed in my head like thunder.

"A murderer will always be a murderer."

Thump. Thump. Thump.

"YOUR EXISTENCE IS ONE THAT HERALDS DEATH!"

The little fairytale dream instantaneously shattered. I broke away from our staring contest, shaking the fuzziness away. It could be my wonky vision, but I swear the ball of fluff looked disappointed for one moment. In the next, the baby nudged my leg with its cute button nose, as if wanting to nestle in my arms. What rubbish! I must have really lost my marbles. Like any sane creature would want to snuggle next to stinky rotten blood.

Its tail wrapped around my legs, brushing and tickling. The cub nipped my fingertips affectionately. I could feel its warm mushy tongue licking my skin. Watching the furball act all adorable with its itty-bitty paws placed on my knee, a sense of melancholy welled up. I absent-mindedly touched its chubby cheeks. Feeling the thin whiskers grazing against my palm.

"You know, I used to have a friend like you."

The fox perked up its vulpine ears in confusion. I let out a sad chuckle. Yes, I used to have a friend. It lived near my house when I was young. A white little stray kitten. It has always loitered around our neighbourhood, looking for food scraps in the garbage dump. I remembered falling in love at first sight. It was so tiny. So fluffy. But the skittish thing wouldn't approach me. So I would lay out thin slices of leftover ham near the stairwell. Until the kitten gradually got used to my presence and decided to befriend me. It was my first friend so you could imagine how over the moon I was. I couldn't bear to not see it for a few hours. Whilst trapped in the rush of joyful exuberance, the nightmarish situation at home completely slipped out of my mind. And that was a grave mistake I would forever regret.

Just because I was so caught up playing with it, I forgot about the time. Forgot to shoo her away before that depraved man came home. When he woozily staggered up the stairs and saw the naive grin on my face, something snapped in his deranged mind. He hated seeing me happy. He's the kind of pervert that can't stand people living a better life than him. So imagine his reaction when he saw me happy while he's there bummed out about his piss sh*tty luck at poker. He blew his top. Started screaming vulgarities and curses. Seeing that I didn't grovel like how Mom would whenever he threw a tantrum, that man-child literally snatched up a loose brick on the ground and whacked it at my friend's head. He continued smashing its skull, until the tiny head was crushed to smithereens. Every bone broke. The pitiful wails and cries quickly ceased. My friend no longer scratched him. There was so much blood splattered on the corridor. I remembered crying hysterically. And the messy things that went through my head. It's the first time I ever thought about picking up a brick to take his f*cking head off.

I remembered my mind going blank. And the anger that threatened to devour my sanity. But I wasn't muddle-headed. Quite the opposite. I had never been more sober and clearer than what I wanted in life. Before I could commit manslaughter at the age of 5, Mom came back from her grocery trip in time. She stopped me from grabbing a murder weapon. That madman then screeched about why there wasn't any warm dinner awaiting him. Mom's apologies only served to enrage him as he switched punching bags. He took out his anger on her, beating her till bruises marred her fair skin. By the time he ran out of steam, the f*cker huffed and threw my poor friend's mangled body into the trash can. He then slammed the door, entering the apartment like he didn't just almost beat my mom unconscious. And you know what was the first thing Mom said to me? She weakly hugged me, mumbling deliriously about how she's glad it wasn't me who got my head cracked like an omelette. I just stood there blankly, staring at her with a conflicted expression. I was confused. Was this the same kind mother who couldn't bear to let me face Father's wrath? Did she really just say that she's glad someone else died in my stead?

I might not have understood Mom's complicated thoughts, but I do know that my hatred took root on that very day. The idea of having him disappear from our lives was only growing stronger each day that drunkard came home and acted up. It's also this incident that made me withdrawn from the outside world. I didn't want to make friends for fear of my deranged father knowing about them. For fear of the same devastation awaiting me when he inevitably got his hands on them. That delusional f*cker was one to randomly draw conclusions the moment he spotted glimpses of anyone next to me. Maybe because he's paranoid I would surrender him to the incompetent cops. Or maybe he just didn't want me to be happy. Whatever the case is, I stopped talking in preschool, in middle school. Even when he finally croaked, I still kept the habit of staying silent in high school.

The vulpine ears wiggled cutely. It's kinda easy to tell the fox's emotions when its ears were so lively and expressive all the time. Much more comfortable to hang out with than those toxic worms who hide their disdain through carefully woven honeyed words. With the cub, I don't have to constantly read between the lines.

Nostalgia bloomed in my cold heart as I reached out to touch its furry ear. The soft feeling was exactly like my little feline friend.

But in the next second, grim words gushed out uncontrollably, breaking the still atmosphere, "But it died."

Chapter 6: Time to clear out insufferable trash.

Chapter Text

Normal text
Thinking
Onomatopoeia

Ahri's POV
A fireball whizzed upwards and exploded, causing the entire ceiling to cave in. An avalanche of debris rained down, trapping Rae with the ugly spider.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

RAE!

"What are you doing?!"

Will shrugged nonchalantly, "Relax, sissy. I'm doing us all a favour. If that monster saw us stealing its treasure, do you think it would stand idly by?"

Arthur's brows pinched tightly but he didn't admonish him further, "But..."

In fact, his irritation has turned to that of hesitance.

"If that little bitch wants to be a part of our party, then she should at least prove herself worthy. We can't let a worthless deadweight pull down everyone. So take this as an initiation ceremony of sorts. Anyway, all this is just a game, no? If she gets a game over screen, at most she'd be sent back to Earth."

That baboon's spewing trash again. A pity the blond hero isn't very smart to tell bullsh*t apart from reality.

He pursed his lips for a moment before nodding, no longer arguing over this matter. Instead, he got a pickaxe to hack away at a chunk of glowing crystals. This bastard's greed was going to kill my baby.

I panicked, frequently glancing at the rock wall while racking my brains for a solution. I can't jump out into the open. Even if I managed to rescue Rae, it would definitely reveal my kumiho traits. I won't be able to escape this dungeon without a bloody scuffle. They might even demonise my baby and hunt her down. Again. Just like the previous timeline.

My ears twitched at a heavy crash. Something large rammed into the wall, causing a light hail of dust and pebbles.

Oh!

The egg sacks in other pockets of the maze should've already hatched. Thousands and thousands of nasty mini Buryuras repopulating the tunnels... Huuk.

I scrambled out of the nest and into the nearest clearing. The once desolate cave filled with corpses were now jam-packed with new black sh*t. It was a racket down here, with countless glowing red eyes gleaming in the darkness. The uncultured spiderlings were shrieking and snapping at each other. Some even munching on their fallen brethren.

Perfect!

My pupils constricted as mana concentration spiked in the air. They rushed towards me in torrents. In the next second, faint aphrodisiac pollens were scattered.

Look at me.

Heads whipped around collectively. The hair on my back stood on end. I can never get over how freaky their hive mind works. Fortunately, it's also because of this mechanic that it became terribly easy to control the whole colony. Just charm a few dominant runts and the weaker ones would be brainwashed through their shared consciousness. Some of their unblinking beady eyes were already beginning to glaze over.

You will obey me.

Rounds of disorganised chitters sounded, but the demonic spiders didn't swarm me. They stood on the spot, swaying a little on their legs.

I want that wall torn down.

Once the imperial edict was issued, hordes of creepy-crawlies scuttled out with fervour, all madly clambering in the direction of their mother's lair. I slinked behind their group, urging them to go kill themselves. The sooner, the better.

Within a few minutes, hundreds of wild savages burst into the cramp cavern. Panicked screeches blared out as goons in the way of their inexorable stampede were ruthlessly trampled over. I hid near the entrance, secretly gloating at their shrill screams. Good! Teach these assholes to bully my precious!

"ARTHUR! HELP! HELP!" I picked up on Rae's urgent cries.

My pupils shrunk into dangerous slits.

HURRY!

Without hesitation, the brain-dead bugs threw themselves into the rock wall, some even smashing their skulls from how hard they were brute-forcing it. What savagery. Gross brain matter spilled out, releasing a rancid stench in the air. But it didn't matter. The delirious fever was unstoppable. It just kept spreading throughout their shared consciousness like wildfire, infecting the minds of other spiders. Pretty soon, more came pouring in. All of them viciously ran into the wall like battering rams. There was a tremor. Then an earthquake. Before a loud rumble roared and the entire wall collapsed.

"AHHH!"

Sharp appendages pierced into Rae's shoulders as she convulsed and hyperventilated. The tarantula shoved its head menacingly into her face. It unhooked its jaws, revealing threads of glistening saliva dripping down serrated teeth.

"Rayne!"

Before that fake hero could continue his Samaritan facade, Buryura suddenly let out a blood-curdling shriek. Destructive g-force blasted outwards. Except, it barely tickled my fur. I narrowed my eyes at its feeble attempts to challenge me. Weak sauce. However, the other rubbish humans were all frozen stiff with terror, unable to move an inch. Including the worthless paladin donkey.

Hmph! Such a laughable constitution and you dare compete with me for Rae??? Know your place and screw off! She's my mate!

I sucked in a mouthful of dense mana. My cheeks bulged, ears tingling sensitively. Insides churned as mana flowed rapidly through my veins, making my irises glow a darker shade. They're practically dripping gold. Magic continued building up at my throat. Slowly ballooning into a decimating nuclear bomb. Until I let out a deafening bark.

"KYA!"

The magic subsequently detonated into a glaring flash. It bathed everything in pure white. Those incompetent humans immediately shut their eyes. Even the monstrous behemoth was no exception. The hideous pest had been living without sunlight for so long, so of course it would be disoriented by flash-bangs.

Taking advantage of the stunned audience, I leaped into action. While flying mid-air, I gulped a mouthful of raunchy miasma. Mana swirled towards me like a blustery typhoon. A bluish orb materialised. But unlike last time with those sleazy mercenaries, this was larger and much more powerful. Ghostly flames sputtered out violent embers, pulsating with frenzied energy, perfectly reflecting my current emotion—fury. I was livid.

Dare to threaten my mate?!

Heat waves swept the entire chamber as the ravenous fireball sliced through stale air. Guttural cries were cut short by billowing flames incinerating the gigantic head clean off. Though it's far from dead. Buryura's consciousness is spread within its whole body. So even if the entire brain was gone, the remaining intact nerves could still operate independently. Exactly like a damn co*ckroach.

The homing missile soon returned, bringing along morsels of life essence. My heart beat ever so louder as I eagerly guzzled down Buryura's soul. It smoothly trickled down my parched throat, igniting a bonfire in my belly. Flames broiled and simmered, flooding my system with unadulterated pleasure.

Dare to eye my prey?!

A ghostly-blue aura wrapped around my forepaw. Its shapeless contours quickly sharpened into massive claws. The enlarged silhouette perfectly overlapped my smaller paw, its magic fluctuating dangerously. My slitted pupils burned with hatred and possessiveness. How dare they vie for what's mine!

Only I can eat Rae!

Without hesitation, I slashed my magnified claws down its abdomen. Right dead centre. They carved through the steellike carapace like butter. Nails tore apart tough flesh, producing a wet squelching sound. I then used its falling body as a jumping pad to leap back into hiding. Along the way, smaller Fox Fires materialised around me. Using my tails, I lightly batted the fireballs towards Rae who's still paralysed with fear. It quickly ate the sticky webs, not forgetting to caress her silky skin before quenching out. Cheeky. But I don't blame its touchy-feely tendencies. After all, her soul smelled too lovely to pass up. Delicious~

Skulking near the entrance of the nest, I watched quietly, getting a little worried when those worthless bums refused to help my baby. She's about to be crushed under that fat grub. Yet they're still cackling like banshees??? And isn't that sh*t-hair brunette a cleric??? Why isn't she doing her damn job and healing Rae???

Fortunately, Arthur stopped being a dumb nut and freed my poor darling. But I should've known that goblin would somehow find a way to disappoint me. He could always do worse. It's my fault for expecting him to act like a decent human. My bad.

Arthur spoke a lot, just nothing useful. He never forced that bitch to cast any recovery spells. Merely act out a corny romcom performance that no one's interested in. He's busy soothing the snot-faced baboon. Like she's the one who nearly died. How mind-boggling. I think his pea-brain mixed up their positions.

As always, his outrageous double standards never failed to appall me. Even I felt embarrassed as a bystander when he basically demanded Rae to forgive Lily after that bitch nearly killed her with her incompetence. Who gave him the gall??? The nerve to pick on my wife!

Does he really think the world revolves around him???

My paws clenched, easily crushing the rocks beneath me. I gnashed my teeth, wanting nothing more than to bite his head off. I'm really interested. Is that thing up there for decorations??? The sheer mental gymnastics he must have gone through to justify his bullsh*t was utterly baffling. Not to mention the self-righteous remarks when he's the shameless one who pocketed the prize of Rae's hunt. I'm not blind! I clearly noticed him grabbing the monster crystal with his grubby hand. The audacity to steal when he's supposed to be the pack leader. Degenerates like him had no business being an Alpha!

Once Arthur finished yapping enough rubbish to make my ears bleed, he proudly waltzed away to mine more rocks. Insolent pest!

My blur little deer sat there at a loss. I looked at her worriedly. What are you waiting for, Rae? Leave these trash cans behind. The cave's about to collapse!

After what seemed like forever, my baby finally crawled up to her feet. She then lumbered towards the exit unsteadily, in a complete trance. I hurriedly bolted away from my hiding spot. Just like before, I swiftly cleared the population, ensuring every rubbish was out of sight. I don't want the creepy bugs to freak her out. If time permits, I would've done a cleaner job. Make sure that no disturbing juices splattered out. After all, Rae hated violence and bloodshed. I knew this very clearly from the moment I met her. She's just too afraid of conflicts.

A short spring cleaning later, I patiently waited for Rae behind a boulder. Pretty soon, her limping figure came into view. My eyes narrowed. Blood was still squirting out like waterfalls from her shoulders. The inferior leather armour was almost drenched in red. However, her dull eyes told me that she's scarcely in the right headspace to care about the logistics.

You're bleeding, baby.

"Kyuuu..."

I wanted to rush up and comfort her. Lick her painful wounds. I missed snuggling together at a warm campfire. With the starry sky hanging above us. I want it to be just us two. Without the extra nincompoops. But I can't come out. Because it might trigger her already frayed nerves. How unfair. Those unworthy humans get to blatantly mock her and yet I can't openly show my concern. Why were they the ones who met her first??? Why can't Rae be borned in my territory??? Why them?!

Swallowing my dissatisfaction, I dutifully tailed her. Anxiety continued to climb as the blood trails on the ground gradually thickened. If she doesn't address the elephant in the room, she might actually die from blood loss. Luckily, by the time Rae came out of the dungeon, she finally realised the blood fountains spraying out of her. Her complexion paled significantly as she hobbled towards some dense thickets. But the poor girl was too shaken up by the gory experience so she kept puking. I frantically dived into a bush to observe closer. Her once pinkish lips were drained of colour, her eyes glazed over with grievance. My heart ached as she quietly sobbed in a place no one could see. The sight of despair completely eroded my patience. I didn't want to wait any longer. So once her emotions were calmer, I popped out.

"Kyu?"

Rae looked up, the first time she had properly acknowledged my presence in this life. This moment... It felt special. Our first time officially meeting each other. A shaky hand reached out, only to withdraw immediately. I co*cked my head.

Do you want a hug?

I strode forward and nuzzled her legs. My hands were too tiny to embrace her, so I had to settle for a snuggle instead. If the nearby brambles weren't poisonous, I would have even offered some blackberries to soothe her pain.

Now that I'm closer, I squinted at her wounds. They had stopped bleeding, leaving behind a healthy pink scar. I frowned. One of these days, I'll bring Rae back home to soak in the hot springs. Those have healing properties. Leagues better than whatever that sh*tty bitch could cough up.

My baby fished out a napkin to clean my stained fur. I obediently faced her, lifting my snout so she could easily wipe away the gunk. Secretly, I was enjoying the affection showered on me. It's completely different from when she's obsessed with revenge. Back then, her attention was solely focused on Arthur. She just wouldn't turn her head towards me. But now... Rae was openly showing concern for me. Something I had dreamt for so long. If only she was this kind to herself too...

Please. Can you just love me a little bit? Look at me instead of that scum.

"I'm fine. Just... tired."

I raised an eyebrow at the familiar phrase. The girl used to say this a lot in the past too. So I learnt to tune out from such blatant lies.

I don't think so.

How could she be fine when she's tearing up like a fountain? She's obviously not 'fine'! Why must Rae always belittle her feelings??? Why won't she just ask for help??? And why the hell does she look so bad?

I gazed softly at her heavy eyebags. Her ghastly complexion.

Can't sleep?

I carefully pinched her trouser leg, tugging gently.

Come with me.

"I can't go with you."

Why??? Please. Just follow me. I can bring you out of this nightmare.

"I have no food to feed you."

It's during times like this when I miss being able to talk. How else could I tell her that I'm not like those brainless animals that only knew to gorge themselves??? I'm a pure-blooded kumiho! Not some ordinary vixen on the streets!

I let go of her pants and stared at her unblinkingly. There's no other choice. If she still doesn't understand, I would have to charm her and forcefully take her back. Anything to break this ill-fated destiny. I have to change the future!

Rae returned my gaze. Gradually, her pupils grew murky. There was nothing else in her pretty violet eyes. Only my reflection. I like it this way. Just look at me alone.

I can help you so much more than those vermin. So please... don't fall in love with Arthur. Can you consider me instead? Whatever you want to eat, I can hunt for you. If you can't sleep, I can be a fluffy body pillow for you to cuddle. If you want to touch my tails, I will wrap you tightly in them. Until you become a warm dumpling. A present for me. So just look at me. Don't like that bastard, okay?

"I..."

My ears perked up. But in the next second, the hypnotising effect inexplicably faded. Rae broke eye contact and shook her head. I was shocked.

How...

Even if my powers had regressed a lot, it should be more than enough to enamour a weak baby. What's more, I had absolute faith and confidence in my charm. No humans should be able to break free. After all, the magic would unearth every deep-seated desire, ugly or grandiose. It would show them what they wanted to see most. Further reinforcing their wishes. Amplify their impulses. People always become the worst versions of themselves in front of their selfish goals. Because who would be willing to let their sweet dreams shatter? Unless... something's holding her back. A traumatic event. A haunting past. There exists a much more terrifying prospect than not achieving her desires.

What happened?

My ears drooped lifelessly, upset that I couldn't just abduct my wifey back home. I guess reality wouldn't make things so easy for a time traveller. Because there's such thing as an irreversible fate. A red thread of misfortune where certain predestined events can't be avoided no matter if one knows the future or not. It's an essential hurdle that Rae must cross in her life. Which means she has to be entangled with those rubbish folks until who knows when. But... why can't it be me? Why them?

My tails coiled around her legs, patting her comfortingly. I nipped her fingers, sucking them affectionately. My saliva and scent left a distinct mark. It would deter lesser predators from finding trouble with her. If she's destined to experience the same tragic sequence again, then I must at least prepare her for it. I won't let Rae jump in cluelessly just to get mauled to death by her brethren.

While Rae rubbed my cheeks, I heard her whisper, "You know, I used to have a friend like you."

Now that caught my attention. My ears pricked up.

Really?? There's nine-tailed foxes in your world???

Her eyes dimmed with sorrow as she reminisced about the past.

And the very next second, she muttered flatly, "But it died."

Her nasal voice choked and she retracted her hand from my ears. I could keenly sense her low mood. Even worse than when Arthur chose to forsake her in the past. She wasn't even this depressed from his betrayal. I hopped onto her lap and purred softly, rubbing against her torso.

It's okay. You have me now. So don't be sad.

This time, Rae no longer held back. She hugged me, sniffling pitifully. I just licked her cheeks, giving her an affectionate peck. The atmosphere fell into a comfortable silence as we cuddled together. It would have been a pretty satisfying ending if it weren't for jinxes ruining the sappy mood. Humans climbed out of the dungeon. Those critters weren't buried underground. Tch.

Rae's body tensed before she loosened her hold on me, "I have to go, baby."

My ears tingle at the cute pet name. It's the first time this shy little deer had called me anything else other than Ahri. Especially with that waxy voice. The low timbre... Sexy. I like it. Call me more.

I nuzzled her hand, licking her nose one last time before Rae placed me down on the ground.

"I hope to see you again. Bye bye, little fox."

She waved happily, obviously in a better mood. Hope reignited in her eyes again. Copying her action, I sat on my bum and raised a paw to wave. If I was in my human form, I would've preferred a kiss of goodbye instead. I sorely wanted to taste those soft lips.

With that, Rae climbed atop her horse and galloped away. Once her leaving back couldn't be spotted anymore, I stood up and ran back home.

As much as I want to frolic and swaddle her to bed for the night, I can't. Mom's calling for me through our mind link. She wants me back for the all too 'important' audience with the demon lord. Attending such an official event would solidify my position as future heiress. So I must return.

This time, the journey back wasn't too long. Takes about a day of full-on sprinting. Probably because of my second tail. I could feel spiritual energy thrumming in my body as I tore through the open plains. Feeling the wind brushing against my fur, I was ecstatic. It felt so good. Like I'm back to my prime, easily topping the food chain. With unfathomable speed and magic at my disposal. The world's my oyster. And Rae's my cute little wifey~

By the time I reached home, it was a few minutes before departure. I scraped against the front door, whining to be let in. Mama opened the door, glanced at my paws caked in mud and frowned.

"And where did you go this past week, young lady? Did you visit a pigsty or something?" she nagged while picking me up.

I smiled and wagged my tails.

Went to see your future daughter-in-law~

Mama took one whiff and her nose wrinkled, brows scrunched together tightly, "You stink of blood."

I sheepishly rubbed my head with a paw, feeling a little guilty. I've been squashing bugs recently. Somewhat too overzealous. So things tend to get messy. I wiggled my tails charmingly, prodding my mother's forearm in an attempt to act cute. The last thing I wanted was to get an earful from our Luna, who also happened to be a clean freak.

Mama widened her eyes in surprise, "Eh, you grew a second tail so quickly?"

I nodded, flapping them proudly. Mama quickly drew a warm bubbly bath, making sure to scrub every crevice to rid of the dried flaky mud. Until my paws were sparkling clean and spotless.

While rubbing shampoo into my fur, she casually stroked my tails, her tone a little happy, "So pretty. Maybe this is a sign that your nine tails wouldn't take too long to grow out. After all, the elder did say that you were destined for great things."

A satisfied purr responded to her praises. Of course~ As long as I stay near Rae and snack on more supplements, I can return back to my former glory. After the last soapy bubbles were washed off, I shook out the excess water, about to hop out of the tub when Mama scooped me up.

"Oh no, you don't, young lady. We need to keep your paws clean and white."

I blinked at her adorably, wanting to explore outside on my own. But the cruel woman merely hugged me tighter, probably scarred after witnessing so much grimy dirt and mud stuck to my fur. She never wants to see such a disturbing sight again—a glorified dirt ball.

Mama waved out sparks of flames. The wispy orange embers circled my body, toasting me up into a warm loaf of bread. My matted wet fur instantly puffed up into a fat fluffball, all of which made my mother squeal in delight, squishing me like a stuffed toy. I giggled, nuzzling into a floral embrace. I like where things currently are now—peaceful and tranquil. I don't have to constantly think of revenge. Nor see a bunch of repugnant faces every waking second of my life. Life's just relaxing and idyllic. All that's left was to bring back my wife.

Both of us went out to meet Papa. He's standing near the teleportation array, talking to one of the elders. Youngsters from the other families were also present, acting boisterous as always. Especially the guys who were childishly tussling together and being a general nuisance. What a racket they're causing. My ears flattened, trying to shut out their incessant barks and yelps as they playfully nipped each other's hinds.

Once Papa saw me, he beamed widely, "Ready to go, Ahri?"

Honestly, no. I don't want to meet that creepy scaly guy. But I nodded regardless just to play along. Dad still doesn't know about the future. So no need to drag him into that confusing mess. I can deal with it myself.

However, before we could head out to the demon lord's fortress, annoying critters came to stir up trouble.

"Hold on."

My eyes rolled at the familiar sound—a bunch of infuriating jackals who were unaware of their place.

"I don't agree with this arrangement. The Alpha and Luna attending the meeting is understandable. But why should that runt go too? She only has a single tail. Weaker than the rest of the litter."

The paw grooming my ruffled fur paused.

What did that damn fogey just say???

Papa narrowed his eyes at the sleazy bastard. I recognised him. The disgruntled old fart who has never been happy from the moment my parents took up the mantle. They came from the same generation and yet he was overlooked in favour of Papa. Of course he would be dissatisfied when they became pack leaders. But his mediocre four tails couldn't possibly outmatch my parents' nine-tailed inheritance. So he's banking all hopes on his inept son who only knew to fool around.

He soon threw out a predictable sentence, exactly the same as last time, "Compared to that midget, my son's a more adequate candidate."

Hushed murmurs and unease rippled in the crowd. They were nervous. Saying this directly in the Alpha's face was as good as challenging his authority. He's questioning his fairness and competence, insinuating that Papa only chose me because I was one of his. Not because I was the top dog.

Irritation gnawed at my thinning patience. I'd rather get this tiresome matter over and done with. I want to spend more time with my baby. Not dealing with these yapping eyeless punks. In the past, their family also kept posing problems after problems to us. They were vying for the throne. Almost fanatically. To the point where enemies were already knocking on our borders and they're still busy stirring up internal strife. It only became worse with my birth. My nine-tailed existence worried them since my innate affinity for magic far surpassed their goon of a son. Back then, in order to get them to reign in their wolfish ambitions, I had to suppress their son in a duel. Make him lie on his back as a sign of submission. But even that couldn't stop them from bugging us. They continued being a thorn at my side, always employing cheap tricks. A complete eyesore.

Our clan runs on the concept of king of the jungle. Everything, including one's status and pecking order, were decided based on strength alone. Not inheritance. Not popularity. Just brute force and sheer dominance. The Alpha and Luna must be the cream of the crop. As a result, there have been cases of the current leader's offspring not making the cut for sovereignty. And that's what this buffoon was relying on. He wants his damn son on the throne. MY throne.

One of the mutts scuffling in dirt suddenly noticed that everyone's attention was on him. So he frantically scrambled up and dusted his clothes, trying to act as a refined heir rather than an immature pup who hasn't yet grown out his fur. I snorted at his clownery. 'Dignified'???Scoff!More like wretched!

Meanwhile, Mama was covering my ears, refusing to let me hear their insults.

The idiot's wife doubled down on their claims, "Besides, our clan doesn't run on heridarity. Only the strongest are fit to rule."

Their baseless accusations were testing Papa's patience. How dare he touch his daughter's legacy! Not to mention we're about to be late because of this hilarious circus show. So of course Papa would be pissed. Hehehe. Poor clowns. Of all days, they woke up and chose violence today.

He growled in displeasure, "We can discuss this later during the coming-of-age ceremony. Right now, Antares is calling for us. Best not to make him wait."

"No!" that brainless muppet refused, "we need to have an official duel to decide who's going. Such important decisions must be done PROPERLY."

Actually, these folks weren't really concerned about the contents of the meeting. They only knew the implications behind my appearance in official gatherings. It's signalling to outsiders that I'm likely to be next in line for queen. Tantamount to destroying the non-existent chances of having their son on the throne. They obviously can't have that. So they must stop me from going at all costs.

I bared my fangs and snarled, tapping on Mama's hand. I pointed at the mutt and did a gesture of slitting across my neck.

If they want to compete, then come. I'll make sure to disembowel them!

Except this time, I won't be merciful again. It's ridiculous to spare insolent brats twice! If they don't know their place, they have no right to live. They're only polluting the air with their foolishness. What if I catch this rabid disease???

Time to clear out insufferable trash.

Mama widened her eyes before chuckling.

She turned to my father, "Honey, why not let them duke it out. We can take this perfect opportunity to... avoid future stupidity."

My tails whirled around excitedly as I nodded.

"Sure. Why not set an example?"

The two adult goons were about to snark back when Papa added, "But if you want to challenge my authority, there needs to be an equivalent exchange. I can't have people questioning my orders willy-nilly, can I?"

There was a noticeable shiver in their bodies but Papa merely grinned, relishing in their fear, "There can only be one victor walking out alive."

Crickets answered his savage declaration to which Papa sneered, a maddened glint in his eyes, "Questioning me in public for your son's life. An adequate price, don't you think?"

The two nitwits blinked. In the next second, they laughed out loud, probably thinking that this was a perfect chance to get rid of me once and for all. That is, if their son doesn't get hunted down himself. There can only be one predator. And that's me.

"I'm fine with this. Let everyone be witness to this sacred duel, marking the future reign of my son, Caspain. I hope the Alpha wouldn't be a sore loser and intervene in his daughter's inevitable fate."

Papa snorted, his eyes full of confidence and pride. He trusts that I would put these smug chihuahuas in their place. People backed away, leaving a spacious execution ground for the incoming slaughter.

Mama gently placed me on the ground. I stretched my paws which have been ridden by pins and needles from the moment they started yapping. After loosening the stiff muscles around my spine, I sauntered up to the clearing haughtily. Caspian curled his lips before morphing into a red fox. He was fatter than me, towering over my small stature. I could see the creepy sneer etched across his co*cky face, no doubt looking forward to the outcome. Me too. I've never tasted the souls of a fellow kumiho. I've always wondered what it tastes like. I bet it would be divine~

I barked fervently and concentrated on the dense mana pollens sprinkled in the air. With the blessing from Yggdrasil, it became infinitely easier to manipulate magic. Especially in our domain. I could practically sense the joyful emotions of the mana particles. Twin tails flicked out in all their glory as I commanded the spirits to obey me. They infused into my tissues, strengthening every strand of fibrous muscles. Bones elongated and skin stretched. My body grew. Until I went from looking up to gazing down at him indifferently. This temporarily enlarged version was my original size. A result of attaining a second tail. I could finally have a fleeting brush with my glory days.

Horror flashed in his beady eyes. Caspian instinctively cowered when he detected bloodlust. It was thick and suffocating. The air of a true apex predator. Someone he could never hope to beat.

My ears picked up on the nervous fidgets of his parents. They didn't expect me to pose such a threat. Just a few days ago, I was still a wee little runt with a sorry tail. Hmph! Too late to cry over spilled milk. I won't let them back out. Just as this was a golden opportunity to get rid of me, it's also a perfect chance to feast on their worthless son.

Without warning, I lunged forward, smashing my shoulders into his body. Caspian went flying like a sack of potatoes. Obviously, in all the play fights he had, that guy had never been the one on the receiving end—face-planted into dirt. He sprung up, flaring out all three tails in an attempt to scare me away. What a ridiculous peaco*ck!

I cackled gleefully and barreled towards him once again. Out of desperation, he swiped at my face, revealing countless openings. Like I said, what could a stupid newborn have over me, someone who had lived through a lifetime's worth of pain and suffering??? I know every trick up his sleeves.

I nimbly duck, chomping the underside of his arm. He yelped out in pain. I laughed. Followed by a swipe at his exposed belly. A bleeding ravine was slashed open, releasing a fragrant aroma. Yummy~

The foolish sod buckled, unused to the pain ravaging his body. What's this? You mean to say this is how a real fight was supposed to be? Not the feigned charges and gentle nips in their play fights? Of course, darling. Now, just lie down and be a good chicken for me to eat.

There was a flurry of white and red as we grappled each other. Or more precisely, it's just me carving him up into tender meat ready for braising. Every smack of my extended claws opened a gush of fresh blood. Cuts and gashes littered his flanks as he howled. I could sense nervousness and awe amongst the onlookers, both horrified and amazed at my cruelty. This was the makings of a future leader—powerful and merciless.

In one fell swoop, I pounced on Caspian, pinning him spreadeagle on the ground. My claws dug into his neck threateningly as I snarled.

Stay down.

The spineless creature was practically frightened stiff. He laid down without so much as a mewl of indignance. Just a little scrape and he's already playing dead. His white flag must not be worth much then.

A little hairless coward that's still wet behind the ears dare to covet what's mine?! I'll skin you alive!

In contrast to their mute son, his parents were screaming angrily. The old man who snarked about my father possibly stepping in and ruining the 'sacred duel' was intervening himself. He hurled a flaming comet at me. The sheer shamelessness of this donkey completely exceeded my expectations so I couldn't react in time. The meteor made contact with my side, sending me flying. I twisted my body mid-air and landed on my paws. A mouthful of blood was spat out. Now I was really pissed off. How dare they challenge me?! A measly prey dare to go against me???

My rationality snapped as lava ravaged inside my belly. I could feel a familiar tingle in my tailbone. The third tail popped out. Fur flared out angrily, my pupils constricted into slits.

How dare they!

Muscles rippled as I flew at the enemy, swiping deep gashes across his throat, instantly killing him. His mate shrieked obnoxiously, morphing into her fox form to take a chunk out of my neck. I whirled around in the blink of an eye, raking my claws across her eyes. A vicious bite at her throat severed countless vital arteries.

Two down, one to go.

My crazed line of sight landed on the down and out mutt. He was struggling feebly, trying to slink away with tails tucked between his legs. The sight of his fleeing back was only triggering my predatory instincts. I wanted to give chase. And so I did.

A powerful leap and he sprawled to the ground yet again with me standing on top triumphantly. A slight press on his chest easily broke his ribcage. There's no time for tearful mercy as I went straight for his neck. My jaws clamped shut, producing a sickening crunch. Once he stopped struggling, I let go and admired my marvellous work.

Finally! I've been dying to devour them for so long!

I licked the ends of my dripping fangs. It tasted salty. Ebbing green light leaked out of the bodies, wafting leisurely in the still atmosphere. My appetite was tempted, alright. I opened my mouth and the exquisite delicacy curled towards me. It filled my belly in gallons, warming up my soul. My pupils dilated.

Thump.

A particularly loud beat. My heart raced uncontrollably as my paws tingle. Blood rushed to my head. It's so good. So, so good. Who would have thought my own kind would taste so bloody delicious? The heat travelled from my gut to my spine again. Out grew another fresh new tail. The fourth one. Lush tails spasmed happily when euphoria nourished my sea of consciousness, bolstering the depths of my magic. I was on cloud nine, enjoying the flavourful meal. A few minutes of guzzling later, I was done.

There was pin-drop silence. People were staring at me in terror. After all, I had no qualms engaging in cannibalism. There's not even any hesitation when I went for the killing blow. I glanced at their petrified faces before smiling harmlessly. My pupils shrunk. Mana in the air suddenly stiffened, before aphrodisiac pheromones were secreted. The effect was too much for the other kumihos. It quickly pacified the crowd. Their eyes grew dull. The tense atmosphere subsequently faded when the first person clapped enthusiastically. Then came another. The place quickly descended into a roaring applause, filled with whistles of adoration and heartfelt congratulations. Much better. Let's not make things awkward just because of those bozos.

I smacked my lips, only to frown in dismay at the morbid sight of red gunk staining my fur. There's probably a lot stuck to my teeth too. I hurriedly clambered to Mama, crying pitifully. My size automatically reverted back to a small meatball. Mama smiled warmly, picking me up to clean off the smelly traces.

"You okay?" she asked while wiping stinky blood from my mouth.

I wiggled my ears.

"Good work, baby," Papa praised heartily, ruffling my hair.

He was thoroughly impressed with my performance.

"If your tails keep popping out like rabbits, your position as heiress is all but guaranteed."

I giggled as Mama pecked my forehead, "Then I can finally see Ahri's sexy human form~"

Papa then turned to his retainers, "Throw their bodies outside. They're banished from our clan."

With that small migraine-inducing episode over, all three of us teleported to the demon lord's castle. I looked around the sombre and barren summoning room. No matter how many times I've been to Antares's residence, it still gives me the shivers. How could anyone like living in this dark and gloomy place??? It's just so bleak. So depressing. Not just the interior of the palace but also the outside. Stormy clouds persistently enshrouded the environment, no matter if it's daytime or nighttime. Unlike our territory which was always bright and warm with the sun or bathed in soft moonlight from the starry sky. No wonder the demon lord became such an edgy weirdo.

After our arrival, another person also appeared in the summoning array. Once the black mist diluted away, the first thing I noticed was the blood-red eyes. It's truly a stark contrast to the slick back blond hair cascading down her shoulders.

Eve... That horny succubus was also invited?

"Oh, good morning, Evelynn," Mama greeted cheerily.

Eve was kind of a family friend. We had a unique symbiotic relationship. Us kumihos would plunder humans' life essence while Eve would be drunk in their agonising wails... like a complete pervert. I used to ask her why she's being noisy at the corner, moaning and touching herself wantonly whenever we feasted. And Eve's off-putting answer? She absolutely adores the lovely squeals of those pigs. Being serenaded by banshees was her favourite pastime... Scandalous!

I remembered feeling perturbed by her sad*stic ways. But I guess that's just her thing. I mean, I won't judge her... Maybe just stay a little further away.

If there's one good thing that came out of our weird friendship with an immortal succubus, it's that in return for torturing livestock for her, Eve would provide us intel about the outside world. Don't ask me how she knew all the gossip and rumours. Must be something, something about shadows and darkness. However, it's undeniable that her information had helped us defend against potential invaders and mercenaries that strayed too close for our comfort. One of the main reasons our clan fell to the hero party was because Eve, our informant, was dealt with first. They had cut out our sole source of information, isolating us in a birdcage, clueless to what's happening outside.

Mama's particularly fond of Eve since she knew how to sweet talk. A lot. Others think she's wise and friendly. But all I see was a manipulative undying hoe, who also happens to be an open masoch*st. I still remembered how we first met. Mama was introducing the newly born me to her. It took one look to snuff out that something's amiss. From the very beginning, I was iffy about this woman. Her plus those claw rings and lashers. They're the biggest red flags. Especially the elongated harrier skulls sitting at the ends of her long appendages.

And what's my mortifying reaction to our first encounter??? I immediately bawled, wailing to Mama while desperately squirming in Eve's arms, wanting nothing more than to leave this mad bitch. Something that infuriating hoe continues to rib me with till this very day.

Eve flashed a pearly smirk, "Antares also extended his invitation to you?"

She, too, was surprised. After all, both her and my parents were part of the neutral faction in the blood feud between humans and demons. We don't particularly pick a side. Just keep to our own business. So it's shocking news for the demon lord to personally invite us. How kind of him to let us in on the super secret plan to world domination.

Papa nodded, "Since we're here, why not go to the throne room together?"

Eve hummed noncommittally, her eyes permanently glued to me. The fur on the back of my head stood on end as I returned her gaze defiantly, narrowing my eyes for good measure.

I'm not scared of you!

Our group slowly strolled along the familiar corridor. Stone gargoyles on pedestals decorated the place. Their talons and mutated faces cast long eerie shadows on the carpeted ground. As we passed by stained glass windows, faint light seeped through in different shades of red and black. Security here was lax as usual. No servants or guards patrolled the area. Probably because the demon lord doesn't need anyone to defend him. He's more than capable of being a one-man army. So why would he desire worthless flies buzzing around him? The still air felt chilly so I shrunk deeper into Mama's toasty embrace. Feeling Eve's unnerving stares, I glared back.

The demoness chuckled amusedly, "My, my. The little foxy has grown bolder already. And I thought you would continue crying whenever you see me~"

My fur instantly exploded into bristles at the shameful reminder. Stop bringing up those dark times!

STOP! SHUT UP—DON'T TALK!!!

I was itching to rake my claws across this harlot's white face but Mama happily responded to my utter embarrassment, "Hahaha. I can still remember how frightened Ahri was back then. She was so small. So tiny. She doesn't even cry when the other youngsters pick on her and yet she starts sobbing whenever you hold her."

... Who's mother are you???

"Your pretty little daughter still hasn't cultivated her human form yet?" Eve inquired, her deadly claw rings tickling under my chin.

The stinging nicks left my skin sore. My eyelids twitched and I hissed, swatting at her. I'm not one of her bed-warming bitches! So stop being so touchy-feely! I need to keep myself clean and pure for Rae's first! However, my anger only served to indulge the hoe's weird kinks. She loves being hated, I guess.

"My goodness. She sure is fiesty for a little squirt."

I'm a full-fledged woman! You're the squirt!

My traitorous mother gently bound my flailing paws together, "Unfortunately, yes. But recently, her tails have been growing quicker ever since she went out on an adventure."

"Oh? Is it now~" Eve mused.

I could feel her heated gaze slowly peeling off layers of skin, wanting to gouge out my heart to take a peek. Those blood-red eyes always seem to see through me. I could see gears turning in her head. From her knowing smile, it's pretty obvious she knew this wasn't just a simple trip. Either Eve guessed it or she already knew from her sources—I'm already seeing someone outside. That bitch must have followed me!

Averting eye contact, I pouted furiously, refusing to talk to her. Frost gathered on my face. Low growls escaped my throat. Knowing that I was fuming mad, the shameless succubus was wise enough to start begging for forgiveness.

She lightly smoothed out my bristled fur, cooing, "There, there. Don't be so upset. I didn't intentionally spy on you. My servants spotted you on their rounds, so they reported it to me."

Hearing her explanation, aggrievedness gradually melted away. I snorted, my tails slapping her hand in feigned anger. But the unhappiness has undoubtedly fizzled out.

Papa sighed wistfully, "But still, I don't know why she's taking a particularly long time. The seer has prophesied that Ahri would be born with nine tails. And yet, she can't even talk at this age."

"Hmmm..." Eve clicked her tongue, throwing another unsettling gaze at me.

I simply buried my head in Mama's arms. Out of sight, out of mind. If I can't see her, then she can't play her hocus-pocus mind games on me!

It wasn't long before we stopped behind a pair of towering doors. Papa pushed them open with an imposing aura.

Creak!

The ominous sound thundered in the haunting silence. I peeked around. The other generals were here too. At least, civilised ones that wouldn't shred anything and everything. The more troublesome and noisy ones weren't invited. Including those monstrous ones who either lacked sufficient etiquette or didn't have legs to crawl on land. They would've surely wrecked the entire palace in a single visit. Even the fallen commander was present too.

I narrowed my eyes at Igris, thinking hard. The blood-red knight noticed my stares and returned them in kind. I could feel my heart racing, seeing a familiar, yet unfamiliar face. He might not remember it but he's the one who saved me in his undead form. So I didn't know how to face him. Especially when he's now standing on opposite ends with Rae. And I could tell that Igris seemed a little uncomfortable around me. He must have had an inkling that we met before. Even though this was supposed to be our first encounter.

The room was eerily silent, save for the crackles of flaming torches hanging on the walls. A black carpet led to an obsidian throne at the back. It was drowned in darkness. And amidst it was a pair of scarlet slitted eyes. The back of my head felt numb and cold. I squirmed in Mama's hold.

"Ahhh, you're finally here, Lanore, Evelynn."

Antares curled his lips sinisterly, revealing rows of sharp teeth. Long red hair poured down his shoulders. The short beard and tacky dark red claws made him look like a middle-aged hobo. But I'm not going to say that in his face. He's currently dressed in silver armour with a high collar and a reddish-brown tailcoat. With the elegant and stylish apparel, he definitely looked the part of an emperor. A deranged one.

Papa gave a curt nod while Eve was in the mood to joke, "I didn't think you would be inclusive enough to invite us too, Antares."

A deep throaty laughter resounded in the air, "As impudent as always, Evelynn."

While playing tit for tat, his attention shifted to me. He was staring thoughtfully, his piercing scarlet eyes boring mine. Not good. The subtle oppression was hair-raising. Anxiety bloomed. I can't help but be paranoid. What if he caught wind of my interaction with Rae??? What if Antares already suspected that I'm planning to double-cross him??? After all, when we had this very same audience in my past life, he had never paid so much attention to me. This dragon newt gives me the creeps.

I pursed my lips, waiting with bated breath for him to suddenly blow his top and oust us out. But exile never came. Antares just continued talking about uninteresting matters, the same as last time. It's mostly regarding the blood feud with humans. It got so boring that my unease gradually faded to drowsiness. I didn't feel like prancing on eggshells. So tiring. I yawned with tears brimming my eyes and buried my head in the fluff of my tails.

After what seemed like forever, we're finally back to our territory. Yay! I gave Mama a kiss on the cheek before running off to find Rae. Oh, and I better remember to hide the extra tails. Don't want to scare the faint-hearted baby. Since my mate hasn't been sleeping well recently, I'm planning to cuddle with her at night. Maybe a little sleep magic can help her too. In the meantime, I better craft a training schedule for Rae. A slime would be a good starting point. Not too difficult and terrifying. Although they are acidic...

Passing through a nearby forest outside the humans' capital city, I conveniently snagged one of those goopy guys. They tend to congregate in wet and humid areas, so it's hard to miss a huge blob of luminescence loitering in shadowy regions. I herded the chosen one to a secluded corner away from its companions and sat down.

So... what now?

I co*cked my head to the side, pawing and slapping at the viscous fluid with uncertainty. I mean, I was used to roasting prey with a single fireball. But advising a newborn deer to nuke everything out of existence isn't exactly helpful. So I must research these critters. Find their weak points. There has to be some other way besides demolition and disintegration. That's a bit overkill.

After a few minutes of pondering, I gave up and started bouncing on the squishy pudding instead. In my defence, it's not my fault! Well, not entirely. I was bored, okay?! Psychoanalysing a bunch of prey is NOT my favourite hobby. Why would I give a damn to something that's going to vaporise with a single sneeze??? Besides, I'm more interested in using them as trampolines. They're really bouncy! Very fun! Highly recommend it!

Boing, boing, boing.

While flying up and down, my mind wandered off to a certain raven-haired girl. Her pretty violet eyes. Her warm hugs. And the oh-so melodic voice calling me 'baby'. The more I thought about it, the more I giggled, a silly grin plastered on my face.

How cute~

The slime beneath me tried to sneak gooey appendages up my limbs. Those sticky things snaked around my paws quietly. But one particularly hard stomp punched a hole straight through its jellylike consistency. It got the naughty thing to pipe down. A murderous glint flashed in my eyes as I glowered at the pudgy slime.

Don't interrupt me! Can't you see I'm trying to brainstorm how to chase my wife???

Claws pierced into its luminous body, squashing out an even bigger tear in a slow insidious manner. I could feel the thing trembling. My eyes narrowed.

And you, slushie, is the ticket to her heart.

I raised my paw and impaled it, spurting sticky juices all over my face. It was a mess. But the slime's still not dead yet. My grin grew wider as I swiped it a few more times with renewed vigour.

Not this? Then how about this?

Slosh! Splish! Splash!

The shredded goop tried to reattach its severed body but I immediately put a stop to it by slashing out another devastating gash.

Feel like dying yet?

More slimy substance attempted to regenerate.

No? Then I will disembowel you!