10. The Almighty System

The figure was clothed in a dark hooded cloak that looked like it was worn out. Its facial features were hardly noticable, except for its mouth that was filled with long sharp teeth and white empty eyes that seemed to bring out fear in its prey.

Minato didn't know what to do, he thought about running away but two things stopped him from doing so;

One, when he was in danger, ijichi San had swooped in to save his life, even though he had no idea who he was. Leaving him alone when he was hurt gravely was a cowardly and traitorous move.

Two, even if he made up his mind to abandon him, it would be impossible to out run their attacker.

Minato didn't know much about the new world but judging by the way he was dressed, he guessed that it might have been a demon. And be it in a game or a movie, demons were always difficult to beat.

His lack of skill and combat abilities was also a huge problem, even in his world, the weak was always bullied by the strong, and after spending just a few days in another world, he realized that it was exactly the same there.

"Hoh? You're not going to run?" The demon said, smiling at Minato.

"W-what's the point? You're just going to catch me and kill me." He glanced behind the demon and noticed that Ijichi had gotten up to his feet. Minato wasn't sure how that was possible with such an injury and he had no idea what he wanted to do, but he decided to help in any way possible.

By distracting the demon for a while, he would give Ijichi the time to do whatever he was planning. "B-before you kill me, I want y-you to tell me something."

"Hmm...your last request, I suppose I am obliged to fulfill it. I will answer three questions."

Minato didn't actually expect it to listen to him, but he was glad it did. Not only would that give Ijichi San the time he needed, he would also get some answers. "W-Who are you?"

"Me? Hmm let's see. My name is Killo, a loyal follower of the dark overlord. My kind has been in existence since the dawn of time and we will continue to exist till the end of time, probably even after that. Next question."

"Okay uh… what do you want with me?" Minato thought that question was pretty obvious but he didn't know what else to ask.

From the corner of his eyes, he noticed Ijichi grabbing a small wooden branch and pouring water all over it.

"Well, my kind feeds on humans. The more powerful they are, the better. But you see I'm a bit different from my kind. While I do feed on humans, my main feast is you… an Unwanted.

Every hundred years an Unwanted is summoned along with the heroes, and in most cases, they end up becoming my meal. One Unwanted is more than enough to last me for the next hundred years. The last one managed to escape from my clutches but I do not plan on making the same mistake twice. Next question."

'Ijichi San mentioned earlier that his people took care of an Unwanted in the past, could it be the same one the demon is talking about?

He also said some have managed to escape from him, but that was probably because of their skills or abilities. I have neither.

No matter how hard I think about it, there doesn't seem to be anything I can do. Ijichi San, I'm counting on you.'

"Okay, last question. Earlier you said I'm the one they were talking about. Who's 'they'?"

The demon flinched at his question, hinting that there was more to all of this.

"Since you're so bold to speak directly to me, I'll grant you the permission to ask another question."

"You said you would answer any three questions I asked. Answer me." The demon's hesitation and sudden awkwardness gave Minato the courage to keep pushing while also trying to avoid asking any more questions. Somehow he felt like if he did, that would mean he had accepted the demon's grant for a new last question. "I knew demons were evil and all but I had no idea they were cowards as well."

"What?!!"

"Answer my question. That was my last request, and you already promised. I guess demons are just monsters who kill people mindlessly."

"There is an agency! They practically know everything. Now I'm not going to dive into the details because a puny human asked for it, but I will tell you this;

The agency is a cruel association. With a wide range of connections and power, they are basically unstoppable and they won't stop until they own the world.

Since you're going to die now, I'll tell you one more secret for free.

It's not that you don't have any power, you do. In fact what I'm sensing within you is huge, probably enough to last me for at least three or four hundred years. But you were just unlucky.

If you had been summoned as a heeo, you could have easily been the strongest this world has seen in a long time, but your fate was decided by your bad luck.

Once you're summoned as an Unwanted, your abilities, strength and every other essential thing you need are binded deep within you."

Minato knew his eyes widened when he heard that. So he wasn't weak, they made him that way. He had so many questions, was it possible for him to unbind himself? Even as an Unwanted, could he really be as strong as a hero?

"Well then, this was certainly fun. But it's time for you to meet your end."

As the demon raised his dagger to kill Minato, Ijichi charged silently with the makeshift weapon in his hand. He was about to stab the demon when he suddenly disappeared.

"Did you really think you can kill me?" His voice sounded like it was coming from all around them. "Foolish human, you should have just laid on the ground there till I was ready to deal with you. Now you have made me angry."

'That's bad. And what's worse is that we can't see him, it's going to take a miracle to escape a situation like this.'

"Show yourself you coward!" Ijichi yelled, looking around him cautiously.

"Do you know why you're alive, human? It's because I didn't stab your heart. My dagger is a deadly weapon passed down to me by the dark overlord himself. No human, hero or monster has ever survived after getting stabbed by it. And now… it's your turn."

Right behind Ijichi, the demon solidified himself as he aimed his weapon at him.

Minato couldn't just stand by and watch him die, after all he was only in that situation because of him. Using all his might, he pushed him out of the way and ran towards the demon, impaling himself in the chest with the dagger.

Immediately the weapon pierced his skin, Minato's entire body was consumed with immense pain. It felt like he was being struck by lightning over and over again, and it was almost like he could feel the poison rapidly spreading through his system. But it wasn't over yet.

"Ijichi San, now!!" He put both arms around the demon, holding on tight.

The demon already sensed what was going on, and he tried to break free from the forceful embrace, but Minato refused to let go. "Take your filthy hands off me, you human!!" He was panicking because he feared he might actually die.

He grew an extra pair of arms and launched a range of attacks on him. Scratching, impaling him with his claws and even using his hell fire magic to burn him, but Minato still didn't let go. "What kind of maniacal human are you?" Minato's resolve was terrifying because he had never seen an Unwanted or even a hero boldly lay down his life for the safety of another person.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Ijichi drove the wooden weapon into the demons back, and he let out a pained screech.

'The only thing that can kill a demon easily is a branch from the sacred forest dipped in water from the streams, but since the forest has long been weakened, one time isn't going to be enough.'

He removed the weapon and drove it back into the demon, repeating the process until the demon was groaning in agony.

Minato finally released his hold and collapsed to the ground, the demon falling next to him.

Ijichi was worried for Minato but he knew if he left the demon, he might escape. He drove the wooden weapon into his heart, took it out and drove it in his head, and the demon finally crumbled to nothing.

Minato was glad hat Ijichi was safe, and that the demon had been defeated, but he wished he didn't have to die like that. He was really hoping he would get to see Miyano San again, and he really wanted to prove Bato dono wrong and show him that an Unwanted could actually be useful.

He opened his mouth to talk but nothing but blood came out.

'I wish I was powerful. If I hadn't been so weak, I would have been able to defeat the demon easily. The demon mentioned that my strength and powers were binded, I wish I could have unbinded them.

Ah, it's cold, so cold…I wish I was immune to the cold. I can't move my body, this sucks. I wish I was stronger….'

He closed his eyes, reluctantly accepting his death. It felt like his spirit was removed from his body, and he saw himself floating in a dark space.

"W-what is this?"

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Similar to the appraisal Bato dono would do for them, a green screen appeared in front of him, and he could see his information.