CHAPTER 65 - Dark Demong.

CHAPTER 65 - Dark Demong.

(Pov - Kaeyko.)

Ugh… Today is Monday, October 13. It's been over a week since the special test started… and I'm already fed up!! Every day is the same! I go to work, deal with sexual harassment, my boss exploits me, I leave work, and at night I have to endure Ether having sex. Every damn night.

Arghhh! I can't take it anymore! Seriously, I swear, I tried to put up with it, but this is too much stress for me.

Shitty boss, he knows perfectly well that I attract women and puts me at the counter every day, and he forbade me from complaining about the harassment in exchange for a small raise. Tch. He takes advantage of me just because I really need the money.

And Ether, that damn bastard, does nothing in our apartment. I have to clean, I have to cook, I have to do everything. I've threatened him and even hit him, but he still doesn't get it. Damn it. Am I still in time to change schools?

Ugh… Come on, Kaeyko, you can't give up yet. I'm halfway there, just a bit more.

I looked at the list of participants to inspire myself.

From Class A, only 17 remain, three less. We've held up pretty well.

From Class B, 8 quit, leaving 12.

Class C was hit the hardest. Only 6 remain, though they got an extra student. I heard one of the students stopped attending school due to legal issues, so their spot was taken by a new student. Rumor has it she's a foreign student. Whatever, I don't care.

From Class D, 14 remain.

And from Class E, 16 remain. Honestly, pretty high, considering there are 19 in that class.

We're in first place, so I can't give up yet. If I quit, Tanya will get mad, and I'd rather not be her enemy.

I expected more from Class B, but they didn't hold up at all.

Ugh, the difficulty is increasing, huh? I can feel it in the workload they've been piling on me lately. Those in the Capital get more work, and I'm sure those at the camp are finding it harder to get food now. The island has always been high difficulty, so I doubt it's leveled up.

"Woof, woof!"

"Yeah, Kaey, I've got bags under my eyes. Do I look hotter?"

"… Woof."

"Yeah, I know. I'm a mess."

I splashed my face with water in the sink to fully wake up.

Monday, how I hate you. I spent all of Sunday sleeping; I couldn't even enjoy it 100%. Ugh, damn it.

I brushed my teeth, woke Ether up with a kick to the stomach, and left the apartment.

I made my lunch last night, so I saved a lot of time, which I used to sleep more.

"G-g-good m-morning, Kaeyko!"

… I still don't feel that gut feeling I get when women approach me. I don't sense Sylvie trying to win my heart. Does she really just want to be my friend? Well, she's an adult woman, not an immature teenager. Having her as a friend could be a good thing.

Sylvie is still on vacation in the Capital. Working freelance has its perks, huh? AIs have almost replaced artists' jobs, but artists like Sylvie are still hired for their unique art style.

"Good morning, Sylvie."

The elevator opened, and we both stepped in. This routine has gotten repetitive too, but at least she's pleasant, and I don't mind talking to her.

"How'd your project go? Did they pay you in full?"

"Y-yeah. L-luckily, it w-went well… Um… W-would you l-like to c-celebrate w-with me? I k-know you d-don't drink, b-but we c-could go to an a-amusement park."

… I still don't feel like she's flirting with me. Yeah, she definitely just wants to be my friend.

Personally, I'd rather be alone, but…

"Woof, woof!" Kaey barked, perched on Sylvie's head.

Kaey's gotten too attached to her.

Sylvie gets criticized for her appearance and the way she talks. She's super scary. She probably doesn't have friends, and no one talks to her. I guess she wants to be my friend because I don't judge her for her looks or speech… Well, I suppose I can at least try. She's an adult woman; she's mature enough to know what's right and wrong. Yeah, being her friend could be interesting. Plus, Kaey's fond of her. He must've sensed the kindness in her heart. Kaey's good at judging people.

"I'm forbidden from accepting anything from others, so I can't go to an amusement park. It's too expensive for me right now, and I can't afford it."

"Oh… I-I see…"

Wow. She looks sad. She probably thinks I don't want to celebrate with her.

"But we could play pool or video games. I know a restaurant that combines a video game theme with food. It's pricey, but the games and pool are cheap. As long as we don't buy food, I can afford it."

Sylvie shares my taste for video games, so inviting her to a place like that is a good idea.

"Huh…? Y-yeah! Yes, of course! I'd love to!"

… Wow… It's the first time I've heard her speak without stuttering so much.

Her mood went from sad to happy. Seeing her expression change was really cute. She may be super scary, but now that I'm used to her presence, I can see how adorable she is. Wow… Sylvie, you're truly one of the weirdest people I've ever met, but I admit I don't regret meeting you.

No exaggeration, you're the first woman in years that I actually like. Dulce is a good person, but she wants more than friendship from me; I can feel it. But you just want friendship, and I appreciate that.

"But I don't get off work until 10 p.m. The place is open 24 hours, so we could go after 10."

"O-o-of course!"

The elevator opened, and we left the building together.

"Then I'll see you at 10. Have a nice day, Sylvie."

"L-likewise."

We went our separate ways.

Well, at least celebrating with Sylvie will keep me from seeing Ether having sex. Ugh, how does he have so much energy? I don't get it.

•

•

Star was watching Kaeyko from the rooftop of the building, licking a huge lollipop, while two shadows stood behind her, observing the prey in Star's dangerous gaze.

"Will he be the last participant, Your Majesty?" said one of the shadows, with an old woman's voice.

"Indeed. Isn't he cute? If things go well, he'll either end up with Sylvie or with me. I'm fine with either. I like Sylvie; our mistress gave her a great character arc, though I won't deny I'd prefer to keep Kaeyko for myself… or have him end up with Saik. That's my favorite future."

"But he's just a student; he doesn't even have abilities, magical or spiritual power. Are you sure about this, Your Majesty? I know our mistress personally manipulated that boy's life, but things didn't go as she expected. Are you sure, Your Ma…?" said the other shadow, with an old man's voice.

"Betty, he'll be part of your team. Go recruit him," Star said, interrupting and silencing the old man.

"Can I at least test him, Your Majesty?" said the old woman.

"Fufu. He's all yours. But don't kill him."

"Can I leave him on the brink of death?"

"That'd be perfect."

Star licked her lips and smiled.

"Time to break in my cute toy."

•

•

(Pov - Kaeyko.)

I put on my ridiculous employee uniform, complete with the dog-ear hat. Goodbye, dignity; I promise to reclaim you soon. It's this or getting harassed by Tanya. I'd rather this.

I went to my position and switched shifts with the morning employee. An annoying girl my age.

"See you tomorrow, Kaey."

"Kaeyko."

"It's a nickname."

She blew me a kiss while winking and left… She smells like an easy girl who spreads her legs with just a few sweet words. I wonder if there are still women who want to stay virgins until marriage.

I'm a hypocrite; I'd have sex before marriage, but I just find it curious to meet so many women with those traits in the Capital. Ether doesn't even try to get the women he sleeps with, and he's with a different one every day. Disgusting. I'd never sleep with a woman who spreads her legs so easily. I know everyone deserves sexual freedom and all that, but there's a limit.

That's why I prefer innocent, shy, adorable girls, like the little sisters in the manga I read. If I ever get married, it'll be with a girl like that. Someone like Sylphie, Saik's girlfriend, but with smaller breasts. A cute flat-chested girl. Someone like… Mmm… Like… Ugh… I can't think of any girl; everyone in my class is annoying or doesn't interest me. Dulce's included, and not because she's chubby, but because she wants more than friendship from me, and I hate that. I've always believed friendship comes first, then romance. Seeking romance quickly without building friendship first is a huge mistake.

… Well, if a girl who wants to be my girlfriend has all the traits I mentioned, I might consider skipping the friendship part. A girl like that is hard to find… Oh, I found one.

Well, well. A girl who matches all the traits I mentioned just walked in and is approaching me. Wow, she's really pretty.

School uniform, black glasses, a bit chubby but not too much, dark brown eyes, with two braids. Her black hair is really pretty too. And her chest is somewhat flat. She has some, but not much.

Overall, I'd give her a 6.5 out of 10. For my personal taste, 10 out of 10. Many might consider her unattractive, but I think she's beautiful.

"Good afternoon, miss. What would you like to order? The recommendation of the day is combo 6; it's on promotion, 2-for-1 if you order it with the special toy."

"G-good afternoon. Y-yeah, I want that combo, p-please."

She doesn't seem like she really wants it. Social anxiety? I've read that people with social anxiety don't dare reject or ask for something. I've always trusted my gut, and my gut tells me she wants something else.

She's avoiding eye contact and looking at the floor… Yeah, she's way too shy. In excess, that stops being cute and becomes a psychological issue.

"Excuse me, miss, may I say something?"

"S-sure."

"I used to have social anxiety too, so I can understand your situation. If you don't want to order that combo, don't. It's just a combo my boss told me to recommend. What do you really want?"

"…"

She stayed silent and slowly looked up at me, though she kept looking away to avoid direct eye contact… Wow. So adorable… How long has it been since I saw a woman as someone of the opposite sex and not a nuisance? Dulce and Sylvie don't feel like nuisances… Well, Dulce does, a little, I admit. But I see them as normal people, not as someone of the opposite sex. This girl, though, I can see as someone of the opposite sex… Wow. This is the first time I've felt this.

"I-I… I-I want c-combo 3, p-please. A-and t-thanks."

So cute.

I finished taking her order and went to get the food. The service here is fast; it's a fast-food place, after all. I went to the kitchen, picked up the food, and handed it to the girl.

"Enjoy. Have a nice day."

"L-likewise."

She took the food and walked away.

"Woof, woof!"

Even Kaey liked her. She's got your approval, huh?

I'm handsome, my family has a great reputation, my future looks bright, and I'm not a womanizer. I'd be a great boyfriend… Should I try flirting with her?

I glanced at the girl leaving while pretending to look at something on the counter. Chubby legs, and those black stockings make them stand out more. She's wearing a long skirt, huh? A girl too innocent to show her knees. She's perfect! It's the first time in a long while that I've felt this excited.

The girl left the place, but before she did, I noticed she looked in my direction. Yeah, she liked me. First time I'm proud of my looks; they've only caused me trouble before, but now I can finally enjoy the benefits.

"She was cute, huh?"

"Woof, woof, woof!"

"Ugh, I wish she lived in the Capital. I hope I see her again… Huh?"

Kaey bit my right hand. It didn't hurt much because his mouth… Mouth? Well, whatever. His mouth is too small; it didn't hurt.

"What's wrong?"

I looked down at him and saw what he was trying to show me.

There's a pink wallet on the counter. Yeah, it's hers; I saw her take money out of it. I need to return it. I've seen lost items here get stolen by employees; I don't want her money to be taken. I'll return it right away.

The place is somewhat empty, but more customers are coming in. It's almost the rush hour. I need to hurry; I don't want them to dock my pay.

"Hahahahaha! Did you see the ugly girl who just left? I wouldn't touch her even if she paid me."

"Ether, I'll beat you up later! Cover for me!"

I jumped over the counter to save time and ran out of the store. Time to put all the exercise I've done to use.

"Kaey, lead."

"Woof!"

Kaey went right, and I followed. She just left; she can't be far.

Kaey turned right again, into an alley. Is he taking a shortcut? Whatever. I won't doubt him.

I turned right… Huh?

I stopped immediately and grabbed the wall to keep my balance after stopping so suddenly.

I-is this real? Is it a hallucination?

"Woof, woof, woof!"

I-I guess not. Kaey's barking and growling aggressively. T-this is real?

"Oh, a familiar spirit in the form of a dog? Interesting."

A man with giant, completely black eyes, literally white skin, and dozens of eyes on his arms is sitting on the ground, mercilessly devouring an adult man. That poor man's skin has been ripped off, and this monster is eating him bite by bite… Ugh… And in front of him is the girl, passed out. I-I guess she's his next victim.

I-if I stay here, I'll be his next victim. No thanks, I'd like to stay alive.

"I-I guess you have a lot to discuss. Don't worry, I'll leave you alone. Bye."

I tried to run away, but Kaey floated in front of my face, growling at me. H-hey, hey, hey! Are you seriously telling me to save her?! Don't you see?! It's a cannibal with giant black eyes and white skin! Clearly a monster or some kind of demon! Are you trying to make me commit suicide?!

"Kaey, let's get out of here. It's a monster!"

"Fufu. You think I'll let you leave?"

… Huh?! A wall of earth rose from the ground?! I-it sealed the exit. I can't escape anymore!

"I'm dead! Kaey, you idiot!"

I-I hear footsteps.

I quickly turned around. T-that monster's coming toward me.

"H-hi. C-can't we settle this peacefully? I-I have money."

"I don't want your money, just your flesh."

"Oh, that makes more sense… You want to eat a piece of my flesh, huh? You old pervert. You'll eat it raw, right…? Ugh…"

H-he threw some kind of blade from the palm of his hand, grazing my cheek. The wound started bleeding.

Ouch, that did hurt. T-this is real.

"Wow, you're sensitive, monster. I'm just trying to be funny so the end of my life is at least somewhat cheerful, and you ruin it. Bad, bad monster. You should be ashamed of your actions… Ugh…"

H-he threw another blade, cutting my other cheek.

… Ugh… Yeah, there's no way out, huh? Will I die like this? It's a monster; escaping is impossible. If I don't complain, maybe it'll give me a quick, less painful death.

"Well, kill me, but make it quick, please. I have a date in hell with your mom, and later with your grandma. Maybe we'll have a threesome. Your grandpa will just watch; he's got that weird NTR fetish. You didn't inherit it, did you…? Arghhh!"

H-he threw another blade, this time embedding it in my shoulder! Arghhh! Why am I making him mad?! I'm an idiot!

Ugh… Yeah, I know, Kaeyko, you don't want to give him the satisfaction of seeing you cry or scared, I know. If I'm going to die, I'll die with dignity… Dignity… That's right, that girl's still alive, just passed out; her stomach's moving.

I can't escape or win in a fight, and I'm his main target right now. I can't escape with Kaey's help, but at least he can save her. I'll die, but at least I'll make sure she stays alive. The end of my life will have something good.

I won't deny I don't want to die. I want to keep living, but right now, I know perfectly well I won't make it out alive. Thinking about regrets or getting sad will only make it harder to accept my death. I'll die, but I'll die without giving him the pleasure of seeing me cry or beg. I won't plead for my life.

I spent most of my life being judged by stupid rumors. I've always been alone. I hate my mom. I hate my little sister. I hate people in general. My life has been shit, so I won't miss it much. Mom, sister, if I could say something to you before I die, it'd just be: "I forgive you, but I don't love you." I can't consider a mother someone who trusted others' words over her son and didn't try to understand him. I can't consider a sister someone who spent my entire childhood insulting me and saying she was ashamed to share blood with someone like me.

I spent my childhood and adolescence alone. I have no friends. I have no girlfriend… I have nothing… It's true, why am I still alive? My life will probably be the same going forward.

Yeah… It's best to die now, but I won't die without doing something first. I don't want my death to mean nothing. If I'm going to die, I'll die saving someone.

I'll die being someone good, not someone insignificant.

"Kaey, save that girl."

Kaey nodded, and I walked toward the monster, not breaking eye contact with its dark eyes.

"Fufu. Well, well. Where's all this bravery coming from, kid? You have no magical or spiritual power. You have nothing. How do you plan to defeat me?"

"Magic and spiritual powers exist? Interesting. But you're wrong about one thing; I do have magic."

"You have magic?"

"Watch this."

I showed him my hand and smiled.

"This little finger went to hell."

I lowered my index finger.

"This little finger went with your mom and fucked her hard against the wall."

I lowered my pinky.

"What are you doing, idiot?"

"Hey, I'm not done yet. This little finger went up your grandma's ass. By the way, it still smells like her, if you want a whiff. Tell her to wipe her butt after shitting."

I lowered my ring finger.

"This little finger was sucked by your sister."

I lowered my thumb.

"And this little finger you can shove up your ass!!" I shouted, flipping him off.

"… And that's it? Seriously, that's the last thing you'll say before you die? Humans are so weird. Also, that's not magic."

"Huh? Of course it's magic. Didn't you like the magic trick I did?"

"And what trick did you do?"

"Fufu. I made the girl behind you disappear."

"Huh…? Tch. That damn dog."

Kaey's incredibly strong despite his small size. He took the girl and floated her far away from here.

Now it's just the monster and me in this place… Well, and that man's corpse.

"Well, well. I admit that caught me off guard. Whatever, let's finish this."

He pulled a blade from the palm of his hand, literally, and threw it, piercing my chest, right through my heart.

Well, I'm going to die. I'd complain about the pain, but I won't give him the satisfaction of seeing me suffer. It hurts like hell, but I won't show weakness. If I'm going to die, I'll die with my honor intact, knowing I saved a girl.

"N-nice shot."

"Thanks."

The energy in my body is leaving me, and I fall to the ground.

I pulled the blade from my chest since it was keeping me from bleeding out. I'd rather die now than suffer a slow death.

… Wow… Is this what dying feels like? I don't see my life flashing before my eyes; all I see are the happiest moments of my life… And none of those memories include my family, at least not in a good way; they're only in my worst memories. All my happy memories are basically moments where I ended up beating and humiliating those who tried to mess with or hit me at school.

When I humiliated the top student in class by surpassing her grades. She was an annoying show-off, so it was satisfying to beat her in every subject. To this day, I think she still hates me because I got into this school and she didn't, though that was more bad luck than anything else. She thought she was hot shit, belittling others for having lower grades, and she mocked me for failing a subject, calling me a "waste of oxygen." That sparked my rage, and I studied as much as I could to surpass her. I beat her in every subject and just winked at her as a sign of "revenge complete," making her furious. That's definitely one of my happiest memories.

When I beat up and sent to the infirmary those who mocked or tried to hit me.

When I saw the sad, disappointed faces of girls who said they were in love with me, and I rejected them without hesitation.

When my little sister begged me to help her study, and I refused. It was so satisfying to know she failed. Cruel, but considering everything she did to me in the past, that was nothing compared to it.

When my mom realized I didn't see her as a mother. I still call her mom out of respect, but to me, she's not my mom, just a woman who gave birth to me and is married to my dad. When I explained that to her, she cried and begged for forgiveness. I told her I forgave her, but that didn't mean I considered her my mom again.

All the time I spent playing video games, watching anime, and reading manga.

… I'm a resentful guy, huh? I think that's a sin. Will I go to hell? Given my luck, it's pretty likely.

Well, at least I did something good before dying. I bought Kaey enough time to save that girl.

I saved a cute girl before dying… Yeah… This is a good death.

I don't want to die, but it's inevitable now.

I know spirits exist, so, God, if you're listening, please let my next life be happier.

"Because… I wasn't happy in this life."

Even though I pretend to be happy, I'm not. I hate my mom and my little sister. I hate people in general. I hate myself… I was just living a life I didn't enjoy.

I'll die without having truly lived… I'll die without having trusted anyone… I'll die alone.

I'll die as a shitty person. A resentful person. A person without friends… A hateful person.

"Well, well. Are you crying? So cute."

I gave him the satisfaction of seeing me cry, but I don't care.

I'm going to die… Kaey, I never knew what you really were, but I hope you're hap… py?

"Woof, woof, woof!"

Kaey… You…

"Y-you… have mental retardation, you idiot?!"

Kaey, get out of here; that monster can see you! Stop licking my face and leave, you idiot! My death is more than enough…! Huh?

[Would you like to confirm the fusion?]

Huh? W-what? A-a sort of screen with a message appeared in front of me.

Fusion?

"I'm tired of waiting. Let's finish this."

"Woof, woof, woof!"

No, Kaey, don't go near him! You idiot, he'll kill you!

"Out of my sight."

N-no… N-no…

"Kaey!"

A-a blade cut Kaey in half… It cut Kaey in half… He… killed him… He killed Kaey…

"Kaey…"

"Tch. I expected more."

… Kaey…

If only I could move.

I'm bleeding out. I don't have much time left. I'll die… Kaey died… Why did this happen? All I wanted was to return that cute girl's wallet… Does God really hate me this much? Wasn't it enough to leave me without friends or family? It's not fair.

… Kaey's crying. His whimpers of pain hurt me. I'm sorry, Kaey, I know you're suffering, but there's nothing I can do. Forgive me.

"Ugh, this is so pathetic. Not worth it."

He turned around and walked toward that man's corpse.

Kaey… I couldn't even protect my dog… My friend…

"I'm… sorry…"

[Would you like to confirm the fusion?]

I-it appeared again? Fusion…? Ugh… Well, I'm going to die anyway; I've got nothing to lose by accepting.

"Y-yeah… C-con… firm…"

I can't… take it anymore…

My vision's blurring… So this is what dying feels like, huh? I wonder if this time God will have mercy on me.

[Confirmation accepted.]

[Assigned name: Dark Demong.]

[Participant number 100, registered.]

[Unique abilities: "Animal Instinct" "Dark Whips."]

[Passive abilities: "Regeneration" "Resilience" "Strength."]

[Activating "Dark Demong" mode.]

… What? M-my energy's returning to my body… I-I feel… much better?

… Huh?

A-am I seeing this right? I-is Kaey's body turning into black dust?! I-I see, souls turn like that when they vanish from the world.

… Huh? My arms feel weird.

With some of my energy back, I lifted my arms to look at them… Arghhh! I'm turning into dust too! W-what's happening…?! W-wait… F-fusion? Is that what the message meant by fusion?! A-am I going to fuse with Kaey?!

I-I'm turning into dust… Arghhh! I don't understand anything!

•

•

"A spirit dog is something too strange to see, especially considering its demonic appearance. What's a demonic dog doing in the world of the living?" said the monster, chewing on the corpse's flesh.

And without warning, a lightning bolt struck his back. It didn't hurt him, but it put him on alert.

He stood up calmly and yawned.

"Didn't know lightning could strike without clouds."

Another bolt hit him, worrying the monster.

"These aren't normal lightning bolts… Who's there?!"

He turned around and discovered the source of the bolts.

"Huh? What's that?"

A huge black sphere made of black vapor was shooting lightning in all directions, and the sphere was where Kaeyko had been.

"Those bolts… Magic combined with spiritual power…? No… I-I thought all participants had been chosen. Were there still open spots?!"

The sphere was shrinking, and the monster prepared to fight.

"What abilities will it have? I have the advantage; he's probably confused."

The sphere shrank and took the shape of Kaeyko's body.

The vapor dispersed with a gust of wind, revealing the new appearance of Kaeyko… or rather, Dark Demong.

"Tch. This place stinks. Hey, monster, you should bathe more often."

Red dog ears adorned his head, and they weren't just decoration—they were real dog ears, and he had a dog tail too.

His clothes changed into a white suit and black bandages over his eyes, hiding them. His hair turned red, and two small horns protruded from his forehead.

And without giving him time to appreciate his new look, the monster threw a blade, which Dark Demong dodged when it was just 3 centimeters from his face, moving away.

The monster couldn't follow him with his eyes due to Dark Demong's incredible speed.

"W-what?"

"Mmm. Dog ears and tail. Tch. I've become a furry. This is bullshit."

The monster quickly turned around and backed away desperately, because Dark Demong was right behind him, practically centimeters from his back, touching his new ears and tail.

"H-how did he get so close without me noticing?" the monster thought, worried and somewhat scared, as he couldn't sense Dark Demong's presence despite him being right behind, only realizing when he spoke.

"Tch. I look ridiculous. Whatever, let's finish this quick…"

Dark Demong barely has time to react before the monster throws blades from his palm at him. Blades shot at great speed, much faster and deadlier than before.

The monster decided to take Dark Demong seriously, so he stopped playing and would now fight with full power.

But with unmatched skill, Dark Demong dodges the blades the monster keeps throwing, leaping and spinning in the air with feline grace, despite being part dog.

The monster laughs defiantly, preparing for his next attack.

Dark Demong knows he must use his speed and agility if he wants any chance of surviving. With a swift move, he creates a black whip out of nowhere and swings it through the air, striking the monster with lethal precision, hitting his head with the whip.

"Well, well. This whip is light but powerful. I love it," Dark Demong said, smiling.

His voice is different from Kaeyko's. It's a more mature voice.

The monster staggers under the impact but isn't ready to give up so easily. With a roar of rage, he lunges at Dark Demong, his blades gleaming dangerously in the alley's darkness.

Dark Demong dodges his blades and leaps over him. He swings his whip, catching the monster's legs, causing him to fall to the ground.

"Damn you!!"

The monster's arms turn into blades and cut the whips effortlessly.

Dark Demong lands on the ground and claps.

"Wow, your only power is creating blades and turning your arms into blades. What a shitty power."

"And what are your powers?"

"Dog instincts and dark whips. Not much, but I'm cool with it."

Dark Demong created two whips and smiled.

"Shall we continue?"

The fight goes on for endless minutes. Dark Demong dodges and counters with his whips, while the monster tries to cut him with his blades at every opportunity. The sound of metal clashing against metal echoes in the alley as both opponents fight with all their strength.

Dark Demong weakens him with his whips from a distance, but since he's not used to fighting this way, despite his incredible instincts and reflexes, he doesn't always dodge the blades and ends up taking several hits.

But despite the pain he was feeling, he kept fighting the same way, as if the damage didn't affect him at all, showing great willpower and resilience.

The same can't be said for the monster, who, despite fighting seriously and being more powerful than Dark Demong, can't dodge Dark Demong's attacks, which gradually weaken him.

Finally, Dark Demong finds an opening. With a swift move, he leaps at the monster and cuts his throat with his whip.

"Y-you…"

"Ugh, I want a burger," Dark Demong said, panting and exhausted.

He stood in front of the monster, who no longer had the energy to lift his arms.

"Well, my instincts tell me you're done."

"D-damn… you…"

The monster finally falls to the ground, his blades disappearing as his body convulses in its final agony.

Dark Demong stands there for a moment, his breathing heavy as he watches the dying monster. He feels a mix of triumph and sadness, knowing that while he won the fight, he lost some of his own humanity in the process.

The body stopped moving and turned to dust, dust that surrounded Dark Demong and fused with him.

[Power absorbed.]

[Abilities enhanced.]

["Animal Instinct" upgraded to level 2.]

["Dark Whips" upgraded to level 2.]

["Regeneration" upgraded to level 2.]

["Resilience" upgraded to level 2.]

["Strength" upgraded to level 2.]

"Mmm… My wounds are gone. I feel good, though I'm still tired."

[Congratulations, participant number 100, for defeating participant number 78.]

"Thanks? I guess. Not sure how to feel about it."

[Participants complete. Meeting.]

A bright white circle appeared beneath Dark Demong, teleporting him to a completely black place where the only visible things were the 99 people forming a circle, illuminated by the glowing circles.

"More like us, huh?" Dark Demong thought, referring to himself as "us" since he was a fusion of two beings, Kaeyko and Kaey.

Dark Demong looked at the people around him, and most were staring at him.

They all wore suits and hid their faces to conceal their identities.

"You did pretty well, kid. I'm surprised you could take all that damage," said a muscular, huge man beside him.

"You saw me?"

"Huh? You don't know? The fights are livestreamed."

"They livestreamed my fight?"

Not giving it much thought, Dark Demong crossed his arms.

"Tch. Hope they at least pay me royalties."

"What number are you? I'm number 99."

"Number 100."

"Oh, so we're ordered by number. Interesting… Wanna team up? I'll be the tank, and you'll be the ranged attacker. We just need an offensive attacker and someone with healing powers."

"Team up? Dude, I don't even know what's going on. When I got this power, I had to fight right away; they didn't explain anything."

"Wow… You fought without getting to test your new powers? Man, that's incredible!"

"Tch. Whatever."

The sky lit up with the sudden appearance of Star, the tournament host.

"Hello, everyone! My name's Star, and…!"

"Hey, loli, what the hell did you do to me?! You turned me into a furry, you idiot!!" Dark Demong shouted, not caring at all that she might be important.

"Questions at the end, handsome. Welcome to the superhuman tournament!! I couldn't come up with a better name, but whatever!!"

"You should've called it Celestial Tournament; it sounds more spiritual!!" Dark Demong shouted.

"I hear there's a tournament with that name in the world of the Gods, so I didn't want to use it. Most of you know the rules, but since we have a new participant, I'll repeat them!!"

"Send me the rules in writing; I gotta go!!"

"Arghhh! Shut up, you idiot! You're pissing me off!" shouted the girl beside him, fed up with his yelling.

"What if you shut me up with a kiss, cutie?"

"I see you wanna die!"

"What if you kill me with those hips, thick thighs?"

"Arghhh! You're dead!"

"Keep your lovers' quarrels for later and pay attention!!" Star shouted at them.

"Lovers' quarrel, you idiot?! I'd rather die!"

"Those who love, like each other, don't forget, hottie. Can I get your number?"

"Arghhh! You're unbearable!"

"No, I'm Dark Demong, pleasure to meet you."

"Silence, both of you!!"

"Tch."

The girl crossed her arms and looked at Star.

Dark Demong did the same, mimicking her, mainly to annoy her.

"Yeah, yeah, I shut up. Go on with your stupid explanation."

"Yeah, yeah, I shut up. Go on with your stupid explanation," Dark Demong repeated.

"Tch."

"Tch."

"Idiot."

"Idiot."

"Retard."

"Retarded."

"Small dick."

"Fufu. Already checked out my package, pervert?"

"Arghhh! Can I switch places?!"

"Silence!! Last warning!!" Star shouted, tired of their attitude.

"Yeah, yeah, go ahead, I give you permission, cutie," Dark Demong said.

"Get to the point! The rules are simple! Killing an alien earns you one point! For every 1,000 aliens killed, you can level up one of your passive abilities, and for every 2,000, you can level up one of your unique abilities. The aliens are hidden among the humans in this country; your mission is to track and exterminate them. You can also earn 7,000 points by killing a participant, like Dark Demong did, which allowed him to upgrade all his abilities."

"Hey, kid, what if we don't want to participate?!" Dark Demong shouted.

"You die."

"Definitely wanna participate then. Is there at least a prize?"

"There are three prizes; the winner can choose the one that suits them best. Number 1: Be my husband. Number 2: Be a Goddess's vassal and have all the privileges that come with it. Number 3: A group wish, whether it's eternal life, more power, or whatever you want, though it has limits."

"Group wish?" asked one of the participants.

"Yes, you can win individually to claim one of the first two prizes, or form a team of up to 5 participants to claim the group wish. Your choice."

"Oh, sounds interesting," said the muscular man.

"Now, I'll explain the livestream. Your fights will be broadcast live in hell and to the other participants, so remember to hide your identity if you don't want to be discovered. If your identities are exposed, your lives will be in danger, as not only will other participants want to kill you, but the aliens, who can also watch the livestream. When a fight between participants starts, it only ends when a participant dies or all involved participants decide to stop fighting. Each of you has unique abilities, so you'd better pay attention to the broadcasts. Any questions?"

Many raised their hands.

"None? Good, see you."

Everyone disappeared from the place, as Star ignored their questions.

Dark Demong appeared back in the alley and noticed the corpse was gone.

"Mmm. I guess that kid made it disappear… Well… Mmm… So basically, it's a survival tournament, and our goal is to defeat aliens and other participants to win a prize, and our fights are livestreamed… What a load of crap."

His body was surrounded by black vapor and split, reverting to Kaeyko and Kaey.

"Arghhh! What the hell was that, Kaey?! A tournament?! What kind of mess did we get into?!"

"Woof, woof!"

"Y-yeah, I'm scared too… Ugh, let's think about this somewhere else. If we stay here, they'll figure out we're the ones who defeated that participant… Mmm…"

Kaeyko noticed his wounds and even his clothes had regenerated; he was unharmed, as if nothing had happened.

"Ugh, I don't understand anything," he said, sighing.

Kaeyko ran off, but before leaving the alley, he stopped, remembering the girl.

"Kaey, where'd you leave the girl?"

"Woof, woof!"

Kaey floated off, and Kaeyko followed him to the next street, into another alley.

They entered and found the girl unconscious on the ground.

Kaeyko approached her and shook her, trying to wake her up.

"Excuse me, miss. Wake up…"

"Huh…?"

The girl slowly opened her eyes.

"What…?"

And realizing she was in Kaeyko's arms, she turned bright red from embarrassment, being in the arms of a handsome guy.

"W-w-what?!"

"Hi, miss. Are you feeling okay? We were talking, and you fainted. Should I take you to a doctor or your parents?"

"I-I fainted?"

"Yeah. Here."

Kaeyko took her wallet from his pocket and showed it to her.

"You forgot this, and I wanted to return it. When I found you, you fainted. Do I scare you that much?"

"N-n-no! You're not scary, y-you're really c-cute…! Argh! I-I mean…! I-I think I f-fainted b-because of s-something else…! The heat! Yeah, I had a heat stroke, it wasn't your fault!"

"Then you'd better go home and rest, miss."

Kaeyko took her hand, making her skin tingle, as it was the first time a guy had held her hand.

"Here, don't forget your things. You won't always meet people who return what they find."

"Y-y-y-yeah. T-thanks!"

Kaeyko helped her stand, and the girl nearly lost her balance, but Kaeyko grabbed her arm, preventing her from falling.

"I guess you're still tired. Should I call your parents or take you home? It's dangerous to leave you alone."

"N-n-no worries. Y-you're working."

"I'm on my break, don't worry. I'll call a car. You can take a picture of me or my ID for safety and send it to your parents, so you don't think I'm trying to kidnap you or do anything bad. I just want you to get home safely."

"… Y-yeah, t-thanks. N-no need for that, I-I trust you."

"You shouldn't trust someone you just met. My intentions are good, but trusting too much is bad. Take the picture, so you feel safer."

"A-are you sure? I-I don't want to bother you."

"It's no bother, don't worry."

"T-thanks."

She took out her phone, and Kaeyko showed her his student ID.

She took the picture and sent it to her parents.

"T-thanks… W-wait, I-I think I need to catch my breath."

She stepped away from Kaeyko and took a deep breath.

"… C-can I know y-your n-name?" she said shyly, with a blush on her face.

She didn't dare look him in the eyes and looked away, embarrassed.

Kaeyko noticed she was fidgeting with her fingers, clearly very nervous.

To avoid making her uncomfortable, Kaeyko kept his distance and just smiled.

"My name's Kaeyko, pleasure to meet you. What's your name, miss?"

"M-my name's Kim."

"Kim. Short but cute."

"T-tha… T-thanks. Y-your name's c-cute too."

"Thanks. I'll call a car."

Kaeyko took out his phone, noticing furious messages from his boss asking why he wasn't working, which pissed Kaeyko off, as he's fed up with being treated badly.

And since being in the Capital was dangerous for him, as other participants could find him, he decided to leave.

He knows Tanya will be mad, but he'd rather face Tanya's anger than die.

"I'm quitting this special test."

•

•

(Pov - Saik.)

Mmm. There are 12 students left from Class B and 16 from Class A. Kaeyko just quit the special test.

Evelyn and Bell quit the special test. If my plan worked, she should be fine. Bell, I hope you know how to do the job right.

Evelyn, Bell, Yuno, Naok, Mark, Yesei, Reiko, and Corazón either quit or were expelled from the special test. Only Ram, Max, Saoto, Danna, Mariana, Bann, Elinnei, Ludius, Naima, surprisingly Sylphie too, Rangel, and I remain. Honestly, I didn't think Sylphie would make it this far, but well, she's got Ram on her side, and that girl hates losing, so it was very beneficial to have her on her side.

Though, from what I heard, Ram only helps Sylphie during the tests; she doesn't talk to her and ignores her when the tests are over.

Well, my revenge will only be against Yesei and Reiko; Ram has no obligation to help Sylphie.

Ugh… Well, this special test is almost over. I'm already bored of being here.

•

•

"Fufu. Final boss, I hope you don't disappoint me," Star said, watching Saik through a crystal sphere.

Her skin began to change color as green tentacles sprouted from her back.

"Old friend, I hope you're ready."

Her ears became pointed and large, and her body completely changed, turning into a green, sticky substance. She became a humanoid Slime.

"Mistress, is everything ready?" asked one of her tentacles, which had a mouth to speak, as if it had a will of its own.

"Fufu. Yes."

She licked her lips and narrowed her eyes, keeping a smile on her face.

"My old friend will soon receive his punishment."