The Interlude of the Noodles Reach Tender Peak

How fares my inner self? Pain radiates throughout my being, as if a glass of water is spider-webbing with cracks, ready to shatter at any moment. No strength remains to bellow a tormented cry; only a silent stillness pervades my first battlefield. Surely, as the last hope of the system's creator, how weak and disappointing am I? Whether in human form or corgi guise, my power does not surge in leaps and bounds, escalating to a level capable of vanquishing the Demon Emperor.

The hat-clad man stands astride my prone form, the tip of his violet-glowing staff aimed at me, poised to unleash a life-severing spell without hesitation. Crimson eyes gleam fiercely beneath his rigid helmet. Meanwhile, my human form's duration expires; three minutes prove as fleeting as the time it takes for noodles to cook. I still recall that period feeling far longer, almost driving me to madness.

Perhaps it is my excessive focus that breeds boredom, a state where the passage of time ceases to matter, and one can charge forward, abandoning all temporal concerns. Lost in the present, I forget the days and hours. Then, in the blink of an eye, the noodles are done.

"Time's up, little corgi," the Demon Emperor states, his voice seemingly stern yet laced with a deep, paternal gentleness, like a father instructing his son. "It has been an honor to fight you. Now, I no longer see you merely as Anya's pet assistant. You are a sorcerer. But if I let you live, you will surely become a threat to dark magic. If you choose to become a demon, everything you desire shall be yours. But if you refuse, the consequence is eternal death."

'Death,' you say?

Don't make me laugh. What does one who has never truly died know of it, compared to those who have?

"You can speak now," Headmaster Connor's voice booms, a large, golden-glowing magic circle appearing beside him. Seeing this, the Emperor instinctively leaps back. I turn to the old man; his brows are furrowed so tightly they almost disappear, a dozen wrinkles etched upon his face. His eyes gleam with a stark white light. "Though I cannot vanquish you due to the Creator's pact, I can still use the command to seal your power as before! COMMAND!!"

Numerous holograms materialize in the air.

Upon closer inspection, the details within the screen frames reveal the computer code I once studied in university.

"What do you intend to do, you Creator?!" the Demon Emperor roars, his composure shattered, replaced by agitated fury. Headmaster Connor grins widely before continuing his incantation.

"Sigilamento de Devalovo!" the old man bellows, commanding the magic circles to hurtle towards the Demon Emperor with incredible speed. He springs away, his back hitting the wall. The single magic circle splits into two, clamping together like cymbals.

The Emperor lunges forward instead, but it seems to be a ruse by the Headmaster. One magic circle appears to intercept him, merging tightly with the other, like a fly caught in a snare. The Headmaster's grin widens with triumph as he raises both hands in the air, his wand falling to the ground beside him. My consciousness gradually fades. Blood flows ceaselessly from my mouth and nose; my body stills, unable to move, as if frozen. In mere moments, my spirit drifts away into the air... I hope... my soul finds some realm.

What is this darkness?

Is this what they call true death? Isn't there supposed to be a heaven and a hell?

Are we in a dog's body or a human's?

And Anya... where is Anya?

Ah... if she is dead, perhaps we will meet here, someday.

"Didn't know dogs could dream out loud too," a voice enters my hearing, causing my drooping ears to perk up instantly. Though I strain my eyes open, seeing nothing but a vast, desolate blackness, even a moonless night is brighter than this. I turn my head left and right aimlessly, searching for the voice's owner with a flickering hope.

"Hey, Nappo! Wake up! If you're not dead, that is!" Raymond's deep voice booms, accompanied by a forceful shake.

My eyelids are lifted. Bright light from outside floods in, almost making me squint.

"Ah! He's awake!" Cher Aim's voice follows, and she rushes in for a hug. A sharp pain shoots through my torso, making me yelp. "Whoops! Sorry, little doggy. I thought something had happened to you."

"I... don't know," I say, looking around. I see myself lying on a bed in the infirmary, in my corgi form. Bandages-stained crimson in places tell me that what happened was no dream.

But then it dawns on me that the person who should be beside me is not the young girl.

"Anya... where is Anya?!" My eyes widen as I leap off the bed and dash around the infirmary, which resembles a communal ward. Six-foot beds are lined up, separated by curtains hanging from the ceiling. Every bed is empty, the sheets and blankets neatly arranged as if untouched. A growing fear grips me; various thoughts loop endlessly in my mind. I don't know if it's reality or my imagination. My body burns, my emotions surge, and I inadvertently transform into my human form. My perspective shifts dizzyingly upwards before I revert back to a corgi.

My head is filled with questions.

"Nappo... please stop. Don't look for Anya anymore..." The young girl's voice is sorrowful, tinged with despair. Clear tears well up in her eyes. I freeze; my four paws clenched tightly. My ears and tail stand erect, my eyes harden, and I bare my fangs.

"Where is he... where is the Demon Emperor?! I'll kill him!!" I roar, the sound echoing, inadvertently releasing a violent wave of energy that sends Cher Aim flying and shatters the window.

"Stop it, Nappo," Master Ake walks in, dressed in a black t-shirt. The tattoo on his arm still writhes disgustingly. His face is tense, his walk hurried yet he tries to maintain a semblance of calm. "If you intend to bring her back, give up. Your human form's power is no match for the Demon Emperor right now. If you charge in, you'll be killed instantly," Master Ake states coldly. His words ignite my fury, and I lunge to tear him apart, only to be stopped mid-air by his bare hand.

I bark and snarl, but the other's lifeless black eyes show no emotion.

"Esculia Academy has never been breached until three days ago," he says in a low voice, sighing. "You're not the only one hurting because of this. Anya is one of my students too."

"What does the Demon Emperor want with Anya?"

I ask, baring my fangs uncontrollably. "She's just an ordinary girl! A girl with a bright and great future, just like any other sorcerer! Why, Master... why?!"

"On the night of the Scarlet Moon Festival, our powers surge, sometimes uncontrollably, overwhelming our fragile vessels. It is common for some to die from their own latent power. These energies... originate from the heart. If a sorcerer consumes the heart of another sorcerer on that day, the former's magical power transfers to the new body, making them many times stronger," Master Ake explains with a grave expression. "However, if it is the heart of one's own bloodline, the acquired magical power will multiply beyond any measurable limit."

Hearing this, a connection forms in my mind. Suddenly, I shake my head violently, trying to dispel those thoughts.

"It's... it's impossible..." My breathing becomes shallow. "How can anyone accept something like this?"

"It's as you suspect," Master Ake releases his spell, gently placing me on the floor. My body is stiff, as if still under a spell.

"It's not what I think, is it?"

"Anya is the Demon Emperor's only daughter..."

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To Be Continue Ep.21