In Levi's room.
"..." He leaned against the door, his gaze unfocused. His hair resembled a bird's nest, mirroring the disorderly room.
'...Are you done?' The demon saint asked.
"..." Levi's unfocused gaze twitched.
" When I broke down, where were you? And when you finally speak, this is what you say?" Levi threw his head back.
' There are things that you have to handle yourself. It wouldn't have mattered if I advised you.' The demon saint said.
" I know. I know, but...When my mind is in disarray, can't you just try? Couldn't you have at least tried?" Levi grit his teeth as his fist tightened.
'...' The demon saint kept silent.
' His mental state is deteriorating further...' He thought.
" Ha. Haha." Levi got up.
' What are you going to do?' The demon saint asked.
" Why don't you tell me what can I do?" Levi returned a question.
'...' The demon saint kept silent.
" Of course. Silence. I can only do what I can." Levi walked to the bathroom.
" In addition to studying inscriptions, I will continue to practice those skills," He said.
'...' The demon saint chose not to say anything.
" I can't practice them to completion, but I can at least learn their forms," Levi said.
" Since I was never formally taught any proper forms or stances, they should steady my foundation, at the very least." He washed his face.
" I will continue to cultivate. And try to finish that thing." He combed his hair back with his hand. Looking back at him were tired eyes. Tired of fighting a seemingly futile fight.
'...' The demon saint kept silent.
" After some time, I will go back to the cloud continent and continue what I was doing there," Levi said.
" I've already come so far, how could I give up?" It sounded more like he was trying to convince himself as he gripped the sides of the sink.
' I'll help you where I can.' The demon saint said.
" Ha!" Levi mocked.
" I'm going to cultivate now. Since I've confirmed that the inscription on this room works, I can do what I need to without worry." Levi said.
He quieted before sitting cross-legged on the floor, as red qi engulfed him.
...
Another day.
"...So this is called the shell of the inscription." Miss Noble said.
" It doesn't do much in regards to protecting the fragile insides, but instead keeps everything in place." She said.
Above the podium floated a Semi-Transparent patten. It turned at a consistent pace.
" Oh..." Light murmurs sounded.
" What would happen if you attempted to create an inscription without this outer shell?" Silas's hand rose.
" If the inscription was successfully tethered to an object, it would more likely than not explode on the first use." Miss Noble said.
" I see." Silas nodded.
"..." Levi's eyes wandered.
...
A few days later. Fragment Forest.
' Relax.' Levi's foot sunk into the soil.
' The second step is always the hardest.' His foot touched down. His body tipped as he rolled.
"..." He stood in a starting position.
" Haa." His figure flashed.
He gazed through the trees from the ground a few seconds later.
' It's difficult to practice while dodging trees. But the only places without trees here are rocky hills.' Levi thought.
" Again." He got into position as his body flashed.
' Relax.' Sweat slid from his face as he tried to loosen his muscles.
In the next instant, he flew through a thick shrub.
" And then-What the!?" A boy caught a fright.
" You, what are you trying to do?" Another one asked.
Could two guys not converse without a person diving through bushes?
"..." Levi dusted himself as he walked off.
"...Freaking weirdo. The hell is wrong with that guy?" One asked.
" I know, right? Haha." Said the other.
..
Boom!
A short distance away.
"..." Levi's bloody fist sat on the trunk of a tree.
He repositioned himself silently.
...
Days later.
"..." Dark circles sat under Levi's eyes. He walked through the hall, carrying with him a depressed air.
"...T-That's not wh-what I meant." A timid voice sounded.
" Why are you stuttering then?" Victoria asked.
" T-That's because I'm not confident when talking to people..." Blair said.
" And you say you want to be my friend? You know that class hates me. It's like you're begging to be cast out." Victoria said.
" I do-don't mind, if it means-" Blair was interrupted.
" You don't care? Ha." Victoria sneered.
" B-but you saved me," Blair said.
" So what? You want to stick to me so that I can protect you? I should have minded my own business." Victoria puffed.
" T-That's not what I mean!" Blair shouted.
" Then what-" Victoria was interrupted.
" Th-The fact that you bothered to help me shows that you are already a better person than those girls! I just think you are a good person!" Blair clenched her fists before her chest.
"..." Victoria was stunned into silence.
"..." Levi found himself listening to the conversation.
" Hmm?" As he walked by the two, Victoria stopped to look back.
" Is s-something the matter?" Blair asked.
"...No. Nothing." Victoria said.
' Killing intent? But it wasn't directed at me. Was it that red hair?' She thought.
...
Night. Levi's room.
He sat in darkness as a large red ring floated before him. It turned and rotated slowly.
"...Still not right." Levi muttered.
He spread his fingers as a red mist shot out. A towering ancient gate formed, carved and decorated with bones and skulls.
Levi beckoned as it floated closer.
"..." His mental energy flame danced as blood energy streamed toward the ring.
"..." Levi opened his eyes. His expectation was shattered and replaced by disappointment.
"..." He closed his eyes.
...
Another day. Library back room.
Levi stood motionless.
" Haa!" His palm shot out as beads of sweat flew.
The sweat on his exposed upper body glistened in the sun's rays.
" There wasn't a 'crack' this time either," Levi said.
This technique was called " Drill Palm". It utilized the rotation of the spine and shoulders, along with the force of the arms, to direct a compact wave of qi in any desired direction.
Supposedly, if learned properly, one would be able to shatter boulders with ease, even without the use of Qi. To find discern whether you were practicing right or not, it was suggested to listen for a light crack during the movements.
"...Again." Levi said under his breath.
His legs were parted as both a flat and clenched fist hung before him.
"..." His body rotated as he performed the strike again.
...
Hallway.
' Why is it not working? Even when the form is already solid.' Levi thought.
" Have I just been wasting my time?" He muttered.
" Junior Brother!" He heard a familiar voice.
"..." He looked up with bright eyes.
" How have you-" Levi turned and began walking in the opposite direction.
" What just happened??" Olivia lowered her arm in confusion.
" Maybe I've become ugly? Ugly enough to scare people." Yuri touched his chin.
" Senior brother, can you not joke right now?" Olivia asked.
" What? I'm telling you, his eyes clouded over when he saw me!" Yuri said.
" But why would he do that? Did something happen between the two of you?" Olivia asked.
" No? What could happen between us?" Yuri asked.
" Who knows what you get up to when I'm not around?" Olivia asked.
"..." Yuri was speechless. Where did his little junior sister learn to talk like that?
" Senior, that g-Er, that classmate is always like that. You shouldn't worry about it." Someone from Levi's class said.
" What do you mean?" Olivia asked.
" W-Well, he's gloomy, even in class, and he stares at people all the time with this dead look in his eyes..." The boy said.
"..." Olivia's breath quickened.
" There are also numerous incidents in the infinite world. There are always complaints about him appearing out of nowhere. A group from our class wanted to kill a water viper to retrieve a memory shard, but because he dropped into the lake, the viper woke and killed everyone." The boy recalled.
"..." Olivia was troubled.
" Ha, but then again, what could we have been expecting from someone who used bribery to get here?" The youth mocked.
" Watch your mouth. Don't you know what respect is?" Olivia's eyes narrowed.
" I-I'm sorry, It was my mistake...!" The youth apologized.
" Humph." Olivia walked off.
' When people speak without knowing, it still hurts as much as someone speaking with context.' She thought.
" Ha." Yuri laughed as he followed.
" What the hell..." The boy shook his head.
...
Night.
Levi lay on his bed, sleeping.
' Ha..ahaha...' A vague laughter sounded in his mind.
Levi sat, knees to chest, with his head buried in his arms. His mental world was complete darkness. The dark world was still.
' Pa..tic...Pa...thetic...' Broken voices chuckled.
'...' Levi sat unmovingly.
' Wha..t...happened to...your arrogance? hehehe, stripped!'
' Forever...alone. Skulking..in darkness.'
' N-no-not even one person cares for you.'
A ripple spread from beneath Levi.
' Huhuhu...Did you think...she wo-would care? laughable!'
A more defined ripple spread out.
' Maybe-be a bit...But you will never be worth e-enough to sacrifice anything for.'
Ripples shot out in succession.
' The o-one she treasures i-is not you!'
' Shut up!' Levi lifted his head. Although the rest of his form was a discolored white, his eyes were a piercing gold.
' W-We are just speaking th-the truth, hehehe!'
' T-The tr-truth you deny!'
' What truth? What do you know about me? Stop disrupting my peace. Get lost.' Levi slowly lowered his head.
' Wh-What do we k-know, he asks!'
' Wi-With this level of intelligence, i-it's no wonder wh-why he was abandoned!'
' T-Tries t walk a different p-path, only to f-fail miserably. Hehehe.' The voices mocked.
Ripples expanded with force as Levi lifted his head.
' What...did you say?' Black fire danced on his shoulder.
' Heheheheheheh! Y-You couldn't have forgotten? Ea-Eating scraps, countless sneers. The sw-sweet, sweet beatings! The humiliation!' A voice said.
Flames erupted in the once still world, dancing madly.
' Who are you...pretending to know me?! To know how I feel?!' Levi's inner world shook.
' Don't act like you understand the pain I feel! Everywhere, people have families! Companions! A rock or tree to lean on when they can't walk!!' He shouted.
' And me? When in a difficult situation, whether it be an empty stomach or a broken leg, I drag myself along! Alone! And for what?!' The world quaked.
' I have to lock my heart off! To live in constant fear of betrayals, of abandonment! To make sure that I do not connect with anyone, for fair of them dying and leaving me!' The flames quivered.
' Was I born to be thrown away? Scorned?' He questioned.
' Become the strongest? What is the point anymore?! I have nothing! Not one thing that I want! Strength will give me what I want?! I doubt it! I don't even know what I want anymore! But if I don't convince myself of this, I will sink into the darkness and never return!' Levi said.
' Hehehe. Y-Your rage overwhelms your inner world!'
' Isn't your answer clear?'
' Release your h-hate onto the world!'
' Wh-why should they be happy when you are not?!'
' Allow all to suffer! A-As you did!'
The voices said.
' Screw off!' Levi clawed at air. The sea of raging flames parted in multiple places as a shadowy figure slowly faded.
' Hehehe! Y-You have lost yo-your chance to kill us!'
' Futile! Useless! Hahaha!'
Many more shadows began appearing, giving form to different voices.
' Wh-What the hell? Get OUT!' The black flames gathered around Levi before exploding outward.
' He...Hehe' A creepy laughter disrupted the silence.
' Wi-With the crack in your heart of ice, w-we are free!' A voice said.
'!!' Levi got chills.
' We w-will not stop!'
' Will not die!'
' Yo-You cannot escape the demons o-of your heart!' Two bleeding holes appeared on the shadow's head.
...
" Ahh! Huff! Huff!" Levi shot up.
" There's no peace in this world for me, huh..." Something dripped onto his sheet.
" Fuck...Fuck!" He covered his eyes.