I wake up staring at a concrete ceiling. I am back at the shed I used to live in 3 years ago.
I smirk.
I was killed by the hero 3 years later after slaughtering countless people simply because of the sight of blood... It's an art. The countless screams that fill the air like a concert of joy!
"Heh...he...HAHAHAHAHAHA!!"
After I died, I was resurrected by something, someone.
A voice in my head says something about the previous timeline being a tutorial, giving me a second chance at life.
*BAMM* *BAMM*
I sigh.
Oh here comes those dogshits. At around this time, I did not discover my hidden skill, "Devour" yet.
It's a skill that lets me absorb all of the stats and skills of anyone I kill.
I suppose this world is a bit similar to the gaming environment. Except instead of numbers all stats are classified as ranks. Of course, all of mine are Z rank. The lowest of the lowest.
*BAMM* *BAMM*
"You shitty trash! Come out right now!"
I click my tongue.
*BAMM*
I knew it. They kicked the door down as expected.
"You trash! How dare you ignore the holy knights of the goddess Freya!"
I smile. That action pissed the knights off.
"YOU BASTARD!! LOOKS LIKE YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A BEATING."
"Only three of those useless holy dogshits. Easy."
I don't even need a weapon, my bare hands are all I need.
"YOU-"
the knight didn't even finish his sentence and one of his arms is gone!
"A-A-AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!"
I smile wider. I have been waiting to hear this!! This thrill!!! It's intoxicating!!!!!!
"HAHAHAHAHA!!!"
I proceed to amputate another one and he lost a leg! This dogshit tried resisting but his movements are so dull that even an ant can kill him, funny right?
"M-Monster!!" Says the last knight. His hands are shaking while holding his sword. He's not even in a stance. Stupid idiot.
After taking care of those dogshits my skill awakened and absorbed their stats.
These useless shits don't even have any skill and they dare to push me around? Ha...
Stop trying to make me laugh.
Fucking church of axis.
Church of Axis...those morons worships a stupid goddess called Freya.
They roam around the land claiming to cleanse the world of evil and yet they are the "evil" themselves.
...hypocrites.
-------
Rank up: Z to Y
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Tch... Those dogshits barely even give any experience...i need a more powerful target...i need to become strong faster. Then I will mess up the protagonist's plan one by one.
Hmm...but I should probably give myself a name too. It will be bothersome without one.
Akuma(Devil) sounds nice.
Wait for me, Kazuki the protagonist, I will see you very soon.
-------------------
2 Days later
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"Have you heard? At night there is a rumour of people disappearing!"
"Eh??! That sounds scary."
I unintentionally overheard the conversation and smiled.
Of course, the person behind that is me. I have been "grinding" ever since. And my Rank is now D.
I am also the one who spreads the rumour to lure the knights and people who act like a hero. They give the most experience and is the perfect target.
All I have to do is act like a lost child and DONE! They easily fall into my trap.
I pull my hood over my head and walk into an alleyway.
I can sense people following me...10 of them...slave traders huh. They go around the kingdom to find homeless children and sell them as slaves... hmm I have never killed one though. How much exp do they give?
At a turn, I quickly hide in a blind spot.
"What the- where did that brat go?"
"Boss, what do we do?"
The buffed guy with a scar on his left eye clicks his tongue and turn arounds.
"Let's leave-"
I attack him from behind with a dagger and he blocked it!
"Boss!!"
His subordinate swings his sword at me but I use his body as a launch and did a backflip to dodge the attack.
I was planning to at least kill one of his subordinates but all of them are very coordinated. Each attacking after another, leaving me no chance to retaliate.
"Tch"
For the first time, I back off.
"This kid-"
But...this is thrilling!!!
I smile and dash at one of them.
He tries to block my attack but too bad! He is too slow.
"AH!"
Each of them perishes one by one. All by me slitting their throat. But what I'm curious about is. Why isn't their "boss" doing anything? He is just staring at me like a fucking idiot.
"Fall back." He finally says.
The remaining 2 steps back and the boss steps up now.
An intense aura and pressure overwhelmed me...OH GOD, I CAN'T WAIT TO KNOW HOW MUCH EXP I WOULD GET OUT OF KILLING HIM!!!
HAHAHA, I'M SO EXCITED!!
The boss stops and stares at me. I'm still smiling intensely and my breathing has become so unstable one might think I'm a pervert.
"This brat..."He mumbles.
He cracks his knuckles and charges at me.
*BAMM*
That punch was intense... I barely dodged it by stepping aside as a stream of blood flows from the cut I received.
I use that chance to stab him but the dagger's blade broke.
His skin is too hard.
"I see...Iron defence and lighting steps huh..."
The boss and the two subordinates look surprised.
Do you really think I don't know the skills that you used? Naive.
I raise my fist and channel my mana.
The boss steps back immediately as if by instinct, however, he is too slow. I use the same skill, lighting steps and it is faster than he is.
"Wha-"
With just one punch to the face, the boss is flung to the wall and crashed through it.
"Boss!!!!"
"*COUGH* *COUGH* R-Run...this brat...is a monster."
"...I-I'm sorry! Boss!!"
And they ran...aww free exp is gone. Well not like I'm gonna let that go, I will deal with this guy first.
I grab the collar of the boss and punch him continuously.
"W-Wait. What do you want? Slaves? Money? I will give them all to you as long as-"
...looks like his dignified attitude has changed. Whatever, this is getting boring let me end this.
I channel a large amount of mana into my fist and punch through the abdomen. He died immediately.
Skill activate: Devour
-------
Rank up: D to C
-------
...oh wow.
I see, so expert slave traders have more battle experience than normal knights so, of course, they will be harder to kill. But in return...ha...ha...HAHAHAHA!!! THEY GIVE MORE EXP!!!
The thrill of being at death's door. I still can't get enough of this~
My body is still shaking from the trauma. If that attack hit me just now, I would have died instantly.
I look at my status.
I should be strong enough, time to move to the next step.
Let's see...
If I remember correctly, a demon lord will make its appearance three days later. The princess will then search for a brave hero and Kazuki will step up together with Yuki, the heroine.
I sigh.
Arghh...I'm not the type to think. I don't want to think too much...too troublesome...
Well, whatever. Time to execute the plan.
I can just kill Kazuki but that will be no fun. Not to mention, if I do, some other person will take up the spot.
Changing the past too much will affect the future and there will be no point in me coming back. I need to be careful.
I first need to take away everything from him. And I know his most precious person in the entire universe...is Yuki.
To avoid suspicion, I stop wearing the hoodie and put on a smiling, kind facade instead.
"Welcome!" She greets me as I enter the tavern.
Yuki's family work at a food restaurant. Mostly popular for desserts and drinks.
After all...
I was almost distracted from my mission by how good this tea tasted.
I look at Yuki.
She is busily tending to some other customers. This period must be the peak period but somehow, she's happy about it.
I raise my hand and Yuki comes to me right away.
"Yes?"
"Uhm...can I order another serving?"
"Sure." She says with a smile. I suppose she does score a passing mark for her beauty. Is Kazuki a lady killer?
Yuki comes back to my table almost immediately with another pot of tea.
"Say...do you train?" I say.
"Hmm?"
I need to establish some sort of relationship with her so having a common interest is the easiest way to become friends.
"From the way you move and your muscles, you are practising swordsmanship right?"
"What? That's amazing! How do you know?" Says Yuki.
"I practise swordsmanship too!"
"Really? What do you practise in?"
"Uh...Ancrolym style."
"Eh? That ancient style?
"Yeah-"
"Hey! Yuki! Stop slacking off!"
The voice came from the kitchen. I should end things, I already obtained my goal.
"It seems that you are busy, we will talk later!"
"Okay! By the way, I'm Yuki, and you are?"
"Akuma."
"Alright! See you later!"
Goal one achieved. Haha.
Now I just need her to at least view me as a trustworthy person. Then everything will come into place!
I rent a room in an inn with the money I looted. I should enjoy luxury from time to time too right? Or else it will take a toll on me psychologically.
"Sir."
I was stopped by a group of knights on the way back to the inn.
Crap! Did I expose myself? Should I try escaping?
"Princess Lupis would like to see you. Please follow us."
...
I stayed silent and nodded.
They did not tie me down or restrict me, it's more like escorting me to that huge mansion.
The mansion that the princess lives in is about 20000 feet wide. It's ridiculously big for just a family of 9 and 20 servents. Wasting space.
I enter the mansion and it is so big! There are already 7 doors I can see from the entrance. How can someone not get lost?
"Follow me, Princess lupis is waiting in the dining room."
...what? Dining room? Why there?
Are they planning something? Shit.
I follow the knights and did not bother to look anywhere else. I need to remain as calm as possible to avoid suspicion.
We enter through a huge door and there was one long table. The princess is at the other corner.
"Welcome," says Lupis with a smile. "Sit anywhere you like."
"...Thanks...so what do you need me for?"
"Don't worry. Why not we talk over it with some tea?"
Heh...this cunning girl. In my previous life, all of my plans were ruined mainly because of her. Her sharp senses and quick mind are very troublesome. She is the one that trained Kazuki and helped him think of a splendid strategy that caught me off guard. Those fucking strategies almost took my life several times.
Now...what the hell are you planning...