Man 1: We can't just stand here! We have to take actions to prevent the kid from summoning the devil! Why are we not doing anything?
Man 2: Can you tell me your name and position again? I forgot.
Man 1: [In mind- My name? Is he crazy? A devil has spawned and he is asking for my name?] I am the substitute overseer of the En-Nosin Guild; Branch- 3, Jin Arlong.
Man 2: Substitute, eh? That's perfect!
Arlong: Huh?
[Man 2 then presses his index finger against Arlong's neck and it explodes.]
Man 2: I am Toshi Hagakura, 27th guild master of the En-noshin guild; Nice to meet you!
[Everyone was surprised by this and Arlong's head was seen severed on the ground.]
Toshi: Now that annoyance is gone, so what do we do with that fellow there?
[Transition to Mitsuru]
Devil: Are you the human who wishes to be my master?
Mitsuru: Yea, here's the sacrifice- isn't it enough?
Devil: Hmmm. It is a 15-year-old girl with all the organs, limbs and ligaments; only one arm though, that's the problem. But still, it is more than enough! I am Ki- Devil of souls.
Mitsuru: I am Mitsuru. Devil of souls, huh? You must be one of the higher ones. LUCKY!
Ki: Mitsuru? Master, what is the thing you want to sign the contract for? Power? Or perhaps, Immortality?
Mitsuru: Your soul!
[Ki froze with time. Never has a devil been asked for its soul, so he found it pretty surprising.]
Ki: SOUL? SOU- SOUL? Umm. Could you repeat your request?
Mitsuru: Uh? Are you bossing me around?
Ki: No, Absolutely not! I am just confused.
Mitsuru: I need your soul! Is it clear now?
Ki: [In Mind: Is this kid serious? He just asked for the devil's soul! It is always the devil who asks for the soul of a human. But, I can't refuse it either because of the sacrifice.]
Narrator: [ Devils, beings of hell; are known for their bloodlust and hunger for humans or other higher beings. Just 1 human is enough to give a devil 200 years and also increases their strength significantly. So, rejecting a sacrifice is the same as killing themselves.]
Ki: [In mind] I know; I can have him do a unreasonable favor which he can't do. So, I'll give him another request so that he can't have my soul.
Ki: [Aloud] Well, a devil's soul isn't something to be given for free; but if you fulfill my request it's yours.
Mitsuru: [Irritated] A request? Don't poke around I gave you a sacrifice, didn't I?
Ki: Unfortunately; this sacrifice is too small. Only a portion of my powers can be obtained through this. If you give me a 100,000 humans, then it would have been possible. I know, this is too mu-
Mitsuru: 100,000 Humans, huh? That's about 30% of the population of the neighboring country. Fine, I will give you 100,000 human souls but for that. GIVE ME YOUR POWER! SO THAT I CAN GET YOUR SACRIFICES!
Consider this sacrifice as a sign of our deal, now who are you waiting for?
Ki: [In mind] Impossible! This kid is gonna kill an entire nation for my soul. I, a devil who killed millions of humans without mercy; am trembling before this kid? How can this be?
[Transition to Miku and Ritsume]
Miku: Ho- How is your hand regenerating? Wha- What are you?
Ritsume: Miku, you're awake! I don't know much more than you do, but after that black liquid and all that stuff; My hand can regenerate! Isn't that wonderful?
Miku: Ritsume! Sometimes you are nice and caring but at other times you are not human at all! It is scary for others you know?
Ritsume: let me tell you my story, my past.
miku: eh?
[Ritsume's flashback while he is telling the story.]
Ritsume: Before, when I was around 8 years old I was a normal human. But one day when I was alone, I went to the attic as my stepmom wouldn't allow me to go there. I thought I would find a lot of secrets but all I found was old trunks, books and cloths.
Miku: Huh?
Ritsume: But, I still went on look all around the boxes and all; but still useless objects. I knew, there must be something since she doesn't allow me to go there. Probably because, she thought I will be scared. I searched again and again, until eventually I found several books. But not just ordinary books, it was my father's diary. There was 7 of them. I was thrilled. 6 of them had 3 pages torn from them each but the 7th one was complete. It was an incantation. Two of those pages had the spell in it. One of them was what I had to chant to apply the spell. Little, did I know that it would change me; literally! It changed me from what I was and changed me entirely. When I finished chanting the spell, my body was nearly rearranged; my body felt numb. I didn't feel anything; my soul was like it was chained up. In this vast nothingness someone came to me, he looked like a human but everything else about him was that of a monsters! At least that's how my past self felt!.
Miku: [In mind] What's with his past.
Ritsume: Your facial expression says it all; not that it is unnatural. Everyone will be like that when they hear my story. I won't tell you rest. It is too much for you. You will either fall un-conscious or vomit enough blood to be so.
Miku: Anyways, your past i-
Ritsume: STOP IT! It happened long ago. Don't talk to me about that.
Miku: Ahh! In all this commotion, we forgot about Mitsuru and Itsubiki. If that chimera comes after them like ours, I hope they are okay.
Ritsume: You don't need to be worried about them; Itsubiki's water magic and Mitsuru's earth magic goes well together. If you want to be afraid of, it about the rest.
Miku: Now that I think about it we were participants 209-212. Others might also have joined in.
Ritsume: If ours is differently leveled and most of the others are of the same difficulty, then about 20 may have survived.
Miku: ONLY 20? THE REST ARE DEAD?
Ritsume: Yeah, probably.
Miku: But won't the guild get in trouble if all the others are dead?
Ritsume: No, the guild will stay as it is.
Miku: How can you be so sure.
Ritsume: Exclusive rights and regulations, that's how.
Miku: You are joking, right?
Ritsume: Long story short. A powerful and well-known guild can have its own rules and contracts.
Miku: You don't mean that-
Ritsume: Yes. [If the participant dies during the trial, the guild isn't responsible unless it is due to a fight between two participants.] or something like that, They can have us sign that.
Miku: We didn't sign anything, so-
Ritsume: We will. After the trial, that is.
Miku: But if the participants are-
Ritsume: [Now angry] Hear me out! Don't butt in like that.
Miku: Oh, sorry. [In mind- What's with him?]
Ritsume: Most of the participants who come out are the strong carefree, don't care about much kind of guys. They just wish to rest after all this and won't see what's written in a contract at all.
Miku: Then about people like me and you? They won't sign anything if they know what is happening.
Ritsume: WRONG! Completely off the path. Even if they return near dead, they will sign the contract.
Miku: You mean a stupid contract is worth more than someone's life.
Ritsume: You don't understand anything at all, do you? My head hurts by just explaining it to you. Look! They don't sign this because they don't value their lives. They do it because they know that a contract among other means will put them in a higher position. Alll those 8 hours of fear and agony will mean that they will rise above others. MONEY! Don't you get it?
Miku: That's cruel! People value more about money and social status than about someone's life? I will be never like them!
Ritsume: You say that now, but believe me, Miku with some time you, even you, Miku, will trample over other's pride and respect for money. That's how it is.
Miku: Bu- But what about you? You say all this about me, what about you?
Ritsume: I already a person like that. I have the willpower to trample over other's pride and respect, laugh at their agony and laugh even harder at their sorry state where they try to rebuild their status in society! ah!
Miku: [Vomits in disgust] How can you say something like that? You really aren't human, are you?
[Then the dimensional portal opens in front of them]
Ritsume: It has opened, let's go.
Miku: Finally, I will be able t-
[Then they jump through the portal and arrive back at the sewers.]
[They soon see other participants, some without limbs, some without organs or bones and even a few with a little to no wounds.]
Miku: Well, seems like we were lucky. Looking at their wounds, ours were just a tiny cut.
Ristsume: You changed a lot, huh?
Miku: What?
Ritsume: If 8 hours ago you were here, you would have cried, vomited and be covered in both being sorry and disgust. This is just after 8 hours!
Miku: He- he is telling the truth!
[Then they see Mitsuru coming alone out of a portal.]
Miku: MITSURU! [Both go near him] Mitsuru, where is Itsubiki?
Mitsuru: Huh, that bitch! I used her as bait. Should have seen her! I won't die! I am strong! Blah blah blah.
Miku: Mitsuru! You have changed! You're different-
Mitsuru: Shut up bitch! This is the new me. Like you should just shut up. Or maybe have a sleepover with me. Oh imagine that, both of us under a blanket and-
Miku: [Slaps him] What the FUCK happened to you? You are not the Mitsuru, I knew. You are not my older brother!
Ritsume: Eh? Brother? What? [His face was the replica of the surprised pikachu meme]
Miku: What happened to you? [Starts crying]
Ritsume: Wait, you too are siblings?
Mitsuru: Forgot that my younger sister is just 12, both me and Itsubiki are 15, so we have no problem with this kind of shit talk. Honestly, I thought you would be dead but I guess "HE" was strong, right Ritsume?
Ritsume: So what, what's a weakling got to do with it.
Mitsuru: Weakling? Wea- Weakling? YOU- [He then tries to attack Ritsume but-]
A voice: *Roars* THAT'S ENOUGH YOU THREE!
[Everyone turns around to spot Toshi and four others walking behind him]
Mitsuru: Who are you?
Ritsume: Judging by his posture and authority he is wielding as well as the people behind him, I assume he is a high- ranking officer.
Toshi: Guild- master to be exact. I am Toshi Hagakura, the Guild-Master of the fabled En- Noshin guild. The person on my left is Jirami – Vice President of the guild.
Everyone: Weird Name. [A frown mark appears on Jirami's face.]
Tashi: Ahem! Anyways, the woman on my right is Kyoto Minami, the overseer of the guild. The other two, well you will see them soon enough.
Ritsume: Eh?
Tashi: Seems like 23 survived! That's an improvement from last year!. But we have some problems. Two of you are well, suspicious. one of you is threat to this nation and another one a threat to this capital.
Everyone: Threat to the nation? Just how strong is this guy? who are they?
A random boy with a bandage covering his mouth: Oh it's starting to get interesting.
Toshi: Hinoyo Ritsume! You have been identified as a threat to the Sendo national theocracy and Hinagaki mitsuru! you are a threat to the Fiome region!
participants: are you serious? those two ?
to be continued-