- So, Cain was a person from your time? asks Noah
- Yeah, he actually was a human from our time. That's why we know about the times he made. says Bright
- Items? How many did he make?
- He made a lot of them but the ones that you are wearing were part of the best items that he ever made. The glove and the shackles are part of the Alpha set, the very first items he made. They all, physically look the same, completely black with a purple dot on it(On the back of the glove).
- So what is the ability of the glove? asks Noah
- All of the Alpha set has the same ability and it's weight control. Bright answers
- I see... What are the other items to complete the set?
- You need the other glove, the ring, and the sword. A total of five items. says, Bright
- Apparently, starts Dull, When the set is complete something special happens.
- Something special? What is it?
- How am I supposed to know? He never said anything about that. He only said that completing the sets is what someone who wants to use his items at their full potential should do.
- How many sets did he make
- He made three sets in total. the first set is the Alpha set, the second set is the Beta set and the last set is the Omega set. The Alpha set items are black with a purple dot, the Beta set items are white with a red dot on them, and the Omega set items are purple with a black dot on them.
- The design of the items are very... very simple.
- Well, there was nothing that he hated more than details. Bright says while laughing.
- Noah, it's the time now. says Dull
- I know.
- Are you gonna teach him how to use his Curse? Bright asks Dull
- Yeah. If a Curse activates while the user doesn't know how to control it, it would lead to the Curse going rampant and in the worst case it would devour his body.
- Wait. Wha... What do you mean devour my body? I thought that only happens when you lose control of your Demonic Instinct you become a Daemon. So mind telling me what the hell are you talking about?
- I didn't tell you, huh? A Demon Curse is a double-edged sword but that's only when you do not know how to use it.
- What do you mean? Explain.
-...
- Please.
- A Demon Curse has three release stages, During those stages, there are two different things that could happen. In the first case, the more you release your Curse the more detailed your Sigil becomes, and in the second, in that case, your Sigil will start appearing in multiple places (One more for each release).
- What about hybrids? Do they also have three release stages?
- Yeah. No matter what a Demon Curse only has three release stages.
- What happens when a Demon releases their Curse?
- It would be better to show you than to tell you. says Dull while closing his eyes
- Are you gonna do it now? asks Noah
- Shhh. He is trying to focus. says Bright
The air around Dull changes and he starts emitting a ridiculously high amount of prana.
- Watch closely! says Dull. I won't be able to keep it up for too long because of the prana consumption.
The humongous amount of prana that Dull was releasing now gathers at certain places to form things. First, on top of his head, the prana gathers, and two horns made of prana are created. Second, on his back, the prana gathers, and 8 devil wings appear 4 on each side made of prana are created. Lastly, on his lower back, the prana gathers and makes a tail, a slim tail with arrow feathers-like features at its end made of prana is created. An immense gust of energy is created when Dull finishes releasing his Curse second stage.
- Wha... What is that? asks Noah
Bright looks at Noah with a worried face
- But.. but... that's impossible! Doesn't that mean that...
- This is the second release of a Demon Curse, Secundus. Right now, I can't release my Curse to its final stage. I don't have enough energy for that.
The features that were created with Dull's prana dissipate.
- Seems like you can only keep it for a few seconds. says Bright
Dull sits down
- Yeah.
- Wait! says Noah. Dull, explain something to me. Are Demon Kings able to do what you just did?
- So you noticed, huh? That's right those that killed you were not the seven demon kings. In my opinion, they were Demon Generals at best.
Noah is in total shock. He can't believe that all this time he thought he had died at the hands of the Demon Kings but most importantly, he couldn't even begin to imagine how strong the Demon Kings are.
- Is... Is that why you kept calling me weakling?
- Yeah, that's exactly why. Personally, I was gonna tell you but Bright told me that it would be too much of a shock to you. Seems like he was right. Let me say it again, kid. You lost against demons that weren't even able to use their Secundus, they were not the Demon Kings, Noah.
-...
- He gets it, brother! No need to repeat it.
- I... I need some time to think. says Noah while his body is fading away from his Inner Realm
[Outside the Inner Realm with Noah in Jynn's dorm room]
{Noah}
" They weren't the Demon Kings... I lost to demons that were not Demon Kings..."
- hahaha...ha..ha... What a joke I am. So much for the strongest human... then again I am not even completely human... Let's just sleep.
[Next day with the specifics class on the first-year training grounds]
- As you all already know, for the next two weeks all of the specifics classes are gonna be held together and we will be doing sparring. says Lyria. We will obviously be watching over your sparring matches.
- Are you excited, master? Gancelot asks Noah
-...
Noah doesn't answer him.
{Noah}
" I was killed by demons that weren't even Demon Kings. In this life, I will have to face the actual Demon Kings and I will also have to face those at the top of the Demon realm hierarchy; the imperial family and the Demon Emperor. Can I... really do it? WHAT AM I THINKING? Was my resolve toward my revenge so shallow, so weak? I... I don't know... what to do anymore!"
- Noah Arcadios! My name is Kramptus and I challenge you!
-...
All the other students are staring.
{Noah}
" What is this feeling? Despair... Fear... Humiliation... but something much... much more stronger than any of those other feelings and that feeling is ANGER! I am mad, mad at myself for losing, mad at myself for being fooled!"
- MASTER!
- What is it, Gancelot?
Gancelot points at Kramptus that is still standing in front of them with a face red, red as a tomato, and full of embarrassment.
- What do you want?
- I CHALLENGE YOU TO A SPARING MATCH, NOAH ARCADIOS!
- huuh? You want to fight me?
{Noah}
" I already got so much on my mind and now I gotta deal with this weakling too? Annoying, this.. is really annoying."
[Inside the Inner Realm]
- Brother! Do you not realize that this really was the worst time to tell him?
-...
- If he fights while experiencing all these feelings at once it will definitely raise the chances of him being devoured by his Demonic Instinct.
-...
- SAY SOMETHING, BROTHER! yells Bright
- Didn't I already tell you that I was against not telling him?
- Even if you were this was clearly not the time to reveal it. Not when, each and every day he struggles to keep his emotions and his Demonic Instinct under control.
- That's exactly why I did it.
- What are you talking about, brother?
- I want him to finally understand what he is.
- Brother... Don't tell me that you want him to...
- Yeah... I want him to experience what it feels like to turn into a Daemon, being slowly consumed by the endless desire for destruction that plagues them. Even now, he is still repulsed by his Demonic origins.
- What?
- Up until now, whenever we told him about something that he could use to become stronger he immediately rushed to ask us to help him train. For example, his Inner Realm or just now with Cain's Alpha glove but, if you haven't noticed, he hasn't mentioned even once his Curse. He didn't ask us to help him master his Curse because he that's his way to deny his Demonic origins.
-...
- And we both know that as long as he has that mentality he won't be able to face them. When he's gonna face them, he is gonna need to use everything at his disposal. If he insists on denying his demon blood then I am gonna make him fear it, fear of what could happen if he has no control over it.
-... Brother... That's... No matter how you look at it, it isn't the right way. says Bright
- Whether it's right or not right, I couldn't care less. All I care about is the results.
[Outside the Inner Realm on the training grounds for the first year]
Turo activates the artifact which changes the training grounds to the arena. Noah and Kramptus both walk up to the arena while the other students sit down in the stands. Juliana approaches her brother.
- What's wrong? Are you worried about your master?
- Yeah...
- You fought him and you are training under him, so I am pretty sure you know how strong he is.
- I am not worried about him losing...
- Then what is it?
- It's just that... master has been acting weird
- Exemples?
- This morning and even earlier, I'm sure you saw it too, it was like he was lost. He seemed discouraged but now he's angry, extremely angry. Earlier he barely reacted to my jokes and now I feel like if I make a joke my head might go flying.
- Maybe he lost it because of his endless training session?
- That's not funny, sis. Master, he looks at something, something far, very far ahead and as his disciple, I want to help him but whenever I ask him if he's ok he always tells me not to worry about it.
- He probably has some personal issues. You don't have to constantly worry about him.
- How? How can I not worry when he constantly looks like he is carrying the world on his shoulders?
- Whatever is going on with him, he will tell you when he is ready. You just have to wait.
- Right...
[On the arena]
- Hey! yells Noah
- What is do you want, Arcadios?
- Why do you wanna fight me?
- Isn't obvious?
- No.
- It's because I am a commoner and you are a Noble. If I beat you, my reputation will go through the roof. HAHAHAHAHAHA
[Inside the Inner Realm]
- It's starting. says Dull. His Demonic Instinct got a voice.
[Back in the arena]
{Demonic Instinct}
"Aren't you tired of this ridiculousness? Dont you want to let go, destroy everything in sight"
{Noah}
"..."
{Demonic Instinct}
" You don't have to hold it in anymore. Juusst let it aaalll out."
An enormous smile forms on Noah's face, his left eye turns red and his pupil sharpens.
- I... I...