"Here you go."
Shinra said to the receptionist.
The once-busy receptionist met Shinra with a beautiful professional smile.
"Quest code: 178 … completed, that will bring you two to a total of 19 completed quests in a span of 2 weeks."
19 completed quests in two weeks isn't something the average team can handle come to talk less of just two people, the adventurers turned to get a good look at the duo and froze;
It was none other than Shinra and Azel or as he better known now 'Mephito's'.
You see Azel's battle shocked a lot of people but more important than that was the energy he gave off, his battle was discredited by some adventurers, some said he sold his soul to the DEMONS and that distinct energy was the power of the DEMONS, others said he was in conjunction with a dark shrine.
Many theories are circulating around him but no one was brave enough to go close and find out.
"Ptuii." An adventurer spat on the floor.
"We all know the power isn't yours you Demonborn bastard."
The adventurer spat out accusation in disdain.
An audible gasp filled the floor and many adventurers were taken aback by the bravery of the one who spoke.
"Hagadai calm down will you, accusing someone of being a Demon born is a serious offense, you know?"
An adventure beside Hagadai said whilst holding his hands.
Hagadai yanked off his hands from the adventure stood up from the chairs abruptly and went closer to Azel.
"Demon born."
He said right in his face.
' Demon born, been called that numerous times after the trial, of course, I tried erasing and have a new reputation, I tried saving people, going on a difficult task that wasn't worth it all for what…a change in their thoughts, a different narrative on me.. how laughable the same people that call me a monster are the same set that kill their comrade for a measly treasure, raid and pillage a whole village for the fun of it, do a lot of heinous deeds and call it a necessity.
They wanna see a monster FINE, they want something bloody FINE, the people want a greater evil FINE I'll give it to them.. I show all of them.'
Something snapped in Azel and he decided to hell with it all, damn being subservient, holding back and finally adhering to the norms of society.
Shinra being Azel ever loyal friend was about to confront Hagadai before Azel gestured to him to stay still, Shinra took quick notice of the change in Azel and raised a vital question to the receptionist.
"Is there a penalty for killing in the hall?"
"Yes there is, the person is banned from the hall and banished from the city."
" What if the killer was accused of being a demon born?"
"The case will be investigated and the killer will be checked, if the killer by chance is not a Demon born the case is dropped and the killer will be released."
Shinra nodded and gave the receptionist a curt reply.
"I see."
/SQUELCH/
With speed nobody could follow Azel's hands went through Hagadai's body and ripped out his heart in seconds.
Horror and regret painted Hagadai's face, his eyes followed Azel and he noticed his beating heart in his hands, his eyes widened and he tried to speak up but alas, life ebbed away from his body.
/THUD/
Hagadai's body hit the ground making a resounding thud that echoed in the main hall, his red blood painted the pristine white floors of the hall.
"….."
"…"
The hall was silent, the receptionist was frozen in shock her eyes were wide open and her hands were shivering, Shinra although having a feeling this was going to happen was still a bit taken back.
The adventurers that were closely related to Hagadai went from denial to grief and finally, they clenched their fists in fury, their eyes were red and were burning with rage, the sight of Azel's relaxed posture and his nonchalant smirk further added to their swirling rage.
In a burst of swift flaming rage they attacked those related to Hagadai and other adventurers, they rallied themselves and moved to deliver justice for Hagadai.
A horrible mistake on the part of the adventurers for you see the one they attacked wasn't Azel of Valexia, the one they attacked was Matthew the galaxy's most wanted genocidal maniac.. the one they attacked was a beast that decided to put off the clothes called 'MORALITY.'
.
.
.
.
Blood…Guts and different parts of the body painted the regal main hall red, incomplete body parts designed the hall some without a head and others with gaping holes in their heart or stomachs one thing though was common in all adventurers was the look of morbid fear that was still etched on their face even in their death.
The receptionist's legs gave out and she fell onto the floor, her eyes were trembling and her face was pale, just a few minutes ago the hall was filled with laughter and chatter of life but all that changed when the adventurers attacked this man no this monster.
Azel's visage filled her vision, his body was resting on a table his entire clothes were clean despite the fact the whole place was bloody, and the only unclean part were his hands….his bloody hands, on his lips was a small smirk that suggested he enjoyed the fight.
"If you avoided me, tons of life could have been saved, sadly you led all to their death."
Azel was speaking to the head in his hands, he was speaking to the head of the adventurer who tried to stop Hagadai.
Done with the head he swung it away, took the cup beside him and drank from it.
"Shinra? Guard the door if anybody tries to enter deter them and if they still refuse…kill them."
Shinra appearing from the shadows nodded his head, his usual go-to smile was gone replacing it was an empty cold unfeeling face.
Azel was going up the stairs before he stopped and turned:
"Oh, and Shin full power, no more holding back."
Shin smiled mirroring the depraved smile that Azel was also giving, proud and happy to stop holding back.
.
.
.
Azel walked elegantly making his way to the main leader's office.
'I can't believe I allowed the emotion or rather the remnant of this body emotion to guide me, but then again you knew about this…don't you Vena.'
Mirroring his words a ding resounded in Azel's mind and a notification appeared in front of me.
[ Ding!! Congrats on completing the hidden mission, Overcoming the old body will.]
He read the notification and shook his head at his naivety wondering how he could forget rule 101 of possessing a body.
{ I also wonder how you forgot.} Vena's smooth voice entered his mind.
"I missed you." He genuinely said expressing the feeling of not having his favorite advisor in his head.
{Fufu, don't blame me, blame the author who forgot about me.}
Azel smiled at her remark and asked a pressing question that had been nagging his mind.
"You never left, isn't it?"
{Yeah.}
"So that means the reason for my chicken behaviour, the reason I wanted to hide my identity, the reason I was slowly starting to forget my goal and the main factor behind my quick warming up to Shinra was the will, right?" Azel expertly deduced.
{Yes.}
"But that's not all is it?"
{No, there is the curse, there's the fact that deep in your subconsciousness you know that this is your last life, no more transport if you die, no do-overs, no second chances, so deep down somewhere inside you, something inside you wants to take it easy and just live out a peaceful life.} Vena laid it all down.
Azel paused and stopped walking, he turned to the window on the left looking out from the third floor, and he focused on the way people were going about their lives, shopkeepers were haggling for a better price right next to them where a group of warriors sharing jokes while drinking out in the open, an inn away from them a young bravely confessed to a dwarf just to get rejected, he took it all in, the simple free life that they were all going through. He stared at the rays that seeped from the sunset deeply contemplating.
"Peaceful life? Do I even deserve that?"
'A man like me with the blood of millions on his hands, a mass murderer, destroyer of anything blissful wishing for a peaceful life. What a joke, a joke I would love to have.'
"Vena, I get there someday, that peaceful life I'll have it; Right after I remove those that can stop it from happening."
He said confidently, he continued his walk to the office, his back ever straighter, his path ever brighter and his conscience ever more free.