"Urgh!!" I groaned, feeling like a broken record stuck on the same old tune. While standing up from the tree I was leaning on for the whole night. "Why does that dream keep haunting me?"
As I stretched my back and complained to no one in particular, I couldn't help but mutter, "That incident messed up my life."
Shaking off the gloomy thoughts, I tried to lighten the mood. "But hey, no use crying over spilled milk, right?" I chuckled to myself. "I'm sure that girl's probably sipping tea in the empire by now," I mused, picturing Enigma's hair being tossed by the wind and hoping she was safe with the Royal guards, all without them even noticing I was involved. "Classic ninja moves," I thought to myself
One day before the present...
There I was, standing like a victorious gladiator amid the lifeless bodies of three knights I'd just dispatched in this charmingly grimy prison cell.
In the corner, our headliner, the ever-mysterious Enigma Girl who is not no longer mysterious because she's the Imperial princess, was waiting for her cue. I could almost hear the drumroll. It was time to scoop her up, princess-style, and make a dramatic escape from this demon-infested castle. Just another day in the life of a hero-for-hire. Or a psychopath. The jury's still out on that one.
But joking aside, I made my way out of the castle. Walking out from the prison, I spotted muddy footprints left behind by the royal knights I killed, each one like a breadcrumb leading me toward an unknown place might but I expect it was the way to freedom from this fucking castle.
I followed those footprints and ended up reaching a grand hall, a once-majestic space now reduced to ruins. High ceilings loomed above, with chandeliers that had seen better days swaying precariously. The walls, once adorned with grand tapestries, were now scorched and tattered. In the center of it all stood the demon king's throne, once a symbol of power, now a crumbling relic that looked like it had been picked up at a yard sale. But staring at the throne wasn't going to help me escape, so I scanned the room and turned my attention to the right. Where the grand entrance gate should have been, there was now only a pile of rubble. The fierce battle between the demon king and the hero had left this Hall in ruins.
After a few minutes of catching my breath, I continued my way out through the entrance. As soon as I stepped outside, the freedom of the wind hit me, a cool breeze that felt like a reward. The moon greeted me with its pale light, and the stars shone brightly, indifferent to my ordeal.
["Run, Demon Prince" - Escape from the castle]
[Objective: Escape from the former demon lord's castle and survive]
[Congratulations for reaching Progress: 80% Complete]
The system window popped up, its usual red color congratulating me. But the 80% completion? That seemed like a rip-off. I had survived the castle's horrors and even made it outside. How was this not finished yet? Before I could voice my complaints to the system, I heard the ominous sound of marching coming from the brick road leading to the Demon Castle.
Quickly, I grabbed Enigma Girl, hoisted her onto my back, and hid behind a statue, holding my breath as the approaching soldiers drew nearer.
There were ten of them, each one looking like they had stepped straight out of a muscle magazine—biceps bulging, armor gleaming, and more veins popping than a bag of microwave popcorn. They were way stronger than the three knights I had offed earlier, with mana that practically glowed. These guys weren't messing around. Just looking at them made me break out in a nervous sweat. My first instinct was to leave Enigma Girl with them and make a run for it, but my gut was screaming, "Bad idea, genius!"
So, there we were, hiding and waiting. Finally, the muscle parade decided to head inside, likely to patrol the castle. As they stomped away, I could practically hear the ground groaning under their collective weight.
Seizing the chance, I grabbed Enigma Girl and made a break for it. We bolted down the brick road towards the gate, which, miracle of miracles, was wide open with no knights in sight. It was as if someone had rolled out a red carpet just for us.
I couldn't help but think, "Is this for real? Are we going to make it out of here without getting squashed?" I sprinted down the road, heart pounding and lungs burning, hoping that freedom was just around the corner.
After celebrating our narrow escape, it dawned on me that I needed to find a safe place for Enigma Girl. Somewhere secure, with someone trustworthy.
"Enigma Girl is the Imperial Princess... And those muscle-bound bozos back there? They have more brawn than brains," I muttered to myself. "Sigh."
I needed to figure out where to leave her. The nearest knight barracks seemed like the best bet. But there were risks. The war against the demon king was over, so the barracks could be empty. On the other hand, I did see some knights earlier, so maybe it was still operational.
Decisions, decisions. With a resigned sigh, I figured it was worth a shot. "Alright, Princess," I said, turning to Enigma Girl, who was getting a free piggyback ride from yours truly, "let's go see if the knights are still hanging around their barracks. With any luck, they'll be more than just pretty faces in shiny armor playing knights to gain fame. Haha!"
With that, we set off, hoping our next encounter would be with some knights who had more to offer than just good looks and a knack for dramatic entrances.
As I trudged along for what felt like an eternity, my weary eyes caught sight of a distant spectacle—a place where smoke billowed into the sky, accompanied by the uproarious sounds of laughter and music. It was like stumbling upon a medieval rave celebrating the triumph of humankind over the demon king.
But as the cacophony grew louder, a nagging thought wormed its way into my brain. "Useless thoughts," I scolded myself, shaking off the distractions. I couldn't afford to get lost in contemplation now, not when Enigma Girl's safety hung in the balance.
With a decisive flick of my wrist, I gently propped her up at the entrance, leaning her against a wooden beam that served as a makeshift wall. It was a strategic move—I couldn't risk handing her over to the knights directly; they might grow suspicious of my involvement.
So, with a burst of bravado that bordered on absurdity, I let out a ridiculously exaggerated shout. "Argh!!!!!!!" I bellowed, channeling my inner pirate, before ducking behind the nearest tree to conceal myself.
In the ensuing chaos, several knights came charging out, their faces a delightful mix of confusion and alarm as they stumbled upon Enigma Girl. The first among them, with wide eyes and trembling hands, rushed to her side. "T-The Imperial Princess is alive!" he cried out to his comrades, his voice a curious blend of awe and urgency. "Fetch me a carriage—I shall personally escort Her Highness to the Imperial City! And someone, find the scoundrel who brought her here!"
I couldn't help but grin as I watched the scene unfold, my heart lighter knowing that Enigma Girl was finally in safe hands. And as for the scoundrel, they were hunting? Well, let's just say he was long gone, vanished into the shadows with a smirk and a swagger.
Back to the Present.
"It was no easy feat, but I managed to shake off those knights in the woods," I remarked to myself, a hint of pride creeping into my voice.
"Thankfully, I didn't succumb to the temptation of handing Enigma Girl over to them... Not after what I've been through," I murmured weakly, the memories of past traumas still lingering like a stubborn shadow. With a sigh, I readied myself to leave the woods. Fixing the the cloak I scavenged from a long-deceased body that I used to be my blanket on the cold night.
As I took another look around, the woods seemed to exude an eerie peace, a deceptive tranquility amidst the demon domain. The gentle sound of a flowing river mingled with the melodious singing of birds, creating a picturesque scene. And then there was the bear—a beast with horns and claws so sharp they could be mistaken for daggers if you managed to remove them.
Despite being deep within the demon domain forest, this place didn't fit the typical image of a sinister landscape. In fact, it was so beautiful, that you half expected an elf to saunter out from behind a tree. Yet, here I was, questioning my presence amidst such serenity. "What I was Thinking at that time?" I mused, silently chastising myself for my lack of self-awareness because of writing a novel without even writing that the demon domain must be demonic scenery, not fairytale-like scenery, I just sighed and was embarrassed for what I was doing and thinking while writing my novel.
As I soaked in the atmosphere of the woods, I began preparing some bags I had salvaged from the deceased. It was a grim task, tinged with a sense of unease, especially considering my penchant for writing about ghosts in my novel.
With each item I stowed away behind me and under my cloak, I made sure it met my standards. After all, in a world like this, you couldn't afford to take chances with your gear.
Finally, with everything in order, I called up the system to check on my progress. The lack of notification about the completion of the quest left me feeling uneasy, like a plot hole in a poorly written story. Hopefully, the system had some answers for me amidst the uncertainty of the woods.
[Omega]
[Title - Archdemon The Last Son and Heir of Demon Domain.]
[Level: 10
Agility: E [9.5]
Strength: D [20]
Endurance: E [5.4]
Magic: B [32.4]
Luck: C [25.2]
Charm: A [49.7](to demons), E [-0](to humans)
Skills 1: Demon Control - can boss demons around like it's nothing. Required the trust of the monster.
Skill 2: "Sprint Like Your Life Depends On It" - Increases the user's agility by 50% when in a delicate or life-threatening situation.
Skill 3: The Art of Calmness - (Automatic skill.) → With this skill, You can stay calm in a panicked situation, also it is keeping your cool in any case of provocations.
Talent: "Mimicry" - You would be able to copy someone's Mana color and copy their Talent, but you must understand their talent is in first before copying their Talent. In Mana you should absorb or make a contact on their Mana to copy their color.]
As I checked my status, I was taken aback by what I saw. My skills had multiplied, my talent had skyrocketed, and my level had shot up from a measly 3 to an impressive 10! The system hadn't even bothered to notify me about this incredible upgrade.
Then, a message flashed before me: [Due to some issues with your system, we have forcefully updated it to ensure it performs its job until you meet your untimely demise.]
"Well, isn't that just peachy?" I muttered to myself, rolling my eyes at the absurdity of it all. "Just give me the freaking reward and let's call it a day, shall we?"
But of course, the system remained silent, as unhelpful as ever. "Typical," I grumbled, resisting the urge to give the screen a swift kick. Instead, I sighed and resigned myself to the fact that dealing with this system was just another one of life's little absurdities.
[Due to your achievements, Your Level rose by killing three people, Absorbing 4 Spirit's Mana.]
[You were given an Experience that increased 7 times your level making you level 10.]
[Additionally, the reward for the quest that hasn't yet been given will be given shortly after this explanation.]
[Because of the Issue with the system you will be given compensation.]
As I read through the notifications from the system, I couldn't help but be taken aback by its sudden shift in tone. It had gone from being a constant thorn in my side to downright polite and formal. I tilted my head in confusion, wondering what had prompted this change. Sure, it made dealing with the system a lot less aggravating, but it also left me scratching my head.
I shrugged off my confusion for now. After all, as long as the system was behaving itself, I didn't care about the whys and hows. But still, the sudden issue with the system was a bit perplexing. It had been working just fine back in the castle, and even yesterday when I made my escape.
Oh well, I thought to myself, shaking off the thoughts like a dog shaking off water. No use dwelling on it now. Time to focus on what's important—the rewards and compensation promised by the system. Let's hope they're worth the wait.
As the red screen of the system flashed before me once again, I couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement. Finally, the moment of truth had arrived—the reward for clearing the quest was about to be unveiled.
[... The reward for clearing the quest was significant done. Because of that, you were given an Extra.
Acquired!!
Weapon: Basic - (E Rank) Hunter's Dagger.
Skill: Basic - (E Rank) Thrust - It can increase your Penetration power by 5%
Your Reward for Clearing the Quest as a Promised.
Acquired!!
All Stats increase by +3]
Agility: E [9.5] → [12.5]
Strength: D [20] → C [23]
Endurance: E [5.4] → [8.4]
Magic: B [32.4] → [35.4]
Luck: C [25.2] → [28.2]
Charm Demon: A [49.7] → [50] {Your Stats for Charm to Demon has reached it's limit. It will increase once again if you reach level 50.}
Charm Human: E [-0] → [2]
Acquired: QP or Quest points, Can be used to buy on the Points Shop.
QP: 1000 For your successful escape, and 1000 for your, Leveling up. Though a thousand wasn't enough to be rewarded for your jumped increased level.
In your next level, you will obtain points. Each level-up and cleared quest.
SP: Status points can be used to upgrade your Status.
SP: 70 points ]
Ah, the familiar sting of insignificance in the face of my status increase. It was like a gentle reminder from the universe that I was just a mere mortal in a world of gods and monsters. And yet, despite my shortcomings, I couldn't help but chuckle at the irony of it all.
Here I was, the author of a slice-of-life novel, yet I couldn't resist the urge to inject it with elements of epic battles and bloodshed. It was like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole—unnecessary, perhaps, but undeniably satisfying. And yes, maybe a tad foolish on my part.
But then again, who could blame me? Writing was all about exploring the realms of imagination and pushing the boundaries of what was possible. And if that meant throwing in a few fight scenes and some killing into an otherwise peaceful narrative, then so be it. After all, where's the fun in sticking to the status quo?
And then there were the SP and QP, those mysterious resources that seemed to hold the key to unlocking my potential in this world. Sure, they might not seem like much now, but I had a feeling they would prove to be invaluable shortly. Especially with "that thing" looming on the horizon.
"Writing such a thing in a slice-of-life genre novel... Pretty freaking stupid of me, right?" I mused aloud, unable to suppress a wry smile. But hey, if there was one thing I had learned from this whole experience, it was to expect the unexpected. And who knows? Maybe my little slice-of-life story was about to get a whole lot more exciting. Though it would become a gore one too....
To be continued
Note: I'm gonna write some info's about the system.