Chapter 27: Cultivating Demonic Aura... Quests
Ruthar sat outside the house as Vance instructed, meditating with his eyes closed and concentrating on the darkness within his heart. Initially, it was challenging to sense the darkness Vance had mentioned, but whenever she approached him from behind and placed her hand on his back, he felt it begin to manifest. It was as if she passed a portion of her own darkness or energy to instigate his.
While she assisted, Ruthar focused on his stats, realizing he could see them even with his eyes closed.
**Supreme Extraction System**
Name: Ruthar Hellborn
Title: None
Job class: None
Exp: 55/100
Level: 1
**Stats**
Strength: 14
Agility: 8
Senses: 1
Stamina: 20
Intelligence: 2/200
Fatigue: 1
Mana: 245
Ruthar wasn't proud of his stats, especially his Exp gain over the past two days. Vance's presence limited him to completing only the water daily quests, earning ten Exp each day. At this rate, it would take him another five days to level up. He couldn't help but imagine a significant power boost from leveling up.
He turned his focus to his Mana stats, which had increased thanks to his training with Vance. He resolved to train harder to surpass her expectations. Although she wanted him, he knew she wouldn't hesitate to kill him if he didn't impress her.
A sudden slap landed on the back of his neck, knocking him back into focus.
"Shut the heck up and concentrate!" Vance yelled, shaking Ruthar until he opened his eyes and glared at her before refocusing.
'He thinks too much,' she thought. 'But it's impressive how much dark Mana he's built up already. We'll make progress sooner than I thought.'
---
Three days passed, and Ruthar continued the same training regimen, but today was different. Vance suggested a hike along a forest path that would take hours. After that, he had to build up Mana again, this time without her assistance. All day long, he followed this routine, and when night fell, she made him do countless push-ups until he collapsed, unable to move.
Today, however, Vance had something different in mind. "Today we will do some practical work, Ruthar," she said, igniting a grin from him.
'I thought she was building me up to make good soup,' he mused.
"That's disgusting! I was preparing you for something else entirely," Vance denied, turning her gaze away and smiling intently as she replayed the idea in her mind.
"You're right, maybe we should make soup tonight—with muscular meat."
"Gulp... I'm not interested, thank you," Ruthar waved in panic.
"Enough, I've already concluded. Now, back to training!" she yelled out again, her personality shining through.
'Yikes...'
"So today, I'll teach you the manifestation of demonic Mana, the way to use it to fortify your body's strength and attacks!" Vance walked up to Ruthar, correcting his battle stance.
Ruthar felt she could have instructed him from a distance instead of coming so close. 'She's touching my chest... I'm only five. Is she measuring how she's going to dice me for today's soup?'
He gulped again, hearing Vance giggle as she withdrew, the message clear: yes.
"Now, just as we did in filling your Mana core with demonic Mana, release it around your body as though releasing magic." Ruthar obeyed instantly, scrunching his face and trying to manifest his demonic Mana.
'Even with how much Mana he's built, this should still take him a day's worth of effort to manifest,' Vance thought, watching him.
[Mystic Insight]
**Name:** Vance Crescent Stars
**Abilities:** Unknown
**Species:** Demon
**Interest:** Doubtful
Ruthar almost smiled at her interest in him. 'She probably thinks I can't do it, but thanks to the system and the extraction from Rotexa these past days, I've given it my best... All to wow her at this moment.'
[Mana: 299]
Ruthar drew a large amount of Mana into his efforts. Utilizing knowledge from spell books and lessons with Kimara, he desperately attempted to manifest his demonic Mana. To his surprise, it worked. Dark smoke-like entities exited his being, sizzling into vapor as they formed. His body became hot, sweating profusely.
"Impossible!" Vance stumbled back, shocked at the immense amount of Mana Ruthar exuded. 'Is this boy even human?'
Ruthar grinned, wanting to shatter her underestimation of him. He circulated more Mana across his body, causing the dark smoke to rise higher and the stones beneath his feet to float.
'I am OP!' he thought, thrilled by his raw power and eager to push further.
[Fatigue: 100]
[Mana: 0]
With these notifications, Ruthar's overwhelming Mana manifestation vanished, and he collapsed, feeling as though he had run a marathon.
'Damn, why am I so exhausted?' he ranted, his eyelids beginning to give in.
"Demonic aura takes a lot of Mana and stamina. That's why I had you do all those exercises. Now you'll do them more diligently to get stronger," Vance explained, her tone cutting deeper than it helped.
'How did she know I used the shortcut? Damn... I'm...'
'Losing... consciousness.'
[Irresistible rest has been imposed]
'Mate...'
---
[Fatigue: 0]
[Irresistible sleep has been deactivated]
Ruthar's eyes shot wide open to a dim room. He was lying on something soft and silky; probably his bed.
'I must have slept through the entire day,' he thought, pushing red strands of hair from his face. It had become a menace without proper care from a slave or Kimara.
"Your hair must be disturbing. Let me help."
Ruthar sprang up, turning to the source of the voice. Vance knelt by a table, wearing a Sakura-colored Kimono, thin and revealing. She had her hair in two ponytails and had grown horns. From afar, she looked cute.
'This is like my dream!' Ruthar smiled malevolently, nodding in reply.
"I'll help you. Come over," she ordered. Ruthar jumped to comply.
As he approached, he noticed food and water on the table. Beside Vance was a pail of water and a comb.
'She might be a demon, but she's caring as hell,' Ruthar thought, kneeling before her as instructed. She washed his hair gently, as if he were her own child.
'She washed my clothes and even helped me cook these past few days. This might be the deed of the system, the reason why I'm here is to meet this demon.'
Ruthar smiled, wanting to make conversation.
"Uhm... you really look beautiful dressed like that," he complimented, not used to such situations.
"Shut up, Ruthar. Your human emotions mean nothing to me, a supreme demon," Vance rejected him coldly.
'What a letdown,' Ruthar thought, shifting his focus back to his stats.
[Exp: 85/100]
'Just three more days before I level up and over three months left to prepare for the battle with Tomaha... hang on, Elara.'
"Ruthar, do you know what makes the greatest warriors?" Vance asked suddenly, her voice soft and welcoming, making Ruthar gasp.
Why this so sudden?
Ruthar furrowed his brow, thinking before giving a straightforward answer. "Power—"
"No," Vance cut him off rudely. "Death—death makes the greatest warriors. When you master it, you become unstoppable."
Ruthar thought it was a joke but, after some thought, found rough truth in it. "Death..."
'Death was the plague that brought me into this new life. I hope it doesn't take it back anytime soon.'