"Hoh," I murmured, holding my chin with my fingers while grinning suddenly. I could see my past self standing there, looking deeply aggrieved as he began speaking. "You're doing all this for revenge for something so simple and basic. What happens after that?" He paused, then continued, "Are you just going to continue doing things for something so basic and recurring? Do you know how many people seek revenge daily, monthly, yearly? Do they all attain such a thing?"
I looked at him, then burst into laughter. "PFFT!" He looked confused and asked, "What are you laughing for?" I looked at his puzzled expression and answered with a menacing grin, "You think I'm doing this even if I don't attack them, will death still not embrace them eventually?"
I continued, "I want a few things, my friend: Power, Madness, War," I declared, all this with a wild smile on my face. "Simple, right?"
He looked at me, confused, then realized something and started grinning. "What power? Hahaha! We're not even capable of wielding mana and are too weak to wield a sword," he said, wiping a tear from his face as he laughed.
"Okay, good, let me show you something," I responded, then started walking out of the alley into the bustling streets. I couldn't help but look at the world surrounding us in awe—a modern world also possessing an ancient theme, morals, monarchy, political affairs, etc.
The only reason I take all this in as if I'm an outsider is that, until a few minutes ago, I was just another personality. Although I am him and he is me, we are separate, and we're both aware of it. If I'm madness itself, then he is the sea that calms it.
I thought of all this as I continued walking, listening to the chirping of cars passing by. When I reached a huge skyscraper with the words "Raven Guild" etched on it, it loomed massive with clear windows and people milling around it. As I walked and started approaching, I could hear the murmurs of the crowd.
"Who is he?" a girl asked.
"Probably some beggar," a man responded.
The girl looked at the man with an eyebrow raised. "A beggar with a faint aura of death?" she questioned.
"You'd be surprised," he shrugged.
Although I could hear them, I still had to show my still floating friend here that I meant business. I made my way in front of a tall blonde-haired woman, who glanced at me up and down, noting my pure black hair completely covering my face but not hindering my red eyes from showing their glow and my tall but lanky appearance.
However, I ignored her arrogant gaze and asked, "Hello, Ms., I'm here to apply for the guild test." She was deeply shocked by my words, and her arrogant gaze subsided, but she still glared and mockingly asked, "You're here for a guild test and application?"
I noted that her gaze changed, but her arrogant behavior did not. Being looked down upon for some reason was my high and excited me madly. My eyes started glowing faintly, and a wild smile appeared on my face, and my sharp fangs appeared. However, I soon calmed myself, hearing my number two speak to break my dazed excitement.
"I—Yes, I am," she looked slightly scared from the fast yet fierce expression I had shown.
"T-T-Then, uh, please answer these questions on what version of the test you'd like to take and sign the permission forms and the application form," she stammered.
"No need for the guild application form," I answered while signing the permission form. Then I finished signing, tossed the form back to her, and turned to the female and male that were speaking of me from earlier.
I walked toward them, and they looked at me warily but still mocked, "What do you want?"
I answered honestly while shrugging, "A guild-advised Death match."
The two looked confused, as they knew they were wearing their guild badges. The tall female woman had silver hair and was a Journeyman Ranked mage with a Guild ranking of Stalker, and the male was also the same. Although their ranks may seem low in others' eyes, in reality, they're far from it. In Guilds Member ranking, there are 7 ranks:
Cub-Stalker-Hunter-Alpha-Behemoth-Tyrant-Eclipse. Be warned, it is hard to get beyond the 3-4th rank if you are not at least a 4th Stage Master magician or 3rd Class Sword Master. And to add to that, there are only 2 Eclipse ranked individuals in the entire world.
One is a fierce maniac woman known as "The Blood Empress," who rules the 2nd Ranking continent, and the other is the leader of the 1st Ranking continent, "The Abyss King," who was originally known as a wandering mercenary. To prevent the threat of someone being able to roam freely, they attached a continent which was originally ranked 17th out of all, but after he attained it, it quickly rose to 1st. But all this is a story for a later tale.
"So, yes or no?" They awoke from their stupor, but it took some convincing. After the signed forms, as we were walking to the arena—yes, we teleported to a fighting arena—however, this girl just kept asking questions.
"So, why do you have a Death aura?"
At her question, I just smiled mischievously and asked, "Do I have a Death aura?" I retorted while my finger held my chin.
Although auras are expressed, wielded, and used differently, mine just sits there as an uncontrollable warning. Only certain types of people have a personality aura, and Death being the most rare. Yes, although Death is a rare aura, it does not mean they're strong; just means that make that person mad enough, and they'll kill you with or without warning—like a kill-on-sight order.
As we walked inside the arena, which was Rome-themed, and people were screaming all over—after all, death matches at guilds do and do not occur often.
As they selected their weapons, the female picked up a Unicorn Staff. Okay, I mean, I guess everyone has their preferences, but hey, I don't judge because the gods don't judge me, I think I thought as I held my chin, and the guy just selected a simple dual wield sword.
Standing in the arena, the man just smiled as he had confidence, while the girl just looked wary of me. However, I started shaking madly all over in excitement; their expressions—the girl wary and fearful mainly because of the unknown. No name, no ranking, and only a faint yet strong aura of death—something wasn't right in her mind, and the man as arrogant as ever.
"No weapon and no magic looks all but too easy," he said while smiling, and I just looked at him with my head tilted and asked in confusion, "What are you talking about?"
When I asked, my fingernails started transforming into ferocious claws, and the man frowned, thinking that I was gonna fight them this way. "Don't worry, I won't scratch you to death," I answered, and he looked confused. However, I just dug them into my hands, and blood started dripping profusely, and suddenly it turned into a dark red single wield blade with sharp edges, and a strong aura of death started emitting.
The girl just stood there, frightened, while the guy still looked arrogant, although blood users are extremely rare, and I mean extremely. What makes them most dangerous is more high-ranked ones, as they can summon blood from anywhere, like other people's bodies or their own without contact. However, since I dug my claws into my own hands, he assumed that I was lower ranked; however, I just like the pain.
"Let's start," I say as I immediately moved forward at lightning speed, catching him off guard. As I dashed and when nearing him, I disappeared and appeared at his left side with my blade coming at his neck. He jumps backward, and as the girl chants a water attack spell and fires it my way—heh, get it, water fired it—I disappeared, and she looked in every direction, trying to find me. However, the audience was shocked, as since I used mist, you'd simply track where the mist had gone and boom, fire that way. However, I filled...
However, focused on the person behind him, the guy was in awe, feeling a tap on his shoulder; a chill was sent down his spine, everything screamed run. Seeing this, I felt more high. I swung my sword at his neck again; however, he raised his and blocked. However, seeing I wasn't speaking or grunting, he raised an eyebrow in confusion, and the "Me" just smiled while pointing at me who was behind him, fighting the girl. While fighting her, I just smiled back at him.
The girl, seeing me smiling and looking back, immediately frowned and chanted a powerful spell; however, the next moment, she felt cold metal on her neck and was knocked out.
Seeing the over me still trying to fight this guy and toying with him, I just decided to sit and enjoy the show, sitting down with my legs crossed and my head resting on my hand. The crowd was both confused and cheering at my arrogant behavior. I could feel the emotions of the me fighting because he was not a clone, more like an extension of myself.
"Welp, this went on long enough," I say as I stand up and hold the hilt of my sword and bend my knee forward as if preparing to launch. However, I just unsheath and swing my sword, and a terrifying slash of energy descends and cuts, killing both me and the man.
Seeing this and feeling the "Death" I just put upon myself, the feeling of being cut and dying made me excited as I have a habit of doing such things. The audience in awe suddenly starts cheering and clapping.