Emperal turned his gaze to the second man, and just like that, the air grew colder, thick enough to choke on. His smirk deepened, a sharp, dangerous edge to it. "Your turn," he said, his voice laced with malice that sent shivers down the bandit's spine.
The man flinched, knees buckling, his instincts screaming that he'd just become prey. But before he could even stammer out a response, Emperal's expression shifted. His eyes lit up, a twisted excitement sparking in them, like a predator discovering a new toy. "Oh wait... I could test that?" His tone was disturbingly cheerful, almost playful, which only made it worse.
Then he moved. One moment he stood still, and in the next, he was a blur, closing the gap so fast the bandit barely had time to gasp. Now looming over him, Emperal tilted his head, that unsettling smirk still plastered on his face. "So... what were you doing here?" he asked, his voice soft, almost sweet, but the sharpness beneath it was impossible to miss.
"S-sir, we were just passing by! That's all, I swear!" the bandit stammered, words tumbling out in a frantic mess.
"Passing by, huh?" Emperal repeated, his tone dripping with mockery. His smirk twisted into something darker, his gaze piercing enough to pin the man in place.
Without warning, black veins began to snake up Emperal's hand, pulsating like living shadows. His nails elongated into sharp, obsidian claws that glistened with an otherworldly sheen. With a deceptively gentle motion, he tapped the bandit's neck, his nail pressing against the vulnerable flesh.
"Let's see what happens, shall we?" Emperal murmured, his voice carrying the curiosity of someone about to tear the wings off a fly.
A grotesque, viscous black liquid began to drip from his claws, seeping into the man's skin like an invasive poison. The bandit's scream tore through the air, raw and unrestrained.
"ARGHHH! W-what's happening to me?!" he shrieked, his voice rising in pitch as panic took hold.
The veins spread rapidly, dark tendrils crawling across his body, twisting into chaotic, unnatural patterns. His eyes, once green with white sclera, turned pitch black, swallowing any trace of consciousness. On his back, something grotesque began to form—a jagged, irregular tattoo that looked like it had been carved out of nightmares. It shifted and pulsed, resembling claws, fangs, and writhing tentacles all at once.
Emperal tilted his head, studying the transformation with a calm, almost detached interest. "Hmm... so the weakest curse is about as strong as Cycle 3, 1st Stage," he muttered, more to himself than anyone else.
The bandit collapsed with a heavy thud, his body hitting the ground like dead weight. Emperal crouched down, watching as if waiting for a reaction. For a moment, nothing happened. Then the man's chest rose with a shuddering gasp, and his eyes slowly fluttered open. They were back to normal—green and unassuming—but the emptiness in his gaze made it clear he wasn't the same.
Emperal straightened and reached into the bandit's pocket, pulling out a rusted knife. His attention shifted to the elf standing nearby. The poor man was frozen in place, his face pale, his wide eyes betraying terror.
"Here," Emperal said, tossing the knife to him with a casual smirk.
The elf caught it, his hands trembling so hard it was a miracle he didn't drop it. His movements were jerky, mechanical, like he wasn't in control of his own body. Without a word, he raised the blade, and in one swift motion, he sliced off one of his own fingers.
Blood splattered onto the dirt, vivid and horrifying against the night. The elf didn't so much as flinch, his face blank, his eyes hollow.
Emperal's laughter broke the silence, low and cruel. "Hah! Isn't this just fascinating?"
The seconds ticked by, and the severed finger began to grow back. Flesh stitched itself together with unnatural precision, until his hand was whole again, the only sign of the injury a faint trace of drying blood.
"Interesting..." Emperal muttered, leaning closer, his smirk deepening as his mind raced with possibilities.
The bandit lay trembling on the ground, his breath ragged, while the elf stood like a lifeless puppet, his spirit crushed under the weight of Emperal's cruelty. The air around them seemed to darken, thick with despair, as though even the shadows wanted no part of the scene unfolding before them.
Behind them, a nearby bush rustled softly, drawing both Emperal's and the elf's attention. Out waddled Grimblaze, an unimpressive yet somehow endearing yellow pygmy hippopotamus, his stubby legs kicking up dirt as he moved. With a trunk inexplicably filled with water, he huffed out a breath that sounded oddly annoyed.
"Uh... boss, what's going on here?" Grimblaze asked, his small eyes darting around the scene. His gaze landed on the elf, who stood frozen like a lifeless marionette, blood still faintly visible on his regrown finger. "And, uh... why does that guy look like he's been to the afterlife and back? Did I miss something fun again?"
Emperal's smirk didn't waver. "Oh, Grimblaze, you have perfect timing," he said, his tone as casual as though they were discussing the weather. "We're heading to the town now."
Grimblaze tilted his head, squinting at the bandit still lying on the ground, trembling. "Right... seems normal," he muttered sarcastically before his attention snapped back to Emperal.
But Emperal wasn't finished. He leaned toward the elf, his lips barely moving as he whispered something inaudible. Whatever the words were, they had an immediate effect—the elf's blank eyes widened for just a second, a flicker of panic breaking through his demeanor before his face went blank again.
Satisfied, Emperal straightened, throwing Grimblaze a quick glance. "Let's go," he said, already walking ahead.
The Elf then disappeared in the woods.
…
"Boss! Where did that elf go? Grimblaze asked curiously. He was still confused about what had happened.
"Ahaha it's nothing, he's just going to meet and bring some of his friends," Emperal said with a suppressed chuckle.
"Oh" Grimblaze just nodded."So boss, what are we gonna do in that town?" Grimblaze questioned after a few hours.
"Yeah I'm thinking of learning Alchemy. It' seems like a fun job" Emperal said jokingly but his eyes held a tinge of seriousness.
…