Lucifer got up from the chair, brushing off the remnants of his meal from his clothes. He turned to the innkeeper, his crimson eyes calm yet piercing. "Thanks for the meal," he said, his voice steady. "And sorry for the damages."
Maria, the innkeeper, stared at him in confusion, her words caught in her throat. "Uh... yeah, TJ," she managed to stammer, her tone uncertain.
Lucifer began walking toward the door, his boots echoing softly in the now-silent room. As he reached the door, he stopped and turned back, his gaze sweeping over the other adventurers and the innkeeper. The weight of his presence made the room feel heavy.
"Don't call me TJ anymore," he said, his voice carrying a commanding tone that demanded attention.
Maria blinked, startled. "Huh? Then… what do I call you?" she asked hesitantly.
A wide, almost menacing smile spread across Lucifer's face. "Call me Lucifer Morningstar," he said, his voice dripping with confidence.
Without waiting for a response, he turned and walked out of the inn, the door closing behind him with a definitive thud.
The room remained silent for a moment, the adventurers exchanging bewildered glances before the murmurs began.
"Did he just say Lucifer Morningstar?"
"What does he mean by that?"
"Is he serious? TJ's lost it… or maybe he's someone else."
Maria stood frozen, watching him disappear down the street. Her thoughts raced as she whispered to herself, "Lucifer Morningstar… who is he really?"
Walking down the street, Lucifer observed the bustling life around him. Children laughed and played, merchants called out their wares, and people chatted, their voices blending into a lively hum. In his thoughts, he mused, "Humans these days... I guess it seems peaceful. But I like chaos!"
Continuing his walk, he spotted the Adventurers' Guild up ahead. Its towering structure loomed over the street, a symbol of power and ambition. A few minutes later, he arrived at its entrance. Pushing the heavy wooden doors open, he stepped inside.
The room was bustling with activity. Adventurers of all shapes and sizes filled the space, boasting about their exploits, planning missions, or enjoying a drink. As Lucifer entered, many heads turned to look at him. Whispers spread quickly, followed by quiet snickers and mocking laughter.
"Look who it is—TJ!"
"What's he doing here?"
"Didn't he fail his last mission?"
"He's probably here to mess up another one."
Lucifer ignored the chatter, his crimson eyes scanning the room. His gaze settled on a familiar group standing by the mission board. His party. They consisted of two men and three women, each engrossed in the board's offerings. Memories of them flooded Lucifer's mind, the remnants of the body's previous host. Their names came to him effortlessly in his thoughts: Aaron, the leader; Marcus, the strategist; Lila, the mage; Sophie, the archer; and Eliza, the healer.
"So, these are my so-called allies," Lucifer thought with mild amusement.
As he approached, the group noticed him. Their expressions soured instantly, a mixture of irritation and disbelief crossing their faces.
"Oh, great," Aaron muttered, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "Look who decided to show up."
Marcus crossed his arms and scowled. "What do you want, TJ? We don't have time for your screw-ups today."
Lila rolled her eyes, her voice sharp. "Didn't we tell you to take a break after what happened?"
Sophie sighed, glancing away. "Honestly, why are you even here?"
Eliza said nothing, her eyes narrowing as she silently judged him.
Lucifer remained calm, his expression unreadable. He stood silently for a moment, letting their words linger in the air, before a subtle smirk began to form on his lips.
"I'm coming," Lucifer said, his voice steady and firm. "And it's different this time. Pick the mission, and let's go."
The group stared at him, their expressions shifting to surprise. Aaron raised an eyebrow. "What's gotten into you, TJ?"
Marcus sneered. "Different this time? How? You're still the same guy who blew our last mission."
Lila scoffed. "This is a joke, right? You think we're just going to let you tag along after what happened?"
Sophie frowned. "What do you mean by 'different'?"
Eliza remained quiet, but her skeptical gaze didn't waver.
Ignoring their comments, Lucifer turned to the mission board. His eyes scanned the options, and he began reading the details aloud.
"Mission: Clear the Goblin Nest. Objective: Eliminate the goblin infestation located in the Whispering Woods. Reward: 200 gold pieces. Difficulty: Intermediate."
He paused for a moment before glancing back at his party. "This one. Let's go."
The group exchanged uneasy glances. Aaron sighed and finally said, "Fine. But if you screw this up again, you're done." The others murmured their reluctant agreement, their expressions a mix of doubt and annoyance.
Lucifer smiled faintly, his confidence unshaken. "Let's see how they handle the new me," he thought as they prepared for the mission.
The party moved toward the receptionist desk to submit the mission for approval. Behind the desk stood a beautiful elf woman, her long, silver hair cascading over her shoulders. She took the mission form from Aaron, glancing over it with a practiced eye.
"Goblin Nest, Whispering Woods. Intermediate difficulty," she said, her melodic voice calm. "Are you sure about this one? It's not an easy task, especially for..." She trailed off, her gaze landing on Lucifer. Her tone shifted, carrying a note of condescension. "Especially for someone like you, TJ."
Aaron and the others exchanged glances, their expressions tense. Marcus leaned in and muttered, "She's not wrong."
Lucifer, unfazed, locked eyes with the receptionist. Memories of her flooded his mind. "Anya," he said, her name rolling off his tongue with unsettling familiarity. "Don't worry about it, alright?"
Anya raised an eyebrow, surprised by his tone. "Don't worry? Coming from you? That's rich." She chuckled mockingly. "Let's hope you don't mess this one up. Otherwise, you'll be stuck as an F-rank forever."
Lucifer's expression darkened slightly. In his mind, he whispered, "Skill: Devil's Aura."
A blackish-red aura began to seep from his body, pulsating with an oppressive energy. The atmosphere in the room shifted immediately, the once-bustling guild falling silent as an eerie tension filled the air. Anya's confident demeanor shattered as she stumbled backward, her face pale with fear.
"W-what is this?" she stammered, her voice trembling.
The other adventurers watched in stunned silence, their whispers hushed and fearful.
"What's happening?"
"Is that... TJ?"
"He's not normal..."
Lucifer stepped closer, his voice low and commanding. "Approve the mission so we can do it."
Anya nodded shakily, her hands fumbling as she quickly stamped the mission form and handed it back to Aaron. "It's... it's approved," she whispered.
Lucifer's aura receded as he turned away, his composure calm once more. "Let's go," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Aaron hesitated, the form clutched in his hand. "Uh... yeah," he stuttered, watching Lucifer walk toward the guild doors. His thoughts raced as he muttered to himself, "What... what just happened? Who is this guy?"
The group left the guild, stepping out into the bustling streets to begin their journey toward the Whispering Woods. As they walked, the members of the party fell into conversation, their voices mingling with the sounds of the town."This goblin nest sounds like it's going to be trouble," Marcus said, his tone skeptical. "They've been getting bolder recently."
"We've handled goblins before," Lila replied, her voice dismissive. "This shouldn't be any different."
"Still," Sophie added, "it's intermediate difficulty for a reason."
Eliza nodded. "We'll need to be careful. Goblins can be unpredictable when they feel cornered."
Lucifer walked a few paces behind them, listening to their chatter but choosing to ignore most of it. Their opinions about the mission were irrelevant to him. His focus was elsewhere, his mind delving into the fragmented memories of the body's former host.
As they continued down the road, one of the members, Marcus, glanced back and asked, "How long before we get there?"
Aaron, walking at the front of the group, answered, "If we keep this pace, we should reach the edge of the woods by midday. We'll set up a temporary camp nearby before heading in."
The group murmured their agreement and resumed their discussion about strategies and supplies. Lucifer remained silent, his crimson eyes distant as he sifted through the hazy memories of TJ's life.
He saw flashes of conversations, snippets of dialogue between the former host and the party. He recalled Aaron recruiting TJ, his words filled with cautious encouragement. "We'll help you improve. Just don't hold us back."
He remembered Lila's skepticism. "Are you sure about this, Aaron? He's not exactly... reliable."
Sophie had been indifferent at first, offering a neutral, "We'll see how he does."
Eliza's initial kindness stood out, her voice soft and reassuring. "Everyone has to start somewhere."
More fragments surfaced: missions that ended in failure, moments of doubt, and the constant weight of the party's low expectations. TJ had joined them out of desperation, seeking a place to belong, yet he had only found himself buried under their disdain.
Lucifer's lips curled into a faint smirk as he returned to the present. "This group doesn't even realize what's coming," he thought. "They'll see soon enough."