12789 shared an attachment. Download.
12789: What's this spell used for?
11000: In all honesty, I don't have enough mana to channel into that sigil.
12789: Then get the mana from somewhere.
10000: You do realize how difficult it is to pass each level of mana, right? This sigil is no joke.
12789: This is so fucking annoying. What should I do now?
11000: Isn't it obvious? Ask your master.
12789: No way, if he knows I'm researching this spell, he'll kill me. And I mean it. He hates me researching any spell related to demon summoning since I don't have enough wits to handle a demon for now.
11000: You do realize that you can summon a demon without the mana, right?
12789: If the summoning is done using nature's mana, then it wouldn't be easy to form a contract with it since it wouldn't be dependent on me.
Ryan stared at his screen, eyebrows furrowed.
Magic? Sigils? Demon summoning? What kind of bullshit is this?
He had stumbled upon this group chat while aimlessly surfing the surface web, only to end up knee-deep in the dark web. After hours of lurking and analyzing their conversations, he concluded these people were just some schizophrenic lunatics indulging in a shared psychosis.
Still, it was intriguing.
Ryan wasn't just any random guy. He was an adopted son, taken in by his uncle and aunt after his biological family was murdered. He barely remembered them—just a haze of screaming, shadows, and blood. The psychiatrists said his brain blocked those memories to protect him, a defense mechanism against trauma. It helped him move on. But sometimes, he wished he could remember.
Maybe that's why he was so drawn to this.
He hesitated for a moment, then decided to drop the bomb.
You: How can I learn magic?
A ten-second silence followed.
12789: WHAT???
11000: How did a normal human find this group chat???
11000: @moderator101 What the hell?
12789: Mods, there's a normal human here.
10000: No wayyy, a normal human. Is it going to be chaos again like the last time?
Ryan swallowed. Should he have kept his mouth shut? Maybe this was a mistake.
Still, no moderators arrived. The only ones online were the same four members.
11000: That's funny.
11000: Where's mod101?
12789: Don't tell me—
10000: Let's not think of the worst. Maybe he's just busy with something?
12789: Yeah, you're right.
11000: Well, since the moderator isn't here, it wouldn't be a problem to… play with the newcomer, right?
12789: I mean, it's not our fault. Right?
10000: Calm down, guys; let's not scare the newcomer. He probably has no idea what you're talking about.
12789: Alrightyyyy.
11000: Sure, sure.
10000: So, what's your name, newcomer?
Ryan smirked. This was the dark web—nobody used real names. He wasn't stupid enough to use one of his usual online handles either. That'd make him too easy to track.
After a moment's thought, he typed:
You: You can call me Margin.
10000: The newcomer sure knows the rules. That's good. We won't have to teach you the basics.
12789: So, back to the topic. Do you know what magic is?
You: So far, I've only heard about mana, sigils, and demons. But it's all vague. I don't know anything in-depth.
11000: Here's the deal—magic comes from demons, or rather, the demon world. It lets us manipulate reality. Demons are born with it, so we study them, decipher their sigils, and create spells based on their knowledge. Some of us even form contracts with demons to gain more power.
You: So, is magic like a hard system with rules governing it?
12789: Let's just say 'yes' for now.
You: And what do you guys do?
10000: There are rogue mages, cults, and organizations experimenting on humans. We're a group that fights them.
You: Damn, that's cool.
12789: Nah, man, we're just outcasts. Real mages study at magical universities. But unless you come from a specific bloodline, you don't get in. So, yeah.
11000: He's not wrong. We'll never be accepted because we don't have a magical lineage.
You: Well, that doesn't matter. It still sounds cool to me.
10000 sent an attachment. Download.
10000: Remember this—once you enter this world, you can never leave. Think twice before you download that file and start practicing.
Ryan stared at the download button, his fingers hovering over the mouse.
Should I? It's just a file. Worst case, it's a virus, right?
After a deep breath, he clicked.
10%
50%
100%
File downloaded.
He opened it, expecting eerie symbols and ominous warnings. Instead, he found something surprisingly normal—handwritten notes. Dozens of pages filled with scrawled text, diagrams, and explanations. A diary? A guide?
He scrolled through it, his curiosity growing.
You: Should I follow this?
10000: That's my first book, containing all my notes. My advice? Start your own. Write down everything. We're not experts, but I'll inform my master about you. When the time comes, don't reject becoming an apprentice.
12789: By the way, if you practice magic, you might end up in the demon realm at night.
11000: YAH! THERE ARE SCARY DEMONS THERE.
10000: You probably won't encounter anything early on, but if you do, ignore them. Don't look at them. Don't talk to them. Just ignore, ignore, ignore.
You: Why would I end up there?
12789: Not you—your astral body. The demon world isn't physical; it's made of energy. Since you're absorbing demonic energy, your astral body reacts. And if you're using something that belongs to someone else, they'll try to take it back.
You: Makes sense.
10000: Alright, now shoo. Go practice.
You: Alright. See you later, guys.
10000: Bye.
12789: Byeeeee.
11000: See ya.
Ryan shut down the window, leaned back in his chair, and exhaled.
This was insane. Completely insane.
And yet…
He couldn't shake the excitement building in his chest.
11000: What do you think will happen to him?
12789: A serial killer? A rapist? Who knows—it could be anything.
10000: Don't be like that. He seemed like a decent person.
11000: They all start out like that. Power corrupts, and sooner or later, they fall for the demons' trickery.
12789: Lust, greed, envy. Those are what bring people down. The desire for power, the need to control—it eats away at them. You never really know someone until they actually gain power.
11000: Exactly. It's like how when a person suddenly becomes righteous, it's not that they've changed—it's that they no longer care how the world sees them. They just reveal who they've always been.
10000: Let's hope for the best. I'll tell my master about this guy. They'll know how to handle him.
Opening the PDF file, Ryan started reading the first page.
"Demonic energy is the source of magic. To perform magic, a caster must understand its true nature, absorb it, and learn to manipulate it."
"The first step to absorbing and understanding demonic energy is to create a gate to the demon realm and let its energy seep into your body."
A large, intricate magical circle followed, filled with interwoven symbols and arcane markings.
"Draw this sigil on the ground using chalk or ink, sit in the center with your eyes closed, and focus on your surroundings."
Ryan didn't hesitate. He stood up, walked over to his cupboard, and pulled open the bottom section. Inside was an old rectangular box filled with remnants of his childhood—toy cars, trading cards, and outdated consoles. He sifted through the mess until his fingers brushed against something familiar.
An old yellow chalk.
He pulled it out, shut the box, shoved it back into place, and closed the cupboard.