I saw him but I saw someone else as well. A man who'd claimed to love my sister had murdered her, too, because she'd wanted to leave him. I'd enjoyed killing him. I'd enjoy this, too. He had the physique and stature of someone who'd done hard labor his whole life. Just like my sister's murdering husband. If they were anything alike, this man was probably not someone who knew magic beyond what was needed for their job.

This wasn't a demon. If this man was one, [Demeot Eyes] would've told me. No, he was just a man. I released a long breath. I could kill a man, though it wasn't ideal to do it in my own home. Exceptions could be made.

"Excuse me," I said, choosing my steps carefully as I headed toward him. Best to seem nonthreatening. Just a seventeen year old kid a little short for his age--unfortunately--who was trying to be intimidating because he was a weak coward. "I don't believe I invited you into my home."

"Tryg!" Danio yelled from the other side. "He's dangerous! I'll be okay! He won't be able to get through my spell! He'll get tired!"

The man looked suddenly lunged at Danio's bedroom door again with a roar and punched it with bloodied fists. He'd break through soon, but he jerked away from the door before he did.

"What the fuck do you want?" he growled as he turned to me. He was like a feral animal. "Do you want to die too? Were you part of this? My wife is dead thanks to that brat. And if it was thanks to you too, then maybe I can start getting justice by killing you first."

"Tryg, run!" Danio yelled.

"You were the one who killed her," I said to the man because there was no running. What if Danio's spell didn't hold up? What if this animal of a man never let up? What of Danio didn't have enough Energy to keep it up until he did tire out? No, this needed to be finished now.

Normally I'd hunt someone like this down after studying their routine. I'd pick the perfect moment to take their consciousness and then bring them to the place where they'd die. A place I'd chosen well beforehand. A place no one would hear them scream or cry. A place where no one would come to their rescue. Because people like this didn't need rescues.

I didn't have time for all of that. I had about four seconds left of [7-Time-Returner], but if I switched my build to the one I had at the end of my fifth life, I could use a Skill that he couldn't survive. The same one I'd use to kill King Enosh XXI. Hopefully I'd have time to actually activate that Skill.

"You," I repeated, pointing at him. He was already mad, but there was no harm in making him more mad. Big mad meant big stupid. "You're the one who needs to die so she can get justice. I've killed a lot of people like you. Usually I do it slowly. No such luxury today since I wasn't able to plan properly."

His feralness was overtaking him. He was curling his lips, bearing his teeth. "Me? I need to die? I loved her! But she wanted to leave me because of that brat! And it's me who needs to die? I'll kill you for saying that."

They always wanted to do it this way, didn't they? I activated [7-Time-Returner].

[Notice] You have activated your Skill [7-Times-Returner]. You're going to get yourself fucking killed. Why did I even bother with all of this? Out of the builds you had at the time of your six deaths, which would you like to assume?

I chose my fifth life, ignoring Di'at once again complaining about how I wanted to do things. Did he want me to abandon Danio? Did he want me to run from a man I could kill without a Skill? Some fucking god.

"Gerard," Rajal pulled me back as the man started furiously pacing again.

"I'll kill you," the man said, twitching now. And he was sweating, pale skin turning redder and redder. "I'll kill you for saying that. Kill you. I'll kill you!"

[Notice] You've selected the build from the end of your [Fifth Life]. Do you know how quickly four seconds go by? Here are your current Stats...

Name

Gerard Viscoti

Primary Class

Noble Assassin

Secondary Class

Mage

Soul

F-Class (Stage 1)

Strength

18

Cunning

15

Perception

30

Energy

15

Skills

Lucky Number 7 [10.50%]

Silver Tongue [1.60%]

7-Lives-Bloodlust [5.00%]

7-Times-Returner [1.01%]

Synchronize [0.01%]

Demeot Eyes [2.56%]

[Notice] With [7-Times-Returner] activated, your temporary Stats are now... [Notice] Your Skill [7-Times-Returner] has been forcibly deactivated because your Mastery of this Skill is too low. I tried to warn you.

Whose fucking fault was that? Why did a god need more than four seconds to activate one fucking Skill? Fucking worthless. I'd do this the hard way then. I liked hard work at times like this most after all.

The man started screaming. A raw, bestial sound that didn't sound human at all. My eyes prickled and that feeling of fear trickled down my spine. The man's skin cracked, and from underneath black spikes surfaced at every joint, every vertebra. As his skin flaked away to reveal hardened armor, his muscles bulged, his form doubled in size, and thick, bulging horns grew from his head.

His shriek turned static-like and distorted until it sounded more like the shriek of laughter. I knew what the first few words of my next Notice would be before it came up.

[Notice] With [Demeot Eyes], you have successfully identified [Drolgizal], a demon of the 6th Dominion of the Underworld. You didn't think he was a demon, did you What the fuck are you going to do now?

This wouldn't be an issue if a Skill didn't take longer than four seconds to activate.

Drolgizal was fucking huge. Three, maybe four times my size. His biceps were larger than I was around my middle. Absolutely ridiculous. Unlike Professor Zell, Drolgizal had humanoid legs but he had huge hands and feet that didn't end in nails but in claws. He had a dull flame-colored light all over his body like he had exposed veins. The worst of it was the monstrosity that was his face. A skull, a fire burning from within that I could see from the holes where his eyes and nose should be.

And he was heading for me.

Rajal was backpedaling, dragging me with him. "Fuck, I did not expect my first day on the job to be getting rid of a demon, but a job's a job. If we can get him out of the apartment, I can set a strong enough barrier that he won't be able to get through anytime soon. A demon won't spend forever going after the kid."

[Notice]

Dammit Jerome. You know what? Fuck it! You deserve this annoyance. Accept it.

New Quest Mission acquired: Kill the Demon Drolgizal

The human in front of you summoned a demon with a spell using his wife's fresh blood after having killed her. However, this human is no more, as the demon Drolgizal answered his summon and consumed his soul in exchange for helping him obtain some false idea of justice. The only justice that can be had here is killing Drolgizal before they kill you.

Parts: 0/?

Demeot killed: 0/1

Reward: 1 Soul Class

That means you'll have an E-Class Stage 1 Soul. Your Stats Cap will increase from 50 to 100. Your Stats will be reconfigured based on this new scale, ensuring a boost in your Stats. You'll increase your Energy as well. Most importantly, perhaps, is that it'll help you survive the aftermath of what you'll have to do to kill him. Use [Synchronize] or die here.

Would you like to accept this Quest Mission?