Shinma's face appeared in his mind, making Zareth nearly shout the name of the God of Demons.
"SHINMA!"
The shout was loud.
Too loud.
The force behind it rippled through the room, striking everyone's chest and making their bodies tense instinctively.
Everyone froze the moment the name left Zareth's mouth.
Some unsheathed their blades immediately, while others remained still, standing tense as the atmosphere grew heavier.
The room fell into complete silence.
Heavy.
The Pillars stared at Zareth with sharp, unreadable eyes.
Some tightened their grip around their swords.
Others simply watched him in silence, their expressions tense.
Amano stepped back slightly, confusion and fear mixing in his eyes.
"Zareth…?"
Even Renji's calm expression had changed.
For the first time since entering the room, his gaze sharpened with genuine seriousness.
"How do you know that name?"
Zareth slowly stood from his kneeling position, his breathing uneven.
He didn't even know why he knew that name in the first place.
The translucent system screen still hovered in front of his eyes, faintly flickering.
[System]
Welcome back, Zareth Ashveil.
The translucent screen flickered faintly as the words slowly appeared before his eyes.
[Previous Identity: Erased]
[Memories: Permanently Removed]
[New Synchronization Complete]
[Shinma Vessel Confirmed]
Zareth's eyes widened slightly.
"What…?"
He turned his head toward them, his expression filled with confusion.
"Amano… Renji… how did I get here? Tell me."
Zareth's mind spun in confusion, his thoughts crashing into one another faster than he could process.
He let go of the katana, and the blade clattered loudly against the floor.
********************************
[SYSTEM STATUS]
Host: Zareth Ashveil
Age: 23
Status: Active
Classification:
Shinma Vessel
Bloodline:
Ashveil Core (Awakened)
Level: 0
Core Attributes:
Strength: 0
Perception: 0
Agility: 0
Speed: 0
Bravery: 0
Intelligence: 0
Charm: 0
********************************
Zareth stared at the translucent screen in disbelief.
"What… is this?"
No one answered.
Because no one else could see it.
The Pillars only saw Zareth staring into empty space, his breathing uneven, his eyes filled with confusion.
Amano cautiously stepped closer.
'Zareth… what are you looking at?"
Zareth's gaze slowly shifted toward him.
"You can't see this?"
His voice trembled slightly.
The room grew even quieter.
Renji's expression darkened.
"See what?"
Zareth looked back at the glowing screen hovering before him.
The translucent screen flickered again.
Then new words slowly appeared.
[New Objective Assigned]
[Survive]
Zareth's pupils narrowed.
A cold feeling crept down his spine.
"Survive…?"
The word barely escaped his mouth.
The atmosphere inside the room shifted again heavier than before.
One of the Pillars slowly stepped forward, his blade still half-raised.
"Renji," he said quietly, never taking his eyes off Zareth, "that presence around him…"
Another Pillar's expression darkened.
"It feels wrong."
Amano looked between them nervously.
"W-What do you mean?"
No one answered.
But the tension alone was enough.
Zareth's breathing became uneven.
The translucent screen glitched faintly.
[Warning]
[Shinma Resonance Detected]
A sharp pulse slammed through his chest.
"Ghh—!"
Zareth grabbed his head tightly as pain surged through his body.
"What is happening to me… Renji? Amano?"
Zareth's voice shook slightly as confusion and fear filled his eyes.
They slowly stepped into his view, their expressions tense with concern.
Amano was the first to move.
He quickly knelt beside Zareth, his hands trembling slightly as he reached toward him.
"Zareth, calm down," he said nervously. "Just breathe, okay? You're safe here."
But Zareth's body remained tense.
The ringing in his ears grew louder.
Renji stepped closer next, his sharp eyes carefully observing every movement Zareth made.
"You said you're seeing something," Renji spoke calmly. "Tell us exactly what it is."
Seeing Shinma's face again after Zareth's system had been reset was not normal especially inside the Byakuren Compound.
"I don't know those people there were a lot of them."
Zareth's voice shook slightly as he pressed a hand against his head.
"I saw faces… voices… memories…"
"Who is Shinma?"
Zareth's voice was quiet.
Confused.
The question alone made several Pillars stiffen instantly.
Renji step closer.
Renji stepped closer, his expression serious.
"Shinma is a monster," he said quietly. "The father of all Demons… their creator."
Zareth went silent for a moment before speaking again.
"What about this system I'm seeing… is this normal?"
The room became silent again.
Several Pillars exchanged uneasy glances.
Amano looked confused.
"System…?"
Renji's eyes narrowed slightly.
"What exactly are you seeing, Zareth?"
Zareth looked toward the empty space in front of him where the translucent screen still hovered faintly.
"Words," he answered quietly. "A screen floating in front of me."
Everyone looked at each other, trying to understand what Zareth meant.
"Wait… you can't see it? The visions?"
Amano stepped forward, gently grabbing Zareth's arm before leading him back toward the bed.
"Sit down first," he said softly, trying to calm him. "You're overwhelming yourself."
Zareth hesitated for a moment, then slowly allowed himself to be guided.
His legs felt heavy as he sat back down on the edge of the bed.
The system screen still flickered faintly in front of his vision.
Amano didn't let go right away, as if making sure he wouldn't suddenly collapse again.
Renji watched them both in silence before speaking.
"Zareth," he said calmly, "focus on your breathing. Ignore whatever you're seeing for now."
Amano stayed beside him, still holding his arm, his voice softer now.
"You're safe here just stay still, okay?"
Zareth didn't respond.
His eyes remained locked on the empty space in front of him.
Renji's gaze sharpened slightly.
"It's not going away," he said quietly.
One of the Pillars tightened his grip on his sword again.
"Then it's not just hallucination," he muttered.
Another stepped forward half a pace.
"If that thing is truly reacting to him then this isn't something we can ignore."
Eight figures stepped inside.
All of them moved with quiet precision no wasted motion, no hesitation. Their haori designs were different, but the pressure they carried was the same.
The moment the eight figures fully entered, the room's air changed completely.
It wasn't just heavy anymore.
It felt measured like every breath in the room was now being weighed.
The Pillars already inside immediately stepped aside, creating space.
Amano instinctively tightened his grip on Zareth's arm.
Renji didn't move, but his gaze sharpened.
"So you all felt it too," he said quietly.
One of them stepped forward.
His presence changed the air immediately.
He was tall clearly in his mid-twenties or older with a strong, disciplined build that carried the weight of experience rather than raw intimidation.
His hair burned like fire.
Deep red, but streaked with sharp white strands that cut through it like lightning through flame.
His haori matched him perfectly fiery red flowing into clean white patterns along the edges, designed almost like flickering flames frozen in fabric. Every movement made it look like fire itself was moving with him.
He stopped a few steps in front of Zareth.
"So you're the one Renji found. What were you doing in Kurogiri Forest, unconscious?"
Then.
A girl with black and purple hair stepped forward, her eyes narrowing as she studied Zareth with suspicion.
"What happened to you there? Tell us are you one of them?"
Zareth looked directly into their eyes, as if trying to read their intent, silently inspecting each of them.
"What do you mean, one of them?" he replied. "I don't know anything… I don't remember."
[System]
Name: Shiun Ayame
Age: 22
Status: Active
Affiliation:
Byakuren Compound
Rank:
Pillar
Title:
Shadow Flame Pillar
Breathing Style:
Shadow Flame Breathing
Core Attributes:
Strength: 27
Perception: 31
Agility: 29
Speed: 30
Bravery: 26
Intelligence: 25
Charm: 18
Threat Level:
High
Zareth's eyes widened the moment the stats screen appeared in his vision.
His breath hitched slightly as he stared at it, as if trying to confirm it was real.
"What is this" he whispered.
"Shiun Ayame?"
The translucent display flickered faintly, unchanged, still hovering in front of him like it belonged there.
Amano noticed his reaction immediately.
"Zareth? What's wrong?" he asked, tense.
"Who is Ayame… Amano, are you seeing this?"
Zareth reached forward instinctively, trying to grab the screen but his hand passed through empty air.
The other Pillars immediately understood it not from Zareth's words, but from his movement alone.
The shift in his stance. The pressure that leaked from his body. The strange, unstable energy radiating outward like an invisible wave.
The red hair guy step in beside Ayame and speak in normal tone curiosity spread in his face.
"I'm Akatsuki Enji. And you… you know her name? How do you know her name?"
[System]
Name: Akatsuki Enji
Age: 27
Status: Active
Affiliation:
Byakuren Compound
Rank:
Pillar
Title:
Dawn Flame Pillar
Breathing Style:
Dawn Flame Breathing
Core Attributes:
Strength: 35
Perception: 32
Agility: 30
Speed: 34
Bravery: 33
Intelligence: 28
Charm: 20
Combat Evaluation:
Extreme High-Class Threat (Controlled Ally)
Enji's voice was calm, but it carried weight like a blade that hadn't been drawn yet.
The room tightened instantly.
Several Pillars shifted their stance, their attention sharpening back to
Zareth.
Amano frowned.
"Enji, wait he didn't even know what he was saying earlier."
But Enji didn't take his eyes off Zareth.
"We're putting you on a test because I know… we know… we can feel it."
Enji paused, eyes locked on Zareth as he read the tension in the air around him.
"You're not normal, Zareth," he said firmly. "There's demon blood inside you."
Zareth froze.
"Demon blood?"
The words hit harder than expected.
His fingers tightened slightly at his side as the system screen flickered again in front of him.
[Warning]
[Emotional Instability Detected]
A sharp pulse echoed through his chest.
Zareth immediately grabbed the edge of the bed to steady himself.
"Wait that can't be happening. I'm not a demon."
Zareth's voice shook slightly, as if he was trying to convince himself more than anyone else.
Enji remained silent for a moment, carefully studying him.
"We can't decide that so quickly,"
Enji said calmly. "Whether you're human or not… we still don't know."
He paused briefly.
"But we're putting you through an examination."
The word alone made the room tense again.
Amano's expression changed immediately.
"An examination?" he repeated nervously.
Ayame crossed her arms.
"It's the only way," she said coldly. "If there's demon blood inside him, the examination will react."
Zareth looked at them in confusion.
"What kind of examination?"
"A resonance examination," Enji answered calmly. "The Byakuren Compound uses it to detect anything connected to demons."
The room grew quiet.
Zareth's gaze lowered slightly.
"To the training ground."
"To the training grounds," Enji said calmly.
The moment those words left his mouth, the atmosphere inside the room shifted again.
Several Pillars stepped aside immediately.
Amano looked toward Zareth with concern.
"Wait… right now?"
"We don't have time to delay," Ayame answered coldly. "If his resonance becomes unstable again inside the compound, people could get hurt."
[System]
[First Task Assigned]
[Survive the Examination]
The translucent words appeared slowly in front of Zareth's eyes.
His breathing stopped for a second.
"Survive?"
The translucent screen did not fade immediately it lingered in Zareth's vision steady and unmoving for a few seconds long enough for him to feel that it was real.
Then it flickered.
A new line slowly formed beneath the others.
Zareth's heartbeat skipped for a moment, the room around him felt distant, as if the air itself had thickened, then the words fully appeared.
[If the task is failed: Host will be permanently erased from existence]
The Byakuren led the way to the training ground, while Zareth followed at the back, looking at them with confusion.
The air outside was colder than inside the compound.
Every step toward the open grounds made the atmosphere feel heavier, as if something unseen was pressing down on him.
Zareth's eyes kept shifting between the Pillars ahead.
He still couldn't make sense of anything the system, Shinma, the examination, or the strange feeling crawling under his skin like something trying to wake up.
Amano stayed close beside him.
"You're still with us," he said quietly.
"Just… don't overthink it."
Zareth responded and looked him in the face, studying him even more.
"I don't know what is happening right now, but all I know is that I'm going to die today in this examination."
The words hung in the air for a moment.
Even the wind around the training ground felt like it paused.
Amano immediately shook his head.
"No don't say that."
His grip tightened slightly on Zareth's sleeve, as if trying to anchor him to reality.
Enji's expression didn't change, but
his gaze sharpened.
"You're already assuming the outcome," he said calmly. "That's the fastest way to fail."
Zareth didn't look away from the ground.
The markings on the ground brightened.
A low pressure spread outward from the circle, pressing against Zareth's skin like invisible weight.
Amano stepped back instinctively.
Enji raised his hand slightly as the markings beneath Zareth's feet glowed brighter.
"This is the Resonance Examination," he said calmly. "It has four stages."
Ayame continued without emotion.
"First is stabilization. The seal isolates you from everything outside this field."
The air around Zareth grew heavier, like invisible pressure pressing inward.
"Second is resonance triggering," Enji added. "Anything hidden inside your body will respond to the seal."
Zareth's fingers tightened slightly.
"Third," Ayame said, her eyes narrowing, "is exposure. If there's anything abnormal in you, it will be forced out."
Amano's expression stiffened.
"And the final stage?" someone asked quietly.
Enji's gaze didn't leave Zareth.
"Judgment," he said. "We decide what you are."
The circle beneath Zareth pulsed once more, brighter than before.
The examination had officially begun.
The moment Judgment was spoken the seal was no longer a barrier.
It became an eye.
The crimson circle beneath Zareth didn't just glow—it looked into him.
Something deep within the Byakuren technique activated, not targeting his body, but sinking past flesh, past blood, past thought itself. It wasn't pressure anymore.
It was inspection.
As if the world had turned its gaze inward and decided to read everything he was.
Zareth's breath hitched.
"What is this…?"
The system flickered violently in response, as if struggling against something that was not external but internal access. Lines of light crawled across his vision, breaking apart, reforming, collapsing again.
When the pressure became stronger, Zareth changed. Not only did his system react, but even the demon blood inside him responded. It wasn't a normal reaction—it was something that rumbled through his body, causing him to lose control.
Zareth's breath broke.
"…grrh"
The eight members of Byakuren stood frozen, disbelief etched across their faces.
None of them moved. Not even a breath felt natural in that moment.
For the first time in the entire history of Byakuren, something like this was unfolding before their eyes—an anomaly that did not belong in any recorded trial, any known examination, or any past encounter.
Zareth's condition was no longer just a test—it had turned into something closer to a slow, suffocating execution.
The pressure from the examination kept crushing down on him, heavier with every passing second. His eyes turned red, pupils shifting into a deep crimson as blood slowly ran from his nose.
Then his body reacted again.
A sharp gash appeared along his neck, as if something unseen had dragged a blade across him, carving downward toward his chest.
"khhh—"
The Byakuren stood frozen, unable to process what they were seeing.
Ayame's eyes widened slightly as she noticed the blood trailing from Zareth's nose.
No one spoke. No one moved.
The others clenched their fists, tense and conflicted, like they wanted to stop it but couldn't.
Amano stood there shaking, his face tight with pain as he watched Zareth suffer.
Tears formed in his eyes.
Zareth, however, remained at the center of the seal, enduring it.
Beside him, Renji said nothing. His expression stayed controlled, but his gaze grew darker as he continued watching the examination unfold.
"I'm sorry… I can't fight anymore…"
His knees gave out, dropping hard to the ground as he braced himself against the pain.
"…nnn—RRGH!"
A strained groan tore from his throat as his body trembled, barely holding itself together under the pressure.
Blood spilled as Zareth coughed violently, his body convulsing as the pressure finally began to ease.
He gagged, blood dripping from his mouth, his breathing broken and uneven as if something inside him had been torn apart.
Then something inside Zareth snapped.
"GHHH—!"
A violent force burst from his body, shaking the entire examination field.
Dark energy exploded outward like smoke, twisting around him violently as cracks spread beneath the seal.
Several Pillars stepped back instinctively.
Amano's face turned pale.
"Zareth—!"
Zareth's body trembled uncontrollably.
Slowly, he lifted his head.
His crimson eyes glowed beneath the pressure, no longer looking human. Blood ran from the wounds across his neck as black veins spread under his skin, crawling like something alive was moving inside him.
The translucent screen flickered violently across his vision.
[WARNING]
[Demonic Presence Attempting Manifestation]
[Emergency Restraint Activated]
Blue light suddenly erupted around him.
Chains of glowing energy wrapped around his arms and chest,
tightening instantly as the dark aura surged harder against them.
CRACK.
The ground beneath him shattered.
"GRAAAAHHH—!"
The roar that escaped Zareth's throat no longer sounded human.
The entire training ground fell silent.
Even the Pillars froze.
Ayame tightened her grip around her sword, her eyes darkening.
"That thing inside him…"
Renji's expression sharpened immediately.
"It's trying to manifest."
Another pulse exploded from Zareth's body.
The dark energy surged outward again but the glowing restraints tightened violently, forcing it back before it could escape beyond the seal.
Zareth screamed in pain as the chains burned against his skin.
The examination was no longer under Byakuren's control.
Now the system itself was fighting to keep the demon inside Zareth contained.
"Hold the seal!"
Enji's voice exploded across the training ground the moment another shockwave burst from Zareth's body.
The cracked markings beneath the field brightened violently, trying to stabilize as dark energy continued pouring from Zareth like smoke from an open wound.
"Ayame!"
"I know!"
Ayame slammed her blade into the edge of the circle.
Purple flames spread across the damaged seal immediately, stitching over the cracks before they could spread farther across the ground.