"What is happening?" A strained female voice countered.
The crowd, which was beginning to leave, was pinned down by some kind of power that made them immobile. They stirred in horror as their bodies began to tremble, fear gripping them like a vice. Then, in one swift movement, they were all brought to their knees.
"What is going on?" Arthur tried to understand as he looked around at the people who looked extremely scared as they stared down at their limp bodies, unable to rise up. Elias staggered back, clutched his knees, and panted as if he had just run a marathon.
"Damn, this body is still so weak. He muttered to himself as the glow in his eyes slowly dimmed. I need to do something before the body completely breaks down. Slowly, the force holding the people back eased up, but none of them dared rise to their feet. Julian was still kneeling, facing Elias.
"What just happened?" Arthur looked over at Catherine, but she gave out nothing. She, too, was confused as to what it was. Shrugging at the root cause of these strange events, Arthur turned towards Elias and glared at him.
"What is wrong with you?" he exclaimed.
"Can't you see your brother is trying to atone with an apology to you? Can't you be as reasonable for once in your entire pathetic life? You break my heart."
Elias shrugged as he huffed and glared at the man. You say I am being unreasonable and unapologetic.
"Are you so stupid, Mister Blackwood, that you can't see that your favorite son is just acting? I mean, even an outsider can see it. I will not blame you, though; you are as blind as a bat."
"You little thing. How dare you speak to me like that? Arthur exploded. Guards," he roared. And from the side, a group of almost twenty men rushed over.
"The hell system has been activated. Host, first mission: Take revenge for Elias Blackwood. Reward: five times health pack." Just then, a mechanical voice rang inside Elias's head. His eyes went wide as he wondered what was happening. "What in the name of the devil is going on?" He wondered, and deep inside, a blood-red interface began to slowly appear in front of his eyes.
Elias tried to claw at it, but his hands passed right through it as if it were not physical but something beyond his own understanding. Sweat broke out across his forehead, mixing with the blood from his nose. His entire body shook; whether from the strain of his deteriorating condition or the terrible choice before him, he couldn't tell."A five x health pack. That could work.
This body is too weak. It might break down soon. But what is this system?" Elias began to wonder. "Guards, take this kid down," Arthur roared.Julian slowly rose from his kneeling position, a smirk forming at his lips as he glanced towards Elias with enthusiasm. You asked for it, brat! " He thought.
"Oh, Arthur! Oh, Arthur! You still crave my life, even after everything you've inflicted upon me?
"Worthless. Good for nothing. A pathetic excuse for a father," Elias spat, his voice rising with such unexpected enthusiasm that he shocked even himself. It was as if he'd been waiting for nothing less than this betrayal from the man who should have protected him. "After everything you've done to me all these years, and now you still choose sides?"
Arthur's face contorted with rage. "What are you talking about, brat? Shut that mouth of yours!" he bellowed.
The guards advanced, waving batons in the air as they moved as a singular, threatening unit. The people still frozen on the ground watched with mounting fear, their hearts hammering against their ribs. None dared utter a word. Catherine stepped forward, her maternal instinct overriding her caution, but Arthur fixed her with such an intense glare that she retreated. She stood helpless, watching the situation escalate beyond her control, her hands trembling at her sides.
The guards raised their batons high. "Arrrgh!" they growled, racing forward with practiced aggression.
Elias's mouth curved into a smirk. He didn't move, didn't flinch. He simply stood there, watching the men close the distance between them. Then, in the next second, something unheard of happened.
The men's hands froze mid-air. Silence descended, thick enough to cut with a knife.
Arthur stared in awe and disbelief, his mouth falling open. "Although I don't have any of my power, I can feel something," Elias thought, a strange sensation coursing through his veins like liquid fire.
His eyes grew even redder as the glowing hue intensified, pulsing with otherworldly energy. With a smirk playing on his lips, Elias raised a single hand and flicked a finger. A crimson hue rushed out from him like a tidal wave, striking each guard directly in the eyes. Slowly, inexorably, their pupils began to turn until they bore the same demonic red hue as his horn.
Before the guards could utter a single word of protest or confusion, they dropped their batons. The weapons clattered against the stone as the men grasped their heads, their faces contorting into expressions of pure derangement. When they opened their mouths, no sound emerged—only silent screams of agony.
Then, from their eyes, blood began pooling out in thick rivulets.
Arthur, Catherine, and Julian stood paralyzed in awe and disbelief. Their eyes widened, pupils dilated, as they absorbed the horrific scene unfolding before them. Catherine's hand flew to her mouth, stifling a scream.
With one last ear-piercing yell that echoed off the surrounding buildings, each guard fell forward, hitting the ground with sickening thuds. They didn't move again. Dead.
Silence gripped the area like a suffocating blanket. The people who had been kneeling let out gasps of awe and terror. Some collapsed entirely, fainting from the horror they'd witnessed.
"Malice Credits plus one." "Malice Credits plus one." "Malice Credits plus one." "Malice Credits plus one."
As the guards scrambled and gasped for their last breaths, Elias heard the same mechanical voice from earlier echoing in his mind.
"Soul Snatcher ability used. Ability activated. Twenty Malice Credits gained. Reach one hundred credits to level up. A secret ability has been unlocked. Consume twenty Malice Credits to unlock the skill. Select yes or no," the system instructed in its emotionless tone.
Elias frowned, processing the information. "Soul Snatcher—that's a top-grade ability in the demon realm," he mused internally, "but this seems to be only a basic version. A high-level Soul Snatcher can bind souls, grant life, and even take it. This is nothing compared to the true ability, but it appears to be only in its initial stages." He shook his head, disappointed yet unsurprised.
"A secret ability?" he pondered, weighing his options carefully. "Twenty Malice Credits, but I just acquired them. The skill might not prove worthwhile, but then again, I have nothing to lose."
He shrugged and selected yes.
"Host selected yes. Twenty Malice Credits spent to unlock secret skill. New skill: Red Smoke. Attributes: none. Level: F, Skill description unavailable. Please upgrade to open this feature," the system announced.
"Oh shit, just as I thought—utter bullshit," Elias cursed internally, his jaw clenching. "Red Smoke? What the hell is that?" He beat himself up mentally for the hasty decision, but ultimately shrugged and accepted the outcome with grim resignation. "It's okay, I guess. Back to square one now."
Elias shook his head, pushing aside his frustration, and turned to stare at the others. His red eyes gleamed with dangerous intent.