Chapter 69 PALE

The perspective of Deat:

"You’ll be sent out to Allure Empire for assistance. I thought maybe someone closer to it should be the one, but I believe it should be you in specific."

"Oh, Angelo..."

"What?—I’m literally giving you a job, that’s a better use of your time than whatever you were doing."

I’m slightly annoyed at him—he’s always treating me like I’m some sort of good-for-nothing, even if we have history and he knows why I’m like this, he should calm down with this condescending attitude.

"Whatever you say."

I set out—I was alone for the time being, as the other members of the assistance unit were elsewhere outside the walls at the time of the request.

"Allure Empire."

Hmm...

"I wonder if they have any drugs," I said in a whisper.

No—I should focus, do what I’m tasked with.

Always finish your responsibilities before letting loose—you won’t have something buggin’ you at the back of your head that way.

Beyond the walls I stood...

Tilting my head as the breeze pushed my snow-white hair upwards, lifting it delicately towards the heavens I do not belong in.

[MENTAL CLARITY ACTIVATED]

A fleeting step backwards; then, with grace I took a step forward and leapt across the sky.

[SHADOW LEAP ACTIVATED]

An hour in...

"Sucky Tree, Level 2"

The entire time I was going, I had analysis on—any monsters would get flagged by the System.

"Blubba, Level 5"

How’d these get here?—huh.

"Toilet Parasite, Level 1.5"

Then as I was suspended in the air, I allowed my eyelids to fall shut—wholly surrendering myself to the embrace of the wind.

And as I did so, my darkness-fueled arm began to envelop itself in swirling wisps of black lightning.

"Die," I let out as every single monster simply evaporated.

Gently, I landed on the ground and scrutinized all the dead monsters.

"Wait..."

"I should’ve had some fun with sucky trees."

I still had some MDMA for it as well.

Immediately, let out a sigh.

"Well, whatever."

[MENTAL CLARITY ACTIVATED]

[LEAP ACTIVATED]

A couple of days officially passed...

I was nearing Allure, but was still a significant distance away.

"Huh," I let out as something peculiar entered my vision.

[SHADOW EXCHANGE ACTIVATED]

Instantaneously, a smell beyond foul went into my nostrils.

A pile of dead bodies covered in flies—blood, guts, and chunks of flesh scattered all over the place

Organs spilling out onto the ground in a disgusting mess of fluids flowing underneath them.

As my eyes skimmed through this place, a sudden flinch appeared—unconsciously forcing my expression to change into something beyond vigilant.

[MENTAL CLARITY ACTIVATED]

[ANALYSIS ACTIVATED]

Sound of rustling...

[ANALYSIS COMPLETE]

How did I not notice him before?—is he suppressing his MANA or somethin’?

[RESULTS: HUMAN WITH UNKNOWN ABNORMALITIES]

"Oh?"

It doesn’t appear to be noticing me—what is it doing?—hm.

I proceeded to walk up to it and...

"Hey..." quietly, I whispered as my hand went onto its arm.

Disgust.

Intense disgust—that was the dominating feeling that erupted upon the sight of this creature devouring one of these rotting, old corpses.

A shadow blade materialized—and as I softly grabbed it and prepared to slice the monster’s head...

"Oh..."

It instantly dodged it.

Stood a pale man, blood smeared all over its mouth—nude, its muscles exposed, covered in wounds from head to its little pecker.

"You’re not going to say anything?"

Its expression is so bored and apathetic...

"We— weak," it let out as its eyes spun—circled endlessly in a loop.

I see...

"Oh... you think I’m weak?—is that why you didn’t react to me?"

Then...

[MANA AURA ACTIVATED]

I’m not like those showoffs, you feel me?—I suppress myself for all the poor souls in my presence; I thought to myself in boredom that closely mirrored this creature.

[SYSTEM OVERLOAD .. OUTPUT 300%]

My MANA erupted—increasing over a hundred times, enough to make any outsider puke and lightheaded; it was a combination of regular MANA suppression and manual System increase.

Its expression immediately changed to that of...

"Ah— AHHH— AHHHHHHH...!!"

Flicked my head to the side—a crunch from my neck audibly vibrating.

"No matter..." I voiced.

Stepped closer to it...

And then tossed the shadow blade into the air—just slightly, as I repositioned my hand and caught the blade.

Rather than attacking me or even running, it simply kneeled down and began whimpering.

"Ahhhh... AHHHHH...!! No...!!"

Begging for its life?—fear?—no, that’s not what’s on its face.

Its hands went onto its hair—tightly gripping and pulling its hair out.

Then, abruptly, as I was about to properly slice its head off.

Mild apprehension entered the equation—and it wasn’t the creature that was feeling it

Had to be quick...

Into the air, I swung the blade...!!

[SHADOW EXCHANGE ACTIVATED]

I teleported next to it and...

Its hand was going straight into my stomach...!!

I was a tad faster—the blade went into its neck and...

It jumped away before it could graze me.

Sweat surrounded its face—oh?—so they do feel fear.

Tangibly, it began trembling.

Then...

I said for all to hear:

"Weak."

[SHADOW LEAP ACTIVATED]

Lunged towards it—it immediately took up some sort of martial arts stance—surprising.

No matter.

A grin popped up on my face.

[SHADOW DISMEMBERMENT ACTIVATED]

[SYSTEM OVERLOAD .. OUTPUT 250%]

As it attempted to thrust its arm towards me...

"FEEEEEEEEEEEEEEENT!!"

Its expression... unfortunately died.

In its stance, it simply dropped on the ground with shadow spikes piercing and surrounding its entire body.

"Ah... ah... uhhh..."

Eyes circling yet again...

"Still alive?" I let out rhetorically. "No way," I added.

It’s healing!! That was 250% output of a combat spell!!

[MENTAL CLARITY ACTIVATED]

As a drop of sweat ran down my cheek, I tightly gripped the shadow blade and cut off its head.

I did it sloppily—I was in awe, after all.

This time, its body started burning up—leaving nothing but white ash on the ground.

"One..."

I verbalized the number shakily.

"Just one..."

It can hide its MANA—that wasn’t reported.

And its physical prowess... its speed...

What the fuck even was that?!

[MENTAL CLARITY ACTIVATED]

[MENTAL CLARITY ACTIVATED]

[MENTAL CLARITY ACTIVATED]

Upon this flood of clarities, an unsightly thought crossed my mind...

And it was a rather simple thought...

It was...

The blunt realization...

There was no way the others in the assist unit could survive a creature such as this.

This is much worse than anyone thinks... the pale...

It’s... an epidemic.

Afterwards, my eyes went onto the sky...

Empty-eyed, I glared in exhaustion.

"I hate doing this..."

"I loathe work... all I want to do is drugs."

"I don’t want this stupid job shit—why am I working?—why am I a player?"

"I want to get high and relax—I don’t want to be fighting these fucking demons!!"

Then...

Angrily...

"But I accepted this..."

"So I must... I must..."

"And if I must... I will finish this properly."

Without so much as a pinch of happiness on my face...

"I won’t disappoint them..."

"...not ever."