Chapter 5 FINAL ASSIGNMENT (|)

• To an immortal, time is but a number. As
• such, highly ranked demons have no little to no interest in lowly-ranked
• members of their kind whose lifespan is over in the blink of an eye. Since
• years of exposure to tragedy gradually desensitizes a mere human, a demon whose
• base instinct is evil and has experienced unimaginable tragedy cannot be
• expected to fare any better. To them, emotions are dispensable because they
• have a time limit.
• This knowledge makes Klade ecstatic,
• because his encounter with Pride will catapult him into the next level. When he
• was chosen for this mission, his family made arrangements for his funeral, as a
• demon of Pride’s caliber would only ever actively seek out a subordinate for
• two reasons- death or promotion. Getting promoted seemed to be the last thing
• that could happen to him, as the mission was a highly difficult one.
• A portal opens. Pride’s voice is heard on
• the other side. “Step forward Klade Gregor, of the House of Gregor.”
• As Klade steps forward, his other team
• members look on in envy. This could have been their time to shine, but they
• prioritized their survival over the mission and missed out on its rewards. The
• portal closes immediately he enters, but the other demons remain as they are,
• afraid of incurring their ancestor’s wrath.
• When Klade opens his eyes, he is in a
• magnificent hall, with all sorts of accessories hanging around. Awed by the
• resplendence of the hall, he is tempted to move closer and touch a nearby
• candelabra. Before he takes a step forward, however, he comes back to his
• senses. “What if this is a test? What sensible guest would go around touching
• things indiscriminately, just because he is alone? This is my ancestor’s house-
• I must be more respectful.”
• After five minutes, the environment changes
• and he finds himself in a courtyard where Pride and a young demon are seated.
• Only then does he realize that the former scenery was an illusion.
• “A true demon of pride is not swayed by
• anything. Had you as much as taking a step forward, your soul would have been
• reduced to fine dust. Even the water of the Eternal River of Reincarnation
• would be unable to successfully heal the injury to your True Soul. You’d be
• eternally reborn with a scarred True Soul and mediocre potential.”
• Klade remains calm at his ancestor’s words,
• but the horror in his eyes is barely concealed. The blessing of a high-ranked
• demon is a double-edged sword, as the definition of a reward depends on the
• mood of the demon. He can only blame himself for being obvious enough to catch
• their attention.
• “Step forward, warrior. Step forward to
• receive your blessing.”
• Klade moves forward with heavy steps,
• trying his best to not let fear get the better of him. Defying his ancestor’s
• orders would result in inevitable doom- he is certain that he won’t even
• understand when or how he died. He adopts a half-kneeling posture, as tradition
• demands.
• “On this day, with the essence that forms
• the very core of my being, I bestow my blessing upon you. I grant you a
• qualitative increase in rank, status, and power. You will always be unequaled
• amongst many others. Rise, my warrior, and heed my will. For my will is the law.”
• Klade stands on his feet, eyes gleaming
• with a new light.  He immediately
• responds to Pride. “My life is yours, my lord. I seek to please my ancestor
• alone.”
• “I have just one mission for you. One
• mission and no more.” Pride clears his throat loudly before continuing. “I
• would ordinarily not be bothered to explain the details to you, but I doubt
• that anyone else would be able to properly convey what I have in mind other
• than myself.”
• “This mission is one that requires extreme
• concentration and determination. If the assignment is compromised in any way,
• you’d better extinguish your True Soul immediately, because it will be child’s
• play compared to the ‘reward’ that awaits you.
• Generals have killed and are still killing
• to be given this mission. Marquis demons have repeatedly offered me their True
• Soul. Even Andromeda and Belial[1]
• agreed to eternally remain in my debt if I gave them this task. I am not saying
• this to frighten you, but to help you realize how special you are.”
• Pride pauses his speech to let his words
• sink in. The lower-ranked demon, on the other hand, remains silent, but only
• for a while. “I accept the assignment, my lord.”
• “This mission is the epitome of grave
• danger. There can be no hesitation in the discharge of your duties at all.
• Accepting this assignment will cause you to step on many toes- you’d probably
• be hated by almost everyone. Many demons will be closely watching from the
• shadows, waiting for an opportune moment to strike. And they will not show
• mercy. They will not hesitate to kick you when you are down. Knowing all this,
• do you still accept the mission?”
• “My lord, my mentor used to say something,
• like a song on repeat. The greatest dangers lurk within immense success.
• You would not have chosen me if you did not consider me worthy. It is left for
• me to prove my worth to anyone who thinks otherwise.”
• Pride nods his head at the lesser demon’s
• words, clearly impressed.
• “The way of pride is a crooked one, and
• only those who remain true to themselves walk it to the very end. Who is this
• mentor of yours?”
• “Oliver Denarius, my lord. Permit me to
• mention that he is deceased.”
• “Wise demons die too soon, leaving only
• featherbrained retards who think themselves to be wise. They are indeed the
• biggest fools. Turn around, boy. Let him see your face.”
• The young demon turns around to reveal
• stunning features, leaving Klade dumbstruck. But the next words that come out
• of Pride’s mouth are even more shocking.
• “Meet Travis, my son, and your new
• assignment.”