He grabbed the discarded fire poker that was leaning on a desolate corner of the living room.
Rena just looked at him and continued playing. He walked towards the kitchen cautiously. His steps were slow but heavy. When he arrived, the creaks once again sounded.
[Host I'm scared]
"It's useless to find comfort in me. Because I'm scared too."
It was inside the small cabinet underneath the sink. That is where the pipes are located. He didn't crouch down, but he hooked the handle of the cabinet using the fire poker.
CRRRIIIING
The rust on the metal hinges made an uncomfortably loud sound. He held his breath the moment he opened it. It was pitch black inside.
Then something came out.
[AHHHHHHHHHH!]
Cia tried to stab it but it was fast. It scurried away and ran towards the living room. He didn't chase it, because he saw what it really was.
A very fat grey rat.
He sighed in relief. "Seriously?" he whispered to himself. "I got all tense over that?"
[Huhuhuhuhu I hate rats] The system now had a psychological shadow.
It was a false alarm. His heart was still pounding from all that fear. He bent down and closed the cabinet back.
He should buy rat poison, because that was one fat rat.
"Brother?" He heard Rena's voice.
He walked to the hallway and saw that Rena was standing in front of Sam and Eri's room (one room). She was outside the door and was staring inside the bedroom.
"I'm here, what's wrong?" Cia asked. His nerves already loosened. He walked towards Rena and patted her head.
Rena didn't look at him. She pointed at the curtains inside the bedroom, "I think I saw something moving behind the curtains. I thought you're there."
Hearing what she said, Cia's blood immediately ran cold. He stared at the curtains and muttered, "But I locked everything..."
Rena heard Cia's whisper. She remembered something.
She clutched his shirt as she warily looked at the curtains, "You didn't lock the floor, Brother."
Cia's brows furrowed. "What do you mean?"
"There's a door under their bed," she whispered. "Sam and Eri said it's a cellar. You can open it from outside too."
"They rarely use it since the door on the outside is faulty. It couldn't be opened... Sam did open it once and it got stuck again."
His blood drained.
The cellar. He had no idea. Of course he didn't, he was barely home. Sam and Eri probably never thought to mention it.
He froze, his eyes darting toward the curtains.
"System. Scan it."
This time, the system didn't say anything and just directly did the scan.
---
[Scanning... 40%... 60%... 100%...]
[No Presence Detected]
---
Fuck.
But the realization had come too late. As if sensing that the prey realized that it was there, it stopped hiding behind the curtains and moved.
A shadow lunged towards him and Rena. It was fast.
He barely had time to push Rena behind him when the monster crashed into him.
It was a demon with a pig head, fused to a muscular human body. It didn't look like it was stitched together. Very natural. Its glowing red eyes locked onto Cia with hatred.
Cia pushed Rena to the side. "Run! Get out! Knock on every neighbor's door. If no one answers, hide!"
Who the hell has time to consider the law when you're being attacked by a demon?!
Rena stumbled and ran towards the kitchen. Cia had no time to be concerned about her because this monster was about to kill him.
[Ah! Be careful Host!]
The creature swung a cleaver. Cia dodged to the side, the blade grazed his shoulder, tearing through his shirt. Blood spluttered out from the wound.
He scrambled back to create some distance between him and the monster. He lifted up the weapon that he was holding.
The monster charged again.
Cia thrust the poker, aiming for its throat, but the beast caught it with an oversized hand and ripped it from his grip, tossing it aside.
He wasn't just flimsily holding the fire poker, it was a death grip. But based on how easily the monster tossed it away, it was clear that he was at a disadvantage in strength.
The cleaver came down.
He rolled, but not fast enough.
The blade tore through his backside deep. If he didn't dodge then he would have been cleaved in half.
Hot blood spilled instantly, creating a small pool of blood. He gasped in pain. Fuck, the system mission really overestimated him. How can he 'eliminate' this stalker?!
The monster stood over him. It raised its cleaver, about to deliver the final strike.
DING!
---
[Status: Critical Condition – Life Threat Imminent. Dissolving the seal. Activating Bloodline.]
[Awakening Detected...]
[User Bloodline Recognition: Confirmed]
[Soul Resonance Complete]
---
Cia couldn't clearly hear what it was saying because he was fighting for his life. He crawled as he tried to reach for the fire poker.
But alas, it was tossed far enough for him to grasp.
Is this the end? Cia thought.
Does he really want to give up that quick? No. He doesn't want to.
Something inside him snapped open. At this point, he was just controlling it instinctually.
A chain erupted from his back. It was semi-corporeal, sharp, and howling with rage. Its sharp arrow-like tip pierced the beast's stomach, stopping its swing midair.
"KWAAAAAAR!"
The pig made an inhumane scream.
---
[Skill: Hell Torture – Activated]
[Cost: 30 MP]
[Remaining MP: 70/100]
[Cooldown begins: 00:04:59]
---
The chain pulsed, filled with nightmarish vengeance.
It fed the monster's nerves the pain it had inflicted to its victims. Cia had no idea what was happening, but he sensed an opportunity to survive.
The creature buckled to one knee.
Cia didn't let up.
He followed his instincts, summoning a second chain. The new chain wrapped around the monster's limbs, trapping it.
---
[Skill: Binding – Activated]
[Cost: 15 MP]
[Remaining MP: 55/100]
[Cooldown begins: 00:01:00]
---
Cia stood up, chest heaving, blood dripping down his back. Fortunately, the wound had closed.
With the last of his strength, he picked up the fire poker and plunged it into the beast's chest, just below the ribs.
Before, his strength was weaker than the monster. Now, he could feel that they were around the same.
"SHRIIIIIIIIIIIIIICK!"
It screamed one final time before it collapsed.
Cia staggered back, nearly falling.
---
[Kill: Bakras]
[Sin level: IV]
[Gained 35 EXP]
[(Sprout) Level 1: 35/100 EXP]
[Bloodlust Gauge: (First Usage Benefits) N/A]
---
Finally, he managed to pay attention to the semitransparent interface that was floating in front of him.
---
[The chains unshackled and all the sins are remembered.
Welcome, Torturer. The wicked awaits.
The Judgment begins now.]
---
He leaned on the wall. His body was burning as if he was having a fever.
---
[Entry Mission 2: Awaken (Completed)
Reward: 200 EXP]
[Sub Mission: Eliminate Rena's stalker (Completed)
Reward: 300 EXP]
[(Sprout) Level 3: 535/600 EXP]
[Punisher Mode Off]
---
The chains behind him retracted. Cia was left alone gasping for breath as he looked at the floating system interface in front of him.
It does not look cool nor awesome. The red-colored interface looked very ominous against the dark background of the room. It resembled a transparent glass soaked in blood.
The corpse of the Bakras turned into smoke. The blood soaked on the wooden floorboards reminded Cia that he wasn't hallucinating and it wasn't just a dream.
He dropped down like melted ice cream on the floor. His body suddenly collapsed the moment he felt a sense of relaxation.
[Host! Are you okay?] The system panicked when it saw Cia's weak look.
"I'm fine..." He took a deep breath and forced himself to stand up.
Before exploring his newly acquired 'system', Cia didn't forget that he still had a little sister with him. He remembered that she seemed to have run to the kitchen.
When he arrived he saw that the backdoor remained untouched. At first he was confused, then he realized the issue. The knob at the backdoor is high. Rena couldn't reach it and there was no stool around here.
"Rena!" He called out. He doesn't want any more issues to arise after all that unwanted activity. Fortunately, the moment Rena heard his voice, she got out of her hiding spot.
It was underneath the sink. The small cabinet that Cia opened before. Rena's eyes were sore and her nose red. She was crying the entire time with her tiny hands covering her mouth.
Cia hugged her. His blood-soaked shirt stained her lilac dress, "It's okay now. It's fine. Everything is over."
Rena looked at him, her eyes teary, "I couldn't reach the knob..." Then she burst into tears once again.
She seemed to be feeling bad for not following his instructions, but in that situation, even Cia was clueless as to what to do. How can he blame a five-year-old child?
Cia comforted her, "You did a good job. It's fine." He carried her towards the hallway where the fight happened.
He placed Rena down as he surveyed the damage. There were cleaver marks, but the most concerning thing was the blood. This couldn't be wiped by a simple rag. If left behind, it could smell.
"No, this is not good." Cia muttered to the system. "They can't know what happened or that I have awakened. I need to remove the evidence."
[Why? It should be a good thing right?]
He shook his head, "I have my concerns. I have the original owner's memory and the information about awakeners and demons is a bit suspicious. Letting more know could land this family in trouble." Besides, he can't really trust his siblings' ability to keep a secret. Maybe telling them would be plunging them into a firehole.
Awakeners are labeled as something rare. They are basically legends, the same as how ordinary people viewed demons. They are in the Holy Book and people are aware that they existed, but the concept of those two is very out of reach.
Clearly there are demons lurking in the town. The 'serial killer' on the loose could be a demon. Why are they acting so secretive? To avoid panic?
Cia didn't dare bet. It's better to keep this a secret since even the native original owner lacks information about it.
Besides, is there really any reason for him to say it? Even if there is in other people's perspective, at least in Cia's view, it was useless.