Liu Yang stood still, his legs stiff, his hands shaking. Then he pointed his finger at them both, his lips curling into a shaky grin.
"Fuck… yes… my skill…" he muttered, his voice cracking.
He puffed his chest, yelling loud. "Demonic Overdrive!"
"…"
Nothing.
The forest wind blew, leaves rustled, and nothing else happened.
"Eh…?" His eyes blinked fast, his finger still pointed, frozen in the air. Sweat rolled down his temple. "Wait… wait, where's the explosion? Where's the power-up aura? Where's the boom sound effect?!"
The brothers slowed their run for a second, staring at him like he was the dumbest thing alive.
Bill snorted. "What the hell is he doing now… casting a curse with his finger?"
The other laughed. "No, no, look at his face. He really thinks something's about to happen."
"Let's go, brother, let's finish the dumbest demon alive," one of them shouted, and both of Bill's brothers sped up, their swords cutting through the air.
"Wait… wait… you guys…!" Liu Yang's gulp, his throat was dry.
He raised one hand flat, then slapped the edge of his other hand on top of it, making a shaky "T" in the air. His arms trembled, his face red, his eyes wide.
"Stop! Timeout! Who the hell starts round two without giving me a tutorial?!"
The soldiers didn't slow. To them he just looked like a scared demon waving his arms around, begging not to die.
Bill squinted through his helmet, his sword lifted high. "What the hell's that supposed to mean? Tea break? You want tea before dying?"
[Host, you really are the dumbest demon alive.]
[Tutorial activating.]
[Stopping Time.]
The air stopped moving all at once. The wind that had been pushing the grass froze in place, the blades standing still like they forgot how to sway.
A leaf that was falling right in front of him just hung there, not going up, not going down, like someone painted it in the air.
Bill and his brothers were stuck the same way, their swords raised, their mouths open wide in the middle of a laugh, but no sound came out anymore, not even a breath.
Liu Yang's lips twitched. His eyes blinked fast. He slowly reached his hand out and poked the leaf. It didn't move. His finger slid around it, but it was like poking glass.
Liu Yang blinked fast. His lips twitched. He lifted one foot and then the other, slowly, careful, like he was testing if time really stopped. His steps echoed soft with thud on the ground as he walked towards Bill.
Bill's mouth was wide, teeth showing, but frozen. Liu Yang leaned in close, staring right into his face. He waved his hand in front of Bill's eyes. No blink. No movement.
"Heh… heh… what the hell… this is… this is kinda cool…"
Liu Yang grinned, tongue sliding out as he stretched it at Bill like a kid. His body trembling with nervousness mixed with excitement.
"Uh… hey System… can I, uh… kill him now?"
The glowing text on System screen flickered in front of his eyes.
[No. Tutorial first. Not playtime.]
Before Liu Yang could blink, the world twisted. His body jerked and he was standing back exactly where he was before, in front of the rushing soldiers.
Right in front of Liu Yang's eyes, a System screen spread wide, brighter than before.
[Tutorial: Combat Basics]
[Step 1: Host must activate skill inside the mind. Yelling at the enemy like an idiot does not count.]
[Step 2: Focus on the name of the skill. Say it inside your head. System will handle the activation.]
[Step 3: Host must understand the cost. The longer you keep it active, the more your body will suffer afterwards.]
The letters in the System screen blinked once, sharp this time.
[Now, Host, repeat after me in your head: Demonic Overdrive.]
"I see, I see… so I need to think it, feel it in my head. Got it, got it…"
Liu Yang bent his knees, then jumped straight up, his arms flapping in the air.
He landed with a thud in a ground, he stretched his arms out wide to the side, then pulled them back across his chest, swinging like he was loosening up his shoulders.
After that he raised both hands high, fingers spread, reaching for the sky, his back arching like he was trying to grow taller.
He bent forward next, his fat… no, slim demon body folding, his hands swinging down toward his toes, his butt sticking up like some kid in gym class.
Then he twisted his waist left and right, arms flopping, his mouth muttering, "Warm up, warm up, can't activate a skill cold, right?"
"Ok now I'm ready…" Liu Yang muttered, his breath heavy, his arms still stretched from his awkward warm-up. His lips curled into a grin, his eyes narrowing like he was suddenly someone else.
"Ready to show the power of this demonic body…" he said slow, deep, like every word carried weight.
The forest air around him felt heavy for a second, like the whole world was waiting.
"They mocked me… they laughed at me… but now I'll show them… I'll show them who the real main character is."
His head tilted down, shadow covering his face. His voice dropped to a low growl.
"I am…"
He paused. The System screen glowed brighter, waiting. His whole body trembled like it was about to unleash something world-shattering.
Then he shouted at the top of his lungs—
"I am… Ato—"
[BZZZT ⚠ Content Censored]
The System screen flashed red in front of his eyes.
[Warning: Host attempted to copy heroic dialogue from another world.]
[Violation of World Terms & Conditions: Plagiarism detected.]
[Please create your own cool line instead of stealing someone else's.]
Liu Yang's face went blank. His lips twitched, his eyes blinking fast. "W-what the hell?! Even my catchphrases have copyright strikes here?!"
[Yes. Heroes of your world are copyrighted material. Any attempt to reuse their speeches will be punished in this world.]
Liu Yang stomped his foot, his cheeks puffing red. "This is bullshit! What kind of fantasy world has plagiarism laws?!"
[The kind where you, Host, are a walking violation.]
Liu Yang's body sagged, his hands hanging down. He let out a long groan. "F-fine… fine! Whatever!"
He shut his eyes tight, fists clenching. In his head, he finally spoke the words steady and clear.
[Demonic Overdrive.]