Chapter 10: The Ultimate Temptation
Elvas stumbled into his room, his chest heaving, the Fae Queen's damning warning still carved into his mind like a persistent curse. Her voice echoed in him, repeating relentlessly until his skull felt ready to crack with the pressure.
He dropped his heavy backpack onto the bed; the sound was a dull thud in the thick silence. He sat on the edge of the mattress, elbows resting on his knees, his hands trembling as if the weight of the entire city pressed down upon his shoulders. Guilt dug deep, and raw fear curled sharp in his gut.
"Is the System… truly evil?" His voice was low, barely audible, as if speaking it louder would immediately summon something horrific. "Is that why Kalia is gone? Did I do that?"
The thought sliced through him, too sharp and immediate to ignore.
He stood and paced restlessly until his eyes fell on the drawer where the black book was hidden. Even concealed, its dark presence filled the room like a heavy shadow pressing on his skin.
He yanked the drawer open and pulled it out. The cover was cold beneath his fingertips, smooth and dense, the crimson letters glinting faintly in the dim light: Demon System.
Elvas stared at it, his chest tight, his mind twisting between blinding fury and the dark allure of temptation.
"Why should I feel remorse?" His voice was sharper now, cutting the quiet. "They all deserve punishment."
He clenched the book tighter, his eyes hard and cold.
"The elders, the seven clans—they murdered my mother. They transformed my life into a living hell. If this book can erase people, maybe it's not a curse. Maybe it's the perfect weapon. Maybe I can finally make them pay. Every single one of them."
His hands shook, but the tremor wasn't from fear anymore. Anger ran hot through his veins, mingling dangerously with the seductive lure of possibility.
He dropped the book onto the bed. It sank deep into the mattress, heavy and final, like a verdict. His thoughts spun faster, darker, spiraling toward vengeance.
A sudden, sharp knock jolted him.
His heart lurched into his throat.
He fumbled clumsily, panic clawing at him as he frantically shoved the book into his backpack.
"Who's there?" he called, his voice cracking. His eyes darted to the bag, terrified it might betray him.
The door creaked open. A woman stepped inside, her uniform dark, her expression carved from stone—an Enforcer of Avalon's justice.
"We are searching all student rooms," she said flatly, her gaze sweeping the space with cold efficiency. "Orders from the Clan Rulers."
Elvas froze, his throat dry, his pulse hammering so violently he thought she must be able to hear it. "Searching for what?"
"The Demon System Book." Her voice carried no emotion, only unyielding certainty. She stepped further in, her boots striking the floor with heavy purpose. "It is dangerous."
Elvas's stomach twisted. His eyes flicked frantically toward the backpack. If she opens it, everything is over.
"Why?" His words came out fast, too sharp. "What has it done?"
Her gaze cut to him, narrowing with suspicion. "You do not require that information. Simply stay out of the way."
She moved through the room with methodical precision, pulling open drawers, rifling through shelves, turning over clothes. Every sound tore at Elvas's already shredded nerves.
"What happens if you find it?" His voice was tight, strained with desperate fear. "What's so wrong with the book?"
She ignored him, her hands moving expertly, searching every small corner. "It is an immediate threat to the balance of Avalon. That is the only justification necessary."
Elvas's heart thundered in his ears. His palms turned slick with sweat. If she reached the backpack, his fleeting freedom would end, and the system would be found.
And then she did.
Her eyes settled on the bag. She unzipped it without a second's hesitation, her hand reaching inside.
Elvas instinctively stepped forward, his words tumbling out fast. "That's just my school stuff! I swear, there is nothing important in there!"
She ignored him entirely. Her hand pulled a book free.
Elvas's breath hitched, his body locking, bracing for the sight of the glowing crimson letters.
But she frowned, flipped the mundane textbook open, then tossed it back casually like garbage. "Just a textbook."
His knees nearly gave out from the tsunami of relief that crashed over him.
The woman straightened, her voice cold and judgmental. "Be vigilant, kid. If you see that Book, report it immediately. Do not even think about keeping it. Especially considering what your kind do."
Elvas blinked. "My kind?"
"Demons," she said it like spitting a curse. "The System always finds its way back to your people. Do not hide it if it shows up."
His jaw clenched, raw anger flaring hot in his chest. "I am not my kind. I am not a full demon. I am not like them."
She merely shrugged, already heading for the door. "It makes no difference. Just follow your orders."
The door closed behind her with a definitive click.
Elvas stood there shaking, boiling with fresh rage. "My kind, huh?" he muttered bitterly. "Always the same garbage. Always the outcast."
He yanked the backpack open, his heart stuttering. The black book lay inside, untouched, its surface impossibly flawless, as if her hands had never even grazed it.
"How?" he whispered, pulling it out. "She looked right at it. She had it in her hands. Why didn't she see you?"
The cover seemed darker, heavier, the crimson letters glowing faintly like barely restrained embers.
Elvas's fingers traced the surface. "What are you?"
The air shimmered violently. Red words flared to life, sharp and glowing, the System's voice slicing straight into his very soul.
[System Response: Host Elvas Das, I can make your dreams reality.]
[I can grant you the strength to defeat the Elders of the Seven Clans.]
Elvas's eyes widened, his pulse spiking uncontrollably. A surge of desperate excitement broke through the paralyzing fear in his chest.
"Really?" His voice came out eager, almost breathless with hope. "You can make me strong enough to take them down? I could finally make them pay for everything they did to my mom?"
[System Response: Affirmative. But a tremendous sacrifice is required for such ultimate power.]
His excitement instantly faltered. His brow furrowed with suspicion. "Sacrifice? What kind of sacrifice?"
His voice rose, edged with cold anger. "Don't you dare tell me it's another Player Deletion."
[System Response: Negative. No Player Deletion is required. To gain sufficient power, you must bond with the System.]
Elvas gripped the book tighter, his pulse hammering against his eardrums. "Bond? What exactly are you talking about? Explain it!"
He shook the book in the air. "What do I have to do?"
[System Response: Your soul will be exchanged. Full bonding will grant access to all ultimate abilities and powers.]
[All current Tasks must still be completed. Failure is not an option.]
Elvas's breath caught, a cold, crushing weight forming in his gut. "My soul? What in the world does that actually mean?"
"You're saying I hand over my soul, and in exchange, I get stronger than the Clan Rulers? How does that exchange even work?"
[System Response: Upon bonding, your consciousness and soul merge with the System's core. Only your total destruction will end the System. Your destiny becomes mine. Do you agree to these terms?]