"Eh? Why did I just say that name? Patricia Carmel?" Tres muttered. "I mean, I did see this notification…"
---
Skill: Eyes Without a Head
Know the names of the people who are trying to gaze upon you.
Confirmed individual gazing upon you:
Patricia Carmel
---
Tres looked at it as he could no longer feel Patricia's gaze.
"Did she hear me? I'm not sure if she could hear me… Whatever. I should start looking around the town."
Tres walked through the busy city, full of vendors and people. He entered an alley and saw a child standing there, getting mugged by three people. Tres walked ahead and said, "Hey, you guys are pretty shameless, aren't you?"
The three turned to Tres.
"And who the hell are you? Can't you see we're doing business?"
Tres looked at the scared boy, then at them. "Get out. Or else…"
The three muggers walked forward, sizing Tres up.
"Hey, what the hell is that stitching on your neck? Some sort of design?" They laughed.
Tres sighed, smiling. "Guess you're asking for a beating, huh?"
They turned serious, glaring at Tres. One of them put a knife to his neck.
"You know what? Why don't we take some money from you?"
Tres smirked. "No. I'm not giving you anything. And I'll teach you a lesson. Demonic System, activate."
Tres smiled as he looked at the muggers.
---
Error
The Demonic System has locked itself.
Since your head isn't separated from your body, you are restricting your true form, thus not allowing you to use your offensive skills.
You will not reach your full power until you separate your head from your body.
---
"Eh?" Tres looked wide-eyed as he turned to the muggers, cracking their knuckles. "Ah… hello, guys… ca-can we talk it out?"
They all laughed. "Get us some money, then."
"I don't really have money, you see…" Tres smiled awkwardly.
The three stared at him.
…
"It's cold… brrrr."
Tres stood in the alleyway wearing only boxers. His clothes had been forcefully taken. He was shivering.
"Trashy ba-bastards… I'll kill them…"
The boy who was getting mugged looked at Tres from a distance, then approached him.
"Uhm… thank you for helping me…" He held his hand forward, offering clothes.
"Oh?" Tres's eyes widened as he smiled. "T-thank you, kid."
He sneezed loudly, startling the child, as he quickly wore the clothes—a green shirt with a brown sweater over it and brown pants. Tres felt warmer as he thanked the kid.
"I am Andy," the boy smiled. "Thanks again for helping me back there."
Tres smiled. "I'm Trash—"
Andy looked confused. "Your name is Trash?"
Tres realized his mistake and quickly replied, "No, no! I said Tres. T-R-E-S. That's my pronunciation."
Andy looked confused but nodded.
Tres asked, "Why were they mugging you?"
Andy looked sad. "It's because of my dad… My dad took money from them and ran away. So they want to take the money from me…"
Tres looked surprised and felt bad for the kid. He bent down.
"Yeah… dads really are assholes. You know, mine did something so bad it ruined my life."
Andy looked up. "What did he do?"
"You're better off not knowing," Tres smiled.
Andy suddenly realized something. "Wait! I forgot—I'm late! I have to go home to my sister!! Sorry, Mister Tres, I need to go!"
Tres nodded. "Sure."
Andy ran off.
After four hours, Tres was on top of a building.
"I've checked out the entire city… I can't find the girl called Patricia. Was she looking at me from far away? I can't sense the same energy I felt back then."
---
Skill: Eyes Without a Head
Know the names of the people who are trying to gaze upon you.
---
Tres stared at the skill.
"Does it work over long distances? No… wait, why the hell would someone called Patricia be looking for me anyway?"
Tres sighed. "Let's just go back…"
He got down from the building, heading back to the huge mansion. People were gathered in front like always, but there seemed to be some angry guards talking to someone.
"Hm? What's this commotion?"
Tres walked forward and saw Andy crying on the floor.
"Please let my sister go! Please! Take me instead, not my sister! Please!"
Tres's eyes widened. "Andy! What are you doing here?"
Andy looked up and ran to Tres, hugging him.
"Mister, please save my sister! These people took her! Please, mister, please!"
Tres held Andy as he looked at the guards with a cold glare.
"Hey… why have you taken his sister?"
The guards looked annoyed. "What's it to you?"
One of the guards spoke up. "Hey, this is the guy Miss Runa brought."
The guard looked at Tres. "Well then, you must be the researcher. Good. You're needed. Follow me."
"Mister, please—" Andy cried.
Tres held Andy. "Andy, stay here. I'll bring your sister back in a minute."
Andy was still crying, but he trusted Tres. Tres followed the guard inside. Walking through the hallways, he saw multiple members of the Demonic Guild.
Soon, they reached a door, which the guard opened. Tres saw multiple people surrounding a girl on a bed. She was tied up. The people looked like researchers, wearing masks and white coats.
"What's going on?" Tres asked.
The guard pointed at a hanger. "Change fast."
"What's happening? Tell me that first!"
"Don't you know anything?" the guard said, mildly annoyed. "We're implanting a Soul Corruptor. The girl is dying anyway, so we'll just turn her into a Demonic being serving the guild."
"What? Her brother is outside screaming for his sister, and you want to do this?"
"So what?" the guard replied. "Their father didn't pay back the loan. He even signed the contract—one that allows us to use the children however we like."
Tres stared at them in aghast disbelief.
"Their dad did that…?"
His thoughts raced as he looked at the girl. She was injected with sedatives. Her face was thin. Her hair was the same color as his sister's—a shade of brown. Even from this distance, he could tell.
She was dying…
The researchers looked at Tres. "Hey, change fast. We're beginning the procedure."
Tres looked at them coldly. He grabbed a knife and pulled at the threads in his neck.
"Hey, what the hell are you doing?" they shouted.
He placed the knife to his neck and, in a single motion, cut the threads holding his head together.
Everyone in the room screamed in shock as Tres held his head and threw it at the guard. The guard instinctively caught it and looked down at the head in his hands.
He looked up—
The headless body pierced his heart with its hand.
Everyone in the room screamed in horror, calling for security.
---
Demonic System
You have met the conditions to unlock your offensive abilities as a Dullahan again.
---