◆『 Dante Lucifer 』◆
'Unlike those bastard mages, Demons like myself utilize an energy called Kleshmara.'
Kleshmara was the primary energy source used by Demonkind. Most Demons called it Mara for short, though some preferred the term Aeshma when referring to their power.
Unlike Mana, Kleshmara wasn't produced by the world's laws.
It came from the Demon themselves.
Every Demon possessed a
The stronger a Demon's convictions, the greater their potential. A weak desire might produce only a small amount of Kleshmara, while an overwhelming obsession could become the source of tremendous power.
Of course, no two Demons produced Kleshmara in exactly the same way. Their desires, experiences, convictions, and sense of self were different, causing their energy to develop along different paths. Even Demons with similar personalities could end up with vastly different forms of Kleshmara over time.
Interestingly, contradictions within a Demon's nature could be just as important as the desires themselves.
A Demon could desire something while fearing it. They could love someone while resenting them. They could crave control while possessing an equally powerful urge toward chaos.
These opposing impulses created tension within the self.
And that tension could strengthen their Kleshmara.
The same applied to distortions in one's perception, emotions, memories, and instincts. Mara naturally gravitated toward chaos, and the irregularities within a Demon's sense of self could influence how their power developed. Such distortions weren't necessarily flaws. They were deviations in the structure of one's identity, sometimes even producing entirely new abilities.
As long as these contradictions and distortions remained stable, a Demon could control and refine the Kleshmara they produced.
When they became too intense, however, their power could increase dramatically at the expense of their mental stability and control over their Mara.
Suppressing these contradictions could limit a Demon's potential. Embracing them too deeply could be just as dangerous, causing their Kleshmara to spiral out of control and potentially turning them into a Devil.
'It's a troublesome system, all things considered.'
Then again, what else could he expect from something as chaotic as demonic power?
There was also the matter of Aeshma.
Every Demon possessed one or more.
An Aeshma was the dominant aspect of a Demon's nature. It could be a vice, an obsession, a desire, an instinct, a concept, or even an affinity. Whatever form it took, it represented the aspect of their identity that most strongly influenced their power.
Some Demons possessed Aeshmas associated with traditional sins, such as Wrath or Lust. Others were defined by broader concepts, such as Violence or Hedonism.
An Aeshma naturally influenced the development of a Demon's Kleshmara. Techniques that aligned with it were easier to learn, more efficient to use, and generally stronger. They also developed at a faster rate, allowing the Demon to refine their abilities with less difficulty.
Techniques that conflicted with their Aeshma were a different story. Such techniques were harder to learn and control, as the Demon had to overcome the
In other words, an Aeshma determined the direction in which a Demon's power naturally wanted to grow.
'And in my case...'
Dante frowned slightly.
'I still don't know what mine is.'
He'd never really bothered trying to figure himself out. Back then, he'd assumed his Aeshma was probably Pride.
It would've made sense. He'd certainly possessed more than enough arrogance to qualify.
But the more he thought about it, the less certain he became.
There was something about the idea that didn't sit right with him. Pride might have been part of his nature, but he wasn't convinced it defined him.
He'd been arrogant, sure. Lazy, too. Selfish, impatient, and far too comfortable with getting whatever he wanted.
But were those traits enough to define his Aeshma?
'I wouldn't be surprised if it was Sloth, either.'
Dante thought back to the countless days he'd spent locked away in his room, wrapped in luxurious blankets with absolutely no intention of getting out of bed. He'd even had servants bring his meals to him, so there'd been little reason to leave.
'Yeah... that one would make sense too.'
He sighed. That was enough reminiscing for today.
It was time to see if he could still use some of the Arts he'd learned in his previous life.
Dante lowered his gaze to the shadow beneath his feet.
'Hm. What about
It was a Vasana Art that allowed him to give his shadow a physical form, creating a duplicate that could fight alongside him. The duplicate possessed a portion of his power and could imitate his movements and basic combat instincts, making it useful for distracting opponents or taking hits in his place.
It wasn't particularly strong on its own, and it couldn't freely reproduce his more complex Vasana Arts. Still, having another body on the battlefield was useful. Even a momentary distraction could be enough to turn a fight in his favor.
Dante glanced at a nearby armored training dummy.
"You'll do."
He tapped the ground with his foot.
"
His shadow rippled beneath him, spreading across the floor like spilled ink. Its surface pulsed as something began to rise from within it. A moment later, a figure pulled itself free, taking on a humanoid shape before standing upright beside him.
It looked almost identical to Dante, though its entire body was rendered in stark black and white. Its features were little more than faint outlines, leaving its face nearly featureless.
Dante looked it up and down, a smirk slowly spreading across his face.
"Heh. Even when I'm practically featureless, I'm handsome."
"...."
The shadow clone said nothing. Not that it could, but Dante had the distinct feeling it was deadpanning at him.
"Cough… Ehem—ATTACK MY ENEMY DIRECTLY!"
He pointed dramatically toward the armored training dummy.
The shadow clone launched itself forward, crossing its arms as its fingers elongated into a set of sharp, black claws.
"
The clone swung both arms apart, unleashing a vicious cross-slash aimed straight at the dummy's armored torso.
As expected, the result was a complete mess. The dummy was torn to shreds, along with the wall behind it. Thankfully, the damage wouldn't last long. The walls had been enchanted to repair themselves, though Dante didn't know exactly how the enchantment worked. It might be worth looking into.
"Hm. What about
He issued two more commands to his shadow.
The clone's humanoid form collapsed, dissolving into a mass of darkness that swept around Dante like a miniature tornado. The swirling mass enveloped him, moving in a tight circle around his body. It was a useful defensive technique, allowing the shadow to intercept incoming attacks before they reached him.
At Dante's second command, the darkness changed again. Spikes erupted across its outer surface, turning the swirling mass into a rotating barrier lined with jagged points. Anything that tried to force its way through would have to contend with the sharp protrusions first.
"Alright… Thankfully, I don't feel any dip in my reserves. That's good." Dante knocked on the deceptively sturdy shadow in front of him.
He decided to push more of his Aeshma into it.
The barrier immediately picked up speed, its rotation becoming more than twice as fast as before. The darkness grew denser, its color deepening until it was almost impossible to distinguish from a patch of absolute black. At the same time, the spikes stretched outward, growing longer and thicker. Their sharpened tips swept through the air with every rotation, making the barrier far more dangerous to approach.
"I almost forgot how useful my bloodline is. It's already more than doubled in power, and I haven't even used
Dante grinned, barely containing his excitement, before dispelling the shadow and letting it sink back beneath his feet.
"Alright… What about
He snapped his fingers.
Kleshmara gathered at his fingertips, compressing into a small, dark sphere. At first, it was barely larger than a marble, but its surface soon began to tremble as more energy packed into its core. Thin cracks of crimson light spread across its surface, flickering in and out of existence as the sphere struggled to contain the power within.
Dante flicked his wrist, sending it hurtling toward another training dummy.
The sphere struck its chest and burst.
A deafening crack rang through the room as a wave of concentrated force tore through the dummy's armor, sending fragments of metal flying in every direction. The impact drove the remains backward, smashing them into the wall hard enough to leave a deep crater.
"Hm. Good thing I can still use that. Maybe I can do more?"
Dante raised his hand and spread his fingers. His black nails lengthened slightly, their sharpened tips catching the light.
"
Five black orbs formed at the tips of his nails, each one slowly growing as Kleshmara gathered inside. They hovered there for a few seconds, their surfaces trembling under the pressure, before Dante flicked his wrist and sent them flying toward the still-recovering dummy.
For a brief moment, Dante could have sworn he saw a bead of sweat form on its face.
Then the orbs struck.
They punched straight through the dummy, tearing it to shreds before continuing into the wall behind it. Stone crumbled beneath the repeated impacts, the enchanted surface breaking apart as the concentrated force ground everything in its path to dust. By the time the destruction stopped, several meters of wall had been reduced to rubble.
"Good thing it's not only long but thick…" He paused, feeling like he'd said something odd, but quickly decided not to think about it.
"Next, I should check how well my recovery works now, right?" he asked himself.
His nails began to glow purple. Dante drew them across his stomach, cutting into his skin with several shallow slashes. He kept the wounds far from deep enough to spill his guts, of course.
Though if it was a pathetic human, something like this would have crippled them.
"Ghk—! Ah, damn, that stings!"
He sucked in a sharp breath, his face twisting as he looked down at the bloody marks.
After a few seconds, wisps of steam began to rise from the wounds. Small purple sparks danced across the cuts, flickering over the torn flesh as the edges slowly drew together. The bleeding stopped first, followed by the gradual closing of the gashes. Within a minute or two, his skin had healed completely, leaving no trace of the injuries behind.
Dante pressed his fingers against his stomach, checking for any lingering pain or discomfort. Nothing. He felt just as he had before cutting himself, without even the slightest hint of an aftereffect.
"Good. It's not too bad. I was worried my recovery would be slower than in my past life… Though, now that I think about it, I guess it makes sense. I really was pathetic if my recovery hasn't changed much between my adult self and my younger body."
Dante groaned in embarrassment and shook his head, trying to put the thought behind him.
"Forget it. I've got a second chance. I can do better this time."
He bounced on his feet a few times, then stretched his arms and rolled his shoulders, testing how his muscles responded. His body felt lighter than he remembered, but there was a noticeable difference in his reach and overall strength. Even simple movements felt a little unfamiliar.
'I'll have to get used to fighting in this smaller, younger body again.'
✦ ✦ ✦
"Shit… I stink."
Dante groaned as he looked down at his battered clothes. Dried blood clung to his skin, and the walls and floor were stained with it. Between the destroyed training dummies and the damage he'd done to the room, the place looked like a slaughterhouse.
He'd spent the last couple of days cooped up in here, testing his old Arts and getting used to his younger body. It had been productive, but he was starting to think he'd pushed things a little too far. A bath sounded pretty damn good right about now.
Then he remembered what day it was.
"Well, I guess it's time to get ready…"
The Young Nobles Banquet was finally here.
(line break, make it correct)
A/N: Heya! This is the keyword afternotes for my chapter detailing the different stuff mentioned, I just thought itd be nice so tell me wacha think! ;D
Vasana Arts
Desgarra — "Rend" / "Tear Apart"
An offensive Vasana Art used by Sumerava, Dante's Living Shadow. It produces a powerful cross-slash capable of tearing through armored targets and damaging the surrounding environment.
Sumerava — "Living Shadow"
A Vasana Art that infuses a shadow with Kleshmara, temporarily granting it physical existence. Dante can separate his shadow from his feet and manifest it as a humanoid duplicate. It can imitate his movements, basic combat instincts, fighting style, and simple physical techniques, but it cannot freely reproduce complex Vasana Arts. A destroyed manifestation must return to Dante before he can manifest it again.
Oscuraz — "Enshroud"
A defensive Vasana Art that transforms Sumerava's humanoid form into a swirling mass of darkness. The mass surrounds Dante, intercepting incoming attacks and protecting him.
Erizal — "Raise Spikes"
A modification Art that causes sharp spikes to emerge across the surface of Sumerava's manifested form. When combined with Oscuraz, it turns the swirling darkness into a rotating defensive barrier that can also injure approaching enemies.
Frantuma — "Shatter" / "Smash Apart"
An offensive Vasana Art that condenses Kleshmara into a dark sphere before releasing its destructive force upon impact. Dante uses it to destroy an armored training dummy and damage the wall behind it.
Cinqual Frantuma — "Fivefold Shatter"
An advanced variation of Frantuma that produces five black orbs simultaneously, one at the tip of each of Dante's five fingers. Each orb carries destructive force comparable to the original technique, allowing him to attack multiple points or concentrate his firepower on a single target.
Note: For these Vasana arts, I sometimes used a combination of Italian and Spanish, though I corrupted some of the words.
Other Mentions
Kleshmara —Energy of demons. It fuels Demonic Vasana Arts and can be influenced by a Demon's Aeshma.
Aeshma — A Demon's dominant vice, obsession, concept, or affinity. It influences the nature of their Kleshmara and their natural aptitude for particular Vasana Arts. An Aeshma does not rigidly determine every ability a Demon can learn, but it can make certain techniques more intuitive and effective.
Devil Transformation — A possible consequence of severe instability in a Demon's nature. When a Demon's inner contradictions and distortions become excessive, their existence can deteriorate into that of a Devil.