Axel stretched his sore body and went back to his dorm. He returned to his dorm, hoping for rest, but paused when his eyes caught something near the windowsill planter.
The seed he planted had grown.
Already?
A spiraled fruit, red and orange, shaped like a snail shell hung from a thin stem. It pulsed faintly. Odd. He leaned in, plucked it off the vine, and rolled it in his palm.
Lightweight. Warm.
Then he felt a sting.
It wasn't intense, but it definitely bit back. Axel narrowed his eyes, then carefully set it on the counter. He snapped a picture and reverse searched it, flipping through obscure forums, botany sites. Nothing.
Not even a name. Just... blank entries.
He rinsed it under the sink, then grabbed a small knife and sliced it down the center. Inside, dozens of seeds were embedded in the juicy flesh. It reminded him of a bell pepper but smelled sharper. Acrid.
He stared at it. Hesitated. He took out a health potion from his spacial ring and placed it nearby. One bite.
That's all he'd need.
Axel brought the fruit to his mouth, took a bite, and—
"Gh!"
The pain hit instantly. Searing. Scorching. A venomous burn exploded in his chest and flowed outward like magma flooding his veins. His back arched as he staggered, clutching the counter with one hand, fists clenched.
Legs buckled. Vision blurred.
His body shook violently.
"Ah... fuck—!"
He bit his tongue just to stay grounded, tasting iron. He drank the health potion and dropped to one knee, waiting for the healing to kick in.
It cooled him. Briefly.
Then the fire returned, angrier. Deeper.
Minutes passed. Maybe more. Time melted. He barely noticed himself collapsing sideways, slipping into a fever-drenched haze.
…
He woke up on the floor, stiff and disoriented.
The first thing he did was grab a cold glass of water and down the whole thing in seconds. The second was pulling up his Status Screen.
Status Screen
Strength: F+
Agility: F+
Stamina: F+
Mana Capacity: F+
Dexterity: F+
Skills:
[Echo Step]
F Rank ★★★★. Allows the user to leave behind a brief afterimage after rapid movement. Usable for both offense and evasion. Speed-based.
[Aura of a God]
G Rank ??? Grants passive enhancement to presence, pressure, and perception
Mastery: 0%/100%
[Become One with the Venomous Burn]
Mastery: 0%/100%
Objective: Take 1 burning shower everyday for 10 days straight
What the fuck is this? Not only did he get a rank-up, he also got a skill. Sweet!
"Take 1 hot shower for 10 days straight." He murmured.
Interesting, but what classified as a burning shower?
Since Axel already took a shower in the morning, he'll just take another one at night.
He checked his phone. A pinned message sat at the top of the group chat.
It was a plan for a kidnapping. Location coordinates. Timetable. Routes. Even assigned roles.
Neat.
Below the message, the rest of the chat was just introductions. Mostly awkward "hi"s and emojis. Nothing useful yet.
He swiped over to the auction site and checked on the demon egg he listed yesterday.
Highest bid: 450,000 G.
"Damn," Axel muttered.
That was definitely overpriced. He squinted at the profile. A real buyer? Or bait?
He didn't need the money right now, so he let it sit. Maybe it'd climb higher.
After a snack and a short break, he headed out to the training room, keeping things light.
…
By Monday, the bid climbed again.
550,000 G.
From the same user.
Axel stared at the numbers, unimpressed. Either this guy was rich and reckless or really wanted this egg. Either way, it was none of his business.
He decided to accept the bid after school.
Classes were boring. No surprise there. Axel dozed off in half of them, zoning out most of the day.
When everything was done, he opened the auction app and clicked "Accept."
[Bid Accepted. Contact Buyer for Pickup.]
He messaged the bidder, using the same burner username.
ChickenLover3000: |When are you free to pick this egg up? Can we meet here? Location sent|
He picked a discreet public space about twenty minutes off Atherion's edge. Nothing too sketchy, nothing too populated.
He put on a cap, mask, and sunglasses to hide his appearance.
The reply came quickly.
ValentHunter: |I can pick it up like an hour later at that place. I'm pretty nearby but caught up with work.|
ChickenLover3000: |Alright, I'll wait for you there|
Axel went to his dorm, picked up the goods, and walked over to the area.
The sun was dimming when he reached the meeting point. He stood casually near a side wall, waiting.
Footsteps.
A bulky man approached. Masked just like him.
But something about the man's gait… the broad shoulders… the way his head tilted slightly when walking…
Familiar.
Axel checked his chat.
ValentHunter: |I have arrived|
ChickenLover3000: |I think I spotted you|
Axel walked over to the rough looking man.
"Excuse me" He hid his real voice by using a way deeper one.
"Do you have the demon egg?" The man's voice was cold. Sharp. Too familiar.
Axel's stomach twisted.
He knew that voice.
That wasn't some random collector.
That was his professor.
Vale Fryberg.
Same build. Same voice. No mistake.
Axel, stunned but composed, handed over the egg. The transaction had already been finalized online. Money secured. Nothing else to say.
Vale took the egg and walked away without another word.
Axel watched him go, expression unreadable under the mask.
Why would Vale want a demon egg?
No answers came.
Well. Whatever. Money's money.
With that last thought, Axel walked back to school.
___________________________________
Deep in a nearby alley, far from watching eyes, the buyer paused.
He peeled off his gloves.
Then the mask.
The face underneath was rugged and scarred—burned down one side like melted wax.
He held up the egg. Then crushed it effortlessly in his palm.
Thick, dark blood oozed out, demonic energy leaking into the air like mist. He raised the broken shell to his lips and drank it, gagging once as it slid down his throat.
The scar on his face throbbed, then faded.
The skin healed. The deformity smoothed over, leaving a plain, average face in its place.
He wiped his mouth.
Washed his hands.
And walked away.