The funny thing about rumors is they multiply faster than rabbits—if those rabbits were demons with nothing better to do.
By the next morning, the entire academy was buzzing with "news" about me.
Some said I'd crushed a troll's skull with my bare hands.Others insisted I'd summoned lightning with a single word.One particularly creative rumor claimed I'd eaten the troll alive to absorb its power.
Me? I was just trying to brush my teeth without cutting my gums.
I stared at my reflection in the mirror, toothbrush hanging limply from my mouth. "Why do I look like I've fought ten wars when all I've done is not die?"
The Chaos Ledger rustled faintly in my mind, as if amused.
[ Reputation Trend: Exponential Growth. ][ Caution: Fame attracts both allies and enemies. ]
"Yeah, thanks for the warning," I muttered, spitting into the sink.
The moment I stepped outside, heads turned. Students whispered behind their hands, instructors nodded stiffly, and even random janitors bowed as if I were royalty.
"Morning…" I offered weakly.
A group of imps immediately scattered, squealing, "He spoke! The Director acknowledged us!"
"…I literally just said good morning," I groaned.
Classes that day were a nightmare. Not because they were difficult, but because no one would spar with me.
"Partner up," the instructor ordered.
Instantly, every demon stepped back from me like I had the plague.
"I-I couldn't possibly touch the Director!""What if I accidentally injure him? My family would be annihilated!""No thank you, I enjoy living."
The instructor, clearly annoyed, pointed at me. "Fine. You'll spar against me."
The class gasped. "He's going to fight the Instructor himself?!""This will shake the entire academy!""Director vs. Instructor… what a clash of titans!"
I wanted to scream. There was no clash of titans! There was just me, a tired human, and a demon war veteran who could snap me like a twig.
The Ledger's page flickered.[ Survival Mode Activated. ][ New Transaction Available: "Reputation Wager." ]
Wager? Oh no.
The instructor lunged, his movements sharp, precise, deadly. My body reacted without conscious thought—dodging, weaving, stumbling in ways that looked more like drunken luck than skill. But each time, his strikes missed by an inch.
Gasps echoed. "Unbelievable reflexes…""He's not even trying. He's just… toying with him."
To them, I looked calm and untouchable. To me, I was screaming internally.
Finally, one of my wild flails accidentally connected with the instructor's wrist. His sword clattered to the ground. Silence fell.
The Ledger dinged.[ Reputation Reinforced: "Unshakeable." ][ Reward: +200 Chaos Credits. ]
The instructor stepped back, breathing hard. Then—he bowed. Bowed.
"You've surpassed me. I am honored to have fought you, Director."
The entire class erupted into cheers.
I just stood there, slack-jawed, wondering how on earth tripping over my own foot had turned into a legendary victory.
By lunch, the whispers had shifted from awe to mythology.
"He's the youngest Director in centuries.""They say the Demon King himself chose him.""No, no, it was the Royal Family. The King wouldn't dare interfere.""Shut up, you fools. Clearly, he's a reincarnated ancient demon hiding in human skin."
I buried my face in my hands. "Please. I just want a sandwich."
Of course, sandwiches weren't simple either. By the time I sat down with one, the cafeteria staff had formed a line to present me with complimentary dishes—spicy phoenix wings, abyssal stew, void truffles.
"On the house, Lord Director," the head chef said, bowing so low his hat nearly fell off.
"Uh… thanks?"
The Ledger hummed happily.[ New Title: "Patron of the Feast." ]
But the comedy couldn't last forever. By evening, reality hit.
A knock came at my dorm.
"Director Rayan Malhotra," a voice boomed, deep and formal. "The Organization requests your presence at headquarters."
My blood ran cold.
The Organization. The beating heart of demon society. A place where Directors weren't just respected—they were scrutinized, weighed, judged.
The Ledger flipped a page.[ New Scenario Initiated: "Welcome to Power." ][ Objective: Maintain Reputation. Survival depends on deception. ]
I swallowed hard. For once, the demons weren't the scariest thing in the room.
It was the truth—that beneath the rumors, beneath the reverence, beneath the titles…
…I was still just a human fumbling through a system I barely understood.
The carriage ride to the Organization Headquarters was the longest twenty minutes of my life.
It wasn't even a normal carriage. No, this was a demon executive limo—six-winged bat-horses pulling an obsidian chariot lined with velvet seats and glowing lanterns. The driver wore a suit sharper than a guillotine blade.
"Destination: Organization Headquarters, Lord Director," he said with a bow.
I sat there clutching my knees, trying not to hyperventilate.
The Ledger wasn't helping.[ Objective: Uphold Reputation. Failure = Expulsion + Death. ][ Tip: Appear calm. Calmness = Authority. ]
"Appear calm?!" I hissed under my breath. "I'm about to walk into the demon version of Wall Street while looking like an intern!"
Still, when the carriage stopped and the gates opened, I plastered on what I hoped was a dignified, mysterious expression.
The Headquarters loomed like a palace disguised as an office tower—black marble walls etched with runes, crimson banners fluttering, gilded doors taller than houses. But inside…
Inside was bizarrely familiar.
Reception desks. Secretaries with glasses and horns tapping at glowing screens. Elevators that hummed with mana. Lounges filled with plush couches, fountains of demon wine, and snack trays piled high with glowing fruit.
It was Hell's Wall Street.
And all of it stopped when I walked in.
"Director Malhotra.""Lord Director has arrived.""Clear the way for the new Director!"
Every demon in sight froze, bowed, or scrambled out of my path. The secretary at the main desk nearly fell over herself offering me a quill and guest ledger.
I signed my name with a shaky hand.
"Such… decisive handwriting," she whispered, trembling. "He's truly as terrifying as they say."
Decisive? My hand had been shaking so hard I thought I'd scribbled chicken scratches.
The Ledger glowed.[ Reputation Reinforced: "Decisive Authority." ]
I nearly smacked my head into the desk.
They led me through long corridors lined with portraits of past Directors—grim, powerful figures staring down at me like I was an imposter. My steps echoed far too loudly.
Finally, we entered the Council Hall.
A vast chamber with a round table of obsidian, thrones carved from molten stone, and a ceiling so high it disappeared into shadow.
Half a dozen figures already sat there—Directors. Real ones.
Each radiated an aura that made the air tremble. One was cloaked in living shadows, another wreathed in fire, another calmly sipping tea that steamed with souls.
And then… me.
I shuffled to an empty throne and sat, trying not to look like a schoolboy caught sneaking into the principal's office.
The others studied me in silence.
Finally, the shadowy one spoke. "So this is the new Director."
Another nodded. "The human one. Appointed without trial. Strange… yet interesting."
My palms sweated. My brain screamed, Say something profound. Something wise.
So, naturally, I said nothing.
I just sat there, expression blank, eyes half-lidded.
The room fell into deeper silence. Then the fiery one leaned back, chuckling. "He says nothing, yet the weight of his silence crushes us. A dangerous man."
Another Director murmured, "His restraint is remarkable. Most would flaunt their power. He doesn't need to."
My heart nearly stopped. They thought my awkward silence was intentional.
The Ledger dinged gleefully.[ Reputation Reinforced: "Silent Strategist" → Advanced to "Hidden Master." ]
Of course, it couldn't last forever.
A massive demon with a crown of horns slammed his fist on the table. "Enough games. Every new Director must prove their authority. Show us, human—why should we respect you?"
Dozens of eyes turned on me. The weight of their gazes nearly crushed me flat.
The Ledger flipped its pages, presenting options.[ Transaction: Display Authority. ]
Convert Credits → Power Surge.
Gamble Reality Fragment → Reputation Amplification.
Do Nothing. Risk Death.
I swallowed hard.
Power surge would drain my savings. Reputation amplification sounded like gambling my soul. Doing nothing… wasn't an option.
"Ledger," I muttered in my mind, "if I die here, I'm haunting you."
I chose Option 2.
The Reality Fragment dissolved into light, spreading through my body. My skin prickled, eyes glowing faintly, breath shimmering like mist.
The Council gasped.
"Reality distortion…""He bends existence itself…""No wonder the Organization accepted him without trial."
I clenched my fists, hiding the fact that my knees were shaking so hard they nearly rattled.
"Is that enough?" I asked flatly, forcing my voice not to crack.
The horn-crowned demon narrowed his eyes. Then… he laughed.
"Enough. Welcome, Director Malhotra. May you bring chaos and profit to our realm."
The rest nodded solemnly.
The meeting continued, but I barely heard a word. My mind was still reeling. I'd survived. Barely. Again.
And as I left the hall, whispers chased me like shadows.
"He's terrifying.""He's brilliant.""He's dangerous."
Meanwhile, I was just praying they wouldn't notice my socks didn't match.