The news spread like wildfire.
By the next day, every corridor, every tavern, every corner of the Demon Realm whispered my name.
"Director Arvale, recognized by royalty…""They say even the envoy bowed.""No one dares touch him now. He's untouchable."
Untouchable? Ha. I couldn't even touch my breakfast without spilling it all over myself.
Still, perception was reality here, and the perception was that I was rising.
Inside the Director's Headquarters, the tension was thick.
The other Directors had noticed.
One by one, invitations arrived on my desk. Expensive parchment, sealed with wax and sigils of authority.
Director of Commerce.Director of War.Director of Education.Director of Shadows.
All requesting "cordial meetings."
Which, in demon language, meant: We don't know if we should kill you, ally with you, or just watch you bleed first.
The Ledger hummed ominously.[ Warning: Multiple high-level players are moving. ][ Scenario: The Web of Directors. ][ Objective: Survive entanglement. ]
Yeah, survive. Great objective. Too bad it didn't come with a manual.
The first to arrive was Director Zareth of Commerce.
He was a demon who looked like he had been carved from obsidian and polished until he shone. Every finger glittered with rings, and his smile was the kind that could buy and sell your soul while convincing you it was your idea.
"Director Arvale," he said warmly, striding into my office. "You've caused quite the stir. Very profitable."
"Profitable?" I echoed nervously.
"Of course." He gestured lazily, and his servants stacked golden ledgers and bags of currency on my desk. "Every rumor about you increases trade volume. Fear and awe—two of the most valuable currencies in this realm."
I blinked. "You brought me… money?"
Zareth chuckled. "An investment. Consider this… the beginning of our partnership. You maintain your mystique. I manage the flow of wealth that follows."
The Ledger whispered.[ Transaction detected: 10,000 Chaos Credits offered. ][ Accept? ]
My hand twitched. Ten thousand! That was more than I had scraped together since arriving here.
But I kept my expression calm, as though such sums were beneath me. "We'll see," I said coolly.
Zareth's grin widened. He thought I was playing the long game. He bowed and left, promising "further collaboration."
As soon as the door shut, I collapsed into my chair, clutching the credits like a starving man clutching bread.
The second visitor was Director Varis of War.
He didn't bother with courtesies. His armor clanked as he stepped into my office, and the weight of his presence pressed down like a storm.
"Director Arvale," he rumbled. "I don't like you."
My stomach dropped. "Oh."
He leaned across my desk, eyes burning. "But the royal envoy acknowledged you. That means I can't crush you without cause. So instead, I'll test you."
He slammed a gauntleted fist on my desk. The wood splintered, and the entire office shook.
"In one week," he declared, "your division will send champions to the War Grounds. If they lose, your authority collapses. If they win…" He sneered. "I'll consider you worth respecting."
And just like that, he turned and left, his footsteps echoing like thunder.
I sat in silence.
"Champions? War Grounds?!" I hissed. "I don't even know if my people can survive a sparring match without crying!"
The Ledger opened.[ New Scenario: Trial of Strength. ][ Condition: Deploy 3 subordinates to War Grounds. Victory required. ][ Failure Penalty: Reputation Collapse. Possible Death. ]
I groaned, burying my face in my hands.
Why couldn't I just run a nice bookstore in peace?
The third visitor was subtler.
Night fell, and shadows slithered into my room. A figure emerged, cloaked in black, face hidden beneath a veil of smoke.
"Director Arvale," the voice whispered. "The others are loud, but we in the Directorate of Shadows prefer discretion."
"Discretion?" I asked, wary.
The figure's laughter was soft and chilling. "We do not test strength. We test loyalty. So tell me, Director—are you with the throne… or against it?"
My heart skipped. A trap. Either answer could kill me.
The Ledger flickered.[ Choice Detected: Align openly with Throne / Align against Throne / Remain Ambiguous. ][ Recommendation: Ambiguity maximizes survival. ]
I swallowed hard. "The throne watches everyone. And everyone watches the throne. I… prefer to watch both."
The figure was silent for a long moment. Then, a faint chuckle. "Wise. Perhaps you'll live longer than most."
The shadows receded, leaving me trembling in the dark.
By dawn, I was a wreck.
But outside, the headquarters buzzed with new rumors.
"Commerce has allied with him!""War is challenging him!""Shadows are testing him!"
Every step I took, demons bowed or whispered behind their hands. Some mocked. Some admired.
And all of them expected greatness.
Me? I just wanted to survive long enough to figure out how to drink demon coffee without my hands shaking.
The Ledger chimed again.[ Phase Progression: From "Misunderstood Weakling" → "Player in the Directorate Web." ][ Warning: Challenges escalate rapidly. Prepare. ]
I groaned. My "rise to power" was getting way too real.
The moment Director Varis's challenge spread through the headquarters, panic set in.
Not my panic, though. I was already well past that point. My nerves had fried themselves into numbness. Instead, it was my subordinates who ran in circles like headless chickens.
"Director! We don't have any warriors!""The War Grounds is for seasoned champions!""Our strongest fighter is… is… the janitor!"
I pinched the bridge of my nose. "The janitor?"
"Yes!" cried one of the secretaries. "Old Grack! He once killed a rat the size of a dog!"
I stared at them. "We're doomed."
The Ledger flickered open.[ Current Scenario: Trial of Strength. ][ Condition: Deploy 3 subordinates to War Grounds. ][ Recommendation: Invest resources. Cultivate rapid growth. Leverage misunderstandings. ]
Cultivate? Rapid growth? This wasn't a greenhouse—this was a disaster waiting to happen.
Still… I had credits now. Ten thousand Chaos Credits, courtesy of Director Zareth's "investment."
The thought struck me like lightning."What if," I murmured slowly, "we buy strength?"
Hours later, I was marching through the bustling streets of Demon City with three very nervous subordinates trailing behind me.
The city was alive with the hum of commerce. Markets spilled over with strange goods: enchanted weapons, bottled souls, cursed armor, demonic gourmet food that steamed and screamed on the plate.
Everywhere, signs gleamed:5-Star Hellfire Hotel.VIP-Only 7-Star Abyssal Resort.Demonic Academy for Young Overlords.
It was disturbingly normal—if "normal" included fire-breathing vendors and customers paying in blood contracts.
We stopped before a towering obsidian building with glowing runes above the door.
Infernal Gym & Rapid Cultivation Center.
Perfect.
Inside, demons in training gear punched molten stone, wrestled shadow-beasts, and hurled lightning at each other like it was casual exercise. The smell of sweat, blood, and ozone filled the air.
A receptionist demoness looked up, her horns polished to a shine. "Membership or one-time investment?"
"Rapid strength growth package," I said, trying to sound confident.
She raised an eyebrow. "Bronze, Silver, Gold, or… Platinum?"
The Ledger hummed.[ Available Options: Bronze (100 Credits), Silver (500), Gold (1,500), Platinum (5,000). ][ Note: Platinum guarantees transformation into competent warrior within one week. ]
I didn't hesitate. "Platinum."
Her eyes widened. Most demons hesitated even at Silver. But she quickly masked it, bowing deeply. "Right away, Director Arvale."
Thus began the nightmare week.
My three subordinates—Grack the janitor, Lira the nervous clerk, and Darron the sleepy guard—were thrown into a hellish training regime.
Day one: forced to lift boulders heavier than houses.Day two: fighting illusionary monsters designed to crush their minds.Day three: swallowing molten potions that burned away weakness and rebuilt them stronger.
By day four, they no longer looked like terrified office workers.
Grack's hunched back straightened, his muscles bulging with power.Lira's eyes glowed faintly, her aura sharp with magical energy.Darron… well, he stayed sleepy, but now when he yawned, the air rippled with killing intent.
Watching from the sidelines, I tried to keep up appearances.
Every time trainers glanced at me, I folded my arms, nodded knowingly, and muttered things like, "Yes, their latent potential is awakening," or "The Ledger calculated this perfectly."
In truth, I had no idea what was happening. I was just praying they didn't explode.
But the trainers began whispering among themselves.
"That Director Arvale… he's grooming them for greatness.""His methods are… terrifyingly effective.""No wonder the royal envoy acknowledged him."
And so, my legend grew once again.
By the seventh day, my trio stood ready.
Grack now wielded a massive battle-axe that pulsed with dark energy.Lira floated slightly above the ground, a halo of cursed flame circling her.Darron? He was still yawning—but when he stretched, cracks formed in the reinforced training arena.
Even the trainers bowed to me.
"Director Arvale," they said respectfully, "your warriors are… exceptional."
I nodded with all the calm authority I could muster. Inside, I was screaming: Please let them not trip and fall on their way to the War Grounds.
The day of the trial arrived.
The War Grounds was an ancient coliseum carved into black stone, filled with roaring demons. Massive banners fluttered overhead, each bearing the insignia of a Directorate.
Director Varis stood at the center, his armor gleaming, his expression full of contempt.
"Director Arvale," he boomed, his voice echoing through the arena. "Present your champions!"
My trio marched forward, and gasps rippled through the crowd.
"They were nobodies last week!""Now look at them!""What kind of secret training does Arvale possess?"
I stood tall, letting the whispers fuel my false aura of mystery.
Varis's eyes narrowed. "We'll see if they are worthy."
He raised a hand, and three of his warriors strode forward. Towering brutes, clad in spiked armor, weapons dripping with malice.
The crowd roared.
The battle was about to begin.
The Ledger flashed.[ Trial of Strength Initiated. ][ Condition: Victory required. ][ Reward: Enhanced Reputation, 5,000 Chaos Credits. ][ Failure: Death. ]
I swallowed hard.
This was it.
The fight of survival.
And the entire Demon Realm was watching.