Deal With The Devil (2)

"Yes, I do." The boy, Eric, immediately answered. If he could live to do the things he wanted most in his life, of course he wanted to live.

However, he also knew nothing was free in this dog-eat-dog world. So, he nervously asked, "But... what do you want in return... d-demon?"

"Keke, what a smart kid! I like you." The voice laughed, confirming its identity as a demon. Then it said, "What I want is simple. I want you to sell your soul to me."

Once again, Eric didn't take much time to answer, but his answer wasn't what the demon had expected. "No. I won't sell my soul. You can just kill me."

"Are you sure?" The demon's voice turned icy.

Eric took a deep breath and firmly nodded. "Yes!"

"Is that so?" The demon cackled icily.

Crack! Crack! Crack!

Right as its voice sounded, Eric felt as if all the bones in his body were being ground into power, causing him immense pain. He tried to endure it silently, but after just a few seconds, the pain crossed the threshold of his endurance, and he started screaming loudly.

Whoosh!

Suddenly, after a few moments, which were like an eternity for Eric, the pain vanished.

Then the demon's voice sounded again: "Now, tell me. Do you wish to sell your soul to me in exchange for everything you want in your life?"

Eric gritted his teeth and stubbornly shook his head. "No. I won't."

"Why are you being so stupid? You know I'll kill you if you don't agree, right?" The demon asked.

Eric heaved deep breaths to overcome the pain he had just felt and nodded. "Yes. I know."

"Mm? Then why don't you agree? You clearly want to live." The demon asked, sounding confused.

"It's because my mother taught me not to submit to anyone in life. So, doing something like selling my soul to a demon like you is impossible." Eric said and then added. "So go ahead and kill me."

"Your mother, heh?" The demon suddenly laughed and then said, "You don't know that woman is not your blood mother, and that little doll isn't your sister either, right?"

When Eric heard this, he was stunned for a moment before he burst out in an angry laughter. "Haha. Since the torture and threats aren't working on me, you are stooping so low and talking nonsense."

"Keke, nonsense, you say. Then tell me, how do you think I know you have a mother and a little sister, and how do I know you always think of giving them a better life? You surely didn't tell me all this, right?" The demon asked, laughing.

Eric fell into deep thought before saying hesitantly, "Maybe... you've been spying on me?"

"Spying on you? You are just a worthless kid. Why would I spy on you? Not to mention, in my current state, my soul sense can't reach your Kroft city from here even if I wanted to." The demon disdainfully said.

"Then... did you read my mind?" Eric asked. He had heard that when people reached a high enough realm, they could use their powers to read someone's mind.

"Keke, that's correct, boy. I read your mind. I saw in your memories that you were abandoned in the forest for beasts to dine on, but that woman who you call mother accidentally found you and brought you home." The demon laughed.

Hearing this, Eric felt an explosion go off in his mind, but after a few moments, he calmed down and asked, "If you really have read my mind, you should know it was my mother who taught me not to submit to anyone? Why did you have to ask me?" Saying this, he laughed, feeling relieved. "Hehe, as expected, you are talking nonsense."

"Tch. Do you think I'm so bored that I would read every memory you have? I only read some important ones." The demon clicked his tongue.

Eric went silent when he heard this, feeling complicated in his heart.

After a moment, he adjusted his thoughts and said, "Even if that's true, it won't make me sell my soul to you. Instead, this will only make me feel love and respect her even more since she had the heart to take care of and love someone who wasn't her child."

The demon had grown irritated and had no desire to argue further. So, he coldly said. "You won't listen, huh? So be it. But I'll still ask you one last time. Do you agree to sell your soul and be my slave forever?"

"No. I will never." Eric firmly answered.

"Die then!" The demon indifferently said,

Boom!

A wave of deadly energy erupted from below Eric and instantly engulfed him.

As he was being engulfed, he sighed and closed his eyes. 'Sigh! This is my real end, huh?' Then his consciousness became blurry.

...crack...

"Ahhh... who are you..."

Before he lost his consciousness completely, he thought he heard a faint cracking sound and then the demon's horror-filled cry. But because he was saddened by the fact that he wouldn't be able to see his mother and little sister ever again, he ignored it and pushed it to the back of his mind.

...

After an unknown amount of time had passed, Eric woke up once again and was surprised to find he was still alive.

"Cough! You woke up, kid." The demon's voice sounded in his ears.

"Didn't you want to kill me? Why am I still alive?" Eric asked in confusion.

"What are you talking about, kid? How would I dare... Ahem! Why would I want to kill you?" The demon said, his voice a little unnatural.

"Because I refused to sell my soul...?" Eric answered.

"Hehe, I was just testing you, kid. If your will wasn't strong, I would've killed you. But you passed. Congratulations!" The demon laughed.

"Hm?" Eric was skeptical. He then shrugged and thought. 'Well, the reason doesn't matter as long as I can live.'

"Let's not talk about that anymore." The demon said and continued, "Since you passed, I'm going to give you an opportunity to become strong, take your revenge, and make your loved ones' lives better. Are you interested?"

"Yes. I am." Eric nodded, then he added, "But I won't sell my soul to you. If you are trying to trick me, then forget it."

"Worry not, kid. You don't need to sell your soul to me. You just have to agree to help me." The demon said.

"Help... you? Aren't you many times stronger than me? How can I help you?" Eric didn't understand.

"You'll know after I give you your opportunity. Don't resist." The demon said.

Eric was hesitant. Who knew if he went against his word and killed him, or worse, took control of his soul, wouldn't he become his puppet then? However, after thinking for a while, he gritted his teeth and nodded.

Woosh!

Suddenly, a speck of black light shot toward him and drilled into his head.

Ahhh...!

Eric grabbed his head and cried out miserably. The pain he was suffering now was many times worse than when Andrew's goons beat him or when this demon tried crushing his bones. Fortunately, it only lasted for less than a second.

Right then, he heard a voice in his head.

[Godly Demon system has successfully fused with the host's soul.]

[The system will start working in 72 hours].

"What's this? Why has something fused with my soul? Didn't you say you won't take control of my soul?" Eric shouted out in panic.

"Calm down, kid. I didn't do anything bad to your soul. I just gave you one of the biggest, if not the biggest, opportunities you will ever receive." The demon said, and then added,

"This system that has fused with your soul will help you grow step by step, ensuring your overall development. The only catch is that you have to do everything it asks you to do, no matter what it is; if not, you'll receive punishment of varying degrees. Of course, it won't ask you to hurt yourself or your loved ones, so don't worry."

Hearing this, Eric went silent. After a while, he nodded. "Okay. I agree, as long as it doesn't try to harm me or my family."

"Good. Now get out. I don't want you here anymore." The demon said.

"But how do..." Eric wanted to ask how he was supposed to return to the top of the mountain when suddenly he found himself appear just two kilometers away from the Kroft city.

"Whoa!" He exclaimed in surprise. "This is amazing. He sent me directly here. I won't have to cross the dangerous mountains and the forest."

Taking a deep breath, he ran toward the city while thinking about how the system would help him. Could it really make him strong?