Arnold and Azazel

A tall man in tattered rags looked longingly at the blue expanse that stretched into the horizon.

'Only the ocean is unchanged, as vast and majestic as ever.'

Wherever Arnold turned his gaze, he would find energetic lads carrying goods, traders showing their wares, and experienced sailors moving about in high spirits.

Today, the Santa Caterina would launch its maiden voyage from Porto, the largest trade hub of the continent. Arnold, who stood in the middle of the busy street, gazed at the gargantuan vessel.

The Santa Caterina, a brand new trade ship named after the Archeonness of Wealth and Gold. It was built with revolutionary techniques and the precious hollow wood, allowing for unprecedented buoyancy while maintaining a decent speed.

This beast would transport an immense quantity of both common and rare goods to trade with the far away Amavian Empire. The Romut merchants participating in this new trade route stood to get rich overnight, and Arnold was certain that many, many lives were lost in the fight for storage space.

Suddenly, a man carrying a heavy crate bumped into the thin and frail young man, prompting the latter to stumble back to the wall and crouch down.

The beggar's crimson eyes flashed for a moment, then he shook his head.

'I should obediently start begging for some coin, lest I starve to death.'

He held his aching shoulder and slowly raised the alms bowl in his hand. He opened and closed his mouth repeatedly, finally clenching his teeth and muttering the words that haunted his nightmares.

"... A copper coin… please."

His hoarse voice had a melodic quality to it, but it was lost in the hubbub of the city. For the next few hours, Arnold sat dazedly while countless people passed by, indifferent to his plight. On this stretch of road alone, there were countless beggars to his left and right; by the time people saw him, they'd have long helped the other beggars instead.

He would've chosen a better spot if possible, but the world of beggars wasn't so simple.

Even the lowest dregs of society had their own rules, and Arnold, malnourished to a severe extent, would end up losing every morning as others hogged the best 'spots'.

Not to mention that he didn't even praise the Archeonness of Mercy and Charity, Tulsa. Who'd give copper to such an unfaithful, ignorant beggar?

A pair of beautiful rubies gazed at the clear sky, dazed. To be precise, Arnold was checking the system interface.

[Arnold Grim

Level 0

Class : Beggar

Skills : Beg

Alignment : Lawful Neutral]

So far, everything was normal. It was the regular system everyone was born with. However…

[Sub Class 1 : Locked]

This was unique to him, the consequence of the Contract he had made with a pesky fellow.

[What did you just say, huh!?]

Arnold sighed. Speak of the devil, or rather, the System. He then yawned and fell asleep.

[Tsk tsk tsk, sleeping now means starving later. Stupid little Shitnold.]

...

[In the end, what's meant to happen, will happen.]

--

"Brother, brother! Wakeeeee uuuup!"

Lilina Grim shook her lazy brother awake with a pout. Seeing his eyes finally open, she smiled sweetly, planted a quick kiss on his cheek and left.

Arnold sat up groggily. He felt as if he had woken up from a long, dark dream, and he shuddered in fear.

'Everything is fine.'

He was Arnold Grim, a promising young genius that had a perfect score in the university entrance exam!

Today he will be sent to the capital, Landan, to study in the best university in the Republic. His father wanted him to be ready to inherit the business once he graduated.

His father, Theodore Grim, was a rare honest merchant. And in the Gundam Republic, where freedom was valued above all, merchants had a lot of power. Theodore's honesty had been rewarded with the trust of a Council member, and their family had been doing well for themselves. There was even talk of opening a small shop in the most prosperous city in the continent, Porto. If he could graduate and make his father proud, Arnold might be sent to manage that shop, and live in the legendary City of Trade!

The eighteen year old swiftly made himself ready and walked into the kitchen. He didn't know why, but he had the urge to shed tears as he saw his mother and father who were gently smiling at him. Just as he opened his mouth, he fell asleep.

---

A frail young man with crimson eyes woke up in a deserted alley, shivering from the cold.

"This is… Porto? Heh, I guess I had that jolly old dream again. Good thing it always ends before the bad part." He mocked his weak psyche.

[That's right boy, I don't want to watch a second season of that show. Want to know why? 'Cause it sucks!]

The System, of course, couldn't stay quiet and had to complain.

"I've long learned to ignore your ramblings."

[In the first place, why do you always remember your dead little sister kissing you so vividly? Huh? I say you're weird, big brother. Get some help.]

Something in the young man snapped.

"Shut your mouth! She's not dead, okay? I refuse to believe that she died!"

[...tsk. Still can't acknowledge reality, boy? When will you learn to get over the past and look towards the future?]

Arnold stared at the night sky. The weather was good, there was no wind. Just like that day, there would be no rain to extinguish any fires.

On the day he left, the Revolt happened. He was 'lucky' to be outside the city at the time, but he had to watch on the hill as the walls were closed by traitors and everything inside burned to ashes. The screams of the people in flames like burning torches still haunted him now, a year later.

He had found a letter from his father in the carriage. Theodore had known about the Revolt and had taken measures to get his only son out in time.

"The city has been under heavy surveillance after that, and I couldn't risk revealing my identity. All my father wrote was to survive with the funds he left in the carriage and not to think about revenge."

[Buuuut you just couldn't do something that simple now could ya? Stupid, arrogant little Shitnold had to go to the Temple begging for a Class. Not only did those priestess sluts take all your money, you even had to beg the Archeons day and night for a week. In the end, they actually made you a beggar. In your situation, I would've taken a shot at reincarnation, heh.]

"The Temple was revered by everyone, I couldn't have known the truth. Well, I do admit I was foolish. Nevertheless, I know my father. He must've found a way to at least save my sister, and I have to find her."

The System seemed to smirk in Arnold's mind.

[Say that again when you're level 1. Otherwise, my generous gift can't actually help your sorry ass.]

"I get that, alright? It should be soon. Perhaps… tomorrow."

Arnold walked further inside the familiar alley, looking for tonight's meal. Any disgust had long faded in the background as he rummaged inside the garbage and found a few rock-solid bread crumbs. As he kept looking through the garbage piles, he once again contemplated the unique existence inhabiting his mind.

The abnormal system, also called Devil Lord Azazel.

'He was the one who brought me back from the edge of despair a few months ago, and he had given me the power to obtain Sub Classes as I level up my Main Class. In exchange, I would repay him with a million souls and a billion coins. Gold coins, that is.'

This was Arnold's Contract, the Devil's Pact. In some stories, it was referred to as selling one's soul to the devil. In this case, the gold aside, he only had to sell other people's souls, not his.

It was a great deal.

Hmm? Morals?

What was that? Could he eat it?

If even the Archeons, the Gods of this world, had no morals, why should he?

In this aspect, he and Azazel got along quite well. Most importantly, the Devil Lord's end of the bargain would soon come into effect.

At last, half a year after the Contract was signed, he was finally closing in on level 1.