1.2.

Sequencee tried to comprehend the deeper reason behind her question.

"Yes, and what about that is concerning you?"

"You're.. going to attempt the scholarship appraisal?"

In part of the movement to increase the number of 'enforcers' in the empire, Riestallia Academy opened up more scholarship placements for this particular year.

"So what about it?"

What about the scholarship appraisal concerned her?

"I don't know if.. I can.. I'm not as talented as you and.. it's unlikely that I'll win.."

"Leticia, are you blind?"

"H-Huh?"

"In this orphanage beside myself, who else has the magic aptitude that could rival you?"

"But compared to you I.."

"I'm an anomaly. Don't compare yourself to someone like me."

"A-Ah?"

"I'm not going to piggy-back you all the way to the top, that's what you promised me, remember?"

The reason finally revealed itself.

Last week, Sequencee told Leticia that he would be going to Rika Nation to take the scholarship test once they graduate from Mane's Home. Her extreme inferiority complex was getting in the way.

"I don't know how strong the people will be, and I don't know if I have the necessary talents to earn a spot either. Either way, if you want to follow me to the academy, you have to buck up and try."

Leticia looked up to Sequencee because of his strength. He had something she yearned for, and for that reason was why she trained under him.

Desire.

"I don't think there's anyone in our vicinity that can use three different elements simultaneously. Chin up. You're better than a lot of people."

"..."

Leticia's gaze fell on the many lights dancing around Sequencee. They looked like individual little pixies taunting her.

'Is this guy joking with me?'

".. What if I don't get in?"

"I don't know."

"..."

"Otherwise, you can try to join Dylan? I heard that he's going to try and become a mercenary. I'm sure your strength could be of.."

"No way," Leticia cut him off short. The three elemental beads around her dissipated at once.

"Then you only have one other option open here."

"You're right. Sorry for being such a whiny person. I understand now."

"Everyone doubts themselves once in a while."

"Yeah," she showed a bitter smile.

Leticia raised her hands. From the palm an unusual colour bead appeared. Unlike the previous elements, this was one compressed to the size of an actual bead. A strong verdant light pulsated from within.

Nature magic. It was quite a subjective element which some scholars even argue should not be classified as an element of magic.

"I'm sure you'll do fine."

Reassurance was futile. Even so, he thought that he should at least give up a nudge for her self-esteem.

===

The dormitories were divided by gender. A living room connected to 3 smaller rooms can house up to 8 sleeping people each. It was a rather cramped space to stay in.

Sequencee waited for everyone to fall into a deep slumber before sitting up.

He released the illusion magic, allowing the myriads of lights to appear around him.

– Don't worry about me.

His mom's words echoed. She was the person he looked up to, the hero he aspired to be.

– I want to end the conflict between humans and demons.

"Why did you have to kill her.."

He raised his head to touch the severed horns on his head. The searing pain coursed through the moment his fingers made contact.

It had been three years since the last trimming. The deed was usually done by his savage-of-a-mother to hide the fact that he was a demon. Fortunately, he was a 'half', which meant that he only had one horn.

"How the hell should I deal with this.." he muttered with a grimace.

It was beginning to protrude quite a bit, and he wasn't sure to what extent he could continue to use illusion magic to hide it.

If people found out that he was a demon, he'd be a goner.

'System.'

A window appeared in front of him.

/

{ACQUIRED GIFTS:

1. [Illusion Magic: Universal Haze]; (1st UP: 40)

2. [Passive Trait: Growth Multiplier]^; (2nd UP: 180)

3. [Activated Trait: Focus]; (1st UP: 20)

}

/

Gifts are special abilities that people deemed supernatural powers. Unlike magic which could be said as a part of everyday life, system gifts were more enigmatic.

Each person was given a system at birth. Gifts are chosen from what is known as a gift catalogue, which refreshes daily, weekly, or monthly depending on the individual's system rules.

Each person's system is unique. Like genetics. The types of gifts that one can find, the rate at which it refreshes, the price for each gift and the points in exchange. Nevertheless, they follow similar rules in that one needs to acquire points to be exchanged for a gift.

Depending on a person's system, one may acquire exchange point from the number of monsters killed, hours of using a sword, number of items crafted, amount of rice planted, or in extreme cases, the number of people raped.

In Sequencee's case, he needed to devour souls.

{SOULS AVAILABLE: 10.2}

Souls from sentient lifeforms.

/

{BOOKMARKED GIFTS:

1. [Passive Trait: Observative Elucidation]; (Acquisition: 5)

2. [Passive Trait: Skill Mastery Acceleration]; (Acquisition: 30)

3. [Unique Skill: Soul Nicking]; (Acquisition: 20)

}

/

His gift catalogue refreshes every week with approximately 5 gifts to choose from.

'I need to kill 10 more people.'

The souls he had acquired mostly came from thugs or bandits during his adventures with his mother. Now that she was gone, he had to hunt down these sorts of bastards himself. It was cruel, he knew that.

'Let's just train tonight. I'll find some way to acquire points during the trip to Rika Nation.. if possible.'

After the late hero's overwhelming triumph, she was granted the title duke and her own territory to manage. Rika turned it into a free nation and built one of history's first fighting academies to nurture future warriors.

In her own words: "Why not?"

Sequencee got out of bed and carefully exited the dorm, taking care not to arouse the snores of his roommates. The chilly air of night brushed against his face. In the dark, he made his way over to the makeshift training field.

Dim lamp posts lit the compound, chalk marked the ground for learning purposes.

Sequencee did some light stretches before beginning his training regime consisting of his physical fundamentals.

Pushups, situps, squats, and footwork practice.

So while masking the still floating beads of magic elements in the air, he did a thousand pushups, a thousand situps, a thousand squats, and hours of his mother's signature footwork technique.

Sequencee's mother was a spear user, once hailed as the Rending Wind, she was renowned for her unique fighting style which incorporated wind magic into her methods.

A footwork that was unpredictable, one moment the fluid waves of the gentle wind, the next a savage tornado that sweeps everything in its path.

It was a routine he did every night ever since he arrived at the home.

Sweat trickled down his forehead as he assumed various stances with an earth spear which he transmuted using magic.

He swung it in arcs, twisting his body, striking the eye, and sweeping the ground. It was a method of fighting which incorporated the aspects of a polearm.

Fwoosh..

With his breathing unsteady, he ended his practice.

He looked up to the sky, the barely visible streaks of pink and orange. Dawn was arriving.

As a demon lord, he didn't need to sleep so much. That was the unfair advantage he had which he had been using ever since his mother's death. Of course, his mother had always told him to sleep because he was still a growing child. But things have changed now. Sequencee couldn't just stay laid back.

He took a quick bath, changed his clothes and came back to the dorm. The people were still sound asleep.

He caught sight of Dylan sleeping with drool on his face. What an adorable creature.

'No. No. The fuck am I thinking?'

Sequencee walked to the shelf and took out his journal.

Tick.

It had been three years since he began this, the dictionary-thick book had almost been filled to the very last page. It wasn't long before he needed a new one. And he intends to buy it when he arrives at Riestallia Academy. Though he had missed training sessions due to unforeseen circumstances, he still tried to stick to his regime whenever he could.

'Don't forget why you're doing this Sequencee.'

The pencil lead broke under the pressure.

'You have to kill your father.'