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I awoke to the sound of muted thumps and yells coming from outside. I grumbled as I got out of bed and looked out of the small window and saw Adam and Verm having a short spar, with the latter surprisingly winning. I quickly got dressed in the academy uniform and made my way outside to watch the rest of the spar, now with Adam leading making it look like a close match. Kabuto nudged my side and whispered "I know that you're a beast in your own right, but those guys are simply amazing..." I'll have to admit that they were pretty impressive, so much so that I don't think I'd be able to keep up with them for much longer.

There were various shouts for both Adam and the mysterious Verm, egging both of them on with their almost crazed smiles on their faces. Each blow they landed caused loud booms that blew a sharp wind in every direction, notifying us that they were turning serious. Just when we thought that Verm had taken the lead once again, Adam suddenly dodged the formers lightning fast jab and sent out a right hook towards his jaw, however, Verm had the same idea and their fists collided with each other at the same time, initiating a draw. The two were smiling and complimenting each other's skills as I walked toward them, a smile on my face as well.

"Damn, I had no idea that you two were this strong...maybe I need to up my training regimen so I don't get left behind, hahaha." I laughed in a lighthearted manner, causing Adam to form an even larger smile while Verm rubbed his head with an awkward smile. I guess he's not used to compliments, but it's better to seem him acting less like a lifeless object and more like a person.

After promising to spar with them later, we departed towards a new building that had just been constructed for the new 'classes' we were supposed to attend today. The building looked like it was made of some kind of black material and at least five stories with a rectangular build and a flat roof. Honestly the whole place gave off a bad vibe, but no one else seemed to notice so I kept mute on the subject. The building had a double door that was the same color of the building itself, but with the letters 'DS' inscribed into them. I swung the doors open and what I saw was a barren room with no lighting or stairs for upper levels, just one massive room.

"Hello? Uh, we're here like you asked us to be." I said, my voice echoing along the walls.

After a few minutes of waiting for a response, I clicked my tongue and walked further into the dark building. When everyone else joined me, we heard a creaking sound behind us and I spun around to see the doors closing, even though no one was there. The room became extremely dark and even with Kyrm trying to conjure a small flame, nothing happened. It wasn't until a loud clap resounded around the room that numerous flames popped into existence along the wall like torches, however, these flames weren't normal flames. They were a sickly purple-black that danced around madly. A chuckle broke me out of my observations, jolting me back to the matter at hand. Who the hell was here with us?

Adam, Verm, and I formed the vanguard while Kyrm, Lyra, Senaris, and Saya formed the backlines and Kabuto, Rin, and Elaris were in the center providing buffs and such. I felt my insignia burning my skin as I forced the energy in my body to react to my will, covering my body in red lightning. Suddenly, a voice whispered into my ear "How cute, the little worms think that they can win...that is if I decide to attack!" I spun my head to see a man that was easily 220 cm tall with blood-red eyes, two sharp canines sticking out from his mouth, long pointed ears, ashen grey skin, and two large curving horns on top of his head staring right at me with an amused grin. The man was wearing an outfit that a butler would usually wear with a black top hat and cane with golden accents. He looked like a regular noble if you just ignored his face, but that wasn't what I was focusing on. How the hell did he get right next to me?

I feinted a right hook and brought my left hand up in a vicious uppercut before bringing my left leg up and snapping it out as a sidekick, slamming it into the mans afterimage. I spun a full 180 and sent out a massive bolt of lightning towards the man, who raised his brow slightly before catching my attack in his palm and promptly crushing it without so much as batting an eye. He shook his head in exasperation and said "My, my. I just wanted to greet you all with a little bit of flare but it seems that you guys are too uptight!" he tapped his cane on the ground a few time with a small pout. This would have seemed comical to me except for the fact that a Demon was in Academy grounds. Another voice called out, this time it was a familiar one. "Stop, Yuuki Silver. This Demon is not a threat. I recommend that you stand down." It was the Headmaster.

"Headmaster, what is the meaning of this? You let a Demon into the academy even though they declared war on us? Are you trying to get us killed?" I said, my anger on the verge of exploding.

"If you will listen, I can explain to you why I have brought Magna here." She said while floating down from a perch high up the walls.

I clicked my tongue and forced the energy down back into my body and signaling the group to stand down. I was sort of the unwilling leader by majority vote and even Kyrm had voted me for group leader, probably because he didn't want to be leader but oh well. We all sat down as the Headmaster landed next to the Demon named Magna and listened to her explanation.

"Now, I'm sure that everyone here has either heard of the Demon announcing a war or was there in person, but let me inform you that not all Demons want this war, Magna being one of them. The Demon Raevol Laktrosa is the leader of a rogue clan that wishes for the extinction of Humanity. We were contacted by Magna and his clan leader in order to set up a peace treaty of sorts and Magna had volunteered to teach the group that I myself deem worthy enough to undergo the Demon Slayer training. In other words, he will teach every one of you a type of 'Demon Magic' that suits your current magic affinities and will train you to be able to contend against Raevol and his clan's army. You will listen to everything he says and I will contact a reputable Blacksmith to forge unique weapons of your choice in order to fight the impending invasion."

"So, you're telling me that we're 'worthy' enough to fight for our home? Our loved ones? I'm sorry but I just can't agree with that. No one should have to be deemed 'worthy' in order to stand up for what they love and cherish." I said with anger and annoyance seeping through my clenched teeth.

"Look, boy, we can't just have anyone undergo this trial, as a normal Human would die before I could even teach them the specialized version of Demon Magic. You and your little group were selected and put together because each of you are beyond 'normal'. In other words, you're monsters. You don't fit in, and you are the only candidates that can even withstand the process that I'm about to do. Do you understand?" Magna said, his amused smile and calm demeanor gone, replaced with a cold and oppressing aura. Did he really think that this is enough to make me obey?

"Sorry, I didn't catch what you were saying. Can you repeat it again?" I asked with a slight aura of my own leaking from my body as my anger increased. Magna apparently didn't take my question too kindly as he appeared in front of me and grabbed my by the throat and easily lifted me off the ground while speaking through clenched teeth "I'll make sure that your 'trial' is the most painful, boy!" I let myself hang from the Demon's grasp, strangely it didn't hurt and I could breath just fine. The Headmaster intervened shortly after he grabbed me "Magna, put him down this instance!" an aura just as big as Magna's erupted through the room and began to clash with one another until Magna set me down and withdrew his own. Magna bowed low and 'apologized' to the Headmaster.

"Now, let me tell you that the trial Magna was speaking of is a sacred ritual that Humans were subjected to during the last Demon War in order to gain the power to defeat them. Its name, is the Blood Trial of Glahath. If any of you want to back out, here is you chance. I will not force you to partake in a ritual that will strip you of your humanity." The Headmaster spoke each word with a straight face, like this meant nothing to her.

"Wait! We're going to lose our humanity? How will this ritual do that, exactly?" Kabuto said with a distrust written all over his face.

"This ritual will bind you blood with that of a Demons, in this case Magna's. Once this process starts it will indeed be a painful one but you will gain the ability to use a variation of Demon Magic, currently the only known way to slay a Demon." The Headmaster responded with a monotone voice.

Shouts of protests and fear echoed through the room, filling me with apprehension and, most of all, worry. I myself couldn't care less about losing my humanity if it meant that I could get more power, but I was worried for the people who have become my friends. Do I really want to see them turn into a monster?

"I'll do it...but on one condition. Leave them out of this. I promise you that I'm more than enough for this meager task." I said with pure confidence, a resolute light shining in my eyes even as my friends began to call me foolish.

"Ahahaha! Boy, you're already tainted! If you go through with this then you're going to turn into the thing you're trying to kill!" Magna said with an interested glint in his now hazy purple eyes as he studied my body.

"W-what? That's impossible, how can I be a Demon?" I said with my voice rising after each word I spoke.

"You're not a Demon yet, but you will be if you continue to use that power of yours and go through with the ritual...you'll be condemned a monster for the rest of your life." Magna said with a tinge of melancholy lining his words.

I took a deep breath and ruminated over what he had said. So I really am a monster, huh? Well, it doesn't matter if I become a Demon if I'm already a monster now does it. Fine, if that's how fate wants to play then I'll play along. "I don't give a damn. I may have lost everything, but I've found a new meaning alongside my purpose. They may overlap and I may lose what I cherish, but this time...this time my loved ones wont die, even if I have to give my life I'd rather live as a monster and die as one then see my friends die..."

"Good, good! Let those convictions last until your final breath, Yuuki Silver!" Magna now had an expression like he just watched his nephew murder his brother in a mutiny for the throne as he clapped his hands. "Now, does anyone else want to follow after dear Yuuki and save the world?" Magna continued, now with a mock excited tone of voice.

The room turned silent until Kabuto spoke up, his voice barely a whisper "I have nothing left except for these people here with me. I'll fight and die for them, even if I have to become a Demon..." eliciting a domino reaction from everyone, even Elaris had agreed with a fire in her eyes.

"Helen, I'll take good care of them from here on, alright? Tootles!" Magna waved the Headmaster goodbye as she vanished in a cloud of smoke, leaving the Demon and us alone.

Magna moved off to the side and pulled out a strange black crystal from a pocket in his suit and began chanting in a strange language before, quite literally, chopping his left arm off and using his blood to draw a complex magic circle with 8 points and a perfect circle in the middle that was big enough to even fit his monstrously tall frame. After a short 10 minutes Magna turned to us and asked only five words, each causing a strange reaction within me.

"Who wants to go first?"