“Okay okay okay! I need to stop freaking out first.” I mumbled to myself.

 

“Kys! You go ahead! I’ll be right behind you!” Such a stereotypical main character line as he goes to fight the villain. 

 

He didn’t argue though, he didn’t pause as he nodded before turning tail and running. Exactly as I wrote him to. He wouldn’t be waiting for me at the exit.

 

“Who would bring a sword to a gun fight?” That grating voice I long wish I forgot. But a slap awoke me from the scene. I couldn’t allow myself to be thinking of that day now. 

 

“Scene! Scene! SCENE! What was the damned scene!” I couldn’t remember! I couldn’t remember the scene this monster appeared. 

 

“Calm down...I need to calm down.” I was becoming frantic I wasn’t thinking straight. I lowered my head and tried to ignore the red tinted world. 

 

I tried to recall the day of the writing, the imagery I tried to portray. Why did I write this character? What was the goal? Why an ideal shadow student? 

 

I felt the winter chill. I heard the gusts whistle through my closed windows. I heard the slow typing as my fingers shook with every stroke. A demonic beast fearful of a possible future. A beast not yet able to contend with the greats but not weak enough to be prey. Still young, still scared. He rushed through the academy in search of the one titled Ideal Shadow student. He went on a rampage destroying everything. The academy of reverence was left to smouldering ash. The teachers particles in the wind, the students never found. No one was left, nothing was left. 

 

But why?

 

Why a shadow student?

 

[Author has noticed flaws with the scene “Destruction of Jupiter Academy”. Would Author like to bring forth changes?]

 

The scene had no reason. I never gave it a reason to exist. I gave the demon no reason to chase an all encompassing shadow. Fear is a simple motive but in fear of what? Why fear a shadow? 

 

That fear is ill placed. The light is what the demon should fear. The light that allows the shadow to grow bigger is something worthier of fear. A pair, not a single man.

 

[To enact adaption will require a student to receive title Child of Light.]

The student to receive the title was the easier part, Rae Rose. 

 

But why does the demon fear them to such an extreme?

 

I tried to write that he didn’t fear them, that he never rushed over to destroy Jupiter. 

 

[Failure to enact change. Can not adapt event from not occuring.]

 

I wasn’t surprised but there was no harm to trying. A more serious solution is required.

 

The demon needs to fear them to the point that they are worth chasing at any point.

 

He needs to not care about his own life.

 

He needs to be-

 

Ordered. He was ordered.

 

By who? A demon king?

 

I felt a shiver run down my spine, I’d rather not be in the eyes of a demon king. 

But who else could order a demon to destroy an Academy? No demon commander would have that much power. Especially over a demon of such potential.

Do I seriously need to put myself in the eye of a demon king to solve this issue? There isn’t any proof this will solve the issue!

How else can one command demons?

We have blood commands to where superior ranked demons command lower ones.

Pact commands where someone makes a pact with the demon allowing them command over the demon.

Mage suppression, when magic power is high enough demons confuse it for blood commands.

There is vessel control but that is something I never fleshed out. But what I had written was similar to pact commands. Differences from a pact were, the person allows the demon into them, action are influenced by the demon, in addition to a shorter life; allowing them more power but at a greater cost. 

I wrote “to be adapted” in the document but the power never got used or mentioned so I just ignored it’s existence. 

There was no call by system either meaning there was no flaw or when you are within it’s frozen world you can’t adapt more then the initial flaw. 

But in some ways it isn’t a flaw, to never use a power never mentioned isn’t a flaw. If the power was mentioned then it would be flaw as that is akin to showing a gun and never using the gun. But instead this was akin to writing a gun in your notes but never writing the gun into existence.

I’ve gone off the beat and trail, let’s get back on track. Who commanded the demon? I can’t do a blood command. There is no way I can put myself in the eyes of a demon king. How about a pact? Who and Why directly come to mind?

 

Not a teacher as none of them now would be around decades later. Can’t be a student as none would have reason...

It was like a truck rammed me in the gut. A test. A damned test!

This demon was a test for the shadow student. 

The group to do this was simple once that fact became obvious. 

“Black Shadow…” My voice shook at their name. A demon king? Later in the story that is child’s place in comparison to them. 

But in a way this is more beneficial than a demon king’s gaze ever could. This means they have a favorable opinion of my abilities and are looking to see if I could fit their scheme. Also removes the need for the Child of Light title to be given out so early.

It’s ironic in hindsight I removed my ties to them in my backstory only to add new ties come not long later, but this was the best choice. I was being scouted for the biggest villains I ever wrote. The only saving grace is they have yet to become the people they turn into that isn’t for another decade. Their master, that man is a man that strikes fear just at the thought of him.

Even if the headmaster appeared himself, that man would blink the academy out of existence.

Okay let’s check this over, demon is here to scout me; meaning Black Shadow is interested in my abilities. Strange to think my hours of frantic analysis is rendered down to a sentence. But why are they scouting me? What do they have to gain by some first-year student?

A future.

They gain a future. During their first mission they were all identified making them unable to move smoothly but if they were to have a master shadow and a new recruit on top of that they can start acting again. They want to see if I can be that person.

The red of the world brought such a strong sense of foreboding. I felt a strong nervousness as I hesitated unfreezing. But eventually the shivering pointer finger pressed save. I heard the notification sound from the system but didn’t have any time to read it.

‘Are you worth the trouble? Would expect greater from the King.’

“Why are you here!” I couldn’t help but shout. I expected them to send someone to watch the progression of the trial but to sent him was not needed. That fruity voice, that hint of arrogance, that feeling of warmth. DAMN IT!

‘You know me? Maybe you are worth the trouble then.’

I can’t response! I can’t bring myself to answer him. Anax would have taunted him, would have pushed him not knowing the depths of his powers. Ji would have picked up his broad sword and stood there imposing as an impassable mountain. Kys would have laughed, ‘So you are strong? Sounds like fun.’ Such idiots! All of them idiots!

But as I saw all those around me rush about in panic, I knew why they existed; why these idiots were the idols.

I bolted into the crowd; the demon was on a B-line towards me and as much as I hated to admit it I can’t do this alone.

‘You are a strange one. Maybe that is why you are a King.’

“Stop calling me that!” A Shadow King is a different being all together, stop pushing the story line forward!

‘Oh? A True King.’ He was laughing; he was laughing at me!

I escaped the veil of red and saw everyone exactly where I expected them, at the front lines.

Anax, Ji, Kys, Rae, and Scarlet all stood there unphased by this scene. But even further in front of them was the teachers and headmaster.

“What is Black Shadow doing here!” I heard a teacher shout his voice hoarse.

I stood rooted in place my eyes gone stern. “You want to test me that badly? You are risking this much?”

‘What risk? Just make sure to worry about your test, not us.’

He is right. There was no risk for them being here. So long as he acted, they could all escape without harm.

I didn’t announce my presence to the others standing out on guard. I stood there waiting in the shadows. I felt comfortable here, like this was where I belonged. 

I heard the screech. The blaring sirens mute in comparison. Out of nothing it appeared in the fray. 

He seemed so human...His hair a pitch black, his skin tone a blue pale, his eyes a piercing red, and a pair of tiny horns protruding from his head. 

 

“Oh? He is shrouded in light.” The demon spoke with a knowing smirk etched on his face.

 

The others were visibly confused but there was no way they would understand him. None of them dared act but it was obvious Kys was fidgeting, bouncing from one foot to the other. 

 

I want to believe they can take down this demon, that I won’t need to act. I couldn’t morally allow myself to tell such a lie. This demon would in three decades destroy this entire academy, but now? I would project it would require the teamwork of multiple teachers to achieve. 

 

‘I’ll be watching. But you already knew that.’ That haunting laughter, how long will you echo in my head!

 

The gift given by the perfect score was a storage system, a cliche but an insanely useful one. I pulled out both the bow and jacket.

 

I took a shooting position, by the notched arrow shook. The twitch turned into full tremors up my arms. 

 

Demon’s Gaze, a birth right to every demon. Those under the gaze of the demon have a chance of being struck with fear. Your emotions were the bases for the probability of it success. 

 

‘Even through the shadows, he can still find me! I’m behind such blinding lights but nothing! No cursory looks, he is staring at me.’ My thoughts were in turmoil.

 

‘Struck by Demon’s Gaze, points deducted.’

 

The demon bolted passed the line made up by the students and towards me. 

 

I had a short time to react as I calmed myself. That nightmarish voice was the reason for my calmness. ‘Points deducted.’ The key phrase that allowed me to easily break the demon’s gaze.