---

︾

His vision cleared as glittering crimson lights dimmed.

He flinched his fingers as he looked at the paint of the wall. The former reddish-black wall now expressed a shade of yellow and white.

He swiftly dragged his fingers through the ground until they came upon the metallic touch of the barrel.

Looking around, he noticed the blood markings. Besides him, stretched a double bed, along with few lamps. Opposite him was a wooden door, embed in black cyclic markings.

Straight in front, in the middle of the room, rested a black book. From the angle of his eyes, he could see the crying demon skull printed on its cover.

His black eyes gazed up as he heard a buzzing sound. Right above the door, a blue gem coalesced with the wall recited a speech.

“Fellow Candidates,” The voice was hoarse, yet it almost sounded robotic.

“Rejoice. An opportunity lies before you. You’re now part of an exclusive game. One created by the Supreme Demon lord, himself”

His eyes narrowed as he listened to the voice.

“The Supreme Demon king is benevolent. So, he wrote a manual. It covers everything about the game, including the ways to beat it. We have placed a book copy in each of your room. Now, I bid you good fortune.”

“One Last thing, the timer ticks. Your very first task, arrive within the Announcement hall due on time. If failed, well the consequences, read the book to find out.”

The blue gem above the door altered its glow in violet.

He lowered his gaze and placed the revolver inside his black leather long coat.

The Full Hunter Pocket Watch in his palm ticked. He looked upon the clock’s arms. The hour-hand point directly upon, while the minute hand shifted a tick away from the hour hand.

He closed the half hunter cover and placed the watch in the pocket of his black pants.

A screen emerged in front of his eyes.

《Candidate#666》 「X」

《Name: Apollyon》

《Task: Reach announcement hall due on time》

《Remaining Time: 1 hour 59 minutes 55 second》

He lifted his left arm and pressed the “X”

After a few steps, he picked up the book. He moved pack and sat down, leaning against the wall beside the bed. One leg stretched forward, another bent.

The book emitted a malicious felt of air around.

Considering its width, it looked to be at least over 500 pages.

As he opened the book, his gaze fell upon the title imprinted on the first page in bright, bold letters.

【SCATTERED CROWN】

Thus he skimmed through the pages.

︽

---

︾

“Fuck, someone dares play a prank on me.”

A blonde guy scowled. He kicked the book to the ground.

“Demon King, candidate, my ass,” he headed for the door, “Fuck, what’s the time? I had better not missed my SATs.”

He barged open the wooden door. In front, he saw another room.

The door was numbered.

﹝203﹞

He turned his head around and saw several similar doors, all numbered.

“What’s his? A hotel”

As he turned his legs, he heard the door in the front creak. He noticed a white hand under the violent sleeves. Following the hand, he saw a deep-pair of lilac eyes.

“Where’s.. this place?” The women asked. She grabbed her shoulder to stop shuddering.

The blonde guy blushed, taken back by her face. Before he could say anything, the rest of the doors opened.

People came forth. Those who came out looked perplexed and mumbled.

“How did I get here?”

“Is this a reality TV show?”

“Did I get kidnapped?”

“Where’s the fucking exit?”

Everyone contemplated their theories. Meanwhile, some conversed with each other to sort out the situation.

“So, everyone woke up with no idea of how they got here,” The blonde guy scratched his head as he heard the whispers around. He stood straight,

“By the way, My name’s Isaac” He offered his hand for a handshake.

The women’s lilac eyes looked dead set on the doors yet to open.

“Oh, I am Lyla”, she answered, not even looking in front.

Isaac sobbed internally

︽

---

︾

《Warning!》 「X」

《Remaining Time: 30 seconds》

Apollyon disregarded the Warnings and kept reading through the pages.

《Remaining Time: 20 seconds》

.

《Remaining Time: 0 seconds》

《Candidate#666〔Failed〕》

Even now, Apollyon remained indifferent. He slid his hand inside his coat and took out the revolver.

︽

---

︾

Red dots emerged on the screen of the transparent screen. A demon glared on those red dots.

“Sheesh, Humans, no ability to improvise, no ability to adapt.”

The demon had three eyes. Its head grew two black horns. Bones grew over its skin, yet it had a uniquely humanoid frame.

The demon waggled its black tail through the air.

The sharp black tail, coated in a layer of thick red blood, drenched the floor, touched by the tail. It looked fresh as if the tail plunged in blood recently.

His black hair jumbled over his red eyes.

“All they had to do was to reach the down floor, yet they failed,” His face scowled. “To think I would use these fierce claws and tail to dispose such worthless beings, How distasteful.”

His arms were lean. Black scales surrounded his arms, and sharp red claws served as his fingers.

In his hand, he carried a device that showed the blueprint of the rooms. Some rooms had a red dot inside them.

He halted his steps and turned.

The red dot came from the room in the front. The room numbered ‘666.’

His tail swung across the air and broke the door in half.

His three eyes all bulged as he saw a man. The man had white hair. More noticeably, he rested leaning on the wall, one of his hands holding a revolver. The muzzle pointed at that man’s submaxillary triangle.

Three eyes of his peered, gazing around the finger which brushed the trigger.

The man’s expression remained indifferent as the trigger got pulled.

A gunshot echoed throughout the room.

︽

---

︾

A screen emerged in front of his eyes.

《Candidate#666》 「X」

《Name: Apollyon》

《Task: Announcement hall due on time》

《Remaining Time: 1 hour 59 minutes 55 second》

He lifted his left arm and pressed the “X”

After a few steps, he picked up the book. He moved pack and sat down, leaning against the wall beside the bed. One leg stretched forward, another bent.

Thus he skimmed through the pages.

︽

---

︾

“How distasteful.”

The demon halted his steps and turned.

His three eyes all bulged as he saw a man.

“This scene…” He felt a deep and unusual sense of Déjà vu. Dizziness fogged his vision.

Later, a gunshot echoed throughout the room.

︽

---

︾

Apollyon closed the book as he read through the last page.

The last words written in the book were,

【FALLEN SWORD】

《The 21 Book Root Notes Detected In Your Memory》

《You have Completed The Manual》

《Rank#95〔People Who Completed The Manual〕Determined》

Apollyon looked at the screen. Twenty minutes remained.

“95”, He mumbled, a board smile grew, “finally, something intriguing.”

His arms slid inside the inner coat pocket and took out a small black box. It was thin enough to hide in an internal pocket.

The black boxed embed a golden line across its surface. Apollyon opened the top.

The small compartments comprised four parts. One had a small syringe filled in a translucent liquid. Three small capsules rested in the latter two cases.

He placed the box on top of the bed beside him.

Again, he slid his arm inside his long coat and took out a mask. A plain white mask. The only pattern present on the mark was a red wavey line around the left eye.

︽

---

︾

“How distasteful.”

The demon halted his steps and turned.

His tail stopped midway from swinging. “Wait… this.”

His palm held his face, his eyes narrowed, “This…” “This..” An indescribable feeling lingered in his heart.

As he pondered, he gazed towards the imprinted number, ‘666.’

The tail flinched as his ear heard a banging sound—a hole formed through the door. A bullet ensnared. Like time slowed down, he could see the shot flying near him.

Vivid images flashed through his mind. He remembered seeing a man kill himself. Not once, but twice, in the same room.

A piercing pain passed down, engulfing his body. He returned to his senses.

His eyes felt teary. Vision a bit blurred. His head entailed excruciating pain as the bullet perforated his third eye and entered his mind. Blue blood dripped through the hole, wetting his eyes and skin.

The bullet lacked the power to break out of the skull. Thus it remained inside the demon’s head.

The demon clenched his teeth. His tail slammed the door down.

He saw the gun’s muzzle pointed along in his direction, held by a man on the other side of the room. The man wore a white mask. His deep-black eyes, shiny white hair blended perfectly with the mask.

The demon’s eye narrowed, his face scowled. “You..” “What are you?” The demon asked.

︽

---