This was new.  I guess it's official.  I’m a fucking demon.  

I believe it was demonology that mentioned demons have incomplete souls, which is why they are attracted to completed souls.  It is interesting the stat now appears on this screen, as if taunting me to grow and complete my soul.   Did I start at zero, or did some event trigger me to lose my soul?  

Whatever.  Go to hell librarian! 

There was no doubt my attacker was a demon.  But, a hobo demon?  They should be living at the top of the food chain.  But, if demons have incomplete souls, could my new goal be the same as theirs?

Closing my eyes, I tried to catch my breath.  My chest was heaving, and my heart was pounding, beating up into my throat.  Brain was spasming as if electric shocks went through me.  I tossed myself to the floor and sat criss-crossed, taking on a meditation pose.  

Breathhhhhh in.

Breathhhhhh out. 

The screen light was shining through my eyelids, but I kept on breathing while giving it the finger with both hands.  

Finally catching my breath, and letting my heart rate slow down, but there was still a heavy thump in my chest.  I slowly stood back up, and did some stretches to get the blood circulating.  

If I’m going to be stuck in this metropolis, I’ll have to achieve Tier 4 mana collection.  Tamara mentioned to keep the mana inside, which I’ve been circulating it already, but when I force the escaped collected mana to circulate, it drags in more from the environment.

Hm.  Maybe I can try storing the mana, rather than letting it flow around.   Turning away from the screen, I shut my eyes again.  First, I paused the flow of the mana, as it quickly scrambled out of control and escaped my body.   

Next, drawing it back in.  I guided the stream towards my heart, filling it with a comfortable amount and freezing it in place, then wrapping a dense layer around it.   I continued the same with my brain, but the mana seemed to disappear into an endless pit.  I increased the speed, as it gushed into my brain.  Opening the floodgates,  I could hear the air in the void begin whistling and flapping my clothes, but it quickly calmed down.   

The room grew quiet, and the flow stopped.  There was no more left.  

I’ll have to take my chances that this was it.  

Facing the screen, I shake my head, “No.”

The screen fades away, as I stand in the shadow of a towering building.

Staring at the corpse, laying there, spread-eagle on the floor, as I wait for the notable moment.  After a few seconds, it shines with a dim glow and poofs into ash.   Poor bastard, even his death was weak.

I searched his clothes, but there was only a solid black business card with a phone number printed, with raised gold foil.

I put it in my back pocket and headed out into the streets.

There were pedestrians walking along both sides of the street.  I chose to turn left keeping my head down and headed out at a snail's pace while checking my surroundings.

There were all kinds of shops around the base of the buildings, while up higher were filled with windows.  Their heights were impressive even for modern times, I had to lean far back to get a glimpse of their tops.

I thought I saw someone familiar in my peripheral vision, while quickly turning to peek, but it was just my imagination.  

That was when I noticed it.  Everyone's eyes were glowing with different colors and brightness.  The dread sunk over me, as this proved I was in the Demonus Empire.  

I walked over to one of the nearby shops and stared at my reflection in the mirror.  There it was, the fierce eyes of gray glowing with a mighty flicker of lightning within.

A demon kid staring back at me on the opposite side of the window, with a faint yellow glow in his eyes, started crying.  I flinched, and scurried myself away from the shop.

Why are all these demons behaving like they are a human society, with children, shops, vehicles, and skyscrapers?

I needed to do something about the color of my eyes.  Pausing and pretending to soak in the view, I closed my eyes and migrated mana away from my brain towards my eyes. Imagining the color shifting to red, as I settled it into blobs overlapping both my irises.

Continuing forward as I passed another shop and checked my reflection.  It was a light red, not perfect, but it should suffice for now. 

Thankfully my clothes were in good shape after my visit to the castle, where I borrowed the repair stone.  I needed to investigate this society, and it would be difficult looking ragged.  Finding the nearest restaurant, I headed inside and asked to be seated at a booth for two.  

As the waiter approached, I only ordered a glass of water.  His eyes stared daggers into me.  He must have guessed I didn't plan to order anything.  Doesn't matter, I have none of the demon currency anyway.

I stared out at the other patrons, eavesdropping on their conversations.  

"Devon wants a baby terokee for his birthday.  But I told him they pee everywhere and will grow too big after a year!  He said he still wants one, because Jorah got one."

No idea what terokee is, but that sounds fairly civilized for a demon.  I turned my ear to another table.

"I was supposed to get my upgrade today, but the fucking insurance denied it.  Corporate assholes, keeping the upgrades for their rich friends."

Ah, capitalism.  Even demons aren't safe from it, or maybe they invented it.  Bastards.

I saw another guest calling for the waiter, holding some device in the air.  He talked for a little while, then the waiter pulled out his own device and scanned it.  The guest stood up and walked away.  That must be how they pay for food, similar to the mobile pay in my era.  Its design was a bit peculiar with a rounded shape for a smartphone.

The television at the bar had the volume turned up and crept into my ear.

"Tonight at eight on DNN, we await the one-hundredth millenia birthday celebration presented by Emperor Lucifer Abaddon, where he will upgrade one lucky recipient with a soul!  

Stay tuned after the ceremony for our inside scoop on the Soul Eater, who has been spotted in the African Reserve.  Is it fake news or real?  Find out tonight at eight!"

If only they knew I was sitting right here, "Hahaha!"  Whoops, the other guests turned to look at me, but I just waved them off.  Picking up the glass of water and taking a sip, the name Lucifer stirred in my head.  

That is the devil himself. If he is here on Earth, then where is God?  Why were we not protected?

The waiter approached, interrupting my thoughts, "Are you ready to order?"

I shook my head, "I think I've been stood up.  How much for the water?"

Luckily, I escaped the restaurant without having to pay for water.  Now, outside again, I treaded off further into the city.

Advertisements were adorned to the buildings in this area through video screens, and it seemed like some new movie was being released soon.  The other smaller displays, still towering in size, showed fighters posing for an upcoming event.  Feeling my biceps, I wondered how I would fare with this new potential of mine. The trope has been overdone in movies, with the protagonist fighting his way to glory.  But that's not my style.  These demons stole humanity, it was time to get my hands dirty and claw back my era.

I walked for a few hours around the city, looking for suspicious individuals, but this city was clean as a whistle.  Not even trash was littered.  Fuck.  Am I going to have to become a fighter?  Maybe I just have to wait for the nightlife to wake up.  The hobo fit the profile I needed, and where there is capitalism, there is crime.  

I will wait for darkness to fall on the city, taking my chances on this bet.  Walking around, I noticed most of the vehicles were of the same make and build which we had in the modern era.  Many were electric, but some still roared like a good old gas guzzler.  The big trucks hauling cargo were the same boxy shape, with loud brakes and a louder horn.  

Tired of aimlessly exploring, I settled into a hole-in-the-wall bar.  There was a single stool left, so I took a seat and sat back, holding onto the bar rail.

"Turn the volume up, it's about to start!" Someone in the crowd shouted to the bartender.  

"This is DNN, bringing you exclusive coverage of the one-hundredth millenia celebration of Emperor Lucifer Abaddon.  I am your host Gretchen Devio.  We are onsite at the Temple of the Moon, where demons roared victorious against God and the angels."

The crowd gathered around the bar started cheering, as alcohol sprang out in the air.  I was the only one frozen in my seat.  My mind was falling apart, I didn't want to comprehend the statement.  Demons defeated God.  The news was too great for my soul.  

"Hey devil, why aren't you drinking?" Someone spoke behind me.

"Yo bartender!  Get this devil a double shot of bezquila!"  

As the drink slid in front of me, I caught it and chucked it down.  

"Now we're talking! Ha ha ha!" His laughter echoed in the tiny room.  

Alcohol may bring immortal enemies together, but only for tonight.  Everyone started quieting down, shushing others, and we stared back at the screen. 

The Emperor appeared, wearing a business suit with a crimson tie, eerily similar to the modern presidents.  Jet-black hair waved backwards, fair complexion and dark black eyes, with an overbearing pride in his face, painted a powerful picture of his personality.

He stood in front of a podium and spoke, "My fellow Demons!  Tonight we honor the rebirth of our kind!  Welcome the one-hundredth Grand Demon, Sir Maximus Beezus, into the empire!"

Curiosity struck me at the number.  Does it have any relation to the one-thousand years for a Soul Eater to appear?  My thoughts were interrupted when the camera changed, now showing a capsule the Grand Demon stepped into.   

The camera changed again showing inside the capsule as it closed and Maximus spoke with a high pitched tone, "Long live the empire!"

A needle was guided towards his chest and then punctured straight through in a steady motion.  This was the interface developed by the military with the suspicious civilian's guidance!

The camera cut away to show a pop singer starting her performance, with dancers by her side.  

I couldn't sit still anymore.  I swiveled around and hopped off the seat, walking straight outside.  I scanned both sides for an alley to sneak up to the sk-

 

 

My head was pounding.  I tried to move my arms, but they were caught on metal, piercing into my wrists.  My view was darkened by a thick cloth covering my head.

A voice creeped into my ear, "Ah, you're awake.  I have only one question for you."

I was still writhing from the pain, when she added, "Where did you get this card?"