Juno stood off to the side, ready to officiate. “Alright, I’ll count to three. When I say ‘go,’ you run. Got it? Three… two… one… go!”
Aokami and Devon took off, their feet pounding against the track.
Aokami thought to herself, Okay, I’ll put my essence into my legs to make me move faster. But what happens if Devon does the same? I saw Joey and Juno use essence earlier… Does Devon even know how to?
Despite her enhanced speed, she noticed Devon keeping up with her, his pace surprisingly steady.
“You’re going to lose this one, Devon,” she called over her shoulder, smirking.
Devon grinned back. “How? I’m already on my final lap!”
“What?!” Aokami screeched to a halt, her jaw dropping. She turned to the others watching on the sidelines. “Did Devon pass me two times already?”
Joey nodded, struggling to keep a straight face. “Yeah, he did, actually.”
“H-How?” Aokami stammered, her face filled with disbelief. “We just started not too long ago!”
Juno leaned against the fence, chuckling. “Well, you see, when you two started, Devon was ahead of you right away. He finished his first lap before you even realized it.”
“And then he just powered through his second lap,” Joey added with a smirk.
Aokami said “Am I really that slow?”
Juno chuckled and said. “Nah, I don’t think so. He probably used his essence to move faster.”
Devon blinked, confused. “Essence? What’s that?”
The other three turned to Devon, their expressions a mix of shock and disbelief.
“You don’t know about essence?” Juno asked.
Devon shrugged. “No. What is it?”
Joey looked at him incredulously. “You mean to tell me you were moving like a cheetah around the track and didn’t use any essence to do that?”
“Nope,” Devon replied.
Joey crossed his arms, narrowing his eyes. “Alright then, Devon. Run around the track until I say stop.”
Devon hesitated, glancing at the group. “Uh… okay,” he said, feeling a little unsure but willing to comply.
Devon started running around the track again, his movements fluid and seemingly effortless. The group watched in awe, their heads turning to follow his rapid progress. Joey narrowed his eyes, focusing as he activated his essence to enhance his vision.
“What do you see, Joey?” Aokami asked, noticing his intense expression.
Joey’s eyes glowed faintly as he observed Devon more closely. His jaw dropped. “He has essence… and not just a little. He’s got a huge amount—but it’s all concentrated in his heart.”
“In his heart?” Juno echoed.
Joey nodded, still tracking Devon’s movements. “Yeah, it’s like his heart is supercharged, pumping energy through his body without him even knowing it. That’s why he’s this fast.”
As they watched, Devon completed another lap—then another. His legs moved like a blur, his breathing steady, and his pace relentless. Joey quickly calculated the track’s size: 17 inches per lap.
“He’s already done nine laps,” Joey muttered, his tone a mix of amazement and disbelief.
“Nine laps?!” Aokami exclaimed. “And it hasn’t even been that long!”
“One minute,” Joey said, almost in a whisper. “He’s done nine laps in just one minute.”
“Is he even human?” Juno muttered under his breath.
Joey shook his head with a smile. “Devon, you can stop now.”
Devon, breathing evenly, glanced over without breaking a sweat. “Oh, okay. That was a workout.”
Juno, grinning, raised an eyebrow. “Hey, can you do 400 push-ups?”
“400? Okay then,” Devon replied.
Aokami said “What are you doing, Juno?”
“Just testing him to see if he can actually do it,” Juno said, pulling out his phone. “And I''m going to be timing him.”
Juno tapped a few buttons on his phone. “You have 5 minutes, Devon. Start.”
Devon dropped to the ground without hesitation, getting into a push-up position. "Five minutes, huh? Alright, let’s do this!" he said with a confident grin.
Juno started the timer on his phone. "Ready, set... go!"
Devon began cranking out push-ups with remarkable speed and precision. His form was perfect, each movement fluid and controlled.
“Is he seriously doing this?” Aokami muttered.
Joey crossed his arms, studying Devon carefully. “His endurance and strength are insane. He’s barely breaking a sweat.”
As Devon powered through the push-ups, Juno kept an eye on the timer. “He’s already at 100, and it’s been ... what... a minute?”
“Unreal,” Aokami whispered.
By the halfway mark, Devon had hit 250 push-ups, still maintaining his steady rhythm.
“You’ve got less than three minutes left!” Juno called out, a mix of excitement and skepticism in his voice.
“No problem!” Devon replied, not even sounding winded.
With 1:45 minutes left on the timer, Devon finished his 400th push-up. He stood up, not even breaking a sweat, looking completely unfazed.
Juno stared, wide-eyed. “So, Devon, how is your body like that?”
Devon shrugged nonchalantly. “I guess I’ve got some weird genetics from my parents, but honestly, I don’t know. I was a pretty tough kid back then.”
Juno stared at Devon in awe, his eyes widening. "400 push-ups in under two minutes... and you''re not even out of breath? That''s insane."
Aokami asked, looking at Devon curiously. "You said weird genetics? You don''t know where that comes from?"
Devon shrugged, a small smile playing on his lips. "Honestly, I have no idea. My parents were pretty tough, so I guess it runs in the family. But as for anything else... no clue."
Joey leaned in with a grin. "You’re just naturally gifted, huh? Not a bad thing to have on your side."
Aokami looked at Devon, curious. “Who are your parents?”
Devon said “Don’t know, but don’t care.”
Aokami replied “Why don’t you care? Parents are great people.”
Devon’s voice was firm. “I just don’t care to know. The past doesn’t matter to me.”
Aokami frowned, sensing the change in Devon’s mood. “But… don’t you ever wonder? Parents shape who we are.”
Devon sighed, his expression softening slightly. “Yeah, but I really don’t care about my real parents. Besides, I’ve got a family I care about. Well… two, actually.”
Juno grinned. “Well, whoever your parents are, they must’ve had some killer genes. Even without your essence, you’ve got some serious endurance.”
Devon said “Still, I don’t know what this ‘essence’ is that you guys keep talking about.”This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
As the conversation went on, the sun began to set, casting a warm glow across the sky.
“Oh, the sun’s setting,” Aokami said, noticing the change. “We need to head somewhere.”
“We can head back to the Purger HQ and go to our rooms,” Devon suggested.
“Good idea,” Juno agreed.
The group made their way back to the HQ and took the elevator to the third floor. Their room number was 320. When they walked in, they were greeted by a spacious living area that had everything a person could need: a TV, bunk beds, a refrigerator, bathrooms, and large windows.
“Woah, this place is massive,” Aokami exclaimed.
“Just like your head, ōkashira,” Juno teased, grinning.
Aokami immediately stepped closer, glaring at Juno with a fierce intensity. “I will murder you in your sleep.”
Juno’s smile faded “sorry.” he said, suddenly sounding a lot more scared.
Devon walked over to the refrigerator and opened it, finding it fully stocked with food. “Sweet,” he said with a grin.
Meanwhile, Joey sat on the couch and turned on the TV. The screen flickered to the news, where the anchor was reporting on a recent attack.
“A deadly demon attack occurred earlier today at a Chinese restaurant on Lime Street, leaving eight people dead. Purgers are currently scanning the area for traces of the demon responsible,” the anchor announced solemnly.
“That’s terrible,” Joey said, shaking his head.
Juno lay on his bunk, scrolling through his phone and watching videos, seemingly lost in his own world.
Meanwhile, Aokami sat next to Joey, both of them focused on the news.
“That demon must be dangerous,” Aokami said.
Joey nodded. “The Purgers will handle it,” he replied.
At the Chinese restaurant, the scene was chaotic. Around 50 Purgers were combing through the area, gathering evidence and questioning witnesses. One of the Purgers spoke up.
“So, what time did the attack start?”
“8:55 p.m.,” the witness replied.
“Okay,” the Purger said, jotting down notes in a small notepad.
Just then, a man in a blue robe over an office suit walked into the scene, his presence commanding immediate attention.
“Mr. Lam,” one of the Purgers said, straightening up as he approached.
“What’s the situation?” Lam asked, his voice calm yet authoritative.
“A demon attacked this restaurant at 8:55 p.m., killing eight people. We’ve sent a team to scan the area for traces.”
Lam crossed his arms, his frown deepening. “Okay, that’s pretty dumb.”
The Purger looked confused. “Huh? How?”
“Why do you need 50 Purgers for this?” Lam asked.
“Well, we don’t know how strong this demon is. It could be a chaos-level threat.”
Lam shook his head. “Okay, let’s say it is a chaos-level threat. What can 50 Purgers do? If it’s that powerful, it could kill all of you in minutes.”
The Purger faltered, realizing the flaw in their approach. “I… didn’t think of that.”
“And do you really think a demon would still be hanging around this area after an attack like this?” Lam asked.
“No, Mr. Lam,” the Purger admitted.
Another Purger approached Mr. Lam, wearing a white headband. "Come on, Lam, relax. I called for the search."
"Yoshijiro, you called the search?" Mr. Lam asked.
"Yep, I was ordered by Yumi to do it," Yoshijiro replied casually.
"Where''s the rest of your group?" Mr. Lam asked, glancing around.
"They’re all busy hunting down that cult," Yoshijiro answered.
"Of course," Mr. Lam muttered under his breath. "So, you’re gonna help me find this demon, right?"
Yoshijiro gave a quick nod. "Yeah, I’m on it."
"Good," Mr. Lam said, opening the door of his car. "Hop in."
The two of them climbed into the car, Mr. Lam taking the driver''s seat.
"Don’t mess up the car, Yoshijiro," Mr. Lam warned. "It’s my wife’s."
"Got it, sir," Yoshijiro replied.
The two Purgers climbed into the car, Yoshijiro settling into the passenger seat. Mr. Lam adjusted the rearview mirror before starting the engine. The car, a sleek black sedan with polished chrome accents, hummed to life.
"Nice ride," Yoshijiro said, running his hand over the dashboard. "Your wife’s got good taste."
Mr. Lam shot him a sharp look. "Just don’t spill anything or scratch it. She’ll have my head."
Yoshijiro chuckled, leaning back in his seat. "Relax, Lam. I’m not a rookie. Let’s focus on finding that demon before it causes more chaos."
Two Purgers walked down the dimly lit street.
“Hey, heard about that demon attack at the Chinese restaurant?” one of them said, glancing over at his partner.
“Yeah, it’s terrible. Those poor people didn’t stand a chance,” the second Purger replied.
The first Purger hesitated, his eyes darting around the darkened alleyways. “Hey, do you think it’s safe walking around this late?”
His partner was surprised by the question. “Why, you worried?”
“Bro, there are demons all over the city at night. One could be lurking, waiting to strike,” the first Purger said, his voice tinged with nervousness.
“Quit being paranoid,” the second Purger chuckled, rolling his eyes. “Demons aren’t stupid. They know when to attack. If one was following us, we’d know by now. They have essence, remember? It’s like a tell.”
“Right,” the first Purger muttered.
The two Purgers continued walking, the atmosphere growing heavier with each step. Suddenly, they stopped in their tracks. Ahead, a man stood motionless in the street. He wore a well-tailored suit, but his stillness was unnerving. Not a single muscle seemed to move.
The second Purger, the braver of the two, took a step forward, eyeing the figure warily. “Hello, sir,” he called out. “You know it’s dangerous out here at night. Please head back to your home.”
The man didn’t respond, his gaze fixed straight ahead, as if he hadn’t heard a word.
“Sir, are you deaf?” the Purger asked, taking another step closer.
The man’s head suddenly twisted unnaturally, his neck creaking like an old door hinge. He turned to face them, revealing an unsettling sight: five eyes, three on his left side and two on his right, all wide open and staring at them in eerie unison.
“Do you like your eyes?” the man asked, his voice low and distorted, as if the words were coming from multiple places at once.
“Huh?” The second Purger took a step back, confusion creeping into his voice. “What the hell does that mean?
The man’s body twisted unnaturally, his joints cracking as he turned to face the second Purger. Without warning, he reached out with long, spindly fingers, grabbing the Purger’s face. The Purger tried to struggle, but the man’s grip was too strong. Slowly, with sickening precision, the man used his fingers to pry open the Purger''s eyelid and remove his right eye.
The second Purger screamed in pain, his hand reaching for his face in a desperate attempt to stop the man, but it was useless.
The first Purger, horrified by what he was seeing, drew his sword and charged at the man, adrenaline fueling his movements. But as the man turned his gaze upon him, the Purger froze. His body locked in place, as if an invisible force was holding him still.
“This… is a demon…” he muttered, his voice trembling in disbelief.
Suddenly, blood began to pour from the first Purger’s nose, eyes, and ears. His body convulsed for a moment before he collapsed to the ground, lifeless.
The second Purger screamed for his partner, his voice trembling in fear and desperation. But before he could react further, everything went dark.
The man, now alone with his grisly trophies, opened a creaky door to an abandoned house. He casually dropped the two Purger bodies onto the cold, dusty floor. The faint glow of a lamp flickered to life as he approached. With deliberate care, he began to pluck their eyes from their sockets, one by one, as if performing a twisted ritual.
"You two are perfect," he murmured, a dark satisfaction in his voice.
He moved to a nearby closet, which was filled with rows of glass jars. Inside each jar, a grotesque collection of eyeballs floated, preserved in a cloudy liquid. He ran his fingers over them, inspecting each one like a collector admiring rare gems.
"Your eyes are beautiful," he continued, his tone almost affectionate as he held up the blue eyes from the second Purger. "And your partner''s... such a fine shade of orange."
The man sighed, an unsettling sound that filled the room. "Too bad none of the humans from the restaurant had the eyes I was looking for. I had to kill them all... But I may need to relocate. Too many Purgers in the area. And I wasted one of my eyes on you two."
With a soft hiss, he removed one of his own eyes from its socket. It was dull, lifeless, the color drained from it. He tossed it out the window, the glass clicking against the pavement below. Then, carefully, he placed the orange eye into his own empty socket. It fit perfectly, a perverse sense of completion filling him.
"You have no essence power," he said, speaking to the bodies as though they could hear him, "but you give me more essence than you know. For that, I thank you."
He paused, looking down at the jars. "Now, all I need is an eye that resembles a cherry red. That''s the one I crave."
A car came to a sudden stop outside the abandoned house. The engine idled for a moment before the driver, Mr. Lam, stepped out of the vehicle.
Yoshijiro, sitting in the passenger seat, leaned forward, peering at the object Mr. Lam had picked up from the ground. "Why''d you stop, Mr. Lam?" he asked, puzzled.
Lam held up the lifeless eye, turning it over in his hand as if inspecting a piece of discarded trash. "This," he said cryptically.
Yoshijiro stared at the eye, his brow furrowing in confusion. "A human eye? It''s so... dull. What happened to it?"
"Don''t know," he muttered. He closed his eyes for a moment, focusing his essence into his gaze. His expression shifted, as if he was trying to sense something terrible he looks at the abandoned house.
Then, his eyes snapped open, sharper and more focused than before. "There," he said, his voice now cold with certainty. "In the house."
"What do you mean?" Yoshijiro asked "That abandoned house?"
"Yes," Mr. Lam replied "There’s something dangerous inside. A presence... very strong."
Without another word, Mr. Lam motioned for Yoshijiro to follow. They made their way toward the house, moving cautiously. The air felt heavy as they approached. Once inside, they carefully checked the first floor. The house was eerily silent, dust settled on everything, and the floor creaked under their steps.
After thoroughly inspecting the first floor, they made their way upstairs. At the top of the stairs, they stopped in front of a door that appeared damaged, its wood splintered, barely hanging on its hinges.
"This is it," Mr. Lam whispered "The presence is in here."
He slowly reached for the handle, but before he could touch it, Yoshijiro suddenly pulled him back. A sharp, dark figure lunged from the shadows, and they were met by the man with five eyes.
All three of them stood frozen in the hallway, the air thick with danger.
"You know home invasion is a crime... right?" the man with five eyes said, his voice dripping with amusement.
Yoshijiro''s eyes widened in recognition. "A demon!"
"Stay behind, Yoshijiro," Mr. Lam ordered, his voice low and commanding. "You must be the strong presence I was sensing."
The man with five eyes chuckled, his expression twisted in an unsettling grin. "Oh, you have nice eyes. Tell me, what color are they?" he teased.
Mr. Lam''s mind raced as he studied the demon. This demon is... different. From the strong presence I was feeling, it must be a Chaos-level threat.