The Great Demon System

In a secluded area away from the prying eyes of the masses stood two figures leant upon an edge overlooking the vast shimmering expanses of brilliant clouds below, so thick that the abyss appeared endless past the light of the moon. Their hair shared the same cut of mismatched yellow and orange, and each remained relatively calm, although one clearly seemed to be hiding his state of mind. "Father… What is the reason you have brought me here?" The shorter won spoke glancing down towards the clouds, not looking in the eyes of the other.

"I'm your father! What more reason do I need to come to greet my favourite son!" He laughed. "Please, all say the same... simply tell me the truth, no need to make me wait…" "Hmmm? What is with the grim voice my boy! Is there something the matter?" The young man shook his head vigorously.

"Yes, there is father. I have disgraced our family name and brought only shame. I failed to even enter the top students selected, I did not receive any offers. how could I face you after such humiliation? I simply cannot..."

"Disgrace!?" The father seemed genuinely stunned. "Heavens no! If anything, I could not be any prouder! You're one of the biggest talks of the tournament! In fact, you've far exceeded my expectations!" He laughed further and patted him aggressively on the back. "You nearly beat the tournament favourite and put on a show unlike any other! I had lost hope and cursed the heavens when the match was announced, but you proved me wrong! Good job!"

"R— really father?" Kai muttered. "Really you ask? You saying you don't believe me? Oh lord, what have they done to you in that school!? Why act so formal around me all of a sudden as if we never met?"

"Ahh— Yes, it's just been a long time since we last met, and I learned many things about etiquette during my stay at the school…" He chuckled nervously. "Ah, I see, if that's the case then it's understandable! Just know that in no way did I come to reprimand you, my son! You've delivered great honour in our name! Unlike that disgrace of a "brother" you have…" His tone shifted abruptly sombre, almost hostile.

"Brother? You speak of Regrit?" Kai was taken aback.

"The very same! Who else would it be?"

"But, he received third place! He faired much better than I!"

"That much might be true. I hate to admit my expectations for him were higher than yours. He was always stronger than you, so I expected more after all that talk about shoving his fist up my mouth and making me beg, licking his boots after he proves me wrong! Me, beg!? Proving me wrong!? Hahaha! Such preposterous words make me laugh to this day! Today proved just that! Kai my dear! Your performance was not only more impressive, but that boy's words and abhorrent senses made him a laughing stock for all the judges! That demon is unruly! He even joined that blissful demon guild without any of my permission! When I get my hands on him I'll—"

"Please, father! Have mercy! It was a simple mistake! I'm—"

"Simple mistake!?" He roared. "What's gotten into you all of a sudden!? You're acting weird! I've never seen you defend him like this! Have you two become friends or something!?"

"N—No! Not at all… It's just…"

"Just what!?"

"Apologies father… I suppose I may have indeed grown too sympathetic, thank you for setting me straight again…"

As those words escaped the nervous Kai's mouth, the expression of shock and anger slowly settled in his father's eyes as he sighed his stress away into the cold night air. And from afar, away from any of their senses, there laid another man hiding in the shadows of an alleyway overseeing them. The entire time, he wore a face of pure malice and disgust, like that of a keen-eyed predator. Had he been any closer, his bottomless hatred would have no doubt been sensed. But only at that moment did he inwardly curse and bite his lip nearly drawing blood.

"Rupert, you fucking idiot… How many times did I warn you to not defend me in any way! That… Monster… will never change…" Regrit muttered belligerently under his breath as he listened to them continue their conversation.

"No need to say sorry, I was at fault for snapping in such a way. I ruined what was meant to be a sincere reunion… Perhaps it was his mother's words of ignorant hope that set me off. I'll be sure to teach that wench a lesson…"

"..."

Regrit had thought that his rage and anger had reached their limits, but nothing could "You… How dare you… I swear… If you lay a finger on my mother I'll… I'll… I'll fucking… I'LL FUCKING K—"

prepare for what that monster uttered next…

Something within him snapped, like the chains of primal rage that had been sealed off from the depths of his heart had burst open.

He gritted his teeth, his vision became drenched in red with nothing but his target in sight, his subconscious urging him forward. suppressed aura broke out of its shackles, his eyes turned bright like a wolf and his shaking hands and feet began to glimmer in hellish flames as he inched ever closer towards his target. "You… How dare you… I swear… If you lay a finger on my mother I'll… I'll… I'll fucking… I'LL FUCKING K—"

But that was when abruptly, he felt the tender touch of another grasping him from behind, out of sight and out of mind, her words only barely managing to reach him and insight a reaction.

"Please… Stop it…"

"WHA!! WHO'S THERE!? GET OFF ME!!" He roared, pulling out his twin blades from instinct and slashing madly towards the unknown voice, leading to a piercing cry that almost sounded like a moan, most certainly one that brought a reaction from the two stood far away in the distance.

"Huh!? Who's there!?" Kai's father turned around and asked in the direction of the darkness with furrowed brows while Kai looked wide-eyed as though he could see through the darkness clear as day.

"Oh no! Honey! We've been caught! Let's go somewhere else." A female voice cried with embarrassment. "SHUT YOUR MOUTH!! I'll… I'll fuck you up! Just you wait and see!" Another voice escaped shrieking like an unknown beast, and sweat began to appear upon the face of the father. "Damn creepy teens… I always knew someone would try to have sex in this virtual reality, just not so close to me… This is embarrassing... Kai, my dear son, what say you we find somewhere more… uhhh… Private…"

"Mhm… Yes, father..." Kai nodded as they quickly disappeared from place and relocated to another.

"He's getting away!! Bitch! LET GO OF ME OR I'LL— GRRRRRR!!" He gritted his teeth shielding his foam and saliva, sharply roaring like a ravenous beast, yet through all his effort, he could not shake off and escape.

"Please… Calm yourself…" The girl once again spoke in that same tender yet monotone voice with a grasp not too aggressive, almost motherly even… A feeling all too familiar... It was to the point that her words began to quell the redness of his eyes and soothe the beast within back to slumber until he saw red no longer…

"I am not sure of your full intentions, but you will certainly ruin any chances and make things worse for both you and the one you want to protect most…" 𝙛𝙧𝒆𝒆𝒘𝒆𝙗𝙣𝙤𝒆𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝙤𝒎

All of a sudden, Regrit fell on his knees with a blank expression, slowly shaking his head and rubbing his blurry eyes with an expression all too blank before he truly regained vision and sense of himself.

And as he looked up, he began to recognize the soft facial features and exotic crimson hair of the woman who abruptly stopped him, and his blank face could not help but broaden at someone he never expected to see at such a time.

"You… I remember you… You're that girl from earlier… You're…"

"Yes…" She calmly interrupted. "I am Abbey Reid… A fellow fire-ability user… It's nice to properly meet you…" She bent down and smiled, offering her hand.