Nathan – POV
I couldn’t believe what I had just done… and no, not the murder itself, that part didn’t bother me. What stunned me was that I had successfully commanded Krizek to carry out a complex task. That meant he wasn’t just some mindless summon, he possessed a high degree of intelligence, maybe even cunning.
Still, a nagging concern gnawed at me. Could he really handle a human opponent? Bret and his lackeys were no ordinary peasants; I’d wager they were higher level than Krizek. Yet the imp had sounded so confident, almost eager. Damn. All I could do now was trust the process and let him work.
As I mulled over the implications, weighing risks and possibilities, a sharp ding echoed in my head. My vision flickered, and a glowing blue prompt materialized before me
Congratulations!
Your imp Krizek has just eliminated a Level 20 Human Warrior. Experience points gained!
+ 50,000 exp
Congratulations!
You have leveled up + 1!
Congratulations!
You have leveled up + 1!
Congratulations!
You have leveled up + 1!
Congratulations!
You have leveled up + 1!
Congratulations!
You have leveled up + 1!
The number of prompts where disconcerting. I had to dismiss it immediately. I then summoned my status screen.
Status:
Name: Nathan
Class: Shadow Mage, Warlock Demonologist
Title: Otherworldly Knowledge
Level: 10
HP: 110
MP: 2850
Strength: 1 +10 = 11
Stamina: 1 +10 = 11
Agility: 1 +10 = 11
Dexterity: 1 +10 = 11
Intelligence: 235 +50 = 285
Constitution: 1 +10 = 11
Affinity: Shadow SSS+, Fel Energy SSS+
Active Skills: Shadow Bolt 2, Demon Skin 2, Immolate 2, Summon Imp, Shadow Tendrils1, Corruption 1, Curse of Weakness 1, Life Tap 1, Curse of Agony 1, Fear 1, Summon Voidwalker, Drain Soul 1, Create Healthstone (minor)
Passive Skills: Mana Sense 2
Holy shit. Krizek actually pulled it off. And not just against some random thug...he killed a level 20 warrior. How the hell did a level one imp manage that?
My level jumped from 1 to 10. My stats and skills had improved as a result, and staring at the glowing numbers on my status screen felt surreal. Unreal. The more I examined them, the more convinced I became of two things.
First, my skills were clearly modeled after my favorite WoW class...the warlock demonologist. The resemblance was uncanny.
Second, the stat growth wasn’t following the game’s rules at all. This world had its own system, its own logic. The framework was familiar, but the mechanics were alien.
You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.
I could only conclude that the system was still basing growth on the rules of this world...whatever they were. But after detecting the “corruption” in my soul, it had adjusted my class and skills to match my experiences. Why not a necromancer? Or a space marine? I didn’t know. But considering I’d spent over two decades playing a warlock, the system must have deemed that my preference and locked it in.
But why also a Shadow Mage? My best guess was that the system interpreted my reincarnation as “traveling.” Since it couldn’t give me “space” as a skill, it settled on the next best thing it knew: shadow. And apparently, I was the first Shadow Mage and the first Demonologist in this world.
I had to admit; I was proud of that.
I even whispered a quick thanks to God. Yes, God...capital G, singular. Not gods, not deities. You hear that, you cosmic bastards?
I shook my head. I was ranting again. Back to the real question: how the hell did a level one imp kill a level 20 human scumbag?
I decided to ask.
“Krizek? You there?”
“Yes, Master,” came the guttural reply in my head.
“Are you busy? Where are you now?”
“Busy, Master? Never. I will always make time for you. At present, I am at the estate of Baron Gerald Fredrick, lord of these lands.”
“Oh. Okay. So… how did you kill that level 20 warrior? I got the system notification and the experience boost.”
“Ah yes, Master. The human Bret was the first I eliminated. He was the primary assailant who attempted to stain the purity of your mother.”
“How did you do it? I mean, the guy was level 20. That shouldn’t have been easy for you.”
“You are correct, Master. A level one killing a level 20 is nearly impossible. But I am a demon. And I have my ways and...yours.”
I frowned. “Wait. What do you mean, my ways?”
“I have access to your previous life’s memories, Master. They are efficient. Enlightening. I never knew humans could be so talented in the art of killing. Truly, your people; especially your clan called Delta Force; rival the greatest demons of the Nether.”
I didn’t know whether to feel insulted or flattered. If that was praise, it was the most backhanded kind I’d ever received. But then again, Krizek was a demon. Their perspective on things was… different.
I sighed. “Alright. So how did you kill Bret?”
“I stuffed a fireball into his mouth.”
I blinked. “What?”
“I took inspiration from the time you stuffed a ball of metal into that communist’s mouth,” Krizek said matter-of-factly. “I could have hurled fireballs at him until he fell, but one fireball would not kill him. It would take thirty or more to overwhelm his defenses. Highly inefficient. And you ordered me to kill him silently. So, I waited until he slept… and rammed a fireball down his throat.”
I sat there, dumbfounded.
“Wait… you can see my memories?” I asked, suddenly uneasy.
“Yes, Master. My existence is tied to yours. What you know, I know. What you feel, I feel.”
Oh, crap. My military career was something I was proud of, sure. But I wasn’t exactly comfortable with a demon rifling through the darker things I’d done in the name of God, king, and country.
“Krizek, I order you never to divulge anything you see in my mind to anyone. Ever.”
“It will be done, Master.”
“Good. Now… why are you at the baron’s estate?”
“There are three more men I must eliminate. They are under the employ of the baron’s son, Guy Fredrick.”
I snorted. “They should change their surname to Fried-dick.”
Krizek chuckled darkly in my head, the sound like crackling embers.
Once I was satisfied, I dismissed him to finish the job.
I had totally forgotten about the search engine feature of my system. With nothing better to do, I summoned my status screen. Nothing new.
How do I even use this thing? I wondered. Open it? Activate it?
I mentally thought the words search engine—and voilà, a search bar appeared. Just like my status screen, it was in English.
“Well, well,” I muttered inwardly. “An extradimensional search engine… for porn!”
I’m kidding. Mostly.
Seriously though, I typed in warlock demonology WoW and instantly a flood of results filled the screen. Finally, something to kill the boredom. I even wondered if I could stream videos or maybe...
“Access denied.”
I could only cry inside. Dammit. No YouTube. Still, it was better than nothing.
I scrolled through the results, amazed at the sheer range of subjects I could access. From the complexities of nuclear reactor design to the recipe for basic shampoo, it was all there. The thought hit me like a hammer: my modern, earthly life could be recreated here, in this nameless medieval world.
I was still surfing when my mother suddenly picked me up.
“Time to go home, little Nathan. You’ve been quiet lately,” she said with a smile.
Madam, if you only knew what I was doing, you’d be shocked.
By the time my mother, Serena, and I were about to leave for home, the tavern door burst open and Jenna stumbled in, panting.
“I have news!” she gasped. “Bret was found in his bed, with his head blown off.”
“What? When?” Nina demanded.
“This afternoon,” Jenna said, still catching her breath. “His people are saying it was a demon that did it. Of course, no one believes them. Everyone knows demons only exist in stories… or in the dungeons.”
Mother’s face went pale. “Did they…” she began nervously.
“Not a word about you, Dianne,” Jenna reassured her. “They’d be fools to mention it. Everyone already knows Bret and his men have been harassing women. If they claimed you were there, it would only implicate them further.”
Mother exhaled shakily. “I’m glad to hear that. But still… a demon killing that scum? What if it comes after us next?”
“Just go home as soon as you can,” Nina advised firmly. “If you notice anything unusual, don’t fight it. Take your family and run back to town. And warn Jakob too.”
Mother nodded, her lips pressed tight.
We left soon after, walking home with the others. A good plan, I supposed. But totally unnecessary.
I yawned, snuggled into my mother’s arms, and drifted off to sleep without a care in the world.
