Asher could still feel the memories of his previous life flashing before him as he stared at the artifact in his hand.
"H-He killed them," Elena told Elsa, who was calming her down.
"What happened? Tell us exactly," Elsa, who had entered the dungeon, saw the scene before her.
Many dead masked men were lying on the floor, and many burnt bodies of the D Rank Monsters could be seen.
But most importantly, a young boy with blood all over his armor stood beside the wall with a black blade in his hands.
"We were attacked by these people," Kevin told Elsa.
He explained what had happened to them and how Asher had joined them and killed them all.
As Kevin had pressed the emergency button the moment they were attacked, Elsa arrived shortly after with other staff members.
"It's fine. Please go back. We need to investigate what happened here," Elsa told everyone to leave except for Asher.
"Can you tell us what happened here?" She walked up to Asher, who casually looked at her.
'His hands are not shaking,' Elsa noticed Asher's body language.
She could see that there was no remorse, guilt, or fear, despite him killing almost all the people present there.
"It was good judgment to kill them, seeing that they were prepared to die here," Elsa said, looking around at the headless corpses all around them.
The moment they died, their heads exploded due to some sort of runic device that was implanted in their bodies.
The scene changed, and Asher stood before the Faculty Council, where even Farnus and Xander were present.
"So, you are telling us you killed those two senior-year students that allowed the intruders to enter the dungeon?" one of the professors asked.
"Yes," Asher replied, his eyes emotionless.
"You could have spared one of them; we could have known who the attacker was!" Professor Erwin shouted.
Asher knew Erwin, who was the sword instructor responsible for the first-year students, including him.
"Professor Erwin, don't cross the lines," Xander said as he looked at Erwin.
"You are talking to the heir of an elite family. Do you think he should have spared someone when his own life was in danger?" Xander asked as all the faces turned towards him.
"But - I apologize, I got too emotional," Erwin apologized and sat back down.
"Student Asher Greville, you can leave now," Xander announced, and Farnus didn't interfere in his decision.
Asher turned and left the room.
"I don't know what everyone else thinks, but this is a major breach in the security of World Academy," Xander said.
"Enough, Xander," Farnus finally spoke.
"I will handle this matter," Farnus looked at Xander, who was frowning at him.
And this was how rumors about Asher being a ruthless killer started circulating inside the World Academy.
The incident was framed as Asher killing people that Kevin, Elena, and Amelia had already cornered.
But nobody knew who was behind this incident, as all the people involved in the attack were dead. And most of them were killed by Asher.
"It was all because of this, huh?" Asher said, looking at the Card Shaped Artifact in front of him.
It was a strange metallic card with a single eye-shaped gem in the middle.
Eye of Pretender
Rank SS
Description : Held by the False Rulers, it was used to fuel the emotions of those it was used against, but its root remained impure.
Ability : Instigate Negative Emotions of a person against someone or around certain words
Limitations : Blood of the person is required to Activate the Artifact
Limitations : The effect dulls if the Intelligence of the User is too high
Limitations : Can only be used for up to 20 people
False Artifact : This artifact will remain mana-less until it is used and activated first
This was a hypnotic artifact that was won by Osbert Tarvian in the upcoming Kalvas Gala.
Although it could not control the person, it was capable of amplifying negative emotions like hatred, fear, etc.
But this time, it would never fall into the hands of Osbert Tarvian.
"Up to 20. That's why he stopped using it," Asher muttered.
If anyone was standing beside Asher at this moment, they would feel the chilling killing intent that was emanating from him.
Asher closed his eyes, sitting there as the day changed. He could feel his inner madness returning as he grew stronger.
But it seemed like his intelligence stat was still helping him ward it off.
Night came, and Asher finally opened his eyes, taking a deep breath.
"Status," Asher said, wanting to check something.
--------- Fate Devourer System ---------
[Name] : Asher Von Raven Greville
[Level] : 30(EXP 0/30,000)
[Bloodline] : Devil's Absorption Rank SSS
[Cursed] : Curse of Fate (Active)
[Body Constitution] : Mana Core Rank C-
[-Attributes-]
Strength: 118+38→156
Agility: 110+35→145
Endurance: 105+25→130
Intelligence: 180→180
Mana: 119+30→149
Stamina: 99+31→130
Charm: 65+5→70
Fate: 10230
[AP]: 60 [SP]: 32
[-Skills-]: Time Dilation (Rank S) Lvl 1, Absorption (Rank S) Lvl 1, Mana Flow (Rank A), Mana Circulation (Rank A), Rune of Eirdin (Rank D), Node-Art Rank SSS, Aura Force Passive Skill, Mana Conceal
[-Node Art-]: Mir Steps, Swift Strike, Phantom Strike
[-Beast-] : Unnamed [Level 1]
[-Mastery-] : Node Art [Novice]-27%, Magic [Novice]-84%, Rune Art [Fundamental]-80%
His stats had increased significantly, with his strength being the highest after intelligence. His mana was still low, but it would grow much more easily as the newly formed Mana Rings would easily hold the mana that would slowly accumulate in his mana core.
"145," Asher noticed his agility stat and started contemplating it.
Previously when he fought Louis, he could see that his speed matched Louis's, and Louis was an S+ Rank Hunter.
This meant that his agility, which should have been equal to 550, was comparable to an S+ Rank Hunter.
He could see that his stats right now were of a C- Rank Hunter, but he was more powerful than others as almost all his stats crossed the threshold of C- Rank, which was around 130 according to Asher's estimations.
"So B- Rank would be at 190-200 then, and next will be 270-300, and S- Rank would be around 420," Asher thought.
He was basing these stats on comparing himself to his previous life and Louis Rothschild. It might not have been accurate for an average hunter, but Louis was a fairly talented individual, so he was above other S+ Rank Hunters.
But Asher didn't account for such errors. His opponents were even more talented and powerful than Louis.
Asher closed his status.
"Is the beast ready?" Asher asked, seeing a notification in front of him.
There was one thing Asher needed to check again.
It was the feeling he got when he saw the beast, similar to but different from what he experienced when he first met Alyssa.
[ Beast Materialization ready ]
[ Calibrating Levels ]
[ Telepathic Link Formed ]
Asher saw multiple notifications before him as he saw the strange beast form once again in front of him.
The blood-red iris stared at him once again.
"What...are..you?" The strange beast spoke as it stared at two indifferent eyes that were staring at it.
Asher could hear broken words coming from the snake, but he heard them inside his head.
