Volume One: "The Nature of the Devil Does Not Change"
Arc: "The Devil Finally Leaves Earth"
Scarlet King moved through the pitch-black midnight while everyone slept. He left his room and stopped at the stairs—
—and an elevator leading to the laboratory appeared out of nothingness. Blue-and-white light flooded the corridor, exposing every detail of his features.
He stepped inside. The moment his foot crossed the threshold, the elevator began to descend. His gaze fixed on the primordial stone that contained the System, and he muttered to himself:
(Hah… strange. The Black Darkness and the White Darkness don't react to each other. I'll enter the consciousness.)
When Scarlet King entered the world of consciousness, he found it split in two—half a white void, half a black void. In the distance, the White Darkness and the Black Darkness were already fighting, each wielding a gigantic scythe. Every clash spilled crushing force through the emptiness.
Scarlet King raised his hand and clenched his fist.
Both froze instantly. Their spiritual forms lifted into the air and were dragged toward him.
When they reached him, he tightened his grip—crushing their spiritual bodies with pain.
"How many times do I have to tell you? Fighting inside the world of consciousness is forbidden."
His expression didn't change, but his eyes carried killing intent so dense it felt suffocating. The White Darkness and the Black Darkness trembled.
The Black Darkness spoke with difficulty, choking through the pressure:
"Scarlet King! We were only fighting to activate memory and information—so it doesn't freeze and vanish into the Sea of Forgetfulness!"
Scarlet King lowered his hand. A faint smile flickered across his lips.
"Convincing enough. I'll let you live this time… but next time, a convincing answer won't save you."
He withdrew from the world of consciousness.
When his eyes opened again, the elevator had already delivered him to the laboratory—specifically, the fourth floor.
He entered a room. Metallic limbs were arranged around the center, and a massive pointed device—like a miniature pyramid—dominated the space: one half rising from below, the other descending from above. Between them was a hollow socket meant to hold the primordial stone.
Scarlet King stepped forward and placed the stone into the socket.
The stone rose and began to float. Darkness bled out around it, gathering until it formed a black hole wrapped in a thin white accretion ring.
A blue holographic screen appeared before him:
[SYSTEM]
Welcome, Master. Displaying core information…
Stability Rate: 73%
Energy Source: Black/White Primordial Stone (Third Dimension)
Maximum Growth Limit: Linked to the stone's level
Master Profile
Name: [Information Deleted] Title: Scarlet King Age: Meaningless Number of Lives: Meaningless Emotions: -1 Mind: Stable Principle: Will — Perseverance — Goal Hope: Undefined Level: Qi Gathering Realm — Level Seven
Note: The System cannot exceed the limits of its primordial stone. Upgrade the stone to obtain a stronger System.
System Usage Level: 1%
Scarlet King felt something shift inside him. A slight smile touched his face.
(Hah… so the Vaporization Technique evolved to Level Two because of the Expanded Absorption Stone. I'll use it to bring out the System's new body.)
Mist gathered near him—and from it stepped a body with a television screen for a head, dressed in a white lab coat, a data-screen device in its hand.
Scarlet King took out a blue primordial stone and said:
"I don't need a powerful stone. I only want to link our consciousness—so we share the same mind, but with separate behavior and awareness. The System's body will be weak… the important thing is the information."
The System replied:
"Synchronization rate: 12%… 34%… 68%… 98%… 100%."
An expression appeared on the screen-face:
":)"
Then it spoke:
"Welcome, Master. I am the System… and now I have a body. You and I share the same mind, but I possess awareness separate from yours. I am the System—body and interface."
Scarlet King said:
"Your name will be: The Television Scientist."
The Television Scientist nodded. The same expression remained:
":)"
The System spoke again, and another screen appeared in front of Scarlet King:
"My great Master… the System's body is for simple tasks, not combat. Also, since we share your mind, I carry all the information contained within it."
Scarlet King turned to leave.
"Fine… but don't try to enter my memories. I'll be angry if anyone tries to break into my memories"و