Slowly, Evans opened his eyes.
The instant consciousness returned, he gasped violently for air and scrambled backward across the ground like a cornered animal, clutching his body as panic consumed him.
His trembling gaze darted over his arms, chest, and legs, desperately searching for burns that were no longer there.
"I'm... alive."
His voice quivered.
"I'm actually... still alive."
He gripped his chest tightly, each breath ragged and uneven as his pounding heartbeat gradually slowed.
"How... did I survive?"
As the panic began to subside, a thought suddenly crossed his mind.
"The notification..."
Just before he had collapsed in Hell Prison, another system notification had appeared.
"Maybe..."
He frowned.
"Maybe the penalty simply ended."
The memory of Hell Prison flashed through his mind.
His entire body instinctively tensed.
His teeth clenched so hard they nearly cracked.
"That damned system..."
His voice trembled with anger.
"What is it trying to turn me into?"
"Why does it keep forcing me to kill... forcing me to do things I never wanted to do?"
His words came to an abrupt halt.
A painful realization struck him like lightning.
Tears slowly streamed down his face.
"The Forbidden Demon System..."
"So that's why you're called... forbidden."
A bitter smile crept onto his lips.
"What the hell was I thinking when I accepted you?"
Silence answered him.
After several moments, Evans slowly closed his eyes.
When he opened them again, the fear that had once filled them had faded, replaced by a cold, unwavering resolve.
"...No."
"I accepted you because I wanted power I was obsessed with it."
"And now..."
"...there's no turning back."
He slowly rose to his feet.
The frightened boy who had entered Hell Prison was gone.
What remained was someone who had finally accepted the cruel reality before him.
"Then I'll survive."
His voice was calm.
"And I'll become strong enough that no one will ever force me into despair."
Evans slowly stepped out of the hall.
Before he could gather his thoughts, Mike came rushing toward him, slightly out of breath. The moment he caught sight of Evans' lifeless eyes, his cheerful expression vanished.
"Dude, what happened to you? You just walked out for a minute, and now you look like you've been through hell."
Evans frowned.
"What do you mean? Didn't I disappear for hours?"
Mike blinked in confusion.
"Hours?"
He scratched the back of his head.
"Are you sure you didn't hit your head or something? You were gone for less than three minutes."
Evans' eyes widened.
Three minutes...?
That's impossible.
The system clearly stated the penalty would last three hours.
A realization suddenly dawned on him.
Unless...
Time flows differently inside Hell Prison.
That's the only explanation that makes sense.
He forced the thought to the back of his mind before turning to Mike. Stifling a yawn, he rubbed his tired eyes.
"I must've been more exhausted than I realized."
He stretched lazily.
"It's getting late. We should get some sleep."
Mike shrugged.
"Yeah... I guess you're right."
The two of them began walking toward their room.
As they rounded the corner, they found Oscar casually leaning against the doorway.
A pair of sunglasses rested above his closed eyes, while his long, curly brown hair swayed gently with the evening breeze. A relaxed smile never left his face.
Mike stopped in his tracks.
"What the heck is the Overseer's assistant doing here?"
Evans immediately had a bad feeling.
He's here because of me.
He walked over to Oscar.
"Is something wrong, Mr. Oscar?"
Oscar opened one eye before a grin spread across his face.
"'Mr. Oscar,' huh? I kind of like the sound of that."
His playful expression faded slightly.
"But I've got something much more important to tell you."
"It comes directly from the Council of Light."
Both Evans and Mike fell silent.
Oscar spoke without hesitation.
"By tomorrow, Evans Ashford will undergo a second assessment of his Sacred Energy and physical attributes."
"If the results remain unchanged..."
"...he will be executed."
Evans' pupils shrank.
His body froze.
"...Executed?"
Even Mike stood speechless behind him.
Oscar sighed, as though he were merely discussing tomorrow's weather.
"Until then, you'll be staying with Arthur instead of Mike."
"Arthur would be much harder to fool."
"And if you really are a demon..."
A faint smile returned to his face.
"...he'd probably be the first person willing to kill you without hesitation."
He pushed himself away from the wall.
"Anyway, I'm busy."
"So come on."
"We're leaving."
Mike looked at Evans, completely bewildered by everything that had happened.
"Dude..."
"I honestly have no idea what's going on."
He managed a weak smile.
"But... stay safe."
Evans forced a smile in return.
"I will."
His lips trembled ever so slightly, betraying the fear he tried so desperately to hide.
Oscar placed a hand on Evans' shoulder, and together they walked upstairs.
As each step echoed through the corridor, Evans' heartbeat grew faster.
This is bad...
Really bad.
If I take that assessment, I'm dead.
My Sacred Energy hasn't changed.My Sacred Energy hasn't changed.
And if I try to run... every Sacred Warrior in the country will hunt me down.
His breathing became heavier.
What... am I supposed to do now?
Oscar's voice abruptly pulled Evans from his thoughts.
"Wake up. We're here."
Evans blinked before lifting his head.
Standing before them was an elegant sapphire-blue door, its polished surface reflecting the soft glow of the corridor's lights.
A wry smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
"Of course this would be Arthur's room."
Oscar chuckled quietly before knocking on the door.
"He should be here."
A few moments later, faint footsteps echoed from within.
With each passing second, they grew louder until the door slowly swung open.
Arthur stood in the doorway.
His sharp ash-colored eyes shifted calmly between the two visitors. His neatly kept blue hair looked as immaculate as ever, while his expression remained cold, composed, and impossible to read.
"I assume you've already informed him about tomorrow's assessment."
His voice was calm, yet carried an unmistakable edge.
Oscar smirked.
"Of course."
"He isn't exactly thrilled about it."
He stretched lazily before grinning.
"You already know what to do."
"Have a good night."
Arthur gave a slight nod.
"Understood, sir."
Oscar then turned toward Evans.
His usual carefree smile softened ever so slightly.
"Try not to overthink things, kid."
Without waiting for a reply, he turned and walked away.
His footsteps echoed softly through the quiet corridor before gradually disappearing into the peaceful night.
Evans silently stepped inside Arthur's room.
The interior was surprisingly neat.
The walls were painted a rich sapphire blue, and two neatly arranged beds stood on opposite sides of the room.
Arthur walked straight to his bed without sparing Evans another glance.
"Don't try anything stupid."
"And don't disturb me."
With that, he lay down, closing his eyes as though the conversation had already ended.
"Sure."
Evans' reply was barely above a whisper before he crashed on his on side of the bed already expecting nothing else from Arthur.
Outside, the cool night breeze drifted gently through the window, filling the room with an almost tranquil atmosphere.
Yet despite the peaceful surroundings...
Evans' mind was anything but calm.
What am I supposed to do?
How do I save myself?
His thoughts raced relentlessly.
Then something suddenly crossed his mind.
Wait...
The shop.
Maybe there's something in the System Shop that can help me.
Careful not to attract Arthur's attention, Evans focused his thoughts inward.
System...
To his relief, he didn't need to speak aloud.
A crimson screen silently materialized before his eyes.
[Shop]
[Available Demon Coins: 0]
[Available Items are based on the Host's current level.]
[Weapons]
- Sword
[Items]
- Sheep's Cloak
[Double-tap an item to view its information.]
Evans stared at the crimson screen in disbelief.
"Don't tell me..."
"Those are the only two items available?"
He instinctively scrolled upward, hoping more options would appear.
Nothing.
He scrolled down.
Still nothing.
A defeated sigh escaped his lips.
"So it's really just two..."
His gaze shifted toward the Weapons section.
"Well... let's start with the sword."
He double-tapped the item.
The crimson screen flickered before fading away entirely.
A moment later, it reappeared.
[Shop]
[Sword - Lv. 1]
[Special Ability: None]
[Sharpness: Lv. 1]
[Price: 5 Demon Coins]
Evans stared at the information for a few seconds.
"...That's disappointing."
A normal sword with no special ability wasn't exactly going to save him from execution.
"Still..."
"It wouldn't hurt to have one."
He sighed.
"Too bad I don't even have a single Demon Coin."
His eyes drifted toward the words Available Demon Coins.
Curious, he double-tapped them.
The screen flickered once again before displaying another page.
[Shop]
[Demon Coins]
"The official currency used to purchase weapons, equipment, potions, and other items within the Shop."
[Note]
"Demon Coins can be obtained by converting Stat Points."
1 Stat Point = 2 Demon Coins.
"I see..."
"So that's how they're obtained."
Evans nodded thoughtfully before returning to the main shop interface.
His gaze eventually settled on the final item.
Sheep's Cloak.
"...Let's see what makes you so special."
He tapped it.
The crimson screen disappeared once more.
When it returned...
Evans' eyes widened.
His pupils shrank.
Disbelief filled his face as he read the item's description.
"...There's no way."
"This... can't be real."