"Fuck you, old man!"

  "You fucking wish bitch!" Folio yelled, slapping the back of my head, pointing towards the large pot boiling seemingly about to overflow. "Now eat the damn thing so you can leave my damn house! It's been three weeks already. It's the last of all we have!"

  "And those three weeks has been the worse types of hell. Every day I was forced to swallow that shit. Fuck off!" I fired back, glaring with untamed hatred.

  "I don't care! Eat and leave! My god! While I may be old, I do get some! But with the damn Ashen King at my door! All the bad bitches are leaving!" The perverted beast shouted, crossing his arms with steam flowing from his ears.

  Clenching my teeth, I bit my lips till the blood ran cold against my chin. Trembling, I turned back to the amused face of my worse enemy.

  "Go on," He pushed with a chilling smile. "Eat it up!"

  "I thought you all were supposed to be scared of me? Why the hell are you torturing me?"

  "I am Gaint, Boy! While we may fear, we will not cower even if you kill us all. There is something those spineless Elves and humans lack." He pridefully exclaimed, holding his head high, "not to mention my instincts are telling me that you will not kill us."

  Twitching my brow, I sighed, approaching the bowl that had been plaguing me for almost an entire month. Glaring till my eyes dried and my fist began to bleed, I lifted the entire pot to my lips. Ignoring the burning heat that did nothing, I swallowed it all down without a single drop being lost.

  It was strange, but my vital qi was not recovering. It was almost as if I was stuck. Usually, all living creatures would have a flow of vital Qi and said qi would grow till adulthood and fade as one age. This would not change no matter how strong one is unless an individual became a high god where true immortality awaits.

  But devils were different. While their qi never diminished, it would always grow till we were full. But mine didn't. It would not fade, nor would it grow as devils do. It was simply still, almost like I was stuck in a single moment in time.

  This was a massive problem for me because even humans' vital qi would recover. While they could not stop the diminishing of Vital Qi permanently, they would at least be able to recover their qi if lost.

  Finishing the last drop of fish soup, I resisted the urge to vomit, but tears still managed to fall as the taste of the memories of its taste stung upon my tongue.

  "It's amazing your body refines such foreign vital qi so easily. It would seem the devil's body is no different from a wild beast." The old man enviously uttered, stroking his long unkempt beard.

  "It's the sweetness," I said with solemn air, "It's the sweetness."

  "My ass!" he shouted, pointing towards the exit, "Are you ready? Or is another day of what we eat enough."

  Walking towards the exit, I paused, turning towards the old man. Scrunching his brow, he didn't say a word, as I held up my hand for him to shake, "Thank you," I warmly said.

  "So the Ashen King knows how to be polite?" he mocked with a smile, clenching my palms tightly, "Your welcome! Come back any time!" He said, smiling.

  "No way in hell!" I hastily shouted, leaving as the chilling air pressed against my body. Holding an enthusiastic expression, I glanced towards the rising sun. Feeling its grace upon me, I narrowed my eyes.

  I was only at fifty percent of vital qi, but I was not willing to stay here. I needed souls, and what better way to get such things if not to kill?

  Walking to the village entrance, I saw no one on the street. All of them were terrified of me. Too fearful to even glance at my shadow. It felt a little strange to be feared like this. There was a part of me that was happy and another that was disgusted.

  My original plan was to slaughter everyone here, but I resisted the urge. It felt wrong; in fact, killing, in general, felt wrong. I don't know why, though? I had memories of blood, and it had never bothered me before. But now? Now it felt wrong.

  "Maybe I just need to kill till I'm numb to it again?" I muttered with a somber hue. Arriving at the entrance, I turned around, catching a glance of the old man. I arched my palm high, waving him off.

  Waving me back, I turned around, heading off into the canyon that seemed never to end. It was all rock, with barely any vegetation, although I believe that was my fault. Many crops died due to the absence of the sun for about a year.

  Reaching a far enough distance, I closed my eyes. Sensing no one around, I entered the shadow realm.

  Watching all the colors around me turn to a dark shade of grey, seemingly in a black and white world, I remained still. Knowing I had entered the first realm.

  The shadow realm was broken up into two layers. One where it shadowed creation, this was the part where those without Mothers Grace would travel, while the second layer would only be accessible to those with a certain degree of control over True Darkness.

  I remember traveling more within the second layer due to space not flowing correctly, but the first realm was different. The space here was a flawless representation of reality. And it was perfect for what I needed.

  Opening my palm, the sigil of the Spear flickered into my palm like flames. Feeling a horrifying power around me, I felt the very darkness quake. The spearhead appeared like a demonic jagged blade but obsidian in color with a dark silver design etched around the Spear. The sword itself was magnificent beyond words, but it also gave off a sinful appearance. However, what truly caught my attention was my name, "Arsene Snow."

  Tracing my fingers over its demonic appearance, I could feel its pulse. I could feel my very heart beating coldly within, calling for me to use, to kill.

  Holding my blade, I waved it over empty space, causing a small, ethereal door to appear. The door itself was translucent, holding a rather dark serpent-like energy that slighter about. There was something dark about this door. It did not feel evil, but instead, I felt that the very concept of light did not exist past this transparent door. I had wanted to reach for the door, but my hand fell short a few centimeters away.

  "The Gates shall remain such…… For now." I whispered as if to command. But who I did not know. "Return, and await me. For it shall not be long, The Gates of Noctem has remained closed for far too long."