Infernal Entity: Evolving With My Demonic System-Chapter 42: Kill Dane Cornwall
Ares started rolling his shoulders as his next opponent stepped into the small arena. He wiped some blood off his lip with the back of his hand and grinned.
"My next opponent is you?" he asked, with ill-concealed disappointment. "I do hope you shall prove more worthy than that comrade yonder, lest you find yourself scurrying home to weep in your mother’s apron."
The person before him was a second-year across and he scowled at Ares. He raised his guard, clearly irritated.
"You’ve got a mouth on you, freshman."
"Yes. So I’ve been led to believe... by my inferiors..." Ares smirked.
He stretched his neck from side to side, loose and confident, waiting for the signal to start. That was when something caught his attention. Subtle movement near the entrance.
He glanced up at the two familiar figures standing at the doorway.
Axel and Rick.
"What in Thaldor’s name are they doing here?!"
For a moment, he forgot about the crowd, the noise, and the fight waiting to happen. He stared at them in disbelief, then laughed quietly to himself. Against all logic, a wide smile spread across his bloodied face.
Rick looked pale. Axel looked tense.
Ares lifted his chin slightly and smiled at them like he was on a stage, like this was all part of a performance meant just for them.
"I suppose we have new audiences," Ares said loudly, his voice carrying across the arena.
Some students turned to look. Others followed his gaze toward the entrance.
That was when a certain someone stood up from one of the large couches overlooking the arena and the energy in the room shifted instantly.
The student who stood was tall and relaxed. His jet black hair swayed, his movements were slow and intentional. He wore his uniform loosely, like rules and appearances did not matter to him. The moment he started walking, students who were hanging around moved out of his way without being told.
He carried an aura as he walked and that told Axel that this was not just another second-year student. He was definitely a high ranking student. One of few whom school and hierarchy rules didn’t apply to.
The student walked straight toward Axel and Rick.
Axel, out of better judgement, activated the ID skill without thinking.
The result appeared instantly.
[Name: Drax Tan]
[Age: Error]
[Race: Error]
[HP: Error]
[Level: Error]
[System failure!]
Axel’s breath hitched.
’What...?’ he thought.
Nothing made sense. The system never failed like this. It had never returned errors across the board before. His pulse quickened as confusion turned into unease.
The student stopped right in front of him.
"Why are you using your powers on me?" Drax asked calmly.
Axel’s blood ran cold almost instantly
’How did he know?!’
Axel did not respond immediately. His mind raced. Had Drax sensed the activation? Blocked it? Was that why the scan failed?
He had walked into the second-year block, into hostile territory, and the first thing he had done was use his power on someone who clearly did not like it. Stupid.
Before Axel could force out an answer, Drax smiled faintly and turned his head away.
"It doesn’t matter," he said. "You’re nowhere near strong enough to be considered a threat."
The words were not arrogant. They were factual.
"Now," he continued, "tell me why you’re here." 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂
Axel took a slow breath and straightened his posture.
"I’m here for my friend," he said. "The one fighting in the arena."
Drax followed Axel’s gaze toward Ares, who was still standing in the ring, smiling despite the blood on his face.
For a brief moment, Drax said nothing. Then he chuckled softly.
"So," he said, "you’re the reason he’s been putting on such a show."
"So your friend here threatened three second-year students. My boys and for that kind of behavior, there are consequences. He will remain in second-year custody."
Rick opened his mouth for the first time.
"C–Custody?"
Drax nodded once. "This place."
"You’re holding him prisoner?"
Drax laughed quietly.
"No. This is not punishment. This is an opportunity."
Axel didn’t like the sound of that. People always sugarcoated things like that with fancy little words.
"Ares is strong," Drax continued. "Strong enough to threaten his seniors and survive long enough to stand proud after it. That kind of strength deserves to be tested."
"Since he can be so bold, he will be fighting ten of my boys," Drax said. "One after another."
Rick’s eyes widened. "Ten?"
"Yes," Drax replied calmly. "If he wins seven out of ten fights, he walks out of here."
Axel felt anger rise in his chest. How was this allowed? he wondered. Why didn’t the school stop this? They had absolute power over all the students, right?
But here’s the thing... the Oval Corp knew. They pretend it doesn’t happen because it serves their purpose. They believe students could only grow stronger through pressure, through conflict and through violence.
As long as no one was within death hold, they didn’t interfere. In fact, they encourage it.
"He has already fought two and he won both. But don’t misunderstand, that doesn’t mean he’ll win. Those two were warm-ups, nothing but pathetic Spectra 1s. His next opponent is a Spectra 4.
Drax paused for dramatic effect before continuing.
"And after that," Drax continued, "it only gets worse. So don’t get your hopes up. Statistically speaking, he should not make it out. We designed the games, we made the rules and believe me when I say this, your friend is screwed."
Axel looked back at Ares, who was laughing at something his opponent had said.
"If he wins five more," Drax continued, "he walks out of here with no consequences."
"And if he doesn’t..."
Drax didn’t finish the sentence. Instead, he stepped back.
"That is all you needed to know," he said. "You’ve seen him. Now leave."
Axel hesitated. He wanted to say something. To protest or to argue.
But the pressure in the air made it clear that there was no room for debate.
Two students moved forward, positioning themselves behind Axel and Rick.
"Out, now!" one of them barked.
Axel took one last look at Ares.
Ares noticed him. Their eyes met for a brief moment. Ares smiled again, confident and unafraid, as if this was nothing more than another challenge.
Then Axel and Rick were turned around and escorted back toward the exit.
---
Axel and Rick stood just outside the second-year block now.
Rick didn’t say anything at first. He only stood there with his head lowered and his hands clenched so tightly that they were shaking. Axel noticed it but said nothing, giving him time.
Rick had been holding it for so long now, but not any longer. He finally snapped.
"This is my fault! It’s all my damned fault! If I didn’t tell Ares about those guys, he wouldn’t have gone after them! He wouldn’t be in there fighting second-years like this!
"Rick—"
"No!" Rick said sharply. "If I had just kept my mouth shut, none of this would be happening!!"
Axel grabbed him by the shoulders, forcing him to look up.
"This is not your fault! Ares made his own choice. You didn’t force him to do anything."
"But he only went because of me."
"And he would do it again," Axel replied. "That’s just who he is."
Rick slowly went quiet, but the guilt on his face didn’t fade.
Axel knew there was no way Ares could win seven fights. Not against second-years. Not when they were already sending Spectra Four fighters after him. Axel understood that clearly now.
Something had to be done.
His hand brushed against the hilt of the Godrend sword at his side.
’I need to upgrade it,’ Axel thought. ’If Ares could use it... maybe.’
"Let’s go back to the dorm," he told Rick. "You need rest and I need time to think."
"What about Ares?"
"We’ll help him," Axel said. "Just not tonight. Tomorrow, we will figure something out."
It was settled, they would sleep I’m for the night and come up with something tomorrow. They both turn to leave.
Barely three steps were taken when Axel noticed something moving through the air.
He reacted instantly.
"Rick!" he shouted.
He shoved Rick hard to the side just as the object slammed into the floor where they had been standing. The surface hissed violently as smoke rose from the impact point. The ground melted and warped, bubbling like it was alive.
Axel stared at it as the smell hit him next.
It was Venom and it was very familiar
A familiar figure stepped out from the shadows ahead.
It was Dane Cornwall.
He looked terrible. His clothes were torn and stained. His eyes were bloodshot and wild. Veins bulged along his neck and arms, pulsing with corrupted energy.
Axel’s heart skipped.
’Wasn’t he supposed to be locked up?’
"You ruined my life, Axel Vaelon," Dane growled with rage"Now it’s time to die."
Rick scrambled to his feet behind Axel and panic flooded his face.
Before Axel could say anything, his vision exploded with glowing texts.
[Hostile Mutant detected]
[ID: Dane Cornwall]
[A Battle is Imminent]
[Battle Mode Initiated]
[All Stats are Fully Active]
[Your Corruption Hungers!]
[You Must Feed It]
[New Mission Received]
[Kill Dane Cornwall and Absorb His Soul Essence]
[Reward: 100 EXP → Instant Level Up]
[Penalty for Failure: Certain Death]
