System: Daily login!!, jackpot on the first day!!!-Chapter 496 - The End Of Prayers

On one of the countless islands scattered across the Earth... Deep beneath its surface, far below layers of stone and forgotten ruins, lay the hidden base of a demon-worshipping cult.

That night, a meeting was being held.

Those gathered were the highest authority within the cult.

Not priests.

Not commanders.

They were the rulers.

Their words were law.

At the highest seat, a figure wearing a five-horned mask slowly opened his mouth.

"…How is the progress?" he asked.

At once, the other four figures, each wearing the same five-horned mask, turned their gaze toward him.

Though their masks were identical, the hierarchy among them was unmistakable.

"We have received the location of the 'Thing'," one of the Elders said. "From the girl"

A brief pause.

"…However, there is a problem, First Listener"

# A/N: "Chief/Leader and Elders sounds too plain, so I changed ot, to The First-Fifth Listener, with The First Listener as the Highest authority"

"Hm?" The man at the highest seat tilted his head slightly. "And what would that be?"

"The location she gave us," the Elder continued, "is Domus Aurea"

"…Domus Aurea?" The Third Listener echoed. "The original Magician Family's territory?"

"That is correct," the Fifth Listener said. "Ever since it was rediscovered in the 1400s, they have guarded it relentlessly. They claim it to be the birthplace of Mana or rather… the point where Mana was reactivated"

"So it's Nero's Golden Palace," the Fourth Listener muttered. "How did it never cross our minds that the 'Thing' would be hidden there?"

"…That is not all," the Second Listener interjected.

The atmosphere tightened.

"Italy is also the domain of the vampires. The Blood Kingdom resides there, and we all know very well who the vampires are connected to," His voice lowered. "And now that he has returned… we can no longer move as freely as before. And don't forget, the Vatican, the stronghold of the Exorcists, is there as well"

Silence followed.

"... That is indeed a problem," the First Listener finally said.

Then...

"…But the plan must continue"

His voice was calm. Absolute.

"We cannot delay any longer. The source of the corruption is growing thin," He leaned forward slightly. "If we fail to obtain that Tome, everything ends here"

A faint pressure filled the chamber.

"Only through that Tome can we obtain the knowledge," he continued. "The knowledge Nero used to summon the Demons"

The torches flickered.

"Then what about the girl?" the Third Listener asked. "We've already found what we were searching for. There's no reason to keep her alive. And her power, that Knowing-All-Things ability of hers, is far too dangerous"

His gaze locked onto the highest seat.

"She doesn't possess the usual traits of a Singularis. So what is that power?" A pause. "Do you know something, First Listener? After all… you yourself are a Singularis"

The atmosphere sharpened instantly.

The First Listener's eyes snapped toward him.

"You know we don't speak of our other identities here," he said coldly.

"Oops~" the Third Listener replied lightly, raising both hands in mock surrender. "My mistake~ Relax. It's only us here. No one's listening"

The First Listener exhaled slowly.

"You know nothing," he said. "That man, Taufik, you still don't understand what he's capable of. Always remain alert. Of your surroundings… and even of your own shadow"

A brief pause.

"That is how terrifying he is"

Silence followed.

"…But yes," he continued, his voice lower now. "Her power is not an ordinary Singularis ability. Still, there is no mistake. It is a Singularis power"

"Then what should we do with the girl?" the Fifth Listener asked. "We can't just let her walk away. Should we… eliminate her?"

"I oppose that," the Second Listener said immediately. "Her ability is far too valuable to discard. Killing her would be a waste. Letting her go would be foolish"

"We need her," he continued. "We need her power"

"Then perhaps…" the Fourth Listener said softly, her voice sweet and dangerous at once. "…we break her~"

A faint chill crept into the chamber.

"We tear her apart," she continued, unbothered. "Then put her back together however we like. Shape her into a tool. A useful one"

At that, the First Listener nodded.

"Very well. I'll leave her to you," He paused. "As for retrieving the Tome… the Resonant Host will handle it

"The Resonant Host?" the Fourth Listener echoed, surprised. "Isn't that excessive?"

"No," the Fifth Listener said grimly. "It's appropriate. A single mistake here could mean our end. And the Resonant Host has never failed"

"What the Fifth Listener said is correct," the First Listener agreed. "The risk of this operation is too high. Better to go all out than regret restraint"

He stood.

"That will be all. Return to your posts." His voice hardened. "For the girl, Ayana, I leave her to you, Fourth Listener"

"…Consider it done~"

The First Listener inclined his head.

"You are dismissed..." A beat. "…Glory to the Darkness"

"Glory to the Darkness," the other four echoed.

One by one, they vanished, leaving the chamber empty.

The First Listener remained for a moment longer.

"…That Tome," he murmured, "must fall into our hands. No matter the cost"

And then... He, too, disappeared.

---

Deep beneath the chamber, where's the meeting being held... There was a prison.

A place reeking of blood and soaked in despair.

What was locked away here was not only human sacrifices. Other races were chained within its walls as well, creatures that once lived, breathed, and dreamed. Alongside them were things that should never have existed at all.

Failed experiments.

Twisted remnants.

Nightmares given flesh.

And among them... Ayana.

Her body trembled as she lay against the cold stone, chains biting into her wrists and ankles. Her breath was shallow, her strength nearly gone.

"…Brother…" she whispered, forcing the words past cracked lips. "…Prince Aska… please… help me…"

Her voice vanished into the chorus of distant screams and muffled groans.

Then... Something changed.

The air shifted.

Ayana felt it before she saw it.

A presence.

She slowly raised her head.

Standing before her cell was a figure wearing a five-horned mask.

Her heart dropped.

She recognized it instantly.

"I…" Ayana croaked, panic overtaking her exhaustion. "I already told you everything you wanted to know. N-now… please… like you promised… give me my freedom…"

Silence.

"…P-Please…"

"Heh~"

The sound was light. Almost playful.

"Breaking you," the Fourth Listener said softly, "would be a lot of fun~"

Ayana's breath hitched.

"W-What… what are you saying?" she stammered. "You promised me-!"

"Did you really believe that?" the Fourth Listener replied, tilting her head. "How naïve~"

"B-But-"

"Did you honestly think we would let you go?"

Silence.

"Did you?"

Ayana couldn't answer.

She couldn't breathe.

"Listen carefully," the Fourth Listener said, stepping closer to the bars. "What awaits you now is nothing but a nightmare"

Her voice dropped to a whisper.

"But I'll be kind. I'll give you a choice~"

Ayana's eyes trembled with fragile hope.

"A chance to avoid that nightmare. So tell me... will you take it~?"

"I... I will," Ayana said immediately. "I'll do anything. Please… just let me out of here…"

"…Kill yourself~"

The words were spoken gently.

Almost sweetly.

"…What…?"

"I said kill yourself," the Fourth Listener repeated. "Do that… and you'll never have to experience what comes next. Isn't that merciful~?"

Ayana froze.

Her mind shattered.

"…I… I can't…"

"Oh?" the Fourth Listener said lightly. "You can't~?"

Then...

"Very well," she said, turning away. "Then I'll have fun breaking you"

She gestured toward the guard standing nearby, a cultist wearing a one-horned mask.

"Open it"

*Click*

The cell door unlocked.

"Come now," the Fourth Listener said cheerfully. "Let's begin, shall we~?"

The last thing Ayana remembered was a cold hand gripping her wrist.

Dragging her forward.

Down corridors she would never learn the shape of.

Past doors she would never remember opening.

Then... The sound of iron closing behind her.

*Click*

And that was the end.

The end of her prayers.

The end of her hope.

The end of her name.

From that moment onward, the girl called Ayana no longer existed.

Only something else remained.

--------

Morning arrived.

Bright. Clear. Ordinary.

The reopening of Astral Nexus Academy marked the beginning of a new academic year, and for many, the first true step into a life shaped by power, survival, and ambition.

New students filled the vast halls as they made their way to their assigned classes. Some looked happy, others disappointed, and a few treated everything as if it were perfectly ordinary.

Their voices overlapped, bursts of excitement, nervous laughter, and whispered expectations. To them, this was the beginning of something grand.

None of them knew what had been lost beneath the earth that same night.

Astral Nexus Academy divided its students into five classes.

From Class D to Class S.

Placement was determined by performance during previous trials.

Class D housed those with the lowest results.

Class S was reserved for the elite, individuals whose abilities far exceeded the norm.

However, this hierarchy was not permanent.

Each year, a full re-evaluation would take place, allowing students to rise or fall based on merit alone. The higher the class, the better the resources, instruction, and privileges provided.

This was not discrimination.

It was a lesson.

A living tutorial for the real world.

In an era where gods had descended, Mana had reshaped reality, and monsters walked freely... Only the best of the best would survive.

And as expected.

The D'Archy siblings were placed directly into Class S.

No objections.

No debate.

No hesitation.

Their names alone carried weight.

As students gathered beneath the Academy's floating spires, unaware of the shadows moving far below the world, fate continued its quiet advance.

Some would rise.

Some would fall.

And some... Had already ceased to be human.

....

...

..

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