Infernal Entity: Evolving With My Demonic System-Chapter 71: Awakened

< [CNT balance: 20] >

That was the number staring back at Axel from his device after engaging in a wild spending spree.

He let out a slow breath and dismissed the screen. He had spent almost everything.

Three Mythic shards sat safely stored, each from a lesser-tier beast. Different colors, different energies, and different prices. Together, they had drained him of 1,200 CNT.

"Congratulations. You are officially broke again!" Aurora said, sounding satisfied.

"You’re the one pushing me to fix my damn core. Stop bitching," Axel said flatly.

"Call me a bitch one more time!"

Axel chuckled but said nothing.

Lynn leaned against the counter, arms folded, eyes drifting briefly toward the shard container at his waist.

"You bought three of those shards," she said. "That’s not normal."

Axel shrugged. "Didn’t feel like stopping at one," he replied.

"Your friend infused three shards into this sword already. If you’re thinking of adding a fourth, don’t. It won’t work. The weapon would reject it or break."

"It’s not for a weapon," Axel replied calmly.

That caught her attention.

"Really? Then what is it for?" she asked curiously.

"Something else," he said. He didn’t elaborate, since he wasn’t about to tell her that he planned on absorbing them.

Lynn studied his face for a second, clearly sensing there was more, but she didn’t push.

"Huh," she muttered. "Weird guy."

Axel smiled faintly. "Thanks for the help."

Axel turned to leave when, all of a sudden—

"Hey!" Lynn called.

He paused and turned around. "Yeah?"

"That fight a month ago... That was one hell of a fight."

Axel blinked in surprise. "What fight?" he asked.

She gave him a look. "Your fight with Luke Fern. Did your slumber make you forget?" she asked, chuckling.

Axel was clearly stunned. He had no idea that Lynn had witnessed the fight. "You were there?"

She nodded. "I was."

It was at that moment that it started making sense. Lynn was a second-year student too, so of course she had been there. Most of them were there to watch one of their own fight and win... only to be disappointed.

"Not many people can beat an Apex," she said. "And definitely not a Firestarter."

"It was luck, I guess..." Axel said.

They both knew that wasn’t true. Lynn changed the subject quickly, like she didn’t want to dwell on it.

"One more thing. I also... came across your file at the administration office," she said. "Just for clarity, I was NOT stalking you or anything."

Axel raised a brow. "My file?"

She hesitated, then spoke. "You have a twin sister, right?"

Axel’s heart skipped a beat at the mention of a twin sister.

"You have a twin?!" Aurora snapped in his mind. "Why didn’t I know this?!"

"Kris," Axel said quietly to Lynn.

Lynn nodded. "She was supposed to come here, to Oval Academy in Astra Colony. But she got reassigned."

"Where?" Axel asked as he took a step forward.

"Seaside Colony," Lynn replied. "Your home colony."

Axel looked down for a moment.

So that was where she went.

At least now he knew she was alive. Safe. Somewhere he could eventually reach.

"Thanks," he said sincerely. "For telling me."

Lynn smiled softly. "Anytime."

Axel turned and walked out of the shop, the three shards weighing heavier than their size suggested.

Aurora spoke again, quieter this time. "Sentiment will slow you down. You don’t have that luxury, dear host."

"It’s my sister we’re talking about here. Don’t start acting like a system bug, or I’ll turn you off again, dear Aurora," Axel warned.

Axel returned to the dorm complex without stopping anywhere else.

For the first time in days, his mind felt lighter, like an invisible weight was lifted from him. Knowing where Kris was did that. She was safe, just far away.

That was enough for now.

He entered the room and shut the door tightly behind him. Luckily, Ares and Rick were still out, which meant the room was quiet and he had it all to himself.

He sat on his bed and placed the three Mythic shards in front of him.

"Let’s see what you just wasted your savings on..." Aurora muttered.

Axel ignored her and raised his hand over the first shard, the blue one.

He activated the ID skill, and the shard pulsed faintly.

< [Item Identified] >

< [Mythic Shard] >

< [Lesser Beast Ice Shard] >

< [Attribute: Ice] >

< [Effect: Minor cryogenic resistance and ice affinity] >

"Pretty cool," he said quietly.

Kinsey would love this, he thought. It was exactly her kind of power.

It made him pause and wonder. Where did abilities even come from?

He leaned back slightly, staring at the shard. Humans didn’t just wake up with powers out of nowhere. The Algos had obviously given it to them.

"Did they take genes from Mythic beasts and give them to us humans?" he wondered.

"You keep saying ’us humans.’ You’re an Infernal Demon. Own up to it, you loser!" Aurora shouted.

Axel rolled his eyes and continued pondering. Did powers come from these beasts?

Too many questions, yet no answers.

"Focus," Aurora snapped. "You’re not here to think. You’re here to consume."

Axel moved on and used ID on the second shard. Then the third. Each one revealed itself as a lesser beast shard, each with a different elemental nature.

Once he was done, the shards floated slightly off the bed. A new screen appeared.

< [Absorption detected] >

< [Absorb Lesser Beast Ice Shard] >

< [Absorb Lesser Beast Thunder Shard] >

< [Absorb Lesser Beast Stone Shard] >

< [Would you like to proceed? Yes / No] >

"Yes."

The three shards glowed brighter. The light filled the room, sharp and intense. The energy twisted inward, pulled toward Axel’s chest.

Then, the light vanished.

The shards dropped back onto the bed, dull and cracked. Whatever power they had once held was gone. They were useless now.

Another message appeared.

< [Absorption complete] >

< [You have successfully absorbed three Lesser Beast shards] >

< [Infernal Core strength: 10%] >

Axel exhaled slowly. "Ten percent..." he said.

It wasn’t much. But it was something.

If he went back underground tonight, he could earn more CNT to purchase more shards and increase his Infernal Core capacity.

Step by step.

Just then, the door burst open.

Rick and Ares rushed in, both looking sweaty and excited.

Rick was grinning so hard his face hurt.

"I’ve awakened!" he shouted.

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