"My greed really will be the end of me one day," Ryuk muttered as he moved along the sidewalk, weaving through the coming and going Fallen Angels.
At the corner of his eye, a notification from the system was currently flashing, the reason he was trudging through this almost impossible ordeal.
[MAIN QUEST!]
[Quest Name: Pride of a Genius!]
[Quest Information: Accept to join the Fallen Family's genius trial and fight for a spot to be one of the students admitted into the prestigious Ascension Academy!]
[Rewards:
+5 Level-Up Cards
+10,000 Purchase Points
+5000 EXP
One Free Evolutionary Card for Isha!]
The system's notification had come in ecstatically, and Ryuk had formerly find it appealing to move straight to the Ascension Academy.
It wasn't 100% guaranteed that the Ascension Academy would free him from his status as a slave, though the chances of becoming a true student there were almost nonexistent. Still, Ryuk believed that if he got to the academy, he would surely find a way to improve his status.
Compared to fighting the geniuses of the Fallen Family for a spot—something that was also nearly impossible to achieve—Ryuk felt the first option seemed much more appealing.
That was until he received the notification from the system, which instantly changed his mindset by awakening his greed.
The system's offer had been so powerful that, within seconds, Ryuk changed his mind and agreed to go with the second choice.
Now, as he walked along the path, he was just one step away from shedding tears because he knew the next month of his life would be a world of pain.
"Tch, may my greed rot in hell!" Ryuk cursed aloud as he moved along the path, soon finding himself before a gargantuan building.
On it were the words:
The Fallen Genius Arisen
It was none other than the building dedicated to the Half-Fallen geniuses training. Ryuk walked toward the gate, where two Fallen Angels guards stood chatting leisurely.
They instantly straightened their spines when they saw someone approaching, but their serious expressions dropped the moment Ryuk came into view.
A loud snort blasted into Ryuk's ears.
"SNOOOORRRTTTTT!"
"It's just a human boy, hahaha!" one of the Fallen Angels, a lanky man with two golden wings, said while the other's expression turned disappointed.
"Damn, I lost my cool. All because of this damn kid."
"Wait, what in hell is a human boy doing here at all?" the second asked.
"Who knows? Maybe he's looking for a beating from the geniuses. Hehe."
"HMMMM, HMMMM!!!"
A loud throat clearing echoed through the area as both Fallen Angels finally turned their attention to Ryuk, who was glaring at them with raised eyebrows.
"I'm standing right here!" Ryuk said, almost losing his cool.
Both Fallen Angels had been discussing him as if he didn't even exist, and he almost lost his temper.
"What are you doing here, kid? Lost your way?" one of the guards asked, and Ryuk rolled his eyes.
'You should have started with that...'
Not wanting to stay longer, Ryuk pulled out the card he had been given by the Half-Fallen lady. Immediately, both guards' jaws dropped as they narrowed their eyes at the card and unconsciously stepped back a little.
"Is that...?"
"Go in, human boy. Hope you ignore our earlier actions..." one of the guards said, and Ryuk swore he saw sweat dripping down the man's neck.
He shrugged them off and walked forward, disappearing into the gates.
Behind the gates was a place teeming with male Fallens, the sound of laughter filling the air.
The moment Ryuk appeared, everything in the room instantly stopped, and he felt countless gazes pressing down on him.
Before anyone could bombard him with random questions, Ryuk simply raised the card and spoke aloud.
"I was given this card by a Half-Fallen, and I'm here to participate in the Ascension Academy selection!"
An icy silence reigned over the area until it was broken by rapid, heavy footsteps.
Ryuk turned his head to see their source—a bulky, muscular Fallen Angel whose sheer presence screamed of horrific brute strength.
Before Ryuk could get a good look at the man's face, loud laughter boomed through the area.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
"Very well, Lady Celestria. I'll keep a good watch over him!"
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
The laughter erupted once more as the man finally arrived. In his hand was a device he promptly shoved into his pocket before his piercing gaze landed straight on Ryuk. He instantly felt as if a thousand kilograms of weight had just settled on his neck, crushing him.
"You must be the one!" The man's voice was incredibly loud as he clamped his hands on Ryuk's shoulders, nearly dislocating them.
"HAHAHAHAHA!
A strong body!
Good! Good!
Just how I like them!"
"Come, lucky boy! The Half-Fallen informed us of everything!" the man said, draping his arm heavily around Ryuk's neck.
The man's strength was overwhelming. Ryuk already felt enough pressure to collapse under the weight of the man's arm, so he simply followed without resistance. He was certain his spine would shatter if he tried to escape.
"Lucky for you, boy! A class is currently ongoing that you'll like to see!"
"A BATTLE CLASS!!" The man said with a pretty sadistic expression.
"A... battle....class?" Ryuk asked, his gaze dimming.
"HAHAHAHAHA!"
"There's no better time to meet the pompous geniuses than during a battle class! I'm pretty sure you'll find all of them warm and charming!"
"MUAHAHAHAHA!!"
The man's boisterous laughter echoed as they arrived in front of a teleporter. Both stepped onto it, and Ryuk's last thought before the doors closed was:
Why do I feel like today will be the day my good luck finally runs out for good?