Viktor gave Kosher a leveled stare, his crimson eyes showing not a single bit of warmth.
"I should be the one asking you that," he spoke after a few seconds, his tone blunt. "He's a human…"
Kosher smiled, shaking his head. "That boy is currently the most famous person in all of Eldoralth. Do you really think I've met him or even know anything aside from the rumors?"
Viktor remained silent. The man had a point.
He sighed before placing his fork and knife gently on the table. He might be a demon who loved chaos, but it appeared his table manners were very much present.
"Just to be clear, you're talking about that demon child, right?"
Kosher smiled. An actual demon was calling a human a demon.
He nodded. "Atticus Ravenstein. That's the one."
Viktor nodded, leaning back in his chair. He briefly considered the situation. From a glance, it was obvious Kosher was asking purely out of curiosity. Plus, the things he was about to reveal wouldn't do any harm to Atticus.
He tapped a single clawed finger against the table before finally speaking.
"The rumors about his power are mostly true."
"His control over his body and power is absurd… He's mastered abilities that take others lifetimes to even comprehend."
Kosher raised a brow but remained silent as Viktor continued. It was very odd to see a member of a mid-race praising a human so much.
"But that's not the part you should be afraid of."
"It's his mind."
Kosher tilted his head slightly, intrigued.
"His will is… beyond anything I've ever encountered," Viktor admitted. "I don't think I can imagine any circumstance other than death that would make him stop."
He tapped the table lightly, emphasizing his point.
"And then there's his comprehension. His mind. It's unreal. From the brief time I spent with him, he observed everything, utilizing the gathered information to form a path forward. Give him a day with any skill, and he'll surpass the ones who have trained in it for decades."
"You could strip him of every ounce of power, take away all his abilities, and he'd still be terrifying."
Kosher nodded slowly, taking everything in. "I see."
"No, you don't." Viktor shook his head firmly, staring at Kosher intently. "You haven't seen anything."
Kosher's gaze narrowed. He could feel the seriousness in Viktor's tone. He nodded again, but this time with a more serious expression.
"Is this why you haven't been training him?" Kosher asked.
Viktor sighed, and just as he was about to respond, a cold voice cut in.
"That's right, Drill Sergeant Viktor. Why haven't you been performing your duties this past month?"
The sound of chairs scraping against the floor echoed as every drill sergeant shot up from their seats, saluting.
"Staff Sergeant!"
Viktor and Kosher were no exception, especially considering the fact that Voren's entire focus was on them.
His figure stopped directly in front of them, staring at both of them coldly.
"At ease."
As Viktor and Kosher were about to ease up, Voren's icy voice cut them off.
"I wasn't talking to you."
As the other drill sergeants relaxed, both their figures straightened as they maintained their salute, eyes facing forward.
"I asked you a question, Drill Sergeant."
Viktor's response came quickly but calmly, his crimson eyes having turned cold.
"I was excused."
"Excused?" Voren repeated, his cold gaze sharpening.
"Your job, despite how incompetent you are, is to drill him in the methods of the military. And your excuse is that you were excused?" His voice dropped.
Viktor opened his mouth, about to speak, but Voren cut him off before he could utter another word.
"I should have known that a useless fool like you, who got your entire squadron killed, couldn't handle something as simple as this."
Viktor's fist clenched tightly behind him. His breath remained steady, but his crimson eyes darkened, an unmistakable tension filling the air around him.
Ignoring Viktor's reaction entirely, Voren turned his head slightly. "Drill Sergeant Nyx!"
A figure immediately stepped forward—a tall, broad-shouldered Nullite with ashen-gray skin, his silver eyes dull and cold. His presence was imposing, and the way he stood, completely still and unreadable, was almost unnatural.
"Sir," Nyx responded in a deep, gravelly voice. His tone was devoid of emotion, as expected of a Nullite.
Voren narrowed his gaze.
"You will now be in charge of training that human."
"Yes, Staff Sergeant."
But just as those words left his lips, a calm and cold voice echoed.
"I've been searching for you. I need you. Let's go."
Voren, along with every drill sergeant, slowly turned their heads to the side, their gazes landing on a figure far too tall for his age.
He stood just beside Voren, staring at Viktor as though he had always been there. No one had seen him enter. No one had heard anything. Not even a shred of presence.
But now that they had noticed him, it was all they could feel.
Heavy. Oppressive. Dominating.
Every single one of them experienced the same feeling—shock.
Regardless, Atticus didn't acknowledge even a single one of them.
"Why are you frozen? I don't like repeating myself."
His words snapped Viktor out of his reverie. He quickly nodded, his body moving instinctively as he was about to follow Atticus.
"Did I excuse you?" Voren's voice was cold, stopping Viktor in his tracks.
He turned to Atticus, giving him a once-over. "And you. Recruits are not allowed on this island. Ignorance is not an excuse. You will be punis—"
"I don't like repeating myself."
Voren froze.
Atticus hadn't even turned to look at him. He had still spoken to Viktor.
Viktor nodded before moving to follow Atticus.
"You!" Voren's expression twisted.
"Viktor has been replaced as your drill sergeant by someone more competent." He gestured, and Sergeant Nyx walked forward, his hands clasped behind him, standing straight and imposing.
"From now on, he will be in charge of training you."
Atticus, who had been walking out of the hall with Viktor on his trail, stopped.
He turned and slowly faced Voren.
"Who are you?"
An intense weight slammed onto Voren and the other drill sergeants in the hall, the tension peaking.