The Slayer Ascension: Cursed and Blessed.

Chapter 71 71: Lost memory.

Mira really knows her way with words.

Orion kept the warm smile on his face, but that was the thought running through his head as the crowd roared her name in their hearts.

At another corner, Master C watched the scene unfold.

He shook his head slowly.

Hope lit up their faces.

Idiots.

They had no idea how many lies were buried inside Mira's story. Only a fool would believe she was that innocent petite girl she described.

Maybe he had once thought so.

Once.

Then he saw her fight.

That illusion vanished like smoke in the wind.

In its place, he felt something disturbingly familiar.

Ruthlessness.

She was just as ruthless as him.

Maybe worse.

If these fools stepped into the trial thinking their journey would unfold like the neat little fable she fed them, then the casualty list might surpass the previous batch.

Master C almost smiled at the thought.

Mira waited until the crowd settled.

Then she spoke again, calm and collected.

"The demons may hold vast and unholy power," she said, voice steady, "but they do not have our determination. They do not have our kindred spirit."

She stepped forward.

"Together, as one, we will take them out for good."

The newbies leaned in like starving people offered bread.

"When you step into that field, do not go with the mindset of someone waiting to be killed."

Her eyes sharpened.

"Go with the mindset of someone who is going to kill. Kill as many demons as possible."

A beat.

"Do not see yourselves as prey. The demons are the prey. Make sure they understand that."

The courtyard erupted again.

It was done.

They were hers now.

With her touching story and her status in the association, she became more than a senior. She became proof that survival was possible.

Details followed.

One week to prepare.

Training sessions available.

Resources upon request.

Questions were answered.

Then the crowd dispersed slowly, buzzing with renewed spirit.

As people left, Ashiro lingered for a moment.

Silent.

His gaze drifted toward the young white haired boy.

Gazel.

Again.

A long look.

Then he turned and walked away without a word.

Orion fell into step beside Mira.

His voice carried faint amusement.

"You do know you might have just caused several deaths if they enter the trial clinging to that fable mindset."

Mira shrugged lightly.

"They will survive. At least most of them."

Confidence. No hesitation.

"As long as they attend my training classes and follow what I teach, they will survive. I will ensure it."

Orion glanced at her sideways.

"Training classes. Right."

He paused.

"Which part of your story was the fable?"

Mira stopped walking.

She turned slowly.

"The part where my family was killed?" she asked calmly. "Or the part where I almost died?"

Her gaze locked onto his.

"Or the part where an innocent farm girl was thrown into the same trial they are about to take?"

Orion forced a smile.

"Who told you that you look innocent?" he shot back.

Mira smiled sweetly.

Bright.

Soft.

"Look at me," she said. "And tell me I am not a cute innocent girl."

Orion stared at her face. Big eyes. Gentle smile. Harmless.

His own smile grew strained.

"You cannot fool me," he said. "That is a facade you wear."

"Is that true?"

Her smile changed.

It shifted.

The warmth drained.

Her eyes darkened.

Orion recognized that look instantly.

The air around her sharpened.

"Well," he muttered under his breath, a thin layer of sweat forming on his temple, "that is the real you."

Before she could respond—

Boom.

A deafening explosion rocked the entire area.

The ground trembled.

Dust fell from nearby structures.

"What was that?" Blaze snapped out of his daze, spinning around as the remaining crowd panicked.

Most people had already started leaving, but now fear returned in full force.

Gazel stood still.

Too still.

Blaze frowned and tapped his shoulder.

"You good, man?"

Gazel blinked, snapping out of whatever dark place his thoughts had dragged him into.

He nodded.

Blaze grinned and patted his back.

"Do not worry. If you are thinking about Master C's threat, I am sure we are safe."

He hesitated.

Well.

I hope we are safe.

Another explosion echoed in the distance.

"That isn't our main priority," Blaze said, trying to shake off the tension. "Let's focus on our training regimen. Are you taking her class?"

He meant Mira's offer. The opportunity she gave them to train under her personally.

Gazel shrugged.

Sincerely, he barely heard the question.

His mind was somewhere else.

The head trio's faces still lingered in his thoughts. The flashes of broken memories he was trying to piece together. Something felt incomplete. Something from last night refused to settle.

Footsteps.

Both of them looked up.

A pair of dead eyes stared back at them.

The weird girl.

Her hollow gaze locked onto them, and Blaze felt a chill crawl up his spine.

She did not speak.

She just walked closer.

Step by step.

Closer.

Closer.

Until she stood only inches away from Gazel.

What does she want?

Blaze opened his mouth to say something, but before he could—

She hugged Gazel.

Tightly.

A few nearby newbies turned, curiosity written all over their faces.

Blaze blinked.

What in the world—

"Thank you," she said softly.

Her voice was gentle. Warm.

A complete contradiction to her lifeless eyes.

Gazel stiffened.

He was debating whether to push her away or carefully slip out of her hold without hurting her when her words sank in.

Thank you.

And then

Click

Click

Click

Click

Click.

Everything clicked into place.

Last night.

The missing pieces.

The headache.

The heat.

The hunger.

Everything click into place perfectly, Gazel eyes changed as a memory surged forth.

----------

A day before.

Gazel had walked into his room, his body burning. A severe headache split his skull. Just hours earlier he was perfectly fine, so where did this sudden sickness come from?

He did not know.

What he did not know was that his body had already healed close to its peak before the healers even touched him. They only patched the surface. The real healing had been done by something else.

His dark core pulsed faintly.

The dark essence inside him had been drained almost completely. And now the core was hungry.

Starving.

The headache. The heat. They were signals.

Feed.

Gazel subconsciously resisted. He forced the dark core down, refusing to let it take control of his body or actions.

Eventually the pain eased slightly.

He climbed into bed, hoping that by morning everything would settle.

He was wrong.

The moment his consciousness relaxed, the restraint weakened.

The dark core pulsed once.

Then twice.

Then again.

Soon it beat in rhythm with his heart, pumping the last traces of dark essence through his veins.

It triggered something.

The resistance cracked.

Then shattered.

His fingers twitched, then stiffened into claws.

His teeth sharpened into fangs.

A small grey horn pushed out from his head.

He rose slowly from the bed.

Gone were his two blue eyes, as they glowed a fierce red now.

Only one thought burned in his mind.

Feed.

To feed, he had to kill.

Because only by killing would the hunger quiet down.

And last night....

He did.

To be continued.

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