...
'Since when is Sven a Djinn?'
At this stage of the story, Cube Academy was no longer a safe place. Several Djinns had already infiltrated, weaving their deadly traps into the very fabric of the academy.
To explain, a Djinn was a human who had made a contract with a demon. In exchange for their soul, a demon would grant them powers.
Naturally, higher-level demons conferred stronger powers, creating a hierarchy of corruption and power.
But there was a catch to this pact. If an ordinary human, without willpower or latent magical power, made such a contract, they would become only a semi-Djinn—a mindless puppet, driven by basic instincts and the will of their master.
The "Hound of Lucius," which they faced at the museum, was a perfect example of this type. Thanks to the power of his demon master, the man gained enough strength to fight Kim Suho, but, losing his sanity in a sea of rage, he couldn't even complete the mission he was given. If he had ignored the cadets and killed his true target, Lucius would have been satisfied.
Therefore, demons were selective. Even if it was harder to achieve, they favored people whose bodies already possessed ample magical power and vigor, but whose mental power and willpower were still underdeveloped.
Naturally, the cadets of the world's most famous institutions, like Cube, were the perfect targets: young, talented, but also filled with ambition, envy, and despair.
However, it wasn't all roses for those who accepted the pact. Even if one gained a massive increase in strength by becoming a servant of the devil, the penalties were equally severe. The most common was the almost total loss of free will, becoming little more than a piece on a demon's chessboard.
Another was the amplification of all negative emotions: envy became a corrosive hatred, sadness transformed into a paralyzing despair, anger converted into a blind fury, and obsession became a manic and self-destructive focus.
And one of these people, destined to become a pawn in this dark game, was Sven, the leader of Chae Nayun's partner team.
Theo's gaze fixed on the World Class cadet. Sven was talking with his teammates, looking perfectly normal.
His eyes shone with a subtle light as he activated his magic eyes, a capability that allowed him to see beyond what others saw. He focused his vision on Sven's existence.
'But this should have only happened today...'
Theo thought. In the original story, Sven would make the pact inside the dungeon, in a moment of desperation, when his inferiority complex was at its peak.
'What a bizarre business...'
Sven's soul, which should have been clean and colorless, the essence of his existence, was almost completely swallowed by a sticky, malevolent darkness. Within that black stain, shapes resembling eyes slowly opened and closed, observing the world through Sven. The ominous and strange power within him was unmistakable.
'At this rate, he'll be completely corrupted today...'
Even after realizing that Sven had already signed the contract, Theo still couldn't understand the "why" of the anticipation.
'Was there some key I missed? If so, what?'
He pondered, his eyes still fixed on the figure of Sven, who was now approaching to speak with Nayun.
As if on cue, a small figure, about five centimeters tall, shimmered in the air and appeared floating in front of Theo.
_You, host.
Cappie, in her chibi version that only Theo could see, spoke with a voice that sounded only in his mind. She flew gracefully and sat on his shoulder, crossing her little legs as if in an armchair.
_Huh!? Cappie? What does this mean?
Theo asked back telepathically, without showing any outward surprise. He was already used to it. He knew that Cappie could teleport to any place he was or had been and that she could switch between her adult form and this diminutive, invisible-to-the-world version.
_Theo, what do you think a weak-minded young man like him would do when he found out that the girl he likes started dating someone else?
Cappie's voice in his mind was calm, as if stating the obvious.
_Even more so someone who is strong, handsome, and very famous. His inferiority complex must have gone through the roof.
_Mn, I would even understand if this had happened a few days after my dating announcement with Nayun, but months later? The timing doesn't make sense.
_Maybe he held on until now...
She continued, her small hand subtly pointing towards her own head.
_And maybe, something, finally made him unable to take it anymore.
Theo's mind worked quickly, connecting the dots.
His dating announcement with Nayun, his rapid rise among the cadets, his training with Suho, his first places in the practical tests...
_So, indirectly, I accelerated the process that should have been delayed until later.
Theo's voice in his mind was cold.
_Exactly.
Cappie concluded.
_Instead of wondering what happened, why don't you just see?
Cappie's suggestion was simple and direct: use your abilities and look into his memories.
Theo looked at Sven, who was now approaching to talk to Nayun. Cappie's idea was the quickest solution.
_You know what...
Theo's voice in his mind was devoid of any emotion.
_I think it's better to end all this now, isn't it?
In Theo's irises, a magical symbol glowed, visible only to the small Cappie on his shoulder.
_I planned to give him a chance.
Theo continued, his thoughts becoming a sentence.
_Yes, I told myself I wouldn't do anything to him if he didn't sell his soul to a demon... But, I guess he chose the option where he would cease to exist...
Theo could simply go on with the simulated test and kill him inside the Dungeon, or even use his power to free him and make him return to normal. There were countless options.
However, even though Theo always presented himself as someone passive, easy-going, and very calm, the truth was that he was ruthless when he had to be.
No one in this world knew, but Theo was once someone who, when given the chance, always liked to remove evil by the root.
'I guess I left that side of me buried for some time, huh... The narcissist was lucky...'
Sven might not know it, but his life was sealed the moment he made his choice. It was a path of no return, a path paved by his decision.
Theo slowly raised his head. His eyes, now composed of magical symbols as they glowed red, swept across the space occupied by more than two hundred people.
Using his
"Sleep for a while."
His voice, though spoken in a whisper that barely moved the air, reached the mind of each of them with the weight of an absolute decree.
"...Ah..."
As if an invisible wave had swept the field, everyone, with the exception of Sven and two other individuals scattered throughout the crowd, staggered.
Their eyes rolled back, and without a single sound of protest, they collapsed onto the grass, plunged into a deep and instantaneous sleep. Kim Soohyuk, Nayun, Yeonha, Kim Suho, Rachel, Hazuki, and Kim Hajin... all fell like puppets whose strings had been cut.
"In a few minutes, you'll be back."
The training field, once full of life and conversation, was now in a sepulchral silence, covered by sleeping bodies.
Only three people remained standing, looking around in shock and confusion.
And all of them, instinctively, turned their terrified gazes to the only source that could have caused it.
"Now…"
Theo tilted his head, a playful, not at all funny, smile appearing on his lips.
"Shall we talk?"
...
Note: Man, this was one of the most indecisive chapters I've ever written...
I rewrote it more than three times. My initial plan was to make it the same as the original, but after thinking about it for a while, I realized it would be incoherent... So I opted for this approach...
I hope I didn't make a bad choice.