The Demon Monarch System

----

With an unhurried gait, Apollo approached the paralyzed Violeta. Each subsequent step caused her heart to palpitate. For some odd reason, they were reminiscent of beating drums in her ear. On the other hand, she couldn't understand why she felt like this. 

"W-what is this pressure? What are you? You can't be a human… what vile tactics have you unsightly Kaiser's taken part in!? Stay away from me, I'll report you to the academies," Violeta mumbled, taking steps in retreat. 

Unfortunately, her actions were futile. After just a few steps, she was backed into a wall with no path for retreat. But, Apollo continued to look at her with an almost vacant gaze. Her expression filled with despair as her mind traveled to dark places.

"You talk too much, shut up. Where is that haughty attitude from earlier? Why don't you bring it back? Or, better yet, why don't you beg for your meaningless life as I pry it away from you," Apollo uttered with a dark chuckle.

A few steps later, he stood before her. In response, the atmosphere turned silent. Regardless of what she did, the look in his eyes told Violeta that the following situation wouldn't turn out well. After all, the Dark Mind ability was still active and coercing her thoughts.

Apollo lifted his arm and clutched her jaw, lifting her up. Surprisingly, he didn't act quickly; other thoughts entered his mind while gazing at her, 'That's right, the mission requires me to advance in Demonic Conduct and a prime candidate for that exists before me, so, let's take advantage. I'll be with you shortly Aaron, in the meantime, I need to solidify my path to power.'

After coming to terms with what needed to be down, a dark vortex formed in Apollo's right eye. As their two gazes met, Violeta who was stricken with fear, froze on the spot whereas her expression became blank.

Once she fell deep enough, Apollo released his grasp and watched his technique do its damage. On the floor, she both writhed and tossed back and forth. Furthermore, prolonged screams of terror sounded from her.

Both Nadida and Xineen were appalled by the situation taking place. Although they didn't see Apollo do anything to her, they understood he had afflicted her with something causing obscene amounts of mental pain.

As a result, Nadida approached him, "A-Apollo...what'd you do to her? It sounds like someone is torturing her heartlessly. I've never heard such bloody screams before."

"Well, she likes to play with mental techniques, so I let her have a taste of her own medicine. Right now, she should be experiencing her darkest fears in a loop. My only gripe with this situation, however, is that I'm not proficient enough in my technique to witness it firsthand," Apollo answered, shocking Nadida.

"Y-you...is her pain pleasurable for you? I know that she is in the wrong, but to obtain pleasure from this situation is-...

"Disturbing? Is that the word you're looking for? Unfortunately, Nadida, I'm not an individual looking for the world to accept," Apollo uttered, turning back toward Nadida with vacant eyes.

That emotionless look, as if life was a triviality to him, made Nadida shudder. In light of this, she could only wonder what Apollo experienced to warp his mind like this. In her eyes, he was far too young to have such a cynical outlook on life.

Naturally, she wasn't aware of the aftereffects of techniques nor could she fathom the torture he was put through in both lifetimes. Each of these things added together gave birth to what she witnessed now—this malevolent youth before her.

Luckily, the one's outside the spatial barrier of this area were unable to peer into the fluctuations of energy. In other words, while they were able to look inside and monitor the images, they were unable to sense the different qualities in energy. 

Hence, in their eyes, it just appeared Apollo's means were more overbearing than the rest. They didn't liken it to being from another world altogether. If they did, then perhaps there was a chance the trial would be halted at this very moment—if that was possible, of course.

"A-aggh! Stop… stop! Don't you know who I am? You can't kill me. I am destined to be great. No, no, you must grovel at my feet and kiss them, what are you all doing?" Violeta screeched, clutching her head. As she rolled back and forth, a shade of despair filled her eyes further. It appeared her mind was on the brink of collapse.

Without the Soul Temple to assist her in defending against mental attacks like the one Apollo was using, she was akin to a sitting duck. On the other hand, Nadida conjured a wind blade in the attempt to end her suffering, however, she was met with Apollo's murderous gaze.

"Intervene and you'll suffer the same fate," Apollo stated in a distorted voice, one dripping with unconcealed malice.

Nadida quivered, looking between Apollo and Violeta multiple times. She didn't understand what was wrong or even why she was being threatened as well. All she sought to do was help Apollo retain his human heart, but it seemed he didn't want that. "Y-you…"

Once again, Apollo ignored Nadida and picked Violeta up by the throat, slamming her into the wall. Before doing so, he disabled his technique and spoke to a conscious Violeta, "You like taking advantage of your gender, don't you?"

"I-I'm sorry… I'm...really sorry," Violeta muttered powerlessly, wrapping her hands around Apollo's wrist. She tried to pry his grip away from her neck but it was all useless, "P-please release me. I won't try to fulfill my aunt's desires anymore. I promise!"

"Do you know that your words are easily seen through? Like Typhir said earlier, you're deceitful. Even now, in the threat of death, you're scheming. You think I'll release you and then you'll find a way to get back at me? Oh, you even harbor thoughts of trying the mental technique again to see if the first try was a fluke?"

"H-how...Wait...I mean no, that isn't true!" Violeta denied. Sadly, she wasn't aware of the fact Apollo was sensitive to those types of feelings and thoughts. Alas, once again, he put her under the effects of the Dark Mind.

Tears rolled from her eyes as her pupil constricted to the size of needles. The repeated cycle of her death and being ravaged by her controlled subordinate plunged her into madness. In fact, it escalated to the point that she released bodily fluid.

The unsightly scene caused Nadida to cover her mouth. Fortunately, as Apollo was growing impatient, the notification that followed was akin to a hymn in his ears.

〈System Alert! An additional victim to the Tortuous Path of Demonic Conduct has been added. [Current Stage Two: 7/10]〉

Due to him having completed what he sought to do, Apollo snapped her neck and put an end to her suffering. Just like that, another existence fell under his clutches. At the same time, Nadida hunched over, vomiting at this sight. She couldn't get over witnessing such cold-blooded murder.

"We move," Apollo stated, brushing off the matter. However, before he left, he approached Typhir, "Wake up, I know you aren't unconscious anymore. Stop faking before I give you another blow that will make it a reality."

Upon hearing these words, Typhir smiled and opened his eyes, "Ruthless is what you are. I like it. We go! Thank goodness for getting rid of that distasteful woman. But, weren't your means a little...deranged?"

"It doesn't matter," Apollo shrugged. Whether or not they thought his means were overboard, this didn't matter to him. The only thing that mattered was the system upgraded and him taking one step closer to achieving power. The bodies left in his wake, foes damaged by his actions, future destroyed by his means—it didn't deter him from continuing down his own road.

"D-did something happen to Apollo recently, sister? Why is he like this? I know was cold to the family before, but...he feels detached now," Xineen uttered to Nadida following along.

"I...don't know," Nadida answered. 

Meanwhile, Apollo continued to advance down the constantly altering path. Thankfully, both he and Typhir were one step ahead of the changes of the path. Although they came in contact with other parties, they paid these side characters no mind. Enough time had been lost dealing with the encounter between Xineen and Violeta.

The travels fell silent as there wasn't much to talk about. Besides, the atmosphere wasn't exactly one that welcomed lighthearted talking. By the second, the aura Apollo exuded worsened. Furthermore, his left hand continually clutched his chest at the site of searing pain.

It wasn't from absorbing Sin but from uncontrolled emotion. His calm face was a facade that disguised a festering rage. One potent enough to affect the suppression imprint on his stigmata.

However, it wasn't without reason. Deep down their current path, the worst of his worries were coming to light. Not only had Apollo come in contact with Lazaro, but there were also even more people implicated in the matter.

Unbeknownst to all those present, the situation was spiraling out of control at the hand of 3 newcomers. Surprisingly, only one of the 3 was unfamiliar but they seemed to harbor a grudge.