Death Heir's Devouring System
Chapter 36: Every Single One

Chapter 36: Every Single One

Azrael had been informed that when many Chosen die close together, there was a chance a Rift would appear due to the Divine energy their bodies released. But this was the first time he had witnessed such a thing with his own eyes.

’Is this what the terrorists’ goal has been all along?’ he thought, dragging his battered body forward toward Champion Frederick.

"Instructor!" he shouted. Since the fallen debris reduced his visibility, he was unable to locate the man. "Are you alive?"

As an answer came a strained cough from the other side.

Gritting his teeth, Azrael sped up. The Mindless abominations were still devouring the dead Chosen. However, he had a feeling he wouldn’t remain undetected much longer.

Instinctively, his eyes sailed over the bodies—Victor wasn’t among the dead. Where the madman had gone was a mystery.

’Well, if his Inborn Trait really makes him crave danger, he’s probably entered the Rift.’

Leaving a crimson trail behind, Azrael finally reached Frederick.

The mighty man was gone, now he was almost unrecognizable. His figure was stained by so much hardened blood it looked like a mauled corpse left by a corrupted monster.

’He is alive,’ Azrael breathed a sigh of relief, seeing the slow rise and fall of Frederick’s chest.

"Get up."

The Champion didn’t answer.

Azrael frowned, ’In this state he is even weaker than me. He wouldn’t be able to ensure my safety at all.’

What was he supposed to do? There was no one nearby who could help. The principal and other instructors were gone, battling something far away.

A few Mindless monsters had finished their meals. Their maws were full of guts, yet their eyes already scanned the vicinity for more prey.

’Do I enter the Rift?’

That was the only idea in his mind. He was fatally injured and had no healing potion strong enough to help him. The only thing that could fix him was the Rift—because anyone who entered was instantly healed of every injury or illness.

His grip on his scythe tightened until his knuckles turned white.

’But I am not prepared, I am not even at the Blessed Purity Rank yet. Entering it would be the same as suicide.’

The abominations finally spotted him, their bodies shuddered and began to move with hunger in their eyes.

"I told you to get up, old man!"

Azrael demanded, his back turned against him. The man was mortally wounded, but that didn’t matter. He was the one who had saved Azrael’s life by giving him shelter and eliminating the monsters on his tail. In the months Azrael spent with the Moon Breakers, Frederick had taught him the theory of survival.

There was no way someone with that much insight and power would fall so easily.

"Ah... this is what I get for not being stronger."

A whisper came from behind, making Azrael grind his teeth.

"You are Cleansed Champion, you must have something for this situation! An item, a skill, maybe even your Inborn Trait! Get up and fight, or are you going to lie back and watch your trainee get slaughtered without lifting a finger?"

A faint smile tugged at Frederick’s lips as he extended his hand, putting it on the young lad’s shoulder. His palm began to glow faintly, energy flowing from his body into Azrael’s.

[Item has been transferred.]

Death Heir’s eyes widened the instant the monotone system voice echoed in his head.

But it wasn’t finished.

[Item has be—]

[Item has be—]

[Item has be—]

Several items exited their former owner and became Azrael’s—the entire arsenal of Frederick.

"It’s too late for me," Frederick coughed blood, his hand falling from Azrael’s shoulder.

"Leave the old fool and survive."

Azrael shook his head, unwilling to leave him be. In part because he felt indebted to the man, he had taught him a lot of his current knowledge and even saved his life. But the real reason was the ID bracelets every single Chosen wore.

He had experimented with them and came to one conclusion: these devices mirrored vitals and location.

Sure, the Moon Breakers might leave countless Chosen to be slaughtered, but one of their own staff? He doubted that.

’Someone would arrive soon to help the old man. I will capitalize on that and get to safety.’

He was certain—there was absolutely no way they would let any staff member die.

"Your survival is vital," the Champion coughed more blood. "One of the items I gave you belongs to the princeple—Arthur Gray. Promise me you’ll use everything you can to survive and deliver it to him."

The Mindless creatures screeched, dashing forward, ready to tear Azrael apart.

’I know I am not wrong!’ Azrael reassured himself, ignoring the old man’s words.

He prepared to meet the abominations head on, until—

They froze.

For the first time, he saw fear in their eyes.

These creatures who never feared death had halted—frozen under the might of a superior authority.

A giant shadow, one larger than Azrael had ever seen, cast over the entire base.

The abomination was wreathed in black fog—not of its making, but of Azrael’s mind. It was the only way he could perceive it without breaking. Had his brain shown him its true shape, it would have torn itself apart.

Its wings, larger than mountains, spread wide as its cursed body rose higher.

The sheer Corruption radiating from the being ruptured the capillaries around Azrael’s eyes, causing crimson tears to stream down his face.

There was no need to use [Inspect] to know what he was looking at.

’Danger Level... Apex,’

How had such a creature entered their world?

From its existence, the already fatal wounds on Azrael’s body seemed to worsen, his lungs filling with blood. The veins all over his body burst.

’I... have to run.’

He couldn’t look away. The corrupted monster harmed him just by sight, yet he lacked the will to break his gaze.

Blood trickled from the back of his throat, forcing him to grit his teeth.

"Instructor, you said I have to survive and use everything I can... Does that include your soul?"

Champion Frederick remained unfazed by the appearance of the Apex Danger Level monster, he answered without a stutter,

"Yes."

Azrael swallowed the iron taste rising in his throat.

"I see."

He turned. Gravebloom loomed high overhead, his eyes cold, yet in the midst of the usual coldness, something faint lingered.

Regret.

"Thank you—"

The scythe pierced the Champion’s heart a second later.

"—for everything,"

[Pure soul has been devoured. The flicker in your soul grows brighter.]

Purity Progression: [100/100]

[The Divine power in your soul has reached full saturation.]

[Evolution is available.]

The monotone voice of the system echoed in his head once more. But Azrael wasn’t able to focus on it.

The instant he had claimed Frederick’s life, he moved, pushing his body past its limits as internal and external bleeding worsened.

It didn’t matter. If he entered the Rift, every injury would be instantly healed.

All he had to do was survive until then.

Abominations—some familiar, others unknown—pounced on him. His steps never faltered; he moved with ruthless speed, dodging fatal attacks while letting the others pass.

"I swear—"

He neared the Feral Rift, the monsters that had emerged from it met him face to face.

Some were two times bigger than humans. Others had smeared boiling magma on the ground, causing his feet to slowly melt during his endless sprint.

"When I return—"

He wasn’t the only one with this plan; the smartest, most level-headed Marked system users were doing the same.

Since the Rift was of the Feral Danger Level, it meant only the powerless Marked could enter it, while the Proven and others were still trapped in the city.

"I will skin alive those responsible for this madness—"

Azrael spared a few glances around but didn’t allow himself to be distracted. Nothing happening around him mattered; all that mattered was survival.

"I will torture them until they beg me to end their suffering—"

His face was unrecognizable, streaked with blood that gave him the haunting appearance of a demon. Somewhere along the way, he had lost his left hand. Pain surged through his body, each wave more intense than the one before.

But he didn’t care, he ignored it.

"I will kill them all—"

Several paths had been created by Chosen that had already entered the Rift.

A man with an unnaturally towering frame and a smile on his face.

Two beautiful angels of destruction leaving mountains of corpses in their wake.

And a bloodied demon with countless cursed monsters on his tail.

"Every—"

His soul began to urge him forward, demanding that he enter the deadly Rift and clear it.

"Single—"

The Apex monster behind him roared, causing reality itself to fracture. Its cursed aura mutated every weak Chosen that had lingered nearby it.

"ONE!"

The Heir of Death jumped unwavering. A second later his figure vanished into the deadly Rift, as the roar of the Apex monster tore the sky apart behind him.

[End of volume one: The Birth of the Reaper]