40 Victor? 2

"So kid, do you want to gamble with your life?" the old man asked Victor. He was completely out of it. First, his mind was in a mess; filled with anger, hate and guilt. Now, he felt shock, terror and a hint of reverence.

This old man was just too strong, to be able to bare-handedly kill the Great Imp that made Victor and Alex dread. Although the old man might have been lucky and killed it easily because it was, maybe, on a weakened state.

The fact that the old man asked Victor to take a gamble was because the old man had a way of saving his brother. Victor's eyes lit up in the hopes of saving his older brother.

"Yes, yes! Anything! I will do anything to save my brother! Please!" he quickly agreed to the old man. He didn't even think twice about the consequences that may occur later on.

'Hmmm? Brother? How can the kid have brother in here? He clearly ate Gaia's Gem. Oh Yes. I forgot. Maybe he considers him a brother after the life and death battle they've been through.

"I like your resolve, young man. Hmmm. What's your name?"

"Victor? But what about my brothe-"

"Don't worry about him, we'll save him later. As for you, do you know the effects of a demon core once absorbed by a human?"

"D-demon core? That's a good stuff that could be sold for a high price. Ah, n-no, sorry. I do not know what it does." he flashed an embarassed smile.

His life was a bit complicated when he came here. He was an orphan inside a small clan. Oftentimes he would go out to look and venture the 'outside world'. Then he would be bullied or beaten up by people from their rival clan, which was stronger than theirs.

The outcome was easily envisioned. He was always lying on the bed, tending to his own injuries. The thought of fighting back crossed his mind, however he didn't want to be the reason of his clan's doom.

He could only swallow his anger and train. For one day, he would be taking his revenge.

"What an interesting human. With an age like yours, most people would've had the knowledge regarding this." the old man said as he let Victor see the demon core.

"Anyways, you would be absorbing most of this, so that it wouldn't be strong enough to destroy your brother's body."

"Uhm, can't you just help him heal. I don't know what it does, but it looks very harmful."

"Oho! That's not how it works, young man. Where did your resolve go? Either you absorb this, or he dies. Choose." The old man then threw the demon core straight into Victor's hand.

"You better choose now. Your brother's not going to wait for you."

"Uhm. How do I use this thing?"

'Smack!'

"Oh my dear father. Why am I here again?" the old man smacked his face and murmured.

"Life's never been good for me. Would you mind helping me out?"

"Haaaa. Okay then. Close your eyes and imagine an unknown energy on the demon core that you're holding. Do you feel it?"

"Yes."

"Good. Then place it on your chopped off arm and will for the energy to go inside you."

After the old man spoke a screamed escaped the lips of Victor.

"Ahhhhhhh!"

"Don't worry about it, it'll pass. Just hold on." the old man tried to calm Victor down. The old man knew just how painful it was for a human to absorb a demon core. In most cases of absorption, humans die almost always.

This was the reason the old man asked Victor, if he would like to gamble his life to save his brother's.

A minute has passed and Victor was barely holding only through the tenacity of his will.

The demon core in his hand has considerably shrunk and was now a third of its original size.

The old man quickly waved his hands and demon core flew into his hands. Then he walked leisurely towards the burnt body of Alex.

He crouched down and sliced open the chest of Alex. The old man placed his bare hands directly in the still beating heart of Alex.

A warm and chaotic energy was being continuously poured inside the body of Alex.

...

*DING*

*Huge amount of mana detected.*

*Absorbing.*

*System Update... 0%*

What is this? Am I not dead yet?

I felt like I was sleeping peacefully and automatically woke up on my own. It was a satisfying sleep to be exact.

I immediately sat up and inspected my whole body if I was really alive.

Oh my! I'm still alive. Hahaha! and Naked? I looked down and to my surprise, I was wearing pants?

How the hell did this happen? Oh wait! I'm back on Earth.

I looked around in search of my old room, but was disappointed greatly. I didn't find my old, but an old man. The same old man that transforms into a centipede. Great!

"Are you awake now? Your so called brother, here is absorbing a huge amount of mana from a demon core. Come, let's watch and cheer for him."

I could see my brother, Victor, sitting on the ground screaming in pain.

"What! Why would you let him do that! That's dangerous!" I was quickly angered by the words of the old man.

"He did it himself. To save you." he answered me calmly, like I'm some kind of ant.

"To save me? Can I do anything for him? Are there any side-effects? You better help him!"

"Indeed, to save you. No, you can't do anything. If he's successful then it will be his fortune, if not... Hmmm. Who knows? As for the side-effects, considering the habits of the little Imp, the absorption may rob of his emotions. No, most of his emotions. There will only be the negative ones."

Despite being barraged by questions, the old man calmly answered them.

After an unknown amount of time has passed. Victor, who was sitting on the ground opened his eyes and stood up.

His right forearm, has now regenerated and he seemed to be a bit taller, and bigger.

"The demon core wasn't fully absorbed, it was too much for me." Victor coldly said while showing another core in his right hand.

"Hmmm. Aren't you a bit lucky? Well then, I'll help you with that."

'Swooosh!'

With a wave of a hand, the core and Victor's broken shield flew into the hands of the old man.

He placed the core in the middle of the shield and then the shield started pulsing; reconnecting itself!

"Hahaha! This is your fortune." he threw the shield back to Victor, which the latter caught with the use of his new right hand.

"As for you. You've seen enough. Your fortune ends here."

*Clap! Clap!*

That was the last thing I heard and saw. The old man, clapping his hands while facing me. He even has this mischievous smile that I would like to punch.

Soon enough, I was back to the dark and gloomy room.

My reality. More like, my imagination.