I go by Artemis Blythe. I'm an ex-soldier turned murderer. I was charged with thirty murders and was subsequently sentenced to death.
Preceding my execution, in a twist of fate, I was reborn in a child's body in a dog eat dog world ruled by two fac...
Flames bright vermillion, lighting this beautiful land in a blazing inferno.
"Have you gone insane Arakan?!" That woman who defeated me so easily screamed at me as I narrowed my eyes,"Insane? No no no. You're the gullible one. I've discovered the truth, Willow. There is no true virtue or righteousness! Don't you see? They're all degenerates!"
We stood upon a balcony hundreds of metres above the lands atop a mountain, snow billowing down in stark contrast to these resplendent flames.
A standoff.
"No, you're the degenerate Arakan! How could you kill Yue's entire family?! After all she's done for you, this is how you repay her?"
"Give it up Willow Sparne. You are no match for me. I need to save Yue. She can still be saved. I will purify her."
"Arakan you...W-What's happened to you?" Yue spoke in a fragile tone.
"SHUT UP!" I screamed at her,"DO NOT TEMPT ME! I WILL PURIFY YOU, YUE! THEN WE CAN BE TOGETHER FOREVER!"
Just as I was about to attack, an old man appeared, a grim look on his face,"Treasonous man," Maximilian Dali, the headmaster,"To betray those who have shown good will, do you think we are gullible idiots who won't fight back?"
"You...YOU'RE ALL CORRUPT! MERELY EVIL HIDDEN BENEATH A FACADE OF VIRTUE! YOU MUST ALL BE PURGED!" I pointed an accusatory finger at all of them. I could see it. The darkness in their hearts, their souls. Corruption. It was everywhere.
Rumble...
The ground shook as a dot in the distance rapidly expanded out, a colossal dragon forming in the skies as my face paled in fear. This wasn't just darkness exuding from the dragon. This was pure black. Even the worst offenders were dark purple or blue at most, never black.
I could almost instinctively tell who it was. Artemis Blythe. The most evil person to ever exist. My ultimate nemesis—The person I needed to kill.
Her power was increasing by the second as a feral roar shook the lands, making me stumble as a sword pierced my side. I staggered back in shock, eyes widened as I saw the headmaster with a serious look on his back.
"T-Transform!"
My body turned to dark blue as my skin cracked and crumbled away, giving way to glowing orange sigils which empowered me, a dagger of hellfire forming in my hands as I hyperventilated, a ring of fire turning the top layer of bricks to ashes,"GAAAAAAAH!"
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Newfound power flooded me as I gripped the dagger tightly, peering at him,"I must purify!" Making a mad dash, my dagger swung from the side, parried away by his sword.
"Heeyah!" Willow shot from the side in an attempt at a sneak attack,"Blink!" I appeared two paces behind her, slamming it into her shoulder, making her cry out in pain as her flesh sizzled, grey smoke rising from her wound.
"Willow! You bastard!" Maximilian roared in boiling fury, sending his mana surging through his sword as he charged at me,"Pay with your blood!"
I ducked under his right swing, sweeping his feet from under him, dagger slicing through his calf as I rammed my head into his abdomen, sending him upwards. I pulled my right fist, dealing a deciding blow straight as his chest with all the might I could muster, sending him crashing to the far end of the bridge as I turned my attention to Willow.
"How does it feel to be beaten down by this pathetic man?" I laughed hysterically,"Time to end this fight! HELLFIRE!" My dagger flared up, black flames devouring the bright red ones whole as intense heat radiated from it.
Raising my dagger high into the skies, I brought it crashing down, a sadistic joy erupting from my heart as I felt this evil about to be eradicated.
"NO!" As if time slowed down, Yue threw herself into the fray, pushing Willow to the side, taking the full blunt of my strike before I even had time to react.
The flames plunged into her body instantaneously, her body burning as the black flames engulfed her whole, spitting out nothing but ashes as I fell to my knees in shock,"Y-Yue?" I grabbed onto the last of the ashes as the rest was blown away, my breathing quickening as my heartbeat sped up.
No. It wasn't supposed to end like this. I was supposed to kill Maximilian and Willow before purifying Yue. How did it turn out like this.
"Ah...Ahhhh! AHHHHHHHH!" I let out an ungodly, unbridled scream of agony as guilt and self-loathing stabbed, burnt, punctured and pierced my heart a million times over.
"No...Yue..." Willow gasped out,"You monster! How could you be so heartless?!"
"You..." I growled out, boiling hot rage shooting through my veins, seething with the pain, regret, this searing agony empowering me,"IT'S ALL BECAUSE OF YOU! YOU NEED TO DIE! WHY DID YOU LET YUE SAVE YOU YOU USELESS FUCKING PIECE OF SHITTTTTTTTT!" I roared in anguish and rage, hot tears pouring down my cheeks as my breathing stuttered.
I slashed down with my dagger, only to be blocked by that old man,"GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY WAY YOU MOTHERFUCKER!" I screamed with this pain erupting in my very soul, nearly shattering my mind.
"Her death was your fault! You cannot defeat me Arakan! Retreat now or you will face my wrath!" The unbridled aura of a rank 8 slammed into me as the dragon above grew even larger, covering the skies completely.
I was too weak!
"God...Fucking...DAMMITTTTTTTTTT!" I let out a helpless scream, frustrated that the ones responsible for Yue's death was right before me and yet I was unable to do anything about it.
"I WILL GET MY REVENGE WILLOW SPARNE! I SWEAR ON MY SOUL THAT YOU WILL PAY FOR YOUR CRIMES!" I retreated rapidly, knowing I was not Maximilian's match. If I pushed on now because of my raw emotion, I would surely die. I needed to stay sane and calm for the sake of Yue. I needed to get my revenge.
