Stargazers: World stage

Standing over two meters tall, with crimson skin, deformed faces, horns protruding from their foreheads, and leathery wings that denoted their strength, these were the hallmarks of demons. Vahn never imagined he'd encounter one in this place.

His feigned fear shifted into genuine shock.

Demons? Weren't they extinct? How was this possible?

If this is an experiment lab, was I handed over to demons for experimentation?

Did the Major-general know about this?

If he knew, did he still send me here?

These thoughts spun through his mind, he wanted to deny it but the answer stood right before him.

"Surprised, huh?" one of the demons chuckled at his expression, his grin revealing jagged, yellow teeth. "But unfortunately for you, all demons are gone."

Before the demon could elaborate, his companion growled, "Shut up."

"A-All demons are gone?" Vahn stammered, still reeling as they dragged him out of the cell. His shackled limbs scraped against the floor, echoing ominously in the dim corridor.

"So, if demons are gone... what are you?" He knew the answer in his gut but asked anyway, grasping at straws.

"Oh, you'll see soon enough," the demon replied, his grin widening.

They soon entered a brightly lit chamber. Vahn squinted, raising his chained hands to shield his eyes. 'How long have I been in the dark?' When his vision adjusted, the scene before him stole his breath.

It resembled a grotesque laboratory carved into a cavern.

Demons, or creatures resembling them were suspended along the walls, their wings limp and blood trickling into tubes. Likewise, some wore lab coats, extracting fluids with sinewy tendrils, while others restrained screaming humans, injecting them with glowing substances.

Some experiments ended in grotesque failure; others survived, though barely but they continued. If one even looked well, among the demons wearing lab coats, humans were among them.

Demons and humans screamed out alike. It was a mix of a scream for help, horror, and terror. Then there was the air, it was thick with the mingled stench of death and decay, bodies heaped in dark corners, their vacant eyes staring into nothingness.

Vahn gagged, covering his nose. "What the hell is this?"

"Wrong question," the talkative demon sneered. "This is a test site."

Vahn wanted to turn his body away, however the silent demon blocked his way.

"No, no, it goes like this. If you can survive, you join us and we can talk, but if you can't, well sorry. But survive, I like you." The talkative laughed maniacally.

Since he couldn't turn his back, he decided to close his eyes. Everything the talkative demon was saying was just passing through his ears because he could escape if he wanted to.

However, he didn't just want to.

Just in the seconds he viewed this place, he could literally see the humans' pain. He was only a non-ability until recently, he couldn't suddenly begin to behave like a god and ignore it. At least, he should try to save those he could.

'However, before then, I should ask.' He opened his eyes again. This time, he didn't act scared, he faced the shit show going on and asked the demon.

Vahn's instincts screamed at him to flee, yet he remained still. 

After a moment of silent observation, he opened his eyes, pushing aside the nausea. "Before you experiment on me, answer one question."

The demon laughed. "Since I like you, I'll bite."

"Was the Major-General involved in this?"

"Eh?" The demon reacted in a surprised and shocked expression, then his grin twisted into something darker. "What do you think?"

A bitter sigh escaped Vahn. 'So, this is the true face of the world.'

Before coming to the alliance, his life had been simple, school, Marco, going through tests to obtain an ability, and the occasional fights he did as 'Underdog'.

He'd been blind to the horrors lurking beneath the surface.

But not anymore.

"I will kill you, Major-General." The vow echoed in his mind, fierce and unyielding. and unknowingly, he blurted it out.

"What are you-"

Before the silent demon could react, Vahn struck, driving his elbow into the creature's face. The demon staggered, stunned by the sudden defiance.

"What are you doing?!" the talkative demon reacting quickly roared and lunged with its clawed hands.

'Now.' Vahn teleported behind him in a blink, slamming his chained fists together down with brutal force.

Bang!

The demon crumpled, groaning in agony.

The silent demon recovered, pointing with trembling fury, and screamed at the top of his lungs, "HOW IS HE USING HIS ABILITY WITH THOSE CUFFS?!"

Ignoring the outburst, Vahn teleported again, this time in front of the silent demon, delivering a double-fisted blow that sent the creature sprawling. He mounted the demon, fists pounding relentlessly.

Bang. Bang. Bang.

Blood spattered, and with a sickening crack, the demon's skull gave way.

Yet Vahn didn't stop until the head was unrecognizable.

"YOU BASTARDDDD…" The talkative demon, dazed but defiant, charged once more. Vahn teleported behind him, repeating the savage assault until the creature lay lifeless.

Panting heavily, his face slick with blood, Vahn sat amidst the carnage. 'I… I killed them.' Vahn muttered between breaths, however, there was no guilt, only a grim acceptance. 

This was survival.

Vahn had never killed before; however, it was one of the things he had prepared his mind to do. As a non-ability user living in an ability world, some people just needed to be killed, however, he hadn't done it yet. And against a demon, he didn't need to feel a shred of guilt.

The smell was too much, however, he still needed to breathe so he just took in everything.

'Thankfully, this place is already loud and there are no cameras," he muttered and briefly looked around him. If any of these were in place he would have been surrounded by now.

Wiping his face, he glanced at the corpses. A wave of nausea surged, but he swallowed it down, 'There's something I need to try.'

He extended his hand, closing his eyes, he muttered, "Devour."

He immediately felt a change in his body. Opening his eyes to see the effects, his eyes widened as from within him, a monstrous form erupted, a misshapen, red mass with jagged teeth spiraling in impossible directions.

RAAAAARRRRRR

It roared, then descended, consuming the bodies in one grotesque gulp before retreating into him. And with Vahn's still wide eyes, the creature entered his body, and the demons were nowhere to be found.

Then,

Pain followed, sharp and searing, but familiar. 'Just like last time.' He groaned as he endured the pain, if there was one thing to note, it was the pain wasn't as intense as it previously was.

His body convulsed, then settled. Strength surged through his veins.

A golden notification blinked before his eyes:

[YOU HAVE ABSORBED ESSENCE OF ??? -> 1.5%]

[NAME: VAHN ???]

[PHYSICAL ABILITY: 15]

[INNATE ABILITY: DEVOUR]

[ABILITY: TELEPORT]

Vahn flexed his fingers, marveling at the newfound power. 'Can I really grow stronger this way?' However, he decided not to remain shocked each time.

With a deep breath, he pulled apart the chains binding his wrists. They snapped like brittle twigs, falling to the bloodstained floor with a satisfying clang.

He stood up and began massaging his wrist while staring down at the still-undergoing experiment. 

This was just the beginning.