Forsaken By The Gods, I Made A Contract With the Demon King

Valerius sat lazily on the edge of the platform, his legs stretched out, basking in the sun with half-closed eyes.

'Why the hell am I here?'

He thought with an expression that showed his annoyance.

He was supposed to be a Guardian of the Favored Ones academy,

One of the three powerhouses that protected the academy—a position that held significant importance and more importantly - a position where he could just sleep all day as no fool would try to attack the academy ever.

But today, he wasn't feeling like one.

Not with this tedious job that the damned Dean had pushed onto him with some weak excuse about needing someone of his caliber to oversee the entrance exams.

As if these brats needed a Guardian-level mage for this.

He sighed deeply, the murmurings of the students already grating on his nerves.

Why did they always have to whisper and gossip?

Couldn't they just focus on the test? How annoying.

His eyes flickered toward the crowd.

Nothing interesting.

A bunch of nervous kids, trembling under the pressure even before the exam began.

He stifled a yawn.

Just when he was about to let his mind drift, the last participant entered the training grounds.

A boy, unremarkable at first glance—black hair, pale build, nothing particularly notable except for one thing - his eyes.

Sharp, cold, and far too calm for someone his age.

Valerius felt a flicker of interest for the first time. It wasn't something he showed—no, he wasn't about to give these kids the satisfaction of thinking they intrigued him.

Instead, he simply leaned back, allowing a small smirk to creep across his face as he lazily told them to begin the exam.

The platform, as always, was primed with the academy's signature array—a clever combination of mental attacks and gravitational pressure that grew in intensity as time passed.

A good method to weed out the weak from the strong.

Valerius's attention flitted between the students as they got up on the platform, his focus gradually drawn back to the boy with the sharp eyes.

While others struggled, their faces contorting with strain as the pressure mounted, this one stood there with little effort. Not a single bead of sweat lined his forehead.

Interesting.

Valerius's smirk deepened.

With a flick of his fingers, he subtly increased the pressure on the platform. He was curious to see how long the boy would last.

But just as the pressure rose, something flickered—green flames danced momentarily in the boy's eyes.

Valerius straightened ever so slightly.

Thatwas something different.

He increased the pressure again, this time more deliberately.

The other students groaned, their legs buckling under the invisible force. One by one, they collapsed, struggling to remain conscious.

Yet this boy— what was his name again? Well, who cares!

That boy remained standing. There was strain, yes, but still no collapse. Instead, something in him shifted.

The five minutes passed.

Orion, his assistant, called out the end of the exam, and most of the participants staggered off the platform, barely able to stand.

Valerius was mildly disappointed. He had expected something more from the boy, something beyond just standing there, but the test ended too early.

Just as he was thinking that, that boy sat down on the platform.

Valerius's eyes lit up with genuine interest for the first time.

Orion moved to stop the boy, but Valerius waved him off, a slow grin spreading across his face. "Let him be," he said, voice low, his excitement bubbling beneath the surface.

As the boy closed his eyes, Valerius began increasing the pressure once more. Slowly, at first, then more steadily.

His curiosity burned brighter with each passing second. He could feel the essence in the air now—denser, more potent. The pressure on the platform had already reached a level that could subdue most priest-level individuals, yet that boy remained still, absorbed in something deeper.

Minutes ticked by.

Valerius leaned forward, his body now alert, watching the boy with unwavering focus.

What was he doing?

The essence here, the pressure—it should have been enough to break anyone at his level. But he was still there, breathing steadily, seemingly unbothered by the strain.

Was it a trait? Or was it an innate ability or something else?

He was curious!

Just as Valerius was contemplating whether to push the platform's array further, it happened.

Apurple auraexploded from the boy, crackling with energy.

Valerius felt it immediately—a force that was far too powerful for someone so young. It was raw, unrefined, but unmistakably strong.

The aura stretched out, covering a 20-meter radius around the boy, and with it came a crushing mental pressure that forced even Valerius to tense for a moment.

He was entranced.

The pressure coming from the boy wasunnatural, impossible for someone of his stature. Valerius's heart raced with excitement.

What was this power? He needed to know.

His body buzzed with the need to understand, toconsumethis enigma standing before him.

But then he heard it—a soft groan.

His assistant, Orion, was on his knees, sweat dripping down his face. Valerius turned his gaze outward and saw the rest of the students. They weren't just struggling anymore—they weresuffering.

Some lay unconscious, others groaned in agony, completely overwhelmed by the boy's aura. Even Orion, who was a strong priest-level student he had taken under his wing, was being crushed by the weight of this growing power.

It hit Valerius like a bolt of lightning -he had to stop the boy.

"Hey, boy, stop now!" Valerius barked, but the boy didn't respond.

Or rather, hecouldn't.

When Valerius looked into his eyes, a chill ran down his spine. Gone were the flickering green flames from earlier. Now, those eyes burned with a deep, swirlingpurple—dark and endless, like an abyss that threatened to swallow everything around it.

Valerius took a step forward, panic slowly edging into his mind.This power... this wasn't normal.

"Hey!" he called out again, his voice firm, but the boy remained oblivious to his surroundings.

Whatever was happening inside him had completely taken over. The pressure continued to build, pressing down on everyone in the vicinity, even Valerius.

Suddenly, a sharp crack split the air. The platform beneath the boy groaned under the weight of the force surrounding him, the once-solid structure beginning to give way.

Valerius cursed under his breath.

This was beyond dangerous.

Not for him - but for the other students around.

There was no time to think. Acting on instinct, Valerius reached out with his own essence, forcing the pressure to subside as he struck the boy on the back of the head.

The boy's body went limp, and the overwhelming aura around him flickered before finally dissipating.

Valerius caught the boy as he fell, his heart pounding in his chest. For the first time in a long while, a genuine thrill surged through him.

He looked towards his assistant, who was now looking at the boy with fearful eyes.

"What is this boy's name?" Valerius asked, his eyes still wide with excitement.

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