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

Levi slowly opened his eyes.

"Urgh..."

A sharp pain shot through his head—like countless needles piercing his skull—but he endured it and looked up.

A plain white ceiling. Nothing special.

He stared at it for a moment before a voice interrupted his daze.

"You're up?"

It was a grumpy voice.

Levi turned to see who it was, only to find the lazy instructor slouched in a chair beside him.

Levi, himself was lying on a bed—probably in the academy's medical ward.

The sight of the instructor jolted him awake. There was no pain in rest of his body, so it was easy to sit up. His sharp eyes scanned the room, finally settling on the man lazily sprawled in the chair.

Despite his relaxed posture, Levi could sense immense power coiled within him.

"So, you're finally awake," the man drawled, straightening just a bit. "I suppose introductions are in order. I am Valerius, a Guardian of the Favored Ones Academy."

Levi's eyes widened.

A Guardian?

Wasn't he just an instructor?

Wait—if he's a Guardian, isn't he a big deal? The Favored Ones Academy only had three Guardians, and they were all supposed to be insanely powerful.

'Hmmm...?'

Levi eyed Valerius again, this time more carefully—from his unkempt hair and scruffy beard to the light clothes clinging to his body. And then... the smell.

Wait, whatwasthat smell?

It was coming from Valerius and Levi recognized it immediately.

'How long has this man gone without a bath?'

While Levi wasn't exactly one to judge as back in the slums, he barely managed a bath once a week—things were different now. Ever since his return from Paradise, he'd been keeping a decent hygiene routine.

'Is this man really one of the guardian's of the academy?'

He thought and even if so, he couldn't think of a reason as to why was he here with him?

Questions swirled in Levi's mind, but Valerius didn't give him a chance to speak.

"I'll cut to the chase," Valerius said, his gaze sharpening. "I want you to become my disciple."

'Huh?'

Levi's mind reeled.

A disciple of a Guardian?

This had to be a joke, right?

Was this guy trying to pull something? Why him, of all people?

"This... this is too sudden," Levi managed to say. "I don't even know who you are."

It might seem like he was rejecting a golden opportunity, but as a demonic follower, Levi couldn't risk anyone uncovering his true nature.

Becoming a Guardian's disciple would mean constant scrutiny, and if Valerius ever found out the truth... Levi's life would be over.

Yet, the advantages were hard to ignore.

Who would ever suspect a demon follower hiding under the protection of one of the academy's most powerful figures? It could be the perfect cover, a shield against suspicion.

And more importantly, Levi desperately needed a teacher.

He had power, sure—but when it came to combat knowledge, he knew next to nothing. That was the whole reason he'd joined the academy.

If he could become the disciple of a Guardian, it would help him achieve his goals faster.

Just as these thoughts raced through his mind, Valerius spoke again.

"Hmm, you're right. You probably need some time to think."

Thankfully, Valerius didn't seem like the type to push too hard.

But then, he leaned forward, eyes gleaming with curiosity.

"By the way, that ability you used during the exam—what was it? Which god have you made a contract with to get such a strong mental power?"

Levi froze, caught off guard by the question.

He knew what Valerius was talking about.

His Innate Ability - Lunacy. It activated all on his own during the exam and from the bits he could remember - it also had successfully evolved or maybe mutated.

But Levi hesitated to answer.

His innate ability had no connection to demons, but it was tied to the Goddess of the Tuatha Dé Danann. And she wasn't exactly friendly with the other gods.

Would it be wise to reveal that to Valerius?

But staying silent could raise suspicions.

So, Levi spoke.

"It is an innate ability."

Levi said but Valerius waited - it seemed like he wanted to know which god Levi had made a contract with.

And once again Levi took his time before answering.

"I made a contract with the God of Forgotten Realms," Levi answered, his voice steady despite the turmoil inside.

Valerius raised an eyebrow, a mix of surprise and curiosity breaking his otherwise expressionless face.

"The God of the Forgotten Realms? Hmm. Interesting—that's the first time I've heard that name."

Levi stayed silent, watching him carefully.

There was a reason he risked mentioning the other name of the Demon King. After his first emergence from paradise, during an interrogation with a Truth Seeker's follower, Levi had claimed that he had made contract with the God of Forgotten Realms.

It was very likely that she had stored that information somewhere.

Levi wasn't sure if that data was private or public, but if he gave Valerius a different name now and the truth surfaced later, it would spark suspicion.

Levi couldn't afford to leave such loose ends.

Anyway, Valerius seemed lost in thought for a moment before his gaze refocused on Levi.

"Well, maybe they're not a popular god, as their name suggests. Anyway— tell me more about that ability you used earlier?"

Valerius's eyes gleamed with interest, and Levi knew he couldn't avoid answering.

But before he could respond, he needed to understand what had changed with his Lunacy.

Had it evolved or mutated?

With that in mind, Levi opened his status.

-----------[Status]-----------

Name:Levias Drake

Rank:Demonic Follower

Patron:The Darklord of the Endless Abyss

Affiliation:Mercenary Federation (E-rank)

Crest:Demon who met God

Demonic Core:Nascent-Essence

Demonic Essence:377/1000

Trait:Demonic Soul

Trait Ability:Demonic Transformation | Domination

Dominions:Noir (Black Wing of Lunacy)

Innate Ability:Shadow Self | Lunacy

Artifacts:Eternal Vigil(Fallen ) | Key of Lunacy (----) | Blaze (vile) | Ring of the Fallen (Fallen)[Currently Not In Possession]

Avatars:—

Inheritance:Tuatha De Danann (Incomplete - 1/5)

-----------[Status]-----------

There was no change in his status but when he opened the description of Lunacy - he could clearly see it.

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