Sin and Virtue System



92. The purpose of your life. [2]

Kevin remained silent, his mind blank and unable to form a response. 

"What was the purpose of his life? Wasn't there something he wanted to achieve? Wasn't there something he wanted to do? What was it?" He thought for a while.

"I need more power," Kevin answered under his breath. 

"Y-yes, I just need more power! I can complete some of the side quests and get more rewards! With that, I'll get stronger and I can seek revenge!" Kevin was happy with his response.

Michael's eyes showed disappointment. 

"Do you really not remember, Kevin Finnair?" His eyes looked menacingly at Kevin. 

"Do you not remember the reason for which the world has bestowed you with this strength? The strength of the greatest King, the power of the one who owns the throne made of Red Dragon Kilmish! Do you really think that is the reason? That is your purpose?!" Every word that Michael spoke sent shivers down Kevin's soul.

"You fool! This Justice King Michael isn't your servant!" Michael said, his voice dripping with disdain. Kevin's body froze and he held his breath.

"I-I know my purpose. I just need more power to do it." Kevin was scared, but something inside him did not want to lose the argument.

"That puny [Lust] demon would've died instantly if you had not intervened. You are the reason that Justice King Michael has felt ashamed of himself!" The pressure on Kevin's body became unbearable and Kevin knelt.

"Not to mention your arrogance, Kevin Finnair. You are weak not because you lack power, but because you lack the purpose to wield that power!" Michael sneered.

"B-but Kheuk!" Kevin's eyes bled. He fell to his knees. His body was crushed under tremendous pressure.

"I-I remember!" Kevin shouted.

"I remember the purpose of my life!" Kevin screamed. The pressure on his body was released and Kevin answered.

The golden eyes had a little expectation after Kevin's exclamation.

"T-to become the strongest Demon Hunter! I wanted to become the most powerful living being!" Kevin answered and, 

"..." The void became eerily silent before the enraged eyes slowly closed and disappeared.

"Tsk. You are not fit for the task." Kevin only heard Michael's disappointed voice before everything around him changed.

...

A village materialized before Kevin. The room turned pitch black and the only source of light was the canopy of stars twinkling in the night sky. 

However, the beautiful scenery contrasted with grotesque piles of corpses sprawled on the grassy floor. Their twisted limbs and mangled flesh reeking of burnt and pungent blood assaulted his senses. 

This gore sight was not new to demon hunters, but Kevin felt nostalgic for this scene. He was struck by a sense of familiarity as if he had witnessed something similar before. But the passage of time had eroded his memory, causing him to forget the past. The immense power he now possessed had blinded him to the painful memories of his past.

While the burning trees engulfed his senses, he heard a soft voice he had long forgotten: "Do me a favor, Kevin." It was someone he called a friend. "Kill me." Kevin looked at him with indifferent eyes. What was his name? "Ah. You don't even remember me? Me, Andrew." With a mocking smile on his face, Andrew looked at Kevin, who had forgotten him. "Andrew..." 

'His name was Andrew?!' Kevin's eyes widened. The memories buried deep within resurfaced. 

The limbless Andrew looked at Kevin with pitiful eyes. "Why aren't you killing me? I am a stranger after all. You didn't need to worry either." His words struck deeper like a dagger. "Things are easier if you don't remember me. What are you waiting for? I am a demon. Kill me." Andrew's body was healing rapidly. The miasma was spreading deeper into his roots, and his body was changing accordingly. 

"Kekeke," Andrew laughed. "What is the use of that strength if you can't even kill a limbless, half-dead man? Or demon? Are you truly the Kevin I know?" Blood poured out of Andrew's limbs and formed strings. Those strings formed sinewy strands that twisted and took shape. The process was slow, but Andrew's limbs were regenerating. "You used me as a meat shield to sneak up on the demon's core. What an opportunistic person you are. It must have felt great, didn't it?" Andrew kept mocking Kevin. 

"You are strong, are you not? Then why are you waiting? Don't tell me, are you scared?" His limbs continued to regenerate rapidly. His body turned gore and disgusting, like an abomination. "Kufufufu, you never deserved that strength. You never deserved it." The flesh formed and took the shape of hands and legs. 

"What is your purpose of living? Why don't you just give up?" Kevin saw this unfold as lightning crackled around him. His hands trembled as he felt some weight in them. 

A golden spear materialized, mana swirling around it, while Kevin's eyes were ice-cold. He remembered now. Those dreams were not weakening him. Those dreams he had were a reminder to him. To never forget the reason, the purpose of his life. 

"You are not Andrew." Kevin held the spear, and ice particles formed. "You are a demon," he raised the spear high, towards the sky. As if approving his actions, clouds thundered. The heavens had approved his actions. 

"And I will kill every one of you!" Kevin stomped his spear on Andrew. The immobilized demon was covered in a block of ice immediately. There was no resistance. Unlike the first time, Kevin had used a spear this time, not a broken sword. He held the strength now. Unlike before when he had nothing, he owned a lot. 

"Kevin Finnair." He heard Michael's voice, but the eyes did not appear this time. "Remember this day. Remember the purpose of your life. Michael won't remind you again." His voice was stern.

"Strength without reason is as useless as a sword without a wielder."

…

"Kevin?" Alice knocked before entering the medics' room.

She was amused when she entered the room. Though it was a commoner's room, she appreciated Mia's thoughtfulness while designing these rooms. These rooms had gentle mana flowing that hastened patients' healing process. Alice did not linger outside and entered.

Kevin was a handsome boy, just like Mia had described, but he was sweating profusely, which confused Alice. 'Handsome men cannot sweat.' She mumbled.

'The mana is unnaturally high inside this room.' Many thoughts popped into her mind. She was a Sixth-Circle mage, and for her, mana was the same as breathing air; any change in the air, even the smallest, was easy for her to decipher.

"Student Kevin?" She called Kevin, but he did not respond. Her frown deepened. She touched his forehead to check his body temperature, but—Crack-Crackle. 

"O-ouch!" She immediately moved away as lightning crackled around Kelvin. Blood trickled from her finger. 'H-his lightning broke my defenses?' Alice's eyes widened, like saucers. She looked at him with disbelief. A Sixth-circle fire mage, Alice D'Arc, was injured by a defenseless sleeping student, a student not older than twenty! Someone who is not even a Demon hunter yet! Alice made a mental note of this. Her suspicions were turning into beliefs.

"Mhhmm." Kevin groaned before waking. His hazy eyes wandered before landing on Alice. "You are up?" She smiled at him. A professional smile. Kevin immediately put up his guard. He knew Alice. "Headmistress..?" Kevin tilted his head in confusion. The reddish-orange-haired woman's smile did not die.

"How are you, student Kevin? Are you feeling well now?" Her voice was melodious. Unlike her usual fierce appearance that scared the students to no end, the nightmarish woman was here to meet him. No one would believe their eyes if they were to see this. Her beautiful Hazel eyes looked at him like a predator.

He knew that the headmistress of the Fluger Royal Academy won't just visit an injured student out of worry. Hell, she did not even care when hundreds of her students died. Not even an apology, much less worry.

"Are you not feeling well? Should I call-" 

"No. I am fine." Kevin said while wiping the sweat on his forehead. He was not yet recovered from Michael's previous demonstration, and another challenge was already awaiting him.

Alice's eyes never wandered. She was observing his every movement. "I am very thankful for your visit, Headmistress. You came to meet me even in your busy schedule. I am truly thankful." Kevin gave a dazzling smile and bowed his head. 

Alice was surprised by his actions. She wasn't a headmistress for nothing. She knew the meaning behind his words. With a small smile on her face, she responded.

"I am glad that you are fine." Alice's professional smile, which did not reach her eyes, was obvious that she expected answers from Kevin. "I have talked with Miss Mia. She told me that you'll be able to walk by the end of this week. Though I am still amused how she treated such grave injuries and your recovery is so rapid." Kevin wanted to smash his head when he heard Alice's meaningful words. Of course, he won't be treated for free, and knowing the seriousness of his injuries, his student insurance can never cover them. Also, his abnormal recovery rate would raise suspicion.

Looking at Alice here, she must be the one who had pulled some strings for his treatment.

"I-I am thankful to her too. If not for her, I would be dead by now. I will make sure to return her favor." Alice nodded in satisfaction. She liked intelligent people who were on the same page as her. Kevin wasn't a normal boy; she had deduced this much after her small interaction with him. She just had to find out whether her suspicion was true or not.