The Cheat Seed

Chapter 20

Marcus's consciousness blazed with questions as the dungeon began dissolving around him.

"What do you mean?" he asked as soon as the system replied to his previous statement.

"I already have Diablo with me!!!" Marcus added, gesturing at his chest where the tattoo of the ninety-tailed fox resided beneath his torn kimono.

[Diablo? Who's that?]

The system echoed in his mind, genuine confusion evident in its tone. Diablo? It was the first time the system was hearing this name.

"You don't know Diablo? Even though you merged or... as you say integrated with me completely!"

[...]

"Aren't you supposed to be able to read my mind?"

[Wait... Tell me who Diablo is at least, leave the nonsensical talks aside]

"Diablo is my FAMILIAR, MY NINETY TAILED DEMON FOX, THE GOD SLAYER!!"

[When the hell did you even name it?]

"When I was in here, in this awful dungeon."

[F*CK YOU]

"Wha...?"

[SHUT UP!! DIDN'T YOU KNOW I WAS ON USER MUTE YOU STUPID HUMAN BLOCKHEAD!!!]

The system cut Marcus midway and shouted inside his mind. Marcus covered his ears, forgetting that those harsh words were echoing inside his head. But somehow he felt happy—the system's scolding reminded him of his mother. Marcus smiled as the system continued rampaging.

"Ok... Ok I get it," Marcus said with a chuckle.

[...]

The system seemed to cool down.

"Now if you will please, tell me about this God of God Slaying Qilin. How am I supposed to wield it if I already have a fami..."

Marcus cut himself off, his mind reeling as his memories rearranged themselves. There was another class of Seed users—Soul Wielders. They could merge with soul spirits and wield them for defense or attack. Soul Wielders possessed extraordinary Soul Levels.

"If it is what I think it is, then..." Marcus's eyes widened. "SYSTEM, open status window."

The system immediately opened his status window. Marcus gasped at what he saw. His soul level was no longer marked with question marks. Instead, it displayed something he'd never encountered before:

[Soul Level: God Slayer]

For once, Marcus maintained his composure despite the shock. He reasoned it made sense—the God of God Slaying's presence inside him must have boosted his Soul Level. He remembered from his academy lessons that the soul inside a Soul Wielder enhanced the user's capabilities.

What never crossed his mind was that he still hadn't awakened a Seed. This crucial detail was lost amid the constant stream of action since clearing the dungeon.

Marcus recalled another fact about Soul Wielders—they were exceedingly rare in his world, requiring immense talent to suppress a soul and claim it. Yet here he was, gifted the strongest soul for clearing a dungeon.

"The Strongest Soul!!"

---

…

"Achoooo!"

"Heh? Do souls sneeze too?" Crayalus asked, glancing at the ethereal form beside him.

"Maybe someone was thinking about me?" his Soul Spirit replied.

"Yeah, whatever, Mrigenta."

Crayalus ignored his Soul Spirit and continued slicing up heavenly mountains with the nail on his pinky finger, each casual swipe cleaving massive formations in half.

…

---

"System, Mirror."

The system created a window before him reflecting his face. Marcus studied his reflection intently, searching for the mark that would confirm his suspicions. Soul Wielders were identifiable by a distinct tattoo on their foreheads that extended to the sides.

There it was—a beast shaped like a lion but with an unfamiliar creature's face. Its mouth gaped open while its tail, flaring at the end, curled near its jaws as if the mouth were trying to reach the tail.

"Ah, so I was right."

Marcus closed his eyes and chanted, "Summon Qilin," giving his Soul Spirit the respect of using its original name.

The torso of the beast materialized before him in a red flaring mist. Marcus's eyes turned deep blue, his upper canines extending into fangs of the same color. His muscles bulged as if supercharged with energy.

"Wow!! This feeling of immense power is awesome." Marcus closed his eyes and exhaled, feeling raw power surge through him. "But don't let it get into your head," he whispered to himself.

He walked toward his soul spirit and stepped through the misty form. The mist followed behind him as he approached the dungeon wall. Marcus kept his left hand in his pocket and casually slashed the air with his right hand. The soul spirit mimicked his movement, its flaring claw cutting through nothing.

A blood-red claw mark appeared in the air and hurtled toward the wall. A second of silence followed the impact before the entire wall—no, the entire area around Marcus—exploded into smithereens from the shockwave. All that remained was darkness, an endless abyss with nothing but the distant blue sky visible through the opening above.

Marcus's ponytail came loose, his overgrown hair falling across his face and covering his right eye. The strands danced in the aftermath of the shockwave before settling, some tucked behind his ear, others framing his face.

With a snap of his fingers, the spirit gradually vanished. His eyes returned to their original turquoise green, his fangs receding to normal size. The destroyed terrain respawned within moments as Marcus sat down on the rocky dungeon floor.

[Well...That was....more than....what I expected]

"HAHA TRUE," Marcus laughed at the system's stunned stuttering.

He examined his hands, contemplating the immense power now at his disposal. "This power, if it fell into wrong hands... Woah, I just cannot imagine the consequences."

[That is why we select people who can use this for the good]

Marcus raised his eyebrows at the comment and smiled. "Thank you system, without you... I just don't know how I would've managed this much power."

The system made a gasping sound, and Marcus laughed, sensing its embarrassment.

His thoughts drifted to his newborn sister, her blushing cheeks, and he felt an overwhelming urge to leave this place.

"I want to see her so badly. I want to see them ALL very badly." Marcus stood up, determination renewing his energy. "System, isn't it time to get out of this place?"

[YESSS.. Finally]

The system screamed excitedly in his head followed by a beep. A message appeared before him:

[WOULD YOU LIKE TO EXIT THE TUTORIAL DUNGEON.....Y/N]

Without hesitation, Marcus selected "Y" at near-light speed.

Blue light materialized and expanded around him, slowly enveloping his body like a cocoon. Marcus watched in fascination as the glow consumed him completely before vanishing.

Suddenly he found himself floating in a strange space, simultaneously flying and swimming. Below him, a white-glowing path opened up. Marcus waved his arms, propelling himself toward the light.

*Whoosh*

The light pulled him in the moment he drew close.

*Thud*

Marcus landed on his back with a soft impact. He felt instantly relaxed as he opened his eyes and turned his head. Green grass surrounded him, soft and fluffy like cotton. Sitting up, he gazed at the sky—a beautiful blend of gray and orange as the sun set. Joy flooded through him at the realization that he was no longer confined in the dungeon.

"Marcus."

A voice called from behind. He jumped to his feet, instantly dropping into a defensive stance.

His eyes widened at the sight before him—a deeply wrinkled face belonging to a figure leaning heavily on a bamboo cane. This was not the muscular being who had pushed him into the abyss. The person who had named him Guardian, the Legend of Krozon, had aged dramatically.

"You made it out, Marcus!!" The old man's voice cracked with emotion. "I knew you could!!"

The Flame Emperor stood before him, transformed by the passage of time.