"I can't see a thing!"
Ben frantically looked around. His white silhouette levitated in a dark, lifeless space, alone with an unsettling silence.
"What happened again?"
'Oh right, I just awakened some weird system and merged with another consciousness!? ' He wasn't entirely sure, his mind foggy as if he'd been in a coma for years.
Suddenly, a voice echoed in his mind, the tone weary and tinged with cynicism. It was his own, yet different.
"Of course you can't see anything, idiot. We're in the middle of merging."
Ben jolted, even without a physical body. "Who... who spoke?"
"Who else? You and Me... Us," the voice replied, a whisper that seemed to come from every fiber of his being. "I am the former Daemon."
Ben felt a wave of information flood him, bit by bit as the merger progressed—fragments of memories that weren't his, past sensations. It was dizzying. "Is... is this Daemon? But... you're the one who reincarnated me here? Where does this system come from?!"
Daemon's voice resonated, this time with a hint of amusement. "The 'system,' as you call it, is a relic I managed to get my hands on. On the thirtieth reboot of this world. As for your 'reincarnation,' it was just the system awakening by absorbing the mana of a heroine."
Ben frowned. "Thirtieth?"
He knew of at most fifteen returns to Eden, but Daemon was from the thirtieth.
"Precisely," Daemon continued. "This game, Apex to Supremacy, isn't just an eroge. It was an experimental ground for those Superior Beings. This world is actually three games, and you and I only know one."
"So you mean there's more than Eden as a protagonist?"
"You're still wrong. Eden isn't different from us; it's an anomaly. Archangels, archdemons, and spirits—they all have their champions. Eden was born from the conflict between angels and demons, an anomaly. So, as you said, there might be multiple champions or protagonists. You must eliminate them."
"And why should I do that? You reincarnated me into your mess. I don't care about all your champion power dynamics, antagonists. I don't give a damn. And besides, how do you know all this? Aren't you supposed to lose your memory?"
"If you want to go home, you'll have to survive. I've done everything to help you until then. Do you think you had the guts to face the dungeons and even seize the Khaïbet?"
Ben knew it was indeed the truth. He might have had hunting experience, but this mental sadism, it was actually Daemon's influence.
"An infinite time loop, where Eden tries again and again to kill the archangels. Even after each return, I lost my memories, but one thing remained—my soul pact with Baal. When I woke up, I saw I had demonic power and my soul sold to Baal, who himself ignored the reason. I immediately made the connection. But I could never truly survive or be free with a soul already condemned. That's why I called upon another soul from another dimension with knowledge of this world's future, because in this return, I'd still lose my memories. With this, you can survive in this world, and I can regain my freedom and save her."
Ben remained silent. He obviously loved intrigue, the exciting adventure unlike his dull former life, but his cautious—or rather cowardly—nature prevented him from fully agreeing.
"So... we're a side effect of its time loop? It's exciting but I'm fucking scared. I'd rather—"
"Don't worry..." His voice grew increasingly foggy.
"Our merger will take the best of our qualities and eliminate the flaws that would prevent us from achieving our goals... Now, let's become one..."
Silence fell again, but this time, it wasn't empty. It was filled with doubt as the dark space began to dissolve.
"FUCK—My head is killing me..."
Daemon jolted awake on the messy bed.
[Fusion complete]
"So... this is my new reality," he murmured, clenching his fist, his voice transformed, deeper with a sly smile. Something different was in his eyes. He might not have the memories of Daemon's thirty returns, but now, he was a whole—the caution, Ben's game memories, and Daemon's strategic sadism and intelligence.
"I must become powerful with the system's help, make strong allies, track down the protagonists and undoubtedly the antagonists, and why not have a harem of heroines?" he said aloud with a slight smile.
He got out of bed and walked to the window, brushing his hair back and grimacing slightly at his sore muscles.
"I won't be Baal's bitch anymore, nor a fucking pawn. We are Daemon Leen Indivar! And we'll twist this damn game to our advantage."
[A/N: This is Ben with his personality heavily influenced by Daemon. For more fluidity. I'll just keep the name Daemon from now on.]
....
Daemon was satisfied with his new self. He headed to the bathroom, stripping off his clothes.
Looking in the mirror, he saw a tired face with dark circles and a not-very-athletic body. "I'll need to build muscle in time, but for now, let's take a bath."
The heir of House Indivar stepped into the bathtub.
"Oh, it's already dark!?"
`What will the characters' next major moves be... let's see.'
"Eden entered the academy, and the next day, there was the famous first-year fight. No, THE DAY BEFORE, there was actually this!"
He rushed out, putting on casual clothes, though a commoner couldn't really afford it. He glanced at the clock.
"Alright, I've got twenty minutes." He slammed the door.
His hair was still wet, but he had to hurry. Prevent that first-year axe-wielding maniac from causing a massacre.
[Ding—
Quest: On the first day of school, Scarlett Moonshade tortures several first-years to force them into her brother's faction.
- Prevent the massacre
- Prevent Scarlett and Ingrid from meeting
Reward: 150 Y
Failure: ???]
"I really have no luck. I'm meeting a villainess right away. And an unstable one at that."