First kill

"It's been a minute Alan."

"I have seen you get used to the abilities I bestow on you."

"How does it feel knowing you can control the dead?"

W-Who are you?

H-ho-how do you know my name?

"Do not worry about that Alan."

It feels good to control dead things. It makes me feel like I am in control. And not just another victim with no support or help in my life.

"Do you know that Soul Redemption can be used on the dead. Once it is used on the dead you can control it and create an army of dead people to serve you, pleasure you."

So I can make my own harem?

"Uh, if you are that shallow towards women then yea you can. Anyways since they are dead you can change their appearance."

Really?

"Yes, however here is the caveat. When you proceed to do this method you must experience their pain ten times as much as they did. That cooldown period will be replaced with the trauma of each person you decide to serve you. The more you level up the less pain you will receive but more gruesome pain awaits if you go down this path with Soul Redemption. Do you understand?"

I do.

But why are you telling me this?

How can I level up?

"I am telling you this for your own sanity. Plus you seem like a troubled soul and maybe I can forewarn you about choices. But it is ultimately up to you to believe them."

"I am not your friend nor a foe. Just a messenger."

"As for leveling up, you can do multiple things. Summon more dead animals. Kill people who you seem fit to kill. Study your powers and find different uses for them. It's up to you. It's your life Alan, not mine, nor anyone else's."

I see.

How can I study if I do not have books or any resources?

"I cannot say, but if I were you I would meditate and find out for yourself."

"You are on the brink of leveling up and unlocking something new Alan. However there is an issue. If you proceed to level up, the magic and intelligence will increase tenfold but the pain, agony, feelings of others during summons will linger with you."

"That is all Alan. I must go now. Till we meet again."

Wait!

I shouted but only the echo of my voice remained.

I looked out the cave.

A cold unkindly breeze.

Just a dark sky.

No light.

Just like my soul.

I transformed my body into the bird again, looking for that last bandit to kill in order to level up. That's the thrill of hunting my prey. When they are weakest that's when I control the outcome. Some called it playing dirty but I called it fair game.

After all we all are the hunters or the chasers in life, so why not manipulate it to your benefit?

I flew in the dark sky searching for him. That cunning bandit is a coward. Watching his fellow people die or get captured.

Pathetic.

When I get to him I will torment him and break him. I saw the bandit vaguely running to the south of the forest into a capital I was not aware of. I will remember his long nose and short red spiky hair.

I returned to my body. The transition was not bad at all, as if I was getting used to it.

No pain.

I went back to sleep in the cave. My mind wandered into the abyss. It was a clear blank canvas with no paint, no strokes, no nothing. Just a canvas waiting to be drawn on. While I was in my sleep I decided to learn how to control my Soul Redemption and Soul Thread.

In order to use Soul Thread I must find a victim who is easily influenced. I can also use it on anyone. It will have an instant effect. I can control their thoughts and emotions.

I grinned with an evil smirk.

The downside is that the effect won't last long till I level it up. It will still stay with them, I just can't use it to its full extent. Not to mention the cool down time is forty-two hours.

As for Soul Redemption, if I personally kill someone I can summon them to obey all my commands. There is no limit on who I can control, from a king, to an assassin, to a healer.

The con is that the higher power a human is the harder it will be to control them. Even though the success rate is 100%, to use them to their full extent will require sufficient mana.

After that my mind went blank. I fell asleep.

I woke up from what was once an uncomfortable cave into something worth living in. As I got up and stretched, that image of the bandit was still burning in my mind. Did that canvas mean something? Or was it just something I randomly dream about?

I walked into the forest retracing my steps to get into town. I was stopped by a rattle in the bush. The bristles rattled faster. What would pop out, a snake? Some kind of animal? I don't know but the excitement was getting to me.

It was nothing. All that excitement was just the wind. Note to self, do not get excited about being disappointed in the unexpected.

I finally reached town. The bandit did not see what I looked like, however tracking him is harder now. For all I know he changed his hair color or got a different hairstyle. For most people this would be considered hard but lucky for me I had the ability to track him. His posture and attitude is what gives most people away. That is just common sense. You can find someone based on how they react. It is not always correct but it's a good baseline to cross all I's and dot T's.

Before I transformed I needed more detail on this bandit. I saw a tavern. It smelled like good old smoky wood and creaky floorboards. Something comforting.

When I entered the presence was not like I thought it was. All adventurers, figuring out if I am strong or weak. Does not matter.

I walked up to a table. The floor creaked subtly.

"Can we help you?"

They made eye contact as if it was intimate, which it was. Arms crossed, feet pointed inward. All signs they feel uncomfortable, which means they are not friendly or they do not like newcomers.

"Erm, uh, what can we do for you?"

I just stood there staring them down.

Oh yea sorry. By chance have you seen any odd individuals whose party got wiped by animals in the forest? Did one of them seem to panic or kept looking around?

"Now you mention it there was a short spiky redhead. He was anxious."

Did he take any quest?

"No. This is a tavern not a guild. Even though there are quests posted around here all quests must go to the adventure guild."

Thank you.

"You're welcome. Good-bye."

"Boss he was scary. I was so anxious that my leg started to shake uncontrollably and my hands were twitching."

"Trust me I know. He is a born killer. It's only a matter of time till he becomes one."

In most cases based on their information, when people tend to panic they do crazy stuff to either cause a distraction or stall for time.

With that being said.

I must find him to level up. The urge to kill is growing.

I walked around the marketplace looking for posture. Constantly looking around their surroundings or trying to blend in with bystanders. When people tend to blend in with strangers it gets awkward. So as long as one of the bystanders has their foot inverted, arms crossed or a fist clenched, safe bet to say he is in that crowd.

I found him. That good for nothing bandit, trying to talk to a crowd of bystanders. Unlike most people who kill in the spotlight, I just kept track of his whereabouts.

The best thing is to scare your prey. The more you are in their head the more intriguing the chase becomes.

He spotted me and decided to run. I did not chase because there is one exit in this capital and it was the entrance gate.

You will die.

I stood outside of the gate. It was the middle of the day, bright enough to light up the cement colorful tiles but not enough to show the dark alleys.

I transformed into the bird and followed him. Either he was stupid or slow because he was not aware I was following him. It was getting dark. The sky was starry tonight, maybe the north star would appear.

All of a sudden I heard footsteps.

Running.

Loud panting.

"You stopped. Where are you going this late at night and why are you running as if you committed a crime?"

"Look, I am going for a run. If something would have happened it would have happened by now."

"If you say so."

I moved down the path to a spot where the guard won't see me.

He kept running.

The sound got louder and louder.

Little did he know I was about to pounce on him.

The moment he got in my eye level I lunged at him, tackling him to the ground. He was a good fighter, I will give him that. So I used Soul Thread on him.

I hereby command you to follow me into the woods. Quietly.

"Yes sir."

Who put you up to this?

"It was our boss, named Yung-Lin."

Who is this Yung-Lin?

"He is the boss of this little group called Outcast. He takes people like us who have potential to do his busy work."

I cut off one of his fingers.

Don't lie to me. Lie again, another one goes bye bye.

"His name is Yung-Lin. He is the boss, that part is true. He deals in espionage, slave trading, brainwashing young kids to do his dirty work while getting away scot free."

What does he look like?

"Long white and dark hair, brown eyes, tall. He also wears a midnight navy blue robe with a wand."

What are his skills and class?

"He is a mage and an assassin class. He is dangerous. Most people don't like him."

Liar!

I sliced off three more fingers.

The blood came gushing out.

Tell me the truth now or I will end you here.

"I am telling you the truth. He is a dual wielder class."

I looked in his eyes. I could tell he was not lying.

Where is he located?

"He is up north on the outskirts of this capital. Can you please let me go. I won't tell anyone about this encounter."

You can go. Thank you for the information.

He got up and started to walk back to the capital, sweating and mumbling something.

But he didn't make it far. I snuck up behind him and slit his throat.

His body dropped.

lifeless.

Blood gushing out.

Silence filled the void.

I stood like a closed door.

With nothing to carry.

But my feet.