As usual… I was searching for an "Emotica," like a man searching for water in a thirsty desert. That strange thirst for negative energy never seemed to be quenched—on the contrary, it only grew stronger the more I drank from it.
But wait… why hadn't I noticed this before?
Why do people suddenly transform here, in these specific areas?
A surge of overwhelming negative energy struck me then. A wave of hatred, fear, and rage hit all at once, as if a lurking creature in the shadows had finally exhaled.
I dashed toward the source, my emotions swinging wildly between anticipation and anxiety. And there—amidst the ruins—he stood.
A young man, around my age, laughing maniacally in the wreckage of a destroyed shop. His face was half-human, half-distorted… an Emotica, yet his transformation wasn't complete.
All around him, people screamed, begged, fled. But he hunted them like a wolf, feeding off their terror.
I didn't hesitate. I ran straight at him.
"Stop!" I shouted.
He turned to me, eyes burning red, his voice guttural and warped.
"So, you're looking for death too, huh?"
I said nothing. I simply drew my dagger—soaked in the blood of monsters.
The fight began.
We exchanged blows as if we had known each other for centuries.
He was strong. Fast. And annoyingly smart.
For the first time in a long while, I felt... helpless.
He nearly killed me at one point—if I hadn't slid under his arm and struck his side, I might not be standing.
But that strike… revealed something strange.
I saw it.
Faint lines… negative energy leaking from his wound. Was this a vision? Or a new ability?
I tried again—this time a slash to his shoulder. The same dark energy flowed, glowing and writhing like black smoke.
My hand reached out to it—don't ask me how—and I grabbed it.
I was holding his blood. I could feel it.
As if every cell in his body now answered to me.
I whispered:
"Let's try something new."
I focused on the wound… and his blood burst from within!
He screamed. His body convulsed violently and collapsed, trembling.
I walked toward him, ready to finish it—
But then he spoke:
"Please… help me…"
I froze.
That wasn't just a cry. It was a desperate plea… from a human clinging to the last threads of his humanity.
But I had no time. His energy was beginning to erupt again.
Without thinking, I ended it.
When he died, a surge of energy flooded through me… but it was unlike anything I'd ever felt.
My body grew heavier. My strength doubled… then suddenly waned.
Then something unexpected happened.
I saw his memories.
Two boys. In a dark room. Their faces were unclear, but one of them said:
"We carry out the plan this year… yes, at the academy. We'll confirm the experiment's success there."
Then—darkness.
I gasped, breathing heavily as I glanced around.
"What's happening? An academy? A plan?"
And as I sifted through those fragmented memories, one thing became clear:
That boy… had been a student at a place called Valka Military Academy.
But the strangest part?
From his memories… I instantly absorbed the entire high school curriculum.
Literally. In a second.
Despite my exhaustion, I chuckled:
"Well… guess I won't need to study anymore."
When I returned home, my sister Liana greeted me with her usual weary smile.
I said:
"I've decided… I'm enrolling in Valka Military Academy tomorrow."
She gasped.
"What?! But that school is expensive—it's one of the private academies run by the military! How will you afford it?"
I replied calmly:
"Don't worry… I'll figure it out."
I didn't tell her the truth.
That I'd taken jewelry from women who had turned into Emotica.
I couldn't leave it behind.
I know it's wrong… but what else could I have done?
The next morning, I went to the academy.
A massive, imposing structure. Iron gates. Guards at every entrance.
I stood among a crowd of new students in a wide courtyard.
I whispered to myself:
"This place… is far from ordinary."
Suddenly, the headmaster appeared.
A towering man, followed by ten individuals in black uniforms.
Each of them radiated an overwhelming negative aura… a presence I hadn't felt since birth.
He stepped forward and spoke with a booming voice:
"In recent months, mysterious disappearances have been increasing across the city. Forces are gathering in the shadows—testing our limits, threatening our existence.
But here… at Valka Military Academy… we forge the protectors of humanity.
Among you are those who will stand at the brink when the barrier falls… those who will fight when darkness engulfs us.
If chosen, you will not merely be students.
You will be humanity's sword—and its shield."
Whispers and murmurs spread among the students.
As for me… I stared at those ten figures behind him.
Something about them felt familiar… Could it be?
I lowered my eyes and whispered:
"Some of them… are on the verge of turning."
Then I lifted my head, a slight smile forming.
"No problem…
Looks like the truth is much closer than I expected."