On The Other Side: I Quit Being Human

[Layland’s POV]𝒐𝚟𝗅𝐞xt.𝓬𝒐𝓂

I have just gotten out of my Mindscape, which name I have only figured out after I absorbed Lucifer, and I am now overwhelmed with the newfound power I got from him. I feel like something is about to burst out from my body.

The feeling is not uncomfortable, mind you; it is good to know that I am full of power. On the other hand however, my hands are itching to try this newfound power of mine.

‘Oh, right… I should tell them that I am okay.’

As I think I have been admiring about the newfound power I got after obtaining my Origin too long, I turn my eyes to the people who are watching me. I don’t know how exactly I look at them, but it is enough fluster them.

Giving a light smirk at the astonished look Valeria and Millonia are giving me, I unconsciously raise my head. It is neither too high nor too low, but it still screams I am a fucking snob.

I don’t know the reason why I do that—I don’t even feel the need to brag because I know what I have is still not enough to defeat Valeria. Nonetheless, my heart is urging me to show them how great I am.

‘Ah, right. It’s my Origin, Pride taking effect.’ As I realized what has caused my sudden irritating behaviour, I lower my head then frown lightly. ‘I don’t want to be a fucking snob—I need to learn to control myself better!’

I scoff slightly at how ridiculous the effect my Origin has on me, then return my gaze back to the two ladies in the room.

When I see the surprised look on their face is the moment when I realize that my scoff earlier is interpreted differently in the other people’s mind. Quickly waving my hand, I explain myself to clear the misunderstanding.

“Ah, don’t worry. I didn’t mean to insult you—I was just entertaining a funny thought.”

“It is alright. It’s normal for Demons to be confused after undergoing their Awakening.”

At Ilschevar’s response, I turn my head to him then quirk my eyebrow.

“I realize I am behaving differently currently, but I don’t think I will behave this way forever—like what my Origin makes me. After all, unlike other Demons, I didn’t become one with my Origin—I absorbed it.”

“You what?!”

Instead of Ilschevar, Millonia is the one who is reacting rather violently at my words. I know I have just said something absurd, but as a human, Millonia shouldn’t know much about Origin—that’s weird.

I quirk my eyebrow, then look questioningly at Ilschevar. He merely chuckles, then shakes his head in amusement as if he is surprised I don’t know that I have just said something ridiculous.

I, for one, know I have just said something ridiculous, but Ilschevar should know that I am not lying. Either way, it doesn’t matter; I am looking at him because I want to know why Millonia acts like she is a Demon.

“You shouldn’t be that surprised that she is surprised. You have just achieved something that hasn’t been done for thousands of years after all.”

Alas, he misunderstands me for another reason.

“Well… I don’t care that much about it—it’s not that amazing anyway.” I wave my hand nonchalantly. “What I am curious about is—”

“Hahaha! I wonder what kind of Origin you got for you to act like that!”

I am slightly irked by the fact that Ilschevar has just cut me in the middle of my sentence. If not for the fact that I realized I shouldn’t have humble bragged, I would’ve thought Ilschevar is purposely leading me off topic.

This all happens because I have unconsciously bragged before getting to the point. If I had immediately asked Ilschevar about why Millonia behaved like she was a Demon, this misunderstanding wouldn’t have occured in the first place.

“Seriously though, I don’t really care about the fact that I have managed to absorb my Origin. I just want to know—”

“Can you tell me what your Origin is.”

I sigh in slight exasperation, then answer, “Pride.”

The room suddenly turns silent as all of the three people look at me in bewilderment. I am not surprised that Millonia and Valeria can show that face, but I didn’t expect Ilschevar to look at me like that too.

‘Oi, oi, oi. Why do you look like you are looking at a ghost? A Demon King should know that my Origin exists, right?’

Rather than thinking they are bewildered because of how awesome my Origin is, I think they are just bewildered because this is their first time of hearing it.

There is also a possibility that they think my Origin doesn’t suit my shameless nature, but I don’t entertain that thought. If that was really the case, which is highly unlikely, I would also agree with them after all.

“Are you sure that your Origin is Pride?”

“Yes. I have even figured out the bastard’s real name, so I am sure what my Origin is.”

“The name…? What is its name?”

“A similar name with the one that the fallen Archangel in my world has, Lucifer.”

My mother always said when I was a kid that whenever I had bad thoughts, it means, I was possessed by Lucifer, the Devil. I grew up believing it, and thought that Lucifer really lied dormant inside my body.

Imagine my surprise when I found out that my Origin’s true name was Lucifer. I wanted to cringe and laugh at the same time at the fact I managed to make my Origin believe himself was Lucifer.

For a little bit of context, Origin is like the alter ego that Demons have been ignoring ever since they are born. Like the main personality, it also has a name, which is subconsciously given by the main personality.

In other words, Pride is actually my nature and Lucifer is my Origin. However since he has come to realize what his existence means to me, he chose to call himself Pride, forgetting the name he had been using for years.

“Lucifer…”

Ilschevar mutters the true name of my Origin, then recoils in surprise. He blinks his eyes in confusion, frowns, and shakes his head in amusement—it all happens in three seconds.

Looking at his reaction, I am sure he is bewildered by my Origin’s true name. I don’t know if that name somehow resembles a random Demon’s name of this world, but I am glad he doesn’t cringe at it.

“How did you figure out the real name of your Origin?”

“Because I absorbed it, I guess?”

“Haha. True…”

Putting the awkwardness aside, Ilschevar’s laugh expresses disbelief rather than amusement. His expression changes suddenly afterwards, and his eyes alarm me when I see them briefly gleam.

Positioning myself in my fighting stance, I look cautiously at Ilschevar who is ready to jump at me. Valeria and Millonia don’t seem to realize it yet, but he is also pressuring me with his sickeningly terrifying Mana.

Smiling nervously to myself, I draw all of the Mana I have inside my Mana Pool.

Boom!

I didn’t expect I have a strong enough Mana pressure to blow the things surrounding me away, so I unconsciously smirk at how strong I have become. Unfortunately, Ilschevar thinks that as a provocation instead.

Flash!

Dashing at me like a lightning, he momentarily disappears from my vision before reappearing right in front of me and throws his punch at me. He doesn’t look serious, but the pressure he is giving is still terrifying.

Also sending him my own Mana powered punch, my fist meets his in less then a second.

Boom!

Two different kinds of Mana clash against each other, destroying the ground below us. My upper garment is destroyed by the shockwave caused by the clash, and the veins in my hand burst as they can’t handle the pressure of Ilschevar’s Mana.

I have got used to pain—I don’t think having my veins burst is painful, but I don’t think that I should be smiling at that. Nonetheless, my lips still curve upwards upon seeing the look of astonishment on Ilschevar’s face.

“Amazing… How could you take my blow?”

“Well, have you heard of Origin?”

“What does your Origin allow you to do?”

“Do you think I will answer that?”

“No.”

Everything that has come out of my mouth didn’t come from me; I tried my best to not say them, but they still got out by themselves. Fortunately, Ilschevar laughs lightheartedly at it, and I thank my luck for not pissing him off.

As my Origin takes effect however, I can’t hold the urge to attack Ilschevar with my newly gained power back. I gather my Mana in my fist quicker than before, and punch Ilschevar right in the middle of his chest.

Bam!

I am sure Ilschevar has expected that I am going to attack him, but I believe he didn’t expect I had became stronger due to my Origin.

He has prepared himself to take my attack head on, but his defense is still lacking to take my current blow head on. In result, he is thrown away to the back, and is even planted in the wall.