On The Other Side: I Quit Being Human

[Storyteller's POV]

Logan Keller. A brash young man who was known for his good "relationship" with Mark Lane—Layland's former tormentor. Standing at 5'11", with his manly look and toned body, he was also one of the popular kids at school back on Earth.

The day when Layland had shot him dead haunted him every single day after his resurrection. The pain he had felt at that time—the sensation of standing in front of the door of oblivion was a nightmare he could never forget.

He had sworn to end the person who had become his inner demon when he encountered said person; however, unfortunately for him, when that moment came, he could barely bring himself together.

'Layland? Is Layland a common name in this world or...? Fuck!'

Disbelief filled Logan's green eyes. He was trying to look calm on the outside, but he was utterly shaken inside. The person in front of him could tell it. He also knew it, which was why it felt like he was reliving his nightmare.

The intimidating mask alone, anything about Layland made him tremble. The fierce aura and the sickening menace Layland's entire existence was emanating brought an untamable terror to his soul.

Dash!

"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Are you joking?!"

After months of being the predator in this new world, Logan finally experienced how it felt being the prey. Chased by Layland, he had nothing in his mind other than running away.

'Fucking pathetic!' he cursed inwardly.

He had been summoned by Iorael to Lysimork because said Dark elf needed his help to fight off some Demons. He was confident in his power; so he had easily agreed to help since he thought it would be easy money and fame.

It really caught him off guard when he heard an individual called Layland was also present amongst the Demons. He hadn't heard anything about it prior to coming to the battlefield, so he regretted it immensely now.

"Funny, isn't it?" Layland's deep and eerie voice seemed echoing through the vast forest even though he muttered his words softly. "I have never run away from you guys, but you always called me a coward. What does this make you now?"

"Shit! Are you really Layland? Look, I am sorry for what I have done to you, man! I really mean it, so please forget what happened in the past. Besides, you have paid me back when you shot me dead!"

Logan felt like wetting himself. The more he was convinced the person chasing after him was Layland, the more afraid he became to stop.

Confident as he might be in his power, he could foresee how the fight would end. He had already died once, and he didn't want to experience it for the second time.

Shameful it was indeed for him, however his life mattered to him more.

"I don't think you are good at cat-and-mouse game."

Unfortunately for him, getting away from Layland had never been as easy as he thought. As someone who had always been the prey—of a certain Wild Beast—for the first month of his stay in this world, he also knew how to be a good predator.

Other than that fact, although he wasn't aware of this, his self-made Footwork Technique was one of the top tiers. For him, catching up with someone who was twice or thrice stronger than him was easy, let alone those on the same level.

Bam!

Punching Logan right in the solar plexus after catching up to him, Layland threw Logan's body to the direction that had no Guardian around. He wanted to have a heartfelt fight with Logan, without anyone bothering them.

Thud!

After bouncing off the ground once, Logan immediately adjusted himself midair, then skidded on the ground. The quick maneuver slightly impressed Layland, but he immediately scoffed the moment he recalled the fact that Logan had the System.

He had every right to scoff. Unlike him, after all, Logan could do such a maneuver because he had Attribute Points, which could be used to improve his agility and such without having to train for it.

"Alright, man, just stop this. We both don't want this to happen," Logan placated the moment Layland landed on the ground after jumping off the tree. "I know you actually don't have a personal problem with me—look, it was all that bastard's fault!"

"A cornered rat bites the strongest, they say," Layland said neutrally as he approached Logan. "I don't think that works on you since, apparently, you are more pathetic than rats."

"F-Fuck! You want to make it personal now? Don't think that joining the Demons makes you any stronger than me, you loser!"

Logan pointed his broadsword type Relic at Layland, thinking it looks threatening. Layland stopped in his tracks, quite abruptly, which made Logan believe he was intimidated by the gesture.

"Make it personal? Ludicrous." As soon as Logan heard the disdain in Layland's tone however, he instantly froze. "This matter has always been personal ... At least, for me."

Layland took his mask off, then stored it in his Spatial Storage. Logan's eyes almost bulged out of their sockets as soon as he saw Layland's face —he couldn't believe the effeminate boy he had always beaten up had turned into such a fine man.

Nothing of the current Layland reminded him of the Layland he knew. Gone was the look of innocence and warmth; detached and cold—Layland looked nothing more than an empty vessel to him.

"Joining the Demons?" Layland sneered, showing a genuine emotion on his stoic face for the first time. "I am a Demon."

Buzz!

It wasn't intentional, but Layland accidentally tapped into his Demonic Essence due to his fury. It was the sealed power of Demons—the reason why they could assume their True Form, which was the nightmare of every living creature in this world.

In result, Layland lost the control over his body and power. His blue eyes turned red, his pupils turned to slits, and a pair of slanted horns appeared on each side of his forehead.

The scene terrified Logan greatly; he lost control of his bladder. Pants wet and feet shaking uncontrollably, he looked at Layland in terror, hoping the nightmare would end without much pain.

"Please... Kill me quick," Logan muttered as he felt his consciousness flying away.

Abruptly, however, the change in Layland's body stopped. The slitted pupils in his eyes were shrinking and dilating consecutively before returning to their regular shape.

Layland's pressure immediately calmed down; a frown immediately appeared on his face as he regained his clarity. The process of assuming his True Form was stopped—his body and power was now under his control again.

"Thank you, Luxia," he muttered. "I wouldn't have made it without you."

'Don't let your anger consume you,' Luxia softly said, sounded exhausted. 'We were lucky my meagre Earth Energy was enough to calm you down.'

"Kahak-kahak! W-What the fuck was that?"

Ignoring the change in his power for a moment, Layland turned his head to Logan, who was gasping for air. Said Hero was trembling as he pushed his body upwards.

Looking at Logan in disinterest, Layland wondered where his fury had gone to. He was absolute he had felt an immense hatred towards Logan before, but now he just felt like he couldn't be bothered with Logan.

'So, this is how Awakening really feels,' Layland mused. 'I have... Matured. I have become a real Demon. I ... Officially have stopped being human.'

Countless of emotions filled Layland's chest; however, in the end, he couldn't feel any of them. He would be lying if he felt empty—he felt something, but it was so negligible, he couldn't care less.

"Stand, human," Layland said commandingly. 'Wow, I feel more justified to say this now.'

"L-Layland... Please—"

"Pick your sword, and fight for your life. I can give you no mercy, so win it fairly."

Seeing no other way for him to escape, Logan gritted his teeth, and got himself together. Picking up the Relic he had dropped, he took a deep breath to calm his racing heart down.

In the meantime, Basil was shredding the Guardians who had decided to approach them with the petals [Senbonzakura] produced. Some of the death scenes were witnessed clearly by Logan; which, again, demoralized him.

"Seventy percent of my power is on my mask," Layland remarked. "You are lucky I have taken it off, so make sure you do your best."

Of course, it was a blatant lie.

"You will regret ever doing that, you fucking asshole!"

Unfortunately, the desperate Logan easily fell for it.

With a small smile of amusement on his face, Layland pulled Rexorem out of the ground. His connection with Rexorem had become stronger than before; the pressure he was exuding was instantly tripled.

'This is insane,' he thought. 'I can now feel what Rexorem is feeling—he is giddy!'

Layland shared Rexorem's excitement and thirst for blood. His heart raced, meanwhile his hands got itchy as he couldn't wait to swing Rexorem at Logan.

"Come at me, human. Show me how powerful a so-called Hero is!"

"Oorah!"

p Despite the pathetic display he had shown a few moments prior, Logan still dashed towards Basil with a firm form and vigour. He had gathered the courage and power he didn't know he had, and poured them into his broadsword.

He believed he could kill Layland; alas, the reality said otherwise. As soon as their Relics clashed, Logan immediately met his unfortunate fate.

CLANK!

Rexorem cut through his broadsword and bisected him at once. The fight was so anticlimactic, both Layland and him couldn't help cursing inwardly.