A yellow ball of light appeared in front of everybody’s status screen. Little by little, it grew into a sparkling light as it grew more and more and swallowed the participants of the trial.

They all disappeared from the room, leaving the otherwise distinctive black room empty.

It was such an irony that the room was considered distinctive by them cause it had nothing in it. Just plain black walls which were now cracked after the battle.

But that is human nature it considers everything which it doesn’t know about as distinctive. It fears the unknown.

And the only one in this world who had conquered the fear of the unknown was Klautz. Being reborn from the future he was the only one who knew the fate of humanity and the war that was to happen between the humans and the demons.

***

A single speck of yellow light appeared in the otherwise black room. The room had no signs of any lightning but it was magically lit as if a wizard had placed their blessings on it. But it wasn’t the same black room that they had just left for its walls had no cracks, its floors were sparked clean with no signs of blood and no bodies lying here and there.

The speck of yellow light grew in size. From the speck to the size of a fist, from that to the size of the ball and so on. Until finally, it grew so big that covered the entire room.

*Poof*

The huge ball of yellow light popped as it became all sparkles that flowed in the air. What is left behind were a group of five men including Klautz and a woman.

Everyone looked around. They looked right and left to find where they were except Klautz who was expecting such an outcome. They had gone through the same situation once before when they travelled to the first stage but they hadn’t expected the second stage to be of similar appearance. It was as if their time itself had reverted.

The black serpent was particularly strong. But what made it most annoying was its colour. With a black colour that camouflaged it in a black room, they can’t help but fall prey to the heinous beast.

“Do we have to fight a serpent again?” Kristie asked as he readied his axe.

“Don’t know. But if that’s the case, we won’t make the same mistakes we made last time. Remember everyone to stay away from its tail. Only attack its head and if possible those red eyes. They are the weakest parts.”

“Yes,” Verona and Kristie replied.

Meanwhile, Dant had all his attention on Klautz’s emotionless face.

‘What is he going to do?’

The boss of the stage was going to appear soon in the room. Klautz did tell him that he would sneak on the beast to kill it, while it preys on one of his teammates. But he didn’t brief him much as to what exactly he would do. All he knows is that he had to push one of his teammates to the beast’s claws without getting noticed by his other teammates.

And as far as Klautz goes, how much can he trust him? Will he even pop up? Can he even make him fight if he refuses to? The answer to all of these rhetoric questions might be a big fat ‘No’.

It was then…

Dant noticed Klautz shadow to wriggle as it rose and formed into a back sphere. His eyes shot wide, he didn’t know what to make of it.

***

Kluatz knew best what he had to do, he didn’t need to confirm anyone. Neither did he felt the need to inform anyone.

‘Even with or without his help my goal remains the same’ he said to himself.

For Klautz goals Klauts needed deaths. Was their anything that was gonna stop their deaths? Never! They are all doomed to die.

That were Klautz’s goal kicks in.

‘Save at least one of them. That would be a good start for me.’

In previous life Klautz had killed many. As a ninja that was his goal. In this life he wants to save many instead.

But can he hope to save all of them?

He does not dare to be so optimistic. This was the trial of Control they were considering. The trial that would later give birth to the lunatic Puppeteer will make the people of Hell shake in fear. How can the trial be so simple?

There are too many things to consider… too many variables.

Even at this very stage Klautz plans can all fall into the water and get spoiled. A single variable here and there can spoil everything leading to his death. Even he himself fighting at death’s door, how could he hope to help others?

That’s why Klautz chose to save one and one only. He likes to be specific with his goals. Even in his ninja villages when requests were made by the clients they were asked to be very specific otherwise their requests were cancelled and not even put on the notice board. Klautz had accomplished many such missions which used to be oddly specific.

“Tosias’s Demonic Spirit.” He whispered for no one to hear it. 

His shadow wriggled as it formed into sphere like before. He reached out for it as it shape-shifted into a cloak. A cloak long enough to be a perfect fit for Klautz. With his body wholly covered with it he looked like a shadow with no substance. 

Who said camouflage can only be used by beasts alone? With a black cloak, even Klautz can be camouflaged. He slid back as he disappeared into the black surroundings. 

Klautz was used to sneaking and killing. This was one of the methods which the ninjas of Kishiokagure used to use. There were several cloaks used there which helped the ninjas to camouflage with the surroundings. Some cloaks were so rare and finely woven that they couldn’t be found anywhere other than the ninja villages!