Class blurred by for Diaman. He sat in class, his eyes stuck on his book but his mind elsewhere. All he could think of was the amount of attention he would drag upon himself if his secret got out. He had managed to still deny Shira's claim, but the way Shira reacted was a bit suspicious. Would Shira report it or find the evidence himself? Besides, Shira was a rebel type—it wouldn't be a surprise if he snuck out of the hostel to do such.
The final bell rang. Diaman got his bag and left the class as fast as he could.
"Diaman."
He paused just at the gate on hearing Shira's voice.
He tried to keep calm so Shira wouldn't notice his uneasiness. "What's up?"
Shira smiled. "Nothing." He crossed his arms, just staring without saying any word further.
"Okay... I'll go home now." Diaman raised an eyebrow.
"Why the rush, bro?"
"My mom is home alone. That's all." Diaman didn't bother looking back at Shira. He heard Shira laugh. Once he was out the school gates, Diaman increased his pace.
He didn't take his usual bus home. Due to the last dungeon, there might be people who would notice, so he took a longer route home. While passing the bus stop he takes home, from afar he noticed the CCTV.
"How can I even get the footage?" Diaman halted. After thinking for a second, he continued his walk back home. "From what Shira said, it's still inside the store beside the bus station. They're the ones who installed the camera."
At last, he found another bus stop going his way, so he boarded it. The bus was mostly free compared to his usual route. "Guess I've found a new route."
He went back into thinking. 'If they have the footage, why would it be in the store? It has to be a trap.' Diaman's fingers ran through his hair, frustrated. 'Why didn't I think about this?'
At last, he was finally home. The ride had felt slower and longer. His mom greeted him with a hug the moment he walked in. Normally he would hug back, but his mind was absent.
"What's wrong, darling?" His mom noticed it instantly. She raised his face, looking into his eyes. "What are you worried about?"
"No. It's nothing." Diaman forced a fake smile.
But she wasn't convinced. She raised an eyebrow. "I know when you're worried. What's it about? Money?"
Diaman shook his head.
She rested her arms on his shoulders. "Are you sure?"
Diaman's eyes darted away for a moment, then with a deep breath, he looked back into his mom's eyes. "Yeah, I'm okay."
She pecked him on his cheek and didn't push further. They went about their usual routine. They had dinner and talked about school. What Diaman was relieved about was that she hadn't seen the viral video yet, or else she would have figured out it was him with a detective's eye.
Arguably, he still wanted to tell her. She was the only person he could trust his life with.
Diaman helped his mom with the dishes when they were done with dinner. He stayed with her on the couch watching some show. It reminded him of his last moments on earth. Sometimes he would gaze at her as she laughed while watching. Her smile was beautiful.
And Diaman couldn't afford to kill her by telling her the dangers he was going to be in.
'I can't tell her.'
Diaman yawned, his eyes feeling sleepy. He blinked and rubbed his half-lidded eyes multiple times, trying to clear the sleep off.
"You're feeling sleepy, honey?" she cooed.
"Yeah," Diaman replied with a low voice.
After his mom gave him a goodnight hug, he walked back up to his room. He dropped to his bed and groaned. "You can't sleep, Diaman. You've got evidence to steal." He hummed in his sheets before sitting up.
Just in and out. First, he splashed cold water on his face and stretched, coming alive.
'''
Diaman stood on a six-story building far from the store. He was dressed in a black jacket and jean trousers, wearing his parasite carapace veil. And two new parasite in his inventory he had created before sneaking out through his window.
His room was locked so his mom won't be able to know he left.
Beside he knew his mom wasn't the type to disturb his sleep. And he was a deep sleeper too giving perfect cover to lie he didn't here her knock if she did.
He had binoculars, so he spied from afar. It was a gas station with a grocery store. Diaman looked at his watch, checking the time. 11 PM. They were closed.
[ HOST IS ENTERTAINING ]
'Good to see you're enjoying the show.' Diaman continued scouting.
[ NEW MISSION CONFIRMED ]
[ STEAL EVIDENCE OF HOST ]
[ +50 EXP ]
[ BONUS: STEALTH PARASITE TEMPLATE ]
Template? Diaman paused.
[ PREMADE PARASITE ]
[ HOST CAN MODIFY AND MAKE CHANGES TO THE PARASITES ]
'Nice.' He went back to his scouting. 'Kind of useful. So you got how many templates?'
[ SYSTEM HAVE INFINITE PARASITE TEMPLATES ]
[ MY IMAGINATION IS MY LIMIT ]
'So you have a mind of your own. You're not just programmed, right?'
[...]
'I think I got my answer. Why do you want me to destroy the heavens?'
[ INFEST THE HEAVENS ]
'Aren't they the same? I know you're not telling me to infest the heavens in a good way. So tell me why.'
[ HOST DON'T HAVE RIGHT TO DEMAND ANSWERS ]
Diaman laughed humorlessly. 'What if I refuse?'
[ SYSTEM WILL TAKE WHAT SYSTEM HAVE GIVEN ]
[ ALL OF IT!! ]
The words sent shivers down his spine like cold water.
The threat was clear. His powers, his life, his mom's—all would be forfeited. He nodded.
[READY TO LEVEL UP? ]
"Sure.." Diaman said, he tired to bury the systems in his mind but it still lingered lightly.
Then some sets of screens materialized in his mind.
[LEVEL UP!]
[LEVEL 1 → LEVEL 2]
[EXP CONSUMED: 100]
[LEVEL UP!]
[LEVEL 2 → LEVEL 3]
[EXP CONSUMED: 200]
[LEVEL UP!]
[LEVEL 3 → LEVEL 4]
[EXP CONSUMED: 400]
[TOTAL EXP CONSUMED: 700]
[REMAINING EXP: 635/800]
[CURRENT LEVEL: 4]
[NEXT LEVEL REQUIRES: 800 EXP]
Diaman blinked, the screen popped up one by one. And he kept on reading.
[+30 STRENGTH]
[+30 SPEED]
[+30 ENDURANCE]
[+30 AGILITY]
[HP LIMIT INCREASED: 4000]
[NEW SKILL UNLOCKED: WEAKNESS SCANNER (FULL.) ]
Then for a moment his mana movement around his body in an usual way then. Flare this time Diaman could feel the difference.
He flexed his arm, stretched his legs. Tempted to try out his new strength.
"I think I feel stronger but I won't know till I try."
Diaman squatted, holding his binoculars in his hand.
After scouting, he noticed there weren't currently anyone around the store, but he kept worrying someone could be hiding. The store looked easy to burgle.
Which looked like a trap.
He gathered courage and took a deep breath. 'Breaking into a store was never on my bucket list.' He paced around the rooftop, then took a deep breath again. "Let's do this." He took a few steps back, then jumped off from building to building.
Till he reached the gas station store. Quickly, he followed through the cramped and small vent of the store and broke it open. He landed softly in the middle of the store. He crouched, staying low. The lights of the store were switched of making it hard to see. But he had planned for this before leaving home.
" Activate! Noctis Parasite."
*Click*
[Noctis Parasite ACTIVATED ]
The parasite was an S-rank parasite, worm like. Which main ability was to give Diaman night vision. It feeds on his infinite mana then producing tapetum lucidum cells. A reflective layer of tissue located behind his retina.
Just like a bat or other nocturnal animal.
Now with his night vision he scanned the store properly. Cameras were placed at every angle of the store. He had his mask on. But then, he noticed the camera LED lights weren't on.
"The cameras are off?" 'I still have to be quick.' He rose slowly and walked to the counter at the corner with careful steps.
Behind the counter, Diaman pressed the monitor button, but it didn't switch on. 'Is it the power?' Diaman traced the wire connecting the monitor to the ground where he saw the PC sitting. His eyes widened. 'Who did this?'
The PC was destroyed, smashed to pieces.
Diaman's plan was just to delete his footage, nothing more.
But whoever came first did something different.
"Could it be Shir—"
Before Diaman could complete his sentence, he felt someone's presence.
Waiting, watching him in the dark. Then the lights switched on.