"I'm a Demon Now?! …Wait, What's My Title?" I stared blankly at the red-and-black robes Yue tossed at me.
"What… what is this?"
"Your uniform." Yue smirked.
I blinked. "Uniform?!"
"For the Nightshade Demon Sect," she said cheerfully. "You're officially one of us now."
I mentally screamed. Me? A demon cultivator?!
This was not in my reincarnation plan! I crossed my arms. "No. Absolutely not. I refuse."
Yue raised an eyebrow. "So… you want to fight our Sect Leader, then?"
I froze. "Sect… Leader?"
Yue grinned. "Yeah. If you wanna leave, you have to defeat our leader in single combat."
I swallowed. Considering I was still struggling to regrow my cultivation, that sounded like a very fast way to die.
"…Alright, fine," I grumbled, snatching the robes. "But I'm not calling myself a Demon Lord… Yet i held up the red-and-black robes, turning them over in my hands like they were cursed.
"You expect me to walk around wearing this?"
Yue smirked. "Yes. You'll look good in it."
"I'll look like a walking death flag," I muttered.
She shrugged. "That is kind of the point."
I sighed and put on the robes, muttering under my breath about how far I'd fallen from Supreme Lord to… whatever this was. The fabric was surprisingly comfortable, though.
Yue clapped her hands. "Great! Now, let's talk about your title."
I paused. "My what?"
She gave me a knowing look. "You're part of the Nightshade Demon Sect now. Every core member gets a title."
I narrowed my eyes. "And if I refuse?"
She grinned. "Then the Sect Leader will assign you one." I did not like the sound of that.
"…Fine," I said. "What are my options?"
Yue pulled out a scroll, and unrolled it dramatically. "We have 'Blood Moon Butcher,' 'Void Executioner,' 'Soul-Flaying Tyrant'..."
I winced. "Why do all of these sound like names you'd find in a villain's monologue?"
Yue tapped her chin. "Well, we are demons."
I groaned. "What's the least ridiculous option?"
She flipped a few pages. "Hmm. 'Abyssal Shadow'?"
I considered it. "…That's tolerable."
"Great!" Yue grinned. "Welcome to the Nightshade Demon Sect, Abyssal Shadow."
I pinched the bridge of my nose. "I hate this."
She patted my shoulder. "Don't worry. You'll learn to love it. Or at least tolerate it before our Sect Leader decides to name you something worse." I froze.
"…Wait. What was the Sect Leader going to name me?" Yue smirked.
"'The Fallen Supreme Dog.'" I nearly fainted.
Fine, I'll Be a Demon—But I'm Not Barking
I took a deep breath, trying to suppress the urge to break something. Preferably Yue's smug face.
"Fallen Supreme Dog?! Are you joking?"
Yue shrugged. "Nope. Sect Leader has a sense of humor. You should've picked faster."
I clenched my fists. "I changed my mind. I'm challenging the Sect Leader."
Yue burst into laughter. "Oh, really? With your half-regrown cultivation? Go ahead, I'm sure the Sect Leader would love that."
I hesitated. I wasn't stupid. I needed more power before even thinking about that fight.
"Fine," I grumbled. "I'll tolerate being Abyssal Shadow… for now."
Yue grinned. "That's the spirit! Now, let's get to your first mission."
I narrowed my eyes. "Mission?"
She tossed me another scroll. "Congratulations! As our newest member, you've been assigned to bodyguard duty."
I blinked. "Bodyguard? Who am I protecting?"
Yue grinned wider. "Me, of course!" I stared at her.
I had never wanted to strangle someone more in my life. I stared at Yue, then at the scroll, then back at Yue.
"…I have several questions."
Yue crossed her arms. "And I have zero answers. Congratulations, you're my bodyguard now."
I gritted my teeth. "Why in the nine hells does a demon cultivator need a bodyguard? Aren't you supposed to be the dangerous one?"
Yue shrugged. "Oh, I am dangerous. But I'm also the Sect Leader's favorite disciple, and that means enemies. Lots of them."
I pinched the bridge of my nose. "So let me get this straight… You guys drag me into your demon sect, force me into an edgy title, and now I have to babysit you?"
Yue smiled sweetly. "Yup! You're catching on fast."
I looked up at the sky. "This is my punishment for whatever crimes I committed in my last life, isn't it?"
Yue patted my shoulder. "Hey, look at the bright side! You get to hang out with me all day."
"That's not a bright side."
She gasped. "Wow. Rude."
I sighed, glancing at the scroll. "Fine. What's the mission?"
Yue grinned. "Glad you asked! We're going on a trip… to assassinate a righteous sect elder."
I froze. "Excuse me?"
"Assassination," Yue repeated. "You know, sneaking in, eliminating a target, causing mayhem—standard demon sect business."
I rubbed my temples. "I was just betrayed by a righteous sect. Now you want me to go after them?"
She smirked. "I figured you'd love a chance for some payback." I opened my mouth to argue… then closed it. Damn it. She had a point.
First Step to Revenge—Casually Kidnap an Elder
Yue and I crouched on a rooftop overlooking the Radiant Cloud Sect.
"Alright," I whispered. "Who's the target?" Yue pulled out a sketch.
I stared at it. "…Why does he look like a dried-up cabbage?"
Yue shrugged. "That's Elder Feng. He's known for his amazing righteousness."
I narrowed my eyes. "Amazing righteousness, huh? So what's his crime?"
"He refused to sell our Sect Leader his favorite wine."
"…Are you serious?"
Yue smirked. "Nah. He also led a coalition to wipe out our sect five years ago. That's why we're here."
I exhaled. "Alright, fine. What's the plan? Stealth infiltration? Poison? Explosives?"
Yue's grin widened. "Oh, no. We're kidnapping him."
I stared. "…I feel like there's an easier way to do this."
"Nonsense," Yue said cheerfully. "Now, let's get moving before his disciples notice us."
I sighed, rubbing my temples. "I swear, if I wasn't stuck here, I'd—"
"Less complaining, more elder-napping!" Yue whispered excitedly, dragging me along.
This was not how I expected my reincarnation to go. And yet… A part of me was definitely enjoying this.
Kidnapping an Elder Shouldn't Be This Easy
Yue and I crept through the outer halls of the Radiant Cloud Sect, moving like shadows in the moonlight. Well, I was moving like a shadow. Yue? She was humming a tune.
I shot her a glare. "Could you at least pretend to be sneaky?"
She blinked at me. "Why? It's not like anyone can sense us."
I resisted the urge to strangle her. "We're literally infiltrating a righteous sect to kidnap one of their elders. Do you want to get caught?" Yue just smiled, and flicked my forehead.
"Ow—"
"Relax," she whispered. "I already set up a formation around us. Unless someone is actively staring at us, they won't see a thing."
I stared. "…Why didn't you say that earlier?"
"Because your panicked expressions are adorable." I inhaled deeply. I will not strangle her. I will not strangle her…
We finally reached Elder Feng's courtyard. The old man was fast asleep, snoring like a dying yak.
I frowned. "So… what now?" Yue pulled out a cloth bag.
I stared at it. Then at her. Then back at it. "…No."
"Yes."
"No."
"Yes."
"We are not stuffing him into a sack like some kind of deranged kidnappers."
Yue pouted. "Oh, come on. This is the classic method."
"No." I crossed my arms. "We need a plan that doesn't make us look like brainless thugs."
She huffed. "Fine. What's your grand plan?"
I thought for a moment. Then I pulled out a sleeping incense. "We make sure he stays asleep, then carry him out."
Yue squinted. "That sounds a lot like my plan but with extra steps."
I ignored her and set the incense next to Elder Feng's bedside. Within moments, his snores slowed.
"Alright," I whispered, "help me lift him."
We each took an arm and....BOOM!
The doors flew open.....