Blood demon leveling

Chapter 181: Demon recruit

The principal gestured for Mike to walk with him, Mike nodded and walked along with the principal, the two of them walked in silence for a bit before the principal asked Mike

"Do you mind if I ask a question?"

"No, ask away"

"What do you value most in your students?"

Mike thought about it for a bit before he spoke

"Tenacity"

The principal nodded and repeated the word 'Tenacity' a few times before he nodded a final time and clapped Mike on the shoulder a few times as he looked him in the eyes before he praised

"Good, very good I'll leave you to it"

Then the principal raised his arm as he walked away, Mike sighed before he walked back to his dorm room and started meditating

A few hours later someone knocked on  the door to his room, Mike opened his eyes and looked towards the door before he jumped to his feet and walked over and opened the door, on the other side he found Mel, Lucy and surprisingly one of his students, it was the youth with the odd-colored eyes, Mike looked at them for a few seconds before he stepped aside and gestured for them to come inside, the 3 students walked in, Mike shut the door after then and turned around before he spoke

"Sit"

The 3 of them nodded and walked over to the dining table and sat down, Mike walked over and sat down at the end of the table before he asked

"So What can I do for you?"

Mel looked over at the youth and gestured for him to speak, he nodded before he spoke

"My names is Nicolai Helia, I am the 12th in line to the throne of the country Helia"

Mike nodded, then Nicolai hesitated for a bit before he spoke again

"I would like you to train me, Mike"

Mike folded his arms before he nodded and asked

"And why are you seeking strength?"

Nicolai looked down before he spoke

"I am 12th in the line to the crown, that is my official title, though given that all my siblings are more excellent than me I am simply a diplomatic piece to be used by my father, the same father that had my mother executed because he amused she had found a new lover"

Nicolai's face was calm though Mike picked up faint anger from his eyes as he continued

"I am set to be  married off to the dutchess Telia who turned 54 this year, I am going to be her 23rd husband and likely the 23rd husband to die within a year of being married to her"

Mike nodded, he remained indifferent on the outside as Nicolai continued

"I would have escaped on my own but my father holds my sister hostage at home, I do not dare to flee if it dooms her to a life of torture Thus the only thing I can do is to get stronger Strong enough that my father sees me as something more than a diplomatic chess piece..."

Mike nodded before he harshly spoke

"You are naive, what makes you think that your father will value you if you get stronger? What makes you think that your beloved sister isn't living a life of torture right now..? Why don't you cut the bullshit and tell me what exactly you want and more importantly why you want strength!"

Nicolai was a little stunned at Mike's outburst before his poker face crumbled and a creepy smile showed on his face, This was due to the fact that Mel had stealthy used her [Darkness draw] skill on him under Mike's orders, then he began speaking

"I want to crush the man I am forced to so dearly call my father, I want to stomp him under my foot as I free my dear sister and give her the life she has always deserved!"

Mike nodded before he asked

"In that case why didn't you ask me to kill your father for you?"

Nicolai laughed out loud before he spoke in a rather mocking tone

"Strenght borrowed is not strength at all!"

Mike showed a smile and nodded, then his eyes turned a little distant before he began speaking

"I would have had a younger sister too But my father's fist made mother miscarry, thinking back that was what broke her, losing my unborn little sister"

The 3 students fell silent as Mike started into the distance, then he looked at Nicolai and spoke

"Killing your father will not make the pain go away, It'll bring a sense of decay to your soul that will change it to something different"

"I am fine with that, as long as he sufferers!"

"I see Very well I'll bestow strength upon you, the price will be your service in my army after you have killed your father"

Nicolai nodded before he stood up and then kneeled down on the floor as he spoke

"I accept!"

"Good, in that case, I take you as my direct subordinate, in the future, you shall fight with me against the guardians of the wheel Beel, are you there?"

A few seconds passed before a voice suddenly spoke out inside the room, the voice made Nicolai and Lucy tremble slightly

"What is it, Mike?"

"I want to convert this one, what should I do?"

A few seconds of silence followed before Beel spoke again

"He's too weak, when he's stronger he would have to undergo the same rebirth that you have Mike"

"So I need to raise him to level 7?"

"...Yes that would be enough if his willpower holds that is..."

Mike looked over at Nicolai and nodded before Nicolai surprisingly spoke out

"Beel!"

Mike narrowed his eyes and was about to control Nicolai's blood to snap his neck when Beel spoke

"Easy Mike What is it, mortal?"

Nicolai trembled as he felt the unseen eyes of Beel focus on him, still, he gritted his teeth and spoke

"My sister I want my sister to follow me!"

A few seconds of silence followed before Beel's chuckle could be heard as she spoke

"Mortal's sure are greedy Very well, your sister shall join you on our side"

With that Beel's presence disappeared from the room, Nicolai breathed a sigh of relief before he heard Mike's voice

"Oi"

Nicolai looked up at Mike that wore a dark expression on his face as he spoke

"The next time you casually address Lady Beel is that day I twist off your head, remember that"

Nicolai lowered his head and spoke out with slight fear in his voice

"Yes, General"

Mike's smile returned to his face before he nodded then he walked over and helped Nicolai to his feet and spoke to him

"We'll start your training tomorrow, rest well tonight"

"I understand"

"Also tell me if anything bothers you, I'll do my best to assist"

"Thank you, General"

Mike then gestured for Nicolai to leave, Nicolai nodded and walked out of the room and shut the door after himself, then Mike heaved a sigh before he looked over at Mel and Lucy and asked with a rare genuine smile on his face

"How's it going with the 2two of you, any problems so far?"

Mel shook her head and spoke

"There are no problems so far in our academy life, General"

Mike nodded before he looked over at Lucy

"How about you Lucy, have you adjusted well?"

Lucy clearly didn't expect Mike to ask her directly and answered a little flustered

"Everything's fine so far"

Mike nodded before he spoke to Mel

"There's something I would like to talk with Lucy in private about"

"Yes I understand, I will excuse myself first"

Mel walked out of the room and closed the door after herself, then Mike walked over and sat down at the end of the table before he began speaking

"I have no idea how a normal army is structured or how a general normally would treat his subordinates"

Mike sipped some water before he looked over at Lucy and spoke

"But I will treat my direct subordinates as kin since you are in a relationship with Mel that naturally extends to you So I'll ask you again now that I have made this clear, is there anything bothering you Lucy?"

Lucy fell silent for a bit before she spoke

"Well, there is this small thing There's this noble that has been following me around lately, he keeps interrupting me and Mel's alone time"

Mike nodded before he asked

"He's interested in you?"

Lucy nodded

"Yes, I think so"

Mike nodded before he asked

"Have you made it clear that you're not, you know, interested in men?"

Lucy blushed before she shook her head and spoke

"Only father, you and Mel knows that about me I don't think it's appropriate to state that about yourself"

Mike blinked once before he asked

"Why shouldn't it be? It's part of your identity isn't it?"

"But what if---"

"No what if, I assure you it's nothing to be ashamed about, it's how you are as a person, why should you be ashamed about that?"

Lucy paused before she nodded seemingly convinced, then she spoke in a quiet voice

"Thank you, Mike"

Mike patted her on the shoulder with a smile on his face