Wizard With Daily Task Panel!

Leonard stepped cautiously toward the demon sacrificial magic circle, his hands tucked into his robe, fingers brushing against the hidden charms sewn into the fabric. His gaze roamed over the intricate patterns scrawled across the ground; twisting, interlocking symbols that pulsed faintly with an eerie energy. At the center stood a towering black statue, once a doorway but now transformed into something far more ominous.

He studied the scene intently, committing every detail to memory. He had no idea which markings held true significance, which ones acted as anchors, and which were mere embellishments. So he made the safest choice; remember everything.

Then, without warning, a voice curled around him like smoke, low and smooth, both hoarse and strangely alluring.

"Ah, my dear child, what are you looking at?"

Leonard froze. The voice was too close, almost inside his ear. Yet when he turned, there was no one there.

His pulse quickened, but he forced himself to remain still, redirecting his attention to the magic circle.

"Clever little wizard, I think you already know who I am." The voice slithered through the air again, rich with amusement.

A twitch formed at the corner of Leonard's eye. Oh, he had a good guess. With a demonic sacrificial array still active in front of him, there weren't many possibilities. It could only be one thing, a demon.

A real one.

He clenched his jaw. "Sorry, but I'd rather not find out."

Without hesitation, he took a step back.

Anyone with half a brain knew the dangers of engaging with a demon. A conversation could start innocently enough, but before you knew it, you were bound by a pact, ensnared in contracts written in blood. Even words could be laced with bewitchment spells, fall into the rhythm of their speech, and you might find your will no longer your own.

And to make matters worse, this sacrificial magic circle was still active.

Leonard gritted his teeth. Damn that fool, Wizard Merlin. Leaving an open demon summoning magic circle unattended, who does that? What kind of academy let its students wander into something like this without warning? What about safety precautions? Protection spells? Maybe a sign that said, Warning: Open Gate to the Abyss—Approach at Your Own Risk?

Clearly, none of that mattered to Merlin.

Leonard made a decision: ignore the voice. No matter what the demon said, he wouldn't respond. If he didn't engage, he wouldn't get dragged into anything. He wasn't even officially enrolled in the Abyss Wizard Academy yet, so whatever pacts they had with demonic entities were none of his concern.

"I mean you no harm." The voice chuckled, deep and velvety. "I merely sensed a fresh, intriguing soul and thought I'd strike up a conversation."

Leonard exhaled sharply through his nose. Thanks for the review. Fresh and intriguing, am I?

The demon continued, undeterred. "I sense the Hellfire Meditation technique within you. That makes us rather compatible. Perhaps, in the future, we could become partners. Don't worry, I have no ill intent."

Leonard finally allowed himself to speak, his voice dry. "That would be… preferable."

The demon hummed. "But I believe there's potential for a more fruitful arrangement between us. What do you think?"

"I think I have nothing to discuss with you," Leonard answered flatly.

A long sigh followed, as if the demon found this exchange deeply exasperating. "You know, the Abyss is vast, teeming with all manner of demons. But only a few of us ever have the opportunity to form contracts with wizards."

Leonard stayed silent, listening despite himself.

"For one, most of my kin aren't particularly bright," the demon admitted with a hint of condescension. "They only understand brute force, destruction, and bloodshed. But that's hardly useful, is it?"

Leonard arched a brow. Was the demon… complaining?

"On the other hand," the voice continued, "there are too many demons and far too few wizards willing to make a pact. Competition is fierce. But unlike my less-intelligent brethren, I understand something crucial."

The tone shifted, taking on a persuasive edge.

"It is far better to feast regularly than to gorge once and starve thereafter."

Leonard narrowed his eyes. So that's his angle.

It was an old negotiation tactic, wrapped in metaphor. A demon who didn't seek immediate gratification, but rather, long-term benefits. A patient one. And that, if anything, was far more dangerous than a simple, mindless brute.

Leonard took another step back, fingers twitching slightly in his robes.

He needed to leave.

The demon's voice was smooth, dripping with calculated persuasion. "You wizards, you're not all that different from us, are you? Sometimes, you need demons as experimental materials, or maybe an army of demons to help you conquer new planes." The voice carried a strange amusement. "After all, who doesn't love a good crisis? Only a savior appearing in a time of peril can truly win the hearts of the people, right? What if we could help you with that?"

Leonard's brow furrowed slightly, but he didn't interrupt.

"Imagine this: we create a savior identity for you, a noble wizard who slays evil demons and drives them back into the Abyss. The locals, desperate for protection, invite you to safeguard their homes, your name becomes legend. But of course, the demons would always be lurking, ready to strike again. A never-ending struggle. That's the real power of a savior."

Leonard's mind raced as the demon's words echoed in his ears. It was a tempting offer, crafted with the precision of a master manipulator. Judging from the demon's tone, it was something wizards frequently employed, using the forces of darkness as pawns in their plans.

The demon continued, its voice darkening slightly. "For us demons, souls and flesh are enough. Beyond that, we have no use for the trivial things that you value."

It paused, as if savoring the moment before continuing. "You see, countless lowly demons are born each day in the Mother River of the Abyss. We breed them by the thousands, there's no end to them. These demons are expendable to us, the ultimate raw material. And the Abyss is vast, who can say how many demons it contains? More demons, more partners. The Abyss is never dissatisfied with more souls to add to its collection."

Leonard's lips curled into a faint, knowing smile. "It's easy for you to find a partner," he said, "There are always intelligent beings in this world who seek the power of demons." His voice was calm, betraying none of the tension building inside him.

But the demon responded with a hint of pride, its voice rising with self-assurance. "Ah, but there are few who are truly worthy of being our partners. Not everyone can join us in the Abyss. A select few are deemed worthy to walk alongside us."

Leonard's gaze shifted as the demon spoke, his thoughts turning inward. "I think it won't be hard for an assistant brought into the lab by Wizard Harlin to become a full-fledged wizard," the demon mused, clearly reading the potential it sensed within Leonard. "I can feel the power of your soul already. It is remarkable. You have a bright future."

Leonard's stomach churned slightly. He knew the demon was trying to compliment him, but there was something about its praise that made him feel… uneasy. "And what is it that you want in return?" he asked, carefully keeping his voice neutral.

The demon chuckled lowly, a sound that sent shivers down Leonard's spine. "To show my sincerity," it said with mock gravity, "I'm willing to make a small investment in you."

Suddenly, the demon sacrificial magic circle before him shimmered, and the very air around him thickened as the ritual array began to reverse itself. The teleportation circle at the center of the magic circle slowly began to glow, its intricate patterns lighting up with a cold, pale light.

Leonard's heart rate quickened. He gripped his staff tightly, his fingers brushing the door handle, ready to flee at a moment's notice.

As the light of the summoning circle dimmed, something materialized in the center of the magic circle. At first, it was a blur, but as the haze lifted, Leonard saw a small glass bottle sitting innocuously on the ground. Inside, blood; dark and thick, sloshed ominously. Beside it lay a broken horn, jagged at the edge, a clear sign of the demon's power.

"Many demons in the Abyss have bad tempers," the demon explained, its tone laced with condescension. "I'm careful not to offend my future partners. So, I offer you this: a bottle of blood essence from a horned demon. The blood of demons is potent, highly infectious, no doubt you, as a wizard, know how to make use of it better than a crude demon like myself."

The demon's voice was rich with amusement as it continued, "And this..." It trailed off, almost as if reluctant to share. "This is my token, a broken horn. A symbol. The next time you wish to make a deal with a demon, you'll remember who made the offer first."

The demon's words hung in the air, dense with implications. "Harlin and I have been partners for a long time. He knows my credibility. He'll vouch for me."

Leonard's mind raced. He had heard enough. As if on cue, the door to his side, one he had forgotten about, suddenly creaked open with a soft groan, breaking the silence.