Prologue 1: Hellish Deal

Breathe in. I push back against the force that slams into my shoulder, as I have done a thousand times before.

Breathe out. "So kid, how long is your term here?" I ask, as I look through my scope, trying to find a new target.

I hear the new guy shuffle his feet, visibly nervous about... well just being here. Good, most newbies tend to let their newfound power go to their heads. Being nervous shows at least he was aware of his circumstances and thinking through courses of action.

Of course, that alone won't help him survive but- breath in, *BANG*, breath out. -It's a good enough start.

"Two years." he finally answers as I give a small shrug in response.

"Better than me, I had a three-year contract to 'Fight evil in a location of our choosing'" I say as with a pull of my finger, I fire the rifle again, blowing out the elbow of the Gorilla-like Barlgura before it could cave in the chest of a red-haired girl holding a red and white orb.

Of course, I would have never taken that contract if I knew the Blood War was Real.

I let out another breath as I pull back from my scope and focus inward to steady my heartbeat, a practice I've long since mastered by necessity.

Feeling my heavy heartbeat steady itself, I take in the landscape before me, scanning the battlefield for anyone else in need of cover fire.

'Squad of Devils, Bunch of golems, A demon fighting other demons because Chaotic Stupid, a squad of vampires we've been getting an influx of... there we go.' I think as I spot a bunch humans (-ish) fighting off a bunch of Wretches, the cannon fodder of the demonic tide. However, they are also Dumb as Rocks, so something has to be leadi- there.

There skulking in between the Wretches I see a dark grey withered hide, with one curved horn coming up from the back of it's...

'Oh hell no.' I lift my rifle and aim for the Babau's head. Breathe-in. They are considered the assassins of the abyss. Naturally stealthy, it skulks towards a blond-haired martial artist, too busy caving in a Wretch's head with an elbow strike to notice the slight glow of the Babau's eyes. Its stare capable of causing all sorts of agonizing effects.

Its screech of pain doesn't reach my ears from this distance, but the gore of its mangled eye confirms the accuracy of my bullet.

Breathe out.

"So, how are you doing Newbie?" I ask as I turn to my partner for the day, staring out through the red and black scope of his own rifle.

"Umm, okay, I think. Shot a goat-headed thing in the chest but it kept moving like it was nothing" he said as he looked at me with a worried glance.

I just shrug at that; I wasn't one of the asshole trainers in basic. Or like the rest of my classmates in Class A. Or... Okay, there were a lot of assholes in the Company, but I tried not to be one of them. The Blood War was tough enough as it is.

"Yeah, Demons are tough buggers. They act like they've got vital organs but it's just a ruse to lull you into a false sense of security. When fighting a demon, aim for the eyes, joints, or spine. A downed demon is a dead demon."

He nods at that looking back down his scope again as I lift myself off the ground. Letting out a breath, I stretch a bit, popping a few muscles. The kid had a few more kills to go, but I fulfilled my quota of kills for the day. Just a few more minutes and the two of us should be ready to go.

"Uh, sir? I think you need to see this" the newbie shakily stated his widened eyes causing my gut to drop a bit. Following his line of sight, I spot the group he was looking at. Pulling my own rifle back out, I look down the scope to get a closer view.

My fears were confirmed when I spotted a green-haired man shooting out several crystals, impaling droves of demons, far too busy killing to notice the several blackened veins coursing along his skin. His manic grin revealed his wickedly sharp teeth and one of his arms started to bulge unnaturally as several blacked crystals emerged, splitting his skin open.

I let out a breath as I lowered my scope. "He's too far gone," I stated, hating the very words coming out of my mouth.

The kid looked up to me, shock in his expression "What, what is happening? Isn't there some sort of procedure for this thing?" he asked, his grip shaking a bit.

"Yeah, there is," I state, lifting my rifle back up, giving him enough of a hint to know exactly what that procedure was. "Demonic blood is corruptive, get enough of it on you, let it course through you long enough... you will become exactly like them."

"I-isn't there a cure? Something to help him, we are a part of the Company there has to be something?!" He says as I look down the scope again, seeing the man slowly turn towards his squad-mates.

Kid has a good heart, rare for Class A. I hope that he will be able to keep it down here.

"There is." I say as I see the man lunge.

Breathe in.

"None that work in Hell"

Breathe out.

-HoH-

As I pull my spear back from the demon's skull, I take a moment to control my breathing. My heartbeat steadied as the flames across the spear burned away the demonic ichor, leaving it clean once more.

I watch the newbie or employee K-129 as the company calls him, having taken his real name long ago, cleave the head off the last demon. With a flourish, the red and black scythe shifts back to a compact form, placing it back onto his back as the last demon slowly melts into a pool of corruptive sludge.

"Hey Kid, you got the twenty-credit legion bundle, right?" I ask the newbie, as he gives me a confused look before giving me a small nod.

"What template did you take?" I asked, hoping that he didn't take what I thought he took.

"Uhh, Ruby Rose, isn't it kinda obvious?" he says as he taps her iconic scythe.

I try not to wince "Yeah. So, first piece of advice." I start, pulling out my waterskin as I walk over to him "Aura is a great weapon, utilizing your own soul to amplify your own abilities."

I slowly uncork the container "The problem is that, it is your Soul that you are using. The corruptive effects of demonic blood will have direct access to the core of your very being, making the process that will normally take months into mere days."

He pales at this "But didn't you pick up Pyrrha?" he asks as he gestures to my spear.

I just shrug. "No, I didn't, but I've seen many Agents corrupt quickly thinking their Auras would protect them, only to have their very defense used against them. My advice? Don't empower your weapons and keep as much distance as you can. Ruby's semblance should help with that." I say as I offer my waterskin to him. "Here, it will burn a bit but it will help."

He hesitates for a moment, but he grabs the container, quickly downing its contents. He gags as he finishes, handing me back the pouch. "What was that? Alcohol? I don't think I'm allowed to drink this"

I just wave it off "Nah, it's Holy wate..." I stop as I rethink his last sentence. Not allowed? We're both on the frontlines in hell, almost nothing is disallowed here as long as we don't backstab our teammates. That really shouldn't need to be said but considering most of my allies are from Class A...

"Sorry but what did you mean by that?" I ask giving him a questioning look.

He rubs his arm a bit at my gaze. "Well. I'm underage, so I shouldn't really be drinking but It's just water, right? I should be fine" he says giving me a weak smile.

I take a deep breath "Okay. How old are you exactly?"

He shuffles a bit "I... I'm fifteen"

I let out a deep sigh as I grip the handle of my spear harder. I thought he looked young but I thought it was just the effect of the Template. Many Agents here can look a lot younger by taking templates of younger characters

But if he really is fifteen?

"A-am I in trouble?" he asks, his young mannerisms standing out a lot more now that I am looking for them. I shake my head.

"No, you're not." I state, my tone deathly cold. I begin to walk out of the rocky terrain and towards the dusty fields. "But somebody will be." I say as my company phone flashes into my hand.

Tying the flask back to my waist, I shift my spear into its sword configuration, putting it back into its sheath as I continue my track back to the rendezvous point.

The teen remained silent during the track back, he tried to hide it but his worry was familiar to me as I've seen it before in the many new legionnaires before him. Whether that worry was due to the fear of another attack, of my previous words or, of me…

It was probably all three if I was honest. Before I was recruited, I was never good at communication, my anxieties keeping me from remaining calm during any social activities. While Mind Tune-up helped temper them my skill remained lacking and the fact that I was in the Blood War…

I knew it was going to change me. I knew of how veterans of home had to deal with the traumas born from war. It was inevitable it was going to happen but with only 20 points to spend, I couldn't afford to waste half of it on Stress Defense, no matter how much I wanted it.

With only 20 points to gain power, to find a way to survive one of the largest wars in the multiverse. I couldn't jump into it like the rest of my classmates. I, unlike the rest of them, took a moment to review what I knew of the war.

The Eternal Blood War was the clash of the Lawful Evil Devils vs the Chaotic Stup- *ahem* Chaotic Evil Demons. The Devils were always looking for more recruits to fight against the seemingly unending tide of the Abyss. I mentally kicked myself when I realized that I was one of the stupid suckers that fell right into hell's clutches.

Picking a Divine template was tempting, something to fight off against the corruption of evil that would preside in both hell and the abyss, but I nixed that idea. One of the biggest stories I knew of the Blood War was the Story of Zariel, one of the most powerful angels in the heavens who also fought in the Blood War.

Now she was known as Archdevil, ruler of the first circle of Hell. No tier four template I could pick would be able to resist the corruption that not even she could stop.

So, in the end, I didn't pick a template. As far as I could tell, any template I could've picked was too weak to keep me alive.

Well, maybe there was but I wasn't sure I could find it and even if I tried, how would I know it could do so until I was already locked in?

So, I had to look through the options that a meager twenty points could give me. Body Tune-up and Mind Tune-up were two good options, both bringing my body and mind up to human peaks and honestly, I needed both. Body would help me physically survive while Mind would tune down my own anxiety issues, not completely as I didn't want to change who I were but enough to not freeze up in a combat zone.

That left I with ten points to spend, and there wasn't much that I could get for such low points. At least none that would help in a war zone.

So, I had to buy the only option left that could help.

Added Potential.

For ten points, Added Potential would grant me an ability at its lowest level, formed from the world I currently reside in. While I was skeptical of taking any offering from hell again, what choice did I have?

The first option was called Pact of the Fiend, The power would grant me a Warlock level and give me a Hellish patron, granting me the dark magic of the Archfiend. It was one with the best growth rate, with the greatest magical potential, allowing me to level as I fought and killed in the war.

And it, along with the option to become a devil was a hard NO.

I was not, nor will I ever, permanently tie myself here. The devil, whether it was a lie or not, promised me a better future if I took his deal, and I was going to take it no matter what tricks they threw at me.

So, most of the options Added Potential offered were nixed, they all either tied me to hell in some way or hinted at a change in perspective and I wasn't letting hell anywhere near my mind.

But one option stood out from the rest, one that not only didn't permanently tie me here but also granted me protection from charm effects, and while it didn't encompass all mind control, it did work against abyssal corruption.

And so, I picked my option, and I was constantly reminded of it, every day, every second, hearing my new metallic heartbeat in my chest.

The Hellfire Engine.

Placing a hand on my forearm, I could feel the smooth metal of one of the many implanted exhausts connected to my veins, quietly fuming heated air.

The option replaced my heart with Zariel's own creation, an engine that channeled hell's energy to create hellfire. A flame that was designed to burn creatures down to the soul to fuel itself, my own soul protected by the Infernal Steel resting in my chest.

At first, I couldn't control the flames, the fire bursting out of I whenever my heartbeat picked up, but even uncontrolled, it still gave demons pause for a second, which was a lifesaver in battle and probably the only reason I survived the first month here.

The flames could be controlled though, as promised by the Catalog, and in time, I did learn to… not control but direct it like air from my lungs. I could control where and when to release it and in what direction but once it left my body it followed its nature, burning everything it could.

A pat on my back snaps me out of my thoughts. I feel myself involuntarily jump, having to force down my flames as I turn to look at the kid a flash of fear crossing his expression before swallowing it. "Sir" he starts, collecting himself "The rendezvous point is over there."

Following his gesture, I spot the obsidian rock with unnaturally (or naturally in hell) sharp edges. The one that was the meetup point. The one I was thoughtlessly about to pass by.

I sigh, pinching the bridge of my nose. "Thank you," I say honestly, changing my trek towards it. Before I came here, my thoughts sometimes distracted me from my surroundings, my body moving automatically as I focused inward.

Mind Tune-up got rid of that bad habit, helping me stay focused on my task but lately it seemed to be coming back in full force, something that was starting to worry me. I couldn't lose my edge, not now when I was so close to the end of my term.

As I approached the blackened spike jutting out of the ground, I wasn't surprised to see no one else there despite the longer distance I had to travel compared to the others. This battle was harsher than usual, the Babuu demons, despite being physically weaker than most, can apply tactics to battlefields and… not exactly commanding demons but directing them to strike at vulnerable points.

Opening the Demonic Rift right in the middle of our legion's placement was a particularly insidious move.

Leaning up against the obsidian marker, I let out a breath as I took a moment to relax. Summoning my company phone to my hand, I ignore the crossed-out call app, as I search for my copy of the Company Contract. The stupid thing was originally hidden behind many files for 'security reasons'.

I looked through the excruciatingly long contract, trying to find every bit of information for my upcoming complaint once I get back to camp and within the phone tower's range. Not that it actually provides a signal, just designates where I am allowed to make calls.

And as I try and decipher the legalese, slowly the surviving legionnaires trickle, some better than others, but all looking worn from the battle

Then a familiar tingle in the air has me dismissing my phone. The air begins to stir as a crackle of arcane energy causes the kid and many of the recruits to take a stance while the older soldiers look relieved. As the energy collects slowly forming into runes, I take one last look around at everyone gathered, before my ride arrives…

A fourth survived. That's… better than I thought it would've been.

With a thunderous crack, the Arcane runes flash, leaving behind a tan elf, with glowing blue tattoos running across her body.

The agent coughs as she waves away the sand that her magic kicked up. Taking a moment to wipe off her pants, she pauses to look at the group, her expression flickering contempt before letting out a sigh.

"Alright! I am Agent Maisy, and I was assigned to get you A-holes back to your camp." The 'your welcome' went unsaid as the B-Class Agent tinted her voice with magic. The arcane words began to weasel into my mind, trying to get ahold before my flames burned them away.

"Get close and don't try anything funny. One wrong move and I will leave your ass behind, got it?" she stated with condescending authority. Everyone nodded to the Fae B-itch, unknowingly following her arcane suggestion.

While normally mind control was discouraged among Agents, allowing the victim to retaliate in response, I was only a legionnaire. While she was a full Agent, here on a work mission to get a few extra points. Those clauses only protected her, as I didn't have the same rights as she did.

Not yet, at least.

'Just a few more weeks' I think to myself as I followed everyone else's lead. When everyone got close enough, she nodded as the runes on her hands started to glow brighter. The intensity traveled up her arms as two wisps of magic began to circle around everyone, leaving a line in their trail.

As she concentrated the ground beneath me began to turn a dark blue as her the light coming off of her tinted the area all of us stood in. The air crackled with energy as the wisps spun faster and faster, becoming two continuous streaks of light.

Then there is a moment of weightlessness as the energy snaps and everyone stumbles, the ground beneath my feet suddenly shifting with our positions.

As I straighten up, arching my back for a moment to crack it. Looking around, it seems despite her demands the B-class agent didn't leave anyone behind and was already channeling again to leave.

Looking back at the kid, he seemed unsteady, as most were after their first time teleporting. I let others pass by me as I wait for the kid to gather himself. It was best to have him there to verify once I got inside the camp to make my call. After all, they would try every trick to avoid this, and having him there to verify would help smooth things along.

It was still going to be a nightmare to get through.

'Still', I thought to myself as my eyes followed the rest of the legion heading towards camp. I was finally out of the frontlines and could finally rest for a bit. I looked ahead, spying what was home for the last three years.

It... It's awful, to be honest, but it was a place I could rest, and that was all I wanted to do right now.

But as Agent K seemed to pull himself together, I lamented that I wouldn't be able to yet. I had a call to get through, and though it was going to take a while. It would be worth it.

After all, no one wanted to be in hell, and if I could spare him from that? If I could get him out?

Maybe… maybe I could erase some of the red on my ledger.