CHAPTER 61: 61 - RAVEN’S PAST [3]

(Raven’s POV)

"Fuuu..."

THUD—

I let out a heavy breath and dropped Prem, whom I was lifting up in the air for quite some time now.

"They already passed out, huh."

I mumbled while looking at the three bodies lying motionlessly on the ground.

Their bones were either broken or crushed, making them look hideous.

Especially Prem, who had his face punched several times by me—his face was dented and blood was still coming out of his mouth, nose, eyes, and even ears.

"I tried to keep them conscious for as long as I can by giving them buffs so they would feel every hit that I threw. But guess they’re just that weak, huh."

I scoffed, as the three of them didn’t even stayed conscious for ten minutes under my beating.

[You just dislocated and broke most of their bones. You also crushed their skulls open. If they weren’t awakened—whose bodies become sturdy because of mana—they would’ve already died several times by now.]

The system then appeared and stated that.

"Well, the past ’Raven’ endured more than this from them in the past, even though he wasn’t awakened at that time."

I rebutted and shrugged my shoulders.

Then, not waiting for its response—

"Anyway, would they die if I just leave them like that?"

I asked the system that.

And after a few seconds of silence... It answered.

[No, they wouldn’t. Though they will suffer permanent damage—even if they are awakened—if they are left like that.]

"Hmm... Then that’s good."

I said with a satisfied smile, looking at Prem, Jericho, and Jayson on the ground.

"[Specific Cleanse]"

I then cast a magic spell on them. It’s a simple magic that can remove just the things the caster specifically wants to be removed—though only I can use it, as I just made it with the help of my traits and the system, using the Cleanse magic as a reference.

Swoosh~

Anyway, what I removed from the three’s bodies were my traces, so no one will really know that I touched the three—except if someone can read memories or uses a high-level trace-finder skill on them.

But I bet no one will use high-level skills like that on the likes of them because of their not-so-good past.

After casting the magic... My fingerprints and other traces on Prem’s, Jericho’s, and Jayson’s bodies disappeared.

"Now, there’s no evidence that I did this."

I mumbled while nodding my head. I had already checked earlier—before beating the shit out of the three—if there were cameras or people near the area. Fortunately, I was in a secluded place when they decided to attack me, so there were none.

[What will you do if they report you to the police?]

The system asked. Looking at it, I frowned.

"Are you stupid?"

I asked it back.

[Wha—]

"They have criminal records. I have none. They also have records of bullying me in the past. They even attempted to murder me... though it was just all set up by the past ’Raven’."

I cut the system’s words with my own explanation, not giving it a chance to refute.

Then after a short pause, I continued to talk.

"My point is, I have a clean record compared to them. People will believe me more than them."

"Also, they attacked me first, so what I did is considered self-defense."

I declared.

And after explaining that to the system—I started walking away without waiting for it to reply

I left the three behind lying on the ground like corpses.

[Self-defense? You beat the shit out of them one-sidedly.]

"But I didn’t attack first."

[...]

I took another glance at the three to make sure they were unconscious. After making sure they weren’t moving, I left—satisfied and not with regret.

I smiled in silence... But the system decided to ask a question again.

[Then why did you make those three fight each other?]

It’s becoming really nosy as time goes by.

By the way, I requested the Transcendent Beings to give me an option to block and unblock the system from reading my mind in the [System Shop], as I feel uncomfortable when someone or something can just read my mind without my consent.

I just need to unblock it when I need to talk with the system in my mind. The system also agreed with my request, so it didn’t cost much CP.

The Transcendent Beings didn’t really like my request—but they couldn’t refuse it. Therefore, I can now block the system’s mind reading for a total of an hour a day.

That’s why the system is being nosy at this moment—because it can’t read my thoughts right now.

"Why did I make the three fight each other?"

I repeated the system’s question as I recalled telling the three to fight each other earlier, saying I would let the winner go. They really did fight each other vigorously, to the point it was entertaining for me.

The winner was, of course, Prem—though I didn’t let him go like I promised and just beat the shit out of him after that.

Remembering his crying and pleading face made me smile unconsciously again.

Then opening my mouth—

"I made them fight so it would look like they fought each other and ended up like that."

I answered the system’s question.

I purposely removed only my trace on their bodies, so when the police investigate them, it’ll just look like they had a fight among themselves—completely removing my chance of being a suspect from what happened to them.

[Wow, you’re a demon.]

The system then said after hearing my explanation. I don’t know why and how, but it feels like the system is looking at me with disbelief.

Well, I ignored it and just continued on my way.

Anyway, after receiving portions of the past Raven’s memories...

I got more certain about the location of my destination, making my steps more confident.

I asked the system if the memories I saw before were really memories of the past ’Raven’, just to make sure my brain wasn’t making things up.

And then the system confirmed that they indeed were.

The system also said that as the body I’m possessing has its own past, I will see important memories of the past ’Raven’ every time something specific triggers them.

In this time, the trigger was being attacked by the three fuckers.

The Higher Being implemented this feature so I can live as Raven more realistically and comfortably.

Though it’s bothersome that I can also feel ’Raven’s’ emotions in those memories.

But in the end, I just let it go—because at the end of the day, me and the past ’Raven’ are the same person.

"Hey, system."

This time, I was the one who called out to the system.

[What?]

"Why was the past Raven’s personality and attitude like that?"

I asked, curious about the reason why the past ’Raven’ was so vicious.

[You’re Raven, the reincarnation of Cole. The both of you have the same personality and attitude because you have the same soul.]

The system then bluntly replied, leaving me in shock.

"Am I that petty...?"

I muttered to myself, though the system heard it.

[You didn’t know?]

It sarcastically asked.

I was about to rebut, but didn’t—because I know myself, and yeah, I’m petty. I just didn’t know it was on that level.

’Fair enough, I guess.’

I thought to myself and just shrugged my shoulders.

...

...

...

*****

Not long after he met and beat up Prem and the other two scumbags... Raven reached his destination.

"..."

He was now currently standing in front of a small, humble house and looking at the door with a complicated expression on his face.

Raven is readying himself. He’s nervous, but he knows that this day will come eventually and he can’t escape from it.

’Am I good?’

Raven checked his appearance—he looks presentable enough according to his standard.

He nodded his head, satisfied.

Raven is wearing a fitted light gray polo with long sleeves, matching his fitted black slacks, giving him a charismatic and mature aura.

"Fuuuu... I hope everything works well."

He mumbled as he took another deep breath.

Then with a resolute face, Raven raised his right hand to knock on the door.

"Brother?"

But before his hand could even made contact with the door, Raven heard a voice of a girl behind him. The voice sounded rather longing for something or someone.

"Hm?"

Raven flinched in surprise. He was so nervous that he wasn’t able to sense that someone was coming near him!

Also considering the fact that the girl had a weak presence to begin with.

Moving on...

"..."

Raven nervously turned his head to look at the source of the voice.

"Ah..."

And then he was stupefied.

Behind him...

Raven saw a little girl looking at him with surprised eyes, standing just a few steps away from him.

The little girl had black eyes and hair like him, though her eyes looked soft and her cheeks were slightly chubby, making her cute.