Hell University-Chapter 12 - 11: Past Newbies

Chapter 11: Past Newbies

Zein’s Point of View

We followed Supremo, who was walking slowly. I glanced at the boy who was still trembling even now, and Onel and Fritzy were still with us in silence.

If you think about it, getting juice spilled on us is a small thing. I mean, we’d get angry, sure, but it wouldn’t usually lead to this. I haven’t seen the Dark Hell Jail, or DHJ, yet, but I don’t dream of ever setting foot in that place. I’m sure it brings death to anyone who ends up there.

"I don’t want to die yet..." The words kept slipping from the mouth of the boy beside me, Ferry, as what they had call earlier.

I felt pity for him, but I couldn’t bring myself to speak up or go against Ace. Not now, when he was burning with anger. I saw the demon hiding within him again. It was terrifying.

As we walked farther and farther, we were moving away from HU, I mean, it feels like we’re leading to the back part of HU. There were only tall trees and wild grasses here. Thankfully, it was still noon, so it wasn’t really hard to walk through the path.

I turned to Onel who kept on mumbling since earlier.

"Once he said it, no more question. That’s who Ace Craige is." Onel said.

"If I were you, Zein, I’d let go of the position. You wouldn’t want to see the full demon hiding inside him," Fritzy threatened, grinning.

"I am not scared." I replied firmly which made her chuckle.

"Really? But me, yeah. I’ve seen once how he gets angry. Silent but deadly," she whispered again, which I ignored.

Yes. I know I haven’t seen the full Ace yet, and I admit I’m also scared of him. He is the President of this Hell, for Pete’s sake. He is a devil with an evil mind.

We stopped at the only prison in the middle of this forest-like field.

The entire structure was cemented. It had only a single door, made of a strong type of metal that couldn’t be broken easily. I couldn’t see anything inside because it was dark. What could be inside? Death.

Ace took something from his pocket. One key, the key of Dark Hell Jail. He opened it and a disgusting and stinky smell greeted us that made Onel and Fritzy step backwards.

The metal door had streaks of dried blood. Shit! What kind of punishment is this?

"Don’t let me push you inside." Ace said with no hint of emotion in his face to the boy who’s now all quiet and seemed to have accepted his fate already.

Chills ran down our spines when the smile on the boy’s face grew and chuckled silently.

"I know you, Supremo. I know your secret."

Ace slowly smirked and now went closer to the boy.

"I know. That’s you I brought you here. I also know your secret." Ace answered that made the boy frown in confusion.

What secrets are they talking about? There’s still a hidden secret?

"H-How did you know?" The boy asked.

"I’m not so petty that I’d punish you like this just for spilling juice. I know what you did, you’re the one who killed Grace," Ace replied. "You know Jane wouldn’t like it if I told her this."

"Grace was the one who was killed, Zein, the one you witnessed."

I gulped when I realized what Onel was saying. So, he was the murderer? Is he a member of Black Blood Gang?

"No please." He kneeled in front of Ace which made him laugh.

Is this how evil Ace is? But that boy kneeling in front of him is also a demon, to kill another living person is evil.

"I won’t tell her unless you go inside of DHJ, now!"

The boy rushed to run inside and Supremo instantly locked the door. We didn’t hear anything inside. What happened?

"This is our job, Ms. Zein. We have to kill all the sinners. Everyone who needs to disappear must be eliminated."

I had no choice but to follow them as we headed back. I glanced at the DHJ once more. I don’t know what exactly I saw, but I’m sure there were other people inside.

I got chills from it so I quickly went after them.

"The President is the one who implemented that punishment." Onel who was now smiling, said. As if nothing just happened earlier.

Ace? He was the one who implemented death as punishment? But why? God! This monster is terrifying. I should be more careful around him from now on. I don’t want to be in the same situation as the boy earlier.

"Supremo! Supremo!"

We stopped walking when a girl kneeling in front of us kneeled.

"Where’s Ferry? Supremo, please, where is he?" She asked.

[Please mind that everyone is actually using ’po’ when they’re talking to Supremo, it’s a sign of respect just like the ’yo’ in Korean. I don’t know how to translate it, so I just made their sentences as respectful as possible.]

"He’s gone." Ace firmly replied.

The girl sobbed so I went closer to her. I helped her sit on a bench. Everyone who was sitting there instantly disappeared when they saw me.

"N-Number 9? You’re also one of them!" she screamed.

"Sorry," the only thing I could say.

"S-Sorry?" she asked, obviously startled. "You’re saying ’sorry’? She asked.

"Forgive me. I don’t like what happened to Ferry." I repeated.

"You’re among the Highest 10! You shouldn’t say sorry! You’re even a Secretary! Those at the top never apologize!" I could only sigh. Because of one person’s actions, we were affected. And now, they’re even comparing me to demons. Tsk.

"What’s your name and what’s your relation to Ferry?" I changed the topic.

She wiped her eyes before looking to the distance.

"I’m Jane, and Ferry is my boyfriend." She muttered sadly.

Ferry’s boyfriend? Is this the girl Ace was referring to? Is that why Ferry reacted that way when Ace threatened him that he would tell Jane that he was the one who killed Grace?

"I don’t really know what to do. They killed my only bestfriend Grace, and now my boyfriend." Shit! So Grace’s really her best friend that her boyfriend, Ferry, killed. Is that why Ferry was so desperate when Ace threatened him? But why did he kill Grace? What was his reason?

"What’s your name, miss?" Jane asked me.

"Zein." I replied.

"You’re one of the newbies, right? In the past five years, this is the first time there’s been someone new here," she said.

Five years ago? Someone had been here before us? A new question formed in my head that I need to find the answer to.

"What happened to them?"

"Died. All of them." What she said made the hairs in my body stand.

Is it possible that our fate would end up like theirs? It’s terrifying.

"But for the first time, there was peace in HU. For the first time, the blood spilling everywhere stopped. That’s because of her." Jane added.

Who? Was that person one of the newbies before, and what did she do? Why was everything went good before?

"But it didn’t last long, and everything returned to how it was. What’s even more terrifying is that the demons that were once tame have grown fiercer."

I don’t understand anything! What really happened before?

"Ate Zein, you have surpassed that woman for a long time already," she said, causing me to furrow my brow.

[Ate means older sister. Pronounced as A-té. There’s no direct translation in English, so we will still be using these honorifics.]

"She became a member of the Highest 10 two months after they entered here, while you haven’t even been here for a month. The only difference between you is that the former Supremo, the son of the former headmaster of HU before, fell in love with her."

"Alright, Ate Zein, I’ll go ahead."

I watched as Jane vanished through my sight. Who was the woman she’s talking about? Who was the former Supremo? Who was the headmaster she was talking about?

How did they all die? What exactly happened... five years ago?