The trees swayed violently as the sphere of purple energy tore through the air like a projectile of pure destruction.

  — Shit... what the hell... he ascended to Rank C?! — thought Hyun, eyes wide as the explosion loomed.

  Then, he activated one of his Shadow Assassin class skills — Shadow Steps — moving so fast it looked as if he vanished into thin air.

  BOOOOM!

  The sphere collided with the ground, unleashing a devastating explosion that ripped through the earth and tore roots from nearby trees.

  Even though he narrowly escaped, Hyun was still caught by the edge of the blast and slammed hard into a tree trunk.

  THUD!

  He dropped to his knees, coughing up blood, his body throbbing with pain.

  — What the hell... — he muttered angrily, spitting on the ground. — I dodged… and I still got hit by the damn blast radius?

  Then the demon roared, his voice dripping with hatred:

  — Foolish human! This forest is your death sentence! You will pay for your sins… for trespassing into the territory of the great General Baal!

  Hyun’s eyes widened for a moment, his body still aching.

  — Shit... what the fuck... it just keeps getting worse? — he thought, swallowing hard. — General Baal...? — his thoughts scrambled at the weight of the revelation. — A fucking Absolute Rank?!

  He clenched his teeth, a chill running down his spine.

  — We’re in the territory of an Absolute Rank demon… — he thought in disbelief. — Fuck... we’re screwed.

  The demon, noticing the panic in Hyun’s eyes, grinned with disdain and spoke again:

  — Human… that portal you went through? That was our mistake. — his voice oozed contempt. — We accidentally left an escape gate open — one we use to abduct humans. And you idiots thought it was just a random Danger… like a jungle-type. — He let out a sinister laugh, then tilted his head slightly and asked, dripping with sarcasm:

  — Am I right?

  Lying on the ground, gasping for air with ragged breaths, Hyun thought bitterly:

  — Bastard... why the hell is this happening to us...?

  The pain in his body still pulsed, but his mind was sharper than ever. With clenched eyes and a locked jaw, he gathered the last of his strength and sprang to his feet.

  — I'm not dying here. Not yet. — he decided.

  With a swift motion, he activated his skill again:

  — Shadow Steps.

  In an instant, Hyun vanished from the ground, reappearing atop one of the nearby trees, balanced on a thick branch. The forest swayed around him, still echoing with the energy from the earlier blast.

  Without wasting a second, he activated another class ability:

  — Cloak of Shadows.

  A dark mist enveloped his body, and his presence vanished completely, as if he'd merged with the forest itself.

  — With this ability from my class... I can fully conceal my presence from someone even a rank above me. — he thought, eyes locked on the enemy below. — I'll ambush this bastard and hide until that potion wears off...

  But his thoughts were abruptly cut off by a sharp whistling sound.

  ZWOOOSH!

  A blast of purple energy tore through the air beside him, passing just inches from his body. The following explosion grazed him, hurling him off the branch.

  — What the fu—! — he tried to yell, but was cut short as he was violently thrown, crashing sideways into the underbrush, his left arm throbbing.

  The smell of burnt flesh filled the air. The blast had torn off part of his uniform sleeve and left a searing burn on his arm.

  From the ground, he heard the demon’s voice, dripping with disdain:

  — You really thought I wouldn’t find a way around your stealth skill, human? — The demon laughed with malice. — You all underestimate us... demons.

  The forest trembled again with the force of the enemy’s dark aura.

  The demon — now radiating the oppressive energy of a true Rank C — walked slowly toward Hyun, who was still on the ground, clutching his wounded arm. Each of the demon’s steps made the dry leaves around him quiver under the weight of his presence.

  — Now I’m going to kill you. — the demon growled, his voice deep and filled with pure hatred.

  Hyun, his vision blurred by pain, clenched his teeth and gripped his dagger tightly. Rage burned in his eyes.

  Without thinking, driven by sheer survival instinct, he activated his skill:

  — Shadow Steps!

  In a burst of speed, his body vanished and reappeared behind the demon in the blink of an eye. With the Shadow dagger in hand, he slashed directly, aiming for the base of the creature’s neck.

  But...

  CLACK!

  The sharp sound echoed through the forest as the attack was stopped.

  The demon had caught the blade with his bare hand — only his claws gripping the black edge of the dagger. Effortlessly.

  — Looks like you’re not as strong as before... — the enemy muttered, a sadistic smile curling on his lips.

  Without letting go of the dagger, the demon raised his other hand, now pulsing with purple energy, and launched the attack point-blank.

  BOOOOOM!

  The explosion hit Hyun directly. His body was thrown like a rag doll through the trees, tearing through leaves and branches, until it slammed hard against the trunk of a thick tree.

  — UGHAAAAH! — Hyun screamed, spitting blood as he crashed to the ground, badly injured. His armor was cracked, his body covered in cuts and burns.

  For a moment, everything around him spun… the sound of the trees, the distant battle… it all began to fade.

  But his fingers… still clutched the dagger.

  He was still alive.

  The demon, now consumed by a near-insane euphoria at the sight of Hyun’s body sprawled on the ground, arched his back with arms wide open, engulfed in an aura of pure cruelty.

  — HUMAN! — he roared, his eyes glowing with a wicked purple light. — LOOK AT ME! — his voice dripping with fury and twisted pleasure.

  He walked slowly toward Hyun, each step echoing like a warning of imminent death.

  — This will be the last thing you see before you die... — he said with a twisted grin. — And when I’m done with you, I’ll go back and finish off your friends... if they’re not already dead!

  The laughter that followed was macabre, slicing through the silence of the forest like a blade. A sound that seemed ripped straight from a nightmare.

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  Hyun, face pressed against the dirt and body trembling, was breathing heavily… but still conscious. And his eyes, though blurred by pain, still burned with hatred and the will to survive.

  Amidst the pain and the metallic taste of blood in his mouth, Hyun’s thoughts rang out in desperation:

  — "I don’t want to die… not now… I can’t die here..."

  As his consciousness flickered, an ancient, deep voice whispered once again in his mind. The same one from the dream before.

  — "You carry the blood of darkness."

  Hyun’s eyes widened slightly, even as he lay on the ground, on the verge of unconsciousness.

  — "What...? Why the hell did that pop into my head now?!"

  The sound of the demon’s footsteps grew louder… until everything went dark.

  Silence.

  When he opened his eyes again, Hyun found himself standing… in a dark room, shrouded in deep shadow. The same one from his previous dream — but this time, he could move.

  He looked around, breathing heavily, his eyes scanning every corner in a rush.

  — "My wounds… they’re gone?" — he whispered, staring at his hands, his arms now clean, his body free of pain.

  — "Where… am I?" — he added, taking a hesitant step forward.

  But then the air grew heavier. An invisible pressure slowly began to suffocate him. Hyun looked up — and froze.

  At the far end of the room, cloaked in darkness, stood a colossal figure.

  Tall, imposing, with four twisted horns and a form that blended human and demonic. Its skin was pale as moonlight, and its eyes glowed with a deep, blood-red hue — its presence was overwhelming.

  He walked.

  Slow steps.

  Steady.

  Eyes fixed on Hyun, as if peering into his very soul.

  And Hyun... felt that this time, he wasn’t just dreaming.

  The sound of the footsteps echoed like thunder in that dark void. Each step from the being made the ground quake, as if the world itself was on the verge of collapse.

  The voice, deep and powerful, pierced the air like a malevolent sentence:

  — “You carry the blood of darkness, human. Your destiny... is to be king. Embrace your darkness. Embrace the power that has been inherited by you.”

  The words seemed to pierce Hyun’s chest, vibrating through his bones. He wanted to move, wanted to speak — but his body trembled. His mouth opened, yet no sound came out. It was as if that being was absorbing all will around him.

  "What... what is he saying... King? Blood of darkness...? What does that mean?"

  Hyun clenched his fists, breathing heavily. A storm of emotions raged within him — fear, confusion, rage. But amidst it all... a small flame was being born.

  And then, for the first time, he managed to speak, even if with a trembling voice:

  — "W-Who are you? Where am I? What do you mean by... my destiny?"

  The figure stopped walking.

  Silence.

  His red eyes burned like embers in the darkness. A slight smile curved his monstrous lips.

  And he answered — with a voice that seemed to echo from every corner:

  — “You are where your soul was forged... and I am the bearer of your truth. The heritage of your blood runs through the veins of hell itself, Hyun. The only question now is…”

  He took another step forward, the darkness around him stirring as if it were alive.

  — “…will you accept what is rightfully yours, or will you keep crawling like a worm among the humans?”

  Hyun swallowed hard, staring at the being before him, even as his entire body trembled.

  — “If I accept this blood... will I become stronger?” — he asked, his voice steady but thick with tension.

  The being did not answer immediately. He simply stared back, his eyes like red abysses drenched in darkness. A heavy silence fell upon that void... until he finally spoke, with a shadowy voice filled with absolute truth:

  — “Accept the power of the king... and you will remember who you truly are.”

  The words echoed in Hyun’s mind like thunder. He clenched his fists, his breath growing heavier. The weight of everything crushed down on his soul — but something inside him… something screamed for more power. Something that refused to die there, weak and powerless.

  "I don’t care about the consequences. If this will make me stronger..." — he thought, his gaze steady. — "...then I accept!"

  The being smiled — a crooked, malevolent smile, as if he had known the answer all along.

  In the blink of an eye, he vanished… and reappeared right in front of Hyun, so close his breath nearly froze.

  — “Remember.” — he said, placing his open claw against Hyun’s forehead.

  It was like being pierced by a spear made of darkness. Pain erupted in every nerve, every bone in his body. Hyun screamed — a primal scream of pure agony. His eyes widened as images flooded his mind like an avalanche.

  "Hyun, you're a very special little boy..." — his mother's voice, warm and gentle.

  She was smiling at him, kneeling, her hands resting on his shoulders.

  "Know that... if one day you find out everything... I did it to protect you, okay? Promise mommy you won’t become a bad boy, alright?"

  — "Alright, mommy... I promise." — his childlike voice answered, choked with emotion.

  But the memory shifted. The light vanished. The warmth of his mother’s presence was swallowed by an ancient darkness.

  The same creature now before him… was there, in his memory. Even more terrifying.

  His mother stood between them, arms spread wide, shielding Hyun — still so small, silently crying.

  The being watched her with calm, yet relentless eyes. And he said, his voice resolute:

  — "You won’t be able to keep him from his destiny forever... I will return."

  Amid the chaotic memories, his mother’s soft but resolute voice rose — like a final ray of light trying to hold back the darkness:

  — "Kaizel! You can’t force him into this!"

  The sinister figure paused for a brief moment. His red eyes narrowed at the woman, but he said nothing. He simply stared. And then... everything began to darken again.

  The memories were drowned out, swallowed by a thick, shadowy mist, while Hyun thought, confused:

  — "Kaizel...? Who is that...?"

  And then, as if his body had been yanked violently back, Hyun woke up.

  It was the same second he had passed out — his body still lay on the forest floor, bloodied and wounded. But in his mind… hours had passed.

  The demon was drawing near with heavy steps, a black sword in hand, aimed directly at Hyun’s heart. His eyes burned with anticipation for the kill.

  — "Die." — he growled, ready to strike.

  But in that exact moment… Hyun’s eyes snapped open.

  A fierce purple flame burned within his pupils. His aura exploded like a demonic storm — dense and suffocating. Dark energy leaked from his body like living smoke.

  — "W-What the hell is this...?!" — the demon shouted, recoiling in genuine fear for the first time.

  Hyun rose slowly, and as he stood… something began to change in his body.

  From his head, two black, curved horns burst forth — imposing and fearsome. His skin started to shift, becoming coated in sleek, dark scales, like those of an ancient dragon. From his back, two black wings unfurled violently, snapping branches and scattering leaves through the forest.

  The ground beneath his feet cracked.

  Hyun panted heavily, feeling his blood boil. An absurd power surged through his veins — overwhelming… uncontrollable… almost monstrous.

  — "What the hell is this...?" — he thought, eyes wide. — "So this… this is the power of the darkness that runs in my blood…?"

  The demon, stunned, took a step back, his eyes wide at the sight of Hyun’s transformation.

  — Y-You’re a… half-breed?! How is this possible?!

  (Narrator)

  Half-breeds were artificially created beings — born of dark rituals and pacts with Azazel, the great demon general and right hand of the Demon King himself. They were the result of twisted experiments led by human cultists who worshipped the king of darkness, aiming to forge hybrids with power comparable to true demons.

  Among them, only one — the current leader of the rebel cult — had ever reached such a level, at the cost of countless human lives and ruthless missions carried out in Azazel’s name.

  But Hyun...

  Hyun wasn’t a half-breed.

  He was something far rarer.

  A pure-blooded demon.

  A direct heir of the demon lineage.

  While the demon before him struggled to comprehend what he was seeing, Hyun stood silent, shrouded in his new form and cloaked in an aura so sinister that even the branches of the nearby trees bowed before him.

  Hyun felt his aura throb violently. An overwhelming power coursed through him — making everything around him feel fragile… insignificant.

  The trees bent to his presence, and the very air grew heavy with the essence of darkness.

  He looked straight at the demon — now visibly shaken, terrified.

  Hyun raised his arm… and with a single finger, pointed at the enemy.

  — Die. — he said, with absolute coldness.

  In the very next instant, a beam of purple energy shot from his fingertip like a demonic bullet.

  The shot was precise — it pierced through the demon’s heart before he could even react.

  A massive hole tore open in his chest, and the organ was launched from his body, flying like burnt meat through the branches.

  The demon looked down at his own empty chest, eyes wide in disbelief…

  And then, finally, his body collapsed to the ground — unable to utter even a last word.

  Silence.

  Hyun’s breathing was calm. He stared at his fingers, still smoking faintly with residual purple energy.

  “This power…”

  “I feel like I could crush a Rank B… like a mere ant.”

  But then—

  BOOOOM!!

  A deafening blast shattered the silence, echoing from the opposite side of the forest.

  A massive explosion lit up the sky for a moment.

  Hyun turned his head sharply, eyes widening.

  — My friends...

  In a heartbeat, his expression changed. He snapped back to reality.

  “They can’t see me like this. Not yet.”

  “I need to understand this power... find out what I really am.”

  His skin began to shift.

  The scales vanished, the horns shrank away, and the wings dissolved like smoke.

  His appearance returned to normal — though his clothes remained torn and dust-covered.

  But his body… was completely healed.

  Without hesitation, Hyun ran.

  His form became a blur between the trees, speeding toward the explosion at incredible velocity.

  The battle wasn’t over yet.

  Shifting to the main battlefield…

  Thick smoke slowly began to clear, revealing the chaos left behind by the explosion.

  The trees nearby were ablaze, the ground cracked and covered in ash.

  Hyun’s companions were all down — scattered like ragdolls, thrown by the force of the blast.

  Minho lay unconscious, gravely wounded.

  Kwon-seok and Hoon were also collapsed on the ground, unresponsive.

  The only one still able to stand — though his knees trembled and his body was covered in wounds — was Seok-jin.

  He leaned heavily on his sword, which was stabbed into the ground, breathing heavily as he faced the new threat ahead.

  Across the clearing, a towering figure emerged through the smoke:

  a Rank B demon, radiating a suffocating aura, his golden eyes gleaming with arrogance.

  Behind him, four more demons advanced — two Rank C and two Rank D, all in perfect condition.

  Among them limped the injured Rank C demon, the one who had been in the battle since the beginning, visibly weakened and missing an arm, black blood dripping from his shoulder.

  Nearby, the two defeated Rank D demons lay on the ground, lifeless.

  The Rank B demon surveyed the scene with disdain, then glanced at the mutilated Rank C demon with an ironic smile:

  — Looks like you were nearly losing to these mere humans... How pathetic.

  He let out a low chuckle, as if it were all just a joke.

  — But don’t worry about that now. I’ll be the one to annihilate them myself.

  Seok-jin clenched his teeth, forcing his battered body to stay upright, even under the crushing pressure.

  He stepped in front of his fallen comrades, and despite the exhaustion, his voice rang out firm:

  — I won’t let you... get past me.

  I'm thinking about releasing some chapters with information about the universe every 4 chapters so you can stay up to date with the depth of our world. What do you think?