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author's note: Hello, it's my first time writing. I hope you enjoy my story, and please leave some reviews so I can improve.
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Chapter 3: Arise
The silence of the abyss was shattered by the roar of battle. Not long after his rebirth, in the scorched wastes where every step was forged in torment, the Nameless Daemon had to confront a living test of his new might. Today, the lonely silence was replaced by the clash of power against power, as a lesser daemon emerged from the darkened horizon to challenge his supremacy.
Standing atop a smoldering ridge of blackened rock, Jin-Woo's dark eyes fixed on the figure that approached. The creature was a lesser daemon, its form both terrifying and formidable—clad in ragged, charred scales and wielding sharp claws, ldemonic flames danced around its limbs. Its presence was meant to test his freshly awakened abilities, a trial he could not refuse.
' It is time to see what power I truly hold '
Without hesitation, Jin-Woo activated his Analytical Appraisal. In an instant, the chaotic battle scene slowed and a clear, clinical overlay appeared before his mind's eye. The lesser daemon's stats were laid out in stark detail: moderate health, ample magicules, and a suite of intrinsic abilities—Magic Resistance, Material Creation, and an ability reminiscent of Possess that hinted at a predatory control over weaker souls. Every number, every line of data was a silent reminder of the challenge ahead, and Jin-Woo noted the daemon's moderate threat level with cold precision.
Jin-Woo's Analysis:
Skill Activated: Analytical Appraisal
Target: Lesser Daemon
Race:Daemon
HP: 1000
MP: 5,500
AP: 2,500
Skills:fire magic ,Magic Resistance, Material Creation, Possess
Emboldened by the clarity of his analysis, Jin-Woo began his next move. With a mere thought, he activated his Material Creation. From the ambient dark magic that seeped from his very veins, a dagger materialized—a blade forged of obsidian, its edge glimmering with a subtle promise of lethal efficiency. The dagger, though simple in appearance, pulsed with the raw force of his newly acquired power.
He drew the weapon with deliberate ease, feeling it weightless as if it were an extension of his own arm. At that moment, the lesser daemon did not hesitate; it unleashed a torrent of demonic flames—swirling, volatile bursts of cursed fire that licked at the air, threatening to consume everything in its path. The flames, a manifestation of the daemon's inherent strength, glowed with a malevolent red light, a stark contrast against the dark, ashen landscape.
As the blazing inferno hurtled towards him, Jin-Woo activated Thought Acceleration. Time itself seemed to decelerate as his mind surged with heightened clarity. Every flicker of flame, every shifting shadow, was registered in his consciousness as if unfolding in slow motion. In that suspended moment, he dashed forward with fluid grace, his movements a blur of calculated precision. With the speed of a striking serpent, he evaded the demonic flames that rained upon him and closed the gap between himself and his foe.
The collision of their powers was abrupt and fierce. Jin-Woo lunged, the obsidian dagger slicing through the charged air, aimed directly at a weak point revealed by his Analytical Appraisal. His target—a gap, in the daemon's scales ,it was unguarded in the moment of its fiery onslaught. With a single, decisive thrust, the blade found its mark, delivering a blow that resonated with raw destructive potential. The lesser daemon staggered as the force of the attack rippled through its body.
But the battle was far from over. The daemon roared in defiance, its eyes burning with feral hatred, and retaliated by summoning another surge of demonic flames. However, Jin-Woo was already one step ahead. His instincts, sharpened by Thought Acceleration and his intrinsic magic resistance, allowed him to shrug off the worst of the flames. Each scalding burst was absorbed by a protective aura of dark energy—a gift of his transformation that lessened the impact of such elemental fury.
Realizing that his opponent was nearing its limit, Jin-Woo pressed the advantage. With a burst of determination, he unleashed Hakai: Absolute Erasure—the formidable power that could obliterate matter itself. Channelling every ounce of focus, he directed a concentrated stream of energy from his core, aiming it like a spear of darkness directly at the weakening daemon. The impact was cataclysmic. With an almost silent, horrifying precision, the demonic creature was disintegrated before his eyes, its form reduced to nothing more than swirling motes of dark dust that drifted away on the furnace winds.
A brief moment of stillness followed the explosion of power. The system's cold, clinical voice pulsed softly in his mind, reporting the inevitable outcome: the battle was won. In that split second, a surge of energy rolled over him—a level-up reward for his victory. The system's interface flashed briefly:
<
<
<
<
<< Stat Points Gained: +20. All core attributes increased by 4 point.>>
Jin-Woo felt his newly expanded strength resonate through his body—a physical reminder that every conflict in this brutal new realm was a stepping stone towards greater power.
"It is scary to be hit by that"sung couldn't help it after such devastating attack
Yet, the adrenaline of victory was tempered by the relentless nature of his circumstances. As soon as his foe was vanquished, another threat loomed. The abyss was unyielding; the battle never truly ended here.
No sooner had he wiped the residual echo of combat from his thoughts than another lesser daemon emerged from the shifting shadows—a fresh challenger, drawn to the blood and chaos of the battlefield. This one bore a different aspect: its eyes, like glowing embers, scanned the surroundings as it prepared to strike, and a faint aura of dark energy emanated from its form. Its approach was stealthy yet determined, a clear indication that this realm did not give up its inhabitants easily.
Sweat mingled with determination on Jin-Woo's brow as he faced the new enemy. His mind raced, the rapid cadence of Thought Acceleration making each decision a blur of precise calculation. Without missing a beat, he activated Material Creation once more, this time conjuring a defensive shield from the dark magic that flowed around him—an ephemeral barrier designed to absorb the impact of incoming demonic flames.
As the new daemon charged, it again unleashed a stream of cursed flames. Jin-Woo's shield flared with an eerie glow, intercepting the blaze in a spectacular burst of power. In that brief moment, his Analytical Appraisal flared to life once more, dissecting the enemy's composition and exposing the vulnerabilities beneath its dark exterior. Seeing his chance, Jin-Woo advanced with lethal speed, his obsidian dagger flashing through the air. He struck with a fluid motion that belied the raw intensity of his battle, piercing deep into the daemon's core where its dark energy converged.
The creature faltered, its resistance overwhelmed by the combined might of Jin-Woo's attacks. Sensing the impending end, the enemy attempted one final, desperate surge of flame. But it was too late. With a final, resounding cry—a sound swallowed by the oppressive winds of the abyss—its form shattered, dispersing into a fine haze of shadow and ash.
Amid the chaos of battle, a startling realization jolted through Jin-Woo. In his trance, he had neglected one of his most potent abilities—the skill to bring back the dead , the very foundation of his shadow mastery. This neglected skill, which allowed him to summon his fallen shadows, burned at the edge of his consciousness like an unclaimed promise. In that crucial moment of battle, as he regrouped his thoughts and prepared for the next wave of conflict ,it struck him with a potent mix of regret and resolve.
"…I must not forget, the power of death is mine to command…"
Acting on this sudden awareness, he focused his mind, willing the ambient dark magic to heed his call. A murmur of deep, resonant energy echoed in the depths of his soul as he activated shadow extraction for the very first time. From the scattered remains of his foes, whispers of defeated souls began to stir.
<
"A voice command huh…?"
Looking around Jin woo felt a name calling for him like it was inscribed in his mind, almost instinctively he commanded
". Ä̸̡̨̡̤̫̼̞̳͖̤͖̝̫̻͎̠̩̠̭͓͍͓̤̥̰͙̭̲̦̤͍̜̰̪͓̝̺͇̼̮́͌͆̋̌̾̃͘͝R̵̼̤̹̞̥̉͆̀͑́̑̓̃́́̽͂͛̿̅͌͗̈̃͌̈́́̒̈́̐̑͗̉͆͛̾̆͋̃̈́̈̀̈̀̓̌͆͆͑̏̌̚̕͜͝͠͠I̵̛̛̗͔̘͖͕̹͙͍̯͖͂͗̐͒̃͂̿̌͂͋̀͊͗̆͛͂̅̿̎̀̆͘̚͝͝͝Ş̴̡̡̡͔̘̠̯̗̳̪͎͍̱̳͎̙̹̤̦̪̦̻̩̟̝̞̲̯͔̩̖̜̻̩̐̑̀͑̅͐̾̔͑͌̓͛̾̒̀̈́̎̈́̋̍̏̈͐̐͋̋̓̇̍̅̚̚̚͘͘̕̚͜͜͜͝Ę̷̢̩̫̖̦̪̠̬̪̘͓̩̦̜̲̯͚̟͕͕͇̘͙̘̯̈́̕͠ͅͅ "
A deep ,ethereal ,almost cursed voice echoed .
What followed was shadows rising from the corps of both lesser daemons
Their scales now made of shadows seething between them a purple aura that reeked of death
Yet even as he marveled at the birth of his first shadow soldiers, the merciless realm offered no time for respite. The relentless tide of lesser daemons continued to press in. Waves of enemies—each one slightly different, each a unique fragment of this infernal world—emerged one after another. Without rest, Jin-Woo was thrown into a barrage of combat that left little time for recovery. Every skirmish, every clash, was a trial in endurance and adaptation, pushing him beyond the limits of his newly augmented form.
Exhaustion seeped into his bones as he fought fiercely, his mind a whirl of tactical calculations, each second a blur of rapid decisions and relentless assaults. The system's Stat Points from his previous victories glowed faintly in his consciousness, a reminder that each battle made him just a little stronger—every attribute inching upward with the promise of survival. With every hard-won victory, his power grew, even as the overwhelming burden of his circumstances threatened to crush his spirit.
…I must grow stronger… for survival…
The constant cycle of combat was both punishing and enlightening. Each encounter taught him something new about his abilities—the precise timing needed for Thought Acceleration, the careful calibration of his material creations, and the devastating efficiency of Hakai when combined with the piercing force of his Gaze of Destruction. With every breath and every heartbeat in this infernal battleground, Jin-Woo's mastery over his dark powers deepened, molding him into a living weapon against the hostile forces of this demonic realm.
During one particularly fierce skirmish, as a group of lesser daemons converged on his position from all sides, Jin-Woo found himself pushed to his limits. The chaotic melee blurred into a cacophony of burning flames and clashing energies. Amid the turmoil, his dark sword—an incarnation of his Material Creation—sliced through the enemy ranks with calculated precision, while his shadow army, summoned freshly by his skill, fought alongside him in silent, devastating coordination.
Even as the adrenaline of battle surged through him, a quiet voice of the system reminded him of the continuing trials ahead. There was no end to this relentless cascade of enemies—each victory was merely a stepping stone to the next challenge in this hellish crucible. Jin-Woo's body ached with fatigue, and his mind reeled from the barrage, but each confrontation reinforced his evolution.
The relentless skirmishes brought further growth. The system registered each battle, and gradually, the stat points accumulated—an indelible mark of progress in his evolution as a daemon. With each victory, his attributes inched upward
In the silence that followed, the system's voice registered a quiet notification of victory. The accumulated XP from this battle alone was enough to nudge him significantly closer to his next level. In total, the confrontation with this and several other lesser daemons would eventually amass to around 16,500 XP—a reward that, by his progression system, had carried him from Level 1 to Level 8, with 3,800 XP already chunked toward Level 9.
His status screen flickered into his vision, displaying all his progress so far:
────────────────────────────
Player Status
Name: (Nameless)
Race: Daemon
Evolution State: Lesser Daemon
Level: 8
Experience: 3,800 / 12,800
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Attributes:
HP: 5,376 / 5,400
Strength (Phy): 40
Agility (Agl): 24
Stamina: 40%
Magicules (Mana): 15,790 / 20,000
Intelligence (Int): 20
Perception (Per): 30
Vitality (Vit): 30
Resistances:
Magic Resistance
Demonic/Holy Magic Resistance
Thermal Fluctuation Resistance
Intrinsic Skills:
Material Creation
Possess
Unique Skills:
Shadow Monarch:
Shadow Extraction
Shadow Preservation
Rapid Regeneration & Immunity
Enhanced Magicule Regeneration
Conqueror:
Hakai
Anos'gaze
Combined cataclysm
Thought Acceleration
Analytical Appraisal
Parallel Calculation
Chant Annulment
Skill Assimilation
All of Creation
Fire manipulation (acquired)
Stealth (acquired)
Magic perception (acquired)
Future attack prediction (acquired)
Charm(acquired)
Thought communication (acquired)
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"So the XP requirements double each time I level up,and most of those daemons give 1500xp…troublesome I will have to look for stronger enemies soon "
Stepping back from the tumult, Jin-Woo allowed himself but a brief moment to gather his thoughts. The lesser daemons had retreated for now, leaving behind the scorched remnants of battle and the fading echo of their malevolent roars. In the stillness that followed, the Nameless Daemon reflected on the day's trials and the raw potential that had awakened within him. His newly summoned shadows stood as silent guardians, a testament to the first time he had truly harnessed the power of his skill. Though fatigue weighed heavily on him, the steady pulse of his dark energy promised further growth—a promise of strength forged in the crucible of combat.
' I have only just begun to understand this power '
There was a piercing clarity in the interplay of his abilities—each skill, each resistance, now part of the intricate piece of his existence. His magic resistance shielded him against the scorching flames and arcane assaults of his foes, while the innate skills of material creation and possess lent him an uncanny ability to reshape the environment and dominate weaker forces. The continuous barrage of battle reinforced that his journey was not one of rest and respite, but of unyielding struggle—a relentless climb towards an existence where he could eventually wield his power to reclaim the life and warmth he had once known.
As the burning horizon loomed before him, and as the distant echo of enemy roars promised that this was only the beginning, Jin-Woo squared his shoulders and pressed onward. Each step, each grueling fight, molded him further into the embodiment of destruction .There was no time to dwell on the memories of a former life—a life that now existed only as a ghostly echo amid the ashes. His only focus was the continual surge of power through his veins, the relentless accumulation of strength, and the promise that, one day, all this might pave the way back to light and home.
In the smoldering aftermath of battle, with the lesser daemon's remnants dissipating into the charred air, Jin-Woo took a moment to re-center himself. The system's glow and the steady beat of his own heart were all that remained in the silence. The constant battles, the unyielding challenges of this hellish realm, had shaped him into a warrior far beyond the reach of his old self. The Nameless Daemon stood ready—a living testament to the cruel lessons of the abyss, with an insatiable hunger to grow ever stronger.
And so, under the oppressive, burning skies of this forsaken world, Jin-Woo—reborn through pain and fire—stepped forward into the ceaseless maelstrom of conflict. Each battle would be a lesson; each fallen foe, a brick in the foundation of his eventual rise. For now, he fought not for fleeting comfort but to master his dark destiny, to harness every ounce of potential his cursed form had to offer, and perhaps one day, to blaze a path back toward the love and home that still flickered in the far reaches of his memory.
His lips curled in a smirk as he commanded
". Ä̸̡̨̡̤̫̼̞̳͖̤͖̝̫̻͎̠̩̠̭͓͍͓̤̥̰͙̭̲̦̤͍̜̰̪͓̝̺͇̼̮́͌͆̋̌̾̃͘͝R̵̼̤̹̞̥̉͆̀͑́̑̓̃́́̽͂͛̿̅͌͗̈̃͌̈́́̒̈́̐̑͗̉͆͛̾̆͋̃̈́̈̀̈̀̓̌͆͆͑̏̌̚̕͜͝͠͠I̵̛̛̗͔̘͖͕̹͙͍̯͖͂͗̐͒̃͂̿̌͂͋̀͊͗̆͛͂̅̿̎̀̆͘̚͝͝͝Ş̴̡̡̡͔̘̠̯̗̳̪͎͍̱̳͎̙̹̤̦̪̦̻̩̟̝̞̲̯͔̩̖̜̻̩̐̑̀͑̅͐̾̔͑͌̓͛̾̒̀̈́̎̈́̋̍̏̈͐̐͋̋̓̇̍̅̚̚̚͘͘̕̚͜͜͜͝Ę̷̢̩̫̖̦̪̠̬̪̘͓̩̦̜̲̯͚̟͕͕͇̘͙̘̯̈́̕͠ͅͅ. "
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A/N: I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please leave a review with your thoughts and suggestions so I can continue this journey with you.
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