Samuel's POV
Scene: Return to the Human World – The Fall of a Factory, the Rise of a Demon
The wind shifted the moment I stepped through the swirling portal. Shadows surged behind me, curling like tendrils around my boots before dissipating in the dim light of the Human Realm. I landed atop a building, the moon casting a pale glow across the towering skyline of the Imperial City.
I breathed in deeply—polluted air, diesel, smoke, and that subtle scent of betrayal. Heh. Just like I remember it.
"This is where everything started," I muttered, letting my gaze sweep across the horizon. "Original Samuel's betrayal… Abigail Bardot and Joshua Leinin playing house with my life as the board."
I cracked my knuckles and smiled.
A System Notification pinged in front of me like a glowing orb of satisfaction.
---
[System Notification]
High-Ranking Demon Lord detected. Estimated arrival: 1 hour.
Location: Bardot Industries – Eastern Manufacturing Sector.
Threat Level: Cataclysmic.
Reward: Massive XP, Potential Level-Up, Rare Demon Core
---
"Well, well… Seems like fate just handed me a gift."
I chuckled. "Tonight, not only will a Demon Lord fall—but Bardot Industries goes down with him."
My gauntlets—The Warden's Gauntlets—tightened around my fists, responding to my rising intent. The air shimmered around me as my mana fluctuated, unable to contain my excitement.
I leapt down from the rooftop, Phantom Stepping from shadow to shadow, crossing alleyways and skimming across rooftops until I reached the Commercial District. I landed near a small, dingy shop still open at this hour.
"Excuse me," I said to the shopkeeper, a pudgy man flipping through a magazine behind the counter. "You got something black. Casual. I need to blend in."
He looked me up and down, confused. "Uh… You don't have a card or cash?"
I pulled out two small gold coins and dropped them on the counter. His eyes widened, fingers trembling.
"Sir! This is real gold!"
"Then get moving."
Ten minutes later, I stepped out wearing a sleek black coat, matching shirt, and combat boots, my gauntlets hidden under fingerless gloves. I looked like an ordinary man with sharp eyes and a dangerous smile.
"Perfect."
I disappeared again, Phantom Stepping through streets, the city blurring around me. As I neared the Eastern Manufacturing Sector, the sky trembled.
A deep, guttural roar echoed, shaking buildings, rattling windows.
People screamed in the distance. Flames erupted near a Bardot Industries facility—smoke rising into the night sky like a signal flare.
----
[System Notification]
Demon Lord "Vraxxar, the Bone Reaper" has descended.
Threat Level: Cataclysmic. Proceed with Caution.
----
I stood atop a warehouse, staring at the massive silhouette in the distance. Twenty feet tall, hulking with plates of bone armor covering his grotesque body, glowing red eyes piercing through the smoke. His claws shredded buildings as if they were paper.
"Damn, you're ugly," I muttered, then smiled. "Let's dance."
I burst forward, the ground cracking under my step.
Crimson Burst.
I shot through the air like a missile, crashing into Vraxxar's ribcage with a thunderous boom.
He roared, stumbling back, his chest cracked from the blow.
"You dare strike me, mortal?!"
"Not just strike," I said, my fist igniting with Abyssal Flame, "I came to erase you."
He slashed, and I sidestepped with Phantom Step, appearing behind him.
Dragon Fang Fist!
I slammed both fists into his back. Crack! His armor split, black blood spilling out.
Vraxxar spun and roared, firing a beam of cursed energy from his maw. I conjured Mana Fortress, shielding myself, but the beam tore through half the shield.
"Alright, time to crank it up."
Fury Overdrive – Active.
My strength and speed surged—muscles tensed, breath sharp. I launched at him, fists flying like a storm.
BOOM! BAM! CRACK!
Each punch crushed through armor, snapping bones. Vraxxar swung wildly, hitting me once and sending me crashing through a wall.
Blood trickled from my lip.
"Good hit…" I spat, standing back up. "Now take mine."
I gathered every ounce of mana into my fists—Heaven's Execution!
I leapt into the air. "Burn in hell, Vraxxar!"
With both fists descending like comets, I crashed into his skull.
CRACK!!!
His head exploded in a burst of black mist and bone shards. His body collapsed, shaking the entire district.
---
[System Notification]
Demon Lord Vraxxar Defeated!
+1,200,000 XP Gained
Rare Demon Core Acquired
LEVEL UP!
Current Level: 180
---
I stood there, breathing heavily, the flames reflecting in my eyes.
"Only 5 levels?" I grunted. "Fine. Still more than worth it."
The surrounding Bardot Industries complex was in ruins. Emergency sirens blared. Corporate goons scrambled. Cameras probably caught my silhouette.
"Let them see," I said as I stepped out of the smoke, my silhouette slowly fading into the shadows again.
"The Harbinger of Destruction is back. And this time—I'm not stopping."