As Arthur's fingers made contact with the stone, a surge of dark energy coursed through his being, awakening an ancient power long forgotten by the world. It was the power of darkness, a force capable of vanquishing demons and harnessing the shadows themselves.
At that moment, Arthur's perception shifted.
And with widened eyes, he realized that the desolate land of death and decay was no ordinary place; it was a realm tainted by a demonic presence, and he, the chosen one, possessed the power to confront it. "What happened here", he blurted out not being able to process what just happened...
The air surrounding him shimmered with an eerie glow as the darkness within him intertwined with the malevolent forces around him. The twisted trees, the desolate grounds, and the cracked earth seemed to respond to his newfound power as if the very land recognized his authority over the shadows.
Amidst the surge of darkness, a haunting voice echoed in his mind, emanating from the depths of the statue itself. It whispered of an ancient quest, a perilous undertaking concealed within the treacherous depths of a hidden dungeon infested with demonic creatures. Monsters that have been infested by demonic energy and have mutated or evolved... some may have obtained even a tiny fraction of a demon's power or so the legend goes...
The system's voice reverberated in Arthur's thoughts, its words laden with gravity. "Arthur, you have been chosen, the anointed one destined to wield the power of darkness. The fate of the land rests upon your shoulders, as you hold the key to vanquish the demonic forces that plague this realm."
And just as if lightning has struck his head he obtained a lot of information, which may or may not be too much for him to handle... who knows?
Trepidation and excitement intertwined within Arthur's heart as he stood at the precipice of his destiny. The choice had been made for him, and he now embraced his role as the guardian of light in this shadow-infested realm.
But ohh boy... little did he fathom that his awakening marked only the beginning of an enigmatic odyssey, one veiled in ancient prophecies and obscured by the veil of time. Underneath the surface of his newfound power may lay a web of secrets, entangled with the malevolent forces he sought to confront...
The statue, a gate to the unknown, beckoned him forward, its ethereal glow intensifying, revealing a hidden passage beneath its imposing figure. It unveiled a labyrinth of riddles, concealed dangers, and demonic adversaries lurking within its depths.
With every beat of his heart, Arthur felt a surge of anticipation and resolve resonating within his very soul. The allure of the unknown coursed through his veins, propelling him forward. Guided by the flickering light of his courage and the whispered promises of greatness, he took a deep breath and stepped into the abyss that awaited him.
In the dark depths of the dungeon, Arthur faced an onslaught of terrifying beasts and monsters. With each passing foe, he displayed skill and tenacity, but the encounters took a toll on his strength and resolve. Exhausted and wounded, he pressed on, the path forward a labyrinthine nightmare filled with the scent of sweat and blood. Just like it is natural.
Taking a small break he sat down and tried to recover because of all the energy he exhausted in his fights before. Slowly meditating on his previous battles throughout his life up to this point while recovering, he trained his mind and skills through a mind battle.
Yet before he could even really start he was attacked inside this sealed dungeon where daylight is like a fairytale and darkness reigns over it. It was in this weakened state that a demon materialized before him, an ominous presence that sent chills down his spine. The air grew thick with malevolence as the creature's fiery eyes locked onto him with predatory intent.
Hastily grabbed his sword and got in position for fighting as fast as he could in order to fight. But to his surprise, the demon didn't even move a muscle after the surprise attack, as if it wanted to mock Arthur.
Then with a haunting screech, the demon lunged at Arthur, its grotesque claws and fangs aiming to tear him apart. It didn't even take its weapon to fight Art, it didn't deem him worthy enough which angered Arthur even more. His black-diamond sword which is a black hardened steel sword emitted a red light, devouring Arthur's flames and emitting them to the surroundings.
"Blazing Sword!", he screamed and fought fiercely against that being.
Yet, despite his valiant efforts, the battle soon turned one-sided. The demon's power was overwhelming, and Arthur found himself on the losing end of this horrific encounter, not even being able to injure it properly.
Every strike of the demon's claws felt like a searing pain, and every dodge required every ounce of his dwindling energy and focus while using his skill Battle Focus. But he refused to back down, driven by an indomitable will to survive and uncover the mysteries of his past. Why does he hate the demons so much although he never even saw one till now?...
Just why?
As the fight raged on, Arthur's vision blurred, the pain-numbing his senses. His face turned pale and the blood he lost became more in quantity... Doubt intruded into his mind, whispering that he was no match for such malevolent might. One moment of distraction and he found himself lying on the ground while his body was filled with pain.
He tried to stand up slowly and steady
Arthur's steps faltered, and he fell to his knees, clutching his head in agony. A searing headache enveloped him, and as he closed his eyes, memories flashed before him like fragmented shards of glass. Screams of pain echoed throughout the dungeon and the demon seemed to enjoy the show while mockingly waiting for Arthur to fight again.
In the midst of the pain, a gentle voice emerged, his mother's soothing words echoing from a distant past. He saw their home, a place of beauty and warmth, where love and laughter once filled the air.
But then, the scene shifted dramatically, as if a haunting nightmare had taken hold. Demons, grotesque and malevolent, invaded their sanctuary, tearing through the once-serene atmosphere with brutal savagery. Their faces were etched with merciless malice, and their eyes glowed with sinister intent.
The memory played out like a horrifying tableau. Arthur watched in despair as his family was mercilessly massacred before his very eyes. The trauma of the catastrophic event etched itself deep into his soul, leaving scars that refused to heal.
Amidst the chaos, a voice, barely audible at first, began to murmur. The words were hushed, indistinct whispers that barely registered in the cacophony of destruction. But gradually, the murmurs grew louder, more insistent, until they transformed into a haunting accusation.
"Traitor!" That word resonated through Arthur's mind, chilling him to the core. The voice, once soft and almost indiscernible, now rose to a chilling crescendo, accusations with relentless ferocity.
Throughout the darkness that engulfed him, a figure emerged. A black shadow with a malevolent grin shrouded in sinister intent. It hovered before him, a sinister manifestation of a being long forgotten in his memories
In that moment of torment, Arthur felt an inexplicable connection to the darkness within himself. He realized that the power he sought to control was not merely external; it had been a part of him all along, intricately tied to his past and his family's tragic fate.
"WHat ARe thESE MemORIES!!", he screamed while his mind seemed to overheat and near itself burnout.
The memories and the relentless accusations collided, and Arthur's anguish intensified. He fought to suppress the overwhelming flood of emotions threatening to consume him. The burden of guilt weighed heavily upon his heart as if he had unwittingly brought about the tragedy that befell his loved ones.
Not even noticing the voice of the system inside him screaming. Nothing seemed to reach him, nothing...
"Before it's too late I need to intervene!", the system said, and as it finished something started to change.
"It will take a lot of energy, but you will survive at least"
The points disappeared from Arthur's balance, all but one point vanished. All his skills vanished or precisely said they were fused together into one skill... Hell Fire.
The system evolved and took over Arthur's body, "Sorry, but it has to be done!"; and a forced breakthrough took place and a forced evolving of the system.
In that critical moment, something changed within Arthur. It was as if the dormant power within him responded to this forced awakening, as though the echoes of his memories granted him an otherworldly strength. While his power was forcefully bursting out his body started to break slowly... Arthur picked up his broken sword and fought on and on.
The system made use of everything Arthur had and fought against the demon once more but with limited time at its hands, because of the condition of the body and the consequences of the forceful intervention.
With a burst of newfound power, Arthur managed to land a decisive blow against the demon, stunning it momentarily, while his body is brought to its limits. Seizing the opportunity, he gathered his remaining strength and delivered a final, devastating strike. "Hell Fire", is the only skill temporarily available that is able to kill a demon.
The demon howled in agony as it burned down alive, and with a burst of dark energy, it dissipated into the shadows, leaving behind only the echoes of its demise and its ashes.
"I guess that's all a semi-Hell Fire could manage...", the system said and Arthur vomited blood, with the last bit of energy the system drew a protection array around Art before collapsing and losing consciousness...
"Energy is used up completely... shutting down!"