The Demons are evil, the Gods are righteous—history and myth have told us so. No one had seen the Demons, nor had they seen the Gods, yet the mere mention of Demons would instill dread in anyone.
Levi was no different.
He knew what every other human did. He had heard rumors of demon contractors living among humans—rumors of them drinking human blood and sacrificing innocent lives for the Demons they worship. No one knew the full truth, but that was all Levi had ever known.
And now, discovering that he had somehow made a contract with a Demon, he couldn't help but feel fear gripping his heart.
With hesitation, Levi commanded the Providence.
'Open Contract.'
---------------[Contract]---------------
First Party: Levias Drake - A mortal, born of Earth.
Second Party: The Darklord of the Endless Abyss - The ancient ruler of the infinite void
Clause 1: Pact of Power
In exchange for the Darklord's power, Levias Drake shall complete a singular quest provided by the Darklord.
Quest: Create a Demonic Sanctuary on Earth, founded with an Apostle of the Abyss. This Sanctuary shall serve as a beacon to those who follow the path of the Abyss and as a stronghold for demonic forces.
Time Limit: The quest must be completed within ten (10) Earth years. Failure to complete the quest will result in Levias Drake's soul being devoured by the Darklord, condemning him to eternal torment in the Abyss.
Clause 2: Bond of Souls
Levias Drake's soul is irrevocably bound to the Darklord of the Endless Abyss. Upon his death, regardless of cause or circumstance, his soul will be claimed and devoured by the Darklord, with no possibility of redemption or release. The only way to nullify this clause is to complete the quest in Clause 1.
Clause 3: Inheritance of Power
As part of this contract, Levias Drake shall inherit a unique trait from the Darklord of the Endless Abyss, adjusted to suit the power level of a mortal.
Signed and Sealed:
By the First Party:
Levias Drake
By the Second Party:
The Darklord of the Endless Abyss
-------------[Contract]----------------
Levi read through the contract and instantly realized he had been scammed.
'...'
He was speechless at the shamelessness of the Darklord. Creating a sanctuary was an enormous and costly task, and now Levi, who didn't even have a proper roof over his head, had to undertake it.
If the monetary burden wasn't enough, he also needed followers—at least ten to create an altar and around twenty-five to establish a sanctuary. And then there was the requirement for an Apostle, something Levi had no clue about.
If this wasn't enough to be considered a scam, then there was the matter of his soul.
If he failed the quest, his soul would be devoured. If he died, his soul would be devoured. Levi wondered if the Darklord merely wanted his soul and offered the contract as a formality.
"But… I'm still alive."
Despite the realization that he had been scammed and his soul was now on the line, Levi knew the Demon was his savior. He had been on the brink of death, and if not for the mercy of the Darklord of the Endless Abyss, he would have died in that maze.
Whether the mercy was born from greed or if the Darklord was simply using him as a pawn, all that mattered was that Levi was still alive and had a chance to fuck over the gods.
"Let's see what power I've inherited," Levi said, opening the status and reading through it.
-----------[Status]-----------
Name: Levias Drake
Rank: Demonic Follower
Patron: The Darklord of the Endless Abyss
Crest: —
Demonic Core: Dormant
Demonic Essence: 1/200
Trait: Demonic Soul
Trait Ability: Demonic Transformation
Innate Ability: —
Artifacts: —
Avatars: —
-----------[Status]-----------
"Wait a minute, a core?" Levi thought, confused, and right at that moment, something happened!
Levi felt something stirring within him. With a startled cry, he clutched his chest, trying to understand what was happening. The sensation wasn't painful or unpleasant, but it was unlike anything he had ever experienced. It felt as though his very soul was being awakened, infused with a strange, new energy.
The energy was cold and... evil. He could feel its presence—terrifying and overpowering.
It filled every fiber of his being. Levi felt his emotions sharpen, and his body began to change. It was as though something was being created in the center of his chest, radiating waves of heat that slowly spread to his stomach, shoulders, arms, legs, hands, and feet.
Under that heat, his bones, muscles, organs, and blood vessels were being rebuilt and revitalized. Levi felt as if he were being reborn—becoming stronger, faster, healthier.
After some time, the burning sensation in his chest cooled. The heat was replaced by a soothing coldness that washed over his body, erasing all aches and discomforts accumulated from the last trial he had faced. The coldness then moved upward, reaching his brain and finally his eyes.
Suddenly, his vision doubled.
He could still see the white ceiling, but now he also saw something different.
A wasteland shrouded in darkness, with something huge and spherical hanging above it.
Levi knew this was his soul, but it wasn't supposed to look like this.
For starters, it was supposed to be much more lively—a vast, infinite grassland with a cool breeze and divine light illuminating it all. But Levi's soul was a desolate wasteland, and instead of divine light, there was this ominous sphere.
'That's strange.'
Levi focused on the sphere. Upon closer inspection, he saw that it was hollow, with a small amount of dark liquid inside. It was so insignificant that he hadn't even noticed it at first.
He didn't know what it was, but reading further into his status gave him some idea.
Demonic Core: Dormant
Demonic Essence: 1/200
He realized that the sphere was the dormant core mentioned in his status, and the liquid inside was a demonic essence.
Even as he came to this understanding, one question still lingered in his mind.
'Humans aren't supposed to have a core... are they?'
----***---