Larry woke up and found himself trapped in a field where a red, crimson-colored, gloomy temple was located.
The dark red skies faced two bloody red moons, and gargoyles and stone statues were carved between the temple.
"....."
Larry didn't know whether to laugh or cry at the situation he was in right now.
"And here I thought that after a truck sent me to the afterlife, I would finally meet the goddess who would offer me perks and cheats to become the hero and save her world. Why did it turn out to be hell instead?"
Larry contemplated what wrong deed he had done to deserve all of this.
Not only did he not meet a goddess, but he was sent to hell instead.
"I never knew those manga I collected and isekai anime I watched were all a bunch of scams. What a life! Not only did Ronald trick me into paying their bills, but I also got scammed even in the afterlife! Where's the justice?"
"Is being foolish a sin? Why is my life so miserable?"
Larry complained his heart out; all his misfortunes never seemed to get tired of haunting him even in the afterlife.
An hour passed by until Larry finally calmed himself down, finally looking at the place where he was currently.
He began to find some people like him who had been sent to this hellish place, yet after hours of searching, he immediately paused, getting tired. He wanted to drink some water, yet everywhere he looked, there was only a river full of blood present within his surroundings.
"Huh, I guess it's not time for me to be picky."
Once he got near the river, he immediately poured a handful of blood, drinking every last sip.
After tasting this blood for the first time, he began to feel strange within his body, as if his senses were divulging into something weird.
Larry never seemed to mind what effects the blood might have on his body.
"Well, I'm already dead. It's not like I would get poisoned all over again."
After quenching his thirst, Larry left and began surveying the place. The blood-filled river began emanating a malevolent aura, as if the blood had a will of its own.
"Why does this place sound like a ghost town? Am I really the only one stuck here? Did other people ascend to heaven? Why do I feel like I am the only one left behind?"
(Grrrrrrrrrrrr)
Before Larry could talk again, he noticed his tummy asking him for food.
"Wow, where the hell am I going to find some food here?"
Larry, looking annoyed for the first time, looked so defeated; he didn't even notice the changes in his behavior.
Normally, he would just sit and never give up, yet after drinking the blood in the river, his mind shifted irritatingly.
Before he could stomp his feet on the ground, he finally discovered something eerie within the ground; something told him there was food buried underground.
Larry couldn't wait anymore and began to dig deeper until he found a large preserved coffin. When Larry opened the coffin, he found a heart still beating. The heart was so preserved it smelled so delicious.....
"Wtf am I thinking, and since when did I learn how to curse?"
The emanating smell of aroma invaded every sense of Larry's rationality until he finally gave in and began to feast on the large beating heart. When he took the first bite, the heart immediately began regenerating.
Larry was astounded by the discovery and, at the same time, happy because he wouldn't have to worry about food anymore.
While holding the beating heart, Larry went back to the blood-filled river to drink another sip.
Larry didn't want to admit it, but he somehow became addicted to drinking the blood; the more he drank, the more he craved.
While resting near the blood-filled river, the beating heart suddenly fell into the river.
Witnessing his food slowly drowning at the bottom center of the river, Larry began to panic and finally decided to swim just so he could get his meal back.
Larry, who lost his reasoning, nonchalantly swam to the deepest part of the river.
(S**********)
The echoes started whispering in his ears as if chanting an ancient language that was foreign to him.
The blood-filled river immediately invaded his body; its malevolent aura began to enter his pores, his eyes, nose, mouth, and ears.
The beating heart slashed its way into his chest.
Larry's eyes began to turn red.
His once blonde hair was now dyed obsidian black.
His nails elongated into sharp, pointed claws.
Blood-red tattoos carved into his body glowed, and ethereal runes started to devour his soul and destroy his consciousness.
But when all hope seemed lost, the evil being underestimated the pure soul of the kind-hearted Larry.
Even with the corruption of darkness, he could still withstand the pressure and maintain his sanity.
The evil being's threat to take over his body sensed that something was wrong with the ritual.
Larry began to fight back; his consciousness gained enough strength to deliver a huge blow against the entity.
"Child, surrender yourself to me."
"Never."
"Such a stubborn inferior being dared to defy my commands. You have no choice: either let me destroy your consciousness and absorb your soul, or I will have to force my way in."
"Get away from me, you stupid beggar. Oops, I cursed again."
Larry then used his fist to punch Amethyst, nearly knocking him out.
"You....."
"Black flash, black flash, black flash."
Amethyst began to receive countless blows from Larry.
"Don't test my patience, kid; you wouldn't like to see me angry."
"What are you? The Hulk? Throughout heaven and earth, I alone am the honored one."
Amethyst eventually lost patience and forcibly devoured Larry's soul.
Larry, struggling against the shackles, immediately gave in under the control.
"Hahahaha...HAHAHAHAHAHA."
A maniacal laughter echoed around the place.
"At last, after years and years of waiting, I have finally been reborn. Kid, don't worry; I will take care of your body well."
"I will stand at the pinnacle above all."
"No one will finally defeat me this time because I, the dark lord, have finally perfected my ascension."
"That young, talented archmage thought he could outsmart me with such tricks."
Amethyst began reminiscing about his past life's failures.
"First of all, this body is too weak; I need to begin my next ritual, no..."
But before he could finish his sentence, Larry's voice and laughter began emanating against his very soul.
But before Amethyst could react, Larry's soul began to glow with a bright bluish flame.
"Hey, you brat, what do you think you're doing?"
"Do you know San Goku and Vegeta?"
"Who the hell are they?"
"Old geezer, I thought you were smart; how can you be so dumb?"
"Whatever you are doing, stop right there, right now. I'm warning you, kid."
"Fusion."
Larry uttered his final words just after he dragged Amethyst into his final transformation.
Minutes later, a new entity was born.