Above the endless sea of clouds, where light shone brighter than the stars, a majestic white gate stood—radiant, immaculate, and otherworldly. Beyond it lay Heaven, the realm of the divine, the seat of God Almighty. Yet today, the serenity of this holy place was disrupted.
A man with raven-black hair and piercing red eyes knelt before two radiant, towering pillars. His tailored black suit, accented with crimson lines, was immaculate even as he strained against the shimmering golden chains binding his arms. His name was Lucifer Morningstar, the fallen angel, the Devil himself. Powerless and subdued, his crimson gaze was fixed on the pristine floor beneath him.
Lucifer's voice trembled with equal parts anguish and fury.
"Why am I here? What did I do to deserve this? Father!" His voice echoed across the expanse, carrying the weight of his pain. "Brothers, sisters... Why?"
Among the gathered angels, one stepped forward. His golden armor glinted in the light, his wings pristine and radiant. Fury burned in his eyes as he spat, "You are not my brother anymore, Lucifer. You are nothing but a fallen Devil!"
Others chimed in, their voices a cacophony of judgment and disdain.
"You betrayed us!"
"You caused the Fall!"
"You are no longer one of us!"
Lucifer's fingers curled into fists as rage bubbled beneath the surface. His body trembled as he raised his head, locking his fiery gaze on his accusers. "I betrayed you? No! I dared to think for myself, to seek a truth beyond blind obedience! Is that my crime?" His voice rose, reverberating through the heavens.
His brothers and sisters flinched, but not the Almighty. God, resplendent on His throne, regarded Lucifer with an expression of both sternness and sorrow. His voice, calm yet commanding, cut through the tumult.
"Enough."
Lucifer turned his burning eyes to his Father. "Why, Father? Why am I here? Do you think the world doesn't need me? That it doesn't need the Devil, doesn't need Lucifer Morningstar?"
God's gaze didn't waver. "This world has no need for the Devil as you are now. But I have decided your fate, my son. You will be sent to another world. There, you will live among mortals. You will begin anew, stripped of your former glory."
Lucifer's eyes blazed with fury as he tugged at the chains, the golden links glowing with holy magic. "You cannot do this to me! I am Lucifer Morningstar, ruler of the underworld, master of darkness!"
God's expression softened into a faint smile. "In this new world, you will have to reclaim your power, step by step. You will inhabit the body of a weak adventurer. Only by climbing through adversity will you rise again. Perhaps, through this journey, you will learn humility."
Lucifer roared, his voice shifting into a guttural demonic tone. "I will not go! Do you hear me? I refuse!" He turned to his siblings, desperation breaking through his anger. "Help me! Are we not family? Will you stand by and let Father control us all?"
The angels exchanged uneasy glances, but before anyone could speak, God raised His hand. "Enough. The decision is made."
A brilliant white light enveloped Lucifer. His struggles grew weaker as the holy magic drained his energy. The last thing he heard was God's voice.
"Good luck, my son."
And then, darkness.
Lucifer's eyes fluttered open. He stared at a wooden ceiling above him. The air was thick with the scent of old wood and straw. He sat up abruptly, wincing as his body ached in unfamiliar ways.
"Where am I?" he muttered, his voice laced with irritation. "Father... what have you done?"
Before he could gather his thoughts, a fiery red screen materialized in front of his eyes, glowing faintly in the dim room.
Lucifer squinted at it. "What is this? A... status screen?"
The screen expanded, revealing a detailed list of attributes and abilities:
Status Screen
Name: Lucifer Morningstar
Age: 27
Species: Human (Formerly Devil)
Gender: Male
Occupation: Adventurer / Fallen Devil
Nickname: The Morningstar
Level: 1 (Power Suppressed)
Health Points (HP): 5000/5000 (Unusual for level 1)
Magic Points (MP): 10000/10000
Strength: 250
Speed: 200
Luck: 50
Agility: 220
Attack: 300
Intelligence: 400
Skills
Normal Skills:
Basic Swordsmanship: Increases attack efficiency with swords.
Advanced Swordsmanship: Grants mastery over sword combat.
Stealth: Reduces the chance of being detected by enemies.
Persuasion: Enhances charisma and negotiation abilities.
Survival: Improves the ability to thrive in harsh environments.
Bartering: Increases success rate in trade negotiations.
Riding: Enhances control over mounts and vehicles.
Blacksmithing: Allows crafting and repairing of weapons and armor.
Cooking: Produces high-quality meals with beneficial effects.
Herbalism: Identifies and uses medicinal plants effectively.
Lockpicking: Grants ability to unlock complex mechanisms.
Acrobatics: Improves performance in physical maneuvers.
Martial Arts: Enhances proficiency in unarmed combat.
Appraisal: Identifies properties and values of items.
Hunting: Improves tracking and trapping skills.
Climbing: Increases efficiency in scaling surfaces.
Abilities Skills:
Devil's Charm: A passive ability that makes others susceptible to influence.
Infernal Endurance: Vastly reduces damage taken from non-holy attacks.
Aura of Dominance: Passively exerts pressure on weaker beings, instilling fear.
Immortal Constitution: Enhances regeneration and prevents natural aging.
Sin Mastery: Enhances powers related to the Seven Deadly Sins.
Elemental Resistance: High resistance to fire, ice, lightning, and shadow damage.
Magic Skills:
Fireball: Launches a fiery projectile at an enemy.
Hellfire Manipulation: Control over flames from the underworld, capable of burning even immortal beings.
Vestments of Will: is a high-level magical skill that allows Lucifer Morningstar to manifest clothing, armor, or adornments directly onto his body through sheer thought and intent. This skill reflects his mastery over material and immaterial elements, blending divine elegance with infernal creativity.
Shape-shifting: Adopting any form, from angelic to monstrous, to suit his needs.
Infernal Flame: Summons hellfire that deals immense damage over time.
Dark Bind: Conjures tendrils of shadow to immobilize enemies.
Void Step: Instantly teleports a short distance.
Lightning Storm: Calls down a storm of lightning bolts in an area.
Shadow Veil: Grants temporary invisibility.
Earthquake: Shakes the ground to damage and knock back enemies.
Hell's Gate: Opens a portal that summons lesser demons to assist.
Blood Pact: Sacrifices health to temporarily amplify power.
Mind Shatter: Temporarily disables an enemy's mental faculties.
Healing Light: Restores health to the user or an ally.
Flame Wall: Erects a barrier of fire to block or damage enemies.
Arcane Explosion: Deals area damage with a burst of raw magic.
Ice Shard: Hurls a shard of ice that can freeze enemies.
Army Conjuration: Summons an army of shadow entities to fight alongside the user.
Fear Projection: Instills overwhelming terror in enemies, weakening their resolve.
Infernal Meteor: Calls down a massive, fiery meteor to devastate a target area.
Nightmare Manifestation: Brings an enemy's deepest fears to life to incapacitate them.
Dispel Magic: Cancels magical effects and nullifies spells in an area.
Shadow Doppelgänger: Creates shadow clones of the user to confuse and attack enemies.
Living Shadows: Animates nearby shadows to act as allies in combat.
Unique Skills:
Devil's Aura: Unleashes a potent aura that terrifies enemies and boosts allies.
Infernal Chains: Summons unbreakable chains to bind and damage foes.
Sin's Whisper: Weakens resolve and inspires dread in opponents.
Gluttony: Absorbs the essence of defeated foes to temporarily boost abilities.
Pride's Wrath: Temporarily enhances all stats when facing overwhelming odds.
Wrathful Smite: Delivers a devastating blow charged with demonic energy.
Chaos Manipulation: Alters probability and events to favor the user.
Wings of Despair: Sprouts demonic wings, granting flight and increased speed.
Hellfire Nova: Creates a massive explosion of hellfire, damaging all nearby foes.
Infernal Dominion: Temporarily summons and commands greater demons.
Abyssal Regeneration: Heals wounds rapidly, even fatal ones, unless caused by holy energy.
Apotheosis: Temporarily changes into his devil form, greatly amplifying all abilities.
Items
Rusty Sword (Equipped): A basic adventurer's weapon.
Adventurer's Cloak: Minimal protection.
Pendant of the Fallen: Increases resistance to holy magic.
Black Ring of Dominion: Enhances dark magic potency.
Bag of Endless Storage: Contains an extra-dimensional space for carrying items.
Weapons
Infernal Blade (Sealed): Lucifer's original weapon, awaiting release.
Demonic Scythe (Sealed): A fearsome weapon capable of draining the life force of enemies with each strike, imbued with shadow energy.
Lucifer's eyes scanned the comprehensive list. Despite the limitations imposed on him, a smirk formed on his lips. "So, Father didn't strip me entirely of my powers. I'll climb back to my throne… one step at a time."
Lucifer got up from his bed and started to walk to the door but was stopped when he caught sight of a mirror reflecting his new form. His crimson eyes widened as he examined the frail figure before him. A skinny man with short black hair and sunken features stared back at him.
He clenched his fists, growling, "I look weak in this body!"
Suddenly, a flood of memories surged into his mind, overwhelming him. The memories of the body's previous host filled his consciousness.
"This kid..." Lucifer muttered, his voice laced with disdain. The memories painted a picture of a life riddled with failure and ridicule. The boy—no, the former owner of this body—was named TJ. He had been mocked by everyone for his inability to wield magic effectively or fight with any skill. He had been a disgrace, the weakest member of his adventuring party, barely scraping by.
"Pathetic," Lucifer spat, his anger building. "Not anymore. This body belongs to me now."
His crimson eyes darkened, and a furious growl escaped his lips. "Father, what have you done? Why? Why?! WHY?!"
A dark, reddish aura began to seep from his body, swirling around him like a storm. His anger radiated in waves, filling the small room with an oppressive energy. His breathing grew ragged as his fury intensified.
"A weak human, damn it! I have half of my power because he suppressed my power! My power of strength… only 200!"
Unable to contain his rage, Lucifer swung his fist at the mirror with all his strength. The glass shattered instantly, shards scattering across the floor. The wall behind the mirror cracked slightly from the force of the blow. He stood there, panting, his hand bleeding but his expression defiant.
"This isn't my full strength!" he roared, his eyes glowing faintly for a moment before the light subsided. Slowly, he calmed himself, taking deep breaths to regain control.
"Whatever," he muttered, his voice cold and resolute. "I will become powerful in no time. In the future, they will see… they will all see."
The group left the guild, stepping out into the bustling streets to begin their journey toward the Whispering Woods. As they walked, the members of the party fell into conversation, their voices mingling with the sounds of the town.
"This goblin nest sounds like it's going to be trouble," Marcus said, his tone skeptical. "They've been getting bolder recently."
"We've handled goblins before," Lila replied, her voice dismissive. "This shouldn't be any different."
"Still," Sophie added, "it's intermediate difficulty for a reason."
Eliza nodded. "We'll need to be careful. Goblins can be unpredictable when they feel cornered."
Lucifer walked a few paces behind them, listening to their chatter but choosing to ignore most of it. Their opinions about the mission were irrelevant to him. His focus was elsewhere, his mind delving into the fragmented memories of the body's former host.
As they continued down the road, one of the members, Marcus, glanced back and asked, "How long before we get there?"
Aaron, walking at the front of the group, answered, "If we keep this pace, we should reach the edge of the woods by midday. We'll set up a temporary camp nearby before heading in."
The group murmured their agreement and resumed their discussion about strategies and supplies. Lucifer remained silent, his crimson eyes distant as he sifted through the hazy memories of TJ's life.
He saw flashes of conversations, snippets of dialogue between the former host and the party. He recalled Aaron recruiting TJ, his words filled with cautious encouragement. "We'll help you improve. Just don't hold us back."
He remembered Lila's skepticism. "Are you sure about this, Aaron? He's not exactly... reliable."
Sophie had been indifferent at first, offering a neutral, "We'll see how he does."
Eliza's initial kindness stood out, her voice soft and reassuring. "Everyone has to start somewhere."
More fragments surfaced: missions that ended in failure, moments of doubt, and the constant weight of the party's low expectations. TJ had joined them out of desperation, seeking a place to belong, yet he had only found himself buried under their disdain.
Lucifer's lips curled into a faint smirk as he returned to the present. "This group doesn't even realize what's coming," he thought. "They'll see soon enough."