Stepping out of the Grimstone Morgue, I inhaled deeply, letting the crisp morning air wash over me. The scent of death and blood still clung to my clothes, but I ignored it. My mind was already moving forward.
I tilted my head back, eyes fixed on the clear blue sky. The calm before the storm.
"System, how much time until the High-Ranking Demon appears?"
A familiar blue screen blinked into existence before me.
[Time Remaining: 13 Hours]
A smirk tugged at my lips. "Thirteen hours, huh? Enough time to prepare… or to kill some time."
I rolled my shoulders, stretching out the stiffness from the recent fight. A High-Ranking Demon wasn't something to take lightly. Unlike the creatures I had faced so far, this was going to be a real challenge.
I lowered my gaze and asked the next question. "Where's the venue?"
[Location: Black Hollow Industrial District]
Coordinates set.
Estimated danger level: S-Class.
I let out a low whistle. "Black Hollow, huh? Not a bad place for a fight."
The Industrial District had long been abandoned—a wasteland of rusted buildings, broken-down factories, and empty warehouses. It was a place where no one would hear the screams, where no one would interfere.
"Smart choice, Demon," I muttered under my breath. "Too bad you don't realize you picked the perfect graveyard for yourself."
I slipped my hands into my pockets, considering my next move.
Thirteen hours was a long time. Too long to just sit around waiting.
I needed to make sure I was in peak condition before the fight.
Strategizing – What's Next?
I pulled up my Status Window, quickly reviewing my stats.
[Status Window]
Name: Samuel Gebb
Possessed By: Heavenly Demon
Level: 36 (Slight increase after recent battles)
Strength: 127 (+7 from Whispering Corpse)
Agility: 110
Endurance: 105
Intelligence: 130
Charisma: 102
Abilities Unlocked:
Ashura Martial Arts (Advanced) – Strength grows with willpower.
Shadow Walk (Upgraded) – Allows short-distance teleportation in shadows.
Combat Adaptation (Upgraded) – Instantly adjusts fighting style mid-battle.
Unshakable Will – Immune to emotional manipulation.
Eyes of the Eagle – Enhanced vision and movement prediction.
Night Predator – Increased damage against Nightcreatures, heightened stealth.
I nodded to myself. "Good. My stats are high enough to handle whatever's coming."
Now the real question was—how should I use these 13 hours?
I had three options:
1. Scout the Black Hollow Industrial District ahead of time – If the demon chose that place, there was a reason. Maybe there was something hidden there that I could use against it.
2. Train to refine my abilities – I was stronger than before, but my newly acquired abilities needed some testing. A single misstep against a High-Ranking Demon could be deadly.
3. Gather intel – If this demon was making an appearance, then someone had to know why. High-Ranking demons weren't just mindless monsters—they had motives.
I exhaled, letting out a short chuckle.
"Decisions, decisions."
I walked down the familiar streets of the city, my thoughts still lingering on the recent battles I had fought. As I moved through the crowd, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was about to unfold.
Then, I heard it. Voices raised in argument.
I turned the corner and saw Joshua and Joanna, standing near a café, arguing. They didn't notice me at first, but I caught snippets of their conversation.
"Come on, Joshua, what's taking you so long?" Joanna snapped, her voice dripping with impatience. "Why is Abigail still not pregnant with your child? Once you both have a child, then Samuel won't have another choice but to leave you."
I couldn't help but smirk. I recognized this moment from the novel—Joshua and Joanna, plotting against Samuel. This was the kind of petty manipulation I had grown used to in their world. They never had the decency to leave people in peace.
But it didn't matter to me. I was beyond this. Still, it was too good of an opportunity to pass up.
I tried to walk past them, but Joshua spotted me. His voice rang out, mocking.
"Well, if it isn't Mr. Gebb. What a coincidence."
I stopped in my tracks, turning to face them. My eyes gleamed with amusement as I shrugged.
"Just killing some time."
Before I could walk away, Joanna stepped forward, her expression full of disdain.
"Leave Abigail," she said sharply, "because you're not worthy of her. My brother Joshua is much more suitable for her."
I chuckled darkly, shaking my head.
"Hahaha, interesting," I said, the mocking tone laced in my voice. "Abigail and Joshua went to Bardot Hotel last time, right? And your brother can't even manage to get her pregnant? What a useless person he is."
Both of them froze, their expressions hardening. It was clear they weren't expecting such a blunt remark.
I took a step closer to Joshua, my gaze unwavering. "I'm not the one refusing to divorce her," I continued. "And you both know that. She's holding onto me, not because she wants me, but because she can't be honest with herself. More than you, I want this messed-up relationship to end."
Joshua opened his mouth to respond, but I cut him off.
"You want her, Joshua? Fine. You go ahead and convince her to divorce me. Or do whatever you want. Just leave me out of it," I said coldly, "because unlike you two, I have real work to do."
Joanna stepped forward, her eyes flashing with anger. "Like you're telling the truth? Everyone in this country knows how you've been acting as Abigail's lapdog."
I couldn't help but laugh. Her words only fueled my amusement. "Then go ahead and ask her. But I know you're too afraid to go in front of her."
Joanna was speechless, her face turning red with frustration. "You—!" she started, but I didn't wait for her to finish.
I turned around and started to walk away, but not before throwing one last remark over my shoulder. "Don't act so high and mighty. If you were so sure of your position, you'd be talking to her right now instead of wasting your time with me."
As I walked further down the street, I spotted Abigail at the corner. Her figure was unmistakable. I could see her staring at me from a distance, likely waiting to confront me.
I wasn't in the mood for another one of her egotistical demands. She could try to control me, but I wasn't playing her game anymore.
Sure enough, she started walking toward me, her heels clicking on the pavement.
When she was close enough, she stopped in front of me, her voice dripping with that familiar authority. "Get in the car, Samuel."
I met her gaze, not a hint of emotion in my eyes. "Hell no," I said bluntly. "I've got other things to do."
Her face tightened, but she didn't say anything more. Instead, she just watched me for a moment, her eyes searching for some sign of compliance. But there was none.
I turned away, leaving her standing there. "Figure it out yourself, Abigail. You've already made your choices."
As I walked away, I felt a small sense of satisfaction. The tension in the air between Abigail and I was finally shifting. This time, she wouldn't control me. This time, I had the upper hand.