The Black Hollow Industrial District was a wasteland of rusted metal and abandoned factories, the air thick with the scent of oil and decay. The perfect battlefield.
As I walked toward the center of the desolate area, my body tingled with anticipation. My fight was near.
The wind howled, a sudden pressure filling the air as the sky above darkened unnaturally. The world seemed to hold its breath—then, a portal of pure darkness split the space before me.
A low, guttural growl echoed from the void.
Then, he emerged.
A towering figure, 15 feet tall, his skin like obsidian stone, covered in crimson runes that pulsed like living veins. His wings stretched wide, tattered and massive, his clawed hands flexing as if eager to rip flesh apart.
His eyes—burning like molten fire—locked onto me.
"So… you are the one who has been causing trouble in my domain," the demon rumbled, his voice shaking the very air around us. "Samuel Gebb… no… I can sense it. You are something more. Something ancient."
I grinned, rolling my shoulders. "Took you long enough to show up. I was starting to think you were too scared."
The demon let out a thunderous laugh. "Fear? A mortal dares to mock me? I am Varkos, Warlord of the Abyss. Your soul will be my prize."
I chuckled, my fists clenching as my battle instincts kicked in. "You can try."
The air trembled. The battlefield had been chosen.
It was time to fight.
Varkos moved first, his massive clawed hand swinging down like a falling mountain.
I didn't flinch.
At the last second, I sidestepped, his claws slamming into the ground, sending shockwaves through the concrete. Cracks spread like a spider's web beneath us.
I took advantage of his momentary pause, rushing in with blinding speed.
My fist, reinforced with Ashura Martial Arts, struck his ribs—a sickening crack echoing through the air.
Varkos staggered, but his grin widened. "Not bad… but not enough!"
His wing shot out, a spiked appendage slashing through the air.
I barely dodged, flipping backward as his wingtip sliced through the fabric of my shirt, leaving a shallow cut on my chest.
I touched the wound, looking at the blood on my fingers, then smirked.
"Now we're talking."
---
Unleashing Power – The True Battle Begins
Varkos spread his arms, the crimson runes on his body glowing brighter.
"Kneel before the might of the Abyss!" he roared.
A wave of hellfire erupted from his hands, rushing toward me like a tsunami of pure destruction.
I stood my ground.
Then—I dashed straight into the flames.
The demon's eyes widened.
Through the fire, I emerged. Unburned. Unshaken.
Before he could react, I leaped and drove my heel into his jaw with a devastating Skybreaker Kick.
Varkos' head snapped back, his massive form stumbling, crashing into a rusted tower, collapsing it in the process.
The ground quaked beneath us.
He groaned, rubbing his jaw as he looked at me with newfound respect… and rage.
"You dare?!" he bellowed, his voice shaking the very air.
I cracked my knuckles. "I told you. I'm not just Samuel Gebb."
I let my own aura flare, the air around me distorting with sheer energy.
"I am the Heavenly Demon. And you…" I smirked, taking a fighting stance. "You're just my next warm-up."
Varkos roared, the battlefield trembling with his fury.
The Black Hollow Industrial District was no longer just a battlefield—it was a warzone. The moment I unleashed my full strength, the very air around us distorted. The ground cracked and crumbled beneath our feet as my energy clashed against Varkos' demonic aura.
"Enough playing around!" Varkos roared, his voice a demonic growl that shook the buildings around us. "I will show you the true power of the Abyss!"
His massive wings spread wide, the red runes on his body blazing like fire. In an instant, he raised his clawed hand, summoning a black spear of pure hellfire. The temperature around us spiked, and the sky itself darkened as if reality itself couldn't withstand his presence.
With a single mighty throw, he launched the spear at me.
The moment it left his hand, the air screamed.
I had milliseconds to react. Instead of dodging, I grinned. "Let's see how strong you really are."
I threw my fist forward, meeting his attack head-on.
BOOOOM!
The impact was catastrophic — the very ground beneath us shattered as a massive explosion erupted, sending waves of energy in all directions. Entire buildings collapsed, and the shockwave ripped apart the metal structures around us like paper.
Smoke and dust filled the air.
But as the dust settled, I was still standing. My knuckles smoked, my shirt was torn, but my grin never faded.
Varkos' eyes widened in disbelief. "Impossible…! You deflected my Abyssal Spear?!"
I rolled my shoulders. "I told you, didn't I? I'm not just some mortal. Now… it's my turn."
I vanished.
Varkos barely had time to react as I reappeared behind him. Before he could turn, I drove my elbow into his spine.
CRACK!
He let out a roar of pain, his massive body lurching forward, but I wasn't done.
I grabbed him by the horns, using his own momentum against him, and swung his massive body through the air—slamming him headfirst into the concrete with a force that sent a shockwave through the city.
BOOM!
The earth split apart, and cracks spread out like a spiderweb. The force of the impact crushed several buildings nearby, their remains tumbling into the gaping abyss I had just created.
But I knew this wasn't enough to put him down.
Sure enough, from the wreckage, a monstrous growl echoed.
Varkos burst from the debris, his demonic form even more enraged. His wounds were healing at an unnatural speed, his eyes now glowing with pure hatred.
"I will tear you apart!" he bellowed.
I smirked. "You can try."
Varkos raised both hands, the ground around us shaking violently as massive pillars of black fire erupted from below, consuming everything in their wake.
The sheer heat alone was enough to melt steel, but I didn't move—I stood in the inferno, my body untouched by the flames.
"You think fire is enough to stop me?" I chuckled.
I lunged through the flames, my fist colliding with his gut with such force that his entire 15-foot body lifted off the ground.
"Guh—!" He spat out black blood, his body hurtling backward, tearing through entire buildings like they were made of glass.
But I wasn't finished.
Before he could land, I appeared above him, raising my leg high before bringing it down in a brutal heel drop straight into his chest.
BOOOOOM!
The impact leveled the entire industrial district, sending a shockwave so powerful that nearby city lights flickered.
Varkos screamed, his body now embedded deep into the earth, but his rage burned hotter than ever.
Through gritted teeth, he growled, "I… will not… lose… to you!".
He thrust his claw forward, and before I could react, his hand pierced through my side, black flames erupting from the wound.
For a moment, the world paused.
The pain was unreal. His claws dug deep into my flesh, and the cursed flames spread through my body like poison.
Varkos grinned, his fangs gleaming with satisfaction. "Did you really think you could fight me without suffering?"
Blood dripped from my mouth, but instead of anger or pain—I started laughing.
A low, dark chuckle that sent shivers through the air.
Varkos' eyes narrowed. "What…? What are you laughing at?!"
I gripped his wrist, my own aura flaring violently, instantly snuffing out the demonic flames in my wound.
"Because, Varkos…" I leaned in close, my eyes glowing with raw power. "I was just about to take this seriously."
A massive surge of energy exploded from my body.
The sky turned crimson. The air itself rippled with power. The very laws of reality began to distort.
"Let me show you why I was called the Heavenly Demon."
With one fluid motion, I ripped his claw out of my body, the wound instantly regenerating.
I grabbed him by the throat and lifted him off the ground, despite his enormous size.
"You talk big, but you forgot one thing…" I said, my voice dripping with dominance.
Varkos struggled, his body trembling. "What… what are you—?!"
I smirked. "You're in MY world now."
Then, with a single devastating punch, I obliterated his chest, sending a shockwave so powerful it split the very clouds above us.
Varkos' body convulsed. His eyes widened in sheer horror.
He realized it too late.
He had never stood a chance.
His body collapsed, and with one final howl of agony, he crumbled into ash.
The battlefield was silent. The war was over.
I stood over the remains, rolling my shoulders, my body still crackling with energy.
"Not bad," I muttered, wiping blood from my lips. "But not good enough."
[High-Ranking Demon Eliminated]
[Quest Completed: Defeat the High-Ranking Demon]
[Rewards: +15 Strength, +10 Endurance, Hidden Skill Unlocked]
I glanced up at the now-clear sky, taking a deep breath.
"Alright. What's next?"