I stood on the rooftop of the towering skyscraper, my body still humming with the aftermath of the battle. The dust of the fallen Alpha Nightcreature hung in the air like a dark memory.
I opened my eyes to the System's notification that now flashed before me, a satisfying tingle of accomplishment sweeping through me.
---
[Congratulations! You have defeated the Alpha Nightcreature in its evolved state.]
[Bonus Reward Granted: Black Heart of the Evolved Alpha Nightcreature]
[This heart will be implanted in your right side as your second heart, increasing your stats and sharpening your instincts.]
---
"So, this is the price of power," I muttered, my voice low, a grin spreading across my face. "God himself is giving me a boost in my abilities…"
The Black Heart of the creature—its once-glowing core—lay before me, pulsating with an otherworldly energy. The moment I looked at it, a powerful surge of strength seemed to radiate from it.
I felt a surge of pride swelling in my chest. "There's nothing more I need."
Then, the System chimed in once more.
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[Would you like to implant the Black Heart into your body? This will permanently bond it to you and grant significant boosts in your stats and combat abilities.]
---
Without a second thought, my hand shot out, gripping the Black Heart with intent. "Implant it. Now."
No notification popped up. No pause. No hesitation. Just pure, raw determination.
I felt the dark essence of the heart pulse in my palm, its power already eager to merge with me. Slowly, I pressed it into my right side, just below my ribs. The skin sizzled as the heart began to meld with my body.
The pain was unimaginable.
"Arghh!!" I screamed, my voice ripping through the silence as I fell to my knees. Every nerve in my body was on fire—burning, twisting, as though the heart was rewiring my very existence.
For what felt like an eternity, my entire being was consumed by agonizing heat—my muscles spasmed, my body contorted in pain. It felt like I was being torn apart and remade at the same time.
But then, suddenly… it stopped.
The world paused.
I gasped for air, my breath ragged as I struggled to recover. Then, something extraordinary happened.
My heart… beat twice.
Thump. Thump.
Two heartbeats, synchronized, pulsing in harmony. One, my own, and the other—the heart of the Alpha—now embedded in me.
I could feel the power surging through me, my senses sharpening beyond anything I had felt before.
I stood up slowly, my body feeling invincible. "This…" I whispered to myself, looking down at my now-steadfast right side. "This is the feeling I wanted."
My eyes glowed brighter, the strength coursing through my veins making me feel like I was untouchable.
I flexed my hands, feeling the muscles rippling with new strength. A new, potent energy ran through me, more intense than anything I'd ever felt, even in my second life as the Heavenly Demon.
With a wild smirk, I glanced down at the ruined city below. "I've never felt this alive," I murmured, my voice dark and full of power.
I could sense everything, every movement around me, every shift in the wind. My instincts were razor-sharp, my body ready to tear apart anything in my path.
The Black Heart had bonded with me, and now I was no longer just Samuel Gebb. I was something greater, more powerful, more dangerous.
"What's next?" I asked, a wicked grin spreading across my face. "This world won't know what hit it."
I stood there, my mind racing with the raw power coursing through me. The Black Heart had merged with my body, and I could feel its effects pulsing through every fiber of my being.
It wasn't just the physical strength, but the sharpness of my instincts, the intelligence that now seemed to flow through my thoughts. Everything felt sharpened, enhanced, and uncontrollable.
I had to know. How much had I truly changed?
"System, show me my stats."
The familiar blue screen flickered into existence before me, glowing with a newfound intensity. My heart raced as I prepared to see the results of everything I'd just experienced.
---
[Status Window]
Name: Samuel Gebb
Possessed By: Heavenly Demon
Level: 45 (+10 from defeating Alpha Nightcreature, +5 by implanting Black Heart)
Strength: 159 (+35 from Black Heart)
Agility: 145 (+20 from Black Heart)
Endurance: 150 (+40 from Black Heart)
Intelligence: 180 (+30 from Black Heart)
Charisma: 140 (+20 from Black Heart)
---
I couldn't help but smirk, my eyes gleaming with the satisfaction of seeing those numbers.
"Incredible."
The boost was astronomical, far beyond what I had anticipated. My strength had nearly doubled, and my agility and endurance were off the charts. Intelligence at 180, the highest it had ever been. Charisma was at 140, a reflection of how far my influence had grown, how much control I now had over those around me.
Unstoppable, Unstoppable Power
I looked down at my hands, clenching my fists as I felt the raw power surging through me. I felt as though I could crush stone with a single blow, move at the speed of light, and endure anything that came my way.
This wasn't just a boost—this was transcendence.
I could feel it—the blood of the Alpha coursing through my veins, the heart of destruction that had now become part of me. My body was no longer Samuel Gebb, the man I used to be. No, I was something far greater, something that even the gods themselves would fear.
"This is it," I muttered, my voice low and full of menace. "This is the power of the Heavenly Demon. The strength that no one can stand against."
I laughed, the sound echoing through the empty room, feeling the dark energy building around me. I was no longer tied to anyone, no longer shackled by the past.
"What will you do now, Abigail?" I said with a grin. "You wanted me to suffer. But you never knew what it would take to truly make me suffer… or perhaps, it was your own undoing."
I raised my hand to the sky, feeling the power surging within me. The Black Heart was no longer just a physical implant—it was a part of me, and the potential was limitless.
"Now, the real fun begins," I muttered under my breath, a dangerous smile playing on my lips. "Let's see how long the world lasts before it collapses under my will."
The more I trained, the stronger I grew. The more I fought, the closer I got to perfection. But the road was only just beginning, and I was ready to walk it alone, no longer bound by the chains of weakness or sympathy.
The city, the world, they were all just pawns in the game I was about to play. And I, Samuel Gebb, the Heavenly Demon, was ready to take control.