I stood there, looking at the list of available quests. The tension in the air thickened, and I couldn't shake off the feeling that something bigger was waiting for me.
The Demon King was watching, and that meant my time was limited. Still, the Black Market Cultists sounded like an immediate threat—artifacts that could destabilize the entire Demon Realm were not something to be left unchecked.
I took a deep breath and spoke, "System, activate The Black Market Cultists."
The system beeped, confirming the selection.
----
[QUEST ACTIVATED: The Black Market Cultists]
Objective: Investigate the black market sect and eliminate the cult leaders.
Reward: +10 Strength, +8 Intelligence, Artifact Destruction Mastery.
----
The location for the cult was a remote underwater lair, hidden beneath a dark, jagged rock formation. The idea of battling beneath the ocean didn't sit well with me, but the urgency of the task overpowered my doubts.
"Let's get this over with."
I activated Void Step and instantly vanished, appearing in the dark, murky waters. My Heavenly Demon senses adjusted to the surroundings, and soon I was walking on the sea floor, moving like a shadow, undetectable by the cultists.
As I approached the lair, I could hear faint whispers—ritualistic chants in a language I hadn't heard in centuries. The closer I got, the more the water seemed to stiffen, as if something unnatural was brewing.
I void-stepped again, reappearing at the entrance to a vast cave that stretched far into the darkness. The sound of chanting grew louder, and the smell of blood and incense hit me like a wall.
"I'll make this quick," I muttered, drawing both of my Desert Eagles. "Time to clean house."
I took a deep breath before I kicked down the entrance, causing a huge crack in the stone door, and rushed in. Immediately, I was met with a group of cultists, their eyes glowing with dark energy, their bodies twisted with forbidden magic.
One of them, a tall figure clad in ritualistic armor, stepped forward. His eyes locked onto mine with a wicked grin.
"So, you're the one they sent to stop us?" he sneered. "We are the harbingers of a new age. You can't stop what's already been set into motion."
I didn't answer him. I raised both my guns and fired two precise shots straight into his chest, the force of the impact sending him crashing against the stone wall.
"Yeah, that's the thing about 'new ages,'" I said, stepping over his body as the other cultists moved to surround me.
The air around me began to distort as the cultists activated their dark powers. I could feel their magic thickening in the air—but it didn't matter.
I dashed forward, my fists glowing with pure destructive energy. I slammed into the first cultist, sending his body crashing into a group of his comrades.
With a flash of movement, I spun around, kicking the nearest one in the face, the force of my blow enough to shatter his skull.
The remaining cultists tried to respond, but they were too slow. I was already behind one of them, my fist buried in his back, sending shockwaves through his body.
I grabbed his body, using him as a shield while I fired off precise shots, obliterating the remaining cultists who were trying to summon more dark energy.
Then, from the shadows, another figure appeared—the cult leader. He wore a long black robe adorned with dark symbols, and his eyes gleamed with the power of the forbidden magic he wielded.
"Impressive," the leader said, his voice laced with mockery. "But you've come all this way for nothing. I have already bound the forbidden artifact to my will. You will be nothing but ash once I unleash it."
I looked at him, eyes narrowing.
"I've heard enough of your nonsense," I said coldly. "Let's see what happens when I shatter that little toy of yours."
Before he could react, I launched into a flurry of strikes, my fists glowing with destruction. I broke through his defenses with ease, each hit creating shockwaves in the air.
The cult leader summoned a dark shield, but it shattered under the force of my punches. He tried to escape, but I teleported behind him with Void Step, landing a crushing blow to his ribs.
"You're too slow," I muttered.
With a final, devastating strike, I crushed his chest, sending him flying backward, lifeless.
The cave began to collapse around me as the magic holding it together crumbled under the strain of the battle. The ocean around me rippled, and the dark aura of the cult dissipated.
I stepped over the wreckage, looking at the destroyed artifact in the center of the cave. It was nothing more than a worthless trinket, easily shattered by my power.
"That's that."
The system beeped again, and the notification appeared.
----
[QUEST COMPLETE: The Black Market Cultists]
Rewards Unlocked:
+10 Strength
+8 Intelligence
Artifact Destruction Mastery
----
I didn't need to stay. The task was complete, and the cult was no more.
I Void-Stepped out of the collapsing cave, back to the surface, leaving behind the wreckage of the Black Market Cultists and their broken dreams of power.
"Now, to deal with bigger problems."
I smiled as I prepared for the next challenge.