White flames consumed the battlefield in purifying fire. Shaman could feel the turbulence in the air and the shrieks that tore from the heavens and earth. He turned to look back. Perhaps because he was inside the Demiurge Slime, he now shared its perception.

  From the Demiurge's perspective, what it saw transcended dimensional boundaries—something a lowly being like Shaman could never grasp.

  The young man Shaman had believed to be human was burning, not just physically but down to the level of the soul. His very essence was transformed into a blazing mass of white-hot energy, incinerating everything—even air and time itself. The shrieking of friction from ever-rising power made Shaman acutely aware of heat and spiritual force that could effortlessly obliterate his soul.

  Shaman could no longer perceive a body, face, or any human characteristics—only twin eyes, gold and silver, swirling with daffodil patterns. But the moment he gazed into those eyes, his perception of reality inverted.

  Countless other eyes were hidden within those irises, shifting and multiplying without end.

  Only then did Shaman understand what it truly meant to touch the forbidden.

  BOOM!!!!!

  White flame launched from the Reaper’s scythe like a beam cannon, incinerating all matter. It struck the rotting flesh-tree resisting its destruction. Tendrils lashed out to deflect, only to be instantly reduced to ash.

  The Demiurge Slime was blasted out of the Curse Prison. Ground and grass melted under the heat. Its skin charred, blood and mucus vaporized. It struggled to regenerate, but the rate of burning far exceeded it.

  ‘Hot… help me… I don’t want to die…’ In his final moments, Shaman thought of his family—the only precious thing in his life.

  ‘I’m sorry.’ Shaman accepted death without resistance. Perhaps this was a fitting end. Twenty years spent in sorcery, desperately chasing resurrection, only to die beside the very monstrosity he summoned.

  BANG!

  The impact launched the Demiurge Slime into the heart of the graveyard. The magical field shattered like glass under a bullet. The build-up of power erupted in one final discharge. The explosion shook Ona-Caster, kilometers away. Heatwaves scorched the barren forest.

  [You have acquired the soul of Dark Mage Shaman Rean – Purple Grade.]

  [You have successfully slain a Dark Mage. As the Lord of Dark Arts, you receive one of their specialized talents: New Talent Acquired – [Soul Fusion].]

  [You have slain a Dark Realm entity: Demiurge Slime. Warning: Eternal Realm’s level is too low to absorb dark realm souls. Soul split initiated. You receive: Red Soul Fragment +10, Demiurge Slime Core x1, Dark Realm Skill Tome x1, Eldritch Wisdom Paper x1.]

  [Due to your Blessing, all Dark Realm experience/item drops are doubled: Red Soul Fragment +20, Demiurge Slime Core x2, Dark Realm Skill Tome x2, Eldritch Wisdom Paper x2.]

  [You have completed the quest: Eliminate the Origin of Life and Calamity. Reward: 100 Soul Coins, Key to Dark Realm Dungeon, Special Building – Dark Dungeon, 1-Year Tax Card x1, Rare Skill Tome x1.]

  [Congratulations! You have leveled up!] x5

  Experience surged. Fethan’s level soared to 40 in an instant. In addition to Intelligence capped at 100, all stats—Strength, Agility, Perception, Endurance—increased by 10. He was no longer the same Fethan Bloodstar.

  Reverse Curse Magic restored his fire-scorched body. His eyes blurred from exhaustion, but no matter how much time passed, he would always remember this battle.

  A fight where he gave everything.

  From an E-rank mage who couldn’t even raise his power, to a Dark Magus who killed a being from another world.

  Too bad no one else witnessed it. Otherwise, he’d go down in history as the youngest human to kill a Dark Realm entity alone. But Fethan felt no joy. His eyes were empty—he had lost nearly everything.

  He looked up, to where they were still watching him.

  ‘If I kill them… can I get back what I lost? No… impossible.’

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  Fethan stepped from the burning forest. The demonic sigil in the sky faded—captured by countless civilians. Questions spread: what did the sigil of the Dark Magus mean? Only those from the Eternal Realm recognized it: the eighth symbol on Fethan’s castle.

  A black daffodil.

  Demon Slayers mobilized to secure the site. They braved the forest fire to preserve evidence. Shiel and his team were dispatched.

  A black-haired man in a black uniform with cherry-red eyes joined a tall, blonde woman in white. They gathered clues, returning with many findings.

  “There are signs of combat—over a hundred creatures. Mostly four-legged wolves and rodent-types. Nine human footprints,” Shiel reported.

  “I found evidence of ritual sorcery. Judging by spiritual fluctuations, there were only two dark mages,” said Monica, her usual smile gone. The crime scene left no room for optimism.

  “Just two people caused this and dragged a whole city into it? Look what I found—this is Demiurge Slime.” A short woman held a preserved tendril.

  “Most Dark Realm creatures have tendrils, but only Demiurge Slime has plant-based ones. One of the two summoned it.” Juka was emotionless. She had always wanted to study Demiurge Slime cells—but now that it had actually been summoned here, on her turf, she couldn’t even smile.

  “My head hurts. You all don’t get it—Demiurge Slime is scary, sure. But whoever killed it is way scarier. Look—these remains? It got obliterated.” Roger, the bald Slayer, gestured to the wreckage.

  “Roger, don’t say ‘obliterated’ in front of the ladies,” Juka retorted.

  “Who cares? It really was obliterated.”

  “Can you two shut up and finish the case summary?” came Shiel’s icy voice. The chatter ceased. He was under pressure from above—to confirm if the Dark Magus had emerged.

  “Monica, your thoughts?”

  As a holy mage, Monica had a keen sense for strange energy. She closed her eyes and scanned the area. The more she searched, the worse her face looked.

  “I found traces of a Dark Realm deity. They didn’t just send a monster—they watched us directly. The last time I sensed something this powerful was when Father took me to see Gamo’s battlefield.”

  “That’s the last thing I wanted to hear,” Roger muttered. This was beyond what low-level agents should even know.

  “So it’s true, huh? A new Dark Magus emerged here. In our city.”

  “Stop talking, Juka! I’m filing for a transfer. I just bought a house—will it even sell?!” Roger panicked.

  “Don’t lose your mind, Roger. You’re embarrassing.” Juka looked at him with disdain.

  “That’s the Dark Magus! What if he’s stronger than Gamo?!”

  “If so—I’ll take his head.”

  Everyone turned to Shiel, stunned by his killing intent.

  “Gamo lived in a time before me. But whoever the new Magus is—I’ll be the one to end them.”

  “Whoa. Boss, you’re badass,” Roger said, humbled. He shelved his house-sale plans for now. After all, they had Shiel Sterling.

  ‘Dark Magus or not—we’ll bring him down.’

  “Collect evidence and return to HQ,” Shiel ordered. Everyone fanned out. But no matter how hard they searched, they found no clue to identify the new Magus.

  As soon as Fethan stepped into the Eternal Realm, he sprinted toward the castle. Hellhounds and Death Rats parted to let him pass. He burst through the door and found Stella—green and still as a corpse. Lumi sat curled beside her, looking up as he ran in.

  “Azrael, bring her soul.”

  The Reaper obeyed, retrieving Stella’s soul and offering it like a sacred relic. Fethan held it gently—like a yolk wrapped in gelatin. He pressed it back into her body and placed his hand over her heart.

  “Reverse Curse Magic.”

  He closed his eyes. A warm power, left behind by Sabina, flowed through him. It wasn’t basic reversal—but the ultimate form. Her lifeless body regained color. Her labored breaths steadied. Fethan exhaled—but didn’t relax.

  “Azrael, scan her for abnormalities.”

  The Reaper moved close.

  {Your spell succeeded. But her soul is contaminated by Dark Realm energy. Though you intercepted it, some corruption remains.}

  “...”

  Azrael began to sweat. Fethan’s eyes were colder than ever. The innocent boy from Hollow Gate was gone.

  “Will it be serious?”

  {There will be effects, but with your power, you should suppress them. I believe she’ll recover with care.} Azrael scribbled quickly. Fethan sighed. For now, it was manageable.

  Lumi dragged him into a side room. Her lips trembled, eyes full of unspoken emotions. Anger. Grief. Fear. All she wanted was to hold him.

  “You idiot! Why’d you send me away? What if you died?! I’m the one who’s already dead—I don’t matter. But if you died… I wouldn’t survive.” Her shoulders shook.

  Immortality in the Eternal Realm meant nothing without him.

  Fethan’s brow relaxed as she hugged him. A fragment of warmth touched his hollow heart. He hesitantly laid his hand on her back and whispered:

  “Lumi… I can’t lose you.”

  “Never again, okay? Promise you won’t leave me.”

  She didn’t care about life or death—only that he was with her. She looked up, noticing something different. Women sensed when their men changed.

  Her delicate hand touched his chest. Their spirits linked briefly. She wept.

  “Where was our first date?” she asked through tears.

  “The flea market near my place. I bought you that dumb lizard doll. You surprised me with a birthday cake—but got the date wrong.”

  He remembered it easily. The Flame God hadn’t stolen the memory.

  But it had stolen all the emotion tied to it.

  He remembered—but felt nothing. Those precious, beautiful memories were just facts now.

  He had thought the god would take his memories, his soul. But what it stole… was all the joy.

  His mind was empty. No trace of life or happiness. Only one drive remained:

  To live—and protect those who still mattered.

  “It’s okay. I’ll help you. Let’s make new memories. Forget the painful past and start again. If you don’t love me anymore… I’ll make you fall for me again.”

  Lumi smiled—bright and bitter.

  Fethan’s hollow heart couldn’t feel her warmth. But her tears still fell.

  And the one who grieved most…

  Was the man who’d lost all joy to a demon god.

  She vowed to never leave him—to guide him back to a life filled with love and light.