The field stretched wide under the night sky. Valen walked alongside Kaelion, his boots pressing into the ashen soil with each step.

  Kaelion came to a stop and pulled a small vial from his belt. With a sharp twist, he uncorked it, releasing the thick, metallic scent of blood. Tilting the vial, he poured its contents onto the ground, dragging the liquid in sweeping arcs. The dark red lines curled and wove together, forming a magic circle.

  Valen stepped inside, his fingers tightening around the primordial crystal. He inhaled deeply, centering himself, then raised the crystal to his chest.

  "O force beyond time, O echo of the void—hear me. Through the blood that binds, through the stone that endures, through the will that bends all—awaken, Heavenly Demon Class."

  The moment the last word left his lips, the circle reacted. The blood darkened, sinking into the earth as if claimed by something unseen.

  A thin thread of rainbow light rose from the ground, twisting upward before sinking into the crystal. The moment it touched, the crystal flared to life, its surface now glowing with a deep, shifting radiance.

  Valen's breath hitched. His fingers trembled slightly as he stared at the crystal, then his lips curled into a grin. It worked. He succeeded.

  Kaelion watched in silence before speaking, his voice calm but firm. "Do it. Become the Heavenly Demon, my master."

  Valen met his gaze and nodded. Without hesitation, he parted his lips. The crystal pulsed, and a wisp of rainbow mist drifted from it, curling in the air before seeping into his mouth. A warmth spread through him, growing stronger with each breath. He continued, drawing in every last wisp until the crystal dulled. Empty. Useless.

  As soon as the sensation hit him, he tossed the crystal aside. His heart pounded. His body burned, but it wasn’t pain—it was power.

  A system window flashed before his eyes.

  [You have absorbed the Heavenly Demon class.]

  [Advancing to Expert Class.]

  Then, his aura erupted. A pillar of energy shot into the sky, tearing through the air like a beacon. The heavens trembled. And then—something descended.

  A figure loomed above, massive and otherworldly. A giant humanoid with angelic wings stretched wide, yet two curved horns crowned its head like a devil. Its presence was overwhelming, suffocating, divine and unholy at once.

  The Heavenly Demon.

  It gazed down at him, then without warning, its towering form shrank. The wings folded, the horns gleamed, and in a blink, it surged forward—straight into Valen’s body.

  Valen blinked—and suddenly, everything changed. The world around him faded into an endless white void, stretching infinitely in all directions. No sky, no ground, just an empty expanse of pure light.

  Before him stood a figure so radiant it was almost blinding. The sheer presence of it pressed against his very soul. Instinctively, Valen straightened. "Who are you?" he asked.

  The figure’s brilliance pulsed, and a deep, resonant voice answered, "I am Tyras, the first Heavenly Demon."

  Valen’s breath caught. Without hesitation, he dropped to one knee, bowing his head. "First Heavenly Demon…"

  Tyras raised a hand. "Stand," he said. "Every Heavenly Demon is equal."

  Valen hesitated before slowly rising to his feet. His lips parted, a whisper escaping before he could stop himself. "I am equal… to the Archdemon Tyras?"

  Tyras let out a low chuckle. "Don’t let that thought get to your head," he said. "The title alone means nothing. The other demons won’t acknowledge you just because of it. If you want their respect—if you want true power—you must become stronger."

  Valen clenched his fists. He could feel it, the weight of this name, this legacy. A title alone would not make him feared. Strength would. He lifted his gaze, determination burning in his eyes. "I will," he vowed. "I’ll become stronger—strong enough to be worthy of this status."

  A system notification appeared.

  [You have successfully advanced into the Heavenly Demon class.]

  [Name: Valen Valehn

  Class: Heavenly Demon

  Level: 21]

  [Heavenly Demon Class Abilities

  Name: Demonic Ascension

  Grade: Rare (Originally Myth)

  Description: Temporarily enhances all physical and magical abilities, granting increased strength, speed, and mana regeneration. While active, the user emits an overwhelming aura that suppresses weaker beings.

  Name: Heaven's Wrath (Sealed)

  Grade: Myth

  Description: Calls down a storm of divine and demonic energy, dealing massive area damage. This attack ignores conventional defenses and weakens enemies caught within its radius.

  Name: Infernal Dominion (Sealed)

  Grade: Myth

  Description: Exerts absolute authority over those of lower willpower, forcing them into submission or paralyzing them with fear. Stronger enemies may resist but will still experience a weakening effect.

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  Name: Celestial Demon Body (Sealed)

  Grade: Myth

  Description: Grants an enhanced physique, drastically increasing resilience, stamina, and regeneration. Physical attacks deal reduced damage, and the user can recover from fatal wounds over time.

  Name: Holy-demonic Suppression (Sealed)

  Grade: Myth

  Description: Nullifies both holy and demonic attacks. It can also be used to disrupt enemy spells by destabilizing their mana flow.

  Name: Monarch’s Command (Sealed)

  Grade: Myth

  Description: Empowers the user’s voice with an irresistible force, compelling all who hear it to obey. Requires direct eye contact for full effect, though weaker enemies may submit just from hearing the command.

  Name: Demon God's Descent (Sealed)

  Grade: Myth

  Description: The ultimate ability of the Heavenly Demon, temporarily transforming the user into a higher celestial-demonic form. While active, all abilities are enhanced to their maximum potential, and the user is able to warp reality around them.]

  Valen blinked. The endless white void vanished in an instant, and the world around him snapped back into place. It was as if nothing had changed—yet he could feel it. The weight of Tyras’s words lingered in his mind, pressing against his thoughts.

  The world was normal again, but Valen knew he wasn’t. He had become the Heavenly Demon.

  Kaelion crossed his arms, watching Valen with a smile. "How is it?" he asked.

  Valen exhaled slowly, still absorbing the information of his transformation. The Heavenly Demon Class—its power coursed through him like a storm held in check. He could feel its potential, the sheer depth of what he had gained. When he glanced at his system window, his excitement dimmed slightly. "Not bad. I have unlocked new features in the system. Although, Only one class ability is unlocked for now," he admitted.

  Kaelion raised an eyebrow. "Isn't that bad?"

  Valen shook his head. "No, this is normal," he explained. "The Heavenly Demon is originally a Sixth Class. I’ll unlock the rest as I advance through the ranks. If anything, this is better than absorbing different classes just to evolve—I don’t need to go through that hassle. I just need to level up."

  Kaelion’s lips curled into a smirk. "Then congratulations, my master," he said with a slight bow.

  Valen barely acknowledged it. His gaze drifted to the horizon, his thoughts already elsewhere. Then, a grin crept onto his face. "Only Eryndor is left," he murmured. His fingers twitched, eager to test this new power. "Shall we see what the Heavenly Demon can do… against him?"

  Valen bent his knees slightly—then vanished. In an instant, he was in the air, the wind rushing past him as the ground blurred below. The world streaked by in a flash, and before long, he descended upon the place where Eryndor and Aveline stood.

  The moment they saw him, their stances shifted. They stood on guard, their eyes locked onto him. Valen approached with unhurried steps, his expression calm.

  Eryndor's gaze narrowed. His senses flared as he felt the unmistakable presence radiating from Valen—a perfect unison of demonic and holy force. "You broke the rule."

  Valen only smiled. "The rule can be adjusted once I’m the only one left," he said smoothly. Then, his tone turned almost amused. "Eryndor, I heard you defeated an opponent one class higher than you. That makes you worthy to be my last opponent."

  Aveline’s grip tightened around her axe as she glanced at Eryndor. “He’s Expert Class now,” she said. “We need to work together.”

  Eryndor’s eyes remained locked on Valen, his expression serious.

  Before either of them could act, Valen raised a hand, pressing his thumb against his chest. In an instant, the overwhelming intensity of his aura faded, shrinking to a level comparable to theirs. “Don’t misunderstand,” he said calmly. “I’ll fight you both while keeping my strength around your level.” He let his hand fall and took a step forward. “Come at me together.”

  Eryndor exhaled through his nose. “Teaming up on one person isn’t my style,” he admitted. “But since you have a Second Class, I’m sure you understand.”

  Valen lifted a hand, curling his fingers in a taunting gesture. “Then come.”

  Eryndor and Aveline lunged at Valen in unison. Aveline's axe carved through the air, aiming for his side, while Eryndor's sword followed in a precise arc.

  Valen was faster. He arched his back, the attacks slicing through empty space just inches from his body. Then, in one fluid motion, he straightened and shot his hands forward, seizing both of their faces.

  Before they could react, he spun, their bodies whipping around like ragdolls before he hurled them away. They crashed into the ground, rolling before coming to a stop.

  Valen lowered his hand and stared at his palm, flexing his fingers. Then, a laugh rumbled from his chest. "Even without using my class abilities…" His grin widened. "This strength is something else."

  Eryndor and Aveline rose to their feet, their eyes burning with determination.

  A deep blue aura surged around Eryndor, crackling like a raging storm. Aveline’s golden aura flared, illuminating the battlefield like the first light of dawn.

  Valen tilted his head. "Finally taking this seriously?" His voice carried a hint of amusement. "Good. You won’t stand a chance otherwise."

  Without hesitation, they shot forward.

  Eryndor’s sword came first, a blur of steel streaking toward Valen’s neck. Valen twisted his body, the blade whistling past his ear. Aveline was right behind, her axe swinging down to split him in two. He ducked, feeling the rush of displaced air as the weapon slammed into the ground, kicking up a burst of dirt and shattered stone.

  They didn’t let up. Eryndor pivoted, thrusting his sword at Valen’s chest. Valen sidestepped, then leaned back as Aveline’s follow-up strike sliced through the space where his head had been a second ago.

  He weaved between their attacks like a shadow, his movements effortless, almost lazy. Then, he raised a hand.

  "Aetherfang."

  A spear tore through the air from nowhere, its silver shaft gleaming as it streaked toward him. He caught it without looking, his grip firm. As Eryndor and Aveline lunged again, he spun the spear, its blade intercepting their weapons with a metallic clang.

  A sharp pulse of force exploded from the impact, and in the same breath, Valen shoved his spear forward, knocking their blades aside.

  Before they could recover, he lashed out with a powerful kick. His foot connected with both of them, sending them flying backward.

  Eryndor and Aveline staggered to their feet once more, their breaths heavy but their resolve unshaken.

  “This isn’t over yet,” Eryndor growled.

  Aveline wiped the blood from her lip and nodded. “Not even close.”

  Eryndor clenched his fists, his aura flaring. “[Triple Enhancements]!” he roared.

  Aveline slammed her axe into the ground, golden energy erupting around her. “[Box of Providence]!”

  Their auras expanded with raw power. Eryndor’s blue energy became deeper, denser, his muscles tightening with newfound strength. Aveline’s golden aura solidified, forming a faint, radiant barrier around her.

  Valen felt the shift immediately. The ground beneath them trembled. Their strength had skyrocketed.

  He exhaled, a slow smile spreading across his face. “I admit it,” he said. “You two are powerful.” His fingers tightened around Aetherfang. “Then I’ll get serious too.”

  He spread his arms wide.

  "[Demonic Ascension]!"

  A violent surge of energy erupted from his body. Holy light and demonic darkness clashed, spiraling together into a storm of raw power. The ground cracked beneath his feet, his aura expanding like a tidal wave. Light and shadow intertwined, neither overpowering the other. Two forces combined in perfect harmony.