Arayn ventured into the Abysswood, a forest steeped in legend and tainted by demonic energy. It stretched beyond the outskirts of Valak City, a place whispered in fearful tones. Deeper inside, the corruption twisted the land into something unnatural, a place where only the foolish or the powerful dared to tread. But the outskirts? That should be manageable. At least, for someone like him.

  Arayn had come to the Abysswood with a purpose to hunt demonic beasts and reclaim the years he had lost. The forest was dangerous, its twisted trees and shadowed paths teeming with creatures tainted by dark and demonic energy. However, danger meant nothing to him. Not now. Not after acquiring [Soulsteal]. With every beast he felled, he could take back what had been stripped from him. Time. Life. He would drain as much as he could until his time in Netherworld was up.

  The trees rustled. Sharp screeches echoed through the Abysswood as demonic beasts emerged from the shadows—monkeys with leathery bat wings, their glowing yellow eyes fixed on him. They hovered above the twisted branches, their claws twitching, drools dripping out of their mouths.

  Arayn remained still. Unbothered. This was expected. More than that, he welcomed them. He had come to test his power, and now was the perfect chance.

  He exhaled, then muttered, "[Conquest Demon Form]."

  Red energy surged through his body. His flesh hardened, shifting into black metallic armor, red patterns glowing beneath the surface. His hands flexed, claws forming at his fingertips. Power coursed through him.

  [Name: Conquest Demon's Form

  Grade: Rare

  Rank: B

  Description: This ability allows the user to transform into a powerful Conquest Demon, greatly enhancing their strength, speed, and durability. The user can still use Dark Pact II.]

  The beasts hesitated now. Their screeches faltered.

  A thunderous roar tore through the forest. The smaller beasts flinched, then steadied, their fear melting away. From the shadows, a larger monkey emerged. Its wings tattered but strong, its fangs bared in challenge. Its eyes burned with intense hunger beyond reasoning.

  Arayn’s gaze locked onto it. A mother-class beast. That explained their hesitation before. They had been waiting for her.

  Arayn chuckled. "Good," he shouted, his voice carrying through the trees. "If you're afraid, I can't have fun." He spread his clawed hands, his stance shifting, ready. "Come at me."

  The mother shrieked, and the horde answered. The hunt had truly begun.

  The swarm of winged monkeys screeched and lunged. Hundreds of them, a wave of claws and fangs, pounced on Arayn at once. Their bodies struck his, but passed straight through. Then, he exploded.

  A shockwave ripped through the air, red energy bursting outward. Several monkeys shrieked as they were flung back, their bodies torn and bleeding. The dust settled, revealing empty space where Arayn had stood.

  Above them, perched on a thick branch, the real Arayn drove his sword through a monkey’s chest. The creature twitched, its life draining away.

  [Your lifespan has increased by one day.]

  A small gain. Too small. He gazed down at the chaos below, watching the wounded beasts struggle back to their feet. He muttered to himself, "The destructive aura from my footwork isn't enough to kill them. Expert-class demonic beasts don’t die that easily."

  This would take more effort. Good. He preferred it that way.

  The mother monkey roared and shot toward him, its massive fist crackling with lightning. Faster than the others. Stronger. It closed the distance in a blink and swung. The punch connected, but passed straight through.

  Another explosion erupted. Red energy burst outward, sending smaller monkeys tumbling through the air. Then, Arayn was above her. His sword flashed, carving a deep gash across her chest.

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  The beast screeched and was flung back, crashing into a distant tree. Bark shattered on impact. She clutched her wound, breathing heavily, her yellow eyes burning with rage.

  Arayn landed lightly on a branch, watching. "Tough," he muttered. His fingers tightened around his sword. "I could’ve killed it instantly with [Soul Rend]… but I can’t absorb its soul. I need to work harder."

  The mother monkey lifted a trembling arm and pointed at him, her screech splitting the air. The others responded in kind, their cries echoing through the Abysswood. Lightning crackled around their bodies. Sparks danced along their fists as they gathered power. Then, they charged.

  Arayn moved, but their numbers overwhelmed him. Dozens, then hundreds, swarmed him at once, fists crackling with energy as they rained down blow after blow. The force of their combined attack sent flashes of white-hot light cutting through the darkness, but their attacks passed through him. Every single one. Then, he exploded.

  A surge of red energy erupted outward, tearing through the swarm. Monkeys screamed as they were hurled back, crashing into the trees.

  In that instant, the real Arayn appeared right before the mother monkey. His blade struck her, a clean stab through the skull.

  The beast shuddered, her glowing eyes dimming. She swayed for a moment, then collapsed, lifeless, to the ground.

  The moment their mother hit the ground, the surviving monkeys erupted in fury. Their screeches filled the forest. Claws dug into bark. Wings flapped violently. Then, as one, they charged.

  Arayn didn’t move. He simply raised his hand.

  Above him, dozens of [Cursed Fang] materialized, floating in the air. A heartbeat later, they shot forward, piercing through the horde.

  Boom.

  Explosions tore through the swarm. Screeches turned to dying wails. Smoke and dust filled the air.

  Then—

  [Your lifespan has increased by one day.]

  [Your lifespan has increased by two days.]

  [Your lifespan has increased by one day.]

  [Your lifespan has increased by three days.]

  The notifications kept coming. Arayn lowered his hand, watching the bodies fall. It wasn’t enough. Not yet, but he was getting there.

  Arayn scanned the surroundings. Smoke drifted through the air, the scent of burnt fur and blood mixing. The forest had gone eerily quiet, but he knew better. Something else was lurking. Then, he saw it.

  A humanoid crocodile stepped into view, its scaly hide glistening under the faint light. It gripped a spear carved from bone. Its glowing yellow eyes locked onto him, filled with something more than instinct. Awareness. It was on the verge of evolving into a demon. It felt like eating Arayn would help it evolve into a demon.

  Arayn had no interest in fighting it. Not unless it gave him a reason. Then, it lunged.

  Fine.

  Arayn stood his ground. When the beast thrust its spear, a red barrier flared to life around him, absorbing the attack. A second later, the energy rebounded, slamming into the creature and sending it staggering back.

  Without missing a beat, Arayn raised a finger. A crimson beam shot forward, striking the beast’s wrist. It howled, its grip loosening. The bone spear clattered to the ground.

  Arayn stepped forward. Dark energy coiled around his blade, writhing like living tendrils. He slashed.

  The creature froze. Then, it collapsed, dead before it could even process what had happened.

  Arayn exhaled, feeling the raw power coursing through his transformed body. [Conquest Demon Form] wasn’t just for show; it elevated his abilities, refining his control over them.

  [Infernal Aegis] and [Inferno Torrent] surged, their ranks rising from D to C. He could sense the difference in the defense and attack.

  As for [Soul Rend]?

  B to B+. A slight improvement. Not much, but it was also good.

  Arayn flexed his fingers, the red glow of his demonic markings pulsing like molten veins beneath the black metallic surface of his form. This form's power wasn't limited to just that. He still had a card in his sleeve. For now, though, he didn't need to use its true strength.

  Arayn pushed his thoughts aside. There was no point dwelling on limitations, only results mattered. He needed more souls. More lifespan.

  A pack or a herd would be ideal.

  He prowled the outskirts of the forest, cutting through any demonic beasts that crossed his path. Claws, fangs, venom—none of it mattered. Every kill added to his lifespan. The system's notifications became background noise, blending with the sounds of battle.

  [Your lifespan has increased by one day.]

  [Your lifespan has increased by two days.]

  [Your lifespan has increased by one day.]

  [Your lifespan has increased by three days.]

  By the time evening fell, he stood atop a hill of corpses. The scent of blood hung thick in the air. Arayn paid it no mind. He gazed upward, past the canopy, where the red sky of the netherworld stretched endlessly.

  He muttered to himself, "The timezone here must match Varondale’s."

  His gaze shifted. He pulled up his status and checked his lifespan.

  [Lifespan: Five years, six months, twenty days]

  Good.

  He stepped forward and leapt off the mound of bodies. The moment his feet touched the ground, a magic circle ignited beneath him, its glow pulsing with demonic energy. His body began to fade, dissolving into the air.

  "It’s time," he said.

  Then, he vanished.

  His hunt for the Heavenly Demon had begun.