Chapter 2 - The Fallen God and the Demon Child

A week had passed since I began wandering the Forest of Demons. I had grown accustomed to the blood, the howls, and the death that surrounded me. The first time I crushed a demonic beast with raw strength, the sickening squelch of flesh haunted me. But now, such carnage had become routine. The stench of burning fur and the acrid scent of smoldering magic clung to my clothes like a second skin. I was no longer disturbed—only more aware of how terrifyingly powerful I had become.

The fire spell I had casually released a few days ago had incinerated a swath of trees larger than a small village. I hadn't intended to unleash that much power. It was a simple flame technique—one that should've barely been able to roast a rabbit. Yet with my maxed-out stats from , it erupted like a dragon's breath, reducing everything in its path to ash. I had to remind myself constantly: I was a walking calamity now.

According to the system's data logs, I had been transported to the continent of Caria—a vast and ancient land where gods walked in legends, and kingdoms bowed to their will. The Caria continent was one of the divine continents, its people deeply entrenched in worship of deities. Five kingdoms ruled here, each devoted to a different god. The one nearest to the Forest of Demons was Luminos Kingdom, followers of the radiant god Luminos.

This world was far more diverse than the I knew. There were races I'd only read about in fantasy books: orcs, ogres, elves, dwarves, demons, angels, and more. In the game, the factions had been limited—humans, demons, immortals, beasts, and celestials. Now, the playing field had expanded dramatically. I had fought each of these races during my journey here. Some submitted and swore fealty, becoming elders of the sect I founded. Others, particularly the mighty beasts, had pledged themselves as the Holy Guardians, protectors of my new domain.

While I pondered the differences between the two worlds, a desperate cry pierced the forest air.

"Help!"

The voice was young, frightened—a child. Without hesitation, I activated Chi Manipulation, spreading my spiritual sense across the forest like a web. It didn't take long. My enhanced senses locked onto the faint, trembling presence not far from my location.

I sprinted forward, my feet barely touching the ground. Branches blurred past me as I focused on the aura. Bursting through a thicket, I emerged just in time to see a horned beast lunging toward a wounded child.

"Blood Moon Sword Style: Crescent Rend!" I roared, unsheathing my blade in a flash of crimson energy.

A single swing—graceful, arcing like a crescent moon—was all it took. The demon was cleaved cleanly in two. Its snarling mouth froze mid-roar as it collapsed, dead before it hit the ground. Blood sprayed, sizzling as it hit the forest floor.

The child lay trembling, covered in grime and gashes. But there was something off about him. His aura pulsed red—not just any red, but the twisted, corrupted hue I recognized all too well. It was demonic. No... It resembled a demon's aura, but was somehow incomplete, unstable.

I reached into my inventory and summoned a medical syringe filled with Liquid Yang Essence, a concentrated healing agent forged in the Heavenly Spring back in the game. But as I approached, the child's eyes widened in panic.

"I won't do it again!" he screamed. "I won't disobey! Please don't hurt me!"

His words hit me harder than any blade. Rage surged in my chest, not at the boy, but at whoever had done this to him. What kind of monster would break a child so thoroughly that healing terrified him?

I knelt beside him, softening my voice. "Hey... it's okay. This will just sting a little. I promise, I won't hurt you."

My calm tone seemed to ease his fear. Hesitantly, he nodded, and I gently administered the injection. His breathing slowed, and the pain visibly lessened. As I wiped the sweat from his brow, I noticed a strange insignia on his right arm—a demonic emblem shaped like a horned skull. It looked like a branding mark.

I asked him about it, but his exhaustion overtook him. He could barely keep his eyes open. I laid his head in my lap and used Memory Dive, a rare ability that let me enter a person's recent memories without causing harm.

His name was Ray.

He had once lived in a quiet village on the outskirts of the Luminos Kingdom. One night, under a full moon, their peaceful life was shattered. A cult—cloaked in robes and madness—descended upon the village. They seized the children and women, dragging them to a blood-soaked altar deep within the woods.

There, they conducted a horrific baptism ritual, submerging the children in a pool of corrupted blood to forcibly rebirth them into demonic vessels—tools for some ancient, sealed entity. When Ray was submerged, the ritual partially succeeded. His body mutated, gaining some demonic traits, and the cursed insignia appeared on his arm.

But something went wrong. His transformation was incomplete. In that moment of chaos, he broke free and fled. Guards chased him. Beasts hunted him. For days, he had been running through the forest, alone, wounded, and terrified.

I clenched my fists. That cult... they would pay. Their sins would be washed away in blood.

Night had fallen by the time Ray awoke. I had crafted a campfire using dry wood and a flicker of magic, and cooked a skewer of demonic meat, seasoning it with herbs I gathered earlier. Despite the dark past behind the meat, its taste was surprisingly rich. Ray eagerly devoured his portion.

After we finished, he turned to me with curious eyes.

"Mister... are you a god?" he asked innocently.

The question caught me off guard. "Why do you say that?"

"My mom said I have eyes that can see people's power by reading their aura," he explained. "She told me that people with black auras are death, and white is life. But you... you have both! Mom said only gods control life and death!"

So even the people here could sense auras. That was new. In , aura colors were just for show. But I had chosen the Yin-Yang Aura—the duality of life and death—as my default cosmetic effect. It seemed in this world, such effects held real meaning.

"You're right," I said with a small smile. "I am a god."

His eyes sparkled with wonder. "What kind of god? There are many: the sun god, the moon goddess, the god of beasts... but I've never seen a god like you before!"

I stood, my gaze drifting to the fire, letting its light dance on my face.

"I am the god who fell from the heavens," I said solemnly. "The god who walks among mortals not to be worshipped, but to bring judgment. I am the Martial God—master of life, death, and everything in between."

Ray's mouth hung open. Awe. Admiration. Hope. I saw it all in his young eyes.

And I swore to myself—this child, this broken vessel of innocence—I would protect him.

And I would burn that damned cult to the ground.