"Ha… ha ha ha…" His laugh rolled low at first, then burst loud. "You think I'm weak? You think I'm just a background mob?!"
He spread his arms wide, his voice shaking the cave.
"Listen well, humans! Even a side character… can FLIP THE SCRIPT!"
When he shouted flip, he actually flipped his hand too, palm down first then twisting it up quick like he was turning over a heavy book, his fingers snapping wide at the end.
The torches flickered as if the world itself agreed. His shadow stretched huge, horns long, making him look ten times bigger.
"And when SIDE CHARACTERS rise…" he roared, stabbing his finger forward like he was calling down judgment,
"the so-called HEROES look DUMB!"
A boom echoed in the cave, though no one knew where it came from. Maybe it was the System adding sound effects. Maybe it was just Liu Yang's imagination.
The hunters frowned, their heads tilting, their swords twitching a little in their hands. To them, he sounded like a lunatic. But to Liu Yang, his blood was hot, his grin wide. This was his moment.
But behind him, the demoness's eyes lit up wide, sparkling red like stars. Her lips parted, breath catching. She pressed her hands to her chest, cheeks glowing hot, and whispered under her breath, "M-master… so cool…"
[Diagnosis: Host suffering from Chuunibyou ]
[Note: Recommend calming down before permanent cringe sets in.]
Liu Yang's eyes twitched. His grin cracked. "S-shut up, System! Don't ruin my moment!"
The hunters blinked at each other. The firelight from the torches jumped up and down, moving across their faces, showing every line, every twitch, the same look on all three—blank, confused, like they had no idea what they were even watching.
One of them raised his hand slow, turning his finger in circles near his temple, the gesture clear. "This one's screw loose," he muttered, his voice flat but heavy with mock.
Another leaned his sword against his shoulder, tilting his head back, grinning wide. "And you idiots were talking about calling for backup?" He spread his hands, laughing sharp. "Look at him! He's a walking clown!"
The third hunter doubled over, his shoulders shaking hard, his laugh bursting out rough and loud. He pressed his palm to his eye, wiping at the tear that slid down. "Ohh gods… I already start missing him." He gasped between laughs, still bent over. "Killing him… what a waste… who else gonna make us laugh like this?"
"Now, now, let's just get over with him," one hunter said, swinging his sword onto his shoulder.
"We had enough fun," the second one added, wiping the tears from his eyes.
Then the System screen slammed open in front of Liu Yang's face, glowing bright.
[Main Quest – Clown Demon: Make the Hunters Cry]
[Objective: Kill the three Demon Hunters who think you're a circus act.]
[Bonus Objective: Do it with style, so they don't die laughing.]
[Reward: EXP + ???]
[Penalty for Failure: You will actually become the circus clown of this world.]
Liu Yang grinned wide, his teeth showing sharp.
"So you say style…" His voice stretched, low at first, then he snapped it up, loud. "Here comes the pro streamer—STYLEEEE!"
He cracked his knuckles one by one, the sound sharp. Snap, snap, snap. Then he tilted his head left, the bones in his neck popping loud. Tilted it right, another pop. His grin only got bigger.
He raised his hand, slow, dramatic, like he was on stage. Then slapped it across his face hard.
"[Demonic Overdrive!]"
The ground under him shook, his shadow stretching wide. A black aura rushed out, heavy and thick, crawling up his body.
He yanked his arm back and threw it forward like he was flipping a cape.
His mouth stretched in a smirk. "And then the coat flip—"
[Error: Host does not own a coat.]
"Shut up, System! I need the coat to be in style!"
The hunters stared blank, one of them rubbing his temple with his finger in circles, the screw-loose gesture again. "…is this demon insane or just drunk?"
But the System wasn't done. The screen burst brighter.
[Passive Skill Activated: Second Wind]
[Effect: As long as a girl is within 10m radius, stamina regenerates +10 per second.]
[Passive Skill Activated: Harem Resonance]
[Effect: With harem members nearby, Strength boosted +5%. Current Boost: +5%]
[Demonic Overdrive: Host Level raised to match highest opponent +1. Detected Enemy: Lv. 20. Host Adjusted: Lv. 21.]
Stats flashed fast, the numbers climbing.
[HP: 500 → 700]
[MP: 400 → 650]
[Strength: 40 → 65 (+5% Resonance)]
[Defence: 30 → 55]
[Stamina: 45 → 75 (+Second Wind Regen)]
[Agility: 35 → 60]
The ground under Liu Yang's feet shook like a giant had punched it from below.
His body jerked as tiny pebbles slid down from the cave ceiling, hitting the stone floor and rolling away with sharp clinks that bounced around every corner.
The air around him shifted. At first it brushed soft like a breeze, but then it picked up, faster and faster, until it spun in circles around him.
His hair lifted, his clothes pulled, the wind wrapping tighter and tighter like a tornado, and for a moment it felt like the whole cave was spinning with him stuck in the middle.
Black smoke rose out of his body. It wasn't soft smoke, not the kind that drifts away—it was sharp, cutting the air like blades.
His horns caught the glow of the fire and flashed dark, black and shining like steel sharpened to kill.
His shadow stretched along the cave wall, longer and taller, growing until it swallowed the torchlight.
And when it grew so big it twisted, it no longer looked like a boy standing there, but like a monster watching from behind him.