I summoned the power of one of the princes of Hell. My eyes ignited into a fiery red. The golden aura that once radiated from my being twisted into a dark, ominous presence. My hair, once luminous and golden, turned deep black, as if woven from shadows. A crimson horn sprouted from my forehead.
My strength surged dramatically. The armor encasing my body heated instantly, causing the savage creatures clinging to me to detach in an instant, their faces marred by severe burns. The stench of charred flesh filled the air.
With the dark power from the wicked realm, the Blerit Sword adapted to my will, transforming into a chain of molten red, as if forged from lava. The radiant armor bestowed upon me by Gabriel lost its light, becoming a formidable suit of darkness. The once resplendent wings of light on my back morphed into a cloak woven from shadows.
My face was further protected by a helmet and faceplate, the crimson horn piercing through the metal—a striking testament to my transformation.
The lady witnessing my horrific metamorphosis gasped from the clouds above, her face etched with concern. The werewolves surrounding me heightened their vigilance, particularly upon seeing their fallen comrades' charred faces.
From behind, a heavy thud echoed—a beast far larger than the others approached, growling menacingly. If memory serves, this massive werewolf was Lennin. His imposing frame loomed over the others, the headband still adorning his brow.
I locked eyes with the bloodthirsty creature. He met my gaze defiantly. I began to swing the fiery chain above my head. The werewolves recoiled in fear, but not Lennin—he leaped toward me with a mighty bound, soaring nearly twenty meters high.
I hurled the chain, striking him mid-air. He crashed into a nearby house, the structure collapsing beneath his weight, his belly torn open. Lennin lay still beneath the ruins, lifeless. The remaining werewolves, witnessing their leader's demise, fled in terror, realizing they stood no chance against me.
I would not allow any of them to escape. One by one, I lashed out with the fiery chain. Their howls of agony echoed through the desolate city. I found myself enjoying their suffering, reveling in the thrill of slaughter. With every strike, their forms crumbled, and I laughed like a demon. Soon, the last of the werewolves lay dead, their bodies scorched and lifeless.
The city lay in ruins, its once-sturdy structures reduced to smoldering debris. This destruction was exhilarating; I couldn't stop. It mattered little that I was now the sole survivor in this devastated city. I continued to swing my whip of flames, wreaking havoc on every building, every street. The remnants of civilization shattered beneath my wrath.
"This is intoxicating!" I thought, lost in a frenzy of destruction.
"Rhinggamana! Stop your actions now!" A small voice cried out from above.
But I ignored her pleas. My mind was consumed by chaos. Everything standing here must be obliterated.
"Rhinggamana, please! You are no longer yourself! The power is taking control over you!"
That voice again! I recognized it—it belonged to Kwanita. What had I done? Why had I become this?
As clarity returned to my mind, I beheld the devastation—the city lay in ashes, a graveyard of charred remains and crumbling edifices. Was this my doing? No! It must have been Belial. His power had taken hold of me.
"That is correct, Rhinggamana." The voice in my head reverberated like thunder.
Suddenly, my body was engulfed in blazing red flames. The inferno consumed the ground beneath me. The crimson light radiating from my form became the sole illumination amidst the ruin. When I looked up, I saw a figure resembling a man, cloaked in fire, his long hair flowing like molten lava. His cunning smile was all too familiar.
"We meet again. Have you missed me, Rhinggamana?" Belial taunted, spinning above me.
I shot back, "Belial, how dare you create chaos in this realm using my body! How did you awaken?"
Belial laughed, echoing through the skies. "You are a fool. Harnessing my power carelessly in this mortal world is a grave mistake. Unlike in the Abyss, where my might is subdued, here I can unleash my full potential without hindrance. My flames will consume everything!"
"I see. I suspected that calling upon the powers of a vile creature like you would be a mistake. Before you commit an act you will regret, I suggest you return to my body peacefully. If not, someone will be harmed."
"Not a chance. You awakened me in this realm. Now that I'm free, I shall never return to that wretched shell. This is your defeat, Rhinggamana."
"No. You will return to my body whether you like it or not!"
"Then you must force me."
"Fine. We've battled for five hundred years in the Abyss. If violence is the only language you understand, then I shall speak it directly."
I lunged to capture him again with my fiery chain. But unexpectedly, he willingly reentered my body. Suddenly, I lost control. With his power awakened, Belial moved my body as he pleased. He conjured a pool of lava, engulfing the city in flames.
In an instant, my birthplace was submerged in searing magma, everything incinerated without a trace. Buildings, corpses of living creatures, even the statue of myself in the city center—all consumed in the inferno. This was a technique he used to ensnare me at the gate of the Abyss. I never imagined he would wield it here.
"You are a monster, Belial!" I screamed.
"You should thank me, Rhinggamana. I have just cleansed this city of its filth. Don't you agree that it deserves to be razed and rebuilt anew?"
"I will not share thoughts with a hellish demon like you. Give me back my body now!"
"Very well, if you insist. I shall exit this wretched form of yours. It seems there is a most intriguing body floating above you."
A body floating above me? Was he referring to the Kwanita? Oh no!
Belial suddenly erupted from my body, soaring high above, targeting the lotus flower floating in the clouds. The girl gasped in terror, confronted by a fiery monster hovering before her.
"Belial! If you harm her, I will never forgive you!" I shouted from the pool of flames.
Moments later, I heard Kwanita scream in agony from above. Damn! That creature was truly hurting her. Rage consumed me.
Without hesitation, I called upon my heavenly powers. The Blerit Sword and my armor returned to their radiant forms. With supersonic speed, I rocketed toward Kwanita and kicked Belial's face with all my strength. He was sent sprawling, tumbling through the sky.
"Kwanita, what has happened to you?"
She didn't respond. Tears streamed down her face as she clutched her burned hand. This was unforgivable—how dare Belial inflict pain upon her! I would not tolerate it.
I attempted to pursue the demon, but Kwanita grabbed my hand and said, "Rhinggamana, please control yourself. I can see your anger. The more furious you become, the easier it is for demons to manipulate you. That is how they play; they feed off human negativity."
Her words struck a chord. How foolish I had been to allow worldly matters to consume me. Gabriel had trained me in Heaven to master self-control. Why did I keep forgetting? I needed to mature and learn from my mistakes.
"Thank you for reminding me, Kwanita."
I inhaled deeply, emptying my mind of all distractions. I pushed aside all worldly thoughts, returning to a state of neutrality. No anger, no emotions. Become zero. Then, I soared higher into the sky, searching for the infernal creature.
Belial was almost at the edge of the atmosphere, hurtling toward space. I pushed myself forward, breaking the sound barrier, our bodies like two stars chasing each other across the dawn sky.
I shouted, "Last chance, Belial! Return to my body, or face the Blerit Sword!"
"Never! No matter your power, I will not go back to your insufferable form. I am finally free!"
As he flew, he launched fiery orbs at me. With agile maneuvers, I dodged each attack. In an instant, Belial transformed into his true form—a massive beast with black wings, spiraling horns, and a mouth ablaze with fire. He surged forward, nearing supersonic speed. I expected this, but I would not be outdone; fueled by my own power, I surged ahead.
In a few moments, I grasped his tail, summoning black tentacles of the Abyss to ensnare him. Belial gasped in shock, thrashing helplessly. I bound his limbs with swift precision, leaving him completely immobile.
"There is no escape. I warned you, but you chose the hard path. Now, return to my body!"
I reached out with my radiant hand, touching him. In an instant, all of Belial's power was drawn into me. He howled in pain, cries echoing through the sky. Together, we ascended beyond Earth's atmosphere, spiraling as cosmic light erupted around us, creating a breathtaking aurora of colors in the dawn. Then, just as quickly, Belial vanished from existence.
The pool of fire in the city vanished as if it had never existed. The sun began to rise on the horizon, casting golden rays upon Kwanita and me. She floated closer, still trembling from her burns.
"Is it over?" she asked, her voice soft and shaky.
"It is finished. I have defeated the demon."
"Thank goodness," she replied.
I then grasped the girl's hand and said, "Let me see your wound."
Gently, my right hand, made of light, touched her injury. The girl gasped for a moment. Then, the warm energy from my hand began to close the burn. The damaged cells regenerated perfectly. In mere seconds, all the wounds on her hand vanished without a trace, as if they had never existed.
The girl's eyes sparkled, and she said, "Thank you so much. Your power is truly extraordinary."
"Don't mention it. You've tended to my wounds repeatedly since yesterday; now it's my turn to repay your kindness."
Together, we descended into the heart of the city, now reduced to ashes. My form had returned to that of an ordinary human, white hair flowing, and my amputated hand unshielded by any armor. Bathed in the morning sunlight, we stood upon the blackened remnants, still emitting wisps of smoke.
The girl tried to touch the ground with her fingers and said, "Everything has truly vanished. Including my sister's body. I didn't even have a chance to bury her."
Tears began to well in her eyes. I quickly embraced her to offer comfort, saying, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have used the powers of a demon. The destruction of this city is my fault."
She shook her head in my embrace and replied, "That's not true. From the beginning, this city was destroyed by Mayor Sambra. I believe today's events were destined to happen."
"It seems so. Now that my memories have returned, I will continue the mission I mentioned to you earlier."
"May I know what kind of mission it is?"
"It was a direct task given to me by God when I was in Heaven. He commanded me to journey west and seek Adam, the first human. I once disregarded His command and ended up sealed within a tree for five hundred years. Now, having risen again, I shall fulfill the duty I previously neglected."
"I see," the girl said, taking my hand and looking at me with pleading eyes. "Please take me with you on your journey , Rhinggamana. There is nothing left for me here. With the loss of my sister, I have nothing. Please."
I was taken aback by her request and replied, "Are you sure? I will be venturing into places fraught with peril. My journey will be filled with deadly obstacles. You could be harmed."
"I don't care. As long as I am with you, I feel much safer. Please allow me to accompany you."
I truly wished to refuse this girl. It was undeniable that my path ahead would be laden with suffering and sorrow. Yet, considering what she had endured and the loss she had experienced, I realized that being with me might provide her a greater sense of safety. I found myself more worried about leaving her alone.
With a heavy sigh, I finally said, "Alright. You may join me, but on one condition: promise that you will always stay close to me."
With a wide smile, Kwanita said, "I promise."