Sin observed his demonic self. The Shadow Demon—a twisted reflection of himself—smiled as it approached. Sin leaped backward, his heart pounding as he caught sight of his own transformed appearance. Shadowy eyes, streaked with moving purple tendrils, seemed alive with darkness. The shadows thrived within his gaze, writhing like serpents. Dark tendrils coiled around his legs, barely visible against the void-like plane beneath his feet.
He smiled nervously. The demon version mirrored the expression with unnerving precision.
The creature rushed forward, materializing a Shadow blade in its hand. It thrust the weapon at Sin with lethal intent. Sin dodged, reaching out to catch the blade, but his fingers passed through nothing. The blade pierced his hands cleanly. Blood pooled on the ground as crimson spray erupted from the wounds. Pain seared through his palms. The blade dissipated the moment it penetrated his flesh, leaving only agony behind.
The Shadow Demon conjured multiple blades. They orbited around Sin like dark satellites, preparing to close in and end him. Sin knew death approached, yet hope flickered within him. He had rematerialized before—this might be his escape. The thought offered little comfort as the shadowy weapons, black and purple, moved in perfect synchronization. They pierced every part of his body simultaneously.
Death claimed him again.
Sin rematerialized beside the Shadow Demon moments later. Shadows still rose from the creature's form, menacing and powerful. It truly embodied the terror of a Shadow Demon.
"I guess I have to try harder now," Sin muttered, attempting to manipulate his own shadow. Nothing happened. Frustration built in his chest as he realized the demon's advantage.
A system message materialized in his mind—black with purple edges and white text. *You have no Shadow control.*
"No Shadow control? What does that mean?" Sin asked the empty air, his voice tight with confusion.
He pulled up his skill tab. Only one shadow ability existed: Shadow Fist. His blood skills were more developed—Blood Control at level one, Blood Fist also at level one. At least he had options there.
Sin created a blade from his own blood and thrust it toward the Shadow Demon. The creature shifted its entire shadowy mass to block the attack, then conjured a massive shadow hand. The appendage rose from the void-like ground and seized Sin's leg. He struggled, but the purple and black shadows moved randomly across the hand's surface, making it impossible to predict or escape. The grip was iron-strong.
Another shadow hand emerged and grasped his other leg, rendering him immobile. Fear crept up his spine as helplessness set in.
The Shadow Demon rushed forward and grabbed Sin's head. Darkness transferred from its palms into him. Shadows covered his body from head to feet, seeping beneath his skin. His cells transformed from the inside out. Shadows leaked into his bloodstream, destroying cells one by one. They infiltrated his organs, shutting them down systematically.
Sin perished.
His eyes had always been red since touching that mysterious orb, but now darkness and shadow tinted them. The shadow hands dissipated. His legs freed, he collapsed to the ground. Dead. This time, he wouldn't reassemble. This time felt final.
---
Kylie sat on her bed, absorbed in a demon skill book, when she glanced at the red tube. The invisibility spell had worn off, though fortunately no one had entered her room. She didn't need to explain the unconscious boy she'd smuggled inside.
She walked over to examine Sin's condition. Nearly all his wounds had healed. Then she froze. Shadow leaked from his eyes like blood. The darkness poured down, spreading. His eyes became darkness itself, punctuated by hints of purple. His red irises vanished beneath the shadow.
Shadows pooled on the tube-like ground. Sin's hand reached out and touched the red container. Darkness spread from his fingers. The tube cracked, then shattered. Eventually, it melted away completely.
The Shadow Demon had been released.
Armor made of pure shadow covered its form. Its eyes were darkness incarnate. Its hands hung at its sides as it regarded Kylie with an unreadable expression.
Kylie jumped back, her breath catching. *What in the world did I bring in here?* she thought, panic rising. She accumulated her demon energy, raising it toward her fists, preparing to fight this monster—this being—whatever it was.
Suddenly, shadows pooled on the ground. Sin sank into them and disappeared.
Kylie scanned her room frantically. Holes dotted the floor—remnants of her inventions. The melted red metal of the tube lay in a puddle. Shelves lined with demon books stood against the walls. Her bed. Nothing else. The boy she had carried in days ago, the one she had risked everything to help, had become something beyond her comprehension.
She ran from her room, her feet pounding down the corridor. Room 101 wasn't far. She threw open the door and found her older brother Dice sitting cross-legged, practicing the Demon Stare. His eyes bulged as if ready to burst from his skull.
"Damn it, this skill is useless," he muttered, canceling the technique. "I've spent two hours practicing and it still hasn't improved." He looked up and saw Kylie in his doorway, noting her worried expression. "What are you doing here?"
He stood and walked over to her, concern replacing irritation. "Something wrong? Did someone catch you with him?"
Kylie shook her head, words tumbling out. "He woke up. His eyes were bleeding shadow. The tube started melting. The shadow spread everywhere, and then he disappeared into a pool of shadows."
"What in the world?" Dice pressed his hand to his forehead, trying to process her explanation. He couldn't form any plausible theory. He lowered his hand and met her eyes. "Honestly, I don't know what to say. Should we report this to Father?"
Kylie shook her head firmly. "I can't."
"Right, because if he finds out you brought an outsider in, he'll punish you worse than before." Dice sighed, thinking hard. "Then you'll have to settle this on your own. Fight it, or come up with some invention that can trap it."
Kylie smiled despite her fear. "Seems good enough. I'll work on the invention."
"If you see him, try to buy time," she added.
Dice nodded. "All right. Until then, bye."
"Goodbye." She closed his door and returned to her room. Sitting on her bed, she began brainstorming how to create an invention capable of trapping such a being.
---
Deeper inside the demon mansion, a young man sprinted toward a large, ornate room. His footsteps echoed through the corridors as desperation clouded his vision. He banged on the door urgently.
Someone opened it—a man with red eyes like every member of the demon family. Dark hair framed his serious expression.
"Is it important?" he asked, knowing his assistant only ran to him when matters demanded immediate attention.
"Sir, there's been a break-in at the mansion," the younger man said breathlessly.
The older man smiled grimly. "More information."
The assistant quickly handed him a photograph. The older man studied it, his expression shifting to puzzlement. The figure in the photo had shadowy eyes, armor made of darkness, and a large, uncanny smile frozen on its face.
"What is this?" He brought the photo closer, examining every detail.
"That's what I saw when I was heading to the Demonic Crystal to repair it," his assistant explained. "Shadows pooled on the ground, and this thing emerged. I ran immediately to inform you."
"All right." The older man set the photo down deliberately. "Inform all family members. If they see this man, only experienced fighters should engage—advanced students and older members only. Do I make myself clear?"
The assistant nodded and ran off to spread the word.
---
Dice lounged in his room, keeping an eye out for the shadowy person. With nothing else to occupy his free time, he decided to practice the grueling Demon Stare again. Every attempt made him wish for death.
"All right, let's try again," he grumbled.
He activated Demon Stare. His eyes felt like they were being set ablaze. "Damn it, this hurts!" He gritted his teeth, holding back a cry of pain. After five seconds, he canceled the skill, utterly spent.
"That's the best I can manage—five seconds before I'm completely drained," he muttered. "Maybe I should practice other skills. I haven't picked up the second or third books yet."
He walked to his shelf and selected the second book from the three volumes stacked there. Returning to his bed, he opened it across his lap. New skills filled the pages—techniques he'd never encountered before. Unfortunately, they were too advanced for his current level. Attempting them now would likely break his body.
He closed the book with a sigh. He was already more advanced than any demon student in the family's history—more advanced than his sister Kylie, who could only summon a small ball of demon energy after considerable effort. Dice could summon a large sphere almost instantly. He had potential, real potential.
An intercom crackled to life throughout the mansion. No matter where anyone stood—in any of the five hundred rooms or in the Great Demon Hall—everyone heard the announcement.
"If you are an advanced student or an older member of the demon family, this message is for you." The assistant's voice echoed through the halls. "If you see this man, engage him immediately."
A projection of the shadowy figure appeared before everyone's faces—the dark eyes, the uncanny white smile, the armor of pure shadow.
"You must call upon each other if needed," the announcement concluded before cutting off.
---
Shadows flickered at the edge of Dice's vision. He spun around. Darkness bled from the wall, oozing through hairline fractures in the plaster. His heart hammered against his ribs.
The thing wearing Sin's face stepped through the widening crack.
Its eyes were empty voids, and when it smiled, the room grew cold enough to see his breath.
Dice's legs refused to move.n.