Beneath a gray-white sky, Genichi stood upon the ground of an alternate dimension. Gray-black gravel covered the earth beneath his feet, while the stench of death permeated the air.
His shadow writhed beneath him before suddenly exploding outward, transforming into countless dark streaks that scattered in every direction.
The shadows moved with incredible speed, flashing through the gray-white world like bolts of black lightning. Before long, they disappeared beyond the horizon.
Genichi closed his eyes and focused on the information they transmitted back to him.
He could sense that this world was indeed enormous, far larger than he had anticipated.
His shadows had already explored dozens of kilometers in every direction, yet they still had not reached the boundaries of this world.
The gray-black earth stretched endlessly toward the horizon. The gray-white sky covered everything. There was no sun, no moon, and no stars, only an eternal, deathly gray.
This world might be as large as all of Japan.
Genichi considered the possibility, lightly tapping his fingers against his side.
A world this vast could not possibly contain only vengeful spirits.
There had to be other things here. Other beings. Other secrets.
He needed more shadows, more time, and a more thorough exploration.
Then he sensed them.
Powerful vengeful spirits.
Several immense presences stirred at the very edge of his perception.
They were like torches blazing in the darkness, so powerful that he could sense them clearly despite the vast distance separating them.
One, two, three...
Genichi counted at least five.
Every one of them possessed power comparable to an Ultimate-Class Devil.
His brows furrowed slightly.
Ultimate-Class Devil was his current level.
In other words, this alternate dimension contained at least five beings on the same level as him.
Those were only the ones he could sense. There might be more of them, and there might even be stronger existences lurking beyond his perception.
His fingers began tapping faster.
If those vengeful spirits attacked him simultaneously, he might not be able to escape unscathed.
But if he could devour them and digest their power...
Genichi narrowed his eyes.
His strength would increase considerably. He might even break through the limits of the Ultimate-Class and advance to Satan-Class.
That was a matter for later, however. His immediate priority was to understand this world's laws, its secrets, and its throne.
Suddenly, gunfire erupted in the distance.
It was not one or two isolated shots, but a continuous series of explosions, as though someone were firing an automatic weapon.
Genichi raised his head and looked toward the source of the sound.
Several moving black dots were faintly visible along the gray-white horizon. As they drew closer, their figures grew larger until he could make out their human shapes.
A group of people was running for their lives.
Genichi remained where he was, watching them race toward him.
They were moving quickly, but their escape was a desperate, disorganized scramble. Some had lost their shoes and were running barefoot across the jagged gravel. Others wore shredded clothes that exposed the wounds beneath. A few had blood covering their faces and continued firing behind them as they ran.
Behind them surged a black tide.
A horde of vengeful spirits.
Genichi's pupils contracted slightly.
The spirits were so densely packed that they seemed to cover both the earth and sky, surging over the horizon like a black tsunami.
Some resembled humans, others looked like animals, while still others were hideously twisted monsters. Every one of them radiated a frigid, sinister aura.
They shrieked, howled, and roared. Their voices echoed throughout the gray-white world like a symphony from Hell.
There were far too many to count.
Hundreds?
Thousands?
Tens of thousands?
Genichi had no idea.
All he knew was that this was the largest horde of vengeful spirits he had ever encountered.
The spirits were fast, far faster than the fleeing humans.
They rapidly closed the distance. The foremost spirit was already about to catch the person at the rear of the group.
The man screamed and ran with all his strength, but a savage claw had already reached his back.
"Run!"
Someone in the group noticed Genichi and shouted a warning.
The man's voice was shrill with terror and urgency.
Then he raced past without looking back, stirring up a gust of wind as he passed.
The others followed one after another. None of them stopped, and none of them looked back.
They were too busy trying to survive to care who Genichi was, why he stood there, or whether the horde would swallow him.
Genichi watched them run past, then looked toward the rapidly approaching black tide. The corner of his eye twitched slightly.
These people had certainly caused him trouble.
He could have quietly left, avoided the horde, and continued exploring in another direction.
Now, however, the vengeful spirits had already seen him and marked him as another target.
Even if he wanted to leave, it was already too late.
Genichi sighed.
Still, these people could prove useful.
They knew the laws of this world, the weaknesses of the vengeful spirits, and which places were safe or dangerous.
They had survived in this world for an unknown amount of time. For Genichi, they would make excellent guides.
He decided to save them.
Genichi raised his right hand. The Boosted Gear shimmered with a faint green light beneath the gray-white sky.
He called upon the Power of Destruction within his body.
It was a unique form of demonic power he had acquired from Rias's blood. Inherited from the Great King Bael Clan, it could decompose and annihilate all matter and energy, reducing everything to nothingness.
Genichi extended his hand and aimed his palm at the black tide.
Red light gathered in his palm, pure and brilliant, radiating an aura of destruction.
It was the Power of Destruction, capable of reducing all things to nothingness.
"Destruction."
Genichi spoke the word softly.
Red light shot from his palm like a blade, piercing the black tide.
Everywhere it passed, vengeful spirits screamed and vanished into nothingness.
They were not scattered or repelled. They were completely and irreversibly erased from existence.
Their bodies melted within the red light like snow before a raging fire, leaving not even ashes behind.
The red light exploded within the horde, splitting into countless beams that spread in every direction.
Each beam annihilated dozens of spirits, carving gaping paths through the black tide.
The beams intertwined and formed an enormous net that enveloped the entire horde.
The spirits' screams became even more agonized. They struggled desperately to escape the net, but the red light was everywhere. It penetrated every opening and left them nowhere to flee.
Genichi stood with his palm facing the horde, his expression perfectly calm.
The red light danced across his face, dyeing his eyes crimson.
He could sense a faint trace of power entering his body each time a spirit was destroyed.
It was neither devouring nor absorption. It felt more natural and pure, as though the world itself were rewarding him.
It was thanking him for cleansing the corruption and restoring the balance.
Genichi narrowed his eyes.
Was this one of the laws of this world?
Would destroying vengeful spirits earn him power in return?
If he destroyed more of them, if he cleansed every last vengeful spirit from this world, would the world recognize him?
Would he ascend its throne?
The corners of his lips lifted slightly.
The red light grew stronger and more brilliant.
Within its glow, the black tide rapidly shrank and vanished, melting away like snow beneath the sun.
The spirits' screams gradually weakened before disappearing completely.
Only a few wisps of black smoke remained above the gray-white earth, the sole proof that the horde had ever existed.
Genichi lowered his hand, and the red light gradually faded.
He turned toward the people he had saved.
They stood a short distance away, staring at him with shock and fear filling their eyes.
Some had their mouths hanging open. Others stared with eyes stretched wide. A few had gone weak in the knees and collapsed onto the ground.
They could not believe that the young man they had assumed was doomed had single-handedly annihilated the entire horde.
Genichi regarded them calmly.
"You're coming with me."
His voice was not loud, but it carried an authority that allowed no refusal.
The survivors exchanged uneasy glances. No one dared to speak, much less refuse.
They simply stared at Genichi as though he were a monster.
Ignoring their gazes, Genichi raised his hand and began drawing a magic circle on the ground.
Red lines spread across the gray-black earth, intertwining into an intricate pattern.
Several minutes later, the magic circle was complete.
Red light flared and enveloped Genichi and the survivors.
The group panicked and tried to flee, but the light had already swallowed them.
In the next instant, they disappeared from the alternate dimension.
Standing at the center of the magic circle, Genichi felt the power of teleportation surround him.
The corners of his lips lifted slightly.
These inhabitants would tell him the secrets of this world.
(End of Chapter)
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