On a hot summer day, on a beautiful golden beach, a three-meter-tall giant of a man sat in the glowing golden sand, staring blankly at the endless waves of the ocean.
His body was covered in scars and muscles, and his long, wild black hair flowed gently in the wind.
That man was Ethan Cross.
For two years, Ethan had lived on this wild island with no one to speak to or interact with, enduring a unique kind of torture that further fractured his already crumbling mind.
At first, his time on the island had been bearable. But after a few weeks, the nightmares returned—haunting visions of the most traumatic events of his life.
A year ago, Ethan had even begun experiencing auditory and visual hallucinations. Sometimes, as he hunted the creatures of the island, he heard the voices and screams of his loved ones echoing through the forest.
Time and time again, he searched for the people he saw and heard—until he finally realized that his mind was merely playing tricks on him. Nothing he saw or heard was real.
This daily descent into madness caused Ethan immense stress, making him lose control. To cope, he developed an insatiable urge to fight and hunt the creatures of the forest, venting his frustration through endless battles.
Now, after two years of relentless hunting, Ethan was the only living creature left on the island—because he had devoured and assimilated all the others.
As he sat on the beach, Ethan stared aimlessly at his status window.
———
[Name: Ethan Cross]
[True Name: —]
[Age: 47]
[Race: Evolved Human]
[Unique Powers: Evolved Organism, High-Level Haki Affinity, Low-Level Haki Proficiency]
[Unique Items: —]
[Missions: —]
[Description of High-Level Haki Affinity: Having assimilated and devoured enough creatures of this world, your body and soul have completely fused with the energy called Haki, granting you the ability to use all three of it's types.]
[Description of Low-Level Haki Proficiency: You are somewhat capable of using the low-level Haki techniques of two of the three types of Haki.]
———
Ethan's soulless black eyes remained fixed on his status window as he recalled all the times he had nearly died in the forest. His battle scars were the prized remnants of his fight for survival.
It had been three days since Ethan last ate. Ever since he consumed the anaconda, he had discovered that as his physical strength improved, his body's need for sustenance grew.
Now, alone on the island and starving, Ethan could only stare blankly at the ocean.
Tears gradually formed in his black, gem-like eyes as he spoke softly to the beautiful blue ocean.
"It hurts, you know, Hank, Levi, Rosalie... to dream about you all, to dream about the happy times we once had. Every day, I wake up hearing your voices and screams in my head. I can't deal with this anymore."
"You know, nowadays, I can't even remember the people from my life before my transmigration. My parents' and siblings' faces are blurred—I can't even recall what they look like. I can only hear their voices. But you three... I see you constantly, day after day."
"I know you're not real, that everything happening is just in my head… but I can't take this anymore."
"Every day, I wake up with this guilt in my mind. I constantly ask myself: Why do I get to survive while you all died? Why do I have to keep watching the people I care about die in front of me, helpless to stop it?"
"Why couldn't I just die so you could live? Why couldn't we die together and find peace in the afterlife?"
"Why do I have to live the same repetitive life every day, doing nothing but killing, eating, and sleeping?"
"Does my life—my existence—have any meaning? I have asked myself this question so many times before."
Ethan's voice trembled for a moment, seemingly breaking apart under the weight of his grief before he calmly continued.
"When I first witnessed people killing, raping, and eating each other, I asked myself if my goal of survival was even worth it."
"Why live in such a world when you can just die and find peace in the afterlife?"
"Why, even after everything I have done to survive, after everything I have done to live, do I still feel this emptiness in my heart?"
Ethan screamed at the beautiful ocean, then took a deep breath to compose himself before continuing.
"To be honest, I have always been a coward. I have always feared death. Even after I reincarnated, I am still afraid. That's why I never killed myself—I simply don't have the courage to do so."
"Everything I say and display is nothing more than an act. I am more afraid of death than anyone should reasonably be."
"I feel that I won't get a second chance, that this life—no matter how much suffering and pain it has caused me—is the only one I have left."
A heavy silence enveloped the beach until a sigh escaped Ethan's lips. His voice trembled as endless tears streamed down his face.
"I can't do it. I can't kill myself, even if everyone I loved is either dead or forgotten. Their memories will still live on inside my mind."
"Forgive me for being selfish, my family and friends, but I want to live. I want to live fully, with no regrets. I want to live my life unchained by the rules and burdens of society. In this world, one person can surpass the collective power of humanity."
"This is my selfish wish: I just want to live. I have already experienced all the pains and sufferings of life, so the only thing left for me to experience is joy and happiness."
"These are my true feelings, my true thoughts. For once in my life, I am being honest—with myself and with the world. I am no longer hiding under pretenses and lies."
"Even if I have to destroy entire worlds to gain the power to resurrect my friends and return to my family, I will do it. Even if I have to die in the process, I will still do it."
"Because even if I fail in my journey, I will still be happy that I genuinely tried."
Suddenly, as Ethan finished speaking, dark sparks erupted from his body, enveloping him.
After a few seconds, the black sparks disappeared, leaving behind only Ethan Cross—a madman with a single wish and an unshakable goal.
That was the day a true demon was born.