Darkness. Silence. Then, a sharp pain like fire in my chest—and I opened my eyes. The world was not Earth anymore. The air reeked of sulfur and power, thick with the presence of countless unseen eyes. My body felt… strange. Smaller, sharper. Black skin stretched over lean muscle, sharp teeth beneath my lips, and eyes that pierced the shadows.
I was no longer human. I was a demonkin.
Before this, I was Nero—a martial arts prodigy, a genius who forged his own path with fists and spirit. My life ended suddenly, ripped away by a cruel accident. But death was not the end.
Unlike the demonkin born with elemental fury—fire, storm, earth, or water—I felt nothing inside. No elemental trait, only a void waiting to be filled.
A voice echoed inside my mind—cold, mechanical, yet strangely comforting.
"System activated. Welcome, Numen. You have been reborn as a unique non-elemental demonkin. Your journey begins now."
Points, missions, imagination—words flashed before my eyes. A translucent interface flickered into view, outlining my body, stats, and a mission board. This was no ordinary reincarnation. I held a power unlike any other: the ability to create from nothing but my own mind.
The path ahead was unknown and treacherous, but I was ready. I am Nero—the incarnation of a new demon god.
________________________________________
The crimson lines of the interface pulsed gently before me. I focused, willing the translucent HUD to expand. The Mission Board hovered to the right, displaying a single active quest:
[Mission 001: Survive the Initiation Trial]
Objective: Defeat the Lesser Flameborn Demonkin attacking your territory.
Reward: 100 DGP, +5 Strength, potential evolution unlock.
Simple enough. A test to prove myself.
I glanced down at the status panel—my stats were basic, my power a blank canvas. Yet the system promised something extraordinary.
A voice, cold and mechanical, spoke again:
"Use your imagination to create weapons and abilities. Points spent will be deducted from your current DGP balance."
I clenched my fists. No elemental fire to wield. No storm to ride. But with this system, the limits were mine to break.
I imagined a blade—a simple dagger made of pure obsidian, sharp enough to cut through stone. A glowing blue outline appeared in the Imagination Forge. The system calculated the cost.
DGP Cost: 50
Half the mission reward, but a necessary start.
With a thought, the dagger solidified in my hand. Weight perfect, edge keen. A smile tugged at my lips.
"Let's begin," I whispered. The initiation trial would be my first step toward becoming more than a demonkin. I would become a god.
---
The air trembled. From the edge of the scorched canyon, a figure emerged—red skin like molten stone, horns curving backward, and flames licking across his arms. A Lesser Flameborn, one of the countless elemental-born demonkin. His eyes locked onto mine, filled with instinctive contempt.
Non-elementals were seen as defects—powerless, unstable, prey.
He roared and lunged.
I didn't flinch.
I shifted my stance, reflexes from my human life taking over. Martial Form: Silent Fang. Feet planted, dagger raised. His claws slashed, fire trailing behind—but I ducked beneath the arc and drove the obsidian blade into his gut.
Sparks and blood erupted.
He screamed, trying to ignite me with a burst of flame, but I kicked off his chest, flipping backward. The system chimed in:
[Critical Strike — Vital Hit]
[Enemy weakened. Execute advised.]
I dashed forward again, low to the ground. One slice across his throat, then another through his heart. He dropped, twitching, burning out.
Silence returned.
[Mission Complete]
+100 DGP | +5 STR | Evolution Tree Updated | Gluttony Activated]
Suddenly, black smoke rose from the corpse—and rushed into me. It wasn't fire or soul—it was essence. I felt it sink into my veins.
[Gluttony absorbed: Minor Flame Resistance | Trait: Ember Eater unlocked]
I exhaled slowly. My first kill. My first growth.
This world would try to devour me—but I would devour it first.
---