Chapter 16: Bloody Baptismal Slap
The portal to Level 9 opened with a hiss like a metal lung exhaling smoke.
Kelvin stepped through, his hood up, eyes dead of emotion. The air here was thicker—charged with static and something that smelled like wet cave. The "safe zone" stretched ahead of him, crowded with players huddled in groups, pretending they were safe just because the word said so.
Kelvin didn't bother to look at their faces. He walked straight past them—his boots leaving faint, burnt prints on the ground. Every step carried the calmness of a man who has survival the jungle.
In his mind, only one thought lingered:
"Level Nine Special Boss. Clear it and get it's rewards."
No cheering. No hope. Just repetition.
He moved ahead, ignoring the whispers that followed.
"Who's that guy?"
"Isn't that the psycho from Level Two?"
"I heard he cleared a dungeon solo—twice."
Kelvin's expression didn't change. He wasn't interested in attention. The faster he finished, the sooner he could enter the Special Level hidden beyond Level 9—the one that would test if his regression was truly worth it.
But somewhere behind him, greed began to stir.
At a corner table of the safe zone's dim rest area, George, a bulky man with a diamond-studded chain and fake confidence, leaned forward as his assistant whispered something in his ear.
"Boss… that hoodie. The guy wearing it—same one from Level Two."
George blinked. "You sure, Lee? Looks like a government agent."
Lee nodded nervously. "I checked his status window from a distance. Same name. Only this time, his stats are… well, ridiculous. Strength a little through the roof. A few new abilities I don't even recognize."
George grinned, revealing a mouth of gold teeth and bad ideas. "Heh. That means he's carrying government diamonds. Maybe a couple of those shiny artifacts too. We take him out—we're rich."
Lee hesitated. "Boss, what if he's actually working with the PSA? He looks too calm. Maybe he's—"
"Lee," George cut in, patting his assistant's face hard enough to leave a red mark. "You worry too much. One man? Against us? We've cleared more stages than half these cowards combined. We kill him fast, grab the loot, and vanish. Simple."
He rubbed his hands together, greed in his eyes, anxiety crawling under his skin like an itch he refused to scratch.
"Tell the others to wait here," George ordered, standing up. "You, me, and two of the boys—we're going hunting."
They followed Kelvin as the safe zone timer began to unlock the next gate. The forest beyond was a maze of trees and glowing mushrooms—a twisted alien jungle breathing with different unknowing creatures. Kelvin walked ahead, silent and unhurried.
George signaled his crew to spread out.
Lee whispered, "He's moving faster. Think he noticed?"
George smirked. "Then let's make him stop."
They chased him as fast as they could until they cornered him at what looked like a dead end—a cliff wall with nowhere to go. George cracked his knuckles and stepped forward, lightning dancing faintly over his arms.
"You've got nowhere left to run, friend," George said smugly. "Give us all you've got and we might let you keep your teeth."
Kelvin turned slowly. His hood shadowed most of his face, only a faint smirk visible under it.
"Are you sure you want to keep yours?"
Lee froze. "Boss… I told you—"
"Shut it!" George barked, raising his hand. "You talk too much, Lee."
He looked back at Kelvin, puffing his chest out. "We've got four men and lightning magic. You're just one guy in a hoodie."
Kelvin tilted his head. "Ohhh— shiver me timbers.... Am so scared." kelvin mocked
"Attack him " George commanded as they suddenly jumped foward to attack kelvin but ....
he vanished. Making George a bit confused.
" Lee why didn't you warn us about his invincibility"
" I checked he doesn't have one" Lee said as he turned back and saw that Kelvin had
appeared at George's back and gave him a sounding backhand slap.
WHAM!!!!
George's head snapped sideways before he even saw the arm move. The world spun, his vision cracked in two, and when he finally blinked—Kelvin was standing beside him, dusting off his arm.
[Diabolical DemonKing has awarded +10💎]
"Why would I waste diamonds on invisibility?" Kelvin said lazily. "I'm allergic to useless abilities."
Lee screamed and fired a laser shot from his palms, but Kelvin stepped sideways—no flourish, no power-up glow—just clean, effortless speed. He appeared In front of him face to face/hoodie .
"Wrong move."
SMACK.
Slapping both palm out of Lee's wrist with a sound that echoed like a gunshot.
> [⚠️ System Message:
"Diabolical Action Detected."
Reward: +10💎Diamond.
Title 'Diabolical Demon King' evolving resonance: +2% intimidation boost.]
Kelvin cracked his neck. "Good system. Knows art when it sees it."
Another henchman screamed and swung a blade—Kelvin caught it barehanded, twisted, and returned the favor with a huge slap on the forehead landing him nailed to the ground. BAAMMM
The fourth tried his best to attack kelvin from behind but was slapped on his jaw that shifted with force and crashed him into ceiling.
George finally regained his consciousness, clutching his cheek, rage burning through the embarrassment. "You bastard!"
He pulled out a glowing potion, drank, and his wounds began to fade. "Let's see how you like lightning!"
Bolts of electricity surged from his hands, exploding through the corridor. The air sizzled as lightning cracked in every direction.
Kelvin dodged each one—not frantically, but with casual annoyance, like someone avoiding puddles.
"You might be fast," George shouted, sweat beading down his forehead, "but I'm faster, I have the ability to see through your every move, your speed is no match for my greatness!"
"Cool story," Kelvin muttered, appearing right behind him. "Needs a better ending."
George spun and fired one last desperate blast. The lightning engulfed Kelvin, arcs crawling over his body—sparks lighting up his smirk beneath the hood. For a second, it looked like Kelvin was burning alive.
Then he started walking forward.
Slowly. Calmly.
The lightning snapped, hissed, and died out against him like waves breaking on stone.
"You done?" he asked.
George's confidence shattered. "W-What are you—"
"— I — Am —The Diabolical Demon King."
George didn't even think twice he ran away as fast as he could leaving behind his uncontious subordinates.
Kelvin lifted both arms, poured 10% of his total stat points into Strength, and brought his hands together behind George's head.
CLAP—Poww—!!!!!
A thunderous echo tore through the corridors shaking and vibrating the dungeon. George dropped like a puppet whose strings had been cut.
Afterwards
When the they woke up, they were tied—hands and legs bound with glowing chains Kelvin had bought using his own diamond.
George blinked awake, face swollen, pride deflated.
Kelvin crouched before him. "So. You tried to kill me, steal from me, and have a joyous day. Bold plan."
"P-Please—" George stammered, blood on his lip. "Don't jail us. I'll give you everything. My coins, my gear—just don't hand us to the government."
Kelvin's brow twitched. "Government? You think I work for them?"
George nodded frantically. "Y-Yes! You're suddenly too strong. You've gotta be one of them PSA dogs!"
Kelvin actually laughed—a low, dangerous chuckle that made everyone flinch.
"Buddy," he said, tapping George's chest with his finger, "if I worked for them, you'd already be in a lab somewhere crying into a clipboard. I don't like the government. I don't like their laws. And I barely won't even association my self with them."
The group froze. The silence was heavy, broken only by Kelvin's faint sigh.
"But," he continued, standing up, "you're lucky. I'm not gonna kill you."
George blinked in disbelief. "You're… not?"
Kelvin nodded. "No. Killing's boring and a waste of resources. You'll live—and help me instead."
Lee frowned. "Help you? Why the hell would we—"
Kelvin leaned in, his smile sharp as a knife. "Because you'll be baptised by me."
They didn't understand what he meant until he rolled up his sleeves.
"See," Kelvin said, flexing his fingers, "you attacked me out of greed. I respect that. Greed is honest. But if you want to survive this world, you need pain too. Pain's the best teacher."
He gripped George's shoulder. "So here's your Initiation."
[(50%) All stats → strength]
The next hit wasn't just physical—it carried a surge of energy that burned through the air, shaking the dungeon walls.
WHAM!
George's scream echoed, cut off by another slap before it could finish.
WHAM!!!
[System: +10 💎 "Diabolical Handstrike – Emotional Resonance Achieved."]
Kelvin's tone was dry. "Ah, I can't let you die yet."
He took one of the men's dagger and slized his palm letting his blood pour on the man's face
[(10%) Strength → Agility]
It started to regenerate but not in a good was as Kelvin kept on slapping him with force.
"The fate of humanity is in my hands and I need to slap that responsibility into you."
George couldn't even scream again as his teeth that fell of started to regenerate unusually from the inside out the same with the skull eyes even tongue formed multiple parts on top each other.
[Diabolical DemonKing awarded+1000💎]
[Extremely diabolical actions]
Lee stared in horror as the swelling and unstable regeneration disfigured George's face forming extra little eyes, tongue, teeth
and even ears.
"What… what did you do to him?" Lee cried.
"This," Kelvin said between blows, "is the Bloody Baptismal Slap. With this using healing potion or surgery won't heal your face unless I extract my blood from you."
"Now it's you turn..... Don't be shy this is just your journey to becoming one of the strongest player "
"No-No-NOOOOOHHH"
Back at the Safe Zone
The rest of the players were still waiting when they heard distant thuds and faint echoes of screams.
"What's happening out there?" one asked nervously.
The newly appointed guard swallowed hard. "No idea. Orders were to stay put."
Few minutes later they saw movement—five figures in hoodies walking toward them. George led the pack, face hidden, voice trembling but steady.
"We're done here," he said. "We're going to clear Level 9 and 10 next."
The players gasped. No one had ever said that with confidence before.
"But— that's the breakthrough level we don't even have three or nine life's like you." one protested. "We'll all die!"
George chuckled awkwardly, trying not to wince as his disfigured teeth made it hard for him to brag. "Don't worry. We've got help now."
He nodded toward Kelvin, who stood a few paces back, silent, his aura humming like an approaching storm.
"From now on," George continued, voice muffled behind his hood, "we move under his guidance."
The newly appointed gaurd squinted. "Why's your voice… different and what's with the hoodies?"
George froze. "Uh… new style." He said trying to sound intimidating.
Kelvin leaned over. "They've been baptized that's why they're covering their holy face"
The group fell silent. The air was tense but oddly… respectful. Kelvin's presence felt like gravity—it didn't demand attention; it pulled it.
And no one dared to question his authority.