Pain. Cold. Hunger. Fear.
I woke in a world that smelled of ash, iron, and rot. My body ached like it had been crushed under a mountain. Every breath burned. The ground beneath me pulsed, alive. Shadows twisted over jagged rocks. Demons prowled, spirit beasts skulked, sniffing for prey.
I tried to stand. My legs folded beneath me.Dazzed from everything that had just happened
Then… a voice. Calm. Mechanical. Certain.
"System Initializing…"
I froze. A screen? Here? No. Where the fuck was a system coming from.Systems didn't exist in hell. They were only in novels… only in stupid webnovels I'd read back on Earth.
But the glow persisted.
[Welcome, User: Kaizen Erebus Crowhart]
[Nether Ascension System Online]
(This is a system designed to help the user evolve, conquer, and survive.)
Menus floated before my eyes. I reached out—my fingers brushed a soft shimmer. This was real.
[Neural Synchronization Complete]
[Status Window Unlocked]
[STATUS]
Name: Kaizen Erebus Crowhart
Age: 10
Race: Human (Crowhart Sub-Clan – Hidden Bloodline)
Class: Nether-Bound
Level: 1
Health: 32/32
Stamina: 40/40
Ether: 0/0
Shadow: 0/0
Blood Pool: 10/10
Affinities:
Nether Flame(Unlocked)
Nether Darkness(Unlocked)
Sanguinaturgy(Unlocked)
Abilities:
None (Unlocks through leveling)
Passive:
Blood Consumption: Healing and stamina regeneration from any blood
Stats:
Strength: 5
Agility: 6
Vitality: 4
Perception: 6
Willpower: 7
Location: Netherrealm – Outer Pits
Quests:
Survive 24 months in the Netherrealm
Kill 500 Demon Minions
Kill 200 Spirit Beasts
Collect Core Fragments
I blinked.
"I… I have affinities? Nether Flame? Nether Darkness? Sanguinaturgy? I've never heard of these…"
A soft hum in my mind answered.
[User curiosity detected. Displaying Affinity Explanation.]
Nether Flame: Hell-born fire that burns miasma, demons, and corrupted beasts. Evolves with experience. Uses Ether permanently.
Nether Darkness: Living darkness that can cloak, bind, and devour. Consumes Shadow to power abilities.
Sanguinaturgy: Manipulation of blood for power and healing. Vitality and Blood Pool determine effectiveness.
A growl echoed behind me. A demon slithered forward, black ichor dripping from its fangs. My instincts, drilled into me since birth, kicked in. I blocked its bite with my arm—pain exploded—but I countered, uppercutting and then kicking its gut.
I saw the weak point—the underside. I struck, ripping through flesh and feeling the pulse of its heart in my hand.
The System chimed:
[Level Up: 2]
[New Abilities Unlocked: Soul Cleanse, Shadow Devourer, Blood Regeneration]
[Devour the demons heart for further reward]
[Experience Gained: 15 XP]
I staggered back, breathing hard. My wounds were already knitting together. Blood regeneration worked.And what's this about eating the demons heart.
Well it couldn't hurt to try, I look at the still beating heart of the demon ,it looked very gross but as a kid growing up in my clan I had seen worse , I close my eyes and throw the heart into my mouth and surprisingly or maybe it was the hunger it tasted very good.
Another chime rang in my mind, red light flashing:
[Demon heart consumed +2 vitality, +2 agility]
Another chime came in again and screen show another message
[Quest Update: Kill 500 Demon Minions]
[Progress: 1/500]
[Quest Update: Kill 200 Spirit Beasts]
[Progress: 0/200]
This… this was real. The System. The powers. The Netherrealm itself.
And just like that… my life in hell had begun.