The underground trembled.
Not from collapse.
Not from chaos.
But from something far worse—
Control.
Belial stood at the center of his domain, his massive frame coiled like a tightening storm. Cracks spread across his skin, faint red light leaking from beneath, pulsing with every slow heartbeat.
His territory was changing.
And he could feel it.
"…They think I don't see it," he growled.
Around him, a handful of remaining subordinates knelt, silent, unmoving. The usual noise of the underground—growls, movement, whispers—had dulled.
Too quiet.
Too controlled.
"They're shifting," one of them said cautiously. "Small groups… disappearing. Supplies… gone."
Belial's eyes flared.
"I know."
Silence slammed down.
Heavy.
Crushing.
"…Find them," Belial said.
No one moved.
That hesitation—
That single moment—
Was enough.
Belial's arm moved.
Too fast to see.
The demon who spoke—
Was gone.
Not thrown.
Not broken.
Gone.
The space where it stood collapsed inward for a split second before stabilizing again.
"…Useless," Belial muttered.
But even as he said it—
He understood.
This wasn't random.
It was controlled.
Systematic.
Someone—
Was dismantling him.
And doing it perfectly.
Above the Collapse
Gabriel stood in silence, watching everything unfold.
His expression didn't change.
His breathing didn't shift.
But his eyes—
Tracked everything.
"…Internal stability has dropped below 30%," he said.
Alex stood beside him, arms folded, smiling faintly.
"Faster than expected."
Gabriel didn't respond immediately.
"…Belial has begun eliminating his own subordinates," he said.
Alex chuckled.
"Good."
"Explain."
"Fear," Alex said simply. "Once a leader starts killing his own people… he loses control."
Gabriel processed that instantly.
"…Because loyalty shifts to survival."
Alex snapped his fingers.
"Exactly."
Silence followed.
Then—
Gabriel spoke again.
"…He will retaliate."
Alex's smile widened.
"I'm counting on it."
The Counterattack
It began without warning.
One moment—
Silence.
The next—
The entire underground shook.
A pressure slammed outward.
Violent.
Unstable.
"…Energy spike detected," Gabriel said.
Too late.
Belial moved.
He didn't send subordinates.
Didn't wait.
He came himself.
The ground shattered as his massive form tore through the tunnels, moving with terrifying speed for something his size.
Walls collapsed.
Structures broke.
Everything in his path—
Destroyed.
"…Direct engagement," Gabriel noted.
Alex's grin widened.
"Perfect."
The moment Belial arrived—
The air changed.
Heavy.
Burning.
Oppressive.
His eyes locked onto them instantly.
"You."
The word wasn't loud.
But it carried weight.
A D-rank Mid demon lord.
Angry.
Desperate.
Unstable.
Exactly as planned.
"You think you can take what's mine?" Belial growled.
Gabriel stepped forward.
Calm.
Unshaken.
"…Your control was inefficient," he said.
Silence.
Then—
Belial roared.
The ground beneath them exploded.
The First Clash
Belial moved first.
A massive arm swung downward—
Carrying enough force to crush reinforced structures.
Gabriel didn't dodge immediately.
He watched.
Calculated.
Measured.
Then—
At the last possible moment—
He moved.
The strike missed—
But the shockwave still hit.
Pain surged.
Not just from the impact—
But from the curse.
His brother—
Was fighting again.
Two sources.
Two streams.
Gabriel absorbed them instantly.
Energy flooded through him—
Violent.
Unstable.
"…Conversion at 89%," he murmured.
Belial didn't stop.
Another strike—
Faster—
Angrier—
Gabriel raised his hand.
Caught it.
The impact cracked the ground beneath him—
But he didn't move.
Belial froze.
"…Impossible."
Gabriel's eyes sharpened.
"…Energy output exceeds your structure."
Then—
He tightened his grip.
Energy surged.
Belial's arm—
Cracked.
Not from strength—
But from pressure.
From within.
The demon roared, pulling back violently.
Alex watched from the side, smiling.
"Careful," he said casually. "Don't kill him too fast."
Gabriel released Belial's arm.
"…Understood."
Escalation
Belial stepped back.
Breathing heavier now.
Eyes burning brighter.
"You…"
His energy surged.
Wild.
Uncontrolled.
The ground around him began to melt under the pressure.
"…Instability increasing," Gabriel noted.
Alex nodded slightly.
"He's breaking."
Belial roared again—
And charged.
This time—
Faster.
Stronger.
More desperate.
Gabriel didn't step back.
Instead—
He stepped forward.
He let the attack come.
Let it hit.
Pain exploded through his body—
Combined instantly with the curse.
A massive surge.
Larger than anything before.
For a moment—
Even Gabriel's body strained.
Then—
His eyes sharpened.
"…Perfect."
Conversion
He took everything.
The impact.
The force.
The pain.
Compressed it.
Refined it.
Turned it into power.
The air warped violently around him.
Cracks spread across the ground.
Belial froze.
For the first time—
Fear appeared.
"…What are you?"
Gabriel didn't answer.
He moved.
Faster than before.
His hand struck forward—
Not at Belial's body—
But at his core.
The space around the impact point collapsed inward.
Energy surged violently—
Then—
Stopped.
Belial's body froze.
Cracked.
Collapsed.
Not instantly destroyed—
But broken.
Falling to one knee.
Breathing heavily.
"…Impossible…" he whispered.
Gabriel stepped back.
"…Energy utilization: 93%," he said calmly.
Alex laughed.
"Now that's progress."
The End Approaches
Belial tried to stand.
Failed.
His domain—
Gone.
His control—
Broken.
His power—
Cracked.
Everything—
Taken from him.
Gabriel looked down at him.
"…You were inefficient," he said.
Belial looked up.
Rage.
Fear.
Desperation.
"…Monster…"
Gabriel raised his hand.
Energy formed.
Dense.
Silent.
Final.
Then—
He released it.
Belial disappeared.
No scream.
No resistance.
Just—
Nothing.
Silence filled the underground.
The pressure vanished.
The domain—
Was empty.
Aftermath
Gabriel stood still.
"…D-rank output confirmed," he said.
Alex stepped forward slowly.
Clapping.
"Congratulations," he said.
"You just killed your first demon lord."
Gabriel didn't respond.
Instead—
He looked at his hand.
"…Efficiency can still improve," he said.
Alex smiled.
"Of course it can."
A pause.
Then—
His expression sharpened.
"But now…"
He looked into the distance.
"We're no longer hidden."
Silence.
Gabriel understood immediately.
"…The other heirs will notice."
Alex's smile returned.
"Exactly."
A brief pause.
Then—
He added softly:
"And next time…"
His eyes gleamed.
"They won't be this weak."
Gabriel looked forward.
Calm.
Unshaken.
"…Good."
Because now—
The real game—
Had begun.
Writing
Author's Thoughts:
Your author has officially entered PEAK suffering stage 😭
Belial = defeated
Me = getting defeated by exams 💀
If you don't drop power stones… I might become the next villain arc.
Next chapter: New heir appears (stronger, smarter, more dangerous)
Support me so I can survive and keep writing… don't let me fall like Belial 😈