The world around Daniel dimmed as his HP bar hit zero.
His final breath came out as a sharp gasp, his avatar frozen in a grotesque position for a split second before it shattered into countless particles of light.
The remnants of his figure hung in the air for a moment, then scattered into the void, leaving nothing but an eerie silence in the wake of his demise.
[You have been killed by FateBreaker.]
The notification burned across his vision.
He clenched his fists, rage seething beneath his composed exterior.
Usually, every time Daniel had been killed by FateBreaker, he would simply vanish out of the game then appear back in the real world in the place he was in before.
In fact, he planned for that to happen as it would allow him to immediately call the people he was associated with to inform them about his sister’s treason, and about the [Stardust] family acting out of line.
Even if it was his father, sister or whoever, if they stopped him, he would get rid of them.
But this time, something was wrong.
Instead of waking in his room, he remained in a black void.
Endless and consuming, the emptiness stretched infinitely in every direction.
A single panel floated in the darkness, its glowing text the only source of light.
[But it would be too easy at this point, wouldn’t it, Daniel?]
“What the hell?” His voice echoed unnaturally in the void.
Panic crept into his thoughts.
This wasn’t normal. Death in Universal Descent had its rules, and this… this wasn’t part of them.
Seconds passed. The panel faded, replaced by another.
[How about we have a deal?]
A deep, guttural laugh resonated through the void.
Daniel spun around, searching for its source.
Far in the distance, something began to materialize.
Crimson light pulsed faintly at first, growing brighter as it took shape. It loomed larger and larger, until the silhouette of a monstrous figure emerged.
Its form was unmistakably demonic, hulking and grotesque, with jagged horns spiraling from its head, an elongated tail swaying menacingly behind it, and claws that could rip through steel.
The body, however, wasn’t flesh and blood; it was formed entirely of a shimmering crimson aura, swirling like fire contained within the shape of a nightmare.
The void itself seemed to quake in its presence.
[Your hatred is commendable.] The demon’s voice was a low rumble, dripping with malice. [I like it.]
Daniel took a cautious step back. “What the hell are you-?”
The demon raised its massive hand, clenching it into a fist.
Daniel’s voice caught in his throat as an invisible force clamped down on him.
[Silence.] The command struck him like a blow, forcing his mouth shut.
His protests turned into muffled grunts as he struggled against the entity’s overwhelming presence.
The demon leaned closer, its aura burning hotter as it exuded raw power.
[Do you think your hatred has gone unnoticed? Your anger, your frustration, your thirst for vengeance… They’ve led you here, to me.]
Daniel’s struggles ceased as the demon opened its fist, releasing its hold.
He stumbled forward, gasping for breath. “What do you want?” he spat, glaring up at the crimson figure.
[I don’t want anything,] the demon said. [I’m offering you something. Power, Daniel. Power to crush your enemies. Power to obliterate FateBreaker and everyone who stands in your way.]
The demon raised its other hand, and the void around them shifted.
Panels began to appear in the air, each one displaying a moment burned into Daniel’s memory.
The first showed his fireball being snuffed out effortlessly by Alex’s counterspell during their first encounter.
The second replayed the moment Alex stole the python kill from under his nose, claiming both the loot and the glory, then killing him.
The third was the massacre in the toxic forest, his team wiped out in seconds by Alex’s overwhelming summons and spells.
Each scene reignited the fury buried within Daniel’s heart. His fists clenched as he watched, the memories stabbing at his pride.
The demon’s voice cut through his turmoil.
[Look at yourself, Daniel. Look at how you’ve been humiliated. Do you believe you can win? Or…] It paused, its aura flaring ominously. [Are you going to give up?]
Daniel gritted his teeth, his anger boiling over.
“I… I’m going to kill them all…” he held his face in his hands, his pupils shaking, signs of madness appearing.
The demon’s laughter filled the void once again as he saw the state of the human, [Then it’s time.]
[Accept the power.]
[Grow strong.]
[Become invincible.]
[Soon enough, no enough will defy us…]
Daniel looked at the demon slowly approach him, and this time, he didn’t back away.
He wasn’t scared of that thing anymore, because if it wanted to kill him, then it would have surely done it the exact moment he spoke or offended it.
“I shall rise above all,” these were the only words he said as he saw the giant demon smile.
[Very well.]
Crimson light engulfed Daniel, seeping into his skin like liquid fire.
He screamed as the energy coursed through him, burning and twisting his very essence.
The pain was unbearable, but beneath it, he felt something else, power.
It surged within him, dark and unrelenting, fueling his hatred and amplifying his strength.
The demon’s voice echoed in his mind.
[Do you feel it, Daniel? This is just the beginning. Accept me, and I will make you unstoppable.]
Through gritted teeth, Daniel forced out his response. “What… do I have to do?”
The demon’s grin widened.
[Simple. Serve me. Carry out my will in this world, and I will grant you the power to achieve your every desire. Refuse, and…]
Another panel appeared in front of Daniel.
[Failure to follow my commands will allow the demon to crush your soul, instantly killing you.]
He stared at the panel, his breath ragged.
This was a pact with a devil, one that would bind him to an uncertain fate.
But the alternative? Returning to the world as the same powerless failure, forever overshadowed by FateBreaker?
No. He wouldn’t accept that. He couldn’t.
“I accept,” he said, his voice firm.
The demon’s laughter rumbled once more, this time with satisfaction.
[Good. Very good.]
The crimson aura around Daniel intensified, spiraling into his chest.
It consumed him entirely, its searing heat merging with his soul.
He fell to his knees, clutching his chest as the transformation completed.
When he finally looked up, his eyes burned with the same crimson glow as the demon’s, the creature seemingly having seeped into his very soul.
What he had done wasn’t a curse like the [Undead King Curse], but a pact.
It was an entirely different thing.
[Your soul has been linked with the Hatred Demon.]
The demon’s form began to fade more and more, its voice lingering in the void.
[Remember, Daniel. This power comes with a price. Fail me, and your soul is mine.]
As the void around him dissolved, Daniel found himself standing once more in the real world, the glow of the demon’s power still faintly visible beneath his skin.
He clenched his fists, a sinister smile forming on his lips.
This time, he wouldn’t lose.
This time, FateBreaker would fall.