After the [Hatred Demon] was pulled toward the [Orb of Balance] and it exploded in its face, Alex knew that wouldn’t be enough.
He wasn’t expecting the battle to end so easily.
No matter how strong the explosion was, something as monstrous as the [Hatred Demon] wouldn’t go down that fast.
But then the smoke cleared.
The sight that met Alex’s eyes was not what he expected.
The demon was still standing, but its body, battered, broken, looked worse than Alex had anticipated.
Half of its head was missing, its left arm was completely gone, and its entire torso was cracked, barely holding itself together.
For a second, Alex thought the explosion had done more than just push it back.
Maybe, just maybe, it had actually inflicted some real damage.
But then, something caught his eye, something far stranger than the demon’s missing limbs.
Back when they had found the [Hatred Demon] in the [Hatred Sect’s Hideout], restrained and unable to move, its chest had been hollow.
There was nothing inside.
Just a gaping void where a heart should be.
At the time, Alex assumed it had never needed one then.
Yet now… standing there, freshly wounded… Alex could actually see it.
A beating heart.
And that didn’t make sense.
His gaze flickered upward, feeling the weight of the [Crown of Calamity] on his head.
The [Heart of Calamity] was still fused to it, refusing to let go.
It was right here, with him.
So what the hell was inside the demon’s chest?
“Never enough,” the [Hatred Demon] suddenly laughed, its voice ragged but filled with pure insanity.
It stepped forward, its aura expanding, a suffocating wave of crimson malice washing over the battlefield.
“You shall die.”
Alex clenched his fists, taking his stance once again.
His body was already exhausted from everything before, but that didn’t matter.
He had to keep going.
But first… he needed to understand.
“How do you have a heart?” Alex asked bluntly.
His voice was steady, but his mind was already racing, preparing for the worst.
“You should know and sense that the one on top of my head is the real deal.”
The demon let out a deep, guttural chuckle, the sound reverberating through the air like a twisted melody.
“Hahahaha~” Its laughter grew louder, its aura stretching even further.
“I simply… made a new one.”
Alex’s grip on his weapon tightened.
“…You made a new one?”
“They took so long to bring it to me,” the demon continued, its grin stretching unnaturally wide.
“Even though they said they would do it before the descent of the gods.
So I simply… made a new one.
Better.
Stronger.”
It spread its one remaining arm.
“I am the strongest I have ever been.”
[The Heart of Calamity is asking the Crown of the Abyss God to destroy that guy.]
[The Crown of the Abyss God agrees.]
Both fused entities reacted instantly, coming to the same conclusion: this thing was too dangerous to be left alive.
Alex felt it too.
Back in his past life, the [Hatred Demon] was already strong enough to fight against the gods themselves.
He remembered the destruction it had caused, the way entire worlds had crumbled under its wrath.
But now, if it had somehow grown even stronger—
No, Alex couldn’t allow it.
It wasn’t just about revenge.
If the [Hatred Demon] was left unchecked, it could annihilate all the gods, including Kaelios.
And while Alex wasn’t exactly fond of the gods, that also meant all twenty-five worlds would fall under the demon’s control.
Whether that was better or worse didn’t matter.
He couldn’t let it happen.
“It was the first time I felt such hatred and desperation,” the [Hatred Demon] continued, its grin never fading.
“I was forced… to create another heart.”
Then, it snapped its fingers.
Immediately, the mangled flesh that had been torn apart by the explosion began to move.
Dark, crimson tendrils slithered across its body, rebuilding what was lost.
Its head reformed, its missing arm regrew, and its torn chest sealed itself shut, hiding the heart once again.
Alex took a step back.
“How did you—”
“I simply used the essence of all those who worshipped me to create a new one,” the demon interrupted, its voice filled with twisted amusement.
“Made of pure hatred.”
Alex’s jaw tightened.
“It didn’t work before,” the demon admitted, shrugging.
“But it seems like your presence, your strength, changed that.
Seeing my own heart on top of your head… it gave me the final push I needed.”
Its grin widened.
“I appreciate it.”
Alex’s expression darkened.
The way it spoke, like this was all his fault, annoyed him.
As if it knew.
As if it could sense the hesitation deep within him.
Fine.
If that’s how it wanted to play, he’d shut it up himself.
“What about [World Cleaver] and [Universal Orbs]?” Alex suddenly shouted, his voice cutting through the air like a blade.
“HOW DID YOU LIVE THROUGH THEM?!”
That was the only thing that mattered now.
He didn’t care that the demon had regained its strength.
He didn’t care that it had drained the essence of countless followers to return.
He didn’t care about any of that.
But surviving his strongest attacks?
That was what he wanted to know.
The [Hatred Demon] tilted its head.
Then, slowly, its lips curled into something beyond a grin.
“Well…” Its mouth stretched unnaturally wide, so wide that it was terrifying to look at.
“World Cleaver was probably the strongest skill I’ve ever been forced to tank, but…”
‘But…?’
“But nothing!”
The demon laughed, its aura erupting outward, filling the space with overwhelming pressure.
“There was no secret technique.
No special ability.
I simply had the durability to survive.”
It took a step forward, its monstrous form towering over Alex.
“And as for your [Universal Orbs]…”
Alex braced himself.
“I was creating my heart at that moment,” the demon continued.
“The hatred essences were feeding me, making me invincible.”
Alex’s eyes narrowed.
“But you can’t regenerate when bound by the [Destiny Shackles].”
“I didn’t need to,” the demon said, shrugging.
“As I told you, there was no skill, no hidden trick.
I simply… survived them.”
[The Heart of Calamity confirms that its master has a durability far exceeding any other in Universal Descent.][There is only one way to truly deal actual damage to it.]
Alex’s heartbeat quickened.
‘What is it?’ He kept his eyes on the demon, which had stopped talking and was now advancing toward him.
[Its new heart. You need to damage the heart, not the demon’s body.
That’s the only way.]
His gaze flickered to the demon’s chest, catching a brief glimpse of the faintly glowing heart before the wound fully closed.
He had an answer now.
That didn’t mean winning would be easy.
“Anyway,” Alex muttered, rolling his shoulders.
“Why isn’t the [Demon Hater Curse] activating?”
[Demon Hater Curse: Doubles damage and defense against Demon monsters.]
It had worked every time before.
Against the army of demons invading the fox village.
Against Kars, the demon merchant.
Against everything else.
But now?
Nothing.
[The Heart of Calamity informs the user that while the Hatred Demon has “demon” in its name and appearance, it is an entity far superior to them.][Additionally, it has a passive that prevents any possible debuffs.]
“Hm.” Alex exhaled, preparing himself.
The [Hatred Demon] stepped even closer, its aura pressing against him.
“I heard you wanted to get to [Dragon City] while staying underground,” the demon mused, its voice dripping with mockery.
Then, its grin stretched wider.
“Let me help you, shall I?”
Alex’s eyes sharpened.
The real fight was about to begin.
And this time, he wouldn’t hold back.